MANUAL FOR

PROJECT PROPOSAL
AND
PROJECT REPORT

OF

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

ISLAMABAD

2
 MANUAL FOR

PROJECT PROPOSAL
AND
PROJECT REPORT
OF

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Development & Review Team

Majed Rashid
Salman Qureshi
Malik Tariq Mehmood
Nazim Hussain

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY

ISLAMABAD
3
 FOREWORD

The Project Handbook has been prepared with a view to providing our
Commonwealth MBA and MPA students with some basic and necessary
information on writing a research proposal and final project report. This will
assist the students in thinking through many aspects of crafting implementing
and defending the research project. It is our attempt to share some of many ideas
that have surfaced in the past that definitely make the task of completion of
research so much easier. We have tried to give some suggestions on the
following: selection of a topic, developing a project statement, writing Literature
Review, Research Design, Data Analysis, Conclusion and Findings, Bibliography
and such other necessary components.

Guidelines of a research report have been provided on the format and style of the
project and specimens have been annexed for guidance. We hope that all given
information will help you in choosing the project title, and conducting research
work.
With this in mind enjoy the manual. We hope it will help you to finish your
research in good shape

Majed Rashid

4
INTRODUCTION

This master level Research Project Manual is designed for all Commonwealth
Master of Business Administration / Public Administration students. The
students will be required to conduct a research study in the academic field of the
chosen area after completion of the course work for (COL EMBA/MPA).

The research project carries a weight of (06) credits and is an integral part of
Commonwealth MBA/MPA Programme. After successful completion of
required courses and research project (code 5598) each student will receive COL
MBA / MPA degree. This manual has been developed to provide broad
guidelines to the students and help them in preparing their project synopsis and
final report.

The university hopes that after following these guidelines the students of this
prestigious programme will be in a position to write an excellent research report
and create a value addition for them.

Wish you good luck

Salman Ali Qureshi

Malik Tariq Mahmood
Nazim Hussain

5
Research Proposal and Final Report
The Allama Iqbal Open University’s mission is to deliver the collaborative Master
of Commonwealth MBA / MPA degree in such a way that can equipped the
students with latest managerial skill so that they may be able to contribute
effectively at their work places.
All research reports normally use the same format. It does not matter whether
you are doing a customer satisfaction research, employee’s opinion survey,
research on impact of globalization research or a marketing research. All have the
same basic structure and format. Their contents may be different.
The distinguishing feature of research is an original contribution to knowledge.
Thus the final research report for the project course (code 5598) is a document
whose purpose is to prove that the student has made an original contribution to
knowledge.
The research report must highlight the following important aspects:
 Student has identified a worthwhile question or problem, relating to the
generic discipline of Management Sciences (Business or Public
Administration as per his or her enrolment)
 S/he has solved the problem or answered the question(s) raised during
research
 Their contribution to knowledge lies in their findings.
It has been observed that the students enrolled in the project course do not get
the approval of topic and proposal / synopsis from the programme management
office, Allama Iqbal Open University campus Islamabad before starting their
research. Therefore, at the outset, students of final semester of COL MBA/MPA
are required to (i) To select the research topic in consultation with the Supervisor
provided by their approved study centre (ii) To develop and submit a research
proposal / synopsis to the department for approval / acceptance prior to starting
their research report/study.

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 Stages of the Research Process

Problem Discovery and

Discovery and Definition
Definition

Conclusion
Research
and so on and Report
Design

Data
Sampling Processing and
Analysis

Data
Gathering

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 The research process

1. Observation

2. Preliminary Data gathering (Preliminary Data gathering about situation

i.e. broad problem area)

3. Problem definition

4. Hypotheses

5. Literature Review & Theoretical framework (variables identified)

6. Research design

7. Data collection ,analysis and interpretation

8. Deduction

9. Report writing

10. Report presentation

11. Managerial decision making

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WHAT IS RESEARCH

Research is an ORGANIZED and SYSTEMATIC way of FINDING ANSWERS to

QUESTIONS or solutions of problems.

1) Systematic: because there is a definite set of procedures and steps which

the students/researchers will follow. There are certain things in the
research process which are always done in order to get the most accurate
results.
2) Organized: in that there is a structure or method in going about doing
research. It is a planned procedure, not a spontaneous one. It is focused
and limited to a specific scope.
3) Questions: are central to research. If there is no question, then the answer
is of no use. Research is focused on relevant, useful, and important
questions. Without a question, research has no focus, drive, or purpose.
4) Finding Answers: is the end of all research. Whether it is the result after a
testing hypothesis or answer to a simple question, research is successful
when we find solutions answers. Sometimes the answer is no, but it is still
an answer.

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IMPROTANT STEPS
Identifying a Project/Research Topic

Research begins with defining a topic in which a student may be interested and
willing to put effort. Research topic should relate to the subject whom the
students have studied in their programme (Management Sciences, Business or
Public Administration). The three significant characteristics of a research
topic/problem are that is should be significant, researchable and new or add a
new angle to established facts. Some important elements of selecting a topic are
as under:

 First you select a problem/topic in a general area that is related to the area
of your expertise and interest. Second step is to narrow down the general
problem area to make it specific, and researchable.
 Formulate a research topic in order to achieve your objective.
 Access to the data must be ensured about the topic prior to its finalization.
 The topic should be open to methods of research.
 The selected topic should be in a field in which there is real need for the
research.
 Must keep in mind why the research is important and to whom.
 Students need to describe the research context clearly.

While thinking about research topic:

 Discuss ideas with colleagues
 Browse the literature, especially journals
 Discuss ideas with your supervisor – he/she is an expert within the
discipline and can help you decide on an appropriate topic

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Setting the topic in context
When placing your topic in context it is often useful to think about the following:
 What is the scope of the topic?
 What is the purpose of the research?
 Who is the intended audience?
 What is the time period?
 What is the geographical coverage?
 What are the relevant/related disciplines?

Some More Tips for Problem Formulation

"Well begun is half done" --Aristotle, quoting an old proverb

RESEARCH PAPER TOPIC IDEAS

Try to pick a topic that you are interested in. You are going to have a lot of
research and experimentation ahead of you so it helps to produce good science if
you have enthusiasm in what you are doing. Find a broad topic and do a little
preliminary work, perhaps making a shortlist of possible areas of interest.

1. Be realistic. If you have difficulty with transport then there is no point

picking a project in some far-flung, inaccessible area. You may have to go
back to resample or clarify your data. For a field study that requires lots of
walking or climbing you need to be reasonably fit. If you are not very
good at approaching strangers then avoid a subject that requires you to
ask people to fill in questionnaires. Play to your strengths and avoid your
weaknesses.
2. With the above in mind, check out the facilities your department offers.
For example, some departments offer help with statistics or using
computer programs.
3. Take into account the amount of time and resources you have. It is better
to pick a focused topic and be thorough than to try and perform some

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 complex research that you struggle to finish. Your topic must be broad
enough to ensure that you have enough data but narrow enough to
maximize your time and resources.
4. Try and be a little different; if a large number of students research the
same topics then there could be a lot of people fighting over one copy of a
book or journal.
5. Will you need help? For some areas of research you may need to ask the
help of friends to take samples. An example is psychology where you need
to tempt people to answer your questions or perform your tests. What
measures will you need to entice people? Asking favors, bribery or
threats? Try to ensure that you have thought about this before you start.
6. Remember that people are there to help you. If you not sure of where to
start, often the most difficult part, do not be afraid to ask questions from
those more knowledgeable in the subject. It is common to feel a little
nervous and overwhelmed before starting on a long project but that will
pass. Remember that the reputation of your supervisor and department is
judged by how well you perform in your research paper so they will try
their best to guide you.

Types of Business research

Applied research
This research is conducted to solve a current problem faced by the organization
in the work setting, demanding a timely solution.

Basic research (fundamental, pure)

Following are the characteristics of basic research:

a. It is to generate a body of knowledge by trying to comprehend how

certain problems that occur in organizations can be solved.

b. The findings of such research contribute to the building of knowledge in

the various functional areas of business.

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Selection of Study

The students are advised to choose some current issue faced by the organization
in which they are going to conduct their research. Here are some examples of
Applied and basic research issues, the preference should be given to the applied
research.
Applied Research topics

1. Causes of low productivity of employees of Fazal Steel mills Islamabad

2. The possible measures to make the budgetary control system of NHA

effective

3. Human Resource practices to ensure Job Satisfaction in Askari Bank

limited with Special emphasis on performance appraisal.

4. The Impact of Compensation, Training & Development on the

organisational Commitment of Employees of PTCL

Basic Research Topics

1. Effective measures to stop bankruptcy.

2. Implications of the theories of Scientific School of Management in 21 st

century.

3. TQM / Is It Effective In Reaching Quality Goals?

4. Management of the Interview and Hiring Function

5. Employee Stock Ownership Plans

How to Develop Project Proposal / Synopsis

The aim of the project proposal must be to ensure that:

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  There is a need for the research and it’s significant and important.
 Student is contributing something original in the research report.
 The topic is feasible in terms of the availability of data.
 The topic must match with the academic field i.e. MBA / MPA.
 Research can be completed within the expected time period.
The project proposal helps you focus your research aim, clarify its importance
and the need, describe the methods, identify problems and plan alternatives.
Preparing a project proposal is an important part of your research. Following
key elements must be included in the project proposal:

Chapter 1 Introduction
1. Reasons for selecting the topic
2. Statement of the Problem
3. Objectives of the Study
4. Significance of the Study
5. Delimitation
6. Research Hypothesis or Research Question
Chapter 2 Literature review

Distribute this chapter according to heading and sub-heading

Chapter 3 Research Methodology

1. Research Design
2. Population of the Study
3. Sampling Techniques
4. Sample Size
5. Research Tools
6. Data Collection

Chapter 4 Data Analysis and Interpretation (Tools and Techniques)

Chapter 5 Conclusion

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 1. Findings
2. Conclusion
3. Recommendations

Bibliography / References

OUTLINE / STRUCTURE/ CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS

CHAPTER 1

1) Introduction

This section begins with a few short introductory paragraphs (couple of pages).
In introduction the context of the research is made clear and choice of the topic is
defended. The relationship between the research problem and the research
objectives must be explained. Introduction section sets the stage for the project
report and puts the topic in perspective. It contains general statements about the
need for this study. It is a brief description of what the project report is all about.
It briefly summarizes the topic and some of the reasons why it is worthwhile to
do research on this specific topic. Introduction is a bird eye view of the answers
to the main questions that will be answered in your research report. The basic
goal of the introduction is to catch the attention of the reader. Key point is that
when you are writing the introduction; put yourself in your readers’ position.

2) Background Information of the Topic

Brief background information of your topic is necessary. It could be possible that
the reader may not have any experience with some of the material you have
provided in your research report. So you need to give it to him or her.

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3) Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem is the focal point of the research. A problem does
not necessarily mean that something is seriously wrong with a current situation
that needs to be rectified immediately. A “problem” could simply indicate an
interest in an issue where finding the right answers might help to improve an
existing situation. Thus, it is fruitful to define a problem in a situation where a
gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal states. The statement of
problem should be concise statement in 8 – 10 sentences in a paragraph.

4) Objectives of the Study

Objectives are statements of specific actions needed to accomplish the purpose.

Enough objectives should be included to achieve the purpose, but objectives not
required to achieve the purpose should be omitted. This purpose statement or
paragraph explains what the study intends to accomplish. The purpose of the
study might be to:
 Overcome the difficulty
 Understand the causes or effects
 Provide a new interpretation
 Understand what makes – successful or unsuccessful

5) Significance of the Study

This section creates a perspective for looking at the problem. It points out how
your study relates to the larger issue and uses a persuasive rationale to justify the
reason for the study. It makes the purpose worthwhile. The significance of the
study may be:
 Why is your study important?
 To whom is it important?
 What benefits will occur if your study is done?

