Page - 69 - in Critical Issues in Science, Technology and Society Studies - Conference Proceedings of the 17th STS Conference Graz 2018

that may emerge in the newly differentiated field. This is supported by Future and Innovation Research anchored in sociology in the terms of Zweck (2003). One of the aims of Future and Innovation Research is to precisely record the current situation of certain phenomena in order to be able to assess possible, likely or desirable future developments. As a relatively new science in Germany, Future and Innovation Research aims for a professional development of a suitable set of instruments for systematic research of the future. For this purpose, it adopts instruments of innovation research. The authors of this article base their assumptions primarily on Luhmann's systems theory (1982) and on Münch's theory of action (1985) in order to enable a targeted assessment of the phenomenon platform-based work. It describes society as a social system that includes all other social systems (Luhmann 1997, 78). The aim of the paper is to present the possibilities at the intersection of Industrial Engineering and Future and Innovation Research. The newly differentiated field of platform-based work will be examined with respect to the problems mentioned above of its current development phase. On the one hand, this could assist politics, law and business to create suitable regulations and measures for regulating and improving the new work forms. On the other hand, a methodological approach will be further developed in order to be used during e.g. case studies. 2. Theoretical Background In order to understand the approach used in this paper, it is necessary to explain the basics of the underlying theories. Luhmann's system theory and Münchs theory of action are the superordinate analysis tools, with which the field of Future and Innovation Research, Industrial En- gineering and Ergonomics and the field of online work are examined. Future and Innovation Research is supposed to sketch possible developments in the field, while, Industrial Engineering is supposed to deliver the needed picture of the current state of the art in the field of platform- based work. System Theory The systems theory is a sociological theory, which describes society as a social system that includes all other social systems (Luhmann 1997, 78). Modern societies are not viewed in an individual-centred manner, but in a system-oriented manner. Social (sub)systems, such as the economy, follow their own logic and thereby develop their own momentum (Zweck 2006, 205; Luhmann 1984, 312; Münch 1994, 389). Social (sub)systems differentiate themselves from an environment and are constituted only through this (Luhmann 2011, 4-14; Kneer 2001, 417). The difference between systems and the environment is about reducing the complexity of the world (Münch 1974, 169). The operating method through which the difference between system and environment is created is communication (Kneer 2001, 413). New subsystems can differentiate from existing systems, which contain new elements as well as those formerly belonging to the old system (Kneer 2001, 412). Differentiation is a characteristic feature of dynamic and pluralistic societies (Zweck 2006, 205). The recursively referring, communicative operations form systems that, despite their interdependence, cannot communicate across their borders (Zweck 2009, 195; Kneer 2001, 409-413). Society in the Luhmannian sense is always a communication system that includes actions (Kneer 2001, 408; Bohnen 1994, 299). Actions lead to other actions, whereby a self-conditionedness of the actions as well as a self-reproduction, in the language of system theory an "autopoiesis", is given (Bohnen 1994, 299; Luhmann 1984, 311; 69