Die nächste Innovation Generation

Alle Kurse und Prüfungen sind in englischer Sprache!

Bachelor

Hauptseminar PStO 2015: Innovating for Organizational, Market, and Societal Impact, October 2025 renamed to Innovation Management (Seminar & Proseminar)

Hauptseminar PStO 2024: Innovation Management (Seminar & Proseminar)

Bachelor Modul: Marketing, Management, and Innovation: "Creating Market Offerings" (Vorlesung/Übung) (PStO 2024)

Bachelor Specialization Module: Technology & Innovation II "Managing the Front End of Innovation" (PStO 2015)

impACTup!: Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Better Futures (Seminar) (Onlinekurs)

Master

Fachspezifische Grundlagen: Marketing, Management, and Innovation "Foundations of Value Management" (Vorlesung/Übung) (x)

Innovating for Impact (Seminar)

Projekt Course Innovation Management (Forschung und Praxis) (Projektkurs)

Schedule applies to the BSc PStO 2015 and PStO 2024. Students matriculated under PStO 2024 will have slightly different submission dates; these will be confirmed with their supervisors after they receive the confirmation.

Wintersemester 2026/27 (1)

• Topics: 14.09.2026
• Application: Monday 21.09.- Thursday 24.09.2026
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): Friday 25.09.-02.10.2026
• Colloquium: 11.12.2026
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2015 8 weeks after Registration: 23.11.-26.11.2026
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2024 10 weeks after Registration: 07.12.-10.12.2026

Wintersemester 2026/27 (2)

• Topics: 18.12.2026
• Application: 04.01.-08.01.2027
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 11.01.-15.01.2027
• Colloquium: 12.02.2027
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2015 8 weeks after Registration: 08.03.-11.03.2027
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2024 10 weeks after Registration: 22.03.-25.03.2027

Sommersemester 2027

• Topics: 22.03.2027
• Application: 29.03.-02.04.2027
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 05.-09.04.2027
• Colloquium: 12.05.2027
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2015 8 weeks after Registration: 03.06.2027 at the latest
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2024 10 weeks after Registration: 17.06.2027 at the latest

Wintersemester 2027/28 (1)

• Topics: 13.09.2027
• Application: 20.-24.09.2027
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 27.09.-01.10.2027
• Colloquium: 29.10.2027
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2015 8 weeks after Registration: 25.11.2027 at the latest
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2024 10 weeks after Registration: 09.12.2027 at the latest

Wintersemester 2027/28 (2)

• Topics: 20.12.2027
• Application: 03.-07.01.2028
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 10.-14.01.2028
• Colloquium: 11.02.2028
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2015 8 weeks after Registration: 09.03.2028 at the latest
• Submission thesis (ISC) PStO 2024 10 weeks after Registration: 23.03.2028 at the latest

Title: Hope, Belief, or Wishful Thinking? Conceptualizing Hope in Entrepreneurship Research

Topic Description: Entrepreneurs often pursue goals whose realization is highly uncertain, making hope a potentially important driver of persistence and action. Yet hope is frequently equated with believing, optimism, self-efficacy, or wishful thinking, although hope theory conceptualizes it as the combination of goal-directed agency and perceived pathways toward a goal. This bachelor’s thesis systematically reviews how hope is defined, differentiated, and measured in management and entrepreneurship research. The goal is to clarify the conceptual boundaries of entrepreneurial hope and distinguish it from other, related concepts.

-----

Title: Hope Against the Odds: The Role of Hope in Entrepreneurship

Topic Description: Hope may be particularly important in entrepreneurship, where individuals pursue uncertain goals despite setbacks and unclear pathways. Hope theory conceptualizes hope through agency and pathways thinking, while entrepreneurship research increasingly discusses hope as part of entrepreneurs’ psychological capital and as a resource in challenging contexts. This bachelor thesis systematically reviews how hope has been conceptualized, studied, and linked to entrepreneurial action and outcomes. The aim of this thesis is to develop an integrative understanding of where entrepreneurial hope comes from, how it operates, and when it matters.

-----

Title: AI and Innovation Management: How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Innovation

Topic Description: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming how firms identify opportunities, develop ideas, make innovation decisions, and manage innovation processes. While research on AI has grown rapidly, the literature remains fragmented across different stages of the innovation process and organizational contexts. This bachelor thesis systematically reviews how AI has been conceptualized and studied in innovation management, with particular attention to its role in opportunity identification, ideation, innovation development, decision-making, and implementation. The aim of this thesis is to develop an integrative understanding of how AI changes innovation management, what opportunities and challenges it creates, and which organizational conditions shape its impact on innovation outcomes.

