Since its introduction as a master thesis topic for Marketing students at Rotterdam School of Management in 2016, NudgeLab has blossomed into a transformative educational platform. With 75 students completing their master thesis under this topic, NudgeLab has ignited a profound interest in behavior change and sustainability. As demand consistently outpaces capacity, the platform now explores ways to scale up and accommodate more students. This article explores the evolution of NudgeLAB, the diverse thesis topics that have emerged, and the various fieldwork approaches employed to study behavior change.
Thesis Topics: A Passion for Change
Within NudgeLAB, students are encouraged to design their own thesis topics, provided they meet three criteria. Firstly, the topic must revolve around behavior change, an underlying principle of NudgeLAB’s mission. Secondly, students must conduct experiments to test the effectiveness of their nudging strategies in altering consumer behavior. Lastly, the platform emphasizes selecting a topic that genuinely ignites the students’ passion and commitment. As a result, NudgeLAB has witnessed a notable focus on health and sustainability, with students pursuing topics that seek to foster positive change for themselves, fellow human beings, and the planet.
Figure 1 Categories of thesis topics 2016-2023, in number of theses and % of total
The thesis topics span across various categories, with food and nutrition (30 theses) and fashion (18 theses) standing as the most prominent themes. Within the ‘consumer electronics’ category (6 theses), many projects center on hearing care, conducted in partnership with WS Audiology, the author’s employer from 2018 to 2023. The “Donation and Charitable Giving” category, though multifaceted, reflects students’ endeavors to support charitable causes like Ronald McDonald House and the Dutch Food Bank, along with initiatives to assist artists through platforms like Patreon.
Topics of Healthy Nutrition
A closer look at the topics within the Food & Nutrition and Fashion categories reveals a fervent emphasis on healthy nutrition and sustainable fashion choices. Students in the Food & Nutrition category explored ways to discourage meat and dairy consumption (6 and 3 theses) and promote the consumption of organic and seasonal fruits and vegetables (3 theses).
Figure 2 Thesis topics in Food & Nutrition, in # and % of theses
Topics of Sustainable Fashion
Fashion topics displayed a broader spectrum of creativity and innovation. The students delved into effective label strategies directing consumers towards sustainable options, such as eco-friendly brands and fabrics, fair labor conditions, and a commitment to eliminating child labor. Additionally, they explored concepts like integrating new and preowned fashion items in mixed store concepts and promoting alternative collection and delivery options to mitigate the ecological impact of fast fashion.
Figure 3 Thesis topics in Fashion, in # and % of theses
NudgePoints: Inspiring Positive Behavior on the Fly
NudgePoints, the critical touchpoints in a consumer’s decision journey, are fundamental to NudgeLAB’s approach. These moments, such as weekly grocery shopping or browsing for a new outfit downtown, provide ideal opportunities to engage with consumers and encourage positive behavior change.
Touchpoints of Food & Nutrition
In the food and nutrition domain, NudgeLAB predominantly focused on supermarkets, with a particular interest in exploring online replicas of these stores. While the virtual representations offered valuable insights into food choices, they fall short in capturing factors like traffic and floor plan effects. In contrast, restaurants, bars, and online food ordering platforms presented intriguing prospects for understanding how nudges can influence healthier and more sustainable choices in out-of-home settings. The menu flows and structures of these platforms proved invaluable in inspiring healthier and planet-friendly alternatives, influencing the consumption of meat and common dairy products.
Figure 4 NudgePoints in Food & Nutrition, in # and %
Touchpoints of sustainable fashion
In the realm of Fashion, students honed their focus on Online Fashion retailers like Zalando, epitomizing the fast fashion culture. The primary objectives were persuading retailers to offer an extensive array of visibly sustainable alternatives and encouraging consumers to adopt more responsible fashion habits, encompassing purchase quantities, sizes, and delivery preferences.
Figure 5 NudgePoints in Fashion, in # and % of theses
Fieldwork Approach
NudgeLAB projects employ three distinct fieldwork approaches, each designed to gather data on consumer decision-making and the impact of nudges at NudgePoints: experimental webstores, field experiments, and surveys.
Surveys served to replicate behavior at the point of sale, either statically or dynamically. Static surveys measured behavior change at a single point of sale, while dynamic surveys spanned across multiple touchpoints, gauging the impact of the flow on purchase behavior. Qualtrics survey software was the platform of choice, facilitating the efficient conduct of these surveys.
Figure 6 Fieldwork approaches, in # and % of theses
Experimental webstores engaged students in creating their webstores, replicating point-of-sale scenarios to measure behavior change in response to nudging strategies. NudgeLAB’s own server infrastructure, powered by commercially popular platforms like WordPress and WooCommerce, facilitated these experiments. Although most students had no prior experience building webstores, they were typically able to set up their online platforms within two weeks. Recent trends showcased students venturing beyond single platforms, exploring traffic across various online platforms to gain broader insights into the consumer journey.
Field experiments involved students implementing alterations to the interior design or layout of actual brick and mortar stores or food establishments to observe their impact on consumer decision-making. This approach demanded significant commitment from both the location management and the students. Managing field experiments proved challenging, with data control and retrieval presenting additional complexities. For instance, one student investigated the effect of nudges on waste separation, requiring strict adherence to health and safety measures due to the hazards associated with waste disposal. Other students explored altering traffic flow at counters or shelves, but this posed potential challenges concerning labor conditions and commercial performance. The Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdowns limited the number of field experiments conducted.
The future of NudgeLAB in Education
NudgeLAB in Education has emerged as an empowering platform for studying behavior change and fostering sustainability. With its commitment to passion-driven research and innovation, NudgeLAB continues to inspire students to create positive impacts on themselves, society, and the environment. As the demand for NudgeLAB experiences steady growth, the platform seeks to expand its capacity and accommodate more students on this transformative journey of discovery and impact.