Startup accelerators have become key players in entrepreneurial finance, yet their effectiveness in securing follow-on funding for startups varies considerably. This thesis investigates how specific accelerator characteristics influence the funding outcomes of startups post-acceleration, focusing on three dimensions: likelihood of funding occurrence, total funding amount, and funding speed. The study utilizes a dataset of 647 startups from 18 accelerator programs within South Holland, The Netherlands. These data were collected from the Dealroom database. This research employs quantitative analysis, to test hypotheses derived from resource-based view theory.....

This thesis investigates the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for the adoption of OI practices in European airports. The research builds on a combination of theoretical and empirical work. It begins with a literature review that synthesizes the current academic understanding of OI, particularly its forms, strategic drivers, and enabling conditions. This theoretical foundation is followed by a desk study that maps how airports across Europe currently approach OI in practice. To further explore and validate empirical insights, the study employs a qualitative multiple case study method, based on eight expert interviews to uncover the underlying motives for engaging in OI and the conditions that influence successful adoption.

Container terminals worldwide are increasingly adopting automation solutions to improve operational efficiency and maintain competitiveness. However, the success of automation solutions, particularly in Ship-to-Shore (STS) crane operations, varies significantly across different regions. While existing research has explored automation benefits in individual and general terms, a clear understanding of how regional contexts influence value creation and implementation success has been lacking. This research addresses this knowledge gap by examining both the operational performance improvements and stakeholder dynamics across different regional contexts.

The primary objective was to quantify the value creation of STS crane automation while understanding how regional factors affect this value creation. Through a comprehensive methodology combining a quantitative operational analysis with a stakeholder and risk analysis, this study examined three major ports: Antwerp, Kaohsiung, and Los Angeles.

The research findings reveal that automation value shows in three dimensions. Operational value was demonstrated through improved cycle times, enhanced consistency in performance, and reduced human error. Economic value showed through reduced labor costs, improved energy efficiency, and decreased maintenance requirements. Strategic value emerged through environmental sustainability benefits and competitive positioning, although realization depends heavily on regional contexts.

The stakeholder analysis identified six key groups affected by automation, each with distinct priorities and concerns. For example, terminal operators consistently seek efficiency improvements, while labor organizations prioritize job security and skills development. However, the interaction between these stakeholders varies heavily by region. Los Angeles faces substantial union resistance and complex regulatory requirements, while Kaohsiung confronts technical expertise gaps and cybersecurity concerns. Antwerp represents a middle position, where established regulatory frameworks and structured stakeholder relationships create more predictable implementation processes compared to other regions.

This research provides concrete insights into how automation value differs across regions. In North America, the primary challenge is not technical but social, with labor relations directly determining implementation success. In Asia, value creation is limited more by technical expertise gaps than by stakeholder resistance. In Europe, success requires balancing established regulatory requirements with structured stakeholder negotiations.

The findings demonstrate that while automated systems can achieve similar technical performance across regions, the path to realizing this value varies based on local conditions. Based on this research, three key recommendations emerge for successful STS crane automation implementation. Firstly, terminal operators must adapt their automation strategy to regional risk profiles. Secondly, technology providers should move away from standardized solutions and instead develop region-specific implementation strategies that address local challenges identified in this study. Thirdly, both parties should create structured stakeholder engagement programs to identify regional priorities, as this research shows stakeholder dynamics significantly impacts implementation success. Following these recommendations can reduce implementation timelines and possibly improve project success rates.

This improved understanding of regional variation in automation value creation provides a practical foundation for future terminal automation projects, while contributing to theoretical knowledge.

This study examines the interplay between governance structures and investment objectives in Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) activities, a strategy used by corporations to explore entrepreneurial opportunities through minority equity investments in startups. While CVC offers the potential for acquiring innovative technologies and knowledge, its effectiveness is often compromised by early termination risks stemming from misaligned governance and investment goals.

Building on existing literature, this research identifies a gap in the analysis of CVC units' distinct governance structures and investment objectives. To address this, semi-structured interviews with CVC representatives were conducted, focusing on three core areas: the primary investment objectives of CVC activities, prevalent governance structures, and the interaction between these variables.

