Work based Project
moosha
2_introduction_in_depth.pptIntroduction/Background: Setting the Context
What is the purpose of an introduction in a research proposal?
To introduce the organisation
To introduce the situation/problem which is needing to be researched
To introduce the research topic
To link into the literature review by providing a research question
Whilst point 1 requires some description, most of this section needs to be analytical
Introducing the Organisation
- How can this be more analytical?
- Place the organisation in its sector/industry and use external sources to indicate size/contribution
- Place your section into the organisation and give sense of its size/contribution
Introducing the situation/problem
How can this be more analytical?
- Is the situation being caused by external factors influencing the organisation? Use external sources to justify what you are saying
- Have other organisations been in the news with similar situations?
- Who is being affected?
Introducing the research topic
What area(s) of business theory does the topic belong to?
Does the topic cross into several business areas?
Has there been research into this type of area before?
Use textbooks and your degree knowledge
Multi-disciplinary?
Use e-resources
Writing a research question
What is your research question?
- What is the business/organisation/[personal situation?
- Are you looking for the causes of the situation?
Are you looking for solutions/answers to the situation/problem?
- What has your theory search shown so far?
Focus on the responses that you want to investigate more
Identify the three or four reasons/causes that are the ‘strongest’
Other researchers may have suggested these as answers from their own research
your own observations and experience of your work may indicate what might be most pertinent
- Are there any further research studies that could confirm your ideas?
- Look at articles used for the RM assignments. What were they looking for? How did the authors phrase their question?
