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Doing a Doctorate at ZU

Since September 2011, it has been possible to do a supervised PhD program at Zeppelin University. Every academic looks forward to working with interested parties who cannot ignore their vocation, who cannot fight the urge to thoroughly investigate every phenomenon that piques their interest, and who want to forge ahead with their doctoral project at a beautiful lakeside location.

To date, more than 70 co-operative doctorates have been completed at ZU, while at present there are 90 doctorates being supervised. Meanwhile, a good number of ZU's junior academics were appointed to professorships across the globe.

"I chose ZU for my doctoral program because the personal and individual way people dealt with me in my application process has really impressed me. Right from the start I got the feeling that it is exactly here that I get the tools to realize my vision, my doctoral degree, successfully."

Alexander Jaroschinsky | doctoral candidate with Prof Dr Christian Opitz at the ZF Friedrichshafen Chair of Personnel Management & Leadership

With its research profile, ZU offers room for the exploration of interstices, for the conversion of side issues into central questions, and for refreshingly different technical perspectives – all of which on a solid disciplinary foundation.

As a matter of principle, academic orientation (and consequently junior academic staff who want to turn their passion for research into a profession) is at the center of ZU's overall research concept.

In exceptional cases, part-time dissertations which follow an approach which is clearly theoretically modeled or quantitatively empirical, can be supervised – however preferably those with a focus on an academic career.

Additional Features of a Doctorate at ZU

a partially-structured doctoral program with plenty of research freedom
the doctoral program is need- and demand-oriented and includes alternative attainments
independent co-determination of program content (PhD StudentStudies)
active inclusion in ZU research groups and clusters
inclusion in the teaching and assistance of third-level didactic education
honesty regarding interdisciplinary issues
second advisor of state and international universities in Quality Assurance and the expansion of academic networks
ZU's own research support system ("FUSY") for the subsidization of PhD proposals, if needed

Ideal Conditions for Great Work-Life Balance, with

optimal student-supervisor ratio
fellow researchers always close at hand to exchange ideas
24/7 access to the library
the administration's commitment to excellent service
plenty of peace and lots of sport on the lake

Statements by Doctoral Students

Golnaz Sarkar Farshi, former doctoral candidate with Prof. Dr. Baecker at the chair for Cultural Theory & Analysis:
„I am Iranian and learned about Niklas Luhmann's social systems theory as I was doing my Master's studies in drama. I knew that Germany, the land where the theory had developed, would offer me the optimal academic atmosphere where I could pursue my post-graduate studies. I am specialized in film and drama studies and sought a university which would support the interdisciplinary research that I was heading for: to study cinema as a social system. I corresponded with many universities in Germany, and Zeppelin University (and my supervisor, Prof Dr rer soc Dirk Baecker) was the only university that was open and welcoming to such diversity and interdisciplinarity. Having spent two semesters at ZU, I have enjoyed the kind and unconditional support of ZUGS staff who made it possible for me to stay here and focus on my research despite all the difficulties that I had as an international PhD student."

Selected English doctoral theses

Kay Hendrik Hofmann: Co-Financing Hollywood Film Productions with Outside Investors - An Economic Analysis of Principal Agent Relationships in the U.S. Motion Picture Industry

Thesis defense: 14 June 2012

Annette Horváth: Studies on Cross-Industry Innovation. Search, find and apply extra-industry knowledge

Thesis defense: 27 February 2013

Linn Viktoria Rampl: Branding in complex markets – The role of emotions and trust

Thesis defense: 28 February 2013

Inga Kristina Wobker: Emotions in economic exchange processes revisited: Systematization and further empirical evidence

Thesis defense: 29 August 2013

Florian Günter Mezger: Business Model Innovation – Empirical Studies from a Dynamic Capability Perspective

Thesis defense: 09 December 2013

Sandra Margraf: Organizational Learning in Innovation Networks: Exploring the Role of Cognitive Distance and Absorptive Capacity. An Agent-Based Model

Thesis defense: 30 September 2014

Sebastian Heil: Cross-industry innovation – A theoretical and empirical foundation on the concept of absorptive capacity

Thesis defense: 23 April 2015

Karoline Bader: Open Innovation – Empirical studies from a resource-based perspective

Thesis defense: 28 April 2015

Malte Christopher Doehne: Quality matters on markets: The use of screwcaps on fine wines, 1970 - 2010

Thesis defense: 20 May 2015

Eva Becker: Knowledge Capture in Financial Regulation. The Role and Nature of Data, Information, and Knowledge Asymmetries in Regulator-Regulatee Relationships in the Context of the US Financial Crisis