Key findings highlight the importance of aligning governance structures with investment objectives to mitigate risks of operational challenges and premature terminations. A nuanced classification of governance structures based on vertical and horizontal autonomy was developed, alongside the identification of diverse governance characteristics. These characteristics were linked to different types of investment objectives, distinguishing between explorative objectives aimed at innovation beyond the corporation's core business and exploitative objectives aligned with the corporation’s existing operations.
The study preliminary reveals the moderating role of CVC governance structures in influencing the impact of corporate culture on open innovation within CVC activities. Specifically, while low corporate culture on open innovation can undermine the sustainability of CVC activities, certain CVC governance arrangements can mitigate this negative effect, thereby sustaining effective CVC operations.

This research contributes to the literature by providing actionable recommendations for structuring CVC units effectively, aligning some key governance characteristics with corporate innovation strategies and investment objectives for CVC activity. It offers practical implications for ensuring sustainable CVC activities and opens avenues for future research on how the governance structures of CVC units can mitigate the negative impact of a low corporate culture of open innovation on CVC performance.

Overeducation, where workers possess more education than required by their jobs, has become a concern in labor economics. The problem of overeducation and its impact on wage is due to its negative consequences on wage dynamics, economic efficiency, and the returns on educational investments of the individual and society. Overeducation generally leads to a wage penalty compared to properly matched people with the same education and a wage premium compared to workers with the same job who are properly matched. Despite the vast amount of studies covering the topic of overeducation, there is a gap in understanding how its effects on wages vary across different industries and occupational groups. Also, Dutch data has not been used to examine the Dutch labor market in detail. This study aims to address this gap by answering the following research question: To what extent does overeducation’s effect on the wage of a worker vary across occupational groups and industries in the Netherlands?

This thesis examines the impact of overeducation on wages across various industries and occupations in the Netherlands, utilizing data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC).
Regression analyses are used to examine the influence of overeducation on wages and the influence of industry and occupation types on this relationship. For control variables age, gender, and work experience are used.

The key findings of this research is that Dutch overeducated workers face a wage penalty compared to properly matched workers with the same education. However, the extent of this penalty varies across certain industries and occupations, namely the construction industry and high skilled blue collar workers.
The findings contribute to academic discussions on overeducation and its impact on wage, while highlighting the need to examine the influence of occupational groups and industry types. The insights are relevant for individuals, employers, educational institutions, and policymakers. Individuals can better assess the value of their educational investments and educational institutions and policymakers can create policies to mitigate the negative impacts of overeducation.

This thesis delves into the dynamic and evolving micro launch industry, integral to the broader space sector's shift from traditional operations to the innovative and commercial-oriented New Space paradigm. The primary focus is on the implications of these trends for small satellite (SmallSat) manufacturers, who are pivotal players in this ecosystem. The study is structured around four key research questions: identifying the main factors behind the micro launch industry's market bubble, understanding the primary drivers and challenges within the sector, benchmarking micro launchers' value propositions against competitive solutions, and assessing the impact of these trends on SmallSat manufacturers' investment decisions in research and development (R&D).

The research employs a qualitative methodology, combining a comprehensive literature review, desk research, and semi-structured interviews with industry experts. The literature review establishes the theoretical framework, highlighting the transition from Old Space to New Space, characterized by increased private sector involvement, innovative business models, and new financing methods. The desk research provides up-to-date industry data, while the interviews offer practical insights and expert perspectives, enriching the analysis.

Key findings reveal that the micro launch industry's perceived market bubble is driven by speculative investor behavior, cognitive biases, and high liquidity from private investments, leading to inflated asset prices and unrealistic market expectations. The study identifies democratized access to space and substantial institutional support as significant growth drivers, while high entry barriers, competition from established players, and regulatory challenges pose substantial hurdles.

The benchmarking analysis indicates that while micro launchers offer unique value propositions such as dedicated and flexible launch services, they face intense competition from larger launch vehicles and alternative solutions like rideshare missions and orbital transfer vehicles. This competitive landscape underscores the necessity for continuous innovation and strategic agility among micro launch companies.

For SmallSat manufacturers, the evolving trends in the micro launch industry have profound implications. Reduced launch costs and increased access to space shift the focus from minimizing satellite mass to optimizing mission performance and reliability. However, the uncertainty surrounding the micro launch sector highlights the importance of strategic planning and diversification in investment decisions.

The thesis concludes with strategic insights for industry stakeholders, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts, innovative approaches, and effective policy frameworks to navigate the complexities of the micro launch market. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of market dynamics within high-tech industries and offer practical guidance for sustaining growth and competitiveness in the rapidly evolving space sector.

