Dr. Anna Stöber

Portrait
21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C6.123
Fon 04131.677-2171 (Sekr.), anna.stoeber@leuphana.de
Research associate, Professorship of Business Administration, in particular Business in Society
Associated member, Leuphana Center for Organization & Social Transformation

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Vita

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of Business in Society at Leuphana University of Lüneburg. 

From 2019-2023, I was a PhD fellow at the department for Management, Society and Communication at Copenhagen Business School. My PhD thesis empirically explored how self-managing modes of organizing can emerge and be sustained when embedded within established organizational settings.

Originally trained in the humanities and in ethnographic methods, my MSc in Sustainability & Management (University of Bath, UK) led me to the field of organization and management studies. Building on this foundation, I use qualitative methodologies to study phenomena around new and alternative forms of organizing as well as employee activism.

At the Chair of Business in  Society I am also engaged in strengthening Leuphana University’s commitment to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management (PRME). 

Teaching

  • New and Alternative Forms of Organizing
  • Employee Activism
  • Qualitative Research Methods

Research Interests


My current research interests center around two main areas.  Firstly, I am interested new forms of organizing, specifically self-managing forms of organizing, in the digital context (specifically, Decentralized, Autonomous Organisations (DAOs)). Secondly,  I seek to expand my research on employee activism with a specific focus on inter-organizational communities of activists.

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. Embedded Self-Managing Modes of Organizing: Empirical Inquiries into Boundaries, Momentum, and Collectivity
    Anna Stöber (Author) , 2024 Copenhagen , 170 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Monographs › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. Guest editorial: Queer troublemakers and intersectional solidarity in times of anti-queer backlash
    Elo L.K. Reiss (Author) , Anna Stöber (Author) , Alison Pullen (Author) , 04.12.2025 , in: Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, 20, 3 , p. 249-256 , 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research

  2. Cultivating dispersed collectivity: How communities between organizations sustain employee activism
    Anna Stöber (Author) , Verena Girschik (Author) , 01.09.2025 , in: Human Relations, 78, 9 , p. 1093-1122 , 30 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  3. From Fleeting Enchantment to Embodied Commitment: How Bottom-up Momentum can Emerge and Persist
    Anna Stöber (Author) , 01.08.2024 , in: Academy of Management Proceedings, 2024, 1 , 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Conference abstract in journal › Research › peer-review

  4. Balancing the Boundary: Sustaining Self-Managing Modes of Work Within Hierarchical Organizations
    Anna Stöber (Author) , Dennis Schöneborn (Author) , 01.08.2022 , in: Academy of Management Proceedings, 2022, 1 , 1 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Conference abstract in journal › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Activities

Prizes

  1. Best Paper Award 2024
    Anna Stöber (Recipient) ,

    Prize: Leuphana internal Prize, Scholaships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  2. Teaching Award 2024
    Anna Stöber (Recipient) Johanne Düsterbeck (Recipient) Lillan Lommel (Recipient) ,

    Prize: Leuphana internal Prize, Scholaships, distinctions, appointments › Education

View all prizes

Courses

How do I become an Activist in my Organization? (SBP)
Anna Stöber
⌄
Immer wieder beobachten wir, wie Mitarbeitende sich innerhalb ihrer Organisationen für gesellschaftliche Anliegen engagieren oder ihre Organisationen zur Verantwortung ziehen. Ein jüngstes Beispiel dafür ist die mutige Aktion der spanischen Fußballweltmeisterinnen, die gegen ihren Verband aufbegehrten und unter anderem die Absetzung des Präsidenten forderten. Doch auch abseits der Medienaufmerksamkeit nutzen viele Menschen ihre Positionen innerhalb von Organisationen - sei es im beruflichen oder ehrenamtlichen Kontext -, um sich für verbesserte Verhältnisse einzusetzen.

In diesem Kurs tauchen wir in die grundlegende Literatur zum Thema Mitarbeiter*innen-Aktivismus ein. Wir erkunden verschiedene Strategien und diskutieren diese kritisch. Im praktischen Teil des Kurses schauen wir uns Beispiele aus der Praxis zu Themen wie Vielfalt und Inklusion oder Nachhaltigkeit an.

Die Studierenden werden das Erlernte dann in ihren eigenen Projektarbeiten anwenden und dabei herausarbeiten, wie sie innerhalb organisationaler Strukturen für die Anliegen eintreten können, die ihnen am Herzen liegen.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-05-06 at 10:15
Room: C 12.101 Seminarraum
PoE: New & Alternative Forms of Organizing
Anna Stöber
⌄
This seminar explores new and alternative forms of organizing—including self-managing and democratic organizations, open-source communities, and hacker collectives—and their implications for entrepreneurship. We begin by establishing a foundational understanding of what an organization is and then examine the characteristics of dominant bureaucratic and hierarchical organizational structures. From this foundational understanding, the course will then proceed to examine novel theories and research that challenge established and prevailing organizational forms. We will explore how alternative organizing structures can create new opportunities for entrepreneurs by enabling more flexible, collaborative, and decentralized approaches. The course also emphasizes how digital technologies have enabled entirely new ways of organizing, providing potential for entrepreneurial innovation.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-05-06 at 14:15
Room: C 12.101 Seminarraum