Business Project in Theory

Lecture 5:
Planning a research proposal
 Learning Objectives
After the sessions you will be able to:

• Plan and develop time management

• Generate appropriate research questions for business research
• Write a proposal
• Able to evaluate a range of strategies to help you to gain access
to (organisations/individual) participants
• Aware of the importance of research ethics
• Aware of the expectations and requirements of a good proposal
 What is a research proposal?
A research proposal is a document that sets out the research design
for a proposed study.
• It explains what is already known about the business issue that you
have selected using a literature review and defines the purpose of
your business project and the main (preliminary) research
question(s).
• The research proposal also outlines the methodology (including a
justification for the methods you are planning to use to select a
sample and to collect and analyse the data), the scope of the
research, and any limitations and challenges that you see.
• It is beneficial to include a timetable in the proposal and elaborate
on the intended contributions of the business project.
The structure of research proposal

Structure Content % mark

Introduction The business issue and the aim of the study, background 300 words
and the importance of the study, structure of the 15%
proposal

Literature review Evaluation of key literature, theoretical framework (if 800 words
applicable), identification of gap/s in the literature, 40%
research questions

Methodology Identification of research paradigm, justifications of 800 words

methodology, scope of research, limitations of research 40%
designs, considerations of research ethics

Conclusion and Theoretical contribution and practical implication, 100 words

timetable Identification of the key processes to complete the 5%
research proposal (what and when)

References UWE Harvard Referencing Guidelines, alphabetical order, Exclude from

Ethics Form (if primary data collection is conducted) word length
 Key things to remember…
• Keep it focus
• Don’t try to cover too much
Always refer to your scope/aims/objective/research questions
• The cardinal virtue is patience
• Planning is crucial
• Practice, practice practice
It is impossible to get right in the first draft
Writing a research proposal is an iterative process

The sooner you start the better!

 Managing time and resources
All research is constrained by time and resources. There is no point in working on
research questions and plans that cannot be delivered because of time pressure or cost.

• Create your own weekly timetable for you to work on your proposal.
Look at the Gantt Chart at the end of the slides
• Set yourself clear deadlines and stick to them.
• Work on the proposal every week.
• Attend classes every week to ask questions in the class, discuss
your progress, and deal with any problems that arise.
• Find out resources available to carry out your research
 During the planning…
1. Find a specific focus: When you first identify a topic, you will find
that your mind goes off in all directions. That’s entirely natural and is
initially helpful, but, once you are embarked on your project, you
need to aim for a clear-cut sense of direction. In a single, time-
limited project, you can’t cover all aspects of everything. Keep the
focus tight. Don’t let it drift. Get a clear idea of where the evidence is
leading you.

2. Ask a good question: One of the best ways of achieving a specific

focus is to ask a good question. In scientific research, you should
organize things so that you get to the starting block with ‘a good
question’ clearly in your mind; in a reflective or exploratory study, the
‘good question’ that you start with may evolve and take on a
different shape in the course of your project.
Davies and Hughes (2014), p. 14
 Tasks to complete
Introduction and literature review: October/November 2022
• Clarify the research aims and objectives
• Search for relevant literature
• Review the key literature
• Develop the research question/s
• Conduct a more extensive review of relevant literature
• Write the introduction and literature review sections
• Refine the research question.

Research design: November/December 2022

• Consider research methods (primary data / secondary data)
• Identify access to recruit participants (primary data)
• Consider ethical issues
• Writing the methodology section of the research proposal
• Develop a reference list for the research proposal
• Proofread and finalise the research proposal
Assignment

Assessment: Research Proposal 2000 words

Submission deadline: 18/12/2023
 Research aims and objectives
Research aims and objectives should also be S.M.A.R.T.

Specific – be precise about what you are going to do.

Measurable – you will know when you have reached your goal.

Achievable – Don’t attempt too much – a less ambitious but completed

objective is better than an over-ambitious one that you cannot possibly
achieve.

Realistic – do you have the necessary resources to achieve the objective?

Time-constrained – determine when each stage needs to be completed.

Introduction (300 words)

• What is the provisional title of your research proposal?

• Provide a brief introduction to the area of study and why this
particular topic is important and needs further investigation.
• Some important questions to guide your introduction include:
o Who has an interest in the topic (e.g., academics,
practitioners, policymakers)?
o Why is this proposed research project worth doing?
o Why is this proposed research project interesting?

• What is the structure of your research proposal?

Introduction (300 words)

• What is the provisional title of your research proposal?

• Provide a brief introduction to the area of study and why this
particular topic is important and needs further investigation.
• Some important questions to guide your introduction include:
o Who has an interest in the topic (e.g., academics,
practitioners, policymakers)?
o Why is this proposed research project worth doing?
o Why is this proposed research project interesting?

• What is the structure of your research proposal?

Literature review (800 words)
It’s important to show that you’re familiar with the key literature
on your topic. This is to convince readers that your business
research proposal has a solid foundation in existing knowledge.
More importantly, it shows that you’re not simply repeating what
other people have already done or said.

Evaluation of key items in the literature

• How much is already known about the topic?
• Compare and contrast: what are the main theories, methods,
and debates, and are there any conflicting theories?
• Be critical: what are the strengths and weaknesses of different
approaches that have been used to research this topic?
Literature review (800 words)
Where does your proposed research fit in and the main research
question(s)?

• Show how your proposed research fits in: how will you build
on, challenge, or synthesize the work of others?
• What is missing from current knowledge?
• What new insights will your proposed research contribute?
• What is your proposed research question?
• Theoretical framework (if applicable)
• Conceptual framework (if applicable)
Methodology (800 words)
Identification of paradigm
o Positivist or Interpretivist?
̶ Why have you made this choice?
̶ Reference to support your choice.

Scope of the proposed research

o Who or what will you study?
̶ Why have you made this choice?
̶ Reference to support your choice.
Methodology (800 words)
Justification for choice of methodology and methods

o Will you do Qualitative or Quantitative Research? Why?

o Will you use Primary Data, Secondary Data, or both? Why?
o When and where will you collect your data? Why?
o How will you collect your data?
̶ Why is this the best way to collect your data?
o What is your research population?
o How will you gain access to your research population?
o How will you analyse your data?
̶ Why did you make this choice?

Provide references (literature) to support each choice

Methodology (800 words)
• Limitations of the proposed research design and
constraints relating to costs and other resources
o What are the limitations of the choices you have made?
o How much time will it take to complete your proposed
research?

• Consideration of ethical issues

o What are the ethical issues around your chosen data
collection methods?

Provide references (literature) to support each choice

Example of Gantt Chart
 References
• Every section of your research proposal must be fully referenced
including your Methodology Section.
• All sources cited in your research proposal must be included in a
final reference list.
• This list must be in the UWE Bristol Harvard format
Reading

• Bryman A. and Bell E. (2015) Business Research

Methods. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
o Please read again Chapter 4, pp. 80-98.
Attendance code: