Management Research Methods
Proposal 1:
Topic: The impact of private taxi company on UK national economy. A case study of UBER, Hyde.
Research methodology- Quantitative
Data Collection- I will collect data from at least 50 people. 25 UBER driver and 25 UBER riders.
Collection method- I will use a questionnaire set to collect my primary data from my random samples.
Data collection method- I will use social media and email to contact my samples for data collection.
Proposal 2:
Topic- The impact of emerging technology on food delivery system. A case study on Uber Eat service of takeaways in Hyde, Manchaster.
Research methodology- quantitative method
Sample- random sampling
Amount of data- from at least 50 people
Data collection method- questionnaire consist of 20 questions to address the aim and objectives
Media for data collection- email and social media
Proposal 3:
Topic: Technology based small business management in UK: A case study of Indian restaurants in Hyde, Manchester.
Research methodology- quantitative method
Sample- random sampling
Amount of data- from at least 50 people
Data collection method- questionnaire consist of 20 questions to address the aim and objectives
Media for data collection- email and social media
Assessment 1: Research Proposal (100%)
The summative assessment for this module will consist of a written RESEARCH PROPOSAL accounting for 100% of the overall grade covering learning outcomes 1-4 (Upper word count 2000).
LO1: Generate, evaluate, and select a variety of appropriate research questions in the chosen discipline that will facilitate the development of academic, career and personal aspirations.
LO2: Critically discuss a variety of research designs and methods including primary and/or secondary data and assess the validity and robustness of both quantitative and qualitative research.
LO3: Present and justify a structured and coherent research proposal deploying accurately established techniques in order to enable unpredictable and complex problems to be addressed; the proposal should include considerations of ethical issues especially is the data is collected from human subjects to be in compliance with ethnical best practice.
LO4: To present research parameters in their research project topic relevant to their chosen pathway option.
Within your research proposal you should include the following:
- Have chosen an agreed topic of interest within the discipline of Business and Management.
- Formulate a design research problem – does your dissertation ask an appropriate question?
- Establish aims for your dissertation.
- Prepare an introduction, highlighting the broad background of the subject and an indication of why it is your choice of study. This should focus a little on your interest in the subject and a description of its contemporary nature.
- Prepare an overview of the subjects you consider will be relevant for your literature review. This should take the form of one or two paragraphs highlighting the key theories, models, best practice, journal/research articles, latest thinking, academic subjects etc.
- Prepare an overview of your methodology, considering the method and process you are going to use to collect your primary and secondary research. Highlight what primary and secondary research you will require, where you can find it and how easy you believe it will be. When considering primary research, highlight who you will be contacting and the methods you have considered to achieve this, i.e. interview, questionnaire, meetings, focus groups etc. Give a little theory of what this process will take and what its benefits are over other methods. Highlight what form the collected data will take, i.e. quantitative or qualitative data, and why you have designed your research in this way. How reliable is the data, can you think of any statistical methods you could use to analyse it?
- Consider the limitations to your methodology, for example, what are your time constraints, can you ensure people will respond to your primary research, what resources do you require?
- Prepare a comprehensive list of reference materials you consider will be useful to your dissertation. Use books, journal articles, legal proceedings, conference reports, official data, web references, union publications, documents from support bodies such as National Training Organisations, Local Government etc.
- Prepare a time plan or Gantt chart for your dissertation; highlight each stage of the report, introduction, literature review, methodology, data analysis and research findings, and conclusions etc. Consider when you aim to have these completed and how you plan to Research Proposal with your project supervisor.
- Reflect on ethical issues pertinent to your research by including an Ethics proposal form within the appendices. This is a mandatory requirement of the module.
Reading list and additional learning resources
Core reading
Robson, C (2010) Real World Research, London, Blackwell
Bryman, A. (2012) Social research methods, 4th edition Oxford: Oxford University Press
Saunders, M.N.K., Thornhill, A. and Lewis, P. (2012) Research Methods for Business Students, FT Prentice Hall
Recommended Reading:
Bryman, A and Bell, E (2011), Business Research Methods, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
Coghlan, D, and Brannick, T (2010) Doing Action Research in Your Own Organisation, London: Sage
Creswell, J.W. (2013) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, London: Sage
Collis, J and Hussey, R (2009), Business Research, 2nd ed., Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Hart, C. (1998) Doing a Literature Review, London: Sage
Gill, J and Johnson, P (2011), Research Methods for Managers 3rd Ed., London: Sage
Coakes, SJ, Steed, LG & Ong, C (2010), SPSS Version 18.0 for Windows: Analysis Without Anguish, Milton, Queensland: Wiley
Lancaster, G (2008), Research Methods in Management, Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann London: Prentice Hall
Journals
International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 1364-5579; 1464-5300 (on line)
Qualitative Research Journal, 1443-9883
Qualitative Research 1468-7941, Cardiff University, Sage
Journal of Business Research, Elsevier 2015
Work based learning e-journal International – Middlesex University, wblejournal@mdx.ac.uk