Master's dissertation

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BIRMINGHAM CITY BUSINESS SCHOOL UNDERGRADUATE/ POSTGRADUATE DEGREES COURSEWORK FRONT SHEET

MODULE TITLE: Major Project Options 1 & 2 (Dissertation)

MODULE CODE: BUS7048

LECTURER: Dr Peter Samuels

ISSUE DATE: September 2018

HAND IN DATE: Research Topic: Monday 8th April 2019

Research Proposal (25%): 12:00Noon Wednesday 3rd July 2019

Dissertation/Report (75%): 12:00Noon Friday 20th September 2019

(Resit date to be confirmed)

HAND BACK DATE: 20 working days from the date of submission.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria specific to this assignment: Learning outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

1. Identify, determine and justify a disciplinary-relevant project, including its aims, scopes and objectives.

2. Self-manage research, including managing the supervisory process and reflecting critically on the work undertaken to identify improvements in research and project practice

3. Understand how to identify and synthesise the relevant conceptual theory and methodological techniques from the programme pathway, using a range of sources and data, applying them to a particular topic, case or organisation.

4. Professionally present the analysis of the data and the results of the project, including drawing appropriate conclusions and providing recommendations and guidance for managerial judgements and decision making in the chosen discipline or pathway.

Assessment Criteria:

Assessment criteria are specified in the assessment brief marking scheme depending on the option chosen.

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BIRMINGHAM CITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

BUS7048

MSc Management programme

Dissertation Assessment Brief for Options 1 & 2 September 2019 submission

Module Coordinator: Dr Peter Samuels e-mail: [email protected] Phone: 0121 331 6962 Room: C242

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MSc Management Dissertation Guide

1. The Aim of the Dissertation

The aim of the dissertation is to provide you with an opportunity to further your intellectual and personal development in your chosen pathway by undertaking a significant practical unit of activity, having an educational value, and at a level commensurate with the award of an MSc degree. The dissertation is one element of your degree where you have the freedom to select what to study or investigate in your chosen pathway. Because of this, it can be one of the most valuable learning experiences you could ever go through. Most students, for instance, have used the dissertation not only to develop a detailed study of a topic that interests them, but also to learn about themselves and to produce a dissertation which fully demonstrates their intellectual and personal capabilities.

A subsidiary benefit of the dissertation is that it provides tangible evidence of your abilities and can be shown to prospective employers to lend further support to your job application. Option 1 and Option 2

The key difference between Option 1 and 2 is the justification and use of primary AND/OR secondary data:

Option 1 consists of a management dissertation which includes a relevant literature review, primary research, analysis and conclusions, and reflective analysis. Option 2 consists of a management dissertation which includes a relevant literature review, secondary research ONLY and analysis and conclusions which offer an insightful contribution to the topic area, and reflective analysis.

Module Components

The Module is assessed using two weighted components:

(1) The Research Proposal (25%): Deadline Wednesday 3rd July 2019 at 12:00Noon

(2) Dissertation(Report) (75%): Deadline Friday 20th September 2019 at 12:00Noon

2. The Nature of the Dissertation Module The dissertation can be defined as a scholarly inquiry into a problem or issue, involving a systematic approach to the gathering and analysis of information/data, leading to the production of a structured report. The following characteristics are common to most dissertations, and indicate how dissertations differ from coursework Choice of topic

It is usual to give you some discretion in the choice of topic for the dissertation and in the approach to be adopted. You will need to ensure that your dissertation is related to your chosen pathway.

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Independence

Choice requires you to act with independence and initiative, making decisions and carrying out the research work for an extended period of time, albeit, under the guidance of a dissertation supervisor. Unpredictability

Neither you nor the dissertation tutor knows all the relevant inputs and problems, and the outcome is not predetermined. There is no ‘approved answer’, it is your task to produce an answer of your own that demands approval by its marshalling of evidence and the logic of its argument. These three aspects – choice, independence and unpredictability can mean that dissertations are on the one hand more rewarding, but on the other more demanding, than normal coursework. Integration

This is the fourth factor. Dissertations often require you to integrate a variety of knowledge and skills when tackling a problem, and to carry through a sequence of stages. This is true even when dissertations are very specialised in subject matter. In general, how you set about the dissertation and what you learn in the process are as important as the result you achieve. You can sometimes learn more about an approach when things go wrong than when everything goes according to plan, and provided you can point to the lessons you have learned, you will still get good marks. Planning your Dissertation

This will entail the following:

 Selecting a topic for investigation and this is covered in the MAN7057 Research Practice module and in this guide.

