Completed and Ongoing Dissertations

This is a selection of PhD dissertations supervised by our LOST researchers (to be continued).

Boukje Cnossen

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Lana Bartusch (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Becoming with Art Spaces: Threads of Organizing Otherwise”OngoingBoukje Cnossen as 1st supervisor, with Timon Beyes
Lilith Diringer (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Social Sustainability and New Work Practices in the Creative and Cultural Industries”OngoingBoukje Cnossen as 1st supervisor
Stephanie Heitmann (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena) “Investigating Agile Organizing from a Performative Angle”Completed in 2025Boukje Cnossen as 2nd supervisor, with Stefan Strohschneider
Lena Kostuj (Leuphana University of Lüneburg and University of Groningen): “Organizing beyond the mainstream: How conspiratorial communities sustain themselvesOngoingBoukje Cnossen as 1st supervisor, with Hannah Trittin-Ulbrich, Marianne Franklin & Esteban Morales (UG)
Merle Larro (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): "Organising Ecovillages as Real-World Laboratories for Societal Transformation in Times of Crisis“OngoingBoukje Cnossen as 1st supervisor
Lillan Lommel (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Spatial perspectives on organizing with and for the future”OngoingBoukje Cnossen as 2nd supervisor, with Matthias Wenzel
Elena Römer (Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg): “Haltung: A new framework of organizational purposeOngoingBoukje Cnossen as 2nd supervisor

Steffen Farny

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Alexa Böckel (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): "Entrepreneurship for the circular economy - unravelling the phenomenon"OngoingSteffen Farny as 1st supervisor
Josephine Führer (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): "Beyond beneficiaries – How work integration social enterprises shape social inclusion”OngoingSteffen Farny as 1st supervisor
Sophia McRae (University of Freiburg): “Kooperative Geschäftsmodelle als zukunftsfähige Entwicklungsstrategie für unabhängige Bioläden in Deutschland”OngoingSteffen Farny as 2nd supervisor, with Arnim Wiek (University of Freiburg)
Simon Meyer (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Cultivating Regenerative Entrepreneurship through Open Source Technology Innovation”OngoingSteffen Farny as 1st supervisor
Svenja Rehwinkel (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Tightrope Walking – Practices of Navigating Paradoxical Tensions between Social and Economic Demands" 
OngoingSteffen Farny as 1st supervisor 
Julia Rothamel (IÖR: Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development): “CSX organizations as social and organizational spaces”OngoingSteffen Farny as 2nd supervisor, with David Loscheder & Markus Egermann (IÖR)
Charlotte von Wulffen (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Exploring the regenerative potentials of community-supported entrepreneurship"OngoingSteffen Farny as 1st supervisor 

Stefanie Habersang

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Anneke Klein (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Strategic Change in the Oil and Gas Industry”OngoingStefanie Habersang as 1st supervisor, with Markus Reihlen
Panida Nowa (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Responsible AI in Creative Industries”OngoingStefanie Habersang as 1st supervisor; with Markus Zimmer
Elske Ruge (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Tracing the Invisible: Understanding Corruption in Development Cooperation and the Professionalization of Economic Forensics”OngoingStefanie Habersang as 1st supervisor; with Markus Reihlen

Markus Reihlen

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Stefanie Habersang: “Taking Stock and Moving Forward in Process-Research: Theoretical and Methodological Considerations for Studying Process Phenomena in Organization and Management Studies”Completed in 2020Markus Reihlen as 1st supervisor
Jill Küberling: “Corporate Irresponsibility”Completed in 2019Markus Reihlen as 1st supervisor
Detlef Schwarting: "Künstliche Intelligenz: Von der selbstverschuldeten Unmündigkeit zur Aufklärung und zurück“Completed in 2023Markus Reihlen as 1st supervisor
Christoph Seckler: “Error Cultures in Accounting Firms”, Completed in 2014Markus Reihlen as 1st supervisor

Dennis Schoeneborn

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Milena Leybold (University of Innsbruck): “A communication perspective on organizing membership”Completed in 2024Dennis Schoeneborn as 2nd supervisor; with Leonhard Dobusch
Sebastian Lüpnitz (University of Innsbruck): "How to navigate polarization without further fueling it? Organizing for Grand Societal Challenges in polarized discourses"OngoingDennis Schoeneborn as 2nd supervisor; with Leonhard Dobusch
Maxine Mölgen (CBS): “The ‘Greenlash’: How pro- and anti-green coalitions shape the discourse around green governance”OngoingDennis Schoeneborn as 2nd supervisor; with Jacob Hasselbalch
Catarina Pessanha Gomes (CBS): “The art of occupying: A study on the influence of romanticism as political culture in French prefigurative politics” Completed in 2022Dennis Schoeneborn as 1st supervisor; with Mitchell Dean
Arni J. Petersen (CBS): “Collective imaginary as residual fantasy: A case study of the Faroese oil bonanza“Completed in 2021Dennis Schoeneborn as 2nd supervisor; with Dan Kärreman
Bennet Schwoon (University of Zurich): “Organizing for a better world? Exploring normative and communicative dimensions of tackling grand societal challenges” Completed in 2024Dennis Schoeneborn as 2nd supervisor; with Andreas G. Scherer
Anna Stöber (CBS): “The emergence of new forms of organizing within established organizations”Completed in 2024Dennis Schoeneborn as 1st supervisor; with Markus Reihlen
Hannah Trittin (University of Zurich): “Transcending the organization: CSR communication in the network society”Completed in 2016Dennis Schoeneborn 2nd supervisor; with Andreas G. Scherer
Peter Winkler (University of Greifswald): “Eine PR der nächsten Gesellschaft: Ambivalenzen einer Disziplin im Wandel“ Completed in 2014Dennis Schoeneborn 2nd supervisor; with Stefan Wehmeier

