Bachelorarbeit
BA 450 für Bachelorstudierende (Betriebswirtschaft)
Allgemeines
| Verantwortlicher Dozent | Prof. Dr. Armin Heinzl |
|---|---|
| Veranstaltungsart | Thesis |
| Leistungspunkte | 12 ECTS |
| Sprache | Englisch |
| Infos für Studierende | Infos zu Bachelorarbeiten anderer Studiengänge finden Sie bei den Abschlussarbeiten |
Mechthild Pieper
Ansprechpartner Bachelorarbeit
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Infos zur Veranstaltung
Ablauf
Deadline Event Wednesday, 02.04.2025 Announcement of possible topics at 12pm /noon Tuesday, 08.04.2025 Kick-off meeting and announcement of topic assignment Wednesday, 11.06.2025 Deadline for thesis submission until 12pm /noon Kurzbeschreibung
Individuals and organizations operate in a world that is increasingly permeated with digital technology. Every day we interact with Information Systems (IS) that make our phones smart, our cars safe, and our lives convenient. Likewise, Information Systems are embedded in the very core of the products, operations, and strategies of many organizations. Ever more, understanding and leveraging Information Systems is key to business success, not only for large and experienced players like SAP and Google, but also for small start-ups. The pervasive nature of digital technology is radically transforming our understanding of Information Systems, encompassing their development, coordination, use, and the way we interact with them. The primary objective of this seminar is to shed light on these issues and enrich our knowledge about how information systems impact organizations and individuals.
Themen
Topic Topic Description Supervisor Generative AI & Creativity This Bachelor thesis aims to replicate and extend the study by Mateja et al. (2020), which utilized Amabile's Componential Framework of Creativity (1982) to analyze machine learning systems as creative agents. The focus of this Bachelor thesis will be specifically on generative AI (genAI) systems, such as GPT-4 and DALL·E, which have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in producing human-like text and images. By conducting a comprehensive literature review across disciplines including cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, and organizational behavior, this thesis will assess how genAI aligns with or challenges the components outlined in Amabile's framework: domain-relevant skills, creativity-relevant processes, intrinsic task motivation, and the surrounding social environment. The objective is to identify new opportunities and challenges presented by genAI within this theoretical context. Deborah Mateja Information Diversity Theories and Generative AI This Bachelor thesis aims to review and synthesize key theories of information diversity, with the objective of evaluating their relevance and adaptability in the context of generative AI (genAI) systems such as ChatGPT and Midjourney. Rooted in disciplines such as communication theory, information science, and cognitive sociology, theories of information diversity have historically addressed the variety, balance, and representativeness of information available within media and organizational systems. With the rise of genAI technologies capable of generating vast volumes of personalized content, these theories require reassessment. Deborah Mateja Effective Use of IT The concept of Effective Information Systems (IS) Use addresses a critical challenge in IS research: simply using technology does not guarantee the achievement of desired outcomes—only its effective use can lead to meaningful benefits. As technology alone does not create value, understanding what constitutes effective use is essential for both researchers and practitioners seeking to realize the full potential of IS. In this bachelor thesis, students will conduct a structured literature review on the concept of effective IS use, focusing on studies published in major IS research outlets. As a starting point, the seminal paper by Burton-Jones and Grange (2013), „From Use to Effective Use: A Representation Theory Perspective“ (Information Systems Research, 24(3), 632–658) will serve as a foundational reference. The thesis will provide an overview of the effective IS use concept, thoroughly explain its theoretical origins, and trace its development over time. Students will critically analyze how effective use has been conceptualized, operationalized, and measured in empirical studies. Additionally, the review will explore the various research contexts where effective use has been applied, offering insights into its practical relevance and future research opportunities. Mechthild Pieper Healthcare Information Systems The digitalization of healthcare is transforming patient care, administrative processes, and medical research, with the potential to significantly improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare systems. However, to realize these benefits, digital health technologies must be effectively adopted and utilized by healthcare professionals. This bachelor thesis will conduct a comprehensive literature review on key digital health technologies, focusing on how they contribute to the quality of care and the innovativeness of healthcare offerings at the organizational or institutional level. The thesis will provide an overview of existing studies, analyze the current state of research to identify gaps and emerging trends, and explore potential research opportunities that hold organizational and societal significance. A good starting point and overview is provided by Weissenfels, S., Nissen, A., & Smolnik, S. (2025). Advancing digital health