BA/MA Theses: Writing for Impact

My bachelor thesis is about ... the flexibilisation of working hours. The 12-hour workday and its effects on employees.

I wrote with ... Felix Butzlaff at the Institute for Social Change and Sustainability.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... the working environment affects everyone and especially well-chosen working hours are essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance. In particular political debates about extending the maximum of legal working hours aroused my interest in that topic and made me decide to make more research about the impact on employees.

My impact is ... to raise awareness of possible effects of long working hours. Working beyond eight hours per day can trigger serious health issues for employees. Because of significant work-related disorders and a surge of accidents at – but also after – work, a legal framework is required to protect employees from over-working. Hence, in order to ensure a company’s long-term existence, a healthy labour is indispensable.

I was surprised to find out that ... working hours also implicitly imply power relations between employers their employees. Therefore, by changing working hours legally or by making them more flexible, one must consider their impact on equality and fairness.

I would recommend you ... to read and educate yourself also on topics beyond your studies. By showing interest in your environment, you not only acquire valuable knowledge but also attract people’s attention.

Sümeyye received the Award for the best bachelor thesis in ZuWi 2.

My bachelor thesis is about ... the contribution of the concept of the circular economy towards a more sustainable fashion industry.

I wrote with ... Martin Herles at the Institute of English Business Communication.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... the fashion industry is considered to be one of the most polluting industries and has severe negative environmental and societal impact. I wanted to find out if there existed a concept for improvement which were beneficial to all three, environment, society, and the economy.

My impact is ... raising awareness on possible solutions to a substantial issue

I was surprised to find out that ... the production of one single pair of jeans requires up to 8,000 liters of water, which is the equivalent of 57 bathtubs.

I would recommend you ... to make sure you know what is required from you when writing a thesis and to match the "Academic Research Techinques” (de: GWA) course with the area of research you are interested in.

What is your thesis about?

My thesis is about the Viennese Kultur Token app that rewards its users with free admission to museums, concert halls and theatres when they use public transport, their bike or walk. In my thesis I look at the app’s potential to change mobility behaviour.

Who did you write it with?

My supervisor is Christine Grimm from the Institute for Markets and Strategy.

Why did you want to write about this topic?

When I heard about the Kultur Token app, I thought it was a very cool concept and wondered whether it could cause a positive change in travel behaviour, especially in the Generations Z and Y. So, my decision to write my thesis about it was sparked by a “real-life” question I wanted to find the answer to.

What is your impact?

I show the many positive aspects of this nudging system for the environmental and social wellbeing of the Viennese and in my empirical analysis I find that members of Generation Z actually expect to increase their sustainable transportation after potentially downloading the app. I also show the limitations of the concept and make suggestions for potential future developments of the app.

Tell us something that surprised you.

I was surprised that many people were super excited to hear about the Kultur Token app. That definitely falls into the category of the good kind of surprise.

What would you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis?

Be very precise when you decide on a topic, narrow it down as much as possible, because you will not have the space to write about all interesting aspects anyways, much less so if your topic is too broad. So, narrow it down and pick one very precise angle.

My bachelor thesis is about ... how many bachelor theses were written in cooperation with external organisations at WU in 2015/16.

I wrote with ... Gunther Maier at the Institute for Multi-​Level Governance and Development.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... I was interested in founding a start-up to connect companies and students to write their bachelor thesis together. Bachelor students spend a lot of time writing a bachelor thesis that may not be published and often nobody cares about. With a company, students work on real world issues and write about a meaningful topic. My bachelor thesis about bachelor theses with companies was research for my future project.

My impact is ... to raise awareness on bachelor theses as a tool for third mission and knowledge transfer. The third mission of universities is the interaction between university and society and is a current hot topic of top management in universities around the world. Company theses are already a practise, but the institutionalization needs to be improved. My study suggests 17% of bachelor theses at WU in 2015/2016 were in cooperation with an external organisation and includes the perspective of thesis supervisors regarding the topic.

I was surprised to find out that ... already many theses are written with an external organisation, but in 86% of the cases, no financial incentive was given to supervisors, institutes or students.

