Master's Thesis Summer Term 2025

Master's thesis supervision Summer term 2025

Before you consider to apply for thesis supervision at the BIM chair, please carefully read the following:

1) Do not write your thesis under our supervision if at the same time you plan to work full time, do an internship , travel the world, or still need to do a large number of other courses! The thesis is an integral part of your study program and, thus, should be in the focus of your attention. You will need all the time to be able to deliver the best package (we fully understand that most of you have a student job and this is perfectly doable). All students that despite our warnings still started a full-time job or internship etc. struggled with finishing their thesis in time and delivering the desired quality. YOUR thesis should be YOUR first priority!

2) Only write your thesis under our supervision if you are commited, motivated, and responsible as well as willing to accept new challenges! If you consider to write your thesis at the BIM chair you should be well-organized, be able to motivate yourself to achieve your goals, and be willing to independently learn new skills (e.g., learn new statistical approaches largely on your own). Writing your thesis with us inlcudes to go beyond what you have learned in your scientific project, your seminars, and lectures. We expect that you are proavtive and motivated as well as able to largely do this on your own. Our job is to reduce uncertainty. Be prepared for all meetings and show us that you invest effort and time to solve issues yourself. This is YOUR thesis, work for it!

3) We are not your personal assistant! Our job is to supervise your thesis with respect to the topic and method as well as the general content and process (e.g., literature search, writting, etc.). It is not our job to remind you of deadlines, to fill out your documents, or to replace your own efforts to understand the submission procedure. All this information is provided below or publicly available on the website of our faculty, specifically the examination office. We are not your internet search engine substitude. This is YOUR thesis, YOU need to organize it!
Registration form Master's thesis: Click here
Submission procedure of your Master's thesis: Click here
General information for your study program (including all information in case of illness): Click here

4) Time problems on your side do not create time pressure on our side! It is part of the mission of the BIM chair to provide students with timely answers to their questions as well as a timely feedback and grading after submission. Time constraints on your side do NOT create time issues on our side. Our aim is to answer questions and request via email within two working days. We are usually much faster than that but if you send your question Friday late in the afternoon you cannot expect an answer on the same day. Organize yourself and try walking in the shoes of the members of the BIM chair. The same applies to the situation once you have submitted your final thesis. If you want to start a job or internship, have visa requirements or travel plans, if you want to/need to move out of your apartment, or if you want to get back your semester fee etc. this is all your business and your responsibility. We have eight weeks to finish the grading of your thesis (see the study regulations) and while we aim for a much shorter time, it will not always be possible to finalize within two weeks. Each member of the BIM chair at any given point in time during the year is supervising at least five Master thesis students, five Bachelor thesis students, and several supervised internships etc. We simply cannot take into account all particularities for each and every supervised student as this otherwise would fill our schedule completly. All submitted theses are graded on a first come, first served basis. If you need your grade as soon as possible make sure to submit early. YOUR issues, YOUR business!

Please read the following text carefully.

Master's thesis supervision at the BIM chair during Summer term 2025 is organized in the following way:

Application: Apply for Master's thesis supervision no later than March 15th 2025 before midnight (deadline) and send it via email to Ida-Anna Thiele (ida-anna.thiele@ovgu.de). Prepare a max. two page motivation letter (including a priority list of three topics from the BIM chair list or your own topic proposition - see below), a CV, and the transcript of all Master's and Bachelor's grades in a single pdf document - use free of charge online tools to transfer and merge your documents. Please send us the most recent transcript of your current Master's degree to ensure that all grades from the Winter term 2024 are already included (if possible). Name the file with your last name and '_Thesis_App', e.g. 'Schlaegel_Thesis_App.pdf'.

Selection criteria: Preference in the selection of Master's thesis students will be given to excellent students that participated in the scientific projects of the BIM chair. The selection is not based on first come, first served. We always recommend you to apply at several chairs at the same time. There is no guarantee that you will be offered a place at your preferred chair/the BIM chair. We supervise a maximum of 10 Master's theses per semester, which is far more than we have capacity for.

Notification: Applicants are going to receive information about the result of the selection no later than March 20th 2025.

Topic: You are welcome to (a) propose your own topic (but make sure that you have access to data so you can test your hypotheses) or (b) make a priority list of three topics from the BIM chair list of potential topics. Topic issues will NOT be discussed before April. Please indicate the number of the topic (e.g., Topic 1) in your priority list. The topic preferences you send us should not be changed after the end of the application period, as we will try to assign you to a supervisor considering your first priority.

