thesis title philippines

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

Thesis Title: Examples and Suggestions from a PhD Grad

When you’re faced with writing up a thesis, choosing a title can often fall to the bottom of the priority list. After all, it’s only a few words. How hard can it be?!

In the grand scheme of things I agree that picking your thesis title shouldn’t warrant that much thought, however my own choice is one of the few regrets I have from my PhD . I therefore think there is value in spending some time considering the options available.

In this post I’ll guide you through how to write your own thesis title and share real-world examples. Although my focus is on the PhD thesis, I’ve also included plenty of thesis title examples for bachelor’s and master’s research projects too.

Hopefully by the end of the post you’ll feel ready to start crafting your own!

Why your thesis title is at least somewhat important

It sounds obvious but your thesis title is the first, and often only, interaction people will have with your thesis. For instance, hiring managers for jobs that you may wish to apply for in the future. Therefore you want to give a good sense of what your research involved from the title.

Many people will list the title of their thesis on their CV, at least for a while after graduating. All of the example titles I’ve shared below came from my repository of academic CVs . I’d say roughly 30% of all the academics on that page list their thesis title, which includes academics all the way up to full professor.

Your thesis title could therefore feature on your CV for your whole career, so it is probably worth a bit of thought!

My suggestions for choosing a good thesis title

• Make it descriptive of the research so it’s immediately obvious what it is about! Most universities will publish student theses online ( here’s mine! ) and they’re indexed so can be found via Google Scholar etc. Therefore give your thesis a descriptive title so that interested researchers can find it in the future.
• Don’t get lost in the detail . You want a descriptive title but avoid overly lengthy descriptions of experiments. Unless a certain analytical technique etc was central to your research, I’d suggest by default* to avoid having it in your title. Including certain techniques will make your title, and therefore research, look overly dated, which isn’t ideal for potential job applications after you graduate.
• The title should tie together the chapters of your thesis. A well-phrased title can do a good job of summarising the overall story of your thesis. Think about each of your research chapters and ensure that the title makes sense for each of them.
• Be strategic . Certain parts of your work you want to emphasise? Consider making them more prominent in your title. For instance, if you know you want to pivot to a slightly different research area or career path after your PhD, there may be alternative phrasings which describe your work just as well but could be better understood by those in the field you’re moving into. I utilised this a bit in my own title which we’ll come onto shortly.
• Do your own thing. Having just laid out some suggestions, do make sure you’re personally happy with the title. You get a lot of freedom to choose your title, so use it however you fancy. For example, I’ve known people to use puns in their title, so if that’s what you’re into don’t feel overly constrained.

*This doesn’t always hold true and certainly don’t take my advice if 1) listing something in your title could be a strategic move 2) you love the technique so much that you’re desperate to include it!

Thesis title examples

To help give you some ideas, here are some example thesis titles from Bachelors, Masters and PhD graduates. These all came from the academic CVs listed in my repository here .

Bachelor’s thesis title examples

Hysteresis and Avalanches Paul Jager , 2014 – Medical Imaging – DKFZ Head of ML Research Group –  direct link to Paul’s machine learning academic CV

The bioenergetics of a marine ciliate, Mesodinium rubrum Holly Moeller , 2008 – Ecology & Marine Biology – UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor –  direct link to Holly’s marine biology academic CV

Functional syntactic analysis of prepositional and causal constructions for a grammatical parser of Russian Ekaterina Kochmar , 2008 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

Master’s thesis title examples

Creation of an autonomous impulse response measurement system for rooms and transducers with different methods Guy-Bart Stan , 2000 – Bioengineering – Imperial Professor –  direct link to Guy-Bart’s bioengineering academic CV

Segmentation of Nerve Bundles and Ganglia in Spine MRI using Particle Filters Adrian Vasile Dalca , 2012 – Machine Learning for healthcare – Harvard Assistant Professor & MIT Research Scientist –  direct link to Adrian’s machine learning academic CV

The detection of oil under ice by remote mode conversion of ultrasound Eric Yeatman , 1986 – Electronics – Imperial Professor and Head of Department –  direct link to Eric’s electronics academic CV

Ensemble-Based Learning for Morphological Analysis of German Ekaterina Kochmar , 2010 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

VARiD: A Variation Detection Framework for Color-Space and Letter-Space Platforms Adrian Vasile Dalca , 2010 – Machine Learning for healthcare – Harvard Assistant Professor & MIT Research Scientist –  direct link to Adrian’s machine learning academic CV

Identification of a Writer’s Native Language by Error Analysis Ekaterina Kochmar , 2011 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

On the economic optimality of marine reserves when fishing damages habitat Holly Moeller , 2010 – Ecology & Marine Biology – UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor –  direct link to Holly’s marine biology academic CV

