The topics below are intended as starting points: you can use them as they are, develop them further, or use them to come up with your own question. Ideas from your own field of expertise within my areas of specialisation are expressly welcome. The information in brackets reflects my suggestions regarding degree level and methodological approach, both of which can be adjusted during our initial discussion. To do so, please contact Prof. Romy Hilbig.
 

A – AI strategy and AI governance

A1: The role of culture in the implementation of AI strategies

AI strategies are often developed centrally and implemented across the entire group. However, they encounter divergent corporate cultures and national contexts. The guiding question is: how does culture shape the implementation and realisation of AI strategies within a company? (Qualitative, interview-based or case study; Master's thesis preferred.)

A2: AI governance – from policy to practice

Although companies adopt AI policies, whether these policies influence operational decision-making is another matter. The guiding question is: how do companies translate governance requirements into responsibilities, approval processes and controls, and where do the gaps between policy and practice emerge? (Qualitative approach preferred; well suited to a practice partner; master's thesis preferred).

A3: Artificial intelligence as an outsourcing strategy

Tasks that were previously contracted out to external service providers can now be carried out in-house with the help of AI. The guiding question is: under what conditions does AI replace or displace conventional outsourcing decisions, and how does this affect make-or-buy decisions? (Bachelor's or Master's thesis; expert interviews or literature review).

B – AI, work and organisation

B1: Artificial intelligence, routine dynamics and dynamic capabilities

AI systems directly impact organisational routines by altering the basis on which decisions are made. The guiding question is: how do routines change through the use of AI, and which dynamic capabilities must companies develop to govern this change? (Qualitative or conceptual; Master's thesis preferred.)

B2: AI competencies and human-machine interaction at work

The introduction of AI systems shifts the boundary between the tasks employees perform themselves and those they review, steer or take responsibility for. The guiding question is: which competencies do employees require for this, how can companies develop these competencies, and how will the division of labour between humans and systems change? (Qualitative bachelor's or master's thesis)

C – Sustainability and twin transition

C1: Dynamic capabilities and sustainability strategies – a literature review

The dynamic capabilities approach is increasingly used to explain how companies develop and implement sustainability strategies. The guiding question is: how does the existing body of research connect these two strands, and which research gaps become apparent? (Systematic literature review feasible without a practice partner; suitable for a bachelor's or master's thesis.)

C2: Twin transition – conceiving digital and sustainable transformation together

Although digitalisation and sustainability are mutually dependent and sometimes contradictory, they are frequently managed as separate programmes. The guiding question is: how do companies design the interplay of these two transformations and handle the resulting trade-offs? (Case study, well suited to a practice partner; suitable for a bachelor's or master's thesis.)

D – International business models and social business

D1: Micro franchising and social franchising – a literature review

Franchising not only facilitates commercial expansion, but also the scaling of business models with a social purpose, particularly in emerging and developing economies. The guiding question is: how do micro and social franchising differ conceptually from conventional franchising, and what is known about their success factors? (Systematic literature review feasible without a practice partner; suitable for a bachelor's or master's thesis).

D2: International business models of EdTech providers

The education market is heavily regulated and publicly funded, and is also fragmented on an international level. These are the conditions under which EdTech providers must adapt their business models. The guiding question is: how do EdTech companies design their national and international business models, and what implications does this have for entering new markets? (Case study or literature review; Bachelor's or Master's thesis.)

Regional focus: Africa

I am particularly interested in working on topics in this field related to African markets. I have established contacts with partner universities in South Africa, Namibia and Ghana, which provide access to the field and opportunities for cooperation in data collection. The same applies to all other suggested topics, each of which should be considered in an international context. Comparative studies involving Germany are expressly welcome. If you are planning a thesis involving an international comparison, please approach me, as such projects require a longer lead time to prepare access to the field in advance.

