When you choose a topic for your thesis it is important that you are particularly interested in this topic. There are two ways to get inspired for a topic:
- Think back of the courses that you attended, and find a topic you were particularly interested in. Write up a couple of lines (e.g. one page in all) specifying the following topics, and send it to the teacher of the course:
- A possible research question
- Which theories you think can be useful in addressing this research question
- Which data to collect for answering the research question (for an empirical thesis) and where to find it (e.g., which organization, database etc.)
- Which data analysis method you want to use for the analysis
- Look at the list of topics below, and see if any of them are interesting to you. Also explore the profiles of the researchers who are working on a topic you are interested in. Often, researchers welcome students who would like to work on their research topic, and sometimes you could even join in an existing project.
Potential supervisors
Master theses can be both supervised by members of the Management of People research group and the Strategic Organization Design Unit
Management of People: click on ‘Human Resource Management, Organizational Behaviour, Leadership and Organizational Communication in the registration form to get allocated a supervisor by the head of this group
Strategic Organization Design: click on the field ‘Strategy and Organization Design’ in the registration form to get allocated a supervisor by the head of this group
Management of People
The group’s research interests lie at the intersection of management, organization and society. We study and teach how management takes place in private and public organizations, how managing is organized and how this organization is informed by, and sustains, society. Read more about the group, including a list of our research topics, here
Suggestions for specific topics:
The importance of legitimacy in organisations – why do orgs adopt inefficient practices? (the neo-institutionalist argument)
How do people in orgs interpret certain (new) legal requirements or conventions/norms, and how does that interpretation differ across orgs in the same industry?
Cross-cultural studies of any sort
Technology, resistance, and employment
Work motivation and satisfaction
Performance management
International HRM
HR aspects related to “Commitment and employee identity”, “Social business and social entrepreneurship”, “Organizational change”, “Leadership”, “Culture”.
International HRM and expatriate management, particularly expatriate contact with locals
Intercultural competence
Sustainable HRM
Management/leadership in practice: What is the managerial role and what is the managerial task on different levels?
Frontline management in public and private sector
Exercise and sport at the workplace as employee health promotion.
Sponsorship and the internal audience (employees)
A Master Thesis Guide with helpful advice on how to tackle the Master thesis is available here