Sensitivity Studies for the Time-Dependent CP Violation Measurement in B 0 → K S K S K S at the Belle II-Experiment Paul Jager , 2016 – Medical Imaging – DKFZ Head of ML Research Group –  direct link to Paul’s machine learning academic CV

PhD thesis title examples

Spatio-temporal analysis of three-dimensional real-time ultrasound for quantification of ventricular function Esla Angelini  – Medicine – Imperial Senior Data Scientist –  direct link to Elsa’s medicine academic CV

The role and maintenance of diversity in a multi-partner mutualism: Trees and Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Holly Moeller , 2015 – Ecology & Marine Biology – UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor –  direct link to Holly’s marine biology academic CV

Bayesian Gaussian processes for sequential prediction, optimisation and quadrature Michael Osborne , 2010 – Machine Learning – Oxford Full Professor –  direct link to Michael’s machine learning academic CV

Global analysis and synthesis of oscillations: a dissipativity approach Guy-Bart Stan , 2005 – Bioengineering – Imperial Professor –  direct link to Guy-Bart’s bioengineering academic CV

Coarse-grained modelling of DNA and DNA self-assembly Thomas Ouldridge , 2011– Bioengineering – Imperial College London Senior Lecturer / Associate Prof –  direct link to Thomas’ bioengineering academic CV

4D tomographic image reconstruction and parametric maps estimation: a model-based strategy for algorithm design using Bayesian inference in Probabilistic Graphical Models (PGM) Michele Scipioni , 2018– Biomedical Engineer – Harvard Postdoctoral Research Fellow –  direct link to Michele’s biomedical engineer academic CV

Error Detection in Content Word Combinations Ekaterina Kochmar , 2016 – Computer Science – University of Bath Lecturer Assistant Prof –  direct link to Ekaterina’s computer science academic CV

Genetic, Clinical and Population Priors for Brain Images Adrian Vasile Dalca , 2016 – Machine Learning for healthcare – Harvard Assistant Professor & MIT Research Scientist –  direct link to Adrian’s machine learning academic CV

Challenges and Opportunities of End-to-End Learning in Medical Image Classification Paul Jager , 2020 – Medical Imaging – DKFZ Head of ML Research Group –  direct link to Paul’s machine learning academic CV

K 2 NiF 4  materials as cathodes for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells Ainara Aguadero , 2006 – Materials Science – Imperial Reader –  direct link to Ainara’s materials science academic CV

Applications of surface plasmons – microscopy and spatial light modulation Eric Yeatman , 1989 – Electronics – Imperial Professor and Head of Department –  direct link to Eric’s electronics academic CV

Geometric Algorithms for Objects in Motion Sorelle Friedler , 2010 – Computer science – Haverford College Associate Professor –  direct link to Sorelle’s computer science academic CV .

Geometrical models, constraints design, information extraction for pathological and healthy medical image Esla Angelini  – Medicine – Imperial Senior Data Scientist –  direct link to Elsa’s medicine academic CV

Why I regret my own choice of PhD thesis title

I should say from the outset that I assembled my thesis in quite a short space of time compared to most people. So I didn’t really spend particularly long on any one section, including the title.

However, my main supervisor even spelled out for me that once the title was submitted to the university it would be permanent. In other words: think wisely about your title.

What I started with

Initially I drafted the title as something like: Three dimensional correlative imaging for cartilage regeneration . Which I thought was nice, catchy and descriptive.

I decided to go for “correlative imaging” because, not only did it describe the experiments well, but it also sounded kind of technical and fitting of a potential pivot into AI. I’m pleased with that bit of the title.

What I ended up with

Before submitting the title to the university (required ahead of the viva), I asked my supervisors for their thoughts.

One of my well intentioned supervisors suggested that, given that my project didn’t involve verifying regenerative quality, I probably shouldn’t state cartilage regeneration . Instead, they suggested, I should state what I was experimenting on (the materials) rather than the overall goal of the research (aid cartilage regeneration efforts).

With this advice I dialled back my choice of wording and the thesis title I went with was:

Three dimensional correlative imaging for measurement of strain in cartilage and cartilage replacement materials

Reading it back now I’m reminder about how less I like it than my initial idea!

I put up basically no resistance to the supervisor’s choice, even though the title sounds so much more boring in my opinion. I just didn’t think much of it at the time. Furthermore, most of my PhD was actually in a technique which is four dimensional (looking at a series of 3D scans over time, hence 4D) which would have sounded way more sciency and fitting of a PhD.

What I wish I’d gone with

If I had the choice again, I’d have gone with:

Four-dimensional correlative imaging for cartilage regeneration

Which, would you believe it, is exactly what it states on my CV…

Does the thesis title really matter?