Path dependence occurs when a company excessively rely on its historical strategies, inhibiting its ability to adapt to new circumstances. Kodak's failure to embrace digital photography is a notable example of this phenomenon. The company's entrenched success in film-based photography led to a reliance on outdated strategies, ultimately contributing to its bankruptcy when digital technology disrupted the analogue photography industry. Similarly, startups that heavily rely on equity crowdfunding as their primary source of financing may encounter challenges due to path dependence. While equity crowdfunding has the advantage of attracting capital from a wide range of investors, overreliance on this method can lead startups to overlook alternative funding sources that may better suit their financing needs, such as venture capital firms. Venture capital firms support startups beyond capital funds. They also provide strategic support, expertise, and valuable networks necessary for a startup's long-term growth. Thus, highly dependent on a single funding source, such as equity crowdfunding, may result in suboptimal outcomes and increase the risk of organizational failure.

This study aims to explore whether startups' initial external financing from equity crowdfunding leads to path dependence in their subsequent financing. The main research question of this study is, "Does startups' initial external financing from equity crowdfunding lead to path dependence in their subsequent financing?". This study is particularly relevant to entrepreneurs and investors, providing valuable insight into the potential path dependence in equity-crowdfunded startup financing.

To achieve the research objective, this study employs an exploratory research approach to investigate path dependence in equity-crowdfunded startup financing within the institutional context of British startups. The research utilizes secondary data from Crowdcube, Crunchbase, and the UK Company House, encompassing equity crowdfunding campaign characteristics, startup financing features, and startup profile data. The choice of the British institutional context is justified by the prevalence of equity crowdfunding among British startups, supported by favorable regulatory and tax environments. This study focuses on 74 British startups that received initial external financing from equity crowdfunding via the Crowdcube platform between 2013 and 2018. By examining the financing paths of these startups across three funding rounds, the research aims to identify patterns of path dependence characterized by a consistent reliance on external funding from equity crowdfunding.

Through the exploratory analysis, this study reveals that the 74 startups that initially received external financing from equity crowdfunding followed 20 different combinations of financing paths across three funding rounds. A total of 27 startups (36.49\%) persisted in obtaining external funding from equity crowdfunding across three funding rounds, and this was the most dominant funding path among these startups. Meanwhile, the other 47 startups followed 19 other funding paths with a wide distribution. These findings suggest that startups that initially received external financing from equity crowdfunding tend to seek external funding from equity crowdfunding in their subsequent financing rounds, implying a potential path dependence on equity-crowdfunded startup financing.

This study contributes to the limited literature on path dependence in startup financing, particularly in the context of equity crowdfunding. It builds on previous research that examined path dependence in Swedish startup financing, where equity financing had a strong path effect but did not focus on equity crowdfunding. By focusing on British startups, where equity crowdfunding is prevalent, this study provides initial insights into potential path dependence in this context, laying the groundwork for future research. Future studies should conduct empirical investigations into path dependence in equity-crowdfunded startup financing and examine the impact of high reliance on equity crowdfunding on startup performance to provide deeper insights into this topic.

This study offers valuable recommendations for entrepreneurs and investors. Entrepreneurs are advised to carefully evaluate the choice of initial external financing source for their startup, as it has long-term implications on their startup's financing path. Entrepreneurs should remain open to diverse external funding sources and not overly rely on one funding source, such as equity crowdfunding. They should comprehensively understand their startup funding needs to sustainably grow the business and make informed decisions regarding external funding sources that best align with their startup's funding needs. Thus, their startup financing activity could lead to optimal outcomes for the startup.

Furthermore, investors should take into account the phenomenon of path dependence in startup financing when making investment decisions in addition to evaluating the business and human capital aspects of startups. This process involves examining the historical financing activities of the startups and determining whether there is a recognizable pattern of path dependence in their funding. Although, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no research on the impact of path dependence in startup financing on startup performance, considering this phenomenon is crucial. According to organizational path dependence theory, path dependence could lead to inefficiencies and an increased risk of organizational failure. Therefore, it is paramount for investors to consider this factor in order to make well-informed investment decisions.

In conclusion, this exploratory study provides valuable initial findings on the potential path dependence in equity-crowdfunded startup financing. It emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs and investors to carefully consider initial financing decisions and calls for further research to better understand path dependence in equity-crowdfunded startup financing.

In the highly regulated and competitive European Union (EU) lighting industry, effective product portfolio management (PPM) is crucial for companies to maintain market share and profitability. This thesis focuses on identifying key factors impacting profitability and market share, including technical specifications, pricing strategies, market positioning, competition benchmarking, and environmental considerations.