I would recommend you ... to find a meaningful thesis topic somebody cares about or you can use for your own purposes in your bright future to come.

My bachelor thesis is about ... analysis of the sharing economy market in France and Austria.

I wrote with ... Regina Göke at the Institute for Romance Languages in French.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... I realized that although most of my family members, my friends and I frequently use collaborative services, we were not familiar with the extent of this term, the movement and its corresponding practices. My choice of writing my thesis in French and carrying out a comparative analysis between the Austrian and French market was based on my strong ties with both countries.

My impact is ... to raise awareness about the existing sharing economy alternatives in Austria and France. Collaborative practices can generate many opportunities, economic growth, social and environmental improvements. However, it is worth mentioning that this business model also leads to some issues and challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve a sustainable development.

I was surprised to find out that ... France and Austria share many resemblances in various fields despite their structural differences. In fact, the key factors of development, the market’s leading sectors, encountered obstacles as well as subjective variables such as preferences, motivations, doubts and attitudes of the French and Austrians are very similar.

I would recommend you ... to plan your bachelor thesis ahead. Use all the resources at your disposal (databases, friends, family and your supervisor ...) to inform yourself and identify the topic that really interests you. The more enthusiastic you are about the topic, the easier it will be for you to research and write your thesis.

What is your thesis about?
I wrote my thesis about the communication of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the European pulp and paper industry. Looking specifically at current communication strategies towards stakeholders in this regard.

Who did you write it with?
My advisor was Marlene Gruber who is a member of Prof. Stahl’s academic unit at the Institute for International Business.

Why did you want to write about this topic?
After finishing an internship at a paper and packaging company, I got interested in how such a traditional sector, which can be considered green by heart, puts the relatively new concept of the Sustainable Development Goals into effect.

What is your impact?
The SDGs are universal goals which have not been in motion since a long time, thus established links between CSR communication theory and practical implementations are limited, especially in the pulp and paper industry. By dedicating my thesis on this topic, I want to raise awareness and develop insights about the private sector’s strategies when it comes to including the SDGs. The implementation of SDGs should lead to business actions that are sustainable. For that to happen, it is the role of research to look at the status quo and possible room for improvements.

Tell us something that surprised you.
Surprising to me was to find out the lack of involvement of key stakeholder groups like customers, suppliers or the government in an SDG dialog – who, in my opinion are important for a long lasting impact. Moreover, industry associations and NGOs held a primary position when communicating about SDG engagement.

What would you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis?
I would recommend finding a topic you will not mind reading and researching the same papers over and over again, because that is what you will do. Also, figure out beforehand if the citation software is compatible with your Microsoft Word!

What is your thesis about?

My thesis is about the engagement of multinational corporations in sustainable development in lower-income countries.

Who did you write it with? (name of the supervisor and Institute)

I wrote it with Christof Miska at the Institute of International Business.

Why did you want to write about this topic?

I wanted to write about this topic because I have always been interested in sustainability and sustainable development and because it is a highly relevant topic in times of climate change. Especially MNCs play an important role in achieving sustainable development, as they boost economic growth, while also contributing to environmental pollution through their operations. I wanted to find out the reasons why MNCs engage in sustainable development in developing countries.

What is your impact?

My impact is to raise awareness that MNCs often do not contribute to sustainable development because they are interested in improving the socio-economic situation of developing countries, but because they are pressured by stakeholders, such as local communities and NGOs, to do so.

Tell us something that surprised you.

I was surprised that the two oil and gas majors, Shell and ExxonMobil, that I used for my case studies, have relatively diverging sustainability strategies and are influenced by distinct factors. Even though both operate in Sub-Saharan countries, Shell shows more effort to engage in sustainable development than ExxonMobil.

What would you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis?

I would recommend to thoroughly consider which topic you want to write about. Writing a thesis is a long process and if you are not interested in the topic, then the writing process becomes more difficult.

What is your thesis about? The Green Economy - A critical analysis of the connection between sustainable development and the capitalist structures of contemporary western societies.

