DIRECTIVES Bachelor and Master Theses - ETH Zürich

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
DIRECTIVES
Bachelor and
Master Theses
September 2012
BWI Center for Industrial Management
Logistics-, Operations und Supply Chain Management
Prof. Dr. Paul Schönsleben & Prof. Markus Baertschi
Contact address
ETH Zürich
BWI Center for Industrial Management
Logistics, Operations and Supply Chain Management
Weinbergstrasse 56/58
CH-8092 Zürich
Telephone: +41 44 632 05 11
Fax: +41 44 632 10 40
http://www.lim.ethz.ch

Table of contents
1 PURPOSE OF THE BACHELOR AND MASTER THESES ................................................................................ 3
2 ASSIGNMENT OF TASKS FOR THE BACHELOR OR MASTER THESIS ........................................................ 3
3 SUPERVISION .................................................................................................................................................. 3
3.1 SUPERVISION IN THE COMPANY ..................................................................................................................................... 3
3.2 SUPERVISION THROUGH THE PROFESSORSHIP ............................................................................................................. 4
4 ACCOMPLISHING THE THESIS ..................................................................................................................... 4
4.1 CONTACT WITH THE COMPANY...................................................................................................................................... 4
4.2 STARTING WITH THE THESIS ........................................................................................................................................... 4
4.2.1 Problem analysis .................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.2.2 Project plan ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.3 METHODICAL PROCEDURE ............................................................................................................................................. 4
4.4 PRESENTATIONS ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.4.1 Purpose ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.4.2 Contents of the Presentations ...........................................................................................................................5
4.4.3 Preparation of the presentations by the students ....................................................................................5
4.4.4 General instructions for the presentation....................................................................................................5
5 WRITING THE REPORT .................................................................................................................................. 6
5.1 PURPOSE AND CONTENT OF THE REPORT ..................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 SCOPE AND LAYOUT OF THE REPORT ............................................................................................................................. 6
5.3 FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE REPORT ..................................................................................................... 6
5.4 HANDING OVER THE REPORT .......................................................................................................................................... 7
6 EVALUATION OF THE PAPER ......................................................................................................................... 7
7 ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS ......................................................................................................................... 7
7.1 WORK PLACE AND TIME .................................................................................................................................................. 7
7.2 INSURANCE ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7
7.3 STATEMENT OF DISCRETION ........................................................................................................................................... 8
7.4 COMPENSATION ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
7.5 ENROLLMENT .................................................................................................................................................................... 8

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1 Purpose of the Bachelor and Master Theses
The Bachelor and Master theses from the Center for Enterprise Sciences (BWI) serve to conclude the
Management Science studies at the ETH Zürich. The thesis aims to provide the students with an opportunity
to apply their academic methodologies and standards as well as expert knowledge in industry.
We differentiate between Bachelor thesis, Master thesis for MSc students and Master thesis
for MAS students. The Diploma thesis is also offered to foreign students. Generally, the thesis paper
finalizing one's study is referred to as thesis here, unless otherwise specified.
Type of Thesis Purpose of the Thesis Duration
Bachelor Thesis (BA)
First problem solving experience of the students in 10 Weeks
(formerly Project Report) industry; highly relevant for practice
MSc MTEC (MA)
Thesis of scientific nature and practical relevance 5/6 Months
(formerly DA)
(as per specific
regulation)
MAS MTEC / BWI (MA)
Methodical problem solving and thesis paper with 10 Weeks
(formerly NDA)
practical relevance
MA or Diploma thesis in a for- Final thesis of scientific nature and potentially practi- Agreement
eign University
cal relevance
with the foreign
University
The BWI also carries out student research projects (SA) at the D-MTEC and semester theses at the D-
MAVT. Student research projects are mostly scientific projects which are usually carried out as literature
based home work (90 or 180 hours). Semester theses are intermediate research projects carried
out in a company, similar to the approach during the final thesis, and have practical relevance.
Further information about the student research projects and semester theses can be obtained directly
from the BWI assistants or from the coordinator Manuel Rippel (mrippel@ethz.ch).
2 Assignment of Tasks for the Bachelor or Master Thesis
The task assignment results from an agreement between the representatives of the companies and
BWI. It contains a short description of the company, the problem deduction, the actual task with an
initial project goal as well as information regarding the support person in the company as well as in
the professorship. The task assignment is binding with respect to the subject matter and scope. This
is valid for the starting and closing dates specified in the task assignment as well. Possible changes
(supplements, changes, reductions) should be discussed with and approved by the responsible supervising
person in the company, the concerned professor and the supervising assistants and should
be recorded in a protocol in written form.
The written task assignment will be sent to the student by the supervising assistants in written
form before the starting date of the assignment. The supervising person in the company receives a
copy for information. In case of questions the supervisor at the institute or the administration office
of BWI can be contacted.
3 Supervision
3.1 Supervision in the company
The supervisor in the company undertakes the following functions:
� Arranging necessary internal contacts,
� Integration of the students within the company,
� Support in administrative aspects,
� Support in solving problems from an assignment perspective.

