The Experience Economy in Hospitality and Tourism: The Value of Gains and Losses in Services and Experiences

22 August 2019 MBA

FINAL PROJECT

BRIEFING

What is Research?

➢ Research is a way of thinking: ➢ Critically examine the various aspects of your day to

day professional work;

➢ Understanding and formulating guiding principles that

govern a particular procedure;

➢ Developing and testing new theories that contribute to

the advancement of your practice and profession.

➢ Are there things you need to know or do in your organisation?

If yes, ask the right questions.

What is ‘not’ Research?

➢ Just collecting facts or information with no clear purpose.

➢ Reassembling and reordering facts or information without interpretation.

What is Research then?

➢ Something that people (Researchers/scientists)

undertake in order to find things out in a systematic way, there by increasing their knowledge’ (Saunders

et al. (2009).

What does ‘systemically’ and ‘to find out ’ suggest?

➢ Systematic suggests that research is based on

logical relationships and not just beliefs. Rainfall

and election win !!

➢ To find out things suggests multiplicity of possible

purposes of research e.g. ➢ describing,

➢ explaining,

➢ understanding,

➢ criticizing, and

➢ analyzing

Blacklisted Journals

● Academic Journals

● Eurojournal

● CG Publishing

● African World Press

Project Registration

● Final Project registration with condition that the candidate has passed 12 CH

including BRM7174 (VBRM7814, VBRM7824, VBRM7834)

● Identify supervisor, https://mmuexpert.mmu.edu.my/fom

● Project registration documents

○ MBA Final Project Registration Form

○ A copy of the online result

○ Proposal (1 Page Abstract – 300 words)

Project Report Preparation

● Give sufficient time for supervisor to check your final report.

● Refer to Guidelines for MBA Final Project (Available in Google Classroom)

● Word limit: The recommended minimum word limit for project is 15,000.

Final Title of the Project ▪ To be decided at the time of registration.

▪ When necessary, submit the finalised title for approval by the Board of

Postgraduate Studies (BOP) at least 2 months before the final project submission.

▪ Things to take note on deciding title:

➢ Avoid abbreviations, e.g. SMEs → Small Medium Enterprises

➢ Should not start with ‘A’ or ‘The’.

➢ Titles containing ‘… in Malaysia/China/<country name>’ are usually not

recommended.

➢ Avoid including independent variable in title in case if IV changed at the end, should

emphasize on dependent variable

➢ Maximum 80 characters including spaces.

➢ Provide short title if the main title exceeds the 80 characters limit.

Project Report Evaluation

1. Research problem 10 %

2. Research objectives 15 %

3. Literature review 15 %

4. Methodology 15 %

5. Analysis & Finding 15 %

6. Conclusion & Recommendation 10 %

7. Originality 10 %

8. Presentation of the report 10 %

Total 100 %

Important Dates for Project

Registration Appeal for Title

Change

Submission of

Final Report

30 Jan 2023 – 5 Feb 2023 June 2023 1 – 15 Aug 2023

● If you need to apply for a Change of Project Title, you must submit the

following:

○ Change of Project Title Form

○ Copy of Project Approval Letter

○ Copy of Latest Abstract

● The project need to go for the proofread before submission. If you have no

one in mind for that service, you may contact faculty through Madam

Rahayu.

● If you are unable to submit your project report on time, you may apply for

extension of project submission by emailing to Ms. Rahayu (rahayu-

[email protected]) and c.c to Ms. Shehah ([email protected])

before your candidature expired.

➢ Extension requires first 3 chapters to be ready. Extension is only allowed

to complete the chapter 4 and 5.

● If your candidature expired and yet to submit your Project report, then you

may need to apply for candidature extension only proceed to extension of

project submission.

Project Submission Checklist:

Submission via Email

● Softcopy of BOP Approval of Title Letter

● Softcopy of Completed MBA Project submission form

• English checking to be digitally signed and verified by Proofreader

(Grammarly not accepted)

• Supervisor to digitally signed and verify in the submission form

• Softcopy of Turnitin Similiarity Index Report for each chapter

● Softcopy of Online results

● Softcopy of Thesis in PDF format and MS Word File

Hardcopy Submission

● 3 hard cover (Bachrom type) bound copies of thesis

Important Considerations

1. Discuss your proposal with supervisor. Give utmost importance to the research objectives, issues related to data collection/availability and the methodology to be adopted.

● Try to make use of the research proposal you develop during the subject of Research Methods & Data Analysis, then refine from there with supervisor

● Say want to compare vaccination status in Malaysia and Singapore → will you be able to collect survey data among Singapore people or Singapore government? If No, don’t proceed. If data is collected from database like IMF, World bank for FDI, then can proceed.

2. Maintain frequent contact with your supervisor and update your progress.

3. Do not be over ambitious about your project.

● Remember that Final Project is a mini research project

● The project is not limited to a research project, provided it demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the relevant subject area.

● Try to use simple methodology learned like, hypothesis testing comparing two groups (like female vs male; Singapore vs Malaysia if can get data from secondary sources) OR multiple linear regression

4. Avoid plagiarism. It is a crime!

Example Gantt Chart

● If you are adopting the research proposal developed in Research Methodology

Class (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

Stage Timeline

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Chapter 3: Methodology (including Designing

questionnaire)

First 2 months to

finalize

Data Collection 3rd month

Data Analysis 4th month

Discussion of findings & completion of thesis

write-up & Proofread

5th & 6th month

Example Gantt Chart

● If you are starting from scratch for your proposal

Stage Timeline

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Chapter 3: Methodology (including Designing

questionnaire)

First 3 months to

finalize

Data Collection 4th month

Data Analysis 5th month

Discussion of findings & completion of thesis

write-up & Proofread

6th month