Below you will find possible topics for final theses. The topics are to be understood as examples and can also serve to develop your own questions. If you have your own ideas that differ from the listed topics, we can discuss them together. To do so, please contact Prof. Gerard Lewis directly.

Prof. Lewis has the following topics available for Bachelor and Master Dissertions:

1. The implications of Artificial Intelligence for Strategic Analysis, Development and Implementation.

2. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on a firm's value chain and competitive advantage.

3. Measuring the Sustainabilty of the Enterprise.

4. Strategies for non-growth businesses.

5. The Resource Based View: An Evidence Based Critique.

6. Strategic Decision Making under Uncertainty: A Evaluation of the Tool Kit.

7. Porter's Five Forces: An Evidence Based Critique.

8. Porter's Value Chain: An Evidence Based Critique.

9. Do Responsible Corporations Deliver Sustainability?

10. The Business Model: 'I know one when I see one', but what is it!

Each of the dissertation topics can be structured to meet student's personal interests and their stage of academic development (Bachelor or Master).

For further details please send an email.

My teaching philosophy is to combine academic excellence and practical experience through the use of blended learning. This means the teaching emphasis is on student directed learning and problem centred learning through the extensive use of projects and case studies. Faculty directed lectures form the basis for delivery of discipline centred theory and concepts which students apply during project and case study work.

Students are encouraged to present their potential areas of interest for dissertations. Ideally the topic under consideration should lie within Prof. Lewis’s fields of teaching and research interest.
Prof. Lewis will consider dissertation supervision in the following areas:  
Corporate Strategy, Business/Competitive Strategy, Resource Based Strategy, Technology Strategy, International Strategy, International Business, International Management, Intercultural Management, National Competitiveness, Culture and Management, Corporate Responsibility, Corporate Sustainability, Corporate Governance, Rationality in Strategic Decision Making, Strategy under Uncertainty Scenario Analysis & Techniques 
Prof. Lewis has the following topics available for Bachelor and Master Dissertions:
1. The implications of Artificial Intelligence for Strategic Analysis, Development and Implementation.
2. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on a firm's value chain and competitive advantage.
3. Measuring the Sustainabilty of the Enterprise.
4. Strategies for non-growth businesses.
5. The Resource Based View: An Evidence Based Critique.
6. Strategic Decision Making under Uncertainty: A Evaluation of the Tool Kit.
7. Porter's Five Forces: An Evidence Based Critique.
8. Porter's Value Chain: An Evidence Based Critique.
9. Do Responsible Corporations Deliver Sustainability?
10. The Business Model: 'I know one when I see one', but what is it!
Each of the dissertation to...

Strategic Decision Making Involving 'Green' Issues in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

How can small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) integrate the natural environment into their business strategy? This question is important because green issues have strategic importance for business organisations, green issues are under researched, and current management practice is believed to be inappropriate for managing such issues. This research focuses on answering the question by studying how senior executives in SMEs in Saxony, Germany (a) perceive uncertainty in the natural environment and (b) make strategic decisions involving green issues. The research uses questionnaires and interviews for data collection. Both research instruments are grounded in two main constructs; 'perceived environmental uncertainty' and 'rationality in strategic decision making'. The findings are expected to highlight a number of barriers to the integration of green issues into strategic decision making. The practical results and implications of the research will be shared with executives through a series of workshops, feedback reports and presentations.

Duration: 01.10.2001 to 11.07.2003
Funding: German Ministry for Education and Research, €85,266
University of Applied Sciences, Dresden, €26,231 (matched funding)

Supply Chain Management in the Music Industry Across the Internet

Traditionally, the power and control of the supply chain is very much in the hands of the record company. They are in control of much of the distribution and also supplier selection (recording artist). In the past, this was (and still is to a large extent) primarily based on the quality of the music, past reputation and contract fee (price). The artist is very much under the control of the record company for promotion, merchandise and the distribution of CD’s and digital cassettes. With the introduction of the internet this situation is about to change. The research focuses on understanding the nature of the impact of ICT on the music supply chain and uses this understanding to develop an e-learning environment and e-learning material to assist SMEs and creative artists to develop business opportunities in the resulting new environment.

Duration: 01.03.2001 to 29.02.2004
Funding: Leonardo da Vinci - €63,573
University of Applied Sciences Dresden, €22,337 (matched funding)

Supply Chain Management in the Music Industry Across the Internet

Traditionally, the power and control of the supply chain is very much in the hands of the record company. They are in control of much of the distribution and also supplier selection (recording artist). In the past, this was (and still is to a large extent) primarily based on the quality of the music, past reputation and contract fee (price). The artist is very much under the control of the record company for promotion, merchandise and the distribution of CD’s and digital cassettes. With the introduction of the internet this situation is about to change. The research focuses on understanding the nature of the impact of ICT on the music supply chain and uses this understanding to develop an e-learning environment and e-learning material to assist SMEs and creative artists to develop business opportunities in the resulting new environment.

Duration: 01.06.2010 to 31.05.2011
Funding: British Academy - €6,600

Creative Destruction: Transformation in the Music Industry. Huddersfield, Beyond Labels Press, 2004, pp. 189. (with G. Graham, G, Hardaker, M. Lewis)

Integrating the ‘green’ environment into business strategy.PhD Dissertation. The Manchester Business School, England, UK. 1998, pp. 303.

A project based approach to learning and doing ‘International Business Strategy, in Teaching with Team Projects in Higher Education, J. Whatley and C. Nerantzi (eds,), Informing Science Press, 2016.