A notable gap in the existing literature is the lack of industry-specific frameworks and qualitative assessments for identifying these factors. This study addresses this gap by developing a comprehensive guiding framework, informed by theoretical models such as SWOT analysis and Porter’s Five Forces. The framework guides the qualitative research design, which involves semi-structured interviews with PPM experts.

The empirical analysis, employing axial coding techniques, reveals critical insights into how these factors influence PPM. Key findings highlight the importance of market-oriented pricing and strategic targeting of product segments with low differentiation potential to enhance long-term profitability. The study's conclusions provide practical and theoretical implications, offering actionable insights for industry stakeholders and addressing the limitations of the current research landscape.

This thesis explores how electronic human resource management (e-HRM) enhances employee performance in technology startups. During their transition phase, technology startups face challenges, such as maintaining effective communication, sustaining organizational culture, and managing growth. These challenges reduce employee performance, threatening the survival and growth of startups. Despite the potential of e-HRM to address these issues, there is limited research on its specific impact within startups. Existing e-HRM studies focus on large corporations or only broadly discuss startups, leaving a significant gap in understanding its effect in the entrepreneurial context. This gap is important because startups, unlike established firms, face unique challenges such as rapid growth, limited resources, and high failure rates. To close this literature gap, the thesis employs a qualitative research design, using semi-structured interviews with HR managers from 32 EU-based technology startups. The selected startups, founded between 2016 and 2022, employ between 35 and 249 people.
This research shows that e-HRM practices in technology startups primarily focus on administrative tasks (used by 94% of companies) and performance management (84%). However, practices related to employee relations, safety, and strategic HR are not frequently adopted.
The findings show that HR managers have mixed opinions on the impact of e-HRM on employee performance. Some argue that e-HRM systems primarily save administrative time and do not directly affect core performance metrics such as sales or primary business outcomes. Conversely, other HR managers report that e-HRM systems can enhance employee performance through employee engagement and feedback/ education. These systems should be user-friendly and reduce complexity in HR processes, and target employee engagement through addressing motivation, offering benefits, minimizing disruptions, and reducing confusion. To improve employee performance, performance management practices like employee evaluations and feedback mechanisms are indicated to be most suitable. Task tracking tools, while potentially increasing performance, often do not enhance engagement and may reduce it, thus their use should be carefully considered.
The study also identifies challenges that startups encounter when implementing e-HRM tools. Predominantly, people-related issues include employee reluctance to use e-HRM, the time-consuming nature, manager hesitancy, incorrect or incomplete software usage, and managing an too many tools. Despite the expectation that these startups, with their technological and innovative focus, would face minimal technological challenges, issues like data integration, system reliability, and user interface problems were also frequently reported.
In conclusion, e-HRM systems can have a positive effect on technology startups if implemented with a focus on time savings, simplicity, and employee engagement. Successful e-HRM implementation requires strategic planning that considers the values of all stakeholders, including employees, HR, line managers, and the founder. Communicating the change in advance helps mitigate challenges and ensures a smoother transition. With these findings, entrepreneurs in the field of HRTech learn which e-HRM characteristics are most important to HR managers (time savings) and which are most relevant to enhancing employee performance (employee engagement and feedback/education). At the same time, founders of technology startups and HR managers of those startups get to know which e-HRM practices are most relevant to improving employee performance (Performance Management tools) and that they need to communicate an e-HRM tool implementation early, including company stakeholders and explaining how the new tool helps the different internal stakeholders in their daily work.
The findings guide the reader on how to effectively use technology to improve HRM, enhance employee performance, prepare a technology startup for scaling, and increase the probability of startup success.

This master's thesis examines the effects of business model innovation and competitive strategies on the success of high-tech startups in the Netherlands. Understanding how high-tech startups can improve their performance and compete successfully is of utmost relevance given the increasing importance of technology entrepreneurship and the emergence of high-tech startups. High-tech businesses frequently fail within the first 18 months despite their promise; thus, it is necessary to identify techniques that encourage their expansion and success. Considering its significance in Europe and its ability to promote international entrepreneurship, this study concentrates on the Dutch high-tech startup ecosystem. By examining the interaction between business models, competitive strategies, and startup performance, the study seeks to fill a gap in the body of existing literature. The central research question, "What is the influence of competitive strategies and business model innovation on the performance of high-tech start-ups in the Netherlands?" serves as the focus of this study.