3.2 Supervision through the Professorship
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The supervision on the part of the university is taken care of by Prof. Schönsleben or Prof. Baertschi
and an assistant. This includes assisting the student during the entire period in professional and
methodical aspects (in addition to the obligatory discussions and presentations).
4 Accomplishing the thesis
4.1 Contact with the company
On receiving the task assignment, the student contacts the company (at best per telephone) in order
to clarify administrative questions. The student should be reachable per post, telephone or e-mail
right from the start.
4.2 Starting with the thesis
The starting phase of the assignment is very important for its successful completion. It is, therefore,
very important that from the very beginning a detailed task analysis is undertaken and a realistic
project plan is developed. The requirement here is that the students have an extensive knowledge
of the method "Systems Engineering". The participation in the block course "Betriebswissenschaftliche
Methodik", which takes place at the beginning of every semester, is hereby obligatory.
4.2.1 Problem analysis
Identifying the problem fields, surveying the research fields and defining the areas of relevance are
the first steps towards the paper that the student takes in the company. It is suggested that after
about a week, the student gets in touch with the supervising assistant to concretize the assigned
task. The analysis of the problem should be completed before the first presentation in the company.
4.2.2 Project plan
A first written copy of the project plan is to be submitted to the assistant around a week after starting
with the paper. The student must make sure that the plan is sent to the assistant in due time so
that he is in possession of it before the first discussion with him. The plan should include the following
points:
� A time-phased plan of procedure which gives information about the various phases of problem
processing, the timely sequence, and the time needed for the respective phases.
� In case of assignments involving more than one student, a clear separation of work areas between
the students.
� Initial objectives, as operationalized as possible, relating to procedure and problem solving.
4.3 Methodical Procedure
The student should choose a systematic and goal oriented procedure according to Systems Engineering.
Hereby, the professor emphasizes and expects the adaption of the procedure, methods and
tools to the situation and the problem to be solved.
The thesis requires a goal oriented procedure, whereas the main focus should lie in the formal fulfillment
of the tasks as well as the feasibility of the concept developed in the solution.
4.4 Presentations
4.4.1 Purpose
The presentations carried out during the course of the paper serve to:
� Control the progress,
� Coach and advise the students in the organizational, methodical and professional matters from
the perspective of the University, and to
� Solve possible problems.

