This seminar is a central feature of the intellectual life of doctoral/PhD students and faculty members at the Institute for Service Marketing and Tourism. In general, all topics and methodological approaches within the broad field of marketing and related disciplines are welcome for discussion. There will also be tentative faculty presentations designed to help students plan and manage their dissertation process.

The seminar serves as a platform for doctoral students and faculty members to meet and discuss their research work with each other and experienced researchers. It aims to provide conceptual, theoretical, and methodological advice and guidance regarding the development and acceleration of individual or joint research projects. The seminar also intends to help faculty and doctoral students to keep track of the recent theoretical and methodological developments in the marketing community and to both seek and receive feedback on their own research.

Doctoral students and participants without a working contract at WU's Department of Marketing are kindly asked to contact the lecturer BEFORE the course starts. If there are any conflicts with the seminar, please let the instructor know. Exceptions should be minimized and limited to medical reasons, other class attendance, or own teaching commitment.

While some major parts of the seminar are held in a colloquium-style teaching format, the course will also utilize a mix of interactive faculty lectures, class discussions, and student presentations. The seminar will be held in a collaborative, open and friendly atmosphere. In respect to this philosophy, participants are required to attend the entire seminar.

Students will be assessed based on their in-class contributions (20%), a given research presentation (30%), and a term paper (50%).