-----

Title: Building Organizational Innovativeness: How Organizations Become More Innovative

Topic Description: Organizations increasingly need to innovate continuously to respond to technological, competitive, and societal changes. While research on organizational innovativeness has grown across fields such as innovation management, organizational behavior, and entrepreneurship, the literature remains fragmented around the factors that enable organizations to become and remain innovative. This bachelor thesis systematically reviews how organizational innovativeness has been conceptualized and studied, with particular attention to organizational structures, cultures, leadership, capabilities, and employee behaviors that foster innovation. The aim of this thesis is to develop an integrative understanding of what makes organizations more innovative, how innovativeness can be developed, and under which organizational conditions these approaches are most effective.

-----

Title: Sustainability Labels in the Food and Clothing Industries: A Systematic Review of Conceptualizations and Operationalizations

Topic Description: Sustainability labels are increasingly used on food and clothing products to communicate environmental and social characteristics to consumers. However, there is considerable variation in how sustainability labels are conceptualized and operationalized across empirical studies, including which label characteristics are examined, how they are measured or manipulated, and which outcomes are investigated. By synthesizing empirical research, this thesis will identify how sustainability labels have been defined and studied in the food and clothing industries, which characteristics of labels have been examined, and how these characteristics have been operationalized. Based on this synthesis, the study aims to develop an integrative framework of how sustainability labeling has been studied across the two industries.

-----

Title: What Counts as Innovation Localization? A Systematic Literature Review

Topic Description: The concept of localization has been used across business strategy and marketing literature, yet its meaning, scope, and use vary widely. This thesis will systematically review the literature to map where and how localization is invoked in innovation and new product discourse, from early design choices to market launch. By identifying the core elements that constitute localization in new product development and commercialization, this study aims to synthesize existing definitions of localization of innovation and delineate its scope for application in both research and practice.

-----

Title: Public policies and university knowledge transfer: A systematic literature review of ‘policy’ operationalization and measurement

Topic Description: Public policies provide a foundation for universities’ contributions to innovation and the transfer of knowledge beyond academia. Understanding the effects of public policy changes requires clarity about how policy interventions are defined and measured. Through a systematic literature review, this thesis examines how empirical research on policies and university knowledge transfer defines, operationalizes, and measures ‘policy’, which data sources and indicators are used, and what these choices mean for interpreting findings. It also identifies gaps in the current literature.

-----

Title: Public policies and university knowledge transfer: A systematic literature review of ‘knowledge transfer’ operationalization and measurement

Topic Description: Universities contribute to society not only through teaching and research but also through diverse forms of knowledge transfer, such as patenting, entrepreneurship, research collaboration, or engagement with external partners. Evaluating policies intended to support these contributions depends on which forms of knowledge transfer are measured – and which are not. Through a systematic literature review, this thesis examines how empirical research on policies and university knowledge transfer defines, operationalizes, and measures ‘knowledge transfer’, which data sources and indicators are used, and what these choices mean for interpreting findings. It also identifies gaps in the current literature.

-----

Title: Measuring Sustainable Product Launches in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry: A Systematic Literature Review

Topic Description: Sustainability has become a central concern in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry, where companies face increasing pressure from consumers, regulators, and stakeholders to reduce environmental impact and create responsible products. In this context, sustainable product launches—that is, the introduction of new products designed with environmental and societal considerations—are emerging as a critical lever for both competitiveness and long-term value creation. Despite growing interests, measuring sustainable product launches remains challenging, partly due to the multidimensional nature of sustainability and the lack of standardized evaluation frameworks. The aim of this thesis is to address this gap by synthesizing the fragmented measurement approaches across the innovation management, sustainability, and marketing literature. You will conduct a systematic literature review to identify, categorize, and critically analyze the existing measurement approaches for sustainable product launches within the CPG industry. The findings are expected to provide insights for managers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to design more effective measures to capture sustainable innovation in the CPG industry.

-----

Title: Factors Influencing the Use and Effectiveness of Nutrition Claims in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry: A Systematic Literature Review

Topic Description: Nutrition claims—statements on food packaging that highlight specific nutritional benefits, such as “low fat,” “high protein,” or “source of fiber”—have become a central tool in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry for communicating product value and influencing consumer choices. As consumer awareness of health and wellness grows, food manufacturers increasingly use nutrition claims to differentiate products, respond to regulatory pressures, and align with public health trends. Yet, the use and effectiveness of nutrition claims vary widely across firms and markets. The aim of this thesis is to synthesize fragmented insights across multiple disciplines on the factors influencing the use and effectiveness of nutrition claims in the CPG industry. You will conduct a systematic literature review to examine the internal and external factors that drive the use and effectiveness of nutrition claims within the CPG industry, primarily in the fields of innovation management, corporate strategy, and marketing. The findings are expected to guide both academic understanding and practical strategies for food producers seeking to leverage nutrition claims responsibly and effectively.