4.4.2 Contents of the Presentations
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1. Presentation 2. Presentation 3. Presentation
Purpose Clarify and adapt the task as- Controlling the methodical Presenting the proposals for
signment
procedure
solution
Time period
in the 2 nd BT: In the 5
working week
th working week
MT: In the 10 th /12 th working
week (according to duration
of the masters thesis)
Approx. 2 weeks before
handing over the paper
Contents � Results of the task analy- � Presentation of the com- � Presentation of the prosispany
and the areas releject idea
� Presentation of the probvant to the task � Presentation of the poslem,
areas of research � Initializing the task
sible solutions
and possible changes, � Ascertaining the prob- � justification
system limitations and
boundaries
�
lem and its structuring
Situation analysis (task
� Substantiation and argumentation
of the sug-
� Setting the goal of the analysis, as-is state analgested solutions
assignment
ysis, prognoses, SWOT) (strengths/weaknesses,
� Planned procedure in the � Formulation of goal and opportunities/threats,
situation analysis
structuring the search utility portrayal)
� Specifying the definite for solutions
� Discussion of the com-
task
� First approaches towards piled realization plan
� Discussing the work pro- solution and further programmecedure
Duration 60 minutes (including max. 60 minutes (including max. 60 minutes (including max.
30 minutes of presentation 30 minutes of presentation 30 minutes of presentation
and 30 minutes of discus- and 30 minutes of discus- and 30 minutes of discussion)sion)sion)
Place Company ETH As a rule, in the company
Participants Student, supervisors from Student, professor and su- Student, professor, supervi-
company and institute pervising assistants
sors from company and institute,
further persons upon
agreement
4.4.3 Preparation of the presentations by the students
The students should undertake the following organizational preparations before making a presentation:
� Coordinating the meetings with the supervising person in the company as well as at BWI.
� Clarifying the invitation of other employees of the company with the supervising persons of the
company and BWI,
� Reservation of appropriate meeting rooms,
� Dispatching written invitations with agenda and time schedule to the participants of the relevant
meeting, at least a week before the meeting.
4.4.4 General instructions for the presentation
� The presentation should not exceed 30 minutes, both at the ETH as well as in the company. The
remaining time is available for discussion and should also not exceed 30 minutes, depending on
the task assignment and the participants. For work involving more than one student: presentation
up to a max. of 45 minutes, discussion up to a max. of 45 minutes.
� After each presentation, the student should prepare a protocol about the results of the presentation
(max. 2 A4 pages). This protocol should be signed and submitted to the supervising assistant
at BWI
� Only such employees of the company are to be invited, who are familiar with the topic and/or
are in a position to comment on the suggestions presented in the discussion. The number of
participants in the presentation should be manageable and must be agreed upon with the supervising
person.

5 Writing the Report
5.1 Purpose and content of the report
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The report should be compact and comprise of both the required solution to the problem as well the
path leading to it. The report is a basic representation of the assignment and represents the basis
for the evaluation.
5.2 Scope and layout of the report
In general, the formal style of any thesis should be according to the APA style (for an easy overview
please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APA_style) or as to be found in the German references
"Theisen, Manuel René: Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten, 11. Auflage, München: Verlag Franz Vahlen GmbH,
2002" and "Poenicke, Klaus: Duden, Wie verfasst man wissenschaftliche Arbeiten? (Duden-
Taschenbücher: Band 21), Mannheim (etc.): Dudenverlag, 1988".
As a rule, the report should be separated into a main part and an annex. Both the parts are to be
filed separately.
The main part of the report should cover around 50 to 80 pages and must address the following aspects:
� Situation analysis
� Implications and consequences, SWOT
� Goal setting
� Variants and options of solution
� Usage statement and assessment
� Choice and presentation of the rough concept
� Elaboration of the presented rough concept
� Presentation of the detailed concepts, sensitivity analysis
� Measures and plan of realization
� Recommendation for action by the student.
The main part should be organized as follows:
� Summing up for the purpose of a management summary (one to two A4 pages maximum, including
problem area, suggestions regarding the solution, concept of the solution, short reasoning,
further procedure, date, signature);
� Copy of the task assignment;
� Table of contents with a decimally classified overview of the main chapters (if applicable, index
of abbreviations, figures and tables);
� Structuring in individual chapters, including the most important figures.
� Index of references with complete information regarding the citations in the text (pay attention
to the correct manner of citation).
The annex should be structured in such a way that an easy access in reference to the main part is
possible. A specific table of contents is necessary for this purpose.
The writing of the report requires around 1-2 months (around 14 days for BA and MAS), depending on
the scope and duration of the assignment. It is therefore recommended to already start writing the
report during the work in the company.
5.3 Further instructions regarding the report
� The use of abbreviations should be kept to a minimum. An index of abbreviations should be part
of the report.
� The pages of the report are to be numbered consecutively.