Timeframe: A total of 22 weeks are available for the thesis - a four week "reading" period and a 18 week "writing" period (to be graded in the Summer term 2025, the thesis needs to be finished by the end of September including the thesis submission and defense).

Reading period: Start of the four-week reading period no later than April 29th 2025.

Registration: The thesis registration and start of the 18-week writing period is no later than May 27th 2025 (the registration document is available on the website of the examination office - registration form Master's thesis: Click here).

For the thesis registration, please check (a) again whether you fulfill all the requirements to register for the Master's thesis before sending us the registration form and (b) then send us your current transcript of records together with the registration form via e-mail. If it becomes apparent after the reading period has begun that you do not meet the requirements (for example, because you have failed a course for which you had not yet received a grade), please let us know IMMEDIATELY.

For IMME students starting their studies before WT24/25, the main requirements for the Master's thesis registration are: the successful completion of (1) at least 75 credit points including all compulsory modules, (2) at least one specialization section, and (3) at least one seminar worth 10 credit points (click here for the official examination regulations).

For IMME students starting their studies from WT24/25 onwards, the main requirements for the Master's thesis registration are: the successful completion of (1) at least 75 credit points including all compulsory modules, (2) 5 CP in the area of “scientific work”, and (3) at least one seminar worth 10 credit points (click here for the official examination regulations).

For BWL/Business Economics students starting their studies before WT24/25, the main requirements for the master thesis registration are: the successful completion of (1) at least 75 credit points, (2) at least two specialization sections (please consider the particularities for the specializations "Marketing and E-Business" and "Economics"), and (3) at least one seminar worth 10 credit points (click here for the official examination regulations).

For BWL/Business Economics students starting their studies from WT24/25 onwards, the main requirements for the Master's thesis registration are: the successful completion of (1) at least 75 credit points, (2) 5 CP in the area of “scientific work”, (3) at least two specialization sections (please consider the particularities for the specializations "Marketing and E-Business" and "Economics"), and (4) at least one seminar worth 10 credit points (click here for the official examination regulations).

Supervision approach: An important aspect of the Master's thesis is to work independently on the topic - individual supervision meetings should not exceed four to five appointments of 30 minutes each (not including a meeting to specify the topic). In the meetings, your supervisor is not a substitute for your own efforts to solve problems. Thesis supervision does not include prior review of parts of the thesis or a "first draft". All thesis supervision meetings take place face-to-face on campus.

Defenses (mid-term): All theses defenses take place between August 11th and August 15th 2025 (15 minutes presentation of your current state and 10 minutes questions - the ppt slides do not need to be submitted earlier) - about 45 to 60 minutes in total to have time for feedback.

Submission: Submission of the thesis is no later than September 30th 2025 (see the website of the examination office for further details on the submission requirements and process - submission procedure of your Master's thesis: Click here).

Questions: Please read the above carefully. If you have any questions not answered by the above information, contact Ida-Anna Thiele (ida-anna.thiele@ovgu.de).

Important dates summary:

Application: Until midnight on March 15th 2025 via e-mail (ida-anna.thiele@ovgu.de)
Notification: until March 20th 2025
Mandatory kick-off meeting on campus: April 7th 2025
First meeting with supervisor: Between April 7th and April 28th 2025
Reading period: Start no later than April 29th 2025
Writing period: Start no later than May 27th 2025
Thesis registration: No later than May 27th 2025
Mid-term presentations/thesis defenses: between August 11th and August 15th 2025 (most likely during the first 2-3 days of the week)
Thesis submission: Latest by September 30th 2025 (see the official deadline after registration in the LSF)

Potential Master's thesis topics

Below, you can find the final list of topics. In your application, please indicate your three priorities (e.g., Priority 1: Topic 5). Own research ideas are very welcome, but also need to be discussed sufficiently in advance. Usually, all students can work on their first priority.

