Doc­toral stud­ies in the doc­toral col­lege: premiere with two HNU doc­toral stu­dents

Entrepreneurial ecosystems – a general approach to building and managing ecosystems

Defined as complex systems that foster entrepreneurship through interactions between different actors, entrepreneurial ecosystems are crucial for the realization of ideas and the generation of high-growth entrepreneurship. The research project aims to develop a general approach to the development and management of entrepreneurial ecosystems. This approach should help ideas and start-ups to grow and achieve sustainable success with the support of entrepreneurial ecosystems. The research methodology includes a systematic literature review and qualitative research. In this way, the project contributes to closing the gap between theory and practice and offers a comprehensive and systematic approach to entrepreneurial ecosystems. 

First supervisor: Prof. Dr. Daniel Schallmo (HNU)
Second supervisor: Prof. Dr. Christian Schieder (OTH Amberg-Weiden)

Smart Stores in Grocery Retail – Modelling Service Quality for Improved Customer Satisfaction

Smart stores - one of the latest innovations in retail - are technology-supported, autonomous retail environments that enable personalization and optimized customer experiences through complete networking. The aim of the dissertation is to develop an artifact to ensure service quality in order to increase customer satisfaction. By taking into account the needs of different customer groups, the aim is to ensure that technological progress does not lead to social disparities. The work follows a mixed-methods design, starting with a taxonomy to categorize smart stores, followed by semi-structured expert interviews and a conjoint analysis to identify customer preferences. The results of these methods are incorporated into the development of the artifact that ensures service quality and makes it measurable. The dissertation is intended to help retailers fulfill their social responsibility.

First supervisor: Prof. Dr. Alexander Kracklauer (HNU)
Second supervisor: Prof. Dr. Christian Schieder (OTH Amberg-Weiden)