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6) Delimitation and Limitations
The investigator states the restrictions and limitations which he imposes on his
study. It is a statement of the limit or scope of investigation. The statement will
provide information concerning who, what, where and how many. It will
determine the boundaries of the project in hand.
This delimitation will mention the geographical limits of the study i.e. whether
the study will be covering a single town, a district, a region, a state or a country.
It will specify the limits of the study i.e. whether the study will be spread over a
few days, a few months, a year or a number of years. It will have to specify the
type of institution to be covered. Recognition of the limitation of the study helps
to focus attention on pertinent objectives and helps to minimize the danger of
oversimplification.
The scope, limitations and delimitations of the research must clearly be
mentioned in the proposal as well as in the Research report so that the other
researcher might design their research in the same work setting might prevent
their research from duplication of results. The depth of understanding regarding
the groups must be clear; additionally the limitations of your data gathering tool
which you have used must also be discussed in this section of your report.
Describe the boundaries of the study that you determine. Delimitations define
the parameters of the investigation. In academic research the delimitations will
frequently deal with such items as population/sample, treatment(s), setting, and
instrumentation.
A sample of this section is given below for you guidance:

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Delimitations and Limitations

1. Delimitations define the parameters of the investigation. In business research the

delimitations will frequently deal with such items as population/sample,
treatment(s), setting, and instrumentation. For example, the study may focus on
employee in only one category or measure aptitude using only a group intelligence
test. External validity deals with the extent to which the results of a study can be
generalized to different subjects, settings, experimenters, and so on; the study has
external validity. However, there are many threats to external validity which cause
the results of a study to be specific to some limited group of people and/or set of
conditions. These threats are
(a) Those dealing with generalizations to populations (What population of subjects
can be expected to behave in the same way as did the sample subjects?), and
(b) Those dealing with the "environment" of the work (Under what conditions, i.e.,
settings, treatments, experimenters, dependent variables, and so on, can the same
results be expected?).
2. The limitations set forth reservations, qualifications, or weaknesses inherent in the
design. Generally, these will reflect anticipated inadequacies in regard to internal
validity of results. A study has internal validity if the confounding variables have
been converted to either controlled or randomized variables and if the research is
designed in such a way that it is possible to estimate the size of the random variation
so that the "experimental" variation may be compared to it for significance. The goal
is to recognize inherent threats to internal validity in the work setting.
3. No data collection tool can give perfect and quality data for research because of its
inherent limitations and due to the poor response of some respondents therefore this
is also a threat for external validity of results.
4. Because the limitations of a study cannot be fully specified until the research is
completed, therefore the apparent delimitations and/or limitations are given
regarding the population/sample, treatments, setting, and instrumentation.

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7) Research Hypothesis
According to Leedey and Ormond (2001) “A hypothesis is a logical supposition, a
reasonable guess, an educated conjecture. It provides a tentative explanation for a
phenomenon under investigation. However, hypotheses are not unique to
research. Hypotheses are constantly generated in the human mind as we work to
understand day-to-day phenomena. By formulating a series of reasonable
guesses of cause and effect we are able to understand and explore the events in
our surrounding environment.”

The hypothesis is formulated after observation and the review of preliminary

data prior to the execution of the study. The hypothesis logically follows the
review and it is based on the implications of previous research as it precedes the
study procedure because the entire study is determined by the hypothesis
(including: subject, instruments, design, procedure, analysis and conclusions).
The hypothesis should be logical and testable. Hypotheses are essential for
experimental studies, for co-relational studies and for studies
determining/measuring the impact of one or more variables on other variables.

HOW TO WRITE A HYPOTHESIS

One of the crucial parts of designing and writing up any research paper is how to
write a hypothesis.

In fact, it is not as difficult as it looks, and if you have followed the steps of the
scientific process and found an area of research and potential research problem,
then you may already have a few ideas. It is just about making sure that you are
asking the right questions and generating your hypothesis statements correctly.

A research hypothesis is a testable statement of opinion. It is created from the

research question by replacing the words "Is there" with the words "There is",
and also replacing the question mark with a period. The hypotheses for the three
sample research questions would be as follows:

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A sample of Research Questions, Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis is as follow:

Questions

1. Is there a significant relationship between the corporate level of managers and their
attitudes towards the revised advertising budget?
2. Is there a significant relationship between perceived need for the new product and the
price that customers would be willing to pay for it?
3. Is there a significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims residents with
respect to what they feel are the most important problems facing the community?

Hypothesis

 There is a significant relationship between the corporate level of managers and their
attitudes towards the revised advertising budget.
 There is a significant relationship between perceived need for the new product and the
price that customers would be willing to pay for it.
 There is a significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims residents with
respect to what they feel are the most important problems facing the community.

It is not possible to test a hypothesis directly. Instead, you must turn the hypothesis into a null
hypothesis. The null hypothesis is created from the hypothesis by adding the words "no" or
"not" to the statement. For example, the null hypotheses for the three examples would be:

Null Hypotheses

 There is no significant relationship between the corporate level of managers and their
attitudes towards the revised advertising budget.
 There is no significant relationship between perceived need for the new product and the
price that customers would be willing to pay for it.
 There is no significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims residents with
respect to what they feel are the most important problems facing the community.

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8) Research Question
The research question must be stated in such a way that these are testable and
answerable. Usually a descriptive research may try to find answers to questions
rather than test hypothesis.

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the literature

related to your selected area of study. The review should describe, summarise,
evaluate and clarify this literature. It should give a theoretical base for the
research and help you (the researcher) determine the nature of your research.
The purpose of a literature review is for you to take a critical look at the literature
(facts and views) that already exists in the area you are researching. A literature
review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars
and researchers. The purpose of literature review is to convey to the readers what
knowledge and ideas have already been established on the topic, and what their
strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be
defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue
you are discussing or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of
the material available, or a set of summaries.

A literature review can be just a simple summary of the sources, but it usually
has an organized pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A
summary is a recap of important information of the area, but a synthesis is a re-
organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new
interpretation to old material or combine new and old interpretations, or it might
trace the intellectual progression in the field, including major debates. Depending

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on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the
reader on the most pertinent or relevant, aspects.