 Establishing the precise focus of your study by deciding on the aims and objectives of the dissertation, or formulating questions to be investigated. Consider very carefully what is worth investigating and whether it is feasible.

 Drawing up an initial dissertation outline in line with the aims and objectives of the dissertation.

 Devising a timetable to ensure that all stages, including writing of the dissertation will be completed on time. The timetable should include provision for regular contact with your dissertation supervisor.

3. The Dissertation Topic Deciding this is often the most difficult part of the dissertation process, and perhaps, you have been thinking of a topic for some time.

It is important to distinguish here between ‘dissertation topic’ and ‘dissertation title’. The topic is the specific area that you wish to investigate. The title may not be decided upon until after the dissertation has been written so as to properly reflect its content.

Some restrictions are placed on the choice of the topic. We would expect it to be:

 Relevant to business, defined broadly

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 Related to your pathway (e.g. Finance, Marketing or International Business)

 Clearly focused so as to facilitate an in-depth approach, subject to the availability of adequate sources and to your own knowledge;

 Of value and interest to you and your personal development. In addition, students must choose a topic that is aligned with their chosen subject pathway. For example: MSc Management and Marketing students must chose a marketing topic; MSc Management and International Business must choose a relevant topic related to International Business; and MSc Management and Finance must choose a Finance-related topic.

You will be asked to submit a topic overview by the deadline. The topic overview will trigger the allocation of an appropriate supervisor. If no topic is submitted, the supervisory allocation process will not proceed. The topic should consist of a summary (no more than 300 words) of the subject area of the project. The submission of an initial ‘topic overview’ via the Research Practice or Research Project Management module is not marked and does not form part of the assessment process it merely facilitates the allocation of supervisor. Please note that once supervisors have been allocated they cannot be changed. This means that there are three basic problems in deciding the dissertation:

The first is the imaginative and creative task of generating ideas for the research investigation – “What Can I Look At?” Some suggestions for doing this are given in the following section. The second is the difficulty of determining the feasibility of the dissertation. Will the necessary information be available? Can you get the support and facilities you need. Has the topic been exhaustively researched before? What sort of work is needed? How long will it take? The third, and perhaps most important, is deciding whether the topic is sufficiently interesting and worthwhile for you to want to do it. Good dissertations result from a high level of personal motivation and commitment. A dissertation requires a lot of hard work over a long time. This is a lot easier to carry out if you are dealing with a topic of importance and relevance to yourself. With personal interest a dissertation changes from a burden to an experience. Clearly this is something that only you can decide. Choosing the Dissertation Topic

It is important here not to restrict yourself by assuming that all dissertations are of a similar type. You are free to select any aspect of the business world aligned to your chosen pathway for your investigation. You can be specific to one company, one industry or sector, and you are required to focus on one or more subjects in the core and pathway programme. The chosen area should allow you to develop an in-depth analysis. The following list of suggestions may help you in your search for a topic: Suggestions from the Taught Units

What topics, issues, subjects etc. have particularly captured your interest from the core and pathway modules. Use as a base for examining what is going on in your organization, if you are employed.

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Current Events

What are the problems, significant issues, etc., that are currently evident from your study and knowledge of business, whether in the UK or in your own country. Your Career Interests

What sort of job will you be aiming for when you finish the course? Can the dissertation help prepare you for this? What developments would it be worthwhile examining in depth? The dissertation may give you an advantage over other graduates applying for these types of jobs. Your Own Interests

But perhaps, most importantly, you should choose a topic from within a business area in which you have a high personal interest. The reason for this is quite simple: It is often one’s own interest in a topic which sustains the motivation to see the dissertation through to a successful completion. In order to get started you obviously need some initial ideas as to what is to be the broad subject matter of the dissertation. It can also be equally sensible to start by considering what is feasible in the light of the data to which you can get access. You should never be rigid in your proposals. There are all sorts of ways you can set about refining the initial idea into a definite dissertation. You could start by:

 Thinking of a title for the report of results;

 Considering your personal interests and aims; how could a dissertation help realize these?