For this purpose, I have taken a closer look at the political concept of the Green Economy, as an economic model of the so-called "Green Growth" or "Green Capitalism", which is supposed to combine economic growth and sustainability. With the help of scientific literature, I have critically analyzed this model for its connection to sustainability in all its dimensions. An interview with an entrepreneur in the sustainability sector helped to compare the scientific input with a practical example.

Who did you write it with? Leonie Bleiker from the Institute for Social Change and Sustainability.

Why did you want to write about this topic?  As part of my studies, I was able to look at the topic of sustainability from an economic and social perspective. This has taught me to critically question aspects of sustainability in public discourse. With my bachelor thesis, I wanted to show that things cannot continue as they are now, but at the same time that a sustainable economic and social system is very much possible.

What is your impact? My work shows that the model of "Green Growth" will not be enough to protect our world from severe environmental and social damage. More radical changes are needed, in which profit maximization is not the first priority. 

Tell us something that surprised you? I approached the thesis with an opinion critical of capitalism, but I was convinced that capitalism can certainly be made sustainable with the help of a transformation.  I am no longer of this opinion. The extensive research has shown me that the capitalist structures of Western societies prevent the connection with sustainability, in the ecological and social sense. 

What do you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis? It is important to be very clear in advance what you want to achieve with your thesis and what question(s) you want to answer through your work. Then a red thread will emerge almost automatically and you can not "lose" yourself in the writing process.

My thesis was about...the communication of plastic reduction in supermarkets. It was a comparison between the countries Austria, Chile and Spain. The original title was “Comunicar la reducción de plásticos en supermercados: una comparación entre Austria, Chile y España“.

I wrote with ...Pilar Peréz Cañizares and Johannes Schnitzer at the Institute for Romance Languages in Spanish at WU Vienna.

Why did you want to write about this topic? ... During my exchange semester in Valparaíso, Chile I was shocked about the plastic usage in supermarkets, even though Chile had – back then – recently introduced a new legislation about the reduction of single-use plastic bags and similar. After I came back, I noticed the differences to Austrian supermarkets and wanted to academically deepen this research. Moreover, I wanted to write the thesis in Spanish to enhance my language skills and put to practice what I have learnt abroad.

My impact is... to encourage everyone to acknowledge the problems that come with single-use plastics and to be creative and innovative when thinking about individual ways on how to reduce one owns consumption patterns!

I was surprised about ... the difficulties that come with alternatives to plastic packages. Surprisingly, a lot of hygiene rules did not allow for different forms of packaging.

What would you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis?...

Be brave and willing to try out writing your thesis in another language than your mother-tongue or English. It might be a challenge in the beginning, but as with everything practice makes perfect, and you will receive support from your supervisor. Eventually, it will be worth all the hard work and you will have learnt a great deal – both academically and language-wise!

What is your thesis about?

The political role of Western multinational corporations in emerging economies with regard to the Political CSR framework. I wrote about the challenges and responsibilities that come with political impact and reflected upon my findings in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Who did you write it with?

Christof Miska from the institute for International Business.

Why did you want to write about this topic?

This topic represented a perfect opportunity to link the focus of my specialization in CSR and sustainability with development, an area that I want to dive into deeper in my future academic career. I also wanted to incorporate the topic into a present-day topic, which is why I decided to add a contextual reflection on Covid-19.

What is your impact?

A small contribution to a field that deserves a lot more attention. In a globalized world, firms increasingly engage in actions with considerable political impact. This raises numerous questions of responsibility that are not yet fully answered.

Tell us something that surprised you

How far-reaching the political impacts of a company can be and how hard it is to define the responsibilities that come with it.

What would you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis?

Pick a topic that relates to their future academic or professional ambitions. If the topic then bores them after one month, it might be worth rethinking the plan.

My bachelor thesis is about ... gender sensitive language in public communications of Spanish and Chilean companies in the energy sector.

I wrote with ... Pilar Pérez Cañizares and Johannes Schnitzer at the Institute for Romance Languages (in Spanish).

I wanted to write about this topic because ... the power of language in regard to gender is something I am passionate about. Furthermore, I did my exchange semester in Peru and wanted to increase my academic writing skills in Spanish.