A literature review is a summary of previous research on a topic. Literature

reviews can be either a part of a large report of a research project, a thesis or a
bibliographic essay that is published separately in a scholarly journal. Some
questions to think about as you develop your literature review:

 What is known about the subject?

 Are there any gaps in the knowledge of the subject?
 Have areas of further study been identified by other researchers that you
may want to consider?
 What methods or problems were identified by others studying in the field
and how might they impact your research?
 What is the most productive methodology for your research based on the
literature you have reviewed?
 What is the current status of research in this area?
 What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful
to you?

Besides enlarging your knowledge about the topic, writing a literature review
lets you gain and demonstrate skills in two areas:

1. Information seeking: the ability to scan the literature efficiently, using

manual or computerized methods, to identify a set of useful articles and
books
2. Critical appraisal: the ability to apply principles of analysis to identify
unbiased and valid studies.

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A crucial element of all research degrees is the review of relevant literature. There
are good reasons for spending time and effort on a review of the literature before
embarking on a research project. These reasons include:
 To identify gaps in the literature
 To avoid reinventing the wheel (this will save time and will stop you
from making the same mistakes as others)
 To carry on from where others have already reached (reviewing the
field allows you to build on the platform of existing knowledge and
ideas)
 To increase breadth of knowledge of your subject area
 To provide the intellectual context for your own work, enabling you to
position your project relative to other work
 To demonstrate that you can access previous work in an area
 To identify information and ideas that may be relevant to your project

A good Literature Review

A literature review must do the following:
a. It should organized around and related directly to the
project/thesis or research question you are developing
b. Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known
c. Identify areas of controversy in the literature
d. Formulate questions that need further research/project

The literature review develops a relationship between academics and your

research. Your task must be to show how the academic literature sheds light on
your topic. The purpose of the literature review is to refine the statement of the
research problem or question, not to offer a tutorial on the topic. Do not repeat
large passages from a text.

Final Note

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A literature review is a piece of discursive prose, not a list describing or
summarizing one piece of literature after another. It’s usually a bad sign to see
every paragraph beginning with the name of a researcher. Instead, organize the
literature review into sections that present themes or identify trends, including
relevant theory. You are not trying to list all the material published, but to
synthesize and evaluate it according to the guiding concept of your
project/thesis or research question.
A sample of a portion of literature Review is given in the box below:

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Research Problem
“Impact of Advertisement on Fashion Industry”
Relevant Literature

A consumer preference for brands with a global image, even when quality and value are not

objectively superior, has been proposed as a reason for companies to consider global brands

(Cited from, Shocker et al., 1994; Taylor and Raymond, 2000). Therefore, Fashion Company

needs to identify the response of consumers worldwide to its global advertising for such specific

consumer segment. For instance, the fashion industry for women is particularly relevant in

terms of examining the feasibility of cross-national segmentation. Research indicates that

females tend to be more fashion conscious, be more knowledgeable about fashion brands (Cited

from, Blyth, 2006), and read more fashion magazines than male consumers (Cited from,

Chamblee et al., 1993; Putrevu, 2004). This implies that marketers need to pay special attention

to women when expanding and advertising fashion brands to international markets. The

fashion industry is characterized by a considerable amount of standardized advertising. In fact,

global advertising in fashion magazines that help to create the image of a designer brand name

for fashion goods, such as apparel, accessories, and perfume, and has been used by many

leading firms (Cited from, Blyth, 2006). Increasingly, some fashion marketers have discovered

that their advertising is directly linked to retail sales and strong retail performance (Cited from,

Callan, 2006).

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Theoretical Framework
Theoretical framework is the foundation on which the entire research project is
based. It is logically developed, described and elaborated network of associations
among the variables relevant to the problem situation.
The purpose of the theoretical framework is to demonstrate the researcher’s
knowledge and expertise in the chosen field of research, concentrating on the
research problem. Although the study may be based on other researcher’s work
and publications, the relevant ‘message’ has to be the author’s own
interpretation.

The theoretical framework should contain the relevant information on the chosen
field of research, based on a study of the theoretical basis of the topic. The more
you are able to introduce new and novel viewpoints and critically evaluate their
relevance, the greater the merit of the work. New ideas and interpretations
ensure that the author’s own voice can be heard.
One way to construct the theoretical section is to work your way up from existing
studies to your own research problem. Then, at the end of the chapter, you
should put forward more comprehensive reasoning for your own choices, thus
gaining more credibility and strength for your interpretation from the theoretical
discourse of others. If the thesis introduces new research methods, or uses less-
known existing methods, these are introduced separately, either directly after the
theoretical framework or under a new sub-heading. A sample theoretical frame
work for reference is given below:

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Research problem: Employees Job Satisfaction

Independent Variables

Reward System

Training & Intervening Variable Dependent Variable

Development

Employees Job Satisfaction

Management Union
Style

Working
Environment

Management
Job Security Policies

Performance Moderating Variable

Appraisal

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CHAPTER 3
1) Research Methodology
This chapter describes the basic research plan. It indicates the practical way in
which the whole research study/project has been organized. You have to
describe clearly what method will be used during your study for example
documentary research, face to face interviews, and questionnaire. The nature of
the study whether it is exploratory, descriptive and types of the research i.e.
survey, comparative or a case study must be stated.

The research methodology must be appropriate to the research question. You

need to explain why your chosen method is suitable for your research. At the
proposal stage well selected and clearly justified methodology should be
provided.

2) Research Design
Research design provides the glue that holds the research project together. A
design is used to structure the research, to show how all of the major parts of the
research project - the samples or groups, measures, treatments or programs, and
methods of assignment - work together to address the central research questions.
The term “Research Design” is often used to refer to the pragmatic aspects of the
way the research was conducted. The researcher needs to explain these matters to
the readers. How you plan to carry out the study should be thoroughly
described. Who will be involved, especially the sample and population and
sampling techniques should be clearly stated.

