This book helps students with the initial phases of their business research project, offering a clear step-by-step approach from defining aims and research questions through to conducting literature reviews and writing a methodology.
Features to aid learning include chapter objectives, plentiful real-life examples to demonstrate good practice, exercises to apply the concepts and further reading for proactive investigation.
A self-contained guide to every stage of writing an effective business research proposal, this text should be recommended reading for all advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying Business Research Methods and embarking on a research project of their own.
Author(s): Peter Samuels
Series: Routledge Focus on Business and Management
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 135
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Series
Title
Copyright
Contents
Preface
Why this book?
A bear eating fish
Who is this book written for?
What is unique about this book?
Who is the author?
Acknowledgements
Reference
Introduction
Context
What is a proposal?
Why write a proposal?
What makes a good proposal?
Added benefits
Types of dissertation
Outline of the rest of this book
References
Part One Selecting and presenting your topic
1 Selecting your topic
Introduction
The creative process
The importance of data
Other topic selection strategies
Qualities of a good topic
A final word
References
2 Writing your front matter
Introduction
Writing your title
Writing your aim
Writing your objectives
Writing your research questions
Exercises
Part Two Academic writing
3 Structuring your proposal
Introduction
Essential and optional elements of a proposal
Using section numbering
4 Academic writing style
Introduction: busting a common myth
Use the third person, passive voice
Some dos and don’ts
Avoiding subjective writing
Use hedging
Reference
5 Using evidence
Introduction
Backing up specific claims
Avoiding plagiarism
Quoting
Summarising
Reference
6 Paragraph writing
Introduction
Definition
Length
Structure
Using transitional words
Examples
7 Argumentation
Introduction
Two styles
Examples
Argument planning
Example
Exercise
Reference
Part Three Writing the rest of your proposal
8 Writing the rest of your introduction
Introduction
Writing your background
Example
Writing your problem statement
Example
Additional parts
Example
9 Literature reviews
Introduction
General principles
Obtaining evidence
Deciding on your themes
Including theory
Including critical analysis
Concluding your review
Exercise
References
10 Conceptual frameworks
Introduction
General advice
Examples
Exercise
References
11 Writing your methodology/method section
Introduction: why the name confusion?
Purpose and argumentation style
Structure
Philosophy
Approach
Strategy
Data collection
Validity, reliability and hypotheses
Data analysis
Ethics
Limitations
Common mistakes
Evaluating methodology/method sections: DECJAD
Exercise
References
12 Producing a schedule
Gantt charts
Research phases
Accompanying narrative
Exercise
13 Referencing
Introduction
Citing
Tables and figures
Reference lists
References
Part Four Beyond your proposal
Introduction
14 Time and stress management
Time management
Stress management
References
15 Your supervisory relationship
Introduction
Have correct expectations
Preparing for supervisions
Learn to be assertive
Tips for a successful relationship
References
16 Next steps in your research
Introduction
Responding to your proposal feedback
Drafting your introduction chapter
Doing and drafting your full literature review
Drafting your methodology/method chapter
Requesting ethics approval
Designing your data collection instrument
Bibliography
Index
