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Introduction to Business Research

This module has attempted to develop an understanding of the processes involved in preparing the research proposal. The candidate will appreciate that the preparation of the research report is a complex and involved process, and it should not be approached lightly. The research proposal should be prepared to the standard layout discussed in the text. Research proposals vary widely in terms of content and emphasis. There is no single style or approach that should be used as the specific detail will vary, depending on the nature of the research. The candidate should by now have a basic idea of how to prepare the research proposal itself and what should be included in each section. The candidate should remember that it is very difficult to write a good research proposal first time around, and there is a high probability that the research committee will reject any given research proposal and will require alterations to be made. In most cases any such alterations may hopefully be minor. The candidate should now be able to:

understand what is required to produce an acceptable research proposal; understand the primary likely sections of the research proposal; define the research intentions in sufficient detail to satisfy the EBS Research
Committee; describe any major hurdles to be overcome in gaining access to organisations in order to conduct the research; anticipate any ethical problems likely to arise in carrying out the research; write a research proposal; make modifications to the research proposal if required.

The following section briefly summarises the primary learning outcomes from each section that is included in this module. Problems of Access

Candidates must consider the issue of access when designing the research

strategy. Access to many organisations is becoming more difficult, in part because they have become deluged by requests to cooperate in research projects. Candidates should not simply assume that a sufficient number of companies or other sources of data will be prepared to cooperate. Where possible the candidate should carefully check access availability well beforehand. Where relevant the candidate should seek to obtain letters of support from key contributors and include these as part of the research proposal. Even if a company agrees to provide access, employees may restrict their cooperation and/or the level of information they are prepared to divulge. Commercial confidentiality is often an important issue with companies. In some cases it may be necessary to issue a confidentiality agreement in order to protect a company's interests. DBA theses can be classified as restricted access if necessary. This means that access to the thesis is limited to readers who are approved. Research Ethics

Ethics refer to the appropriateness of the candidate's behaviour in relation to the

rights of those who are the subject of his or her research. It is important to be sensitive to the impact of the work on those who grant access and those affected by the results. A statement on research ethics is required as part of the research proposal. Ideally the researcher should adopt a disinterested, value-free attitude when collecting and analysing data and writing up the results. Samples must be established honestly, which means they may yield results that will not support the candidate's preconceived views. Writing the Research Proposal

The research proposal should be written on A4 paper and should follow the format
given on the EBS DBA template provided. The candidate should think about the research proposal very carefully before starting work. If necessary the mentor should be approached for guidance and general advice. A typical format for the research proposal is given below. Abstract Summary Background (literature review) Research questions, aims, objectives and hypotheses The research paradigm and theoretical framework Research methodology Sample design and details of the data collection process Accessibility Research ethics Deliverables Significance The resources required to implement the research A timetable indicating the expected completion date for each part of the research References, bibliography, letters of support and appendices The abstract is a short and precise summary of the proposal. It should contain around 200 words. Abstracts of theses are often used in research catalogues to provide a flavour of what is involved in the research. The abstract is usually written last. The summary is perhaps the most important part of the research proposal. The summary should follow the same line of thought as the abstract but contain more detail. The summary should generally be a minimum of about 300 words and a maximum of about 1000 words. The background provides an overview of the previously published work by other researchers. It is basically a mini literature review for the research proposal. The background should place the current research proposal in the context of the existing literature, particularly in relation to any gaps in the literature and how the current research is positioned in relation to these gaps. The background should normally be a minimum of around 500 words and a maximum of around 1000 words. The research questions, aims, objectives and hypotheses section should cover each of the named areas in as much detail as possible. The links between the research questions, aims and objectives, and the

hypotheses should be made clear. The research paradigm and theoretical framework section should make clear the intended paradigm and the theoretical framework behind the research questions, aims, objectives and hypotheses. The paradigm(s) and the theoretical framework of the work must be clearly stated together with an outline of the research strategy and a general plan of how the research questions will be addressed. The research paradigm and theoretical framework section is a relatively short section and generally contains between about 300 and 500 words. The research methodology section should give sufficient detail on the proposed research methodologies for the pilot and main studies. The research methodology section should detail the research methods used, and should justify the choice of a particular methodology. This research methodology section should normally be a minimum of around 500 words and a maximum of around 1000 words. The sample design and data collection process section should furnish details of the design and identify the research population. All sources of data involving documents, archival material, questionnaires, interviews and observations should be identified. If case studies are involved, the basis of the case selection should be made clear, as should the method of withincase sampling. The sample design and details of the data collection process section can normally be completed in less than 500 words. The candidate should make it clear that he or she has thought carefully about the accessibility of the data required for the research. The accessibility section should include a comprehensive listing of the proposed sources of data and a clear summary of the degree of accessibility secured. In some cases it may be appropriate to refer to direct letters of support (see below) in this section. The research ethics section summarises the candidate's approach to research ethics. Candidates are required to make a judgement about the validity of additional resources as part of the research ethics consideration. The deliverables section summarises the results of the research in terms of what will actually be available for the use of other researchers, public and private companies, and anybody else who may have a use for the findings. The deliverables are the goods generated by the research. Deliverables can include the thesis, research papers, textbooks, conference papers and a range of other possible elements. The significance section should make clear the significance of the research in relation to the existing knowledge base and the likely applications of the results. The resources required to implement the research should summarise any assumptions on resource availability, in terms both of people and of equipment. Any proposed assistance should be stated. The timetable of expected completion dates should show start and finish times for each main activity. The duration shown for each activity should be reasonable. The timetable should be flexible, as unexpected delays are always likely to occur. The references, bibliography, letters of support and appendices section should contain any remaining material. Additional appendices can be developed and included in this section if required. The completed research proposal should inform the EBS Research Committee of: what the candidate wants to do; why he or she wishes to do it,

what the candidate is attempting to achieve; how he or she intends to achieve it; the timescales and work elements required.

Evaluating the Research Proposal

The research proposal should be carefully evaluated before it is submitted. The candidate should ensure that the research proposal is original to the extent

that it will make a contribution to knowledge. The candidate should ensure that the research proposal contains research objectives that have been translated into hypotheses expressing relationships between variables and able to be tested empirically. Submitting the Research Proposal

Candidates should check any appropriate deadlines carefully. The EBS Research
Committee meets at regular intervals. The candidate should check for any submission deadlines for any given committee meeting. Research proposals have to be submitted well before the actual committee meeting because the research proposals have to be circulated to the committee members well in advance of the relevant meeting so that they have time to read and consider the contents. The research committee can make two possible decisions on a research proposal. The research committee accepts the research proposal. The research committee rejects the proposal. If the research proposal is not rejected the candidate can pass the second gateway in the EBS DBA programme and start the literature review. Non-rejection by the research committee means that the committee considers the research proposal to be of a sufficient standard, and to carry sufficient promise and potential, to justify allowing the candidate to proceed to the literature review. The research committee may reject the proposal. Rejection may occur because one or more of the areas contained in the research proposal are not addressed correctly. Candidates should appreciate that it is very difficult to write a near-perfect research proposal. In most cases the research committee will require some form of amendment. Such amendment could range from minor corrections to major adjustments. The candidate should study the report of the research committee vary carefully before making any amendments to the research proposal.

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