 Deciding on some particular outcome you wish to achieve, either in terms of organisational goals or your own personal objectives;

 Listing possible issues for investigation: these could take the form of a series of questions that the research would answer, or a series of hypotheses for testing;

 Finding out what research has already been conducted and what has been written on the subject of your choice, i.e. a review of the literature

 Starting straight away with some exploratory research The only starting point for defining your topic that is definitely not recommended is choosing the method of data collection or analysis. This is a secondary consideration that should be determined in the light of one’s dissertation objectives once these have been set. Allowing a preference for a particular method of research to determine the nature and content of your dissertation is, in our experience, a sure recipe for amassing mountains of data with no clear purpose or means of using them. Further Advice on Topic Selection

Market entry plans are very much off limits; they lack critical thinking and analysable data. Strategic analysis of companies and analysis of companies strategies; It has proved hard to get realistic valid data; some students have failed because they thought asking a few customers about strategic success with the company data means they are set up to fail. This is particularly true of Multi National Enterprises and Global Enterprises and the banking sector, where students thought they could ring up a Headquarters and they would be told strategies, financial positions, etc.

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Topics must be clearly within the module specifications of the pathways, otherwise the background theories will be absent. Case studies, i.e. worked illustrative examples, are only acceptable if they are situated within a wider context and involve primary data collection and analysis. Historical retrospective write-ups, e.g. “How Coke made it big in India” are not acceptable. Industry reports such as “The Indian Diamond industry” or “Thailand’s auto spares industry” are not acceptable. Only Finance pathway students can select finance topics. International Business (IB) Pathway Dissertations An IB Pathway dissertation could be ‘international’ via:

1) Collecting data in two countries

2) Collecting data in one country and comparing it with secondary data in another country (previous studies)

3) Relating to the activities of an international company in a country which is not its ‘home country’ (so not Asda in the UK, because Asda is a UK company, although owned by Walmart; but if Walmart introduced Walmart stores into the UK then it would be OK to study them. HRM practices of Barclays bank in Nigeria would be OK).

4. The Dissertation Plan and Research Proposal It is recommended that you should have a dissertation plan to guide you right from the outset. Essentially, the dissertation plan is an outline of what you intend to do, chapter- by- chapter, and therefore should reflect the aims and objectives of your dissertation.

There are several reasons for having a dissertation plan:

 It provides a focus for your thoughts.

 It provides your dissertation supervisor with an opportunity at an early stage of your work to make constructive comments and help guide the direction of your research

 The writing of a plan is the first formal stage of the writing process, and therefore helps build up your confidence.

 In many ways, the plan encourages you to come to terms with the reading, thinking and writing in a systematic and integrated way, with plenty of time left for changes.

Finally, the dissertation plan generally provides a revision point in the development of your dissertation report in order to allow appropriate changes in the scope and even direction of your work as it progresses. To help you consider the Dissertation Plan you are initially required to complete a Research Proposal. The proposal is designed to focus your thoughts on what you are trying to achieve before attempting the main project itself. It helps you and your supervisor clarify your aims and objectives and ensures that all work following the proposal is effective and productive in facilitating your achievement of the learning outcomes of the module.

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The Research Proposal

Students are required to produce a 1500 word proposal for their supervisor. This will be given a mark which will count as 25% of the overall dissertation mark.

The proposal should be submitted electronically via Moodle by Wednesday 3rd July 2019 at 12:00 Noon.

The Proposal is a development of the initial Research Topic and will take the format of Background, Aims and Objectives, Rationale, Outline Literature Review, Outline Methodology, and Project Plan (GANTT chart or similar). See Appendix 4 for detailed requirements of Proposal.

5. Keeping Records Make a note of everything you read, including those you later discard:

 Ensure that when recording sources, author’s name and initials, date of publication, title, place of publication and publisher are included. (You may consider starting a card index or database from the outset).

 Make an accurate note of all quotations at the time you read them. Make clear what is a

direct quotation and what is your paraphrase. The Dissertation Supervision Record An electronic form will be used to keep records of meetings (see Appendix 3). The responsibility for keeping a record of meetings will rest with you, the student. You are required to complete this form with a brief summary of each meeting with the supervisor and include agreed action points (bulleted) to be addressed before the next meeting. This form should be saved as a Word document and sent as an email attachment to the supervisor no later than 3 days after the meeting. The supervisor may add comments. You are required to include copies of the completed Record of Tutorial forms in the Dissertation appendices.

6. Dissertation Structure and Format All students must follow the following guidelines in submitting their dissertation.

 Front (Title) page should provide title, author, nature of degree, date of submission, Faculty and University title, name of your supervisor and pathway.