Topic 1: Just like a fine wine? The timely use of data in quantitative empirical international management/ international business research

When is data too old to inform international management/international business (IM/IB) research and practice? In general, it should take about three years from data collection to journal publication but recent meta-analytic studies indicate that the data that is used in IB/IM research is often much older than this. The focus of this bachelor thesis is on the impact of data currency on the results and conclusions of empirical studies in the IM/IB field. The thesis will examine the age of data in quantitative empirical studies and the extent to which the age of data affects research findings. It will explore the ways in which the use of older data can introduce bias and error into empirical studies, and the ways in which this can impact the conclusions and implications drawn by researchers. The thesis will also explore approaches used to ensure the relevance and timeliness of data in international management and international business research. It will examine the ways in which researchers can assess the age of data and determine its suitability for a specific study, and the ways in which data can be updated or refreshed to ensure its continued relevance. Additionally, the thesis will also discuss the impact of the age of data on the generalizability of the research findings. The thesis will examine how the use of older data might limit the ability to generalize findings to current contexts and how to overcome such limitations. Overall, the thesis will provide an in-depth examination of the impact of data currency on the results and conclusions of quantitative empirical IM/IB research, and offer recommendations for best practices to ensure the relevance and timeliness of data used in research.

Starting literature
Robins, J. A. (2004). When does the age of data matter? Notes on the selection of data for strategy research. In Research Methodology in Strategy and Management. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Different field but highly informative: Dale, C. M., & Logsdon, M. C. (2022). When is data too old to inform nursing science and practice?. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(12), e155-e156.

Different field but highly informative: Nelson, M. S., Wooditch, A., & Gabbidon, S. L. (2014). Is criminology out-of-date? A research note on the use of common types of data. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 25(1), 16-33.

Topic 2: Mediation Analysis in International Management/International Business Research: A Replication Study

Are you intrigued by statistical analysis and its application in the realm of international management and international business (IM/IB)? If so, consider delving into the world of mediation analysis – a crucial statistical tool in understanding the mechanisms underlying relationships between variables. In this master's thesis, we aim to conduct a replication study focusing on mediation analysis within the IM/IB field, using existing datasets from prominent journals spanning the past three decades. Mediation analysis plays a pivotal role in uncovering the mediating processes through which various factors influence outcomes in international contexts. Although about 1/3 of all IM/IB studies use mediation analysis, existing studies are often characterized by limitations in the study design, theoretical underpinning, and particularly in the statistical analysis used to assess potential mediation effects. Why should you select this topic? By replicating existing research, you'll gain valuable insights into the robustness and generalizability of findings in IM/IB literature. This thesis offers a unique opportunity to engage deeply with statistical methodologies while contributing to the advancement of knowledge in IM/IB research. Through meticulous data analysis and interpretation, you'll have the chance to critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of existing studies, identify potential areas for improvement or refinement in methodology, and offer valuable insights for future research directions. Moreover, by focusing on published datasets from reputable journals, you'll ensure the credibility and reliability of your findings, making a meaningful contribution to the academic discourse in the field. If you're passionate about statistics, international management, and making a substantive impact through research, consider embarking on this journey of replication and discovery in the realm of mediation analysis within the dynamic landscape of IM/IB research.

Starting literature
Malhotra, M. K., Singhal, C., Shang, G., & Ployhart, R. E. (2014). A critical evaluation of alternative methods and paradigms for conducting mediation analysis in operations management research. Journal of Operations Management, 32(4), 127-137.

Rasoolimanesh, S. M., Wang, M., Roldan, J. L., & Kunasekaran, P. (2021). Are we in right path for mediation analysis? Reviewing the literature and proposing robust guidelines. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 48, 395-405.

Rungtusanatham, M., Miller, J. W., & Boyer, K. K. (2014). Theorizing, testing, and concluding for mediation in SCM research: Tutorial and procedural recommendations. Journal of Operations Management, 32(3), 99-113.

Demming, C. L., Jahn, S., & Boztuğ, Y. (2017). Conducting mediation analysis in marketing research. Marketing: ZFP–Journal of Research and Management, 39(3), 76-93.

Rohrer, J. M., Hünermund, P., Arslan, R. C., & Elson, M. (2022). That’s a lot to PROCESS! Pitfalls of popular path models. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 5(2), 25152459221095827.

Topic 3: Same same but different? A systematic comparison of cultural value dimensions

Understanding cultural differences is essential in international management, and various frameworks have been developed to quantify cultural values. Among the most influential are Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, the GLOBE study, Schwartz’s value theory, Trompenaar's cultural model, and Meyer’s cultural map among others. Each of these approaches employs a multidimensional structure to capture cultural characteristics, yet the specific dimensions and their measurement instruments differ.

