Develop a research proposal Business Research Methods

 

Midterm Assignment • Teams are allowed, maximum three people per team. • Subject: Develop a research proposal • Students must choose a topic of their choice (marketing, sales, strategy, business, luxury, finance, etc.) and develop a research proposal.

Components:

1. Cover Page & Title (5%): Introduce your project with a clear and engaging title.

2. Introduction (10%): Briefly summarize your research topic. Aim to capture the reader’s interest and highlight the project’s significance.

3. Research Questions & Objectives (15%): Formulate 2-3 clear, measurable, and achievable research questions that directly guide your investigation. Clearly outline the research methodology and methods you would employ to answer the research question.

4. Literature Review (50%): Demonstrate your understanding of the existing knowledge on your topic. Conduct a critical and comprehensive review of relevant academic and industry sources. Integrate, analyze, and synthesize key findings, identifying any gaps in research and how your research will fill them. Ensure proper citation formatting and reference at least 5 primary sources.

5. Method for literature review (20%): Highlight which combinations of key words did you use to find the list of articles and how did you finalize the list of articles that comprised of the literature review from the initial searches.

Formalities:

• Wordcount: 1.500 – 2.000 words • Font: Arial 11 pts. • Text alignment: Justified. • The in-text References and the Bibliography must be in Harvard’s citation style.

 

 

• The document must be presented with the usual sections of an academic work must appear:Table of contents, introduction, the main body of the work (where the literature review will be written), methodology (where you will specify your research methodology and methods), as well as references.

Submission: Week 7, by Sunday 17th March, 23:59 h – Via Moodle (Turnitin).

Weight: This task is a 40% of your total grade for this subject.

It assesses the following learning outcomes:

• ILO 1: Outcome 1: Appreciate the relevance of business research in managerial decision making.

• ILO 2: Demonstrate the ability to choose research methods appropriate to the research aims and research questions/hypothesis based upon appropriate philosophies of research.

• ILO 3: Apply research-based theories and specific communication skills to construct a research-based project that fulfils specific requirements.

Please, see the rubrics below

Rubrics

Learning Descriptors

Fail Below 60% Marginal Fail 60-69%

Fair 70-79 % Good 80-89% Exceptional 90-100%

Content

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDI NG

40%

Content is unclear,

inaccurateand/or

incomplete. Brief

andirrelevant.

Descriptive.

Onlypersonal views

offered.

Unsubstantiated and

does notsupport the

purpose, argumentor

goals of the project.

Readergains no

insight through

thecontent of the

project.

Limited content that

does notreally

support the purpose

of thereport. Very

poor coverage.

Displays only

rudimentaryknowledg

e of the content

area.Reader gains

few if any insights

Presents some

information

thatadequately

supports the

centralpurpose,

arguments, goals,

orresearch questions

of theproject.

Although parts

missing, it

demonstrates a level

of partially proficient

knowledge of the

content area. Reader

gains some insights.

Presents clear and

appropriateinformatio

n that

adequatelysupports

the central

purpose,arguments,

goals or

researchquestions of

the project.

Demonstrates

satisfactoryknowledg

e of the content

area.Reader gains

proficient insights.

Presents balanced,

significantand valid

information that

clearly and

convincingly supports

the central purpose,

arguments, research

questions or goals of

the project.

Demonstrates

in-depth and

specialised

knowledge of

thecontent area. The

reader gains

important insights

 

 

Organization

COMMUNICATI ON

10%

Information/content is

notlogically organized

or

presented.Topics/par

agraphs are

frequentlydisjointed

and fail to make

sensetogether.

Reader cannot

identifya line of

reasoning and

losesinterest.

Information/content is

not, attimes, logically

organized

orpresented.

Topics/paragraphs

are frequently

disjointed

whichmakes the

content hard to

follow.The reader

finds it hard

tounderstand the flow

of thereport.

Information/content

ispresented in a

reasonable

sequence.

Topic/paragraph

transition isunclear in

places with linkages

for the most part.

Reader cangenerally

understand and

follow the line of

reasoning, although

work needed to be

proficiently organized.

Information/content is

presentedin a clear

and

understandableseque

nce.