In all honesty, your choice of thesis title isn’t that important. If you come to regret it, as I do, it’s not the end of the world. There are much more important things in life to worry about.

If you decide at a later stage that you don’t like it you can always describe it in a way that you prefer. For instance, in my CV I describe my PhD as I’d have liked the title to be. I make no claim that it’s actually the title so consider it a bit of creative license.

Given that as your career progresses you may not even refer back to your thesis much, it’s really not worth stressing over. However, if you’re yet to finalise your thesis title I do still think it is worth a bit of thought and hopefully this article has provided some insights into how to choose a good thesis title.

My advice for developing a thesis title

• Draft the title early. Drafting it early can help give clarity for the overall message of your research. For instance, while you’re assembling the rest of your thesis you can check that the title encompasses the research chapters you’re included, and likewise that the research experiments you’re including fall within what the title describes. Drafting it early also gives more time you to think it over. As with everything: having a first draft is really important to iterate on.
• Look at some example titles . Such as those featured above!
• If you’re not sure about your title, ask a few other people what they think . But remember that you have the final say!

I hope this post has been useful for those of you are finalising your thesis and need to decide on a thesis title. If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to hear about future content (and gain access to my free resource library!) you can subscribe for free here:

Share this:

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Privacy Overview

Update Profile

Institution Code

Reset password, one stop research, contributors, subscribers, newly added theses and dissertations.

ETD Test Upload 12345

ETD Test Upload 12345...

The Welsh Hymn to the Virgin: contexts and reception

The Hymn to the Virgin is a poem attributed to the Welsh poet Ieuan ap Hywel Swrdwal, thought to have been written around 1470 while he was a student at the University of Oxford. It is reputedly the f...

Quantifying scribal behavior : a novel approach to digital paleography

We propose a novel approach for analyzing scribal behavior quantitatively using information about the handwriting of characters. To implement this approach, we develop a computational framework that r...

An examination of the characteristics of disguised and traced handwriting

There has recently been a lack of judicial confidence in the evidence provided by handwriting analysis which has highlighted the need for objective research to be conducted in this area. In response t...

Trending Now

Utilizing asset-based instruction in an elementary classroom, a study of representative history and geography textbooks used in english-speaking countries bordering on the pacific, violence, pleasure, civilization: roman gladiators and the writing of history, a place for public philosophy: reviving a practice, most talked about papers, a participatory library model for university libraries, the user, the reader, and the pocket cathedral: william morris's arts and crafts aesthetic and the decorated book, a study of the utilization of brief, biblically integrated child parent relationship therapy with mothers from christian families and their 11-14 year old children, top 5 popular, dissertation.

Home > Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations

Browse the theses and dissertations collections:.

Graduate Student's Output

Undergraduate Theses

• Collections
• Disciplines

Advanced Search

• Notify me via email or RSS

Author Corner

Home | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement

Privacy Copyright

20 Types of Architecture thesis topics

An architectural thesis is perhaps the most confusing for a student because of the range of typologies of buildings that exist. It also seems intimidating to pick your site program and do all the groundwork on your own. While choosing an architectural thesis topic, it is best to pick something that aligns with your passion and interest as well as one that is feasible. Out of the large range of options, here are 20 architectural thesis topics .

1. Slum Redevelopment (Urban architecture)

Slums are one of the rising problems in cities where overcrowding is pertinent. To account for this problem would be one of great value to the city as well as the inhabitants of the slum. It provides them with better sanitation and well-being and satisfies their needs.

2. Maggie Center (Healthcare architecture)

This particular typology of buildings was coined by a cancer patient,  Margaret Keswick Jencks,   who believed that cancer-treatment centres’ environment could largely improve their health and wellbeing by better design. This led a large number of starchitects to participate and build renowned maggie centres.

3. Urban Sprawl Redesign (Urban design)

The widening of city boundaries to accommodate migrants and overcrowding of cities is very common as of late. To design for the constant urban sprawl would make the city life more convenient and efficient for all its users.

4. Redesigning Spaces Under Elevated Roads and Metros (Urban infrastructure)

A lot of space tends to become dead space under metros or elevated roads. To use these spaces more efficiently and engage them with the public would make it an exciting thesis topic.

5. Urban Parks (Urban landscape)

Urban parks are not only green hubs for the city, which promotes the well-being of the city on a larger level, but they also act as great places for the congregation and bring a community together.

6. Reusing Abandoned Buildings (Adaptive reuse)

All buildings after a point become outdated and old but, what about the current old and abandoned buildings? The best way to respond to these is not by demolishing them; given the amount of effort it takes to do so, but to enhance them by restoring and changing the building to current times.

