FEB-EBF Thesis Award for Melanie de Waal and Sascha Huisman

During the opening of the academic year on 30 September and as part of the academic programme of the 2-day EBF Conference, the Faculty of Economics and Business and the EBF student association proudly presented the winners of the FEB-EBF Thesis Award: Melanie de Waal and Sascha Huisman. According to the jury, both of their theses “are thoroughly theoretical, reflective on its findings, have empirical meaning and contain a fine model”.

 

The jury consisted of professors Henk Sol and Sjoerd Beugelsdijk of the FEB. Out of a list with the best theses of the Economics and Business Masters the jury critiques the theses on the basis of their originality, the use of theory, and content. The best thesis has to fulfill all the criteria. This year, not one but two theses were so good that it was decided both had to win. The two winners share the prize.

 

• Melanie de Waal (MSc BA - Change Management)
  The value of social factors in explaining knowledge sharing: the influence of motivation, trust and competition factors on knowledge sharing intensity
• Sascha Huisman (MSc BA - Finance)
  The impact of current economic and financial crisis on microfinance

 

Jury: practical and social relevant theses

The jury report was laudatory, to say the least. About the thesis of Melanie de Waal it says: “It conveys good practical handles for the development of trust in a knowledge-intensive enterprise and shows the negative effects of competition on the work floor”. The thesis of Sascha Huisman is also applauded, be it for different reasons: “It gives a good picture of the meaning of the financial and economical crisis for the ones that already have troubles: the players on the microcredit market”. In short, the jury concluded that “both theses are practically and socially relevant. Moreover, both researchers have put a lot of effort in collecting data and interpreting it. Both theses are therefore examples of creative data collections for subjects that are difficult to grasp”.

 

Award

The FEB – EBF Thesis Award is a result of the cooperation between academic staff of the Faculty of Economics and Business and students of the EBF. The Thesis Award takes place on a yearly basis and is granted to a graduate from the Faculty of Economics and Business. The Thesis Award concerns master’s theses which have been completed and approved in the previous academic year. Each winner receives a certificate and a cheque.