In volatile markets, resilience increasingly depends on how firms learn and coordinate across organizational boundaries. Communities of Practice (CoPs) —cross-functional and cross-company groups that share know-how— may accelerate sense-making, shorten recovery times, and improve collaboration in value networks. This thesis investigates how CoPs shape interorganizational collaboration and what effects they have on network resilience (e.g., disruption detection, time-to-recover, service levels).
- Open Innovation and Organizational Resilience
How does OI help firms anticipate, absorb, and adapt to disruptions? - Inter-Organizational Resilience
How do innovation ecosystems, networks, and collaborations create resilience at the system level? - Barriers and Enablers
What challenges must organizations overcome to balance openness and resilience? - Strategic and Managerial Implications
How can companies design OI strategies that strengthen resilience in practice?
| Level | Master |
| Language | English |
| Field of Study | Business Administration, Information Systems, Management, or related fields |
| Prerequisites | Interest in open innovation, resilience, and inter-organizational collaboration Motivation to engage in academic research with practical relevance Familiarity with qualitative and/or quantitative research methods is a plus You are planning to start your thesis process during the next 1-2 months Nice to have: familiarity with organizational resilience and/or communities of practice. |
Description
This thesis explores mechanisms, structures, and enablers through which CoPs strengthen collaboration and resilience in value networks. Possible angles include:
- Forms & governance of CoPs (intra-firm, cross-firm, hybrid; voluntary vs. mandated; trust, IP & confidentiality)
- Practices that foster knowledge sharing (rituals, artifacts, roles, boundary spanners) and the role of digital platforms (e.g., Teams/Slack, PLM, data spaces)
- Collaboration outcomes: how CoPs influence disruption sensing, coordination speed, supplier substitution, and other resilience KPIs
- Barriers & enablers: incentives, leadership, data access, standards, and contracting
Why Choose This Topic?
- Work at the intersection of strategy, operations, and IS
- Build strong qualitative research and stakeholder-engagement skills
- Generate actionable guidance for firms building resilient ecosystems
How to Apply
This is an open call, meaning students can define their specific research angle within the broader theme of open innovation and resilience.
If you are interested, please send the following via mail:
- CV
- Transcript of records
- Short motivation
- Research plan
We look forward to hearing from you!
Contact Person
Tizian Kernstock (email: Tizian.Kernstock@fau.de)