Master Thesis INN Spring 2011Information

IN A33

Nicolette Lakemond

Programme coordinator

Learning outcomes

The master thesis is performed as a degree project with the course code TQIE30. The purpose of the master thesis is to demonstrate the ability of the student in different categories:

Knowledge of underlying sciences (The student is expected to): – systematically integrate knowledge acquired during the studies – demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge  in the field and

substantially deeper knowledge. Demonstrate deeper methodological knowledge in the main field of study. – be able to assimilate the contents of the relevant literature and relate their work to this  

Personal and professional skills (The student is expected to): – plan, implement and document an independent degree project – formulate issues, plan and carry out advanced tasks within specified time limits – find and evaluate literature  

Teamwork and Communication (The student is expected to): – demonstrate ability to clearly present and discuss conclusions on the degree project in writing and orally – critically examine and oppose on another student´s degree project

CDIO science (The student is expected to): – be able to create, analyze and/or assess scientific issues in theories and methods

  The students need to demonstrate ability to, on the one hand, take initiative with regards to planning and execution of the thesis work and, on the other hand, seek guidance and support from the thesis supervisor when needed. The thesis work may be executed in the form of either an internal master thesis at one of the divisions at the Institute of Technology or as an external master thesis at a company or another type of organisation.

Requirements

Overall LiTH RequirementsThe master thesis corresponds to 30 ECTS credits, i.e. roughly 20 weeks of studies per student. It consists of three parts:

– written report, oral presentation and reflection document 28 ECTS credits – opposition on another thesis 1,5 ECTS credits – attendance at three thesis presentations 0,5 ECTS credits 

Other RequirementsAt PIE, we expect Master Thesis to

– be of general interest, even when they are executed on behalf of a specific company or organisation;

– include a discussion and analysis of the problem at hand in which the underlying problems and issues are identified and proper delimitations are made;

– be executed in a methodologically correct way; – demonstrate a sufficiently big theoretical “leap” and make use of the best and latest available

knowledge in the specific field (theoretical models should not only be discussed but also applied on the specific task if found suitable); and

– demonstrate a high degree of clarity with regards to assumptions, delimitations, choices among several alternative options, positions taken and own opinions vs. material taken from other sources.

Allowed to start?

General requirements ( LiTH) 

Admitted to the master's program. Required to start the degree project requires at least 60 credits from courses within the program, including 30 credits on advanced level in the main field. The courses must be completed. The thesis is placed in the last semester of the program.

Programme Specific Requirements

In addition to the general requirement, you need to have completed all first-year compulsory courses within the master programme, i.e. (2010/2011):

– TEIO02 Product development and innovation management, 12 ECTS credits – TEIO06 Innovative entrepreneurship, 6 ECTS credits – TEIO12 Industrial project management, 6 ECTS credits – TEIO13 Leadership and organisational change, 6 ECTS credits – TEMM32 Corporate organisation, 6 ECTS credits – TPPE26 Philosophy of Science and Research Methodology, 6 ECTS credits

How to start?

• Discuss your thesis project with the programme co-ordinator - appropriate with regards to subject area, scope and scientific level?

• Register as a master thesis worker at the Department of

Management and Engineering (IEI). – Click on the link “Anmälningsblankett (excel)” to open the registration

form on programme homepage. Send form in an e-mail to exjobb@iei.liu.se. (OBS only in Swedish, check the guide on the master programme’s web page (www.iei.liu.se/pie/mipd/thesis).

– After approval, revise your IEI registration form (fill in a new one and send it in to the same address.)

Topic

The topic of your thesis must be related to the central topics in the master programme, i.e.

Innovation management

Management of product development

Project management

Entrepreneurship

At PIE or other department?

Thesis project must always be approved by programme coordinator before start!

PIE Other department

Fill in PIE on registration form

Enter the PIE Thesis process spring 2011

(see next slides)

Check with programme coordinator for ok

Fill in the specific department on registration form

Get in touch with this departmentCan they be examiner?