-----

Title: Indigenous Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Literature Review of Value and Impact

Topic Description: Indigenous entrepreneurship is often embedded in local community contexts and shaped by collective needs, cultural values, and historical marginalization (Imas et al., 2012; Peredo & Chrisman, 2006). Indigenous entrepreneurship has gained increasing attention in the literature, highlighting alternative forms of value creation that extend beyond economic outcomes to include cultural, social, and ecological dimensions (Anderson et al., 2006; Dana, 2015; Salmon et al., 2023). While entrepreneurship research increasingly recognizes the importance of ventures addressing complex societal challenges, generating broader impact and enabling systemic change (Bacq et al., 2022; George et al., 2016; Shepherd & Patzelt, 2011), there is limited understanding of how indigenous entrepreneurs themselves define and pursue impact. This thesis aims to synthesize recent literature on indigenous entrepreneurship to examine how value creation is conceptualized and what forms of impact are emphasized. The outcome of this thesis should be a systematic literature review drawing on insights from indigenous and entrepreneurship literature, contributing to a more up-to-date and nuanced understanding of entrepreneurial practices. Importantly, research should avoid extractive perspectives and instead focus on how indigenous entrepreneurship addresses community-specific challenges while potentially contributing to broader societal transformations.

-----

Title: Measuring Entrepreneurial Mindset and Skillset in Entrepreneurship Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Topic description: Entrepreneurship education programs promise to equip students with entrepreneurial mindsets and skillsets, yet research on their impact still predominantly relies on short-term, subjective indicators such as attitudes and intentions rather than validated measures of actual mindset or skill development (Nabi et al., 2017). Competency-based perspectives, building on entrepreneurial competencies as observable and measurable knowledge, behavior, attitudes, and skills (Man et al., 2002), have been proposed to more precisely assess what entrepreneurship education develops (Morris et al., 2013), and several instruments have since been tested for their practical use and predictive validity (Bolzani & Luppi, 2021; Gedeon & Valliere, 2018; Kyndt & Baert, 2015). Despite this progress, there is limited synthesis of which assessment approaches exist, how they are applied by lecturers in the classroom, and how validly they capture actual mindset or skillset development rather than self-reported change. This thesis aims to examine how entrepreneurial mindset and skillset are defined, operationalized, and assessed in entrepreneurship education, and what tools or methods are identified in the literature. The outcome of this thesis should be a systematic literature review contributing to a better understanding of how entrepreneurship educators can measure the entrepreneurial development of their students.

-----

Title: What If It Were Otherwise? A Systematic Literature Review of Counterfactual Thinking in Entrepreneurship Research

Topic description: Entrepreneurship often begins with imagining that the status quo could be otherwise: markets could work differently, problems could be solved in new ways, or existing constraints could be overcome. Counterfactual thinking captures this cognitive process of considering alternatives to what is or what has been. Prior research links counterfactual thinking to entrepreneurial cognition, opportunity identification, venture formation, and entrepreneurial imagination (Baron, 1998, 2000; Gaglio, 2004; Kier & McMullen, 2018). Yet the literature remains fragmented, particularly regarding whether counterfactuals are primarily retrospective reflections on “what might have been” or prospective tools for imagining “what could be.”

The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to conduct a systematic literature review of counterfactual thinking in entrepreneurship and related management research. The thesis will synthesize core theoretical perspectives, distinguish major conceptual uses of counterfactual thinking, and examine how counterfactual reasoning relates to opportunity recognition, entrepreneurial imagination, and venture creation. The review should identify key findings, unresolved tensions, and promising directions for future entrepreneurship research.