This thesis aims to systematically compare these cultural frameworks at two levels.

1) Qualitative comparison:

Analyzing similarities and differences in the conceptualization of cultural dimensions across models.
Examining how specific dimensions align or diverge in meaning (i.e. their definition) and theoretical grounding.
Comparing the survey items and statements used to measure these dimensions.

2) Quantitative Comparison:

Investigating the statistical relationships between dimensions across frameworks based on the correlations between similar (or seemingly different) cultural dimensions.
Identifying patterns and potential redundancies or complementarities between models.

By combining qualitative analysis with quantitative comparisons, the thesis will contribute to a deeper understanding of how cultural values are measured and how different frameworks can be integrated or differentiated. This research is particularly relevant for scholars and practitioners seeking a more nuanced approach to cross-cultural analysis in management.

Starting literature
Brewer, P., & Venaik, S. (2011). Individualism-Collectivism in Hofstede and GLOBE. Journal of International Business Studies, 42(3), 436-445.

Ronen, S., & Shenkar, O. (2013). Mapping world cultures: Cluster formation, sources and implications. Journal of International Business Studies, 44, 867-897.

Venaik, S., & Brewer, P. (2016). National culture dimensions: The perpetuation of cultural ignorance. Management Learning, 47(5), 563-589.

Venaik, S., & Brewer, P. (2010). Avoiding uncertainty in Hofstede and GLOBE. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(8), 1294-1315.

Venaik, S., Zhu, Y., & Brewer, P. (2013). Looking into the future: Hofstede long term orientation versus GLOBE future orientation. Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, 20(3), 361-385.

Topic 4: Decoding the external landscape: Measuring the dimensions of the international business environment

The external business environment is a dynamic force that continually shapes organizational strategies, decisions, and outcomes. Key dimensions such as environmental hostility, environmental uncertainty, environmental dynamism, environmental munificence, market turbulence, and competitive intensity have been widely applied in the international management and international business literature. These constructs capture the complexity of external factors, yet they evolve over time due to changing market conditions, technological advancements, and shifts in regulatory landscapes. This thesis will undertake a comparative qualitative analysis of the conceptualization and measurement of these dimensions, with an additional focus on the evolution of these constructs over time.

1) Conceptual foundations and measurement approaches

Systematically review core environmental constructs and the theoretical frameworks supporting them.
Identifying overlaps and distinctions between constructs such as environmental uncertainty vs. market turbulence, or competitive intensity vs. environmental hostility.
Analyzing how these dimensions have been redefined or refined over time in response to global business trends.
Reviewing the operationalization of these constructs in empirical studies, including surveys, scales, and indicators.
Identifying challenges in measuring dynamic environmental factors (e.g., objective vs. subjective measures, and the impact of technological change).

2) Meta-analysis of the evolution of business environment dimensions

Conducting a meta-analysis of empirical studies to assess how the means of measuring these dimensions have shifted over time.

By combining a comparative analysis with a meta-study of the development of these dimensions, this thesis will provide a comprehensive understanding of both the theoretical evolution and practical application of key constructs in the business environment. The results will be valuable for both scholars refining environmental models and managers seeking to assess and adapt to changing external conditions.

Starting literature
Rosenbusch, N., Rauch, A., & Bausch, A. (2013). The mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation in the task environment–performance relationship: A meta-analysis. Journal of management, 39(3), 633-659.

Topic 5: IT capabilities and organizational agility: A meta-analytic review

IT capabilities (ITC), simply defined, refer to a firm’s ability to use IT-based resources and are predominantly researched as a multi-dimensional construct. The objective of this master’s thesis is to provide an overview of the previous research investigating the relationship between IT capabilities (including its dimensions) and organizational agility (including its facets). The thesis includes a comprehensive critical review of the definitions, conceptualizations, and measurements of ITC and organizational agility and provides an overview of previous meta-analyses and reviews on this topic. The thesis should further include an abstract, an introduction to the topic (including a short summary of the results), a detailed and replicable description of the literature search process and applied analytical techniques, the results of the meta-analysis (including the investigation of moderators), and a discussion of the findings and their implications for the field. The meta-analysis requires a thorough literature search, coding, and analysis of articles on the role of ITC for organizational agility (i.e., conceptual articles, qualitative studies, and quantitative studies). The literature search (preferably supported by artificial intelligence tools) involves the use of a variety of databases and should be guided by predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The identified studies will be meta-analytically synthesized, and the role of moderators will be examined. The meta-analysis aims to provide a quantitative assessment of the current state of knowledge of the role of ITC, identify gaps in the current research, and suggest areas and methodological approaches for future study.

