Postgraduate Business Research Methods

Introduction and Background - Chapter 1

Research Rationale, Aim and Objectives
a) Introduction and project rationale - explain what your research project will explore and why it is important.
b) Demonstrates understanding of context, audience, and purpose.
c) Project Aim (s) - what are you trying to achieve with your project?
d) Project Objectives - what are your project research objectives (1 - 4/5). You need to explain why these are valid.

Literature Review - Chapter 2

Choose an appropriate theory according to your research aim and explain the importance.

This section explains how the literature shaped and influenced your study. You should discuss how you propose to deal with any conflicting issues raised by the literature.

• Select and critically analyse published theory and research which is relevant to your topic.
• You must cite academic sources to support your discussion.
• Use headings and subheadings to structure your discussion.

Hint: Use your research objectives to create headers and then insert your findings from your literature research after each research objective.

For example,

Introduction
Introduction to this chapter content.

Theory
Identify the theory used in this study and why its relevant.

Research objective 1
Your research findings for research objective 1 from literature.

Research objective 2
Your research findings for research objective 2 from literature.

Research objective 3
Your research findings for research objective 3 from literature.

Research objective 4
Your research findings for research objective 4 from literature.

Research Design and Methodology -Chapter 3

Paradigm
Explain the Paradigm and explain why you choose appropriate paradigm.

Sampling
Explain how you choose your participants (sampling).

Tools and Data requirements
Based upon your research questions, describe what methods will you use.
Outline of key research methodologies you plan to use to help you to access the information. Could be Qualitative, Qualitative, secondary and/or primary data/information sources (questionnaire, interview, statistical reports or recorded interviews).

Data collection process
• Explain how you will collect data you selected above.
• Explain how you have structured your questioning - focus groups, questionnaires etc
• How do you plan to deliver the survey e.g. personal, online survey (see Surveymonkey), email, etc?
• NOTE: this needs to be explicitly linked to your research objectives.

Ethics in Business Research
Describe the ethical implications of your study. Discuss consideration of ethical elements of the data primary or secondary, and make sure ethical concerns within aims and objectives are addressed properly.

For primary you will need to describe the ethical issues, including (a) consent form, (b) participants information form.

Data Analysis technique - Chapter 4
Discuss analytical process based on proposed aims and objectives, choose appropriate analysis technique based on your research design and explain how it will implement.
• Presentation of data analysis techniques.
• Consideration of means for achieving or presenting conclusions to the aims and objectives.
• Understanding of analytical process based on proposed aims and objectives.

Presentation within report and Dissertation schedule
• Presentation of an excellent standard within the report: report structure (title page, contents page, page numbers, chapters structured using MS WORD Headers.
• No grammatical and spelling errors appropriately cited and referenced, good reference list at bottom of the document.
• Dissertation schedule presented with excellent understanding.