Theses

Here you will find current information on the assignment of theses at the Chair of Entrepreneurial Behavior.

If you would like to write your thesis at the Chair of Business Administration XX - Entrepreneurial Behavior, please read the attached information carefully.

Design of theses.

Bachelor theses can include a systematic literature review.
Master theses should have a clearly empirical character (both qualitative and quantitative theses are supervised at the Chair of Entrepreneurial Behavior).
Theses involving a cooperation with partners (for instance companies) are possible, but must comply with scientific regulations and methods.

Application procedure.

Information on application deadlines can be found on the website of the Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. There you will also find an overview of possible supervisors for your thesis as well as their research focus and other useful information.

The application for the thesis follow a three step process:

First, the central registration form of the Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation must be completed. You will also find detailed information on the allocation of theses on the website of the Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
Subsequently, you will be contacted and receive further information on the assigned supervision.
Afterwards, you can arrange a preliminary meeting with the supervisor, during which the topic to be worked on will be explained in more detail.

Thesis colloquium.

Below you will find essential information on the thesis colloquium.

Students are required to attend the thesis colloquium on a regular basis.
The colloquium is organised jointly by all chairs of the Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and takes place once a month (for further information, please refer to the corresponding e-learning course).
Bachelor students hold a presentation during the colloquium in the middle of the processing time.
Master students hold a presentation at the colloquium once at the beginning and once at the end of their Master thesis.

The documents tab offer some files, which might be useful to e.g. get an overview of the format of your final thesis.

Information on Thesis Topics.

A prerequisite for writing a thesis at our chair is that the selected topic is related to the research areas of the respective staff member. This is the only way to ensure academically sound and high quality supervision.

For orientation, an overview of previously supervised theses can be found under Downloads. These provide useful insights into possible research topics and methodological approaches.

In addition, a brief overview of the research interests of the individual staff members can be found below.

Prof. Dr. Rebecca Preller Hide

Thematic Orientation for Theses

Theses are situated within the broad fields of entrepreneurship and innovation, with a particular focus on strategic, market-related and organizational topics. Key areas include the development, scaling and positioning of ventures, as well as the influence of markets, regulation, consumer behaviour and team dynamics.

Possible research areas include:

Venture capital and financing structures (including international comparisons)
Brand building, social media and consumer engagement
Scaling business models in digital and traditional industries
Corporate venturing and business model innovation in established firms
The impact of regulation on innovation and market entry (e.g. food and health sectors)
Entrepreneurial teams, team dynamics and learning processes in start-ups
Organizational practices (e.g. mindfulness) and their impact on performance
Industry analyses in the context of change, crisis and innovation

Methodological Orientation

Bachelor's theses: systematic literature reviews
Master's theses: qualitative empirical studies (e.g. interviews, case studies)

Topics can be further specified and tailored within this framework.

Dr. Yasmine Yahyaou Hide

Thematic Orientation for Theses

Theses are situated within the field of entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on psychological factors, individual experiences and entrepreneurial decision-making, especially in the context of social entrepreneurship. Key areas include coping with crises and failure, personal values, and the influence of political and institutional frameworks.

Possible research areas include:

Failure, crises and coping strategies in (social) entrepreneurship
Post-traumatic growth in entrepreneurship
Personality, motivation and mental health of entrepreneurs
Social entrepreneurship and value orientation
Political and regulatory frameworks in social entrepreneurship
Hiring and personnel decisions in social start-ups

Methodological Orientation

Bachelor's theses: systematic literature reviews
Master's theses: qualitative and quantitative empirical studies

Topics can be further specified and tailored within this framework.

Nikolaj Penava Hide

Thematic Orientation for Theses

Theses are situated within the field of corporate entrepreneurship, particularly corporate venturing (e.g. venture building and venture clienting), with a focus on the emergence, development and implementation of new business opportunities. Key areas include structures, processes and actors within corporate venturing units, as well as the creation of entrepreneurial opportunities.

Possible research areas include:

Resource allocation and resource management in venture builders and corporate venturing contexts
Structures, roles and development processes of venture builders (corporate or university-based)
Formation and development of entrepreneurial teams
Processes of opportunity emergence (e.g. discovery, creation and recognition)
Case studies on specific venture builders or individual ventures

Methodological Orientation

Bachelor's theses: systematic literature reviews
Master's theses: qualitative empirical studies (e.g. interviews, case studies)

Topics can be further specified and tailored within this framework.

Christoph Fusch Hide

Thematic Orientation for Theses

Theses are situated within the field of entrepreneurship, with a focus on psychological and societal influences on entrepreneurial processes. Key areas include both personal triggers (e.g. crises and biographical experiences) and external factors (e.g. trends and hype), as well as their impact on motivation, decision-making and goal conflicts.

Possible research areas include:

Entrepreneurship as a response to crises or as a coping strategy
The influence of hype and trends on venture creation and business models
Tensions such as mission drift or conflicts between social impact and economic viability
Entrepreneurial narratives and founders’ self-perceptions

Methodological Orientation

Bachelor's theses: systematic literature reviews
Master's theses: qualitative empirical studies (e.g. interviews, case studies)

Topics can be further specified and tailored within this framework.

Julian Preiß Hide

Thematic Orientation for Theses

Theses are situated within the field of entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on entrepreneurs' psychological well-being and the role of social interactions and relationships throughout the entrepreneurial journey. Key areas include factors that influence well-being, mental health and entrepreneurs' long-term ability to act effectively.

Possible research areas include:

Mental health and psychological well-being in the entrepreneurial context
The influence of social support on entrepreneurs' well-being
Social relationships and interactions in entrepreneurs' professional and private lives
Work–Family Conflict and the balance between entrepreneurship and private life
Stressors, challenges and coping strategies throughout the entrepreneurial journey

Methodological Orientation

Bachelor's theses: systematic literature reviews
Master's theses: qualitative empirical studies (e.g. interviews, case studies)

Topics can be further specified and tailored within this framework.

Documents

Qualitative Theses

Quantitative Theses

FACULTY OF LAW, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

Chair of Entrepreneurial Behavior - Professor Dr. Rebecca Preller

Theses

Methodological Orientation

Bachelor's theses: systematic literature reviews

Documents