3) Population
it is incumbent on the research to clearly define the target population. Population
refers to the entire group of people, events, or things of interest that the

28
researcher wishes to investigate. Most research in education and social sciences
involves the collection of data from human beings. The total numbers of
individuals to whom the results of the research are intended to apply constitute
the research population. It is important to describe clearly and to explain the
nature of the population.

4) Sampling Technique
Sampling is the process of selecting a sufficient number of elements from the
population. There are two major types of sampling design: Probability and Non-
Probability. Probability sampling includes random sampling, stratified
sampling, multi-stage sampling while non-probability sampling includes
convenient and judgemental sampling. The researcher must give the exact
technique which is used for selection of sample.

5) Sampling Size
A sample is a sub-set of population; it comprises some numbers selected from it.
There are no strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on logic and
judgement. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to represent the
population. The sample reflects the characteristics of the population from which
it is drawn. It is not possible to collect the data from all individuals of population
for the researcher that is why he/she selects a sample size from the population
which might consist of 100, 150 or 200 etc numbers/elements from the
population.

6) Research Tools/Instruments
Once you have selected a topic, you must clearly define the research tools. It
helps if you actually state your topic idea. Research tools are basically
instruments used for collecting the required information from the sampled
population. These instruments include questionnaire, interview, observation,
check list and sometimes documents. Students are required to clearly mention
the scales used for the development of questionnaire in research report proposal.

29
7) Data Collection
Data collection is a term used to describe a process of preparing and collecting
business. A formal data collection process is necessary as it ensures that data
gathered is both defined and accurate and that subsequent decisions based on
arguments embodied in the findings are valid.

DATA COLLECTION TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Administering written questionnaires

A written questionnaire (also referred to as self-administered questionnaire) is a data

collection tool in which written questions are presented that are to be answered by the
respondents in written form.

A written questionnaire can be administered in different ways, such as by:

 Sending questionnaires by mail with clear instructions on how to answer

the questions and asking for mailed responses;
 Gathering all or part of the respondents in one place at one time, giving
oral or written instructions, and letting the respondents fill out the
questionnaires; or
 Hand-delivering questionnaires to respondents and collecting them later.

The questions can be either open-ended or closed (with pre-categorised answers).

Types of questionnaire:

There are several types of questionnaire and each is designed to explore different
aspects or elicit different responses. Some of the more common include:

1. Dichotomous Multiple choice

2. Importance

30
 3. Bipolar
4. Likert
5. Rating scale 1 - 5
6. Buying propensity

These can be used in any combination as long as the questionnaire is not too long
and it is focussed. In the fictitious examples below the data is merely illustrative.

Dichotomous

This is a fairly typical basic type of question, not too intrusive and merely asks
you to answer yes or no. As such it cannot assess the degree of feelings in
between the poles:

Do you have a salary bank Account with National Bank?

Yes
Yes No

Multiple choices

This is a question offering three or more answers - and allows a greater breadth
of response.

How did you first hear about Bank’s web site services?

1
1. Television
2. Radio
3. Newspaper
44. Magazine
5. Internet
66. Other: Please Specify _______________

31
 Importance

In this type of question the respondent is asked to rate the importance of an issue
to them on a scale of 1 to 5

Having another branch of National Bank in my Town

1 2 33 4 5

Extremely Very Somewhat Not very Not at all

Important Important Important Important Important

Bipolar

The question asks for a response to be marked between two opposite ends of the
scale:

How would you describe the local branch of National Bank:

Conveniently _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Inconveniently

Friendly Unfriendly
Service Oriented Unhelpful
Efficient Inefficient

Likert

This question examines how strongly the respondent agrees with a statement and
can help assess the feelings of customers towards issues.

Development Financial Institutions generally give better services than banks?

Strongly Agree Neither agree Disagree

Disagree Strongly
Agreed nor disagree Disagree

1 2 3 44 5

32
 Rating scale

This question type rates the replies in terms of a scale from e.g. poor to first class.
As with all these types of questions it is sometimes necessary to have an even
number of boxes. To avoid the middle of the road response, commonly taken by
those trying to avoid making a stand.

How would you rate the services of your local branch of national bank?

First Class Good Fair Poor Very Poor

Good
1 22 3 4 5

Buying propensity

This type of question is trying to elicit a customer's future intentions by asking

whether they might buy a product and can help assess the needs and likely take
up of a new product if developed.

Care needs to be taken with these questions as they may reflect wants rather than
needs!

If National Bank of Pakistan offers credit card facility, would you be more likely to avail it?

Definitely Probably
Probably Be unsure Probably Not Definitely Not

1 2 2 3 4 5

All of the above are quantitative type questions. What they ask is for a response
within pre-defined parameters that allows input into spreadsheets and hard
analysis. Although this facilitates the input into data analysis sheets and
subsequent number crunching - the respondent is not allowed to say what they

33
think. They can only answer the question by marking the pre-designated boxes.
Qualitative questions can allow more freedom for answers but are much harder
to analyze as each respondent will use his/her own words. Often the question
will be couched along the lines of:

Describe in your own words your opinion of National Bank’s local branch.

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

This has the advantage that the respondent can say what s/he likes, which can
yield very interesting information that might not have been thought of at design
phase; but on the other side, that s/he can also respond in an unlimited and often
unconstructive manner, making analysis much harder. Whichever question types
are used they must always be designed with the express intention of:

1. inconveniencing the customer/respondents as little as possible;

2. being aimed at an homogeneous segment; and
3. Having been designed to elicit specific information that supports
your marketing initiative.

CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Data analysis can be descriptive, graphic and statistical. Often a combination of

all three forms is used. The analysis portion of the research report should be
described in detail. Each question requires its own analysis. Each question should
be answered using above mentioned methods of analysis. Different techniques
are used to analyze the data depending on the objectives of research and research
problem. The researcher must describe the technique or software which he/she
has used for data analysis.

34
Results of your research must be presented clearly and concisely. Tables and
figures should be correctly presented. Results must be discussed in terms of your
research topic and objectives. There should be a relationship between results,
problem statement, literature review and your research objective.

