PART 4 - Choosing a Thesis Topic
Topic examples for fashion management students
- WITH BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITY FOR MOD'ART STUDENTS AT THE END -
It is natural to stand at the beginning of a research project and feel overwhelmed by the amount of published research that exists in databases, literature reviews, and reference pages. Depending on the topic or scope of your research, it is also natural to spend many days and weeks searching.
Remember: Thesis topics do not mystically appear!
No matter how great or small the scope of research is, the serious researcher needs to reserve adequate time to perform a thorough survey of published articles. It is not to say that it is only the number of research articles matters that matters, but rather it is having a wide spectrum of papers that helps you choose your topic.
It can be very helpful to choose a broad subject area at first
As you read and research the subject area, you will narrow down toward a thesis topic
Your advisor can help you narrow it even further
After researching for a while, you have shortlisted some preferable topics and by now you are ready to settle down on one specific topic?
But how to decide and come up with the perfect one?
Let’s see some examples by fellow Mod’Art alumni from previous years to help you with refining your thesis topic. Try covering the following steps:
Example 1
1. Choose a topic area of your interest – e.g. e-commerce
2. Be more specific about your topic. Take your topic area and describe it more specifically - e.g. e-commerce in the fashion industry
3. Be even more specific about your topic. Name a specific aspect of the specific topic - e.g. e-commerce in the Hungarian fashion industry
4. To narrow down the focus of your topic repeat the last step several times and write down additional specific about your topic.
e. g. e-commerce in the Hungarian fashion industry – for start-up designers
5. Turn your topic into a statement.
e.g. E-commerce and online retailing offer great opportunities and benefits for start-up designers in the Hungarian fashion industry
6. Now add "fine" focus to your statement by making a statement
e.g. A study to examine the opportunities and the benefits that e-commerce and the internet offer to Hungarian emerging designers
7. The final title by one of our previous Mod’Art students, who managed to write a well-thought-out thesis on this topic
"E-commerce opportunities for emerging designers"
Example 2
1. technology
2. the relationship between technology and fashion
3. how technology have paved the way for current fashion
4. how technological innovations can add to the future of fashion
5. The relation between fashion and technological innovations has a great potential to form the future of the fashion industry.
6. A survey suggesting the relation between fashion and technological innovations, which does not only have a great potential to form the future of the fashion industry but it can also give a cutting edge for the future of fashion.
7. The thesis title by a former Mod’Art student:
"The relation between fashion and technology -Why technology may hold the future of fashion?"
Example 3
1. diffusion lines
2.diffusion lines on the 21 century market
3. focusing on Michael Kors diffusion lines on the 21 century market
4. Is Michael Kors diffusion line still viable in the 21 century international market?
5. The viability of diffusion lines on the international market compared to the Hungarian market through case studies.
6. An in-depth study on the viability of diffusion lines on the international market compared to the Hungarian market
7. The thesis title by a former Mod’Art student:
"Are diffusion lines still viable? - In the spotlight: Michael Kors"
What to do after you have taken all the above-mentioned steps?
Research your topics to determine the potential availability of information about each one. That is the most important steps!
Show the proposal to your advisor and professors for feedback. Do not spend time on a topic which might not have the backup of your advisor - for any professional reasons!
Make an outline or mindmap - to group your ideas and locate the core of the argument or problem on which you would like to focus
It can be beneficial to write up a thesis proposal right now – you have to hand it in later anyway. It can help you define problems, outline possible solutions, and identify evaluation criteria.
Brainstorming Activity
FOR MOD'ART STUDENTS
Now, ladies and one gentleman :-) here comes the part when you can all take your creativity!
Below I am listing 15 possible thesis topics today - and I am going to do so in the upcoming weeks, as long as have a total of 150 topics I have collected for you!
I would like you to comment on the following topics in the comment section below - deciding if they have the potential to become a perfect thesis topic - or not.
Beware: I will only come up with the next 20 topics as soon as 70% of the group have commented and taken their fair share of the work. :-)
There are 3 categories:
1. Perfect
2. Has the potential but should be modified (- here give your idea!)
3. Totally unacceptable
So what I expect is, for example:
8. Psychological impacts of fashion market on teen consumers - Category 2 - because if we add that....it can be a viable thesis topic.
OR
1. The new generation of fashion events - Category 3 - because it is impossible to be put in the perspective of .....
So here are the possible topics. Be careful, some of them are very tricky! Be open and be open to argue with each other. :-) Hajrá!
The new generation of fashion events
Gender roles in high fashion
Fashion week: Are they necessary?
Case study: The influence of Coco Chanel on fashion
Can anybody be fashionable above size 44?
Retro fashion trends in the 21st Century
Developing a viable business plan for a fashion brand
Psychological impacts of fashion market on teen consumers
The making of the female entrepreneur in the world of fashion
Contemporary issues in fashion marketing
Investigating the history and evolution of the hat
Exploring the differences between urban and rural fashion design over the last two decades
Historical importance of fur with respect to clothing
Use of alternative materials for clothing
How the modern fashion world can be influenced by powerful digital marketing tools