Master's Thesis Winter Term 2024

Master's thesis supervision Winter term 2024

Important information: In the Winter term 2024/25, the BIM chair will only accept a maximum of 10 students for the Master's thesis supervision.

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 Winter term 2024/25 is organized in the following way:

Application: Apply for Master's thesis supervision no later than September 18th 2024 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 transcripts 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 Summer 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.

Notification: Applicants are going to receive information about the result of the selection no later than September 20th 2024.

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 October. 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 Winter term 2024/25, the thesis needs to be finished by the end of March including the thesis submission and defense).

Reading period: Start of the four-week reading period no later than October 25th 2024

Registration: The thesis registration and start of the 18-week writing period is no later than November 22nd 2024 (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 if 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, 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 BWL/Business Economics students, the main requirements for the Master's 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).

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 thesis defenses take place between January 13th and January 17th 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 March 28th 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 September 18th 2024 via e-mail (ida-anna.thiele@ovgu.de)
Notification: Until September 20th 2024
Mandatory kick-off meeting on campus: October 16th 2024
First meeting with supervisor: Between October 7th and October 24th 2024
Reading period: Start no later than October 25th 2024
Writing period: Start no later than November 22nd 2024
Thesis registration: No later than November 22nd 2024
Mid-term presentations/thesis defenses: between January 13th and January 17th 2025
Thesis submission: Latest by March 28th 2025 (see the official deadline after registration in the LSF)

Potential Master's thesis topics

Below, you can find the current 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.

Topic 1: The association between cultural values and sustainability orientation at the individual and corporate level: Meta-analysis of means

At the corporate level strategic orientations are seen as principles that direct and influence the activities of a firm and generate the behaviors intended to ensure its viability and performance. At the individual level, strategic orientations refer to the guiding principles, values, and priorities that influence a person's actions, decisions, and overall behavior across various aspects of life. These orientations shape how individuals approach their goals, interact with others, and navigate challenges, contributing to their overall well-being and success. Sustainability orientation is such an orientation at the corporate and individual level. In the literature different labels have been used next to sustainability orientation, such as environmental orientation, green orientation, ecological orientation among others. At the firm level sustainability orientation addresses a firm’s proclivity to be open to or involved in sustainability initiatives and activities and integrating environmental, social, and economic dimensions. At the individual level sustainability orientation refers to an individual’s pro-environmental and pro-social values and implies positive attitudes towards the environment and society as well as a strong opposition to behaviors that can alter their state. In the past two decades researchers have examined the determinants and outcomes of sustainability orientation in various research contexts at both the individual and corporate level. Although prior research has been conducted in various countries, few studies have examined the influence of cultural values on sustainability orientation. The objective of this thesis is to use a meta-analysis of means of sustainability orientation at both levels to a) assess the meta-analytic mean in general and in different countries and b) to correlate these means with cultural value scores, such as Hofstede and GLOBE to assess the association between cultural value dimensions and sustainability orientation. Moderator analysis will be used to assess whether and to what degree methodological and contextual aspects are able to explain heterogeneity within and across countries

Starting literature
Khizar, H. M. U., Iqbal, M. J., Khalid, J., & Adomako, S. (2022). Addressing the conceptualization and measurement challenges of sustainability orientation: A systematic review and research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 142, 718-743.

Khizar, H. M. U., Iqbal, M. J., & Rasheed, M. I. (2021). Business orientation and sustainable development: A systematic review of sustainability orientation literature and future research avenues. Sustainable Development, 29(5), 1001-1017.

Tardin, M. G., Perin, M. G., Simões, C., & Braga, L. D. (2024). Organizational Sustainability Orientation: A Review. Organization & Environment, 10860266231226144.

Tata, J., & Prasad, S. (2015). National cultural values, sustainability beliefs, and organizational initiatives. Cross Cultural Management, 22(2), 278-296.

