Final Theses
Find a topic
You should think about your subject area in advance and select your HTW supervisor accordingly. You will then discuss the topic and the focus of the thesis with the supervisor. If you would like to work on a more theoretical/research-orientated topic at the university, please ask the lecturers at the faculty about possible topics. You will find an overview of the professors' subject areas at the bottom of this page.
Work with / without a company connection
The Faculty of Business Administration strives for a high number of theses that are written with or for companies or organisations outside the university. Even if you write a thesis at the university whose problem was derived from a company, this is a thesis with a company connection, i.e. not a theoretical thesis.
You have the right to suggest the HTW supervisor and will not be automatically assigned one by the faculty. Please contact a professor of your choice who is relevant to the topic. If this professor no longer has any free capacity, please contact another suitable person or the coordinator of the subject area in which you would like to write your thesis.
Here, too, you have the right to make suggestions. In the case of practice-oriented theses in companies, you should always try to appoint the second supervisor from the company. If this is not possible, please contact a university lecturer in the faculty.
Requirements Second supervisor from the practice
If you choose a second supervisor from the practice, it is necessary to enclose a short CV (studies and professional career) and a non-certified copy of the academic degree certificate. Furthermore, a current company address including the second supervisor's e-mail address should be provided for the purpose of sending documents.
Please inform your second supervisor that the provision of personal data is a prerequisite for their appointment as second supervisor of your thesis and that this data will be destroyed after completion of the editing process.
Please note: Only those who possess at least the qualification to be assessed or an equivalent qualification may be appointed as examiners. The Federal-State Coordination Office for the German Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (DQR) has specified the applicable qualification levels. According to this, the following are equivalent
at Bachelor level
- B.A., B.Sc., B.Eng. or
- Diploma (FH) degrees
at Master's level
- M.A., M.Sc., M.Eng. or
- Diploma (Univ.) degrees
In addition, at least five years of practical experience after obtaining the relevant academic degree must generally be proven, of which at least three years must have been gained outside the university sector.
Change of second supervisor
The second supervisor may not be changed without the consent of the HTW supervisor and the Examination Committee. An informal written application with detailed reasons, which must be approved by the HTW supervisor, must be submitted to the Examination Committee. You will be informed of the decision in writing.
The prerequisite for the issue of the topic is that all ECTS credits required by § 14 (5) of the respective examination regulations for the of the degree programmes have been earned. Please always note the detailed regulations for your degree program.
Issue of the topic
Please submit the form, which has been filled out by machine and signed by the first supervisor, to Ms. Otto, together with the documents of the second supervisor from the practice, if applicable.
Form: Application for the issue of the thesis
The topic will be issued shortly after review by the Examination Committee and consultation with the Examination Office, of which you will be notified in writing.
You can register your thesis at any time. Please note that the processing time is 9 weeks (Bachelor's) or 20 weeks (Master's) and that both of the supervisors have a maximum evaluation period of 4 weeks.
Discuss with both of your supervisors in advance whether the thesis defence will take place in the same semester. If the date of the defence falls in the next semester, you will need to re-register for it.
You can only return the topic once and only within the first four weeks of the processing period and will then receive a new topic. A significant change to the topic is no longer possible after the first four weeks!
For minor changes to the wording, please submit an informal written request (no later than 14 days before submission). The changes must be approved by the HTW supervisor. The final decision will be made by the Examination Committee and you will be notified in writing.
If completion of the thesis within the specified time frame is not possible due to unforeseeable reasons beyond the student's control, an extension of a maximum of three weeks for a bachelor's thesis or a maximum of two months for a master's thesis may be granted upon written request to the Examination Committee after consultation with the HTW supervisor.
You must provide a comprehensive written explanation and evidence of the reasons for the extension. Please use the form "Application for extension of the processing time for the thesis". Please submit the application for a bachelor's thesis no later than two weeks before the deadline and for a master's thesis no later than three weeks before the deadline. In the case of extensions, you will be notified of the new submission date in writing.
Form: Application for extension of the processing time for the thesis
In the event of illness, the relevant proof (form “medical certificate”) must be submitted to the Examination Committee via Ms. Otto immediately after diagnosis. Periods of illness reported in due time and form and confirmed by the Examination Committee will be added to the above-mentioned extension periods.
The “medical certificate” form can be found on the Examination Office website.
A blocking notice may be requested for a thesis written in collaboration with a partner company. For the blocking notice to be effective, it must be signed by the student, a company representative, and the primary supervisor.