 Second page should be the table of contents giving page references for each chapter and section.

 The next page should be the table of appendices, graphs and tables giving titles and page references.

 Next is the acknowledgement where your supervisor should be named (and anyone else you wish).

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 Chapter 1 should be a general introduction, giving the background to the dissertation, the objectives of the dissertation, the rationale for the dissertation, the plan, methodological issues and problems. The limitations of the dissertation should also be hinted in this chapter. This chapter can be formed from your Proposal once approved by the Supervisor.

 Other chapters will constitute the body of the dissertation. The number of chapters and their sequence usually will vary depending on, among other things, the objectives of the dissertation. One chapter usually but not always will focus on a critical review of the previous relevant work relating to your dissertation. The last chapter should provide a summary of your major findings, a discussion of their implications, and conclusions, possibly with a suggestion of the direction of future research on the area.

 After this concluding chapter, you should give a list of all references you have used according to the BCU Harvard Referencing system.

 Finally, you should give any appendices. These should include your proposal and copies of the records of tutorial meetings and relevant statistical data or material which cannot be fitted into the chapters.

Dissertation Format The following requirements must be adhered to in the format of the final dissertation.

1) You are required to self-upload an electronic copy of your dissertation to the TurnitinUK database via the module Moodle site by the deadline. Your work will not be assessed if you fail to upload to this database. You should upload a single file containing the whole of the dissertation including the title page, appendices and the list of references. Appendices need to be uploaded if they are a key part of the dissertation, for instance, a copy of your questionnaire or interview schedule, data, etc.

2) The dissertation should be 8,000 words in length. The normal 10% “rule” applies so

you may in fact submit up to 8,800 words without being penalised. The word limit excludes the title page, contents list, abstract, references and appendices. The maximum number of pages, including index, tables, diagrams and appendices should not exceed 250. You must declare the number of words at the end of the main body of your report.

3) The dissertation should word processed in Arial 12 point type.

4) The outside front sheet shall bear the title of the work in at least Arial 24 point type.

The name and initials of the candidate, the qualification and the year of submission shall also be shown on the front

5) One-and-a half spacing must be used in typescript except for indented quotations or

footnotes where single space may be used. Top, bottom and right margins should be set at one inch and the left margins at one and a half inches.

6) Pages shall be numbered consecutively through the main text including photographs

and/ or diagrams which are included as whole pages.

7) The front (title) page shall give the following information:

 The full title of the dissertation,

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 The full name of the student and student ID number (8 digits),

 The statement: “This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the MSc Management Programme”

 The Faculty and University title plus the Collaborating Establishment, if any,

 The month and year of submission

 The name of your supervisor

 The name of your pathway (i.e. full name of course)

 The module code: BUS7048

8) The dissertation must include a statement of the candidate’s objectives and must acknowledge published or other sources of material consulted (including an appropriate bibliography) and any assistance received.

 There shall be an abstract (up to 500 words) Included with the dissertation which provides a synopsis of the dissertation stating the nature and the scope of the work undertaken and of the contribution made to the knowledge of the subject treated.

 Diagrams should be self-explanatory (adequate annotation and captions) and should be located in close proximity to where they are first mentioned to the text. The dissertation should be divided into appropriate sections and sub-sections.

 The ideas, experiences and other information gleaned from the literature should be given recognition by the use of abbreviated citations in the text which provide the key to a fuller description in the reference section.

It will be assumed that future students can have access to your work for reference unless you state clearly on the title page that your report is confidential. You may be asked to attend a “viva voce” examination. This is an oral examination in which you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate the breadth and depth of your understanding of your dissertation research, perhaps in a way that hasn’t been communicated effectively in the written work. The viva examinations are normally held either just before or just after the Examination Board. Whilst it is possible to conduct a viva examination by Skype or similar software it is likely to be in your best interests to return to the UK for the viva. Finally, a reminder about plagiarism. It is disciplinary offence to submit the work of others as though it were your own. All of the material in your dissertation, which is not of your own composition, must be attributed using the BCU Harvard referencing system. You will not achieve a pass mark for your dissertation unless there is a significant amount of commentary in your own words on the data you have collected from primary or secondary sources.

7. Critical Literature Review It will rarely be the case that no previous work exists in areas similar or related to your dissertation. A critical literature review involves:

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 Reading, understanding and providing a written critical summary of what other people have written about your dissertation area, related topics and methods of analysis.

