statistics and business research methods

statistics and business research methods

HOLMES INSTITUTE
FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
HI6007 Assessment One
Business Research Report Proposal: Initial Research Proposal
Due Friday Week 06

1000 words worth 10%

The initial research proