Aims and Content

This seminar guides students in developing their bachelor’s thesis in the area of “Organization, Innovation and Entrepreneurship“. Beyond an introduction to doing and assessing scientific research, the seminar equips students with basic knowledge about the design of an empirical study and the selection of appropriate methods and instruments for data collection and analysis. With a particular focus on the current challenges for organization, innovation and entrepreneurship resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, increase of energy costs as consequence of the Ukraine war, and requirements to adapt to the climate change and its associated economic and societal risks and uncertainty, students will be asked to develop a specific research question by drawing on existing theoretical knowledge around a phenomenon of interest. In general, theories demonstrate the relationship between two or more variables and offer the possibility for building hypotheses to answer open questions. The basic principles of theories, variables, hypotheses and propositions in relation to organizational research will be repeated at the beginning of the course. The students have to work out the theoretical ground for their research project based on selected scientific literature.

Course objectives

¢  The students are able to demonstrate how to transform organizational problems or questions into a scientifically research process, especially in the area of „Organization, Innovation and Entrepreneurship“.

¢  Students develop the ability to formulate research questions, understand variable-based and case-based research designs, search for and review academic literature, write in an academic style, and comply with ethical aspects of research.

¢  Students learn to apply at least one scientific method for answering their research question: a systematic literature review, qualitative research methods or quantitative research methods

¢  Students are able to communicate about their research project by presenting core arguments, applied methods, results and general/theoretical implications