7. Farming in Cities (Green urban spaces)

With climate change and population on the rise, there is statistical proof that one needs to start providing farming in cities as there is not sufficient fertile land to provide for all. Therefore, this makes a great thesis topic for students to explore.

8. Jails (Civil architecture)

To humanize the function of jails, to make it a place of change and rehabilitation, and break from the stereotypical way of looking at jails. A space that will help society look at prisoners as more than monsters that harm, and as fellow humans that are there to change for everyone’s betterment.

9. Police Academies (Civil architecture)

Academies that train people to be authoritative and protective require spaces for training mentally and physically; focussing on the complexity of the academy and focussing on the user to enhance their experience would work in everyone’s favour.

10. High Court (Civil architecture)

Courtrooms are more often than not looked at as spaces that people fear, given the longevity of court cases. It can be a strenuous space; therefore, understanding the user groups’ state of mind and the problems faced can be solved using good design. 

11. Disaster-resilient structures (Disaster-relief architecture)

Natural disasters are inevitable. Disaster-resilient structures are build suitably for the natural disasters of the region while also incorporating design into it, keeping in mind the climatic nature of the location.

12. Biophilic design (Nature-inspired architecture)

As humans, we have an innate love for nature, and the struggle between integrating nature and architecture is what biophilic design aims towards. To pick a topic where one would see minimal use of natural elements and incorporate biophilic design with it would be very beneficial.

13. Metro stations and Bus terminals (Transportation spaces)

Bus terminals and metro stations are highly functional spaces that often get crowded; and to account for the crowd and the problems that come with it, plus elevate the experience of waiting or moving, would contribute to making it a good thesis topic.

14. Airport design (Transportation spaces)

Airport designing is not very uncommon; however, it is a rather complex program to crack; thereby, choosing this topic provides you with the opportunity to make this space hassle-free and work out the most efficient way to make this conducive for all types of users.

15. Sports Complex (Community architecture)

If your passion lies in sports, this is a go-to option. Each sport is played differently, different materials are used, and the nature of the sport and its audience is rather complicated. However, to combine this and make it a cohesive environment for all kinds of users would make a good thesis topic.

16. Stadium (Community architecture)

Unlike a sports complex, one could also pick one sport and look at the finer details, create the setting, and experience for it; by designing it to curate a nice experience for the players, the public, and the management.

17. Waste-recycling center (Waste management)

Reducing waste is one of the most fundamental things we must do as humans. Spaces where recycling happens must be designed consciously. Just like any other space, it has been given importance over the years, and this would make a good thesis topic to provide the community with.

18. Crematorium (Public architecture)

Cremation of a loved one or anyone for that matter is always a rather painful process and a range of emotions is involved when it comes to this place. Keeping in mind the different types of people and emotions and making your thesis about this would mean to enhance this experience while still keeping the solemnity of it intact.

19. Museums (Community architecture)

Museums are spaces of learning, and the world has so much to offer that one could always come up with different typologies of museums and design according to the topic of one’s interest. Some of the examples would be cultural heritage, modern art, museum of senses, and many more.

20. Interpretation center (Community architecture)

An interpretation center is a type of museum located near a site of historical, cultural, or natural relevance that provides information about the place of interest through various mediums.

References:

• 2022. 68 Thesis topics in 5 minutes . [image] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NczdOK7oe98&ab_channel=BlessedArch> [Accessed 1 March 2022].
• Bdcnetwork.com. 2022. Biophilic design: What is it? Why it matters? And how do we use it? | Building Design + Construction . [online] Available at: <https://www.bdcnetwork.com/blog/biophilic-design-what-it-why-it-matters-and-how-do-we-use-it> [Accessed 1 March 2022].
• RTF | Rethinking The Future. 2022. 20 Thesis topics related to Sustainable Architecture – RTF | Rethinking The Future . [online] Available at: <https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/a1348-20-thesis-topics-related-to-sustainable-architecture/> [Accessed 1 March 2022].
• Wdassociation.org. 2022. A List Of Impressive Thesis Topic Ideas In Architecture . [online] Available at: <https://www.wdassociation.org/a-list-of-impressive-thesis-topic-ideas-in-architecture.aspx> [Accessed 1 March 2022].

Online Course – The Ultimate Architectural Thesis Guide

Apply Now – Online Course

Flora is a student of architecture, with a passion for psychology and philosophy. She loves merging her interests and drawing parallels to solve and understand design problems. As someone that values growth, she uses writing as a medium to share her learning and perspective.

5 Reasons why your design sheets fail to impress

Wangjing SOHO by Zaha Hadid Architects: Dancing Fans

Related posts.

