Economic Geography

Our research explores how major economic, social, and environmental changes—such as structural shifts in the economy, digitalization, globalization, and climate change—affect people, places, and organizations. We examine how individuals, communities, companies, and institutions respond to these dynamics, adapt their activities, and actively shape economic changes. Our work is grounded in perspectives from relational and environmental economic geography. 

Current research topics:
• Agri-food networks
• Labor relations
• Digital transformation
• Global production networks
• Gastronomy and trade
• Climate change adaptation
• Sustainability transitions
• Regional development
• Resilience and risk

Regional focus: Central Europe, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Tanzania and Turkey

Contact:  Prof. Dr. Martin Franz

Latest news

We’re pleased to welcome (back) Dr. François-Xavier Viallon, Dr. Thomas Neise, and Frederik Kamphues to the Human Geography Working Group with a focus on Economic Geography.

Starting in October 2024, the German Research Foundation (DFG) will fund the Research Training Group “Ecological Regime Shifts and Systemic Risks in Coupled Socio-Ecological Systems (ECORISK)”  Research Training Group at Osnabrück University. Prof. Dr. Martin Franz and Jana Rülke from our working group are actively involved in this interdisciplinary initiative.  To the announcement

New publications

  • Rülke, J., and Franz, M. (2025): Geographical Knowledge: A Catalyst for Reconfiguring Global Production Networks? In: Journal of Economic and Human Geography, early view.   https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.70026 

  • Rülke, J., Arnold, H., and Franz, M. (2025): ‘Unwasting’ waste: Valorisation of cocoa pod husks for black soap production. In: ERDKUNDE79(2), 131–145.   https://doi.org/10.3112/erdkunde.2025.02.03  

  • Dachs, I., Rülke, J., & Franz, M. (2025). Bringing a circular economy perspective into global production networks: Cocoa pod husk-based compost production in Ghana. Journal of Cleaner Production, 519, 145955. doi.  org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145955
  • Helwing-Hentschel, V. (2025). Digitale Plattformen in der Transportlogistik: Arbeitsbezogene Effekte auf unterschiedlichen räumlichen Ebenen. Standort org/10.1007/s00548-025-00969-7
  • Follmann, A., Dannenberg, P., Baur, N., Braun, B., Walther, G., Bernzen, A., Börner, J., Brüntrup, M., Franz, M., Götz, L. ... Neise, T. ..., Sulle, E. (2024). Conceptualizing Sustainability and Resilience in Value Chains in Times of Multiple Crises: Notes on Agri-Food Chains. DIE ERDE - Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin.  https://doi.org/10.12854/erde-2024-692
  • Völlers, P., Franz, M., Verfürth, P. (2024). Gestärkt aus den Krisen: Bewältigungs- und Anpassungsmaßnahmen von Gastronomiebetrieben in Niedersachsen. Standort, online first  org/10.1007/s00548-024-00954-6
  • Neise, T., Verfürth, P., Franz, M. (Eds.). (2024). The Changing Economic Geography of Companies and Regions in Times of Risk, Uncertainty, and Crisis. Taylor & Francis.
  • Bücken, F. (2024). Organisationale Resilienz und gradueller Wandel – Ressourcenkonfiguration und Einbettung als Faktoren der Anpassungsfähigkeit an Risiken am Beispiel der Logistikbranche. Dissertation. Osnabrück University.  https://doi.org/10.48693/599
  • Verfürth, P., Helwing-Hentschel, V. (2024). Digital platforms and the reconfiguration of global production networks, Journal of Economic Geography, lbae039,  https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbae039

Agriculture in Crisis?

Duration: From 02/2024
Funding: Self-funding
Management:  Prof. Dr. Martin Franz,  Prof. Dr. Hajo Holst

 To the website

ECORISK: Ecological Regime Shifts & Systemic Risk in Coupled Social-Ecological Systems

Duration: 10/2024 - 09/2029
Funding: German Research Foundation (DFG)
Head:  Prof. Dr. Martin Franz
Contact:  Jana Rülke

 To the website

Sustainability Governance of Global Value Chains

Duration: 08/2024 - 07/2028
Funding: Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and Volkswagen Foundation
Head:  Prof. Dr. Jens Newig (University of Lüneburg)
Contact:  Prof. Dr. Martin Franz

KlimaEvent: Climate-adapted Events Through Resilient Value Chains - a Pilot Project in Bad Essen

Duration: 04/2023 - 03/2026
Funding: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection
Management:  Prof. Dr. Kim Werner (Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences),  Prof. Dr. Kai-Michael Griese (Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences),  Prof. Dr. Martin Franz,  Dr. Thomas Neise
Contact:  Laura Hoth

