Dissertation requirements

For additional documents go to "Completing Study Program" (Sample Documents for Dissertation, Documents to be submitted, Procedure of Dissertation Originality Assessment)

Choice of thesis supervisor

SupervisorSeminar related topics/ Sample topics of dissertation

prof. dr hab. Wojciech Dyduch
Department of Entrepreneurship

Seminar related topics:
1. Strategic management, strategic analysis, strategy formulation and implementation.
2. Corporate entrepreneurship, measuring entrepreneurship, innovativeness.
3. Creativity in organizations, creative strategies.
4. Firm performance, effectiveness-related topics.
5. Intangible assets measurement; social, organizational, intellectual capital.
6. Value creation and value capture.
7. Survival factors in companies under COVID-19 crisis.

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Strategic management challenges in the international business environment.
2. Creative strategy of the international company operating in the production sector.
3. Cultural differences between Polish and Korean managers: The case of an export company.
4. Talent management by stimulating creativity in organizations.
5. Formulating strategy for an organization operating in fashion industry.
6. Strategic analysis of the furniture producer operating in the international markets.

prof. dr hab. Sławomir Smyczek
Department of Consumer Research

Seminar related topics:
Consumer behavior, consumer exclusion / inclusion, consumer illiteracy, consumer market education, sharing economy, consumer loyalty and loyalty programs, protection of consumer interests, international consumption comparisons, relationship marketing, international marketing.

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Customer behavior on digital financial market,
2. Models of customer behavior on gambling market,
3. Customer loyalty on insurance market,
4. Customer attitudes toward money laundering,
5. Buying behavior of customer of erotic goods market,
6. Loyalty programs on healthcare market,
7. Customer misbehavior on online music market,
8. Relationship marketing on glocery market – evidence from Italy and Norway,
9. Marketing strategies of companies in services sector – evidence of Spanish and Polish nightclubs,
10. Marketing analysis of the Russian rehabilitation equipment market in terms of building market entry strategies for Polish company

prof. dr hab. Maja Szymura-Tyc
Department of International Management

Seminar related topics:
theories of firm’s internationalization; international business strategies of transitional corporations; International Entrepreneurship  - global startups and international new ventures; alliances, mergers and acquisitions in IB; foreign direct investments; foreign market entry strategies; international management; cross-culture management; global leadership; international marketing; global marketing strategies and marketing mix; international marketing strategies for European markets; European Union policy for international business development; internationalization and innovativeness of firms

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Strategic alliances in the global computer/ aircraft/ automotive sector.
2. Mergers and acquisitions in global food/ beverages/ automotive industry.
3. Entry strategies of leading e-commerce firms on advanced and emerging markets.
4. Market entry strategies of foreign firms to a given market in Poland. Multiple case study.
5. Market entry strategies of a given firm to foreign markets. Case study.
6. Foreign direct investments in the Polish/ European banking/ insurance/ automotive sector.
7. Foreign direct investments of Chinese firms in Polish/ European/ global markets.
8. Internationalization of Polish tech start-ups. Multiple case study.
9. Start-ups as a new form of international entrepreneurship in a given region. Multiple case study.
10. Global strategy of a given transnational corporation. Case study.
11. Leadership and leadership skills in global crisis time.
12. International marketing strategy of a firm in a given market. Case study.
13. Marketing communication in creating global brand image. Case study.
14. Influence of the European Single Market regulations on product development/ advertising/ distribution/ prices in a given sector.
15. Comparative analysis of international climate policy: European Union, USA and China.

dr hab. Agata Austen, prof. UE
Department of Human Recources Management

Seminar related topics:
strategic HRM, diversity management, employer branding, leadership, well-being and work-life balance, employability, sustainable HRM, HRM effectiveness

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. The image of lCCs operating in the EU based upon their compliance with the EU air passenger rights
2. Women entrepreneurship and work-life balance: case of Poland and Lithuania

dr hab. Justyna Matysiewicz, prof. UE
Department of Consumer Research

Seminar related topics:
Marketing, marketing management, service marketing, brand management, promotion and communication strategy, distribution strategy, value for customer concept,