Topic/paragraphtransi

tion is good with

clearlinkages

between sections

andarguments.

Reader

canunderstand and

follow the line

ofreasoning.

Information/content is

presentedin a logical,

interesting and

effective sequence.

Topics andarguments

flow smoothly

andcoherently from

one to another and

are clearly linked.

Reader can easily

follow theline of

reasoning and

enjoyedreading the

report.

Use of References

COMMUNICATI ON

10%

Little or no evidence

of referencesources

in the report. Content

not supported and

based

onunsubstantiated

views.

Most references are

fromsources that are

not peer-reviewed or

professional,

andhave uncertain

reliability. Few ifany

appropriate citations

areprovided. Reader

doubts thevalidity of

much of the material.

Professionally

legitimatereferences

are generally used.

Fair citations are

presented in most

cases. Some of

theinformation/content

/evidencecomes from

sources that

arereliable, but more

academicsources

needed to be

convincing.

Professionally and

academicallylegitimat

e references are

used.Clear and

accurate citations

arepresented in most

cases. Themajority of

theinformation/conten

t/evidencecomes

from sources that

arereliable.

Presents compelling

evidence from

professionally and

academically

legitimate

sources.Attribution is

clear and accurate.

References are 75%

from primarily

peer-reviewedprofessi

onal journals or

otherapproved

sources.

Analytical / Critical Thinking Skills

CRITICAL THINKING

40%

Research problem,

concept oridea is not

clearly articulated,

orits component

elements are

notidentified or

described.

Researchinformation

is poorly

organized,categorized

and/or not examined;

research information

is ofteninaccurate or

incomplete.Presents

little if any analysis

orinterpretation;

inaccuratelyand/or

inappropriately

appliesresearch

methods,

techniques,models,

frameworks

and/ortheories to the

analysis. Presentsfew

solutions or

conclusions;solutions

or conclusions are

oftennot well

supported,

areinaccurate and/or

inconsistent,and are

Research problem,

concept oridea is not

clearly articulated

attimes and

confusing.

Researchinformation

is badly

organized,categorize

d, and/or

onlysuperficially

examined;

researchinformation

is often

incomplete.Presents

limited analysis

orinterpretation;

inaccuratelyand/or

inappropriately

appliesresearch

methods,

techniques,models,

frameworks

and/ortheories to the

analysis.

Presentssome

solutions or

conclusionsbut they

are often not

wellsupported, or

logical.

Adequately identifies

anddescribes (or

sketches out) the

research problem,

concept or idea and

its components.

Gathers and

examines information

relating to the

research problem,

concept or idea;

presents and

appraises research

information with some

minor

inconsistencies,irrele

vancies or omissions.

Generally applies

appropriate research

methods, techniques,

models, frameworks

and/or theories

although

withinaccuracies.

Outlines solutions or

conclusions that are

somewhatlogical and

consistent with

theanalysis and

evidence;

identifiesand/or lists

Formulates a clear

description ofthe

research problem,

concept oridea, and

specifies

majorelements to be

examined.

Selectsinformation

appropriate

toaddressing the

research

problem,concept or

idea; accurately

andappropriately

analyses

andinterprets relevant

researchinformation.

Effectively

appliesappropriate

research

methods,techniques,

models,

frameworksand/or

theories in developing

and justifying multiple

solutions or

conclusions; solutions

orconclusions are

coherent,

wellsupported and

complete.

Effectively formulates

a cleardescription of

the research problem,

concept or idea, and

specifies major

elements to

beexamined. Selects

and

prioritizesinformation

appropriate

toaddressing the

research

problem,concept, or

idea; accurately

andappropriately

analyzes

andinterprets relevant

research information.

Precisely and

effectively

appliesappropriate

research

methods,employs

advanced skills to

conduct research.

Uses techniques,

models, frameworks

and/or theories in

developing and

justifying multiple

solutions

 

 

presented in a vague

orrudimentary

manner.

solutions

orconclusions

although not always

clearly.

orconclusions;

solutions

orconclusions are

insightful, coherent,

well supported,

logically consistent

and complete.

Displays a mastery

ofcomplex and

specialized areas.