Starting literature
Dewett, T., & Jones, G. R. (2001). The role of information technology in the organization: A review, model, and assessment. Journal of Management, 27(3), 313-346.

Lu, Y., & Ramamurthy, K. (Ram). (2011). Understanding the link between information technology capability and organizational agility: An empirical examination. MIS Quarterly, 35(4), 931–954.

Werder, K., & Richter, J. (2022). A meta-analysis on the effects of IT capability toward agility and performance: New directions for information systems research. PLoS One, 17(10), e0268761.

Topic 6: Determinants of expatriate job and life satisfaction: A meta-analytic review

In the broadest sense, expatriates are people who live and work in a foreign country for a limited period of time. In the literature, several determinants of expatriate job and life satisfaction have been identified. The objective of this master’s thesis is to provide an overview of the previous research investigating these determinants (e.g., language proficiency, age, cross-cultural training, family support, cross-cultural adjustment, cultural intelligence, among others). The thesis includes a comprehensive critical review of the definitions, conceptualizations, and measurements of job and life satisfaction and the investigated determinants and provides an overview of previous meta-analyses and reviews on this topic. The thesis should further include an abstract, an introduction to the topic (including a short summary of the results), a detailed and replicable description of the literature search process and applied analytical techniques, the results of the meta-analysis (including the investigation of moderators), and a discussion of the findings and their implications for the field. The meta-analysis requires a thorough literature search, coding, and analysis of articles on the determinants of job and life satisfaction in the expatriation context (i.e., conceptual articles, qualitative studies, and quantitative studies). The literature search (preferably supported by artificial intelligence tools) involves the use of a variety of databases and should be guided by predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The identified studies will be meta-analytically synthesized and the role of moderators will be examined. The meta-analysis aims to provide a quantitative assessment of the current state of knowledge of the determinants of job and life satisfaction in the expatriation context, identify gaps in the current research, and suggest areas and methodological approaches for future study.

Starting literature
Andersen, N. (2021). Mapping the expatriate literature: A bibliometric review of the field from 1998 to 2017 and identification of current research fronts. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(22), 4687-4724.

Biswas, T., Mäkelä, L., & Andresen, M. (2022). Work and non-work-related antecedents of expatriates' well-being: A meta-analysis. Human Resource Management Review, 32(3), 100889.

Saleem, S. (2012). Antecedents and outcomes of expatriate adjustment: A meta-analysis and structural equation modeling (Publication No. 20122) [Doctoral Dissertation, University of Vienna]. Retrieved July 19, 2024, from https://utheses.univie.ac.at/detail/20122

Topic 7: Determinants of expatriate job performance: A meta-analytic review

In the broadest sense, expatriates are people who live and work in a foreign country for a limited period of time. In the literature, several determinants of expatriate job performance have been identified. The objective of this master’s thesis is to provide an overview of the previous research investigating these determinants (e.g., language proficiency, age, cross-cultural training, family support, cross-cultural adjustment, cultural intelligence, job satisfaction, among others). The thesis includes a comprehensive critical review of the definitions, conceptualizations, and measurements of job performance and the investigated determinants and provides an overview of previous meta-analyses and reviews on this topic. The thesis should further include an abstract, an introduction to the topic (including a short summary of the results), a detailed and replicable description of the literature search process and applied analytical techniques, the results of the meta-analysis (including the investigation of moderators), and a discussion of the findings and their implications for the field. The meta-analysis requires a thorough literature search, coding, and analysis of articles on the determinants of job performance (including its facets) in the expatriation context (i.e., conceptual articles, qualitative studies, and quantitative studies). The literature search (preferably supported by artificial intelligence tools) involves the use of a variety of databases and should be guided by predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The identified studies will be meta-analytically synthesized and the role of moderators will be examined. The meta-analysis aims to provide a quantitative assessment of the current state of knowledge of the determinants of job performance in the expatriation context, identify gaps in the current research, and suggest areas and methodological approaches for future study.

Mol, S. T., Born, M. P., Willemsen, M. E., & Van Der Molen, H. T. (2005). Predicting expatriate job performance for selection purposes: A quantitative review. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 36(5), 590-620.