in information systems research: Insights from a text mining analysis. Electronic Markets, 35(1), 23. Mechthild Pieper „Make or Buy“ Decision for AI Services The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed industries, prompting organizations to decide whether to develop AI solutions in-house („make“) or procure them from external vendors („buy“). This strategic sourcing decision involves multiple considerations, including cost, technical capabilities, scalability, data privacy, and competitive advantage. While AI development offers greater control and customization, acquiring AI services from third parties can accelerate deployment and reduce initial investment costs. However, the long-term implications of these choices remain an area of active debate in both academia and industry. This thesis aims to conduct a systematic literature review to examine the state of research on the „make or buy“ decision for AI services. The findings will provide insights into how firms navigate AI adoption strategies and identify gaps for future research. A good place to start: BCG (2018): „The Build-or-Buy Dilemma in AI“. Tobias Maier AI-based Text Analysis Tools With the advanced technological capabilities of artificial intelligence, large language models, and other innovations, new and exciting opportunities arise for analyzing textual data for research purposes. These include automatically identifying topics, counting words, and exploring unexpected patterns without manual coding. However, with these technological advancements, an increasing number of software solutions are being published on the market, exhibiting high variation in theoretical grounding, technical capabilities, and adaptability to certain contexts such as team decision making. This makes it challenging for researchers to identify which software offers reliable, objective, and valid data analyses and interpretations. For instance, software like LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) is widely used for psychological and linguistic analysis, Voyant Tools provides interactive and web-based text exploration, and GATE (General Architecture for Text Engineering) offers a robust NLP framework for complex text processing tasks. Specifically, when analyzing complex teaming processes involving multiple speakers and dynamic conversations in intricate scenarios, such models often reach their limitations. Therefore, this bachelor's thesis aims to conduct a systematic literature review to identify and classify automatic text analysis tools, critically assessing their suitability for academic purposes. Désirée Zercher Human-AI Task Coordination With the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into organizational workflows, new possibilities emerge for coordinating tasks between human team members and AI systems. These advancements allow for enhanced efficiency, automation of routine activities, and intelligent decision support. As AI becomes more embedded in collaborative settings—ranging from virtual assistants that schedule meetings to sophisticated agents managing project workflows—it plays an increasingly active role in shaping how tasks are distributed, executed, and monitored. However, the coordination of work between humans and AI raises important questions about division of labor. Depending on the system design, AI can act as a supporter, an equal collaborator, or even a manager of human activity. This variability introduces challenges for organizations and researchers seeking to understand the effectiveness and limitations of AI in team-based work environments. Therefore, this bachelor’s thesis aims to conduct a systematic literature review to identify and classify existing approaches to human-AI task coordination. The goal is to critically assess the different roles AI can assume in such systems, and evaluate their implications for team dynamics and organizational decision-making. Désirée Zercher Virtual Avatar Beautification Avatars, as digital representations of users, are increasingly employed across diverse virtual environments, such as online games, virtual reality (VR) spaces, augmented reality (AR) applications, telepresence work, or virtual try-on tools in e-commerce. A growing body of research investigates the phenomenon of beautification, wherein avatars are enhanced to reflect an idealized, enhanced version of the user. However, the processes and implications of avatar beautification remain multifaceted and not yet fully understood. This bachelor thesis aims to conduct a structured literature review to explore how beautification in avatars is conceptualized and implemented. It should examine the methods applied to enhance avatars, the agents driving this process (e.g., users, researchers, or algorithms), the underlying theories, conceptualizations of beauty, and the diverse technological contexts. The thesis should further investigate study designs, comparing short- and long-term approaches, and assess outcome variables, like self-perception, body satisfaction, social acceptance, or purchasing behavior. Moreover, it will analyze how avatars are framed in these studies, for instance, as personal extensions of the user or as entities perceived by others. It should also synthesize theoretical frameworks used in past studies to understand the psychological and behavioral impacts of beautification, aiming to identify gaps and future research opportunities in the digital self-representation landscape. Rosa Holtzwart Consumer Behavior in Digital Commerce Understanding and predicting user behavior online is a key concern in both Information Systems and