Thesis Defense: 08.09.2015

Silvia Eleonora Castellazzi: Employability and Further Training. An Economic-Ethics Contribution to the Implementation of Corporate Responsibility in the Labor Market

Thesis Defense: 14.10.2015

Martin Navid Siddiqui: Essays on Selected Aspects of European Integration Thesis Defense: 11.12.2015
Jiahui Li: Moderators of Automatic and Controlled Processes in Economic Decision Making

Thesis Defense: 18.03.2016

Johanna Rahn: Mindset Dynamics in Risk Taking – How Decision Making and Performance can Profit from Deliberative and Implemental States of Mind Thesis Defense: 08.06.2016
Jana Hauck: Toward Understanding Heterogeneity among Family Firms: Studies on Innovation, Succession, and Non-Economic Goals

Thesis Defense: 15.09.2016

Jonas Kaiser: Spheres of Skepticism – The Integration of the Climate Skeptic Counterpublic Within the German Networked Public Sphere

Thesis Defense: 05.10.2016

Susanne Beck: The Family Firm Status as Part of the Brand: Relevance and Empirical Evidence for a Potential Competitive Advantage

Thesis Defense: 05.10.2016

Monika Hengstler: Radical innovation by means of open innovation: Empirical studies on ecosystems, capabilities and trust

Thesis Defense: 06.12.2016

Annika Kathrin Maria Dingler: A knowledge-based perspective on open innovation: The role of social integration

Thesis Defense: 06.12.2016

Tim Weiss: Behind the Scenes of Technology Entrepreneurship in Kenya:
A Rich Microcosm for Contextualizing and Advancing Global Organization Studies

Thesis Defense: 15.02.2017

Aline Margaux Laucke: Cross-Sectoral Hybridization as a Strategy to Turn Institutional Voids Into Opportunity Spaces
The Case of Hybrid Organizations Providing Health Care at the Base of the Pyramid

Thesis Defense: 28.02.2017

Johanna Christina Schindler: On Subjectivity and Synchrony in Artistic Research. Ethnographic Insights

Thesis Defense: 18.09.2017

Anne Sosna: A new approach to develop a decision-making process for corporations' internationalization and market exploitation strategies

Thesis Defense: 05.10.2017

Martin Hülsen: An experimental economic analysis of banker behavior

Thesis Defense: 01.12.2017

Manuel Molterer: Specialized Financial Intermediation – Stability Implications For Financial Systems and Real Estate Markets

Thesis Defense: 15.06.2018

Anja Höft | Structuring the Front-End of Innovation: An Empirical Analysis of the Role of Perceived Contextual Factors on Intended Applications and Proficiency of Innovation Fields

Thesis Defense: 25.06.2018

Katja-Maria Prexl: Contextualization of Individual Absorptive Capacity: Exploring Corporate Engagement Activities in Innovation and the Empirical Evidence of Individual Capabilities for New Knowledge and Innovation

Thesis Defense: 03.07.2018

Michael Kusi Appiah: Promoting Small-Scale Mining Sector Businesses And The Role Of Institutions – A Conflict Prevention and Resolution Study In Ghana

Thesis Defense: 17.07.2018

Maximiliano Boada: On the Myth of Tax Neutrality
A Study on the Appropriateness of the Usage of the Principle of Tax Neutrality in the OECD Framework

Thesis Defense: 19.09.2018

Maximilian Lude: The Family Firm Effect
Unraveling the Effects of the Family Firm Signal on Various Stakeholders

Thesis Defense: 19.09.2018

Carla Rostásy: European Integration and Cross-Border Financial Governance in the Aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis
Challenges and Prospects of Post-Crisis Policy Responses to Systemic Risk in the European Union

Thesis Defense: 10.05.2019

Katharina Steinbach: On the persistence of relationship banking within a bank-based financial system: Post-crisis evidence from German SMEs

Thesis Defense: 24.05.2019

Isabella Geis: Economic Essays on the Framework Conditions for the Deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

Thesis Defense: 06.06.2019

Jennifer Willoh: Gender Differences in Self-Enhancement and Impression Management Strategies: Evidence From Field Studies in Female- and Male-Dominated Environments

Thesis Defense: 20.08.2019

Veronika Sagmeister: Strategic renewal through corporate entrepreneurship – empirical studies from a dynamic capabilities and absorptive capacity perspective