 To the website

Organizational Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Crisis Management and Strategic Adaptation of Catering Businesses in Cities in Lower Saxony

Duration: 10/2022 - 11/2025
Funding: Pro*Niedersachsen - Forschungsprojekte der Geistes-, Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften
Head:  Prof. Dr. Martin Franz,  Dr. Thomas Neise,  Dr. Phillip Verfürth
Contact:  Isabelle Dachs

 To the website

Gastronomy in Transition

Duration: ongoing
Funding: self-funding
Management:  Prof. Dr. Martin Franz,  Dr. Thomas Neise,  Dr. Phillip Verfürth

 To the website

Socio-economic Evaluation as Part of the Hotspot Project 23 "Diversity in Geest and Moor - Landscape Through the Ages"

Duration: 07/2022 - 06/2027
Funding: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation
Head:  Dr. Philip Verfürth

Rülke, J., and Franz, M. (2025): Geographical Knowledge: A Catalyst for Reconfiguring Global Production Networks? In: Journal of Economic and Human Geography, early view.   https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.70026 

Rülke, J., Arnold, H., and Franz, M. (2025): ‘Unwasting’ waste: Valorisation of cocoa pod husks for black soap production. In: ERDKUNDE79(2), 131–145.   https://doi.org/10.3112/erdkunde.2025.02.03  

Dachs, I., Rülke, J., & Franz, M. (2025). Bringing a circular economy perspective into global production networks: Cocoa pod husk-based compost production in Ghana. Journal of Cleaner Production519, 145955.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145955 

Helwing-Hentschel, V. (2025). Digitale Plattformen in der Transportlogistik: Arbeitsbezogene Effekte auf unterschiedlichen räumlichen Ebenen. Standort.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00548-025-00969-7

Follmann, A., Dannenberg, P., Baur, N., Braun, B., Walther, G., Bernzen, A., Börner, J., Brüntrup, M., Franz, M., Götz, L.  ... Neise, T. ..., Sulle, E. (2024). Conceptualizing Sustainability and Resilience in Value Chains in Times of Multiple Crises: Notes on Agri-Food Chains. DIE ERDE – Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin, 155(1).  https://doi.org/10.12854/erde-2024-692

Völlers, P., Franz, M., Verfürth, P. (2024). Gestärkt aus den Krisen: Bewältigungs- und Anpassungsmaßnahmen von Gastronomiebetrieben in Niedersachsen. Standort, 49, 38–45.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00548-024-00954-6

Neise, T., Verfürth, P., Franz, M. (Eds.). (2024). The Changing Economic Geography of Companies and Regions in Times of Risk, Uncertainty, and Crisis. Taylor & Francis.

Bücken, F. (2024). Organisationale Resilienz und gradueller Wandel – Ressourcenkonfiguration und Einbettung als Faktoren der Anpassungsfähigkeit an Risiken am Beispiel der Logistikbranche. Dissertation. Universität Osnabrück.  https://doi.org/10.48693/599

Helwing-Hentschel, V., Franz, M., Verfürth, P. (2024). Sorgfaltspflicht in Transportlieferketten: Gesamte Lieferkette in den Blick nehmen. Forschungsförderung Working Paper, Hans Böckler Stiftung.  https://www.boeckler.de/de/faust-detail.htm?sync_id=HBS-008904

Franz, M., Helwing, V., Verfürth, P. (2024). Digital platforms and their impact on labour in the logistics sector from a Global Production Networks perspective. In: Vale, M., Ferreira, D., Rodrigues, N. (eds.): Geographies of the platform economy. Critical perspectives. Springer: 91–104.

Bagci, U., Franz, M. (2024). How Do Turkish Grocers Respond to Changes in the German Retail Market?. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 116(1).  doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12641.

Völlers, P., Verfürth, P., Franz, M. (2024). Deutsch-türkische Investitionsbeziehungen in Krisenzeiten – Handlungsmöglichkeiten für Unternehmen und unterstützende Organisationen. Standort – Zeitschrift für angewandte Geographie, 48, 37–43.  doi.org/10.1007/s00548-023-00876-9

Völlers, P. (2023). Managers’ perception of risk as a driver for firm strategies in global production networks : the case of turkish-german direct investment. Dissertation. Universität Osnabrück. 