 In a dissertation like yours, you will not be expected to produce a definitive account of

the state of research in your selected topic.

 However, you will need to show evidence that you have read a certain amount of relevant literature and that you have some awareness of the current state of knowledge on the subject.

A critical literature review is important because:

 It can provide ideas about approaches and methods which had not occurred to you, e.g. how to analyse and present data.

 It may help to devise a conceptual framework for the analysis and interpretation of data.  It may also reveal other important issues or question which is worth addressing, but

which had not occurred to you earlier.

8. Supervisor and student roles and expectations Dissertation Supervisors All students are allocated a supervisor for support. Note that supervisors may be on annual leave for some time for the period late July, August and early September so students will need to negotiate well in advance any dissertation meetings during this period. That is entirely to be agreed between the Supervisor and the Student.

Normally the last few weeks are for finalising the dissertation and Supervisors may not be available for supervision. Student Expectations:

 Regular contact with supervisor via up to six scheduled face to face meetings (You may be asked to attend more meetings at the discretion of your supervisor)

 Obtain comments on one draft only normally on a section by section basis

 Only one draft per section is allowed by prior arrangement with supervisor

 Give staff reasonable amount of time (at least one week) to review drafts and respond to emails during term time

 Expect staff to stick to agreed times of meetings

 Accept that “remote” supervision by email/telephone/skype is not available Student Responsibilities:

 Make initial contact with supervisor.

 Attend all Dissertation Support sessions

 Complete work on time as agreed with your supervisor

 Work independently

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 Obtain comments on one draft only

 Only submit ONE draft per section

 Accept work should be mainly based on own effort

 Attend all scheduled meetings – if you fail to give written notice 24 hours prior, you will lose that time allocated

 Plan your work to take staff leave into account

 Be familiar with academic misconduct regulations with regard to plagiarism

 Fully comply with submission requirements including self- uploading to TurnitinUK database

 Ensure appropriate use of Harvard referencing system

 Maintain records of tutorial meetings and include copies in the Dissertation appendices. The Role of the Supervisor The role of the supervisor includes:

 To assign some directed reading (but most of the literature search must be yours)

 To stimulate and enthuse you.

 To provide a steady stream of interaction of ideas and guidance.

 To help you develop a suitable methodology (e.g. questionnaire)

 To help you to perfect your research instrument

 To help you draw up your individual dissertation plan

 To give feedback on your draft submissions. NB: The responsibility for successfully completing the dissertation on time remains solely with you, the student, not with the supervisor. Supervisor Responsibilities Supervisors are expected a total of 10 hours on each dissertation. This includes meetings with students, marking and administration.

 Be familiar with module specification and assessment requirements

 Be familiar with relevant Moodle site

 Be available for at least 6 scheduled face to face meetings

 Complete and retain supervisory record booklet

 Provide timely response to emails

 Provide timely feedback to draft material

 Be familiar with Turnitin procedures and reports

 Give reasonable notice regarding leave, etc. – and alternative cover available

 Give detailed feedback for failed projects

 Be available for one face to face meetings with re-sitting students

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 Arrange first scheduled meeting following announcement of allocations by module co- ordinator.

9. Ethical Issues

It’s important to ensure your dissertation is conducted in an ethical manner. The following points offer a good checklist.

• Discuss ethical issues in collection and use of data with your supervisor

• Ensure that no harm can come to participants

• Ensure that respondents understand that participation is voluntary and confidential

• Keep data confidential. Do not share it with anyone else

• Be honest and open with respondents about the reasons for the research and report findings honestly and accurately

• Be honest about your own interest in the data

• Comply with the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation.

ALL students will have to complete the Application for Ethical Approval form. This will be available on Moodle. In some cases, the research will need to be approved by the BLSS Faculty Research Ethics Committee. Vulnerable people When compiling your research ideas about the population under study and sample participants that may be extracted from it, an important issue you need to consider is whether the sample contains vulnerable participants. Vulnerable participants can be considered as either:

 people under the age of 18; and / or

 people with: learning difficulties; receiving medical treatment or other forms of social

care; and/or mental illness.