The study employs a quantitative research approach to gather insights from high-tech businesses established between 2017 and 2020. Data is meticulously collected from high-tech startups in the Netherlands, utilizing a meticulously crafted survey questionnaire. This comprehensive analysis aims to unravel the intricate dynamics between business model innovation and competitive strategies, shedding light on pivotal performance variables such as number of employees and revenue, pivotal indicators of startup growth. Through rigorous statistical analysis performed on a sample of 49 high-tech startups, the study unveils a noteworthy positive correlation between the interaction of business model novelty and cost-leadership strategy with enhanced startup performance, particularly in terms of full-time employees. However, other direct and interactional relationships failed to yield significance concerning the performance variables. Consequently, the study delves into discerning the prevalent business models and preferred competitive strategies within the Dutch high-tech startup ecosystem. Further, despite the significant insights garnered, this research acknowledges certain limitations, including sample size constraints, sampling methodology, and primarily the questions in the survey questionnaire design, which may have influenced the outcomes of the research study.

The results of this study have ramifications for practitioners as well as scholars. By providing insights into the intricate interactions between business models, competitive strategies, and startup performance, it adds to the body of academic literature on strategic management and entrepreneurship. The research also provides important insights from high-tech startups on their decision-making to enhance their performance with developing market trends. The research helps business owners make informed decisions that promote growth, profitability, and market competitiveness by identifying effective combinations of business models and strategies. Delving into these dynamics, this research not only enriches the academic understanding of entrepreneurship but also provides valuable insights with practical implications. Through its rigorous analysis and findings, this thesis aims to equip high-tech startups with the knowledge and strategies needed to succeed in today's dynamic world. In conclusion, this master's thesis provides a thorough examination of the complex linkages between business model innovation, competitive strategies, and the performance outcomes of Dutch high-tech startups.

In today’s corporate landscape, team innovation plays a critical role in maintaining competitive advantage, as organizations increasingly rely on project teams to develop creative solutions and implement new processes or products. However, the shift toward more virtual and hybrid work environments, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has introduced significant communication
challenges. Effective communication, characterized by clear information exchange, timely feedback, and mutual understanding among team members, is crucial for facilitating collaboration and driving innovation. This research investigates how varying Levels of Virtuality (LoV) influence communication methods within corporate project teams and explores how these methods adapt across different stages of innovation, from idea generation to implementation. By addressing these challenges, the study aims to provide insights into optimizing communication strategies for enhanced team performance.
Using a deductive approach, the research conducted semi-structured interviews with project managers and team members across three technology-focused companies. The research draws upon contingency theory to establish a framework for the analysis, highlighting that there is no single best communication strategy for all teams. Instead, the effectiveness of communication methods is contingent on factors such as the stage of innovation and the team's Level of Virtuality (LoV). LoV refers to the extent to which team members interact through virtual means rather than face-to-face communication, ranging from fully remote to entirely in-person work environments. The research identifies that during the Idea Generation phase, informal and synchronous communication methods (e.g., brainstorming sessions, face-to-face meetings) are most effective for fostering creativity and spontaneity. Conversely, during the Implementation stage, formal and asynchronous methods (e.g., emails, reports) become more critical to ensure coordination and accountability. The research concludes that for corporate project teams to optimize their innovation outcomes, they must adapt their communication strategies according to both the stage of innovation and their Level of Virtuality (LoV). Project managers should actively encourage informal and synchronous communication
methods, such as brainstorming sessions and video calls, during the Idea Generation phase to foster creativity and spontaneity. In contrast, during the Implementation phase, they should introduce formal, structured methods like project management tools, detailed reports, and scheduled check-ins to ensure coordination and accountability. Additionally, managers must consider their team’s LoV when selecting communication tools. For high virtuality environments, prioritizing synchronous tools like video conferencing and collaborative platforms can reduce misinterpretation and maintain immediacy. In low virtuality settings, project managers should leverage face-to-face interactions for discussions while integrating asynchronous tools, such as shared documents and emails, to maintain effective
documentation and coordination. The research concludes that for corporate project teams to optimize their innovation outcomes, they must adapt their communication strategies according to both the stage of innovation and their LoV. Practical implications for project managers include the need to carefully select communication methods that suit both the current phase of the project and the team's virtual work environment. Additionally, the research highlights the importance of organizational support in providing the necessary tools and training to ensure effective communication in hybrid and virtual settings. In conclusion, the research highlights the complex interplay between LoV, stages of innovation, and communication methods, demonstrating that effective team communication is contingent on these factors. By recognizing and addressing these contingencies, corporate teams can enhance their communication strategy.

