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Professorship for Information Systems and Digital Innovation
Nucleus Professorship
for Information Systems
and Digital Innovation

Photo: Goettling

Bachelor and Master Thesis Topics

Project: Digital Innovation and Transformation in Retail

Contact: Prof. Dr. Jan Recker

Consumers have traditionally made purchase decisions at the store shelf, giving institutional brick-and-mortar retailers complete control over behavior, data, and preferences. This business model is now being digitally transformed: On the one hand, e-commerce, mobile shopping, sensor technologies, smart devices and artificial intelligence are but a few of digital innovations that threaten traditional retailers. On the other hand, digital technologies also present enormous potential for improvements and innovation within established, central operational routines. Particularly, in retail, negotiation processes, central purchase organization, and marketing strategies can benefit from current and emerging digital solutions.

Within this exciting context, students have the opportunity to work on thesis topics related in close collaboration with Edeka.Digital (https://digital.edeka/). Possible research problems available for selection include

  • Artificial Intelligence as Source of Knowledge for supplier negotiation – Operational scenarios and Use for central buying units (Einsatzszenarien und Nutzenpotenzial künstlicher Intelligenz im LEH)
  • Supporting negotiation processes by using digital tools (IT-gestützte Optimierung des Verhandlungsprozesses im LEH)
  • From driven to driver/Taking the driver seat – Data Mining as a useful instrument for negotiation processes (Vom Getriebenen zum Treiber - Data Mining als Nutzenhebel im Verhandlungsprozess mit Lieferanten)
  • The Future Food Retail Industry
  • Cooperative Cloudsolution – Potential, Challenges and Responsibilities (Genossenschaftliche Cloudsystemlösung – Potenziale, Herausforderungen und Verantwortungsbereiche)

The thesis project will be completed in cooperation with the University of Hamburg and Edeka.Digital who will assist with supervising the project and providing access to cases, data, insights, and experts (interviewees). Thesis projects are available as a bachelor and master thesis project for students in business administration (all specializations), information systems, computer science, and industrial engineering. The scope and complexity of the thesis project will be defined accordingly. Preferred language will be German but theses can also be submitted in English.

Selected potentially relevant readings include:

  • Patroni, J., Von Briel, F., & Recker, J. (2016). How can Enterprise Social Media Use Facilitate Innovation? An Exploratory Study in the Retail Industry. IT Professional, 18(6), 34-41.
  • Recker, J., Malsbender, A., & Kohlborn, T. (2016). Learning how to Effectively Use Enterprise Social Networks as Innovation Platforms. IT Professional, 18(2), 2-9.
  • Reinartz, W., Wiegand, N., & Imschloss, M. (2019). The Impact of Digital Transformation on the Retailing Value Chain. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 36(3), 350-366.
  • Willems, K., Smolders, A., Brengman, M., Luyten, K., & Schöning, J. (2017). The Path-to-Purchase is Paved With Digital Opportunities: An Inventory of Shopper-oriented Retail Technologies. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 124(November), 228-242.
  • von Briel, F. (2018). The Future of Omnichannel Retail: A four-stage Delphi Study. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 132(July), 217-229.

Topic: Managing Artificial Intelligence

Contact: Prof. Dr. Jan Recker

Managing artificial intelligence (AI) involves communicating, leading, coordinating, and controlling an ever-evolving frontier of computational advancements that references human intelligence in addressing ever more complex decision-making problems. Managing AI means making decisions about three related interdependent facets of AI – autonomy, learning, and inscrutability – in the ongoing quest to push the frontiers of performance and scope of AI in an increasing variety of sectors from human resources, to sales, healthcare, and others.

Students have the opportunity to work on thesis topics related to the management of artificial intelligence using an appropriate research method of their choice.  Thesis projects are available as a bachelor and master thesis project for students in business administration (all specializations), information systems, computer science, and industrial engineering. The scope and complexity of the thesis project will be defined accordingly.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Management, control, and governance of AI-related resources and capabilities.
  • Changes in strategy, structure, functions, workforce, alignment, processes, and control that flow from management of AI.
  • Managing intended and unintended AI-related outcomes across levels of analysis.
  • AI-enabled changes to business strategy, business models, and value creation processes.
  • Management of AI-fostered innovations, including digital product development and software development.
  • Managing policy, legislative, ethical, moral, and societal implications of AI, including intellectual property right ownership.
  • Data guardianship, security, and privacy in AI contexts.
  • AI as management, in conjunction with humans or otherwise.
  • Evaluation and monitoring of AI and associated organizational activity.
  • Managing design issues associated with AI in infrastructure, artefacts, products, platforms, ecosystems and markets.