CHAPTER 5 FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

At the beginning of this chapter the purpose, objectives, questions, or hypotheses

must be presented in this form of a summary of the research study limitations
that might have hindered or restricted the researcher. The conclusions are your
interpretations of the meanings of the findings based on the data and their
relationships to the literature, the problem, and the solution of the problem.
Avoid to present recommendations based on your own beliefs and biases that are
not supported by your data. Recommendations must be based on the data
analysis and must be compatible with the objectives of the study. There are two
types of recommendations; first are the recommendations related to the study,
second are the recommendations for other researchers.

PLAGIARISM

In case of project report is found to be a plagiarized (it happens if you copy

somebody else’s work instead of doing your own) version of another project
report, research work/text, etc. Published or unpublished, student’s candidature
shall be cancelled and s/he shall be debarred forever from admission to any of
the University. In case of the plagiarism is proved after the award of the degree,
the degree shall be cancel/withdrawn.

35
Size of the Final Project Report

The research reports vary considerably for example a research report based on
qualitative data may require longer data presentation and analysis rather than
research report based on quantitative data. The length of the research project
report shall not be less than 18,000 – 20, 000 words.

Arrangement/ Contents of Final Project Report

The final project report should be submitted in spiral and the sequence /
arrangement of the report is as follow:

Title Page (Appendix – A)

Attestation of authorship (Appendix – C)
Declaration (Student) (Appendix – D)
Abstract
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Table of Contents
List of Tables

1) Chapter 1 (Introduction)
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Background of Study
1.3 Statement of the Problem
1.4 Objectives
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Research Hypothesis or Research Question
1.7 Delimitation

2) Chapter 2 (Review of Literature) (Appendix – B)

2.1 Sections based on natural topics or themes
2.2 Similar research studies
2.3 Literature giving the rationale
2.4 Short summary

3) Chapter 3 (Research Methodology)

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population
3.3 Sampling Technique/Procedures
3.4 Sampling Size
3.5 Research Instrument /Tools

36
 3.6 Data Collection
4) Chapter 4 (Data Analysis and Interpretation)

4.1 Demographic data and return percentages

4.2 Tables summarizing data
4.3 Figures, graphs, and charts pictorially depicting data
4.4 Narrative describing most important findings

5) Chapter 5 (Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations)

5.1 Summary of findings

5.2 Conclusions
5.3 Recommendations

Bibliography (Appendix E & F)

Supplementary Material
Appendices

37
TITLE PAGE

Title page must have the research topic, name of the researcher, roll number,
registration number, submitted to, month and year on which s/he submitted the
draft of synopsis and final project report, and address (student) must be written.
See Appendix A.

ABSTRACT
The abstract is the most crucial part of the report because anybody searching for
your research on a database or in a journal will usually read only the abstract.
Therefore, it must summarize your research, results and conclusions in less than
200 words.

Sometimes it is good to think of it as a sample of your research rather than a

review; it should inform the researcher that your article contains the information
they need. There are a few ideas on how to write your abstract but the best advice
is that you look at some journals relevant to your research and try to format your
abstract in a similar way. See appendix G.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It should be brief and must not exceed one page.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
This section and is merely a breakdown of sections and subsections by page
number. For a short and straightforward paper it may not be necessary to include
a contents page. But this is mandatory for a research report.
Provide list of all the chapters and subchapters of your research report. Use of
application software (MS Word) can make this very easy for you and the reader
of the research report. Please give roman numbers to preliminary pages and
chapter 1 would be the page no.1.
See appendix H.

38
LIST OF TABLES
The list of tables’ along with page numbers should exactly the same captions as
they appear in the text, so, that the reader of the report can find easily.

LIST OF FIGURES
This list should also use exactly the same captions as they appear in the text, also
mention page numbers.

LIST OF SYMBOLS, ABBREVIATIONS OR NOMENCLATURE (OPTIONAL)

One and half spacing should be adopted for typing the matter under this
heading. Standard symbols, abbreviations etc should be used.

CHAPTERS
Each chapter should be given an appropriate title, and the chapter number and
chapter name should be in CAPS, Bold with 16 Font. Tables and figures in a
chapter should be placed accordingly.

APPENDICES
Most reports have at least one appendix section to allow you to include data,
figures and calculations without breaking the flow of the main body of the
report. Most researchers reading your report will not be too interested in the
exact details, only the results. The appendix, however, allows somebody
interested in your results to check your research more thoroughly. Appendices
should be numbered e.g. Appendix A, B, and C etc. List of appendices may be
provided after list of figures.

39
DRAFTS AND CHECKING
Sometimes, when you think that you have finished your report, it is a good idea
to ask another person to read through it for you and pick out the obvious
mistakes. They can give you input on your research paper format and it is also
very easy to miss your own mistakes so an independent review is useful. After
this process you can finalize your first draft of the report.

GRAMMAR AND SPELLING

Even though you are writing scientific reports, it is essential to the research paper
format that your grammar and spelling are correct and readable. If your report is
poorly written, people will tend to assume that your research is also poor and
you are giving the assessor an easy excuse to give you a lower grade. Spell-
checkers are good for an initial check on your language use but they are not
powerful enough to pick up every mistake. If you are not confident enough about
your language skills to write a good report, "bribe" or pay somebody more skilled
to edit it for you, when you've finished your paper. Most students studying
English or other languages are only too happy to have the chance to earn a little
money on the side.

GRAPHS

Graphs are one of the easiest ways to display your results and findings in an easy
to understand format. Any graphs should take up a full page and be numbered
as diagrams 1, 2 etc. They should be referred to by these descriptions in the body
of the text. Graphs are not essential to the research paper format, but help you
present your main points. Where relevant, graphs should include any error bars
so that anybody reading your report can quickly see the degrees of significance of
your results. If you don't know what an error bar is, don't worry about this.
Graphs are best kept as simple as possible and, in the computer age, should be
drawn with one of the many software programs available.

40
You should not lose credit for using traditional pen and paper, but most
universities and schools will teach you how to utilize computer spreadsheet
applications and the saving in time and effort is worthwhile.