In an era marked by healthcare advancements driven by innovative technologies, the integration of emerging medical breakthroughs like VR, AI, and IoT has propelled the MedTech industry's exponential growth. Despite their transformative potential, navigating the MedTech commercialization pathway presents formidable challenges; new medical technologies either fail to reach the market or enter the market but do not add significant value to the health system. This study seeks to address this issue by comprehensively exploring the intricate dynamics that underlie the transition from ideation to successful market entry of emerging medical technologies. A thorough literature review accompanied by qualitative research with semi-structured interviews to gain insights from diverse stakeholders in the MedTech ecosystem, uncovering multifaceted perspectives that enrich the understanding of this complex process. The research identifies and analyses six dimensions crucial for the MedTech commercialization trajectory: organizational strategy, design strategy, business strategy, commercial strategy, marketing strategy, and post-commercialization strategy. The findings underscore the significance of factors such as a strong interdisciplinary startup team credible toward investors; careful designed strategies, influenced by input from patients and physicians and balancing internal control and collaborative development; a grasp of the MedTech ecosystem's value chain and early HTA to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the technology and guide a smart business strategy aligned with stakeholders’ incentives; safeguarding intellectual property ensures consistent revenue streams; strategically navigating the commercial pathways toward the professional care or the mass market; a strong marketing strategy to reach customer channels and boost sales and awareness; and adaptability to secure long-term achievements beyond the initial launch phase. Ultimately, the study develops a strategic roadmap that offers practical guidance to innovators seeking to navigate the intricate journey from idea inception to market success of emerging medical technologies. This research holds potential to foster smoother transitions and enhance the likelihood of successful market entry for emerging medical technologies, fostering a transformative impact on healthcare systems and patient outcomes.

In the current environmental conditions, with the rise of sustainable finance concepts like Environmental, Societal and Governance (ESG), firms in the financial sector have found new ways to drive sustainable change. Banks in particular play a key role in promoting sustainable practices both within their organization and also have a significant effect on the global economy. However, banks have had difficulties integrating ESG practices in their sustainable credit distribution products to corporate clients.
Due to the qualitative nature of ESG data, even with the involvement of regulatory bodies, there are no established standardized processes for ESG integration. Literature exhibits a clear knowledge gap on the utilization of ESG data in the credit risk assessment process. Furthermore, the primary barriers faced during this process have been attributed to comparability, materiality, accuracy, and reliability of ESG data quality with the lack of comparability having the most significant impact. Hence, based on the knowledge gap identified, the following main research questions were formed:
“How can banks in the EU effectively utilize corporate ESG data during the sustainable corporate financing process?”
By fusing a thorough literature review and 11 interviews of professionals from the banking industry, consultancies, and asset management companies, a process flow diagram was mapped highlighting the different phases of the sustainable corporate financing process. The main phases were comprised of: Opportunity, Due diligence, Determining need for ESG data, Sourcing ESG data, Corporate Sustainability Assessment, Setting KPI’s and Decision. Furthermore, during this process the primary barriers were classified as Data Quality Barriers (Lack of Materiality, Lack of Accuracy, Lack of Comparability and Lack of Reliability) and Integration Challenges (Lack of Data, Sourcing Data, Quantification of Data). Given the relevance of the comparability barrier, its effects were studied in more detail and was followed by proposing a conceptual framework bolstered by stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory and institutional theory to solve the barrier of Lack of Comparability. The relevant dependent variables in this framework were identified as: Data Harmonization Initiatives, Standardization Efforts, Industry Collaboration, Regulatory Interventions/Compliance and Client Engagements. As directed by the conceptual framework, banks were recommended to adopt the dependent variables Data Harmonization Initiatives, Standardization Efforts and Industry Collaboration and were further advised to help clients adhere to compliance. Furthermore, stakeholders' motivation and regulatory incentives were highlighted as key determiners in addressing the barrier. A processual validity approach was adopted to ensure validity throughout the research process which additionally consisted of validating the generated process flow and conceptual framework by relevant experts.
The outcomes of the explorative research showcased the intricacies in the sustainability credit risk assessment and the stakeholders involved while highlighting the interrelation between the barriers identified. Though the lack of a comparability conceptual framework was proposed to be a barrier with significant effects, during the interview analysis it was revealed that the advent of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) would have a significant effect on this barrier and that challenges like sourcing ESG data and lack of ESG data would be more relevant in a few years. Although the conceptual framework accounted for this, some of the limitations in this research study were the inability to recruit more interviewees and also the inability to gather interview data from an external data provider to retrieve a true holistic approach. For future research, studies are recommended to research the effects of the implementation of CSRD and to study the state of other pressing barriers.

