Dissertation Proposal and research plan, Primary Research

Learning Outcomes

1. Define and contextualise the research issue and specify appropriate aim, objectives and research questions.

2. Critically evaluate and analyse theories and concepts relevant to the chosen topic to be researched in the form of a literature review.

3. Appraise research methodologies in order to specify, design, justify and execute appropriate and effective research.

4. Critically analyse and integrate findings from literature, secondary and primary research data in order to draw reasoned conclusions and produce relevant recommendations.

5. Produce a completed piece of research which is accessible and coherent to the reader.

The Assignment Task:

The Dissertation must follow the structure below:-

Title page: Each copy of the dissertation must have a title page, containing the title of the Dissertation, the full rubric e.g. 'Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of International Master of Business Administration' and the year in which it is submitted, the word count and your name and student number. In addition, please place the name of your supervisor on the title page and a declaration confirming that this is all your own work and that you are aware of the Plagiarism policy and that you have not contravened this. The word count (excluding Appendices) must be shown. A statement relating to confidentiality should be made where applicable should you not wish your dissertation to be used for educational purposes with subsequent students

Acknowledgements: You may wish to recognise the people involved in your primary research and others who have supported you through the completion of the dissertation

Abstract: on a separate page, you must include an abstract explaining what your dissertation is about - not just posing the question or describing the background, but summarising what you were investigating, your findings and conclusions. It should be about one to two pages long. This is not included in the overall word-limit.
Table of contents - with page numbers.
List of tables
List of figures
List of appendices

Glossary: These are definitions of any technical terms or full versions of any abbreviations used regularly in the Dissertation. If for example you refer many times to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) or the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) you can create a list of abbreviations that will save you repeating a longer form of citation in the text. The list should be in alphabetical order.

The main body ofthe dissertation - It will usually be appropriate to divide this into sections, with numbered chapters or sections.

It must have an Introduction, Literature Review (Review of Current Thinking), Research Methodology, Findings and Analysis, Conclusion and Recommendations

Further guidance on each section is given on Blackboard.

References All dissertations must include a full Harvard list of references for the sources cited in the body of the work and the Appendices.

Appendices (these should be in the hard copies of your dissertation, but in the interests of confidentiality you need not upload your full set of Appendices to Blackboard). Each Appendix should always start on a fresh pageand be listed in the table of contents. Appendices will not be included in the word count, but should always ‘add value' to your dissertation.
Your Appendices must include clear evidence of originality e.g. interview transcripts, sample completed questionnaires, examples of your analysis such as coding of qualitative data, relevant spreadsheets and raw data input for survey work, e mails agreeing to participate in research or giving permissions for you to conduct research in a specific organisation, signed consent forms
You should also include a signed copy of the Research Ethics Checklist submitted with your Research Plan

Reminders:
All International MBA students are expected to collect some primary data for their final dissertations. Dissertations purely based on literature reviews will not pass.

Your dissertation may fail if you do not provide sufficient evidence of the originality of your work, especially your primary research. You should not assume that you will be invited to a viva (oral examination) to provide further evidence if the appropriate evidence is missing from your final dissertation.