Modules SS 2024

The primary objective of the doctoral consortium or the International Conference Participation is to present and defend the PhD students' research in a competitive and international scientific environment.
Since successful applications are invited to be discussed by a selective academic committee this module also serves to further develop the communicative and social competences of the students.
Students' participating in this module arranged in the context of an internationally well-regarded doctoral consortium or a conference in International Financial Services receive critical comments and feedback on their research project by experienced faculty members and student participants. Moreover, they benefit from listening to the other students' experiences and results.

The research proposal is a research plan. The contents of the research proposal are governed by the curricula of the doctoral degree programmes. If a cumulative dissertation is intended, it is necessary to mention the publication journals and the number of publications planned. The formal aspects of the research proposal must comply with the "Guidelines for Writing Academic Papers at the University of Liechtenstein".

In the colloquium on the research proposal, the doctoral student shall present his/her dissertation project and provide reasons for his/her chosen approach.

This module is a cross-faculty elective course of all PhD programmes of the University of Liechtenstein. It is a joint course, involving students from different schools, in order to broaden the students` horizon beyond their individual disciplinary focus and to enable them to reflect and discuss their own work from the perspective of different disciplines.

The course is organized in form of a Doctoral Consortium, in which participants present their research and discuss it with the faculty and fellow PhD students of the course. The primary objective of the research colloquium is to present and justify the PhD students' research in an interdisciplinary research colloquium.

Assessment by the professors enables candidates to appraise if their research ideas meet the requirements and goals of a dissertation. Since the research colloquium is mentored by an interdisciplinary academic committee, this module also serves to further develop the communicative and social competences of the students.

Students receive feedback on their research by faculty members of different faculties. Moreover, they benefit from listening to the other students' experiences and results. As a research colloquium the module aims at deepening both, methodological and professional research skills of the students. In addition, the module is designed to position and reflect their work in academic research communities beyond their own fields.

The interdisciplinary nature of the course is an important element to enable the students to engage with other in making contributions of value to society. We understand that such solutions do not come from single disciplines but live on the interdisciplinary discourse, which requires both methodological as well as conceptual and social skills, which are delivered in this course.

Students benefit from listening to the other students' experiences and debating results with a focus on the specific disciplines, styles of inquiry, and learning cultures at the University of Liechtenstein. Key elements include the problematization, research question, relevant theoretical lenses and conceptual frameworks, specific strategies of inquiry, and measures to comply with the respective research standards.

This module addresses the researcher's ability to manage projects, work autonomously, think analytically, and be creative, inquisitive, and original.

Besides a more in-depth knowledge in epistemology doctoral students in entrepreneurship and management research require an applicable base of research methods and tools.

The course will cover the following topics:

• Epistemology in entrepreneurship and management research
• Research design and the use of theory
• Research questions and hypotheses
• Quantitative methods
• Qualitative methods
• Mixed method procedures
• Transdisciplinary research

The module "Research Methods in Information Systems" aims at deepening the students' skills in research design. It focuses on pivotal issues of conducting and structuring research activities as part of information systems research.

Subjects dealt with in the module comprise (but are not limited to):

• Introduction into design science
• Design science vs. behavioral science
• Rigor vs. relevance
• Design science in information systems research
• The design science research process
• Reviewing the literature
• Design science examples
• Design science challenges
• Theorizing in design science
• Publishing design science

This module includes participation in a specialized external methodology course and (in case of missing ECTS) in the "Finance Research Seminar", offered at the University of Liechtenstein.
Research Methods in International Financial Services can vary widely in design and content, as they cover a specific research area either in Banking or in Finance or in Taxation. This module description is an example and developed for a student with a need for advanced methods in econometrics. For students with different needs appropriate courses will be chosen and credited.

• Principles of Estimation and Testing
• Limited Dependent Variable Methods
• Longitudinal Data Models
• Stationary Time Series Models
• Stochastic Trends and Co-Integration

Finance Research Seminar:
Additionally, students have the opportunity to participate in the "Finance Research Seminar", a seminar with invited guest speakers from foreign universities, presenting a piece of their most current work.
By attending the "Finance Research Seminar" the student has the opportunity to extend the knowledge gained from the very specific outside methodology course with further methodological approaches and to relate and his chosen research methodology to other methodologies in use in the field of Banking, Finance and Taxation. The "Finance Research Seminar" will be offered every semester or every second semester.

In case outside courses are offered with less than 5 ECTS, the student could earn additional ECTS by presenting a well developed paper in the "Finance Research Seminar".

Just as the doctoral consortium, the summer school serves multiple purposes in the educational programme of the students: Whereas the doctoral consortium aims at presenting the own work in an international frame, the summer school intends to deepen methodological skills in a specific field of choice relevant to the PhD theses of the students. In addition, working together with professors and PhD-students from abroad also contributes to social and communicative skills of the students in an international and intercultural environment.

Doctorate entrepreneurship and management students participating in an international Ph.D. summer school study contemporary issues in research design and/or methodology.

Just as the doctoral consortium, the summer school serves multiple purposes in the students' education: Whereas the doctoral consortium aims at presenting the own work to an international audience, the summer school is supposed to deepen the students' methodological skills. In addition, working together with professors and PhD students from abroad also contributes to developing the students' social and communicative skills in an international and intercultural environment.