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Content Marketing and its influence on Brand Awareness on example,
2. The impact of sport sponsorship on the brand image transfer on example
3. Sensory marketing as a determinant of the decision making process on example
4. Service marketing strategy on example

dr hab. Monika Sulimowska-Formowicz
Department of International Management

Seminar related topics:
inter-organizational relationships in international business; international competitiveness of firms/ industries; international business strategy; international management; international trade management; cross-culture management issues; human resources management in IB; international marketing

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Cooperation as a way to grow internationally – case study of a firm.
2. Increasing firm’s competitiveness through international cooperation – case study.
3. Trust building in international cooperation.
4. Management tools and practices in inter-organizational cooperation – case study of a firm.
5. Determinants of firm’s  success in international cooperation – case study.
6. Internationalization strategy of a company – case study.
7. Competitive strategy of a firm on international markets.
8. Market entry strategy of a company – motives, determinants of choice, critical success factors.
9. Analysis of internationalization path of a company.
10. Organization of export-import activities of a company, strategic and operational aspects.
11. The role of intermediary in effective international trade actions of a company.
12. International marketing strategy of a company on chosen foreign market(s).
13. Cultural differences' impact on business negotiations.
14. Determinants of effective motivation systems for cross-cultural teams.
15. Product/ promotion/ distribution strategy on international markets on the example of company.

dr hab. Wojciech Gamrot, prof. UE
Department of Statistics, Econometrics and Mathematics

Seminar related topics:
Quantitative analyses of economic phenomena, statistical inference concerning various populations, applications of information technology in economics and management Quantitative analyses of economic phenomena, statistical inference concerning various populations, applications of information technology in economics and management

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. The future of world transport: sharing economy and mobility as a service
2. Consumer preferences in the selection and use of mobile phones
3. Multi-dimensional statistical analysis of consumer preferences during on-line purchases
4. Analysis of factors affecting electricity prices in countries of European Union
5. Statistical analysis of consumer attitudes towards the Apple brand

dr Bartłomiej Gabryś
Department of Entrepreneurship

Seminar related topics:
Entrepreneurship, management, innovativeness, growth and development

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Startups in the media production industry: A Chicago case study;
2. Diversity management in international context;
3. The role of the leader in employee's motivation;
4. Impact of organizational slack on organizational development - example of Elmicro company;
5. The use of social media by companies for marketing and image purposes;
6. The study on managing home-office implementations of international company employees in COVID19 pandemic in Poland;
7. Crisis situation management - Dieselgate

dr Aleksandra Grabowska-Powaga
Department of Political Economy

Seminar related topics:
Institutional economics, market mechanism, market assymetries, capital theories - social capital, problems of current economies and economic entities

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Economic processes in the conditions of market assymetries.
2. The role of social capital in economic activities in the times of global crisis.
3. The influence of institutional architecture on social cohesion in the European Union.
4. The role of family businesses in economy. 5. The conditions of creating social capital in post-transition economies.

dr hab. Aleksandra Burgiel, prof. UE
Department of Consumer Research
 Seminar related topics:

Marketing and its application in international context, marketing strategies, consumer behavior, determinants of consumer behaviors, consumer trends, marketing research and analytics, adoption of businesses to global changes in the markets

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Consumers’ behavior in the cosmetics market in Poland and Germany – comparative analysis
2. Social media as a tool to communicate with global customers (on the example of ...)
3. Using customer experience (CX) to build relationships with global consumers
4. Adopting business activity to pandemic conditions – cases of Polish and Swedish enterprises
5. Adoption of marketing tools to the specifics of national markets (on the example of …)
6. Distribution/Promotional/Pricing strategy on international markets – case study of ….
7. Effectiveness of social media marketing on various national markets – comparative study
8. Handling cultural differences between markets in an international promotional campaign
9. Marketing strategies on the XXX market - comparison of the YYY versus Polish companies
10. Merchandising techniques used in international chain-store XXX
11. Creation of product (brand/company) image (reputation) on international markets
12. Promotional strategy of international service companies (on the example of enterprise X)
13.Purchasing habits of consumers in the market of …. goods / services
14. Role of brand (price, packaging, sales promotion ...) in consumers’ decisions