Selected publications

• Hilbig, R., Neyer, A.-K., Fichtner, U. and Fischer, S. (2025) GPTs im Personalmanagement: Lessons learned aus dem KI-HR-Lab. In: Hägerbäumer, M., Thelen, U. and Renz, A. (eds.) Future Skills in HR-Management and Corporate Learning: Neue Perspektiven durch Analytics, EdTech und KI. Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler, pp. 461–480.
• Renz, A. and Hilbig, R. (2023) Digital transformations of educational institutions accelerated by COVID-19: A digital dynamic capabilities approach. In: Beyond the Pandemic? Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Telecommunications and the Internet. Bingley: Emerald Publishing, Chapter 4.
• Renz, A. and Hilbig, R. (2020) ‘Prerequisites for artificial intelligence in further education: Identification of drivers, barriers, and business models of educational technology companies’, International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17(14), pp. 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-020-00193-3
• Hilbig, R., Hecht, S. and Etsiwah, B. (2020) ‘The rise of data-driven business models in the Berlin start-up scene’. In: Open Innovation: Bridging Theory and Practice – Managing Digital Open Innovation. Cham: Springer, pp. 353–377.
• Hilbig, R. (2020) ‘EdTech als Herausforderung und Chance für den Berufsbildungsexport’, iMOVE xPORT Magazin – Bildung 4.0, 1(April), pp. 7–10.
• Hilbig, R. (2019) Internationale Geschäftsmodelle von Berufsbildungsdienstleistern: Geschäftsmodellinnovationen unter Berücksichtigung der Dynamic Capabilities. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien.
• Hilbig, R. (2019) Geschäftsmodellinnovationsprozess – vom nationalen zum internationalen Geschäftsmodell. In: Berufsbildung International: Geschäftsmodellentwicklung. Bonn: BMBF/DLR, pp. 28–32.
• Abdelkafi, N., Hilbig, R., Radić, M. and Preissler, A. (2019) Geschäftsmodellentwicklung im Berufsbildungsexport. In: Berufsbildung International: Geschäftsmodellentwicklung. Bonn: BMBF/DLR, pp. 23–26.
• Ullrich, S., Messerschmidt, R., Hilbig, R., Butollo, F. and Serbanescu, D. (2019) Entzauberung von IT-Systemen – Die Automatisierungsdemystifizierungsdiskursmaschine erklärt spielerisch Algorithmen. In: Was Bits und Bäume verbindet – Digitalisierung nachhaltig gestalten. Munich: oekom, pp. 62–64.
• Etsiwah, D., Hecht, S. and Hilbig, R. (2019) An interdisciplinary exploration of data culture and vocational training. In: Proceedings of the 2nd Weizenbaum Conference, Berlin, Germany, 16–17 May 2019.
• Etsiwah, B. and Hilbig, R. (2019) What is data strategy? An analysis of an ambiguous concept. In: ISPIM Innovation Conference – Celebrating Innovation: 500 Years Da Vinci, Florence, Italy, 16–19 June 2019.
• Hilbig, R., Renz, A. and Schildhauer, T. (2019) Data analytics: The future of innovative teaching and learning. In: ISPIM Innovation Conference – Celebrating Innovation: 500 Years Da Vinci, Florence, Italy, 16–19 June 2019.
• Hilbig, R. and Nirenberg, N. (2019) Becoming international – The business model innovation process of VET providers. Paper presented at the 19th EURAM Conference, Lisbon, Portugal, 26–28 June 2019.
• Hilbig, R., Etsiwah, B. and Hecht, S. (2018) Berlin start-ups – The rise of data-driven business models. In: ISPIM Connects Fukuoka – Building on Innovation Tradition, Fukuoka, Japan, 2–5 December 2018.
• Abdelkafi, N., Hilbig, R. and Laudien, S. (2018) ‘Business models of entrepreneurial universities in the area of vocational education – An exploratory analysis’, International Journal of Technology Management, 77(1–3), pp. 86–108.
• Täuscher, K., Hilbig, R. and Abdelkafi, N. (2017) Geschäftsmodellelemente mehrseitiger Plattformen – dargestellt am Beispiel digitaler Service-Marktplätze. In: Schallmo, D., Rusnjak, A., Anzengruber, J., Werani, T. and Jünger, M. (eds.) Digitale Transformation von Geschäftsmodellen: Grundlagen, aktuelle Ansätze und Fallbeispiele. Wiesbaden: Springer.
• Abdelkafi, N. and Hilbig, R. (2014) Business models of internationally operating German educational services – The power of the franchising model. In: Proceedings of the 25th ISPIM Conference – Innovation for Sustainable Economy & Society, Dublin, Ireland, 8–11 June 2014.
• Trifilova, A., Hilbig, R., Bessant, J. and Posselt, T. (2013) Innovation management: Transferring European teaching experience to Tunisia. In: Proceedings of the XXIV ISPIM Conference – Innovation in Global Markets: Challenges for Sustainable Growth, Helsinki, Finland, 16–19 June 2013.
• Abdelkafi, N. and Hilbig, R. (2013)Business models of innovation contest platform providers. Paper presented at the 13th Annual Conference of the European Academy of Management (EURAM), Istanbul Congress Centre, Istanbul, Turkey, 26–29 June 2013.