Bücken, F. (2023). Klimarisiken in der Logistikbranche. In: Korn, T., Lempp, J., van der Beek, G. (eds) Wirtschaftsförderung in der Krise. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden.  doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-41390-3_5

Franz, M., Neise, T., Verfürth, P. (2023). Gastronomie zwischen Strukturwandel und COVID-19-Krise. In: Korn, T., Lempp, J., van der Beek, G. (eds) Wirtschaftsförderung in der Krise. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden.  doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-41390-3_4

Neise, T., López, T., Reksa, A.F.A. (2023). Rethinking labour risk in global production networks: Resilience strategies of cruise ship workers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Geoforum, 145, 103842.  doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2023.103842

Völlers, P., Neise, T., Verfürth, P., Franz, M., Bücken, F., Schumacher, K. P. (2023). Revisiting risk in the Global Production Network approach 2.0 - Towards a performative risk narrative perspective. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 55(8), 1838–1858.  doi.org/10.1177/0308518X231169288

Helwing, V., Verfürth, P., Franz, M. (2023). Trucking (un)limited – the impact of digital platforms on labour in production networks of logistics. ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, 67(4), 177–188.  doi.org/10.1515/zfw-2021-0032

Schack, C., Neise, T., Franz, M. (2023). Erfolgsfaktoren für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung von Gewerbegebieten. Standort  Zeitschrift für angewandte Geographie, 48, 132–139.  doi.org/10.1007/s00548-023-00848-z

Völlers, P. (2023). Mitigating Extra-Firm Risk Environments – The Case of Turkish Firms in Germany. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 114(3), 237–251.  doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12557.

Kotzold, D., Hüer, L., Griese, K.M., Franz, M. (2023). Efficient and Sustainable Land Use in Logistics Through Cooperation: A Literature Review and Empirical Research. Journal of Management and Sustainability, 13(1), 103–118.  doi.org/10.5539/jms.v13n1p103

Schumacher, K.P., Bücken, F., Franz, M., Griese, K.M. (2023). Herausforderung Logistik – Kommunikation für ein nachhaltiges Flächenmanagement. In: Henn, S.; Zimmermann, T.; Braunschweig, B. (eds): Stadtregionales Flächenmanagement. Springer Spektrum: Berlin, Heidelberg.  doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-63295-6_32-1

Verfürth, P., Franz, M., Helwing, V. (2023). Digitale Business-to-Business-Plattformen im Logistiksektor. Auswirkungen auf Arbeit und Reaktionen von Betriebsräten und Gewerkschaften. Working Paper Forschungsförderung 272, Düsseldorf: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung.  https://www.boeckler.de/de/faust-detail.htm?sync_id=HBS-008542

Bagci, U.E., Franz, M., Yavan, N. (2022). Ethnic networks in the internationalization of Turkish food producers. ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, 66(4), 201–210.  https://doi.org/10.1515/zfw-2021-0052

Franz, M., Rülke, J. (2022). Die gute Geschichte von der Schokolade aus Ghana. Geographische Rundschau, 2022(9), 38–43.

Arnold, H., Franz, M., Felgentreff, C., Higgs, B. (2022). The effects of interdisciplinarity and internationality of group compositions in student fieldwork. Journal of Geography in Higher Education47(3), 451–466.  10.1080/03098265.2022.2119474

Verfürth, P., Neise, T., Franz, M., Sohns, F. (2022). The uneven effects of COVID-19 on the German restaurant and bar industry. Erdkunde, 76(2), 127–140. Neise, T.; Sett, D.; von Elverfeldt, K. & Wannewitz, M. (2022): Adjustment or transformation? Disaster risk intervention examples from Austria, Indonesia, Kiribati and South Africa. Land Use Policy, 120, 106230.  doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106230

Kosow, H., Wassermann, S., Bartke, S., Goede,P., Grimski, D., Imbert, I., Jenssen, T., Laukel, O., Proske, M., Protzer, J., Schumacher, K. P., Siedentop, S., Wagner-Endres, S., Wittekind, J., Zimmermann, K. (2022). Addressing Goal Conflicts: New Policy Mixes for Commercial Land Use Management. Land, 11(6), 795.  doi.org/10.3390/land11060795 

Verfürth, P. (2022). Highly skilled (re-)migrants in multinational enterprises: Facilitators of cross-border knowledge transfers. Global Networks, 22(3), 1–19.  onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/glob.1236

Felix Bücken

Philip Völlers

Utku Eren Bağcı

Carolin Schack

Ceyda Kurtar Anlı

David Heimann

Gökay Arslan

Inka Gersch

Nicolas Schlitz

Yongwei Su

Yueqiang Zhang

Yu Kai