dr hab. Przemysław Zbierowski, prof. UE
Department of Human Resources Management

 Seminar related topics:
Entrepreneurship Psychology of Entrepreneurship Psychology of Management Positive psychology of Management and Entrepreneurship Organizational Behavior International Management Teamwork Human Resource Management High Performance Organization Communication Well-being and Work-life Balance Organizational and Entrepreneurial Happiness

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Cultural influence on a communication in the international group
2. Entrepreneurial behaviours and their national diversity among students in chosen countries
3. The analysis of strategic groups on the example of differentiated tourist operators
4. Generation "Y" worker in talent management and learning organization development - attracting and retaining
5. Analysis of the performance appraisal system in Poland and the United States
6. Authentic and positive leadership
7. Talent management from organizational point of view
8. Ethics of management decisions in the context of business ethics
9. Employee’s Loyalty, Turnover Intention, Work-Life Balance and Well-Being
10. Family Enterprises and the issue of succession
mgr Marta Grybś-Kabocik
Department of Consumer Research		 Seminar related topics:
new trends in consumer behaviour, digitalization of consumer behavior, marketing communication

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Consumer ethnocentrism on the example of the XYZ (eg. beer, cosmetics) market in Poland.
2. Analysis of online consumer community on the example of XYZ company.
3. Consumer segmentation within sharing economy on the example of XYZ market.
4. The role of Internet-of-Things in modern consumer behaviour on XYZ market.
5. Consumer awareness towards big data usage in marketing.
6. Consumer decision making process during online shopping on XYZ market.

Supervisor Seminar related topics/ Sample topics of dissertation
prof. dr hab. Wojciech Dyduch
Department of Entrepreneurship

Seminar related topics:
1. Strategic management, strategic analysis, strategy formulation and implementation
2. Corporate entrepreneurship, measuring entrepreneurship, innovativeness.
3. Creativity in organizations, creative strategies.
4. Firm performance, effectiveness-related topics.
5. Intangible assets measurement; social, organizational, intellectual capital.
6. Value creation and value capture.
7. Survival factors in companies under COVID-19 crisis.

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Modern forms of organizing in relation to the development of world-class e-commerce. The analysis of the WeChat application in China (Dissertation awarded 1st place in the IB dissertation contest).
2. The influence of strategy based on organizational creativity on value creation.
3. Measuring the level of entrepreneurship in start-ups.
4. Implementing the international strategy in the export company.
5. Value creation and value capture on international markets: The example of innovative companies networking in the consumer electronics sector.
6. Opportunity identification on international markets.
7. Stimulating creativity and firm performance: The case of white goods producer.
8. The level of entrepreneurial management in the company.
9. Talent management by stimulating creativity in organizations.
10. Reputation management in international family companies.

prof. dr hab. Sławomir Smyczek
Department of Consumer Research

Seminar related topics:
Consumer behavior, consumer exclusion / inclusion, consumer illiteracy, consumer market education, sharing economy, consumer loyalty and loyalty programs, protection of consumer interests, international consumption comparisons, relationship marketing, international marketing.

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Customer behavior on digital financial market,
2. Models of customer behavior on gambling market,
3. Customer loyalty on insurance market,
4. Customer attitudes toward money laundering,
5. Buying behavior of customer of erotic goods market,
6. Loyalty programs on healthcare market,
7. Customer misbehavior on online music market,
8. Relationship marketing on glocery market – evidence from Italy and Norway,
9. Marketing strategies of companies in services sector – evidence of Spanish and Polish nightclubs,
10. Marketing analysis of the Russian rehabilitation equipment market in terms of building market entry strategies for Polish company

prof. dr hab. Maja Szymura-Tyc
Department of International Management

Seminar related topics:
theories of firm’s internationalization; international business strategies of transitional corporations; International Entrepreneurship - global startups and international new ventures; alliances, mergers and acquisitions in IB; foreign direct investments; foreign market entry strategies; international management; cross-culture management; global leadership; international marketing; global marketing strategies and marketing mix; international marketing strategies for European markets; European Union policy for international business development; internationalization and innovativeness of firms

