0. MSc Innovation Management Master thesis
Ed Nijssen / Hans Berends

1. Master thesis research
Master thesis is may be the most exciting part of the master phase!
Integrate knowledge gained
Complete for the first time research cycle
Focus of the IM group is along chairs, on:
- NPD
- Entrepreneurship/new venturing
- Marketing
- Purchasing

2. Broad orientation
In the Item group different research approaches prevail
Multivariate
Systems Dynamics
Design
Case analyses
With roots in organization studies, marketing and economics a broad field of study is included; however a joint element is focus on new products and new venturing
Most researchers specialize in particular area and approach

3. Brief overview of people /subjects
Entrepreneurship
(Duysters, Podoynitsina, van Burg; Verhoef, Reymen, Mahieu)
Knowledge management/organization
(Berends, Reymen, Weggeman, Romme)
Purchasing/supply chain
(v Weele, Van der Valk)
Marketing/Sales/FLE
(de Jong, Nijssen, Scheepers, Wouters)
Alliances/Open innovation
(Duysters, Cloodt, Sabadoussi)
NPD
(Langerak, van Oorschot, Keizer, Konus)
For complete list please consult personal pages of the Item members

4. Courses people teach is good indication and guide
….Courses related to New Product Development Management
Knowledge Processes & Management (o.a. Berends)
New product development (o.a. Langerak)
Strategy & Technology management (ITEM)
Service Engineering & Marketing (o.a. Wouters, Scheepers)
….Courses related to Open Innovation
Innovation Networks (o.a. Cloodt, Duysters)
Strategic Sourcing & Supply Management (o.a. v Weele, van der Valk)
Strategy & Technology Managament (all)
Innovation & Intellectual property (TIW)
….Courses related to Technology Commercialization & Entrepreneurship
Technology Entrepreneurship (o.a. van der Burg, Podoynitsina, Reymen)
Entrepreneurial Finance (o.a. Mahieu, Sabidussi)
Service Engineering & Marketing (o.a. Wouters, Scheepers, de Jong)
Selling New Products (o.a. de Jong, Nijssen)
Marketing & Innovation (o.a. Wouters, Nijssen, Konus)
However, Internet will provide you with the complete picture

5. Examples of thesis areas and subjects
Strategic Alliances
network relationships between a research lab and technology suppliers
Entrepreneurship
success or failures of technopreneurs
Knowledge Management
managing knowledge in a product development lab
Marketing/Sales
launch of radical new products in the marketplace and role of sales in this process
Service requirements after speeding up NPD processes
Channel decisions (deleting/adding channels)
New Product Development
possibilities to reduce lead time in innovation projects
Performance measures at each stage of stage gate
Supplier involvement
NPD in the relationship between a hi-tech
company and three key suppliers

6. Developments in our domain…
It would be presumptios to be able to provide complete picture
For ideas see e.g.
Journal of Product Innovation Management
Academy of Management Review/Journal
Journal of Marketing, Journal of Service Research
Purchasing management journal
Organization Science
Google on researcher names to see what they have published and are working on (apart from their personal pages).

7. Specifics of mentor process
Make appointment with potential mentor (timely and focused set of appointments)
Having a topic /idea helps.
Make sure there is some alignment with the professor’s research interest
Please consult personal pages
For more advice, Professor Hans Berends or me

8. Questions