Any study seeking to involve vulnerable people in research must be discussed and agreed in advance and approved by the Faculty Academics Ethics Committee (FAEC) before progressing further with your research work. See also BCBS Ethics Guide (link on Moodle). See also Appendix 4

10. TURNITIN Students are required to fully comply with submission requirements including uploading to TurnitinUK database via the module Moodle site. If you do not meet these requirements then your work will not be marked. Students are warned that if it appears that you have attempted to subvert Turnitin, you will be referred to an investigation for Academic Misconduct which could lead to a significant delay in obtaining your results even if found “not guilty”.

11. Arrangements for Resubmitting Students

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Resubmitting Students Students who fail to obtain at least the pass-mark of 50% will need to resubmit. All the previously listed submission requirements apply to resubmitting students. You will be advised by the Faculty Office of the relevant hand in dates. Students who obtain a mark between 35% and 49% will be expected to resubmit a revised and improved version of the same topic. They will be entitled to ONE meeting with their supervisor to discuss the improvements required and may submit ONE draft of the improved version to their supervisor for comment (or equivalent remote support). These students are required to re-work their existing dissertation and are entitled to attend a face to face tutorial for feedback on the failed dissertation and a second face to face tutorial to obtain feedback on a revised draft prior to final submission (or equivalent remote support). Students who obtain a mark of 34% or lower will be required to select a new topic or to significantly revise the original submission. They will be entitled to the same level of support as other resubmitting students (two meetings or equivalent remote support). The weighting of marks for resubmitting students will be the same as for the initial submission (i.e. 25% for the research proposal and 75% for the dissertation/report). Visas

Except in highly exceptional or extenuating circumstances, resubmitting students are NOT eligible for visa extensions. Fees

There is no additional fee for resubmitting students.

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Appendix 1 MSc Management BUS7048 DISSERTATION Indicative Assessment Checklist and Indicative Marking Scheme 1. Background, Objective(s) and Rationale

 Background to the project or study

 Statement of the objectives of the project or hypotheses to be examined.

 Originality of the objectives and of problem(s).

 Significance of the study. 2. Literature Review

 Awareness and understanding of previous work related to the project (including their limitations).

 Integration of relevant literature into the body of the projects. 3. Conceptual Framework and Methodology (Process and Approach)

 Development of a clear conceptual framework of study for the project.

 Specification of the methodologies employed (e.g. how data was collected)

 Justification for choice of methodology.

 Coherence and rigor of approach.

 Appropriateness of methodology to project (given project objectives)

 Description of population and sample.

 Appropriateness of sample and sampling

 Quality of data (relevance and accuracy)

 Questionnaire (design, quality and administration).

 Recognition of the limitation(s) of the methodology used. 4. Analysis of Data and Material

 Use of the data/material to examine project objectives and hypotheses.

 Critical evaluation of material

 The depth and breadth of analysis

 Syntheses of analysis (primary and/or secondary research) with issues raised by the academic literature.

 Has the student compared and contrasted different models in the analysis (Robustness of Analysis)

 Clarity of interpretation.

 Logic of argument

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5. Conclusion and Recommendations

 Statement of overall findings and conclusions.

 Conclusions and recommendations flow from analysis.

 Significance of findings and recommendations. 6. Reflective Account

 A commentary and reflective analysis on the process of undertaking research projects, including a self-reflection on professional development issues, identifying areas of strength and areas to improve upon related to research and project management.

In general, the structure and presentation of the Project Report should demonstrate:

 Logical organisation and clear structure of the report.

 Appropriate use of charts, tables and exhibits.

 Quality of writing, clarity and use of appropriate language and terminologies.

 Clear chapter titles, page numbering, referencing and bibliography.

 Free from errors of grammar and spelling.

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Overall Marks LO1: Identify, determine and justify a disciplinary-relevant project, including its aims, scopes and objectives.

LO2: Self-manage research, including managing the supervisory process and reflecting critically on the work undertaken to identify improvements in research and project practice

LO3: Understand how to identify and synthesise the relevant conceptual theory and methodological techniques from the programme pathway, using a range of sources and data, applying them to a particular topic, case or organisation.

LO4: Professionally present the analysis of the data and the results of the project, including drawing appropriate conclusions and providing recommendations and guidance for managerial judgements and decision making in the chosen discipline or pathway.

80–100% Distinction Outstanding background, issue definition, objectives and rationale. The supervisor is totally convinced as to the project’s relevance.

There is exceptional evidence of insightful reflective practice linked to the key decisions made during the development of the project, incorporating a highly professional and sophisticated assessment of professional traits and skills and identification of a comprehensive professional development plan related to research and project practice skills.