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Strategic alliances in the global computer/ aircraft/ automotive sector.
2. Mergers and acquisitions in global food/ beverages/ automotive industry.
3. Entry strategies of leading e-commerce firms on advanced and emerging markets.
4. Market entry strategies of foreign firms to a given market in Poland. Multiple case study.
5. Market entry strategies of a given firm to foreign markets. Case study.
6. Foreign direct investments in the Polish/ European banking/ insurance/ automotive sector.
7. Foreign direct investments of Chinese firms in Polish/ European/ global markets.
8. Internationalisation of Polish tech start-ups. Multiple case study.
9. Start-ups as a new form of international entrepreneurship in a given region. Multiple case study.
10. Global strategy of a given transnational corporation. Case study.
11. Leadership and leadership skills in global crisis time.
12. International marketing strategy of a firm in a given market. Case study.
13. Marketing communication in creating global brand image. Case study.
14. Influence of the European Single Market regulations on product development/ advertising/ distribution/ prices in a given sector.
15. Comparative analysis of international climate policy: European Union, USA and China.

dr hab. Justyna Matysiewicz, prof. UE
Department of Consumer Research

Seminar related topics:
Marketing, marketing management, service marketing, brand management, promotion and communication strategy, distribution strategy, value for customer concept.

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. The influence of social media on purchase decisions regarding cosmetics among females of Generation Z from Germany and Poland,
2. Ambient marketing as an instrument of guerrilla marketing and its influence of guerrilla marketing and its influence on brand image,
3. Content Marketing and its influence on Brand Awareness on example,
4. The impact of sport sponsorship on the brand image transfer on example
5. Sensory marketing as a determinant of the decision making process on example
6. Service Marketing strategy on example

dr hab. Jolanta Zrałek, prof. UE
Department of Consumer Research

 Seminar related topics:

consumer behavior, sustainable consumption, sustainable lifestyles, sharing economy, sustainable communication, consumer rights

Sample topics of dissertation:
 1. Green consumer behavior – international comparisons
2. Sustainable lifestyles recognition on the example of the voluntary simplicity movement
3. Sustainable consumption behaviors of the Z generation
4. Consumer attitudes toward sharing economy solutions
5. A sustainable communication campaign on the example of …
6. Greenwashing campaigns and their consequences to consumers’ environmental awareness
7. European consumers’ rights and responsibilities in the light of the Green New Deal
8. Sustainable labels recognition among Polish and German consumers
dr hab. Monika Sulimowska-Formowicz
Department of International Management

Seminar related topics:
inter-organizational relationships in international business; international competitiveness of firms/ industries; international business strategy; international management; international trade management; cross-culture management issues; human resources management in IB; international marketing

Sample topics of dissertation:
1. Cooperation as a way to grow internationally – case study of a firm.
2. Increasing firm’s competitiveness through international cooperation – case study.
3. Trust building in international cooperation.
4. Management tools and practices in inter-organizational cooperation – case study of a firm.
5. Determinants of firm’s  success in international cooperation – case study.
6. Internationalization strategy of a company – case study.
7. Competitive strategy of a firm on international markets.
8. Market entry strategy of a company – motives, determinants of choice, critical success factors.
9. Analysis of internationalization path of a company.
10. Organization of export-import activities of a company, strategic and operational aspects.
11. The role of intermediary in effective international trade actions of a company.
12. International marketing strategy of a company on chosen foreign market(s).
13. Cultural differences' impact on business negotiations.
14. Determinants of effective motivation systems for cross-cultural teams.
15. Product/ promotion/ distribution strategy on international markets on the example of company.