If yes, thesis tutoring and examining taken care of by this

department

Quality technologyProduction economics

PIE Master Thesis process INN

COMPULSORY TO WORK IN

PAIRS!

PIE Master Thesis process INN

• Structured process with predetermined home-coming days (OBS Compulsory!!!)

• Home-coming days consist of lectures, tutoring, group discussions

• Each pair of students gets assigned

one tutor and and one examinor

Possible areas (will be completed)

1. Supplier involvement in product development2. Lean product development3. Creativity and efficiency in product development4. Industrial Product-Service Systems 5. Integrated Product Development6. Routinized Activities in new product development7. Project Methodology8. Portfolio Management9. Complex products and systems (CoPS)10. Managing interfaces in NPD11. Knowledge integration in innovation12. Change and inertia in new product development13. Entrepreneurship and knowledge-based regional development14. Early development processes in companies15. Idea/business development in companies16. Key inventors in new product development17. Open innovation18. Absorptive capacity19. Technological capabilities and technology strategies20. Innovation in sustainable vehicles21. Proximity in new product development

22.

Possible questions (just examples)

How comes that Scania with endurance manages to constantly outperform Volvo?

What are the most important aspects of hybrid processes of formality and flexibility, and are these influenced by different levels of complexity and uncertainty?

Which are the key aspects of effective visualization and public interaction in R&D and product development management?

What constitutes the minimal, standardized core when relying on visual communication and how can this be linked to global and local searches for solutions to key problems?

How can firms establish sustainable processes for search and applying lessons learned from NPD projects?

What specific competencies are needed at the focal firm to handle supplier involvement effectively in NPD and how these can be maintained given different degrees of outsourcing?

What is the role of purchasing in the development of complex products and systems as opposed to, for example, consumer goods?

How is the product development process influenced by the inclusion of service aspects already during the NPD project?

What key challenges can be articulated with respect to the management of conflicting requirements in R&D, manufacturing and service during NPD?

How can firms use their project experience in a search process directed at developing such approaches that integrates elements that promote both organizational control and project flexibility?

How do project models support or restrain the work of project managers and development engineers – to what extend do project managers conform to project models?

Finding a master’s thesis

Internal at PIE External at company

THEORY-BASED

EMPIRICAL-BASED

Even when the thesis is performed at a company, the students need to conform to the master thesis process at PIE

Home-coming dates - preliminary

Hand-in 1 page PM with thesis idea on December 15 2010!

Start Thesis work on 17/1 (8-17) Idea presentation, assigning tutors and examinor, lecture on formulating purpose, research questions, theoratical framework and research design

7/2 Home-coming seminar 1 (8-17) Presentation and discussion of background, RQ in tutor groups, lecture on ”Consistency between RQ and research design and performing empirical work”

4/3 Home-coming seminar 2 Planning seminar (8-17)Planning report is discussed by opponents, tutor and examinar in tutor groups, attendence to discussions in other tutor group

1/4 Home-coming seminar 3 (8-17)Tutoring in tutor groups, lecturing on analyzing empirical and theoretical work

21/4 Home-coming seminar 4 (8-17)Discussion in tutor groups, lecture on ”writing up my thesis”

30-31/5 Home-coming seminar 5 Preliminary final presentation (8-17)Preliminary final presentation – comments by opponents, examinar and tutor

16-17/6 Public presentation seminar (8-17)Presentation by thesis workers, discussion by opponents, examination

Those not (enough) ready on 30-31/5 must participate in follow-up public presentation seminar after the summer 2011!

GO-NO GO

PASS-FAIL

What to do now?

• Find master thesis partner• Decide upon topic• Fill in IEIs registration form (mark department PIE or

other and preferred topic)• If at PIE…hand in PM at the latest on December 15

(nicolette.lakemond@iei.liu.se)– 1 page– background, topic area, idea on specific question/aim, RQ

etc.