The Role of Architectural Archives in Restoration Projects

Using meme culture to express social issues in architecture

The Theoretical Role of Soft Furnishings in Shaping Spatial Narratives

The New Architects: Designing the Future in Virtual Realms

Buildings redefining the Architectural trends

Revitalizing Vernacular Architecture

• Architectural Community
• Architectural Facts
• RTF Architectural Reviews
• Architectural styles
• City and Architecture
• Fun & Architecture
• History of Architecture
• Design Studio Portfolios
• Designing for typologies
• RTF Design Inspiration
• Architecture News
• Career Advice
• Case Studies
• Construction & Materials
• Covid and Architecture
• Interior Design
• Know Your Architects
• Landscape Architecture
• Materials & Construction
• Product Design
• RTF Fresh Perspectives
• Sustainable Architecture
• Top Architects
• Travel and Architecture
• Rethinking The Future Awards 2022
• RTF Awards 2021 | Results
• GADA 2021 | Results
• RTF Awards 2020 | Results
• ACD Awards 2020 | Results
• GADA 2019 | Results
• ACD Awards 2018 | Results
• GADA 2018 | Results
• RTF Awards 2017 | Results
• RTF Sustainability Awards 2017 | Results
• RTF Sustainability Awards 2016 | Results
• RTF Sustainability Awards 2015 | Results
• RTF Awards 2014 | Results
• RTF Architectural Visualization Competition 2020 – Results
• Architectural Photography Competition 2020 – Results
• Designer’s Days of Quarantine Contest – Results
• Urban Sketching Competition May 2020 – Results
• RTF Essay Writing Competition April 2020 – Results
• Architectural Photography Competition 2019 – Finalists
• The Ultimate Thesis Guide
• Introduction to Landscape Architecture
• Perfect Guide to Architecting Your Career
• How to Design Architecture Portfolio
• How to Design Streets
• Introduction to Urban Design
• Introduction to Product Design
• Complete Guide to Dissertation Writing
• Introduction to Skyscraper Design
• Educational
• Hospitality
• Institutional
• Office Buildings
• Public Building
• Residential
• Sports & Recreation
• Temporary Structure
• Commercial Interior Design
• Corporate Interior Design
• Healthcare Interior Design
• Hospitality Interior Design
• Residential Interior Design
• Sustainability
• Transportation
• Urban Design
• Host your Course with RTF
• Architectural Writing Training Programme | WFH
• Editorial Internship | In-office
• Graphic Design Internship
• Research Internship | WFH
• Research Internship | New Delhi
• RTF | About RTF
• Submit Your Story

Looking for Job/ Internship?

Rtf will connect you with right design studios.

Home > ETD > Psychology > ETDB_PSYCH

Psychology Bachelor's Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

The moderating roles of perceived family and peer social support on the relationship between perceived stress and academic motivation , Daniella Marie Velayo Atilano, John Kyle Terana Bautista, and Rhys Hahn Jermaine Alabado Collado

Discovering sexual satisfaction by spirituality: The mediating role of sexual self esteem , Josef John G. Dumapit, Miguel Alfonso L. Calma, Jilai S. Reboredo, and Cyrus Louis V. San Juan

The process of grief: Mediating role of unfinished business on social media mourning amidst the Covid-19 pandemic , Crista C. Fernandez, Nidhya P. Kumar, Dorothy Anne DL. Sabangan, and Gabrielle Marie C. Tagle

Aerobic fitness and mental well-being: The moderating effect of college student-athlete life stress , Eunhae Kim, Mary Martina A. Olivarez, Aiyana K. Perlas, and Jarell Lorenz L. Tiberio

The relationship of the triarchic model of grit, self-control, and academic engagement , Rochelle Deina Panahon Rocha, Sofia Marie Lallana Espanillo, and Nina Simone Valdez Aguilar

The moderating role of loneliness on the relationship between loot box engagement on problematic gaming behavior and gambling behavior , Michelle Nicole Pasion Santos, Travis Mitchel Meily Cowper, and Hyock Ho Song

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Filipino female police officers investigating women and children cases: Secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and coping strategies , Jacquiline Noche Alagos, Kyla Marie Chua Peralta, and Arene Katrien Dulay Uy

The influence of religious identity and religiosity on political participation of catholic Filipino youth , Alyssa Jairus P. Alcantara, Reigne Ann S. Corrales, Raenald Gail A. Resurreccion, and Jilliane G. Salayog

"Wala kang utang na loob!" Adult Filipino children's experiences with regard to parental expectations , Nicole Anne G. Alcantara, Arthur Andre H. Bo, Maria Vivian Alyssa C. Constantino, and Enya Russia Julianne E. Espiritu

Kapwa-kalikasan: Extending the scope of nature to kapwa , Sandra Rose A. Alquiros, Albert A. Bofill, Patricia Mae A. Dela Cruz, and Adellie Z. Salvador

