Teaching - Master's Thesis Managerial Economics and Strategy
- Master's Thesis coordinator
- Concept and development
- Selection and working out of the subject
- Form of the Master's Thesis
- Evaluation
- Other specific information
1. Master's Thesis coordinator
2. Concept and development
The Master's involves an independent effort to writing a thesis. Students develop skills in formulating, modelling and solving economic and managerial problems as well as reporting results, drawing conclusion(s) and formulating recommendations. The development of the thesis requires that students provide a individual contribution through a critical analysis, based on a theoretical and methodological framework grounded in the academic literature relevant to the research topic. The thesis is not purely descriptive but an individually tailored and scientifically grounded analysis, supported by personal insights and derived from critical reflection and synthesis.
3. Selection and working out of the subject
Thesis subjects are chosen in the first month of the academic year. The student can select a subject from a list of topics proposed by the teaching staff of the department of Managerial Economics, Strategy and Innovation (MSI). Students can also propose a subject of their own if this is related to the research domain of the department of Managerial Economics, Strategy and Innovation. The proposal has to be handed in to the thesis coordinator of the MSI department. It should contain a formulation of the research question(s) and a description of the methodology that will be used. The proposal should also include a brief overview of the academic literature on which the analysis will draw. After discussing the subject with the promotor and assistant, the proposal is adjusted and finalized by the student. The final proposal contains a provisional table of contents. Upon agreement of the promotor, the thesis card will be signed. The student should have an approved subject by the end of October.
The thesis students are supervised by a promotor and an assistant. The student should contact his assistant and promotor regularly to inform them about progress, hand in parts of the thesis, and to discuss further development. Chapters are handed in for correction and feedback first to the thesis assistant, later on to the promotor. One month before the general thesis submission deadline, a full version of the thesis text should be handed in to the promotor and assistant. If they consider the text as complete and of sufficient quality, the thesis card is signed, which gives the student permission to hand in the master project officially for the regular June exam period.
4. Form of the Master's Thesis
The master's thesis consists of an individual written thesis in the domain of managerial economics, strategy and innovation. The thesis may be theoretical or empirical (case studies, statistical analysis); in the latter case it is based on sound theoretical foundations. Evaluation is determined by the quality of the thesis rather than its length. As reference the maximum length is set at 15.000 words.
5. Evaluation
Three copies of the thesis have to be submitted to the student administration, at least 3 weeks before the planned defense (see important dates for the exact date). The evaluation committee consists of the promotor, the assistant and a third evaluator. This third evaluator is a professor of the MSI-department or a professor of another department who is sufficiently familiar with the thesis subject. Business Fellows of the Faculty, or experts of the business world who were involved in the master project, can act as a fourth evaluator. Each member of the evaluation committee gives a separate quotation and the average of the quotations is taken as the final grade for the thesis.
The thesis is defended orally in a (parallel) poster session of 1 - 1.5 hours in which the student expounds the most important findings of the master project. Taking part in the oral defence is mandatory. The student summarizes the findings on one or two A2-posters. The evaluation committee questions each student presenting his or her thesis during the poster session in turn. The extent to which students provide accurate answers to these questions is an important element in the evaluation.
The evaluation is based on the following components:
- 80% on the thesis text
- 20% on the oral defence
6. Other specific information
A number of lectures and seminars will be organized for the thesis students during the first semester. Attendance is required. These deal with academic English, research methods & paper writing, and case study methods. Students should also attend on the library session concerning literature and database search facilities at the KU Leuven. For those students conducting statistical analysis for the thesis, an introductory lecture on statistical analyse will be organized.
The department of MSI will award thesis (cash) prizes to the three best master theses in the major Managerial Economics and Strategy/Master of Business Economics.
Specific thesis information is provided through Toledo (D0O19a Masterproef Managerial Economics and Strategy).