Selected potentially relevant readings include:

  • Benbya, H., Pachidi, S., & Jarvenpaa, S. L. (2021). Special Issue Editorial: Artificial Intelligence in Organizations: Implications for Information Systems Research. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 22(2), 281-303. https://doi.org/10.17705/1jais.00662
  • Davenport, T. H., Gupta, A., Grewal, D., & Bressgott, T. (2020). How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the Future of Marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(1), 24-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-019-00696-0
  • Gregory, R. W., Henfridsson, O., Kaganer, E., & Kyriakou, H. (2021). The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Data Network Effects for Creating User Value. Academy of Management Review, In Press, https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2019.0178
  • Stone, P., Brooks, R., Brynjolfsson, E., Calo, R., Etzioni, O., Hager, G., Hirschberg, J., Kalyanakrishnan, S., Kamar, E., Kraus, S., Leyton-Brown, K., Parkes, D., Press, W., Saxenian, A. L., Shah, J., Tambe, M., & Teller, A. (2016). Artificial Intelligence and Life in 2030. One Hundred Year Study on Artificial Intelligence: Report of the 2015-2016 Study Panel. http://ai100.stanford.edu/2016-report
  • Berente, N., Gu, B., Recker, J., & Santhanam, R. (2021). Managing Artificial Intelligence. MIS Quarterly, 45(3), https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2021/16274.

Topic: Digitalizing Multisensory Experiences

Contact: Johanna Lorenz

The COVID-19 pandemic induced a massive disruption on societal as well as entrepreneurial life. Since “offline” multi-actor interactions have been inhibited due to containment measures, digitalizing related activities evolved as the medium of choice. The digitalization of multisensory experiential activities (MEA) such as culinary tastings or cooking workshops became emblematic for the disruption of the pandemic and initiated the genesis of an industry of digitalized MEAs. However, digitalizing these activities is challenging since their original participation stimulates a broad sensory spectrum that cannot be replicated completely by their digital counterpart. The question arises, how the quality of real-world multisensory experience can be provided through adequate digital design. In this context, also visionary technologies should be considered (e.g., holograph or VR technology) that exceed the technological affordances of current video-conferencing tools and might leverage the quality of multisensory experience.

Students can work on different topics related to digitalizing multisensory experiences using an appropriate research method of their choice. Topics are available as bachelor and master thesis projects for students in business administration (all specializations), information systems, computer science, and industrial engineering. The scope and complexity of the thesis project will be defined accordingly.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • The digital MEA industry 2.0: Visionary design strategies to leverage multisensory experience in MEAs
  • Visionary communication technologies as enablers of multisensory experience in professional and private communication
  • Reflecting cognitive-affective processing in the digital design of multisensory experiences
  • Coined by the pandemic: Exploring the persistence of digitalized leisure in a post-pandemic world
  • Hybridity as an emerging concept during the pandemic in IS-related applications: classification, status quo, and its evolution towards a post-pandemic world
  • The temporal and structural morphology of business models that have been digitalized due to external disruptions
  • Multisensory learning in the context of digitalized MEAs: linking related theory (e.g., Cognitive Load Theory) to means of adequate product configuration

Selected potentially relevant readings include:

  • Liu, Y., Zhenhui, J., & Chan, H. C. (2019). Touching Products Virtually: Facilitating Consumer Mental Imagery with Gesture Control and Visual Presentation. Journal of Management Information Systems, 36(3), 823–854.
  • Hacker, J., vom Brocke, J., Handali, J., Otto, M., & Schneider, J. (2020). Virtually in this together – how web-conferencing systems enabled a new virtual togetherness during the COVID-19 crisis. European Journal of Information Systems, 29(5), 563–584.
  • Peukert, C., Pfeiffer, J., Meißner, M., Pfeiffer, T., & Weinhardt, C. (2019). Shopping in Virtual Reality Stores: The Influence of Immersion on System Adoption. Journal of Management Information Systems, 36(3), 755–788.
  • Shams, L., & Seitz, A. R. (2008). Benefits of multisensory learning. Trends in cognitive sciences, 12(11), 411-417.
  • Animesh, Animesh; Pinsonneault, Alain; Yang, Sung-Byung; Oh, Wonseok (2011): An Odyssey into Virtual Worlds: Exploring the Impacts of Technological and Spatial Environments on Intention to Purchase Virtual Products. In: MIS Quarterly 35 (3), S. 789–810.
  • Pine II, J., & Gilmore, J. H. (1998). Welcome to the Experience Economy. Harvard Business Review, 97–105.