A Gallery Walk at the Chair of HR, Management and Organisation

What happens when students are handed complete academic freedom and asked to make sense of the world around them through the lens of management theory? The Chair of Human Resources, Management and Organisation answered that question with Management Theories in Action – Decoding Life. A module that brought together research and design, finishing with a live debate and gallery walk about the created work. 

The format challenged student pairs to choose a socially relevant phenomenon of their own choosing and analyse it using two complementary theoretical frameworks: one from the macro level and one from the micro level. The results took shape as written analysis papers as well as research posters, together with three-minute live pitches followed by open Q&A. The event concluded in a gallery walk, where posters were exhibited, and the audience could engage directly with the researchers. Selected work was recognised with small “Oscars” across categories for design, content and overall performance, before a closing reception brought everyone together.

The Design Award recognised a project on last-chance tourism, the rush to visit disappearing places before they are gone. Their finding was quietly provocative: "The most surprising insight was that greater climate awareness does not necessarily change behavior. Instead, travelers often strengthen their justifications when confronted with environmental concerns." The winning pair also described how they balanced rigour with visual clarity: a minimalist poster with a few striking statements, leaving the depth for the live presentation.

The winners of the Content Award, who examined the social ascent of JD Vance from an Appalachian working-class background to the US Vice Presidency, reflected: "Seeing a sociological and a psychological lens depend on each other like that, rather than compete, was the most rewarding part of the whole project." Their work paired Bourdieu's theory of capital and field with Rotter's Locus of Control. This showed not only why such a rise is structurally improbable, but why it happened to this particular person.

The Spotlight Award went to a pair who tackled the "Only Yes Means Yes" consent policy and found that even a single policy connects to far more theory than expected: "The most surprising thing I found was how many theories could be connected to the 'Yes Means Yes' policy. At first, I did not think they would relate to each other, but as we worked on the project, I started to see how the theories helped explain why the policy was created and how people responded to it." A topic that is extremely relevant today and must be given a spotlight, especially since one of the students rightly said that “there are many governments that do not take the issue seriously and/or downplay what is happening on a daily basis.”

Taken together, the event showed what becomes possible when students are trusted to find their own questions. As one participant put it: "Putting tight guardrails on people is not always the smart move, because it limits them. If you trust them, they will surprise you in ways you could never have planned for."

The Chair of Human Resources, Management and Organisation would like to thank all the students who participated for their incredible work, insights and engagement, despite the heat of the day!

Text: Alina Moede