Recent findings by the OECD highlight that a significant proportion of refugees in Europe possess high levels of education, often being overqualified for their roles. However, literature seldom addresses the unique challenges these highly educated refugees face when integrating into the labor market. This research examines the role of entrepreneurship in integrating highly skilled Syrian refugees into the labor markets of Germany and the Netherlands. Using a qualitative research design, including literature review, desk-based research, and semi-structured interviews, the study reveals that both countries currently lack specialized support for such refugees during their asylum and integration processes. They face numerous challenges, including legislative, administrative, financial, socio-cultural, and market-related barriers. Moreover, collaboration between local government actors and business incubators is sparse. In light of these findings, the research advocates for improved policies and specialized business incubator models tailored for these refugees, aiming to leverage their skills and education for the benefit of host countries. The insights provided by this research underscore the untapped potential of educated refugees, emphasizing the necessity for more inclusive policies and support structures. Future directions for research include exploring bespoke business incubator models in Germany and the Netherlands and broadening the study's scope to other nations and demographics. This study contributes scientifically by delving into the niche domain of highly skilled refugee entrepreneurship and societally by emphasizing the invaluable economic and innovative potential of this group. Practical implications suggest refined integration strategies and infrastructures to better harness their capabilities.

The benefit of secondary use of data leads to the belief that data can be monetized through exchanging and trading between businesses. Many new data marketplaces emerge from this, resulting in the heterogeneity of the data marketplace that leads to market fragmentation in the industry. The aggregator business model can offer various values to users in a fragmented market. Therefore, the idea of designing aggregator business models for data marketplaces could be worthwhile investigating. Design Science Research (DSR) methodology is used in this research. Business model requirements to design aggregator business models were defined in the literature review. The business models of various aggregators are analyzed with case studies. From the requirements and case studies, four new aggregator business archetypes are derived: search engine, advanced search engine, comparison sites, and one-stop shop. These four aggregator business models are distinguished by their service offerings and their degree of the network. It is also discovered from case studies that there is a connection between the degree of network and aggregators' embedded technology. The high degree of network aggregators tend to use API, while the low degree of network aggregators tend to use information crawlers. The aggregator business model archetypes are then demonstrated to the data marketplace cases by translating the business models into business activities and services that can be offered to the users. Then, we evaluate the data marketplace aggregator business model through semi-structured interviews with experts. From the evaluation, it is discovered that data marketplace aggregators could offer value to the users, e.g., navigating users to find data sales and providing a single access point to collect data. Different technology aspects that could help to realize the aggregation services have also been developed by various projects. Additionally, data providers are willing to join the aggregation services due to the economic benefit. However, although the benefit and possibilities, multiple challenges need to be addressed by the data marketplace aggregator. There are issues with technical standardizations and interoperability that could be problematic in integrating various platforms for aggregation. Maintaining collaboration is difficult due to the need to provide data assurance, which could be expensive and exhausting. Additionally, although it is beneficial to navigate users in finding sales, data marketplace aggregators might offer little value to data buyers with market knowledge because they will directly buy the data from the sellers.

The environment is an important part of the life for most organisms, including humans. Since its quality is integral for social welfare, ensuring and maintaining a high environmental quality is essential. The environmental testing market is dedicated to the testing of the three main components of environment: soil, water, and air. Since the origin of the environmental testing market in the Netherlands, a rapid growth in the market, especially its soil and water markets, has been witnessed. Multiple consolidation waves has reduced the market players to a few, and the markets have become saturated and growth is stagnating. Furthermore, the Dutch environmental market is facing a two-sided challenge that could potentially disrupts its current form. The first challenge is that the high pricing and cost reduction strategies, that have been adopted because of the high competitive nature of the market, have resulted in profit margins that are not longer feasible in the current economy. Secondly, the market is at the forefront of potential disruptive change from different factors like emerging technologies, regulation & policy, or the emergence of alarming substances that are potentially harmful to the environmental. These types of challenges in the Dutch environmental testing market point to a reevaluation of the business strategies of firms operating in this target market. This study was dedicated to multiple sided analysis approach of the developments in the Dutch environmental testing market. The objectives were to determine the most suited business strategy for firms in the Dutch environmental testing market to remain competitively relevant in regards to the future developments in the market, and the internal circumstances needed to support this strategy.