41
FORMAT OF THE PROJECT REPORT
Format and Style

You will be required to abide by the following format and style as specified by
the Department.

 Font Times New Roman

 Chapter Headings 16Bold CAPS
 Headings 14 Bold CAPS
 Sub-headings 14 Bold Normal
(Do not italicize or underline the headings and sub-headings)
 Text 12
 Paper quality offset paper 90 grams
 Paper size A4 – 213mm x 275mm
 Spacing Double
 Paragraphing Indented or justified and double space
between paragraphs
 Binding
- Evaluation Copy Spiral binding
- Final Copy Hardbound covered with cloth
- Colour of binding Dark Black or Navy Blue
- Spine To contain student’s name, title of the
Project, level and year

 Citation Manual APA (Appendix – E)

Harvard (Appendix – F)
 Margins Left 1½” 3.8 cm
Right 1” 2.5 cm
Top 1¼” 3.2 cm
Bottom 1” 2.5 cm

42
 Appendix - A
TITLE
Font: Times New Roman
Size: TOPIC 24 bold CAPS
STUDENT’S NAME 18 bold CAPS
Name of the Dept. 16 bold
Name of the University 18 bold

Spine 2”
Name Title of the Project report
- level

TITLE OF THE
PROJECT

STUDENT’S NAME
1½” 1”
- Year

Department of _________
Allama Iqbal Open University
5 cm
blank
Year
space

1”

The Inner title would be the same, plus:

i) Statement of Submission:
Submission in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of
Commonwealth of Learning EMBA/EMPA at the Department of Business
Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University,
Islamabad.
ii) Supervisor’s Name (iii) Month, Year

43
 Appendix - B
Font: Times New Roman
Size: Chapter Headings 16 bold CAPS
Headings 14 bold CAPS
Sub-headings 14 bold
Text 12
Alignment Justified or Indented
Spacing Double
Paraphrasing Either indent or don’t but consistent
(Do not italicize or underline the headings of sub-headings.)

2”

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 OVERVIEW

It is understood that information needs arise when an

individual finds himself in a problem situation, when he or she

no longer can manage with the knowledge that he or she

possess, (Talja 1992, P. 72). There are a lot of studies on mass

media or mass communication throughout the world done but

a few research studies conducted on ‘news-seeking patterns

throughout the world, and especially in Pakistan.

The present study is significant not only for the newspapers’

industries and readers, but it is also important for educational

point of view.

1”

44
 Appendix - C

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIIVERSITY

Commonwealth MBA/MPA Programme for Executive

ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP

I, Roll No.
Registration No. A student of COL Program in
Allama Iqbal Open University, solemnly declare that my Project Report entitled
Is my own work and that, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by
another person. This report is not submitted already and shall not be submitted
in future for obtaining a degree from same or another University or Institution. If
it is found to be copied/plagiarized at later stage of any student enrolled in the
same or any other university, I shall be liable to face legal action before Unfair
Mean committee (UMC), as per AIOU/HEC Rules and Regulations, and I
understand that if I am found guilty, my degree will be cancelled.

Signature
Name:
Programme:

45
 Appendix – D
CERTIFICATE (from supervisor)

The project report entitled “ ”, at

COL Executive Master of Business Administration/ Public Administration
conducted by ____________________________ Roll No. _______________,
Registration No. _________________ Semester _________ has been completed
under my guidance and I am satisfied with the quality of student’s research
work.
Supervisor

_________________________
Name
Date: _________________

46
 Appendix - E
APA CITATION STYLE

Journal or Magazine Article

Wilcox, R. V. (1991). Shifting roles and synthetic women in Star trek:
The next generation. Studies in Popular Culture, 13(2), 53-65.

Journal or Magazine Article

Dubeck, L. (1990). Science fiction aids science teaching. Physics Teacher,
28, 316-318.

Newspaper Article
Di Rado, A. (1995, March 15). Trekking through college: Classes explore
modern society using the world of Star trek. Los Angeles Times, p. A3.

Article from an Internet Database

Mershon, D. H. (1998, November-December). Star trek on the brain:
Alien minds, human minds. American Scientist, 86, 585. Retrieved July
29, 1999, from Expanded Academic ASAP database.

Book
Okuda, M., & Okuda, D. (1993). Star trek chronology: The history of the
future. New York: Pocket Books.

Book Article or Chapter

James, N. E. (1988). Two sides of paradise: The Eden myth according to
Kirk and Spock. In D. Palumbo (Ed.), Spectrum of the fantastic (pp. 219-
223). Westport, CT: Greenwood.

Encyclopaedia Article
Sturgeon, T. (1995). Science fiction. In The encyclopedia Americana (Vol.
24, pp. 390-392). Danbury, CT: Grolier.

ERIC Document
Fuss-Reineck, M. (1993). Sibling communication in Star trek: The next
generation: Conflicts between brothers. Miami, FL: Annual Meeting of the
Speech Communication Association. (ERIC Document Reproduction
Service No. ED 364932)

Website

47
Lynch, T. (1996). DS9 trials and tribble-ations review. Retrieved October
8, 1997, from Psi Phi: Bradley's Science Fiction Club Web site:
http://www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/DS9/ep/503r.html

Graduate Studies, College of Education, University of Florida

Last modified: 12 Jul, 2005, Suggestions for Preparing a
Dissertation/Thesis Proposal web site:
http://www.coe.ufl.edu/web/?pid=86

48
 Appendix – F
HARVARD CITATION STYLE

GUIDELINES FOR HARVARD REFERENCING

An important part of academic and professional writing is correct referencing. In

the following sections, guidelines will be presented to ensure that you achieve
the required standard for your studies. In any piece of work you produce, you
must acknowledge all the sources you have used to help you prepare your work.
Not only may the person reading, or more importantly marking your work, be
familiar with the original, but also more credit is given to a student who has
thoroughly researched the topic area and has cited the sources of their work. As
there are a number of referencing systems and several variations, it is suggested
that you use the following outline of the Harvard system. This will enable
anyone reading your work to locate the exact sources you have used and so
follow up the arguments or the information you have provided.