Elke Schüßler

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Maria Farkondeh (JKU Linz): “Beyond the hype: Theoretical underpinnings and consequences of forms of organizing “new work”” Completed in 2023Elke Schüßler as 2ndsupervisor; with Barbara Müller
Nina Füreder (JKU): “Managing Organizational Resilience in Healthcare” Completed in 2025Elke Schüßler as 1st supervisor; with Barbara Müller
Hanna Pauline Gerland (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Corporate Sustainability (CS) communication in an age of polarization: Why business firms either engage in deliberative dialogue or retract to strategic silence”OngoingElke Schüßler as 1st supervisor; with Dennis Schoeneborn
Nora Große (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Towards network responsibility in global value chains: Changing intra- and inter-organizational structures and practices in the light of emerging human rights due diligence”OngoingElke Schüßler as 1st supervisor
Andreas Kaiser (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Crisis-resilient German government organizations: Bureaucratic decision-making in the management of (poly-)crisis in the 2020s and the institutionalization of resilience”OngoingElke Schüßler as 1st supervisor
Lukas Klasen (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Public administration and climate change – how to address wicked problems through organisational processes and practices”OngoingElke Schüßler as 1st supervisor
Sara Maric (JKU): “Organization beyond Organizations: The Front- and Backstage of Digital Platforms” Completed in 2025Elke Schüßler as 1st supervisor; with Robert Bauer
Tim Möhlenkamp (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “From Crisis to Polycrisis: Rethinking the Resilient Organization from a Temporal Perspective”OngoingElke Schüßler as 1st supervisor
Fenja Nolting (Hertie School of Governance): “Organizations, Institutions, and Societal Challenges A study of organized efforts addressing institutional pathologies”Completed in 2026Elke Schüßler as 2nd supervisor; with Johanna Mair
Carolin Puhl (FU Berlin): "How to do things with texts – Essays on the transformative potential of research on global value networks“ Completed in 2024Elke Schüßler as 2nd supervisor; with Jörg Sydow
Ferdinand Revellio (JKU Linz): “Managing Product Circularity: The interplay of vertical integration, collaboration in service ecosystems, and product design”Completed in 2021Elke Schüßler as 2nd supervisor; with Erik Hansen
Eva-Maria Spreitzer (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Another world is possible? Researching futurestransforming approaches toward societal renewal” OngoingElke Schüßler as 2nd supervisor; with Matthias Wenzel
Marco Steppe (FU Berlin): “Ansätze zur interorganisationalen Zusammenarbeit im Bereich Corporate Social Responsibility in Netzwerken des Einzelhandels”Completed in 2025Elke Schüßler as 2nd supervisor; with Jörg Sydow
Benjamin Schiemer (JKU): “Incompleteness and Closure as Drivers for Creative Processes in Digital-Physical Spaces”Completed in 2020Elke Schüßler as 1st supervisor; with Jörg Sydow
Laura Thäter (JKU): “Workers of the crowd unite: Collective action countering the traditional organization model in digital capitalism for a more sustainable and democratic platform economy”Completed in 2026Elke Schüßler as 2nd supervisor; with Robert Bauer

Hannah Trittin-Ulbrich

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Rudo Femuko (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Venture Creation and Strategies under Adversity: The Entrepreneurship of Afro-Germans”OngoingHannah Trittin-Ulbrich as 1st supervisor, with Steffen Farny
Elena Eckert (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Assessing Sustainability and Resilience in Tourism Destinations: Approaches for the development and implementation of destination sustainability and resilience assessment methodologies”Completed in 2024Hannah Trittin-Ulbrich as 1st supervisor, with Dagmar Lund-Durlacher

Ursula Weisenfeld

DissertationStatusLOST Involvement
Leonie Eising (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Entrepreneurship and systemic transformation”OngoingUrsula Weisenfeld as 1st supervisor
Antoniya Hauerwaas (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Systemic innovations as mechanisms for systems transformations. Towards a better understanding of the impact of systems thinking, innovations and institutions for system change”Completed in 2018Ursula Weisenfeld as 1st supervisor
Sünje Helldorf (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Kompetenzentwicklung in kleinen und mittelständischen Unternehmen”Completed in 2021Ursula Weisenfeld as 1st supervisor
Thomas Maximilian Koll (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Zur Mikrofundierung von institutionellen Logiken Das Innovationsverhalten von Familienunternehmen während des Generationswechsels als Sinnbild für institutionelle Äquilibrationsprozesse”Completed in 2021Ursula Weisenfeld as 1st supervisor
Verena Meyer (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Critical Perspectives on Entrepreneurship - Challenging the Agent, the Discourse(s) and Dominant Assumptions”Completed in 2021Ursula Weisenfeld as 1st supervisor
Katarzyna Ewa Rollert (Leuphana University of Lüneburg): “Sustainability transition of the electricity system: Levels, actors and mechanisms”Completed in 2021Ursula Weisenfeld as 1st supervisor