The broad goal of this thesis is to explore what is currently motivating consumers to adopt BigTech mobile payment services in the Netherlands. The term BigTech refers to a collection of the largest and most dominant companies in the IT industry, including Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon, among others. The BigTechs have been leveraging their core competencies in order to enter the financial industry by offering contactless mobile payment services, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Further involvement of BigTechs in the financial industry could lead to increased systemic risk, as well as power concentration risks due to their already large influential market power. The Dutch central bank (DNB) and the Dutch competitive authority (ACM) have released reports in which they acknowledge these risks. They state that the competitive balance between BigTech and the financial incumbents will moreover depend on the relative distrust the consumer currently has towards the BigTechs as provider of financial services compared to incumbent financial institutions. Both authorities indicate that the direction which this competitive balance is taking remains unclear, yet the adoption of contactless mobile payment services in the Netherlands, the majority of which is provided by BigTechs Apple and Google, has seen increasing growth. Therefore, this thesis aims to evaluate whether this distrust still wields this influential balancing power in the Netherlands, or if there are other motives that are more strongly influencing this trend instead.
Reviewing the relevant past literature found moderating and mediating effects between constructs examined in mobile payment studies to often be excluded from analysis. As a result, this thesis also aims to address this research gap. A suitable starting research framework was selected after reviewing eleven prominent research models and a conceptual model was designed based on these reviews. Data was subsequently collected using an online survey questionnaire. The 217 collected responses were subjected to data analysis of which the results indicate that the Dutch consumer is mainly driven by three functional motives regarding respectively: how well the technology is expected to perform, how well the technology is perceivably supported, and to which extent the consumer has habits that are similar to using mobile payment services.
Perceptions of involved risk and feelings of distrust towards providers of mobile payment services only reduced the incentive to adopt the technology among respondents within the age group of 25-34, and solely weakened the performance-based motive. It was furthermore found that the habit-based motive reduced both risk perception and distrust of the users. No motivational differences were found between users of BigTech services or those offered by financial incumbents, or between users and non-users.
The Dutch relevant authorities may induce from this research that the competitive balance in the Dutch financial sector is likely tipping in favour of BigTech as consumers are driven mainly by utilitarian needs to which BigTech can more easily cater than financial incumbents. Dutch financial incumbents may therefore require additional support to reduce the potential for harmful levels of competitive pressure in the financial sector and limit the sector’s exposure to concentration risk, which the involvement of BigTech can bring about. Dutch financial incumbents may induce from this research that the contemporary Dutch consumer mainly prefers improved functional capabilities. According to the results, performance, wide-spread support, and fit with consumers’ existing habits, should serve as key focus areas for improvement in order to compete efficiently. The theoretical contribution that this research made regards the discovered mediating and moderating effects of the evaluated constructs in mobile payment adoption research. The obtained results thereby implore future research in this field to similarly evaluate such effects in order to increase the explanatory power of the employed research model and potentially derive additional and crucial insights.

One of the biggest challenges start-ups encounter is establishing themselves within the market. A widely recognized contributing factor to increasing chances of outrunning competition, is the implementation of a branding strategy with the purpose of creating a strong brand identity. Whether investing in developing a brand identity is profitable, depends on the brand relevance of a company. Brand relevance is the level of the overall role of brands in customers’ decision-making. Business-to-business start-ups have access to limited resources, hence it is important to them to only invest in creating a brand identity, when their level of brand relevance shows that this would be profitable.

The current exploratory research combined a desk research and a qualitative panel study to gain insight into the presence of an association between the two, as well as which factors are considerd to be of influence to the perceived brand identity.
Using a desk research, the level of brand relevance for a total of 30 start-ups related to the Delft Technical University was determined. Next, a focus group was hosted to gain insight into which factors are considered to be important to the perceived brand identity of B2B start-ups. Four overarching aspects were indicated: brand personality, corporate visual identity, clarity of the product/service and its relevance, and clarity of the competitive advantage. Furthermore, the current research aimed to investigate whether an association between the level of brand relevance of B2B technology-based start-ups and perceived brand identity was present. The results of the focus group were used to test whether this association was present. In the scope of this research however, no association was found.

The research provides start-up entrepreneurs with hands-on tips on which factors influence their perceived brand identity which makes it managerial relevant. The academical relevance can mainly be found in recommendation for future research, since this should show whether the absence of an indicated association between brand relevance and brand identity, can be explained by the absence of awareness among B2B technology-based start-ups.