My impact is ... to encourage others to question their own subconciously acquired patterns of language use.

I was surprised to find out that ... big corporations actually do use gender sensitive language to position themselves as open, inclusive and progressive.

I would recommend you ... choosing a topic YOU sincerely care about and always go for the supervisor who offers more than just one feedback session. Don't worry about choosing a broad topic at first, you can iteratively narrow it down during the research process.

Susan also runs the podcast Inside Impact on social entrepreneurship related topics.

My bachelor thesis is about ... how socially and economically sustainable a reduction in working time is.

I wrote with ... Barbara Haas at the Department of Socioeconomics.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... it is generally known that free time for hobbies, family, friends and themselves becomes increasingly important for employees. I was interested in finding out if and how shorter working hours can have a positive impact on employees and the society.

My impact is ... showing that reduced working hours can be beneficial for employees as well as their employers. Employees have more time to invest in voluntary work, education and their family, which contributes to a more gender-equal distribution of housework. Depending on the job, employers profit from less sickness-related absenteeism and higher productivity of their employees. Furthermore, shorter working hours can improve the employees’ satisfaction, which makes them stay longer in the company. Therefore, costs for recruiting new staff can be reduced.

I was surprised to find out that ... all six companies that I presented in my thesis found that the productivity and motivation of their employees increased. This shows that people appreciate and profit from additional recreation time and therefore want to show that the results do not suffer.

I would recommend companies ... giving a working time reduction a try, if they face problems like unmotivated, dissatisfied and sick employees or a high employee turnover. However, if the work depends on one specific person or has to be done in a specific period of time, costs may exceed profits.

Denise received the Award for the best bachelor thesis in ZuWi 2.

My bachelor thesis is about ... non-financial risk reporting from Austrian listed companies.

I wrote with ... Josef Baumüller at the Institute of International Accounting.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... it is currently extremely relevant due to increasing discussions of social and environmental change.

My impact is ... to educate myself (and hopefully others) on topics of corporate sustainability in a time of rapidly changing legal requirements.

I was surprised to find out that ... small inconsistencies and inclarities in legal wording can have massive financial implications for reporting entities and can kick-start heated literary debate.

I would recommend you... to seriously consider the scope and methodology of a thesis topic before accepting it to prevent your thesis from becoming three times longer than you had planned!

My bachelor thesis is about ... how the Austrian civil law system allows for potential civil climate litigation that would hold those accountable that cause damages by impacting the climate.

I wrote with ... Stefan Perner and Jakob Zarari at the Institute of Civil Law.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... of the topicality of climate damages and international developments in civil climate liability. A precedent case that has caught global attention is about a Peruvian farmer who sued the German energy conglomerate RWE for the costs associated with protecting his fields against drowning in meltwater from a nearby glacier.

My impact is ... exposing that under the current Austrian tort law, climate litigation is barely feasible and new regulation is needed if emitters shall be held accountable for damages caused.

I was surprised to find out that ... that despite increasing attention from researchers in other jurisdictions, Austrian academia has barely touched upon this topic.

I would recommend you ... to dare exploring research fields that are not widely covered in academia yet in order to truly drive research forward, no matter how early in your academic career.

My master thesis is about ... the exclusion of the suspensive effect of complaints in environmental law which lead to the result that project applicants can start with their construction work right away, even though the administrative approval has been challenged by an environmental NGO or other. The hasty conduct of the construction work can then lead to an environmental damage which, even in the case of a successful remedy, cannot be reversed (think of the hasty clearance of a forest – once a tree is cut, it’s cut).

I wrote with ... Matthias Zußner and Stefan Storr at the Institute for Austrian and European Public Law.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... I learned more about this prevailing issue during my legal internship at ÖKOBÜRO and figured that my results could be useful to denounce the recent legislative change in § 43a of the Upper Austrian Nature Conversation Act.

My impact is ... to argue, that the exclusion of the suspensive effect in environmental law is neither consistent with the European nor with the Austrian constitutional law and its principles.