-----

Title: Am I the Market? The False Consensus Effect and Its Implications for Entrepreneurship

Topic description: Entrepreneurs frequently need to predict what customers, investors, and other stakeholders want, often under considerable uncertainty. The false consensus effect describes the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share one’s own preferences, beliefs, and behaviors (Ross et al., 1977; Krueger & Clement, 1994). Research shows that individuals use their own preferences as a basis for predicting others (Ames, 2004) and that such egocentric projection can distort judgments about consumer preferences and willingness to pay (Frederick, 2012; Herzog et al., 2021).
The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to conduct an integrative literature review of the false consensus effect and explore its implications for entrepreneurship. The thesis should examine when actors’ own experiences provide valuable information and when projecting these experiences onto others may bias judgments about customer needs, market opportunities, and stakeholder preferences. Based on insights from psychology, marketing, and management, the thesis should develop a conceptual framework and identify promising directions for entrepreneurship research.

-----

Title: How to Measure Uncertainty in Founders? A Systematic Review of Relevant Scales in Entrepreneurship Research

Topic description: Founders operate in contexts marked by incomplete information, ambiguity, and changing environments, yet uncertainty can be conceptualized and measured in very different ways. Recent work on uncertainty-related individual differences identifies several major constructs that capture how individuals perceive and respond to uncertainty (e.g., uncertainty avoidance (Hofstede, 1980), uncertainty orientation (Sorrentino & Roney, 2000), or percevied environmental uncertainty (Ashill & Jobber 2010, Gerloff et al. 1991)). Importantly, these constructs differ in their valence, locus, and degree of contextualization, which makes construct choice and scale selection especially relevant for entrepreneurship research.

The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to conduct a systematic literature review of scales that measure uncertainty in the context of entrepreneurship and founders. The thesis will examine which individual- and environmental-level uncertainty constructs have been used, how the respective scales differ conceptually, and which measures appear most suitable for studying founders and entrepreneurial decision-making. By synthesizing the literature on uncertainty-related individual differences and perceived environmental uncertainty, the thesis aims to provide a structured overview of existing measurement approaches and identify promising directions for future entrepreneurship research.

-----

Last updated: September 14th, 2026, 2 pm for the application from 21.-THURSDAY 24.09.2026; information subject to change.

Exam Specifications

• English language for Colloquium and Thesis
• Further details can be found in the specific examination regulations of your studies (ISC).

Sommersemester 2026

• Topics: 30.03.2026
• Application: 06.04.-10.04.2026
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 13.04.-17.04.2026
• Colloquium: 29.6.2026
• Submission thesis (ISC) 22 weeks after Registration at the latest on: 14.09.-17.09.2026

Wintersemester 2026/27 (1)

• Topics: 14.09.2026
• Application: Monday 21.09.- THURSDAY 24.09.2026
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): Friday 25.09.-02.10.2026
• Colloquium: 11.12.2026
• Submission thesis (ISC) 22 weeks after Registration at the latest on: 01.03.-04.03.2027

Wintersemester 2026/27 (2)

• Topics: 18.12.2026
• Application: 04.01.-08.01.2027
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 11.01.-15.01.2027
• Colloquium: 09.04.2027
• Submission thesis (ISC) 22 weeks after Registration at the latest on:14.06.-17.06.2027

Sommersemester 2027

• Topics: 22.03.2027
• Application: 29.03.-02.04.2027
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 05.-09.04.2027
• Colloquium: 25.06.2027
• Submission thesis (ISC) 22 weeks after Registration at the latest on: 02.09.2027 at the latest

Wintersemester 2027/28 (1)

• Topics: 13.09.2027
• Application: 20.-24.09.2027
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 27.09.-01.10.2027
• Colloquium: 10.12.2027
• Submission thesis (ISC) 22 weeks after Registration at the latest on: 02.03.2028 at the latest

Wintersemester 2027/28 (2)

• Topics: 20.12.2027
• Application: 03.-07.01.2028
• Confirmation and Registration (ISC): 10.-14.01.2028
• Colloquium: 24.03.2028
• Submission thesis (ISC) 22 weeks after Registration at the latest on: 15.06.2028 at the latest

Title: Losing Passion for Work? A Quantitative Study of Passion Decay

Topic Description: Passion for work is often treated as relatively stable, yet recent research suggests that it can change over time. In entrepreneurship, experiences such as invested effort and perceived progress have already been linked to changes in passion. This master’s thesis examines which work-related factors are associated with a decline in passion among founders and employees in entrepreneurial ventures. Using a one-time quantitative survey, participants will assess their passion alongside relevant experiences such as goal progress, workload, autonomy, and role conflict. The goal is to identify the conditions under which people may lose their passion for their work.

