Final Theses
If you would like to write your Bachelor or Master thesis in the department "Innovation Management", please proceed as follows:
| Summer Term | Winter Term | |
| Application deadline | 28.02. | 30.08. |
| Allocation of the topic | Beginning of March | Beginning of September |
| Colloquium | April - June | October - December |
| Registration | by arrangement | by arrangement |
| Work submission | at the end of the semester | at the end of the semester |
Application process:
Please apply by e-mail (innovation@leuphana.de) between 15.02. and 28.02. (summer semester) or 15.08. and 30.08. (winter semester) for the supervision of your thesis. Please send us an exposé of your project (about 1-2 pages). You can apply for one of the advertised topics (see below) or make your own suggestions, which should, however, fit in with our subject areas. You can write your paper in English or German. Approximately two weeks after your application you will be informed whether you can write your thesis with us.
TOPICS:
Bachelor Theses
Topic | Introductory literature (peer-reviewed) | Explanation |
| Comparing Fashion Sharing Business Models | Armstrong, C. M., Niinimäki, K., Lang, C., & Kujala, S. (2016). A use‐oriented clothing economy? Preliminary affirmation for sustainable clothing consumption alternatives. Sustainable Development, 24(1), 18-31. | Comparative qualitative analysis of fashion sharing companies and their business models using publicly available sources. |
Stakeholders’ impact on (or position on) companies’ sustainability orientation: A case study
| Sharma, S., & Henriques, I. (2005). Stakeholder influences on sustainability practices in the Canadian forest products industry. Strategic Management Journal, 26(2), 159-180. Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989), Building theories from case study research, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14, No. 4, S. 532–550. | Case to be researched from publicly accessible sources and possibly expert interviews; company that is covered in the press, e.g., Unilever, Philipp Morris, Facebook, Frosta, Edeka, VW,… |
Alternative economic models for sustainable development of cities or regions: The case of … | Gibbs, D., Krueger, R., and MacLeod, G. 2013. Grappling with smart city politics in an era of market triumphalism.Urban Studies, 50(11): 2151-2157. (intro to Special Issue) Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989), Building theories from case study research, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14, No. 4, S. 532–550. | Case to be researched from publicly accessible sources and possibly expert interviews; e.g. Bristol pound, Sharing economy |
Innovations for sustainable development of cities or regions: The case of… | Hodson, M., Geels, F. W., & McMeekin, A. (2017). Reconfiguring urban sustainability transitions, analysing multiplicity. Sustainability, 9(2), 299. De Jong, M.; Joss, S.; Schraven, D.; Zhan, C.; Weijnen, M. Sustainable-smart-resilient-low-carbon-eco- knowledge cities; making sense of a multitude of concepts promoting sustainable urbanization. Journal of Cleaner Production 2015, 109, 25–38. Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989), Building theories from case study research, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14, No. 4, S. 532–550. | Case to be researched from publicly accessible sources and possibly expert interviews; e.g. … |
Entrepreneurship for sustainable development | Dentchev, N., Baumgartner, R., Dieleman, H., Jóhannsdóttir, L., Jonker, J., Nyberg, T., ... & van Hoof, B. (2016). Embracing the variety of sustainable business models: social entrepreneurship, corporate intrapreneurship, creativity, innovation, and other approaches to sustainability challenges. Journal of Cleaner Production. Torraco, R.J. 2016. Writing integrative literature reviews: using the past and present to explore the future. Human resource Development Review 15(4): 404-428 Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989), Building theories from case study research, Academy of Management Review, Vol. 14, No. 4, S. 532–550. | Conceptual or qualitative study |
Sustainable development in the textile sector: clothes for hire as a promising avenue? | Armstrong, C. M., Niinimäki, K., Lang, C., & Kujala, S. (2016). A use‐oriented clothing economy? Preliminary affirmation for sustainable clothing consumption alternatives. Sustainable Development, 24(1), 18-31. | Conceptual or analyzing a particular case from publicly accessible sources and possible interviews |
Experimentation space for sustainability transformation | Cartel, M., Boxenbaum, E., & Aggeri, F. (2019). Just for fun! How experimental spaces stimulate innovation in institutionalized fields. Organization Studies, 40(1), 65-92. Torraco, R.J. 2016. Writing integrative literature reviews: using the past and present to explore the future. Human resource Development Review 15(4): 404-428 | Conceptual (e.g. systematic literature review) or with a qualitative study |
Real-world labs for sustainable urban development | Schäpke, N., Stelzer, F., Caniglia, G., Bergmann, M., Wanner, M., Singer-Brodowski, M., ... & Lang, D. J. (2018). Jointly experimenting for transformation? Shaping real-world laboratories by comparing them. GAIA-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 27(1), 85-96. Torraco, R.J. 2016. Writing integrative literature reviews: using the past and present to explore the future. Human resource Development Review 15(4): 404-428 | Conceptual (e.g. systematic literature review) or with a qualitative study
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Designing Understanding and robust design | Hargadon, A. B., & Douglas, Y. (2001). When innovations meet institutions: Edison and the design of the electric light. Administrative science quarterly, 46(3), 476-501. Torraco, R.J. 2016. Writing integrative literature reviews: using the past and present to explore the future. Human resource Development Review 15(4): 404-428 | Conceptual (e.g. systematic literature review) or with a qualitative study
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| Perception and acceptance of technology-based products: an integrative literature review regarding genetically modified organisms (GMO) | Fernbach, P. M., Light, N., Scott, S. E., Inbar, Y., & Rozin, P. (2019). Extreme opponents of genetically modified foods know the least but think they know the most. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(3), 251-256. Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2003). Towards a methodology for developing evidence‐informed management knowledge by means of systematic review. British Journal of Management, 14(3), 207-222. | Systematic literature review |
Master Theses
Topic | Introductory literature (peer-reviewed) | Explanation |
The tension between innovation and institution: designing understanding in the fashion industry
| Hargadon, A. B., and Douglas, Y. (2001). When innovations meet institutions: Edison and the design of the electric light. Administrative Science Quarterly, 46(3): 476-501.
Pedersen, E. R. G., Gwozdz, W. (2014). From resistance to opportunity-seeking: Strategic responses to institutional pressures for corporate social responsibility in the Nordic fashion industry. Journal of Business Ethics, 119(2), 245-264 | Case to be researched from publicly accessible sources and possibly expert interviews; company that is covered in the press |
The tension between innovation and institution: designing understanding in the meat industry | Hargadon, A. B., and Douglas, Y. (2001). When innovations meet institutions: Edison and the design of the electric light. Administrative Science Quarterly, 46(3): 476-501.
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Mechanisms for transition: An exploration of the fashion industry | Johnson, M.P., Schaltegger, S. 2019. Entrepreneurship for sustainable development: A review and multilevel causal mechanism framework. Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice. | Either conceptual or analyzing a particular case |
Mechanisms for transition: An exploration of the meat industry |
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The relationship between entrepreneurs and adopters: an integrative literature review | Torraco, R.J. 2016. Writing integrative literature reviews: using the past and present to explore the future. Human resource Development Review 15(4): 404-428 | conceptual |
The relationship between entrepreneurs and institutional environment: an integrative literature review
| Torraco, R.J. 2016. Writing integrative literature reviews: using the past and present to explore the future. Human resource Development Review 15(4): 404-428 | conceptual |
Exploring the Red Queen Metaphor: an integrative literature review | Torraco, R.J. 2016. Writing integrative literature reviews: using the past and present to explore the future. Human resource Development Review 15(4): 404-428 | conceptual |