Business Management

Business Research Methods – C19RH

Factsheet 2: Aim and Objectives

Overview
The focus of any dissertation, thesis or research project is normally expressed in terms of aim and objectives. In
this context these words are not interchangeable as they have a particular meaning:

• Aim: Overarching statement describing what you hope to achieve in the dissertation
• Objective: Statements that take the form of measurable goals that form stages that will help you fulfill
your aim

Normally, the aim is one clear statement of intent. It is usually written in broad terms, to set out what you hope to
have achieved by the end of the project. Whereas the objectives, on the other hand, should be specific
statements that define measurable outcomes, e.g. what steps will be taken to achieve the desired outcome;
ideally, wherever possible use strong positive statements.

Apply, collect, construct, classify, develop, devise, establish, evaluate, examine,

Strong verbs
explore, investigate, identify, measure, produce, provide revise, select, synthesise
Appreciate, consider, enquire, learn, know, understand, be aware of, listen,
Weak verbs
perceive, think about, reflect

Objectives should also be S.M.A.R.T.

• Specific – Be precise about what you are going to do
• Measureable –You must 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 possible achieve.
• Realistic – Do you have the necessary resources to achieve the objective – time, money, skills, etc.
• Time constrained – Determine when each stage needs to be completed. Is there time in your schedule
to allow for unexpected delays?

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Examples
The following examples have been taken from undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level dissertations and
serve as illustrations for you to write your own.

Research Aim and Objectives:

The aim of this research is to undertake an investigation into the philosophy of the phenomenon of hospitality.
The main research question is: How the phenomenon of hospitality evolved in the Greco-Roman world of
Classical Antiquity?

The Research objectives which underpin the aim are:

i. To investigate Greco-Roman texts of Classical Antiquity in order to identify the philosophy underpinning
the phenomenon of hospitality;
ii. To explore the religious writings contemporaneous to Classical Antiquity in order to detail the philosophy
and practices of hospitality contained therein;
iii. To apply, develop and evaluate hermeneutical analysis for hospitality research;
iv. To provide authoritative and disciplined research on the classical history and philosophy of the
phenomenon of hospitality; and
v. To make a significant contribution to the research area of hospitality studies.

Adapted from O’Gorman (2008)

Research Aim and Objectives:

This study examines demand side influences on visitor engagement with museum exhibits. It seeks to enhance
understanding of consumer behaviour in museums from a cognitive perspective. To be specific, the key aim of
the research is: ‘To investigate the effects of pre-visit attributes on visitor engagement with the museum
experience’

To address this main aim, the study has five objectives:

i. To develop a measure for capturing actual engagement in a cultural environment
ii. To identify the influential attributes in the pre-visit stage of consumption which affect visitors’
consumption during an actual visit
iii. To examine the nature of engagement by cultural visitors during an actual visit
iv. To examine the relative predictive power of drivers of engagement in relation to actual engagement
among a sample of visitors in museums
v. To identify the most suitable way of measuring cultural capital especially within a museums context

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 Adapted from Taheri (2012)

Research Aim and Objectives:

The aim of this research project is to investigate the factors that influence succession and growth in the family
firm with a view to identifying unique resources of the family firm.

In order to fulfil the aim the following objectives have been set:
i. Examine the relationship between succession and family firm growth
ii. Explore the role of the familiness construct in the succession process
iii. Explore the influence of agency and stewardship constructs on attitudes towards firm growth.

Adapted from MacLaren (2010)

References
Maclaren, A. C. (2010). Through the Eyes of the Successor: An exploration of succession and growth in family
business University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
O'Gorman, K. D. (2008). The Essence of Hospitality from the Texts of Classical Antiquity: The development of a
hermeneutical helix to identify the philosophy of the phenomenon of hospitality. University of Strathclyde,
Glasgow.
Taheri, B. (2012). Unpacking visitor engagement: Examining drivers of engagement in museums. University of
Strathclyde, Glasgow.