How to create a reference list/bibliography

 A reference list contains only the books, articles, and web pages etc that
are cited in the text of the document. A bibliography includes all
sources consulted for background or further reading.
 A reference list is arranged alphabetically by author. If an item has no
author, it is cited by title, and included in the alphabetical list using the
first significant word of the title.
 If you have more than one item with the same author, list the items
chronologically, starting with the earliest publication.
 Each reference appears on a new line.
 There is no indentation of the references.
 There is no numbering of the references.

The details required in order are:

49
1. name/s of author/s, editor/s, compiler/s (surname, and initials or given
name), or the institution responsible
2. year of publication
3. title of publication and subtitle if any (all titles must be underlined or
italicised)
4. series title and individual volume if any
5. edition, if other than first
6. publisher
7. place of publication
8. page number(s) if applicable

One author
Berkman, R. I. 1994, Find It Fast: How to Uncover Expert Information on Any Subject,
HarperPerennial, New York.

Explanation of citation

Author Year Title (Italicised or underlined)

Berkman, R.I 1994 Find it fast: How to uncover expert information on any subject,
Harper Perennial, New York.

PUBLISHER PLACE OF PUBLICATION

Two or more authors

Moir, A. & Jessel, D. 1991, Brain Sex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women,
Mandarin, London.
Cheek, J., Doskatsch, I., Hill, P. & Walsh, L. 1995, Finding Out : Information Literacy
For the 21st century,
MacMillan Education Australia, South Melbourne.
Editor(s)
Robinson, W. F. & Huxtable, C. R. R. (eds) 1988, Clinicopathologic Principles For
Veterinary Medicine,
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Sjostrand, S. (ed.) 1993, Institutional Change: Theory and Empirical Findings,
M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, N.Y.

Sponsored by institution, corporation or other organisation

50
Australian Government Publishing Service 1994, Style Manual For Authors, Editors
and Printers,
5th edn, AGPS, Canberra.
Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation, Market Research Department 1991,
An Examination of the Effect of the
Domestic Aviation Dispute on Queensland Tourism, Queensland Tourist and
Travel Corporation, Brisbane.
Series
Simons, R. C. 1996, Boo!: Culture, Experience and the Startle Reflex, Series in
Affective Science,
Oxford University Press, New York.
Edition
McTaggart, D., Findlay, C. & Parkin, M. 1995, Economics, 2nd edn,
Addison-Wesley, Sydney.
Chapter or part of a book to which a number of authors have contributed
Bernstein, D. 1995, 'Transportation planning' in The Civil Engineering Handbook,
ed. W.F.Chen,
CRC Press, Boca Raton.
No author or editor
If no author is given, the title is used as the first element of a citation.
Alphabetise the entry by the first main word of the title in the bibliography.

Journal article
Huffman, L. M. 1996, 'Processing whey protein for use as a food ingredient', Food
Technology, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 49-52.

Explanation of citation

Author Year
Huffman, L.M 1996 ‘Possessing whey protein for use as a food ingredient’,
Food Technology, Vol. 50. No. 2, pp. 49-52.

Title of Article VOLUME, ISSUE, PAGE NOS.

(Italicised or underlined)

Conference paper
Bohrer, S., Zielke, T. & Freiburg, V. 1995, `Integrated obstacle detection
framework for intelligent cruise control on motorways',
IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, Detroit, MI, Piscataway, pp. 276-281.

51
 Appendix – G

ABSTRACT

The researcher in this thesis intended to study the effects of advertisements on Consumer’s
behaviour and tried to identify the components in the advertisements that affect the
consumer behaviour.

Advertisements are messages that inform us about different things. We daily watch
numerous advertisements of consumer goods, places, services, hotels, books, food, clothes
etc. They provide the path to a company so that it can bring it offering into limelight.

Advertisement is everywhere in our daily life. When we pick newspaper we can see it there,
if we tune into a radio we can hear advertisement there, if we switch on the TV we can watch
the advertisement there as well. If we are on a drive we can notice huge billboards along the
road side. Ads are not just to glitter and glamour; they in fact carry intended messages,
which directly or indirectly work as persuasive communication.

In first chapter titled Introduction of Report shows the basic information about the project
such a background of the study, purpose of study, statement of the problem, research
question and delimitations.

The second chapter titled the Literature Review describes theories, historical background,
categories, functioning and types of advertising, also a brief introduction and history of
Proctor and Gamble (The Organization).

The third chapter includes research methodology, research design, sampling and data
collection.

The fourth chapter includes the data analysis and its interpretation.

The fifth chapter is composed of the findings, conclusions and recommendations.

At the end of the report bibliography and appendices are included.

52
A sample Table of Contents is given as under:
Appendix – H
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title i.
Abstract ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Certificate v
Declaration vi

CHAPTTER 1 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION 2
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 2
1.3 HISTORICAL BACK GROUND OF STUDY 2
1.4 CATEGORIES OF ADVERTISING 2
1.4.1 Immediate Action 4
1.4.2 Awareness 8
1.4.3 Image 9
CHAPTER-2 10
2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW 11
2.2 ADVERTISEMENT 17
2.2.1 Paid Form 20
2.2.2 Non-Personal Presentation 24
2.2.3 Ideas, Goods, and Services 39
2.2.4 An Identified Sponsor 51
CHAPTER – 3 52
1.1 POPULATION 53
1.2 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE 56
1.3 SAMPLE SIZE 58
1.4 PROBLEM FACED 60
1.5 USES OF COMPUTER APPLICATION 75
CHAPTER – 4 76
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETTATION 77
4.1 Demographic Information of Respondents 78
4.1.1 Gender of the Respondents 79
4.1.2 Cross-tabulation of Gender with Age of Respondents 87
4.1.3 Cross-tabulation of Gender with Qualification of 93
Respondents
CHAPTER – 5 94
5.1 FINDINGS 95
5.2 CONCLUSION 99
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS 102
Bibliography 105
Appendices 107
Appendix A 108
Appendix B 109

53