Graduation Assignments

Are you interested in a graduation assignments at our research group?

Below you find our current assignments.

Feel free to contact the person mentioned in the assignment.

Graduation Assignments

We invite Fontys students to do a graduation project at our researchgroup. The research group Business Innovation of the Fontys International Business School (FIBS), focuses on the increasing importance of driving factors that lead to business (model) innovation, and its relation to the growth and development of companies. The research group aims to provide practice-oriented knowledge and expertise, in order to design, implement and deliver services for a new era of business. FIBS integrates this knowledge and expertise in its educational programs and can, therefore, act as an important partner for SME’s in the region.

An important part of the research group’s activity portfolio is supervising graduation project since these projects are at the intersection of education, research and business. The BSI research group has close ties with manufacturing companies and acquires multiple graduation project throughout the year. These projects offer Fontys students a unique opportunity to graduate in an authentic environment with real-life problems to solve. You will be working on your assignment as member of the Research Group. That is a unique and new opportunity within Fontys!

Assignments April 2020

How can sustainability be incorporated into the business model of a company? Option I

The student will look into the business model of the company and propose a sustainable business model to reduce waste. 

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl 

Option II

The student will look into the business model of the company and propose a sustainable business model to transition to green energy.

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl

How can circular economy be incorporated into the business model of a company? Option I

The student will look into circular economy business models and try to incorporate it into the business model of a company from the view point of reducing waste.

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl

Option II

The student will look into circular economy business models and try to incorporate it into the business model of a company from the view point of reducing plastics.

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl

Option III

The student will look into circular economy business models and try to incorporate it into the business model of a company from the view point of transitioning to green energy.

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl

How can we measure sustainability?

The student uses, combines and displays sustainability data in a company to generate insights what the company may change to become more sustainable.

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl

How can Re-Kurk create a service for the collection of used corks at both households and horeca establishments?

This is part of the Re-Kurk project of the GreenTechLab in Venlo. Together with them and 2 partner companies, the student will conduct research into setting up the collection of used cork for reusage purposes. The partner companies process the cork into new products. For your information: in the Netherlands 6000 m3 of cork is thrown away per year; these are approximately 240 million corks that are perfectly fine for recycling and re-usage.

Contact person is Jean-Louis Steevensz: j.steevensz@fontys.nl

How can we create customer value for products made out of re-used cork?

This is part of the Re-Kurk project of the GreenTechLab in Venlo. Together with them and 2 partner companies, the student will research and develop a new product-market combination based on the sorted and processed cork. This assignment is consistent with the previous assignment. 

Contact person is Jean-Louis Steevensz: j.steevensz@fontys.nl

How can we measure the impact of the GreenTechLab on society?

This project concerns a Lab environment where different technoloigcal solutions may be tested (GTL-TEC4S). Society, viewed from a community of citizens, companies and organizations, forms an 'actuation' network where dialogue is continuously conducted on a healthy and high-quality living environment. The GreenTechLab in Venlo aims to achieve 25 affordable wireless sensor modules with the following measurements: particulate matter, temperature, relative humidity and air pressure. The student conducts research on the customer profile in order to create a value proposition.

Contact person is Jean Louis-Steevensz: j.steevensz@fontys.nl

How can we create a business model for a cooperation fo 6 local SMEs within the professional service industry?

This concerns a project that is part of “CastLab”. The student supports the research group Business service Innovation in the creation of a viable business model for a cooperation of 6 local SMEs.This includes the creation of a value proposition, revenue model and value chain. Castlab is a testing ground with the aim of becoming the spotify for the professional service industry.

Contact person is Rob van Dun: r.vandun@fontys.nl

What marketing strategy need Recycold to pursue, to be able to establish a solid position on the German market?

RECYCOLD Cool Solutions develops innovative products that contribute to safe and eco conscious distribution of food, fresh ingredients and pharma. Their aim is to make sure every manufacturer, supplier or store can reach their customers with fresh and cooled products. Their promise is to focus on using materials that are eco-friendly and recyclable for passive cooling in the last mile distribution. In order to get a good insight in the possibilities of entering the German market with their Cool Solutions, the company needs a thorough market research with enough solid data and an overview of the possibilities. Based on that, the company is looking for a solid and reasonable market entry strategy with a concept marketing plan in general. NOTE: this is a small company!

Contact person is Etienne Engelhart: e.engelhart@fontys.nl

What's the role of eco-industrial parks in promoting sustainability?

The student analyses the role of co-location and clustering in promoting sustainability.

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl

Does the eco-labelling encourage companies to become more sustainable?

The EU eco labelling is designed to encourage businesses to become more environmentally sustainable.The student studies whether the companies are really using the eco-labelling effectively.

Contact person is Devrim Eskiyerli: d.eskiyerli@fontys.nl

What is the role of sustainability in the insect for food and feed market?

The slowly growing insect industry is meant to deliver sustainable alternative proteins. The student studies whether the currnt developments really consider sustainable practices.

Contact persons are Sonja Floto-Stammen/Natalia Naranjo-Guevara: s.flotostammen@fontys.nl

What are measures of sustainability for currently produced insect products?

Food containing insects are promoted as environmentaly friendly alternative. The student studies whether the products are comparably sustainable in terms of established measures like CO2 emissions or LCA.

Contact persons are Sonja Floto-Stammen/Natalia Naranjo-Guevara: s.flotostammen@fontys.nl

What is the role of insects for a circular economy in Europe?

Insects are promissing protein sources and might be a solution for closing loops in food and feed production. The student studies possibilities for insect production as part of a circular food production in Europe.

Contact persons are Sonja Floto-Stammen/Natalia Naranjo-Guevara: s.flotostammen@fontys.nl

Opportunities for a sustainability certification in the insect industry

The Consumption of insects has been linked with numerous benefits, both environmental, social and human health. The student investigates whether sustainability certification can boost the insect food industry.

Contact persons are Sonja Floto-Stammen/Natalia Naranjo-Guevara: s.flotostammen@fontys.nl

How can mass insect production technologies (efficiency, mechanization, automation, processing and logistics) be improved to an extent comparable to that production of other conventional proteins?

To reach its full potential, the insect industry needs to scale up.  Automation and controlled production systems will make insect production less labour-intensive. The student investigates what the current technological systems in the industry of the insects are and whather this can be improved. 

Contact persons are Sonja Floto-Stammen/Natalia Naranjo-Guevara: s.flotostammen@fontys.nl

How does the creation of novel recipes or insect-based products allow new ways of integrating insects into diets of a wide range of consumers?

Currently, SMEs have seen this opportunity in the market of insects Despite the advantages of insect consumption, consumers’ acceptance has been identified as one of the most important impediments. Food culture is a dominant factor within consumers’ acceptance. Through creation of novel insect-based products the student will investigate how to integrate insects into human diets. 

Contact persons are Sonja Floto-Stammen/Natalia Naranjo-Guevara: s.flotostammen@fontys.nl

How can we provide a viable and sustainable water heating system for monuments and protected city-scrapers?

Q-Roof provides Solar Collectors for the heating of water that may be used in combination with existing heating solutions. As such, is a sustainable solution that is particularly interesting also for monuments and protected cityscapes. The student conducts research about the monuments, the market, stakeholders and viability of Q-roofs products as a means to make monuments and protected cityscapes more sustainable.

Contact person is Jean-Louis Steevensz: j.steevensz@fontys.nl