Responsibility, Sustaiability and Moral Judgement in International Business: A Review and Critique, in Ethik im Mittelstand, I. Gestring et al, Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden, 2016.

Strategiefindung unter Unsicherheit in KMUs, in Managementkompetenzen im Mittelstand, A-K Haubold et al, Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden, 2014.

Internet Crisis Potential: The Importance of a Strategic Approach to Marketing Communications, Journal of Marketing Communications, Vol. 13, No. 3, September 2007, pp. 213-228. (with T. Conway, M. Ward, A. Bernhardt)

Die Auswirkungen von Inhaltdigitalisierung auf das Musikeinzelhandelsgeschäft. Berichte und Informationen, HTW Dresden. 2, 2006, pp. 56-67. (with A. Kühn)

Strategische Entscheidungsfindung bei Umweltfragen in kleinen und mittelständischen Unternehmen, Wissenschaftliche Schriftreihe Management, Eipos and der TU Dresden. 1, 2006, pp. 25-50. (with E. Schubert and S. Rattei)

„Krisenkommunikation im Zeitalter des Cyberspace.“ Berichte und Informationen,HTW Dresden. 2, 2005. pp. 118-124. (with A. Bernhardt)

„Segmentierung und Marketing in Neuen Märkten: Das Beispiel des E-music Marktes.“ Berichte und Informationen,HTW Dresden. 2, 2005. pp. 125-131. (with D. Sommer)

"Analytische Untersuchung der Wahrnehmung bei Entshceidungsträgern hinsichtlich Umwelt und Unfeld." Zeitschrift für angewandte Umweltforschung. 17 (1). pp. 92-109, 2005. (with S. Rattei and E. Schubert)

“Evaluating the Impact of the Internet on Barriers to Entry in the Music Industry.” Supply Chain Management: An International Journal. 10 (5), 2005. pp. 349-356. (with G. Graham and G. Hardaker)

"The Transformation of the Music Industry Supply Chain: A Major Label Perspective." International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 24 (11), 2004, pp. 1087-1103. (with G. Graham, B. Burns and J. Langer)

"Uncertainty and Equivocality in the Commercial and Natural Environments: The Implications for Organisational Design." Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 11, 2004, pp. 167-177.

"Die Musikindustrie im Wandel - Eine Untersuchung der Auswerkungen auf unabhängige Musiker in Deutschland. Berichte und Informationen,HTW Dresden. 1, 2004, pp. 60-69. (with C. Haase)

"Untersuchung zur strategische Entscheidungsfindung in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen." Berichte und Informationen,HTW Dresden. 1, 2004, pp. 71-83. (with E. Schubert)

"Wahrgenommene Umweltunsicherheit in der Ernahrungswirtschaft." Journal für Betriebswirtschaft. 53 (3), 2003, pp. 92-103. (with E. Müllner)

"Measurement of Environmental Performance: An Application of Ashby’s law." Systems Research and Behavioural Science. 20, 2003, pp. 31-52. (with N. Stewart)

"Perceived environmental uncertainty: The Extension of Miller’s Scale to the Natural Environment." Journal of Management Studies.38 (2), March 2001, pp. 201-233. (with B. Harvey)

"A Cybernetic View of Environmental Management: The Implications for Business Organisations." Business Strategy and the Environment, 6 (5), November 1997, pp. 264-275.

"Uncertainty and Equivocality in the Commercial and Natural Environments: The Implications for Organisational Design." Conference Proceedings of the 2003 Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management Conference.. The University of Leeds, UK 30 June - 1 July, 2003, pp. 231-241

"Environmental perceptions and strategic decision making: a comparison of the British and German Textile Industries." Conference Proceedings of the 2002 Business Strategy and Environment Conference. The University of Manchester, UK 16-17 September, 2002, pp. 175-185. (with E. Schubert)

"Perceived environmental uncertainty in the food industry - an empirical study along the supply chain." Conference Proceedings of the 2002 Business Strategy and Environment Conference. The University of Manchester, UK16-17 September, 2002, pp. 237-245. (with E. Müllner and E. Schubert)

"An examination of the degree of rationality in ‘green’ strategic decisions." Conference Proceedings of the 2002 Business Strategy and Environment Conference. The University of Manchester, UK. 16-17 September, 2002, pp. 318-327. (with S. Rattei and E. Schubert)

"Understanding how concerns for the natural environment are integrated into practical strategic decision making: an application of Ashby’s law." In:Castell, A.M., et al. (eds.) Synergy matters: working with systems in the 21^st century, London, Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, 1999, pp. 223-228. (with N. Stewart)

"Sustainability and Viability." In: Stowell, F. A. et. al. (eds.) Systems for Sustainability: People, Organisations and Environments. London, Plenum Press, 1997, pp. 97-102. (with N. Stewart)

"A Cybernetic View of Environmental Management." Conference Proceedings of the 1996 Business Strategy and the Environment Conference, The University of Leeds, UK., 19-20 September, 1996, pp. 125-130.

“The Importance of Managing Crisis Communication Potential in Cyberspace.” University of Salford working paper No. 504/05, 2005, pp. 23. (with T. Conway, M. Ward and A. Bernhardt)

"Perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU): the development and testing of a green PEU instrument." Manchester Business School Working Paper, No. 398, 1999, pp. 1-40. (with B. Harvey)

"A Cybernetic View of Environmental Management: The Implications for Business Organisations." International Sustainable Development Research Network Bulletin. 2, December 1996, p. 2.

36 corporate (non-public domain) publications between 1984 and 1995 in the form of Consulting Reports, Research Reports, Technical Memoranda, Case Studies, Posters and Videos.