Self-reflection and positive mental health in Filipino young adults: The mediating role of self-concept , Mikaela Renee Padilla Awid, Alessandra Patricia Maria Rualo Lozada, Austin Rafael Roque Papa, and Marie Bernadette Teodoro Sison

Does body appreciation have a moderating effect on the negative impact of social media exposure on body image? , Joyce Anne Abraham Buban, Frances Joy Sagadraca Bumagat, Erika Maxine Juan del Mundo, and Ma. Kiara Nicole Panes Lao

The role of Filipino values towards partner choice , Megan Alyssa Santiago Cabazor, Jared Portugal Castro, Vince Gabriel Beratio Grajo, and Mira Alexandra Gonzaga Uriarte

‘Is there something wrong with me?’: A qualitative study on Covid-19 brain fog experience among selected Filipino college students , Ma Lucellina Bartolome Cabrera, Bianca Denise Roa Bautista, Ricci Marie Cuesta Mendoza, and Anne Faustine Jomoc Nasol

The mediating role of religiosity in the relationship between adherence to traditional gender roles and male rape myth acceptance , Ernest Monty B. Castro, Elisha Noelle M. Comia, Therese Celine D. Garciano, and Joshua Salvio S. Navarro

Dissociation with time perception among college students amidst the pandemic , John Vincent Reyes Chua, Mylene Bea Santiago Francisco, Kyle David Toh Lim Tan, and Armando Miguel Ascalon Valdes

An exploratory research on the role of personality, values, and ideological attitudes on political choice of Filipinos during the 2022 Philippine presidential elections , Bianca Ysabel T. Cruzabra, Marielle M. Manahan, Ma. Bea Joelline D. Martinez, and Ricardo B. Medenilla III

Transformational leadership and the members’ performance: The moderating effect of followership , Kim Elizabeth M. De Jesus, Nicole Therese S. Go, and Keena Tracy F. Lim

The call for help: Exploring the experiences of mental health hotline service users , Sophia Lynne G. Dela Cerna, Riane Krister P. Casquejo, Isabela P. De Jesus, and Jan Dominique R. Nedamo

Quaran-teen pregnancy: Pregnant teenage couples' attitudes and subjective norms towards teenage pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic , Adrian Neil C. Holgado, Ma. Azapurn Redge B. Apuang, Jonas Robert E. Calimlim, and Elijah Nicolas F. Ferrera

Lost in translation: A qualitative study of the experience of toxic relationships among Filipino young adults and why they choose to stay , Mariella Angela Santiago Leyson, Janica Bianca Gavina Alpapara, Leigh La Charlize Valconcha Cruz, and J Maria Johanna Lim Flores

An interpretative phenomenological analysis on the lived experiences of Filipino K-pop merchandise collectors , Larissa Faye V. Marquez, Julia Micah S. Pacquing, Cara Dominique D. Parayno, and Monica Louise C. Yap

A phenomenological study on imposter syndrome of pandemic college graduates , Enrique Luis L. Reyes, Joey T. Delfinado, Eiman Lander D. Hernandez, and Maria Leira S. Lopez

Sa'yo and boto ko, kapwa!: A qualitative study on the content of parasocial relationships in Philippine politics , Chloe Louise Chua Say, Sydney Margret Ong Cu, and Vicki Marie Virtudazo Punzalan

Understanding the link between socioeconomic status and belief in fake news: The mediating role of uncertainty avoidance , Jose Gabriel D. Vilar, Athena G. Marasigan, Emmanuel Serom K.. Narciso, and Liezel M. Clemente

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

The replication of the dual process model of Chinese-Filipino prejudice due to Covid-19 anxiety and competitiveness among Filipino college students , Carlo Miguel F. Caluag

The dual process model of Chinese-Filipino prejudice due to COVID-19 anxiety and competitiveness among Filipino young adults , Michele Kathleen G. Caseres, Nicole Liao Gan, and Dominic Matthew Espinosa Lim

Vaccine hesitancy of Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic , Naomi Diaz De Leon, Lorenzo Miguel Gangcuangco Garcia, Czarina Alexandra Torres Hilado, and Pelibert Torres Sanchez Jr

Exploring collegiate coaches perspective on coaching strategies and coaching-efficacy in handling women’s football team , Arantxa Steffi May B. Del Mundo

Grit and optimism as predictors of students’ psychological well-being during COVID-19 , Kaye Adriana C. Go, Maria Eloisa D.C. Escalante, Cydney Gabrielle S. Ko, and Jose Piolo A. Tolentino

The experiences of student-athletes undergoing online training during the pandemic , Andre Braden S. Magpantay, Adrianne Sachi O. Alviar, Jose Miguell U. Gran, and Chenelle Misha O. Tan