The blocking notice must be signed at the beginning of the thesis processing period and is included in all copies of the thesis. A place of jurisdiction outside Germany is not accepted.
Form: Blocking notice
Every thesis must include a manually signed and dated affidavit at the end of the thesis, with which you are confirming that you have written the thesis independently and have only used sources and resources that are listed in your thesis.
The Bachelor's thesis (labelled on one side) should be between 40 and 60 pages long.
The Master's thesis (labelled on one side) should be between 60 and 80 pages long.
The thesis must be submitted by the deadline, at the latest on the last day of the processing period. In principle, it is possible to submit the thesis before the actual deadline, but the deadline should not be significantly shortened. If the thesis is submitted more than three weeks before the official deadline, the Examination Committee may check whether the topic has already been extensively processed before the official issue of the topic.
The thesis is not submitted via your supervisors, but via Ms. Otto. All formalities regarding the submission of your thesis can be found in the letter from the Examination Committee, which you received after applying for the topic.
The thesis must be submitted to the faculty office in two bound copies between 9:30–10:30 a.m. or 1:00–2:00 p.m., alternatively packaged and with the name of the faculty in the post office (basement/Z 036) of the HTWD. In the case of postal delivery, the date of the postmark will be considered the date of submission. The burden of proof for the submission or delivery of the thesis lies with you. The thesis can also be handed in by a person you trust.
Please also submit your thesis on the GigaMove platform. To do so, select “Login” and choose the “Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Dresden” (University of Applied Science) and click on “Auswählen”. Sign in with your university login. Then upload your thesis in PDF format using “Provide file”. The expiration date should be at least seven days in the future. The file will be deleted automatically after the expiration date. Send the link you have received and any password you may have set, together with the PDF document which shows the registration on the database to: verteidigung.wiwi(at)htw-dresden.de. You will receive a confirmation of receipt by e-mail.
Please return the completed form, including the deregistration from the library, to Ms. Otto by the day of your defence at the latest, or hand it over to your first supervisor.
Form: Confirmation of exmatriculation/declaration of discharge from student
After submitting your thesis, please contact your supervisors to arrange a defence date.
You can book our conference room (Z 621) for your defence via Ms. Otto. The conference room is equipped with HDMI connections. There are no adapters available.
Reviews
After submission of the thesis, a copy will be sent to both supervisors. The thesis is to be graded on the basis of reviews. The evaluation process may not exceed four weeks in normal cases. If one of the grades is lower than "sufficient", the candidate has failed. Otherwise, the grade for the thesis is calculated as the arithmetic mean of the reviews.
Grading
The overall grade for the Bachelor's/Master's thesis is calculated as the weighted average of the grade for the Bachelor's/Master's thesis and the overall grade of the defence. The defence consists of 50% presentation and 50% discussion. The grade for the Bachelor's/Master's thesis is weighted 3 and the overall grade for the defence is weighted 1 in the calculation.
Certificate / diploma / certificate of exmatriculation
Once the completed documents have been submitted by both supervisors, they will be sent to the Examinations Office, which will issue the certificate and diploma promptly.
Retention period
The thesis will be kept by the faculty for at least five years after the de-registration and will then be destroyed.
Further information can be found in the Opal courses:
Downloads
Application for the issue of the thesis
Application for extension of the processing time for the thesis
Confirmation of exmatriculation/declaration of discharge from student
Final thesis information sheet
Setting priorities
In order for you to be able to have up to two areas of specialisation shown on your transcript, you must submit one of the following applications together with the submission of the "Antrag auf Vergabe eines Themas für die Abschlussarbeit" (Application for the assignment of a topic for the thesis), including a grade transcript from the QIS portal and, if applicable, further evidence (e.g. Learning Agreement - After the Mobility):
Application for designation of specialisations on the certificate Business Administration B.A.
Application for designation of specialisations on the certificate International Business B.A.
Application for designation of specialisations on the certificate Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen B.Eng.
General topic suggestions for a thesis
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also serve to develop your own questions. If you have your own ideas that differ from the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Professor Baierl directly.
1.) Systematic evaluation of selected methods, tools and concepts in business development
2.) Possible applications and limitations of translation software for medium-sized companies
3.) Entrepreneurship Education in Digital Environments
4.) Digital key competences, classic competences and transformative competences: Which requirement profile results?
5.) Selected aspects of service management
6.) Meta-study on team composition (heterogeneity vs. homogeneity) and performance
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Anne Falkenberg.
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Torsten Gonschorek.
MASTER - Themes
- Market and competition analyses for a start-up project in the field of sustainable resource use (application-oriented work with practice partner)
- Family governance - influence of non-active family members on the management of family businesses (meta-analysis of empirical studies) (research-oriented work)
- Investigation of the market for early warning systems as an element of the risk management system of medium-sized companies (research-oriented work)
- The new pre-insolvency restructuring procedure - analysis of the consequences for business practice (research-oriented thesis)
- Development of an Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Dashboard (research-oriented work with practice partne
BACHELOR - Themes
- Market and competition analyses for a start-up project in the field of sustainable resource use (application-oriented work with practice partner)
- Recording sustainability aspects in the accounting of medium-sized companies (sustainability accounting) (research-oriented work with practice partner)
- Investigation of the market for early warning systems as an element of the risk management system of medium-sized enterprises (research-oriented work)
- Further development of the marketing concept for the marketing of further education offers (application-oriented work with practice partner)
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own ideas that differ from the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Swen Günther directly.
The following topics can be worked on in German or English.
1. Transfer: Methods and approaches for the determination of key figures in knowledge and technology transfer (Master)
2. Digitalization: Cost-benefit-analysis of optimization projects in the field of digitalization/ automation (Master)
3. Process management: Goals and contents of process-oriented management concepts in German companies (Bachelor)
4. Quality Management: Implementation and application of specific QM-Tools in corporations (Bachelor)
5. Management Concepts: Empirical Research regarding new concepts and current trends in business management (Bachelor/ Master)
Please note: In the area of "Process, Quality and Innovation Management", there are regular topics for processing without company participation. These arise in the context of current research activities/projects. Please do not hesitate to contact me.
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Stefan Handke.
1) New Public Management: Quality Assurance in Public Administration and Public Enterprises
2.) The state as a customer: Business services for the public sector
3) Digitalisation of the public sector: Cooperation between private and public actors
4) Trust in administrative action: Authentication of physical and electronic documents
5) Climate-friendly public procurement
6) Social Media, Reputation and Bureaucracy
Below you will find possible topics for theses that you can work on together with a practice partner (company/organisation). The topics are to be understood as examples. You are welcome to select different topics from everyday business life together with your practice partner and discuss them with Prof. Haubold. The topics must have an empirical component, i.e. they must allow for the analysis of either existing internal company data or new data on the topic collected as part of the thesis. It is advisable to tailor the respective topic to a (possibly exemplary) part of the HR organisation or the employee structure in order to enable a meaningful treatment within the framework of a thesis. Please understand that for capacity reasons Prof. Haubold can currently only supervise theses that are written together with a practice partner. Contact: Prof. Anne-Katrin Haubold.
1.) New ways of solving the shortage of skilled workers in occupation/field of activity x using the example of XYZ GmbH
2.) Challenges of personnel management in virtual work settings using the example of the ABC department of XYZ GmbH
3.) Potentials and challenges of the use of AI in the recruitment of trainees/specialists/managers using the example of XYZ GmbH
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Romy Hilbig.
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Kerstin Kreul.
1.) Topic from the field of data protection law in the broadest sense, eGovernment, technology law, media law, freedom of information, information security
2.) Topic from the field of environmental law (immission control law, waste law, water law, nature conservation law, etc.)
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contac Prof. Stephan Kühnel.
1.) Accounting
- Accounting and valuation of intangible assets
- Estimated values in accounting
- Business combinations (incl. common control)
- Mapping of deferred taxes
- Empirical analysis of management reports
- Impairment tests/impairment of assets
- Analysis of restatements
2.) Auditing
- Information quality and the role of the audit
- Audit-related services / Assurance services
- Empirical study on the audit opinion of public interest entities
- Audit of appraised values
- Assumption of going concern in auditing
- Concept of materiality
3.) Management Consulting
- Corporate use of online learning for education/further training
- Strategic concepts
- Design of the internal control/management system
- Interdisciplinary concepts (e.g. Professional Service Firm)
- Corporate use of online learning for initial and continuing training
- Aspects of setting up a company and financing growth
4.) Mergers&Acquisitions
- Choice of legal form from the perspective of income taxation
- Tax treatment of a company acquisition
- Taxation of financial instruments
- Individual issues of international income taxation
- Design parameters for reorganisations
- Concepts of tax due diligence
Below you will find possible topics for final theses. The topics are intended as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own ideas that differ from the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Dr Fabian Lindner directly.
In addition to general topics in the field of process, production, logistics and supply chain management, which you develop together with your practice partner, Dr Lindner supervises empirical theses at Bachelor's and Master's level in German and English, in particular on the following topics (literature studies are possible in exceptional cases):
- Practical teaching/learning scenarios on Industry 4.0/5.0 (programming affinity helpful)
- Behavioural economics experiments/designs in operations management (e.g. nudging, cognitive biases, human-computer interaction)
- Visualisations and information displays for decisions in operations management (decision support systems)
- Modelling and simulation of management decisions in socio-technical systems
- Digital transformation in companies and human factors/well-being
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own ideas that differ from the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Christoph Mayer.
- Implications of DIN 77230 "Basic financial analysis for private households" for the financial sector
- Opportunities and limits of P2P lending
- Benefits and risks of robo-advisory
- Comparison of cryptocurrencies
- Investigation of the short- and long-term influence of company-specific, macroeconomic and regulatory events on the share price of a company
- [Other capital market topics, especially emprical (performance) studies]
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Dr. Meyer-Ross:
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Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Nicola Neuvians.
Leadership & organisation in for-profit or non-profit organisations
for example
- Management orientation (e.g. public value), foundation management, common good economy
- Management responsibility, corporate governance, compliance (e.g. in non-profit organisations)
- New Work (e.g. in nonprofit organisations), organisational design (e.g. fractal organisations), organisational culture, change management
- Modern leadership models
- Diversity, organisational justice
- Family business "
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Thorsten Richter.
Sample topics from previous semesters, latest first:
- Labour Law 4.0 - Guidelines for drafting a company agreement on mobile working
- The Problems of Interactive Music Streaming Services in Managing their Relationships with Music Publishing Copyright Holders
- Basics of setting up a business - legal challenges of setting up a business using a fictitious example
- Legally compliant creation of personality, behavioural or movement profiles (profiling) by collecting and processing personal data in the online marketing of B2B companies, taking into account legal aspects
- Discrimination in the labour market according to the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG): Mere prejudice or pure reality? The example of mothers and childless women of Generation Y
- Home office, the new world of work - legal framework conditions as well as opportunities and risks for employees and employers in the home office
- Analysis of "loot boxes" in video games in relation to German law with recommendations for action for companies, legislature and consumers using the example of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and FIFA 19
Below you will find possible topics for theses. For this please contact directly Prof. Wolfgang Sattler.
1.) Operational controlling with the help of common-sized P&Ls (bachelor thesis)
2.) Strategic Controlling 3.0 - Challenges and New Tools (Bachelor/Master)
3.) Risk and Uncertainty in Strategic Controlling (Bachelor/Master)
Below you will find a list of possible topics for a thesis. The listed topics are intended as examples and can also be used to develop your own research question. If you have your own ideas, we can openly discuss them. Please contact Prof. Dr. Christoph Scope directly.
Sustainability reporting: Impact of regulatory requirements, such as CSRD (Omnibus) or recommendations, such as the “Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitskodex” (DNK), on practice in manufacturing companies and the banking sector. Why should companies engage in a form of non-financial reporting?
Sustainability management: Impact of the DFL sustainability guideline on the sustainability activities of clubs in German professional football leagues, esp. the German 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, Third division. Why should football clubs concern themselves with sustainability management?
Sustainability assessment: How can sustainability assessments, such as carbon footprints and life cycle assessments, be carried out appropriately, integrated into controlling and used effectively by management for decisions regarding new products or business models?
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Seydewitz-Gellert
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Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. René Thamm.
1.) Integration of AI into investment and company valuation
2.) Entrepreneurship Education and the Influence on Start-up Motivation and Activities
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. They are related to current research projects. It is also possible to work on related topics together with companies. If you have your own ideas that differ from the topics listed, you can discuss them together. For this purpose, please contact directly Prof. Rüdiger von der Weth. For Bachelor's theses, I expect knowledge in the area of systematic scientific literature research. Those working on Master's theses should have knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research methods or be willing to familiarise themselves with them.
1.) Effects of digitalisation on human work: efficiency, motivation, necessary qualification, health consequences.
2.) Development of strategies for the introduction of new technologies in companies
3.) Qualification and recruitment strategies, especially for SMEs in digital innovations
Below you will find possible topics for theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also be used to develop your own questions. If you have your own, differing ideas on the topics listed, you can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Angela Wienen.
- The impact of economic embargoes on the example of Russia
- Critique of the European Central Bank's new strategy.
- New trends in globalisation (in English if possible).
- The impact of covid on the international division of labour (e.g. the impact of difficulties in supply chains with examples)
- The effectiveness of climate change conferences for global warming:
- The theory of cooperation applied to climate change conferences
- Current proposals, instruments for sustainable climate protection