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� References to appendices must be mentioned in the main part.
� Attention is to be paid to the design and layout, as well as correct orthography.
5.4 Handing over the report
The deadline for submission is mentioned in the task assignment and is binding. A request for extension
can be submitted to BWI in case of sickness or reasonable exceptions.
The report can be handed over personally at the BWI or sent to the assistant per post (the postal
stamp date applies).
Number of copies to be submitted:
� 2 copies of the report for BWI,
� 1 copy in electronic form for BWI,
� Number of copies for the company according to agreement with the supervisor.
6 Evaluation of the paper
On the part of BWI, the evaluation of the paper is based on 1) the report, 2) the presentation at the
end, as well as 3) the important feedback from the company’s supervising person. It is then documented
in a written report which will be delivered to the student as well as the supervisor in the
company. The student can, on request, arrange for a personal talk with the assistant to clarify questions
regarding the evaluation. This is possible up to 4 weeks after handing over the paper.
The evaluation of the paper is based on the following criteria and weightage:
Criteria Sub criteria Weighting
Procedure � Outline and structuring of the problem (according
to Systems Engineering)
20%
� Scientific approach, work steps
Method � Choice and application of methods
20%
� Interpretation of the results and logic of reasoning
Task fulfillment � Handling of the problem aspects
40%
� Feasibility of the solution
Report and Presentation � Report structure
20%
� Formal representation
� Quality of presentations
7 Organizational Aspects
7.1 Work place and time
For BA and MAS students, the work place is at the company during the entire duration of the paper.
For MSc students, the work place is at the company for at least 3 months (actual total duration as
per agreement). In case of work abroad, the work place must be agreed upon individually. However,
the normal working hours of the companies apply. During this time, the students have a presence
obligation. Deviations from this rule are to be discussed with the assisting persons in the company
and at BWI. A request for extension can be submitted to BWI in case of sickness or reasonable exceptions.
7.2 Insurance
The student is to be insured by the company for accidents at the work place during the entire period
of the assignment. The healthcare and insurance for accidents in the spare time should be taken
care of by the students themselves.

7.3 Statement of discretion
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The student can receive a statement of discretion along with the task assignment. This obliges him
towards the company in matters of forwarding any kind of company-internal information. A scientific
use of the neutralized results can be undertaken by the professorship.
7.4 Compensation
While writing the thesis, the student maintains the status of a student at the ETH Zürich and therefore
has no right to get a remuneration. Travel expenses and other expenses which are directly related
to the assignment, are to be reimbursed by the company. If the travel time between the residence
of the student and the company is unreasonable (travel time each way more than an hour),
the company should provide an accommodation for the duration of the assignment. Any other additional
compensations or payments through the company are voluntary. For MAS-Thesis, the regulations
of the MAS-Studies apply.
For the expenses of BWI (travel time and expenses) in connection with the supervision of the student,
a flat fee of CHF. 1’200 will be charged to the company for assignments within Switzerland. For
assignments outside Switzerland, all expenses are to be reimbursed by the company.
7.5 Enrollment
During the duration of the assignment, the students are subjected to the same rules and regulations
as specified by the ETH rectorate, as in the previous semesters. The student should enroll himself
according to normal procedure, whereas he can enroll for a vacation semester or a semester
terminating his or her studies.