Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Business
Research Methods
Session 2
The dissertation and the
dissertation proposal
Suzana Rodrigues
Agenda
Part 1:
l What is a dissertation
l What is a dissertation proposal
Part 2
l The dissertation topic
1. Introduction
Significance of the topic
Research questions and aims
The dissertation content (what goes in each chapter)
2. Literature review
Insights from previous research and discussion
Defining concepts, drawing out hypotheses, defining a
framework
5. Conclusions
Contribution to knowledge
Implications for practice
Research limitations
Suggestions for future research
6. References
7. Annexes
All dissertations must be formulated
around a research, which is based on
empirical data or material already
published by credible source
The Purpose of research is:
l Title
l Abstract or summary
l Background/ introduction
l Statement of purpose or aim: Research questions and objectives
l Review of the relevant literature
l Methodology (including paradigm)
l Ethical issues
l Plan of work/Timescale
l Resources
l References
Objectives
Question:
l Do exporting SMEs with higher intensity of
internationalization report superior levels of
business performance?
Objective
Organization
Issues
Focusing
Identifying the research question
Identifying the context and the gap in knowledge:
“Perhaps the most profound business phenomenon of the 20th century was
the internationalization of large, small, established, and new venture
firms (Sapienza, Autio, George, & Zahra, 2006). Accordingly, the
development of multinational enterprises (MNEs) eventually led to a global
economy with an increasingly interrelated set of national economies and
financial markets. As prominent businesses expanded their operations
overseas
to satisfy investors’ desires for growth and higher performance, the demand for
support services in these operations increased. Therefore, professional
services
firms followed their clients into international markets to service their growing
needs (Greenwood & Empson, 2003). In this way, professional service firms
facilitated the expansion of the MNEs. Yet although there is considerable
research on the international strategies of large industrial firms, little
research has explored the internationalization of service firms (Cooper,
Greenwood, Hinings, & Brown, 1998), particularly the bases for their
internationalization. One goal of the present research was to fill this gap.
From: Hitt Michael, Bierman L. , Uhlenbruck and Shimizu K. 2006. The importance of resources in the internationalization of
professional service firms: the good, the bad and the ugly. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 49, No. 6, 1137–1157.
Detailing the topic
Identifying gaps
Research
question
Contribution to
knowledge
Re-focusing
“We address the resources needed to internationalize
successfully.
(The focus)
Given the extent to which many firms have internationalized and the
desire of others to expand their international scope, researchers need
to better understand the requirements for expanding internationally and
how firms can do so successfully. Prior research suggests the
motivations for internationalization include economies of scale and
scope, increasing market power, gaining knowledge enhancements
leading to stronger capabilities and innovation, and exploiting
entrepreneurial opportunities (Barkema & Vermeulen, 1998; Hitt,
Hoskisson, & Kim, 1997; Lu & Beamish, 2001; Vermeulen & Barkema,
2001).