Outstanding evidence of working with supervisory process (including evidence of highly detailed supervisory meeting reports).

The literature review is comprehensive with excellent critical evaluation and conclusions & analytical framework.

Outstanding understanding of methodological issues & limitations, excellent justification of methods and research instrument.

Complex and sophisticated analysis & interpretation of the material, excellent integration with literature and objectives, and critical discussion of value and limitations of data. Excellent conclusions, sophisticated discussion of achievement of objectives and research questions and issues.

Outstanding project structure and report, use of language and presentation with full and accurate Harvard referencing.

70-79% Distinction Clear and specific about research question, objectives clear, feasible and appropriate, very well justified by very good & relevant background information. A very relevant project.

There is excellent evidence of reflective practice linked to the development of the project, incorporating a professional and sophisticated assessment of professional traits and skills and identification of a highly competent development plan related to research and project practice skills.

Excellent evidence of working with supervisory process (including evidence of detailed supervisory meeting reports).

The literature is cogently described and evaluated with good critique and conclusions identifying gaps and issues, good analytical framework. Good understanding of methodological issues & limitations, research methods clearly justified against alternatives and good research instrument

Results are presented very clearly and analysed and interpreted in a sophisticated manner, referring back to the literature and clearly focused on the objectives

Conclusions are clear with sophisticated discussion in terms of achievement of objectives.

Good Structure, very good presentation and use of language with full and accurate Harvard referencing.

BUS7048 Dissertation Indicative Marking Scheme

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60-69% Commendation Clear research issue; good background objectives are fairly clear, feasible and appropriate with good rationale. A competent and convincing attempt with mostly relevant elements.

There is some very good evidence of reflective practice linked to the development of the project, incorporating a competent assessment of professional traits and skills and identification of a development plan related to research and project practice skills

Some satisfactory evidence of working with supervisory process (including detailed supervisory meeting reports).

The literature is cogently evaluated with some critique and useful conclusions related to analytical framework.

Research Methods are clear and justified with consideration of alternatives, understanding of limitations and acceptable research instrument

Results are presented fully and analysed and interpreted effectively with clear links back to the objectives and the literature.

Conclusions are reasonably clear and discussed well in terms of the achievement of the objectives.

Good structure, presentation and use of language with full and largely accurate Harvard referencing

50-59% Pass Clear research issue & appropriate background. Objectives are mostly clear but some issues about scope, fit with the rationale, and feasibility. Overall somewhat relevant.

There is reasonable evidence of reflective practice linked to the development of the project, incorporating a sufficient assessment of necessary professional traits and skills and identification of a somewhat vague development plan related to research and project practice skills.

Adequate evidence of working with supervisory process (including supervisory meeting reports).

Fair description of appropriate field(s) of literature. Some general conclusions, weak evaluation of concepts & analytical framework.

Research Methods used are clear with some limited justification and understanding of issues and limitations, acceptable research instrument.

Results are presented fully and clearly with some limited internal analysis and interpretation.

Conclusions straightforward and discussed to some extent in terms of objectives.

Adequate Structure, acceptable presentation and language with some errors of grammar, spelling & punctuation, adequate Harvard referencing with errors.

35-49% Fail Interesting topic and gives background but the research question is very broad and the objectives unclear or too broad. Relevance not sufficiently demonstrated.

There is a lack of sufficient evidence of reflective practice linked to the development of the project, incorporating a poor assessment of professional traits and skills necessary and identification of a very vague development plan related to research and project practice skills.

Insufficient evidence of working with supervisory process effectively (including only evidence of limited supervisory meeting reports).

Inadequate description of the appropriate field(s) of literature, and/or no criticism or evaluation

Research methods are clear but no justification for methods chosen and little or no understanding issues & limitations, weak research instrument

Results are presented fully and clearly but with no real analysis or interpretation

Conclusions are unclear or perfunctory; objectives not clearly achieved and no discussion of issues or critique of process.

Poor structure, presentation, & use of language, or acceptable presentation but poor referencing

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<35% Fail Background given but objectives and rationale unclear or not stated. Mostly irrelevant.

There is little or no evidence of reflective practice linked to the development of the project, incorporating a very poor assessment (or missing entirely) of professional traits and skills necessary or the identification of a development plan related to research and project practice skills.

Evidence of working with supervisory process effectively missing or of no practical use for reflective analysis.

Research Methods unclear, little or no evidence of methodology understanding, very weak research instrument

The author appears to have read very little demonstrating poor understanding of the subject / field.

Results are presented incompletely with no real interpretation or analysis

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Appendix 2

BIRMINGHAM CITY BUSINESS SCHOOL

MSc Management: Individual Dissertation – RECORD OF TUTORIAL

This form (apart from supervisor’s comments) should be completed by the student for each meeting. A copy should be sent to the supervisor as an e-mail attachment.

Student name:

Student ID number:

Supervisor name:

Date of Tutorial:

Comments on Progress since last meeting

Matters Discussed

Action/Research to be undertaken before next meeting

Supervisor’s comments

Date and Time of next meeting

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Appendix 3 Research ethics protocol All students taking a Dissertation module will have to complete the research ethics approval research ethics approval procedure. There are a few forms for you to fill out as a part of this process and these forms will have to be signed by you and your supervisor indicating that you have recognised and accounted for any ethical issues arising from your primary research. You must enclose these completed forms together with your full proposal. Use a proportion of your time available with your supervisor before the hand-in of your full proposal to discuss your methodology and chosen methods and the ethical implications of these decisions before you seek approval. In the majority of cases, your supervisor will be able to approve your research ethics submission. In the event that your supervisor is unable to approve a submission, it may be referred to the module leader for undergraduate dissertations or the Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences (BLSS) Research Ethics Committee. Please note that any substantial changes made during the progress of the dissertation / project with regards to primary research may be subject to re-approval. Full details of the ethics approval procedure and the forms required will be made available on Moodle.

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Appendix 4 Research Proposal – Outline Structure and Marking Scheme – Learning Outcome 1 (Main and Resit Submissions) You are required to submit a proposal by 12:00 noon Wednesday 3rd July 2019 The proposal is formally marked and this counts as 25% of the overall dissertation mark. The percentages below give an indication of the breakdown of marks within that 25% and the time that should be spent on each. The proposal should be submitted electronically via Moodle using both the eSubmission link and the Turnitin links provided. Your supervisor will provide feedback on the proposal however the mark will stand.

The Proposal is a development of the initial Research Topic and will take the format of Background, Aims and Objectives, Rationale, Outline Literature Review, Outline Methodology, and Project Plan (GANTT chart or similar).

The proposal should include the following:

 Title and Background (10%). A clear and critical understanding of your chosen topic. The topic must be both worthwhile and relevant to your pathway as reflected by:

o A working title – this may be changed later. o One or more clear research questions. o Explain the background to these questions in context, e.g. their relevance to

your degree subject.

 Aims and Objectives (10%). o Aims – usually one main aim. o Objectives – usually 3 to 5 more specific that aims, and refine the aim(s) into

smaller parts

 Rationale (10%). The rationale for your chosen topic, i.e. the reasons why it is being carried out.

 Outline Literature Review (30%). A short review of literature relevant to your topic. The review must reflect:

o Provide proof of scholarship o Reflect your basic understanding of your topic o Reflect your intellectual ability to construct critical arguments based on your

reading of the relevant literature.

 Outline Methodology (25%). A well-reasoned methodological approach in terms of: o The scope of the research o The choice of a research strategy o A basic understanding of methods and techniques to collect primary data

If a survey is to be used this should include how you intend to select your sample and distribute questionnaires.

o What tools and techniques will be used to analyse the data.

 Project Plan (15%). An appreciation of your research’s feasibility within the time available to you. A Project Plan using a GANTT chart or similar graphical device showing activities to be undertaken at specific times.

The criteria for marking the proposal will also include:

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 The quality of your proposal in terms of structure, style and presentation.

Maximum word limit: 1500 words The word limit excludes the title page, contents list, abstract, references and appendices. The Proposal counts as 25% of the overall Dissertation mark, the Report counts as the remaining 75%. Resubmitting Proposals

If your Proposal mark is less than 50% (i.e. a Fail) then you should submit a new Proposal as an appendix with your final Dissertation Report. If after submitting the Dissertation Report your overall mark for the module is less than 50% (i.e. a Fail) AND your Proposal mark was less than 50% (also a Fail), then you will need to resubmit this component of your assessment, i.e. a new Proposal. To resubmit, students should review the feedback received from their supervisor and resubmit their proposal by the deadlines provided on the module Moodle site following the same assessment brief as above.

The weighting of marks for resubmitting students will be the same as for the initial submission (i.e. 25% for the research proposal and 75% for the dissertation/report).