I was surprised to find out that ... I would enjoy writing on a seemingly dry topic as the suspensive effect of complaints that much. This is partly due to fact that I chose to analyse this legal matter on a "real case". Hence, my joy was also fueled by some questionable court decisions and commentaries on § 43a of the Upper Austrian Nature Conversation Act, which I wanted to analyse in more detail.

I would recommend you ... to start your thesis by drafting a clear, logic and consistent table of content and to then make sure to stick to it – otherwise you will run into danger to end up in a legal Odyssey which has no beginning and no end!

My master thesis is about ... how the “Greta effect” influenced the environmental self-identities and apparel buying behavior of Austrian students.

I wrote with ... Valerie Herzog and Jan Hendrik Fisch at the Institute of International Business.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... sustainability has always been important to me. A lack of sustainability courses in my modules motivated me to write my thesis on a topic related to it.

My impact is ... explaining the change in consumer behavior towards sustainability and quantifying it through my empirical study.

I was surprised to find out ... how difficult it is to quantify the impact of the fashion industry and how little research is publicly accessible compared to the vast amount that is kept by the companies.

I would recommend you ... to devote enough time to find the topic you want to write about and to get as much help as possible (friends, professors etc.). There are so many fields of research and possibilities on  sustainability, which can be fascinating, but also overwhelming.

My master thesis is about ... the evolution of technology and social structures with a case study of space technologies.

I wrote with ... Manuel Scholz-Wäckerle at the Department for Socioeconomics.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... our lives, societies, and ecosystems are being rapidly transformed by technologies and yet we lack understanding of what factors contribute to the evolution of technologies. I focus on the space technologies as a case study since 'a new space race' led by private companies is maturing into a significant domain.

My impact is ... showing that we need much stronger international co-ordination and regulation of outer space activities. Please see my poster from technology assessment conference, here.

I was surprised to find out that ... our cultural evolution is lagging behind non-linear rate of combinatorial technological evolution. Our tendency to seek primarily technical solutions to complex social and ecological challenges under the paradigm of perpetual economic growth exacerbates existential risks.

I would recommend you ... more critical, complex systemic and adaptive approach to navigate challenges (both personal and social).

Pat published an insightful popularization of his master thesis on medium.

What is your thesis about?

My master thesis is about the circular economy in fast fashion analyzing whether multinational companies (MNC’s) in the fast fashion industry are making a significant effort and contribution to the circular economy and to validate the concern that their current efforts might be mere greenwashing.

Who did you write it with?

I wrote with Jonas Puck at the WU Vienna Institute of International Business (IIB)

Why did you want to write about this topic?

I got really enthusiastic about the concept of a circular economy during the CEMS Dach Forum, so I decided to further deepen my knowledge in this area by writing the thesis. Circular economy in the textiles industry is a very timely and important topic, which currently experiences lots of change and innovation. My interest in fashion combined with an increasing awareness for sustainability made this an exciting area of research.

What is your impact?

My impact is to help better understand what businesses need to do in order to be credible in their sustainability efforts and what parts along the value chain companies need to address in order to make an impact. What is more, this thesis draws a tentative “Circular Textiles Roadmap” for fashion companies, which addresses the design, production and end-of-use phases along the three dimensions “reduce, reuse, recycle”.

Tell us something that surprised you

I was surprised to find out that the world is currently only 8,6% circular in the sense of how much of the material we extract and enter production each year are returned to the cycle instead of being wasted. Despite an increasing awareness this percentage even dropped in the past year. The fast fashion model presents an extreme form of a linear “take-make-dispose” economy and is a serious driver of climate change. Oh…and I was also surprised to find out that Austria is second biggest spender for clothing in the EU in EUR per capita!!

What would you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis?

I would recommend you to really take the opportunity to work on a topic that you are passionate about or one that could potentially help you for your future career. For me, working on an area of great interest to me made all those lonely days and also nights working on my thesis much more enjoyable. What is more, really take the chance to talk to industry experts or company representatives to gain additional insights from current or more recent practices. I left every interview really inspired and motivated to dive even deeper into the topic.

What is your thesis about?

My thesis analyses the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Austrian climate justice movements. More precisely, it explores why the participation of persons with disabilities in climate justice movements is currently low and how inclusion could be improved in the future. Inspired by the Disability Movement demand "Nothing about us without us" my research builds on a transdisciplinary research project carried out in collaboration with various members of the Austrian disability and/or climate justice community. It understands disability in accordance with the human rights model and explicitly aims at creating transformational knowledge that improves the status quo and thus contributes to sustainable developments.

Who did you write it with?

Viviana Asara from the Institute for Multi-Level Governance and Development. Her expertise on social movements was the main reason I chose to write with her.

Why did you want to write about this topic?

In Austria there still prevails a widespread simplistic and conservative view on disability (diversity is often reduced to a few stereotypes, the amount of people living with disability tends to be underestimated, disability is often perceived as being an individual health issue instead of being caused by a lack of accessibility in environments, etc.). This does not only lead to an underestimation of the potential benefits for everyone that stem from providing inclusive settings and environments but also solidifies, often unwillingly, discriminatory attitudes and practices against those with disability. As an able-bodied person, I had also been largely unaware of many issues related to the topic disability. However, I have always believed that educating oneself on social justice issues and challenging our own assumptions and prejudices is key to contributing to a sustainable and just future that leaves no one behind. Moreover, I already witnessed multiple efforts within climate justice movements to address racism and sexism. However, ableism still received comparatively little attention. For these reasons, I decided to focus on this topic area.

What is your impact?

By being the first person to analyse the inclusion of persons with disabilities in climate justice movements for the Austrian context, I was able to kick start conversations and developments in four of the largest climate justice movements in Austria.  Similarly, my research also motivated some disability organisations to incorporate climate justice issues in their daily work. A lot is still to be done but considering the overall low mutual awareness of these two groups before I started with my thesis, pointing out pathways for improvements and mutual collaboration already constitutes an important first step – which ultimately raises more awareness for the necessity of inclusion. I also hope my thesis provides a good entry point for those wishing to educate themselves on the issue and inspires further considerations and actions for more inclusive environments.

Tell us something that surprised you.

Many of the "green" innovations and initiatives that are currently promoted in Vienna and Austria are inaccessible or create further barriers for persons with disabilities. To give just a few examples: electric cars cannot be heard sufficiently by individuals with impairments to their vision, "Begegnungszonen" create unsafe spaces for individuals with various impairments due to the loss of clearly separated pedestrian-only zones, and the self-driving busses in Seestadt were tested and operated without ramps. Disability organisations, activists and affected individuals have been consistent in calling out these flaws, but their criticism only receives little attention from mainstream media. Considering that around 18,4% of Austrians (i.e., around 1.3 million people) live with disability, this neglection is unacceptable.

What would you recommend other students to do before writing their thesis?

Many students who consider a topic connected to sustainability approach their thesis with a lot of idealism and high expectations. Although this is definitely an admirable quality, it can also lead to a lot of pressure, self-doubt and despair or make you give up entirely. If this seems to be the case for you, or you struggle with the process for other reasons, please don't think of yourself as a failure. Instead, consider building a support network, using the WU counselling services (the employees are really motivated and considerate) or finding ways of working on your mental health. Let curiosity, learning and pragmatism replace destructive perfectionism and insecurity. Normalise vulnerability and see what happens if you don't give up!

My master thesis is about ... mining and social conflict in Latin America.

I wrote with ... Stefan Giljum at the Institute of Ecological Economics.

I wanted to write about this topic because ... I already wrote my bachelor thesis on the petroleum and natural gas industry in Bolivia and that has raised my interest to investigate mining conflicts in Latin America in my master thesis.

My impact is ... raising awareness for the environmental injustice occuring in mining in Latin America and the local communities and marginalized groups that suffer the most.

I was surprised to find out that ... the violence level of conflict doesn't depend on the type of mining resource.

I would recommend you ... to not underestimate the time needed to find a topic, a supervisor, research questions and literature before you actually start writing your thesis.

Mara published an insightful popularization of her master thesis on medium.