Thesis Defense: 27.09.2019

Laura Seibold: Family Businesses’ Growth: Unpacking the Black Box

Thesis Defense: 30.09.2019

Leticia Labaronne: (Re-)Presenting Artistic Performance: A Contextualized Framework for Evaluating Performance Arts Organizations

Thesis Defense: 02.10.2019

Angela De Martiis: Three Essays on the Financial Distress of Firms and Banks
Thesis Defense: 19.10.2019
Dominik Fischer: Governance as Strategy in Global Value Chains:
Relationing Formal and Informal Mechanisms of Governance for Cooperation | Thesis Defense: 12.12.2019
Jan Sebastian Zipp: Programming Creativity - Semantics and Perception of Creativity within the IT Sector

Thesis Defense: 03.03.2020

Anna Dorota Eckardt: Banking for a low carbon future: A multi-stage model of corporate climate change responses in a low-salience industry

Thesis Defense: 10.03.2020

Simon Behrendt: Investigating New Sources of Information and Nonlinearities on Financial Markets

Thesis Defense: 04.05.2020

Jonas Ludwig: Motivation and Volition in Economic Decisions

Thesis Defense: 13.05.2020

Julia Felfeli: Confidence Judgments and Rational Decision Making: An Investigation of Cognitive Processes and Possible Interventions

Thesis Defense: 25.06.2020

Dinah Spitzley: The next Generation in Enterprising Families: Studies on Entrepreneurial Roles

Thesis Defense: 07.10.2020

Benedikt Federspiel: Investment asymmetries and corporate governance at company level - a European profile

Thesis Defense: 22.10.2020

Eva Katharina Zepp: Use school buildings. Space appropriation and its representations from 1968 to the present day

Thesis Defense: 16.11.2020

Neele Hiemesch-Hartmann: Factor Point of Sale influencing success:
Product innovations in medium-sized companies in the food industry - an empirical analysis

Thesis Defense: 08.12.2020

Isabel Jandeisek: Corporate responsibility in supply and value chains
A relational perspective

Thesis Defense: 04.02.2021

Philippe Oster: Three Essays on Contingent Convertible Bonds

Thesis Defense: 12.02.2021

Fabian Simmank: Reputation, Self-Concept, & Profit: Neural Value Representation and Bounded Ethicality as Constituent Concepts in Moral-economic Relations

Thesis Defense: 24.02.2021

Swen Nadkarni: Organizational Transformation in the Context of Disruption: Studies on Digital Transformation, Identity Struggles and Disruption Sensitivities

Thesis Defense: 07.04.2021

Florian Keppeler: Perspectives on an Integrated Steering of Human Resources of Public Administration and State-Owned Enterprises

Thesis Defense: 02.07.2021

Sebastian Scheler: Economic Essays on Road Traffic Safety

Thesis Defense: 14.09.2021

Philipp Dirkx: Three Essays on Asset Pricing and Factor Investing

Thesis Defense: 22.10.2021

Henning Wirth: Managing Innovation in the Context of Corporate Entrepreneurship

Thesis Defense: 15.02.2022

Christina Edye: Strategic Analysis of an Accelerated Introduction of Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM)

Thesis Defense: 01.03.2022

Natalie Rauschendorfer: Stereotype “family firm”?
Studies on the judgement of family firms in different contexts Thesis Defense: 11.03.2022
Christian Schmidt: Instrumental and Personnel Governance of Executive Directors in Corporatized Public Service Provision

Thesis Defense: 18.03.2022

| Sabine Wiesmüller: Forms and Interactions of Relational AI Governance

Thesis Defense: 28.09.2022

| Fabio Franzoi: The Influence of Family Blockholders on the Financial Behavior
of Listed Family Firms
Thesis Defense: 14.10.2022

| Philipp Prange: Investigating Market linkages and investor behavior in times

of turmoil and uncertainty

Thesis Defense: 03.02.2023

Caroline Heins: New Concepts for Efficient Consumer Response in Retail Influenced by Emerging Technologies and Innovations
Thesis Defense: 16.02.2023
Fabian Reck: Studies about the Role of Governance and Violent Conflicts in Society and Economics
Thesis Defense: 22.02.2023
Leander Kauschke: The transition to smart mobility. Acceptance and roles in future transportation.
Thesis Defense: 18.04.2023
Maximilian Lantelme: The Continuity and Discontinuity of the 250 Largest Enterprises in Germany. A History-Based Analysis of Family Influence, Corporate Development and Ownership Transactions Thesis Defense: 19.04.2023

Work as a Research Fellow

Should you be interested in working as a research fellow at ZU, you can find up-to-date information here on requests for proposals in various (post-)doctoral positions.