Online Marketing/ E-Commerce research. With the increasing integration of digital platforms, AI-driven recommendations, and virtual shopping experiences, interdisciplinary approaches are necessary to grasp the complexities of consumer decision-making online. Various theoretical frameworks, originating from psychology, behavioral economics, and technology adoption, have been applied to study how consumers evaluate products, form purchase intentions, and ultimately make buying decisions. This bachelor thesis aims to conduct a structured literature review to explore the dominant theories and theoretical constructs used to analyze and predict purchasing behavior in digital commerce contexts. It will examine key Information Systems and Marketing frameworks, such as technology acceptance models, self-congruity theory, dual-process models, and affective computing, among others. The thesis should investigate how these theories intersect, how they are applied in past empirical research, and what key constructs (e.g., trust, perceived diagnosticity, emotional engagement) are most commonly used. By synthesizing the theoretical landscape across Information Systems and Marketing, this thesis will provide an overview of how consumer behavior in digital environments is conceptualized, offering valuable insights for both academia and practice. Rosa Holtzwart Platform Ecosystems Governance & GenAI Digital platform business models have become indispensable to both our private and business lives. Leading platform firms such as Apple, SAP, or Google exemplify their extraordinary economic relevance. The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) and its integration in platform business models offers new capabilities for complementary innovation, automation, and personalization. Despite many opportunities, new challenges for platform governance may arise, such as quality control, intellectual property, or a shifting balance of power between platform owners and complementors. In a bachelor thesis within this topic area, students are expected to review extant research on platform ecosystems and elaborate on implications of GenAI for platform governance. Dr. André Halckenhäußer Explainable AI through Generative Models The explainability of AI decisions is a critical challenge in enhancing transparency and trust in AI systems. Traditional methods often fall short in providing clear, accessible explanations, particularly for complex models. Generative AI, including models like ChatGPT, has emerged as a promising solution by generating human-like explanations for AI decisions. However, this approach presents challenges related to the accuracy, reliability, and potential biases in AI-generated explanations, as well as the risk of oversimplification. This bachelor thesis aims to review the existing literature on the use of generative AI for explainability, focusing on how these models can generate explanations for AI decision-making processes. The objective is to evaluate the benefits and limitations of this approach and identify key challenges in ensuring that AI explanations are meaningful, accurate, and trustworthy. Key starting points for research include: • Slack, D., Krishna, S., Lakkaraju, H. et al. Explaining machine learning models with interactive natural language conversations using TalkToModel. Nat Mach Intell 5, 873–883 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-023-00692-8 • Schneider, J. Explainable Generative AI (GenXAI): a survey, conceptualization, and research agenda. Artif Intell Rev 57, 289 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-024-10916-x Florian Rüffer Counterfactual Explanations on Image and Textual Data The growing impact of AI on critical decision-making highlights the need for transparent and interpretable models. Counterfactual explanations provide a method for understanding AI decisions by demonstrating how specific input changes would alter outcomes. This approach offers insights into causal relationships and actionable guidance for users. While counterfactual explanations are widely applied to structured (tabular) data, their use in unstructured data—such as text, images, and time series—presents significant challenges due to high dimensionality. Ensuring grammatical correctness in text, visual plausibility in images, and temporal consistency in time series is essential for generating meaningful counterfactuals. This bachelor thesis explores algorithms and techniques for generating counterfactual explanations in unstructured data domains. It reviews recent advancements, examines key challenges—including plausibility, coherence, and computational complexity—and analyzes practical applications, particularly in high-stakes fields such as healthcare. Key starting points for research include: • Sahil Verma, Varich Boonsanong, Minh Hoang, Keegan Hines, John Dickerson, and Chirag Shah. 2024. Counterfactual Explanations and Algorithmic Recourses for Machine Learning: A Review. ACM Comput. Surv. 56, 12, Article 312 (December 2024), 42 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3677119 • Wang, Y., Qiu, X., Yue, Y., Guo, X., Zeng, Z., Feng, Y., & Shen, Z. (2024). A survey on Natural Language Counterfactual Generation. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2407.03993 Florian Rüffer Literatur
- The literature review should be done by students independently
- The review should include electronic literature sources offered by the University of Mannheim (Rechercheportal) as well as sources available on the internet
- Overviews of literature sources are available at the Mannheim University Library