-----

Title: What Makes a Food Sustainability Label Credible? A Qualitative Study of Stakeholder Perspectives

Topic Description: Food sustainability labels are becoming increasingly widespread, while the criteria and approaches underlying them vary considerably across labeling schemes. This diversity raises questions about how the credibility and reliability of sustainability labels are established in practice. This thesis explores how relevant stakeholders—including firms, certification and standard-setting organizations, and public authorities—understand their roles in the development and implementation of food sustainability labels and what they consider to make such labels credible. Using a qualitative research design based on interviews and/or secondary data, the study examines stakeholder roles and perspectives in food sustainability labeling. The aim is to explore stakeholder perceptions of food sustainability labels and identify which characteristics and practices are viewed as relevant to label credibility.

-----

Title: Strategic intentions and goal specificity: An analysis of university performance agreements

Topic Description: Organizations articulate strategic goals to guide their activities and communicate priorities to stakeholders. The specificity of these goals shapes the basis for coordinating and evaluating activities and establishing accountability. Through a content analysis of university performance and target agreements, this thesis examines how research and teaching commitments are formulated, considering their input or output focus, intended achievements, and evaluation criteria. The thesis identifies patterns of goal specificity within and across universities to understand how different organizational activities are translated into concrete commitments.

---

Title: Entrepreneurship in Context: Exploring Indigenous Entrepreneurial Practices

Topic Description: Entrepreneurship research has increasingly emphasized the importance of context, embeddedness, and alternative entrepreneurial logics beyond Western, profit-oriented models (Peredo & Chrisman, 2006; Welter, 2011; Welter et al., 2019). Indigenous entrepreneurship, in particular, is deeply embedded in community, culture, and relationships, often requiring entrepreneurs to balance economic activities with cultural values, social responsibilities, and collective wellbeing (Anderson et al., 2006; Bruton et al., 2018; Foley & O'Connor, 2013). At the same time, entrepreneurship research lacks empirical studies that capture how these practices unfold in everyday entrepreneurial life. Recent studies demonstrate the value of podcast interviews as a data source in entrepreneurship research, capturing how entrepreneurs reflect on their experiences, decisions, and meaning-making processes (Brownell et al., 2024; Burnell et al., 2023). This thesis aims to explore how indigenous entrepreneurs enact and navigate entrepreneurship in practice, with particular attention to how they manage the interplay between business, culture, and community. The study will adopt a qualitative case study design and will draw primarily on podcast data, complemented by archival materials (e.g., venture websites, media coverage), highlighting how entrepreneurship is embedded in socio-cultural systems and offering alternative perspectives on value creation and entrepreneurial practices.

----

Title: Understanding the Drivers of Sustainable Product Launches in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry: An Empirical Analysis

Topic Description: Sustainability has become a central concern in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry, where companies face increasing pressure from consumers, regulators, and stakeholders to reduce environmental impact and create responsible products. In this context, sustainable product launches—that is, the introduction of new products designed with environmental and societal considerations—are emerging as a critical lever for both competitiveness and long-term value creation. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the factors that influence sustainable product launches in the CPG industry, with a focus on the interplay between internal organizational drivers and external market pressures. Drawing on existing literature, you will collect and analyze data from CPG firms to examine how factors such as leadership commitment, innovation capacity, and competitive pressure influence sustainable product launches. In terms of method, you will employ regression analysis to identify the key drivers of sustainable product launches. The findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the mechanisms that foster or hinder sustainability practices in the CPG industry.

-----

Last updated: September 11th, 2026, 5 pm for the application from Monday 21.09.2026 to THURSDAY 24.09.2026. Information subject to change.

Further details can be found in the specific examination regulations of your studies and exam organization at the ISC website.

Management - European Triple Degree (Master)

Please contact spanjol@lmu.de with Cc to the IIM office iim@som.lmu.de for further information.

Last updated on: September 11th, 2026

for Master Program application, semester abroad

Requirements for student evaluation (Gutachten)

• Participation in at least one seminar or project course offered by our institute or completion of your bachelor’s or master’s thesis at our institute with a grade better than 2.0 within the past two years. For Business Modeling, please contact your supervisor directly. Please note that we do not provide student evaluations for participation in impACTup! and attendance at our lectures alone is not sufficient grounds for requesting a student evaluation.
• CV and grade transcript.
• Motivation letter describing why you apply for a certain program (e.g., university), how you are qualified for this application and how our courses prepare you for your upcoming challenge.
• An overview of all formal requirements necessary for the student evaluation (e.g., templates, deadline).

Application process

1. Please directly contact your (former) seminar/ project course supervisor and send all relevant documents.
2. Your supervisor will send the recommendation letter directly to the contact person at your respective institution.

Remarks

• Please note that this process will take between 2 and 4 weeks and no exceptions are possible.