Topic 2: Determinants of effectiveness in international virtual teams: A meta-analytic review

The increasing prevalence of virtual teams, fueled by technological advancements and the globalization of workforces, has significantly impacted organizational dynamics, presenting both opportunities and challenges. This master’s thesis aims to conduct a meta-analytic review focused on quantitative empirical studies to investigate the determinants that influence the effectiveness of international virtual teams. The key factors to be examined include communication methods, trust-building mechanisms, leadership styles, cultural diversity, technological tools, and team cohesion, among others with an emphasis on how these elements affect team performance, member satisfaction, and overall productivity in virtual settings. The thesis will offer an overview of prior meta-analyses and systematic reviews related to this topic. The structure of the thesis will include an abstract, an introduction to the topic (with a brief summary of the key findings), a detailed and replicable methodology section outlining the literature search process and the analytical techniques used, the results of the meta-analysis (including an examination of moderators and mediators), and a discussion of the findings with their implications for practice and future research. The meta-analysis will involve a thorough literature search, coding, and synthesis of quantitative empirical studies that explore the impact of various determinants on virtual team success. The literature search, potentially aided by artificial intelligence tools, will utilize multiple databases and adhere to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure the selection of relevant and high-quality studies. The results will be quantitatively synthesized to provide an assessment of the current state of knowledge on the determinants of virtual team effectiveness, identify gaps in the existing research, and propose areas and methodological approaches for future study.

Starting literature
Chaudhary, P., Rohtagi, M., Singh, R. K., & Arora, S. (2022). Impact of leader's e-competencies on employees' wellbeing in global virtual teams during COVID-19: the moderating role of emotional intelligence. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 44(5), 1048-1063.

Richter, N. F., Martin, J., Hansen, S. V., Taras, V., & Alon, I. (2021). Motivational configurations of cultural intelligence, social integration, and performance in global virtual teams. Journal of Business Research, 129, 351-367.

Jooss, S., McDonnell, A., & Conroy, K. (2021). Flexible global working arrangements: An integrative review and future research agenda. Human Resource Management Review, 31(4), 100780.

Topic 3: 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 4: 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 5: IT capabilities and firm performance: 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 and firm performance (including different facets, such as financial firm performance). The thesis includes a comprehensive critical review of the definitions, conceptualizations, and measurements of ITC and firm performance 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 firm performance (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.

Liu, P., Zhao, R. Y., Wang, W. L., & Xiao, J. (2013). Information technology capability and firm performance: A meta-analysis. In 2013 10th International Conference on Service Systems and Service Management (pp. 719-724). IEEE.

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: Outcomes of expatriate cross-cultural adjustment: A meta-analytic review

Cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) is the degree of psychological comfort and familiarity an individual experiences when living and working in a new cultural environment. The construct typically includes the three facets general, interaction and work adjustment. The objective of this master’s thesis is to provide an overview of the previous research investigating the relationship between expatriates’ CCA and, if possible, a set of 5-6 work-related outcomes along the expatriation process (e.g., job and life satisfaction, job performance, commitment, turnover intention, among others). The thesis includes a comprehensive critical review of the definitions, conceptualizations, and measurements of CCA and the investigated work-related outcomes 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 CCA 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 role of CCA, identify gaps in the current research, and suggest areas and methodological approaches for future study.

Starting literature:
Bhaskar-Shrinivas, P., Harrison, D. A., Shaffer, M. A., & Luk, D. M. (2005). Input-based and time-based models of international adjustment: Meta-analytic evidence and theoretical extensions. Academy of Management Journal, 48(2), 257-281.

Kim, K., & Slocum Jr, J. W. (2008). Individual differences and expatriate assignment effectiveness: The case of US-based Korean expatriates. Journal of World Business, 43(1), 109-126.

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 turnover intention: A meta-analytic review

In the expatriate context, turnover intention or premature return intention (TI/PRI) refers to the intention of the expatriate to leave the organization/assignment and/or return earlier than planned to the home country. The objective of this master’s thesis is to provide an overview of the previous research investigating the determinants of expatriate TI/PRI (or similar measures) (e.g., cross-cultural adjustment, job and life satisfaction, job performance, commitment, perceived organizational support, language proficiency, role stress, among others). The thesis includes a comprehensive critical review of the definitions, conceptualizations, and measurements of TI/PRI 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 TI/PRI 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, different measures of TI/PRI should be compared statistically, 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 TI/PRI, identify gaps in the current research, and suggest areas and methodological approaches for future study.

Starting literature:
Hussain, T., & Deery, S. (2018). Why do self-initiated expatriates quit their jobs: The role of job embeddedness and shocks in explaining turnover intentions. International Business Review, 27(1), 281-288.

van der Heijden, J. A., van Engen, M. L., & Paauwe, J. (2009). Expatriate career support: Predicting expatriate turnover and performance. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(4), 831-845.