What are the factors that contribute to student engagement in synchronous and asynchronous online learning modalities? a qualitative descriptive study , Ina Katalina L. Nava, Maria Isabel D. Padilla, and Arianne Nina M. Arevalo

Social isolation as a predictor for depressive symptoms among college students: The moderating role of future orientation , Rad Jasper L. Ramos, Marga Ysabel B. Jimenez, Bernice Marie Therese P. Paraiso, and Geneve Edrielle J. Ramos

Lived experiences of primary caregivers of persons with disability during the Covid-19 pandemic , Divine P. Romero, Carmila S. Cadorna, Ella Grace L. Moulic, Caressha Faye A. Bernaldez, and Charmea Kingay Quelino

Filipinos facing adversity: Emotional invalidation as a mediator between the perceived optimism and personal resilience of college students , Camille Nicole Diomangay So Seng, Jaymee Beatriz Parducho Lara, and Angelica Chantalle Uy Beley

Telework stressors and job burnout: A study on the Influence of psychological capital , Brian Kyle Cruz Yatco, Thomas Villanueva Ignacio, Joshua Miguel Gonzales Continuado, and Mathew Dean Roque Agoncillo

Advanced Search

• Notify me via email or RSS
• Collections
• Disciplines
• Colleges and Units
• Submission Consent Form
• Animo Repository Policies
• Submit Research
• Animo Repository Guide
• AnimoSearch
• DLSU Libraries
• DLSU Website

Home | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement

Privacy Copyright

Advertisement

Supported by

In the Corporate World, Woke Is the Rage but Greed Is Still King

Three new books chronicle businesses where executive self-enrichment at the expense of workers — and sometimes the law — prevails.

• Share full article

By James B. Stewart

It’s been 14 years since Goldman Sachs was vilified as a “vampire squid” by Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone. “Organized greed always defeats disorganized democracy,” he concluded then.

Goldman has since experienced some hard times, tarred by scandal (the looting of a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund ) and forced to bail out of consumer banking. Big companies like Walt Disney are under attack not so much from the socialist left, but by conservatives for being too “woke.” Yet organized greed lives on, a seemingly intractable aspect of human nature, as three new business books make clear.

The age-old swing of the pendulum between greed, excess and regulation is the subject of TAMING THE OCTOPUS: The Long Battle for the Soul of the Corporation (Norton, 290 pp., $29.99), by Kyle Edward Williams, a history of efforts to temper capitalist excess through social responsibility, whether self-directed by corporations or imposed by regulators. Inevitably, greed and scandal breed regulation, which in turn provokes proponents of the free market to decry government overreach. Consider the Glass-Steagall Act, which separated commercial banking from more speculative investment banking during the Great Depression only to be relaxed by the Clinton administration more than six decades later. The cycle then begins anew.

In Williams’s telling, the free-marketers may engage in tactical retreats but always re-emerge, perhaps because they can fall back on the rigorous logic of economics, divorced from the messiness of the real world. Though nowhere near as widely known as Milton Friedman and George Stigler, his fellow free-market apostles, Henry G. Manne, a co-founder of the law and economics movement centered at the University of Chicago, emerges as an important figure in this swing of the pendulum. (Manne may be best remembered for his belief that insider trading should be legal, on the ground that it helps create a more efficient market — a purist’s view rejected by the courts, which continue to uphold convictions for the practice.) Manne died in 2015, but his protégés are many and influential, ready to pounce at the next sign of reform.

Williams, a historian and editor, offers a brisk and evenhanded overview of corporate regulation, tipping his hand only at the end, when he comes down on the Rolling Stone side of the divide. He isn’t the first — and surely won’t be the last — to conclude that “the corporate octopus is an institution incapable of being tamed.”

Like “Taming the Octopus,” BEHIND THE STARTUP: How Venture Capital Shapes Work, Innovation, and Inequality (University of California Press, 311 pp., paperback, $29.95), by Benjamin Shestakofsky, began life as a Ph.D. thesis, this one in sociology, with the premise that its author would go to work at a San Francisco start-up and then write about it, on condition that he not name the company or its employees. The start-up, which he calls AllDone, aims to be the Amazon of service providers, matching customers with mostly small, local businesses. (Pseudonym notwithstanding, it took me only a few minutes on Google to identify the company.)

Readers willing to wade through the book’s sometimes academic prose will find a real-life “The Office,” Silicon Valley version, alternately comical and poignant, with satellite operations in the Philippines and Las Vegas.

The San Francisco location is AllDone’s nerve center, filled with software engineers and highly educated tech bros (they are mostly men) who earn high pay and stock options and experiment at a head-spinning pace. Their “first guiding principle,” according to the company’s introductory email: “Play to win: We’re a professional sports team, not a family.”

That intensely competitive environment is in stark contrast to the nurturing “family” culture in the fast-growing Philippines hub, where human labor is cheaper than using artificial intelligence (even though it’s clear that A.I. will eventually render the local workers’ jobs — mainly devoted to information processing and customer support — obsolete).

To judge from the obsequious emails that Shestakofsky quotes, the mostly college-educated Asian employees — many toiling for $2.50 an hour in the middle of the night, owing to the time zone — are thrilled with their jobs, their co-workers and the kindness shown them by their San Francisco bosses. As one employee writes, “AllDone is such a blessing. I always thank God for it every morning. (Praying hands emoji.) AllDone is (heart emoji).”

Las Vegas was the base for the company’s call center, where contractors (nearly all women) fielded customer questions and complaints and, as in the Philippines, worked for low pay with no benefits. It appeared to be a tough job. As one supervisor commented, callers were “pissed off and they want someone to yell at.” She advised a rattled employee: “Deep breath in , deep breath out ! Go to your happy place!”

Despite efforts to foster the same warm familial feelings and gratitude as in the Philippines (and the AllDone president’s rather callous observation that “Las Vegas is the Philippines of America”), the Las Vegas workers “failed to meet performance objectives, violated managerial directives, squabbled with each other and openly expressed dissatisfaction with managers in San Francisco,” Shestakofsky observes. The Las Vegas operation was eventually shut down, its functions moved to Salt Lake City.

AllDone has emerged as a “unicorn”: a successful start-up now valued at more than $1 billion. Its founders and the company’s venture capitalist investors are enormously rich, at least on paper — unlike its work force. Many readers will no doubt find these discrepancies troubling, as does the sociologist in Shestakofsky. “Among the most glaring social problems associated with venture capitalism is its role in reproducing vast disparities in wealth,” he writes. “Venture capitalism is designed to further enrich the wealthiest among us.”

At the same time, AllDone does supply a useful service for millions of customers. And what about all those heartfelt messages from workers in the Philippines? Would they be better off had AllDone never existed?

THE WOLVES OF K STREET: The Secret History of How Big Money Took Over Big Government (Simon & Schuster, 612 pp., $34.99), by the journalists and brothers Brody and Luke Mullins, is less about how lobbying — now a $4 billion industry — shapes policy than about the machinations of its often colorful practitioners.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that an industry based on access, personal connections, influence and money would attract a rogues’ gallery of strivers and opportunists for whom conflicts of interest are cultivated rather than shunned.

These include Thomas Hale Boggs Jr. (a lobbying pioneer nicknamed “King of the Hill”); Tony Podesta ( investigated but never charged as part of the inquiry by the special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Donald Trump’s ties to Russia); Paul Manafort ( convicted of multiple felonies connected to his lobbying for Ukraine before being pardoned by Trump ); and Roger Stone (also convicted of felonies related to the Mueller investigation before Trump commuted his prison sentence ), as well as lesser-known names like Evan Morris and Jim Courtovich.

The Mullins brothers cleverly set up their story as a mystery: the 2015 death of Morris by gunshot near the 18th green at the exclusive Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, outside Washington, D.C., a $1,500 bottle of Bordeaux at his side. (The death was eventually ruled a suicide.)

Many of the tales they recount received extensive news coverage, but the authors bring them to life with considerable narrative skill and novelistic detail. Podesta, for example, was so obsessed with collecting expensive art that he stayed in Turin, Italy, for an art fair even as his once powerful lobbying firm imploded.

After reading about these lobbyists’ lavish spending, self-indulgence and outright frauds, their ensuing downfalls (in most cases) come as a not-so-guilty pleasure.

The Mullins brothers sought comment from Courtovich, who is still plying his trade on Capitol Hill despite brushes with scandal and repeated run-ins with the police at his South Carolina beach retreat. His written response consisted of profanities unprintable here.

James B. Stewart has been a reporter and business columnist for The Times since 2011, focusing on the human drama of the business world and the struggle for corporate power. More about James B. Stewart

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

As book bans have surged in Florida, the novelist Lauren Groff has opened a bookstore called The Lynx, a hub for author readings, book club gatherings and workshops , where banned titles are prominently displayed.

Eighteen books were recognized as winners or finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, in the categories of history, memoir, poetry, general nonfiction, fiction and biography, which had two winners. Here’s a full list of the winners .

Montreal is a city as appealing for its beauty as for its shadows. Here, t he novelist Mona Awad recommends books  that are “both dreamy and uncompromising.”

The complicated, generous life  of Paul Auster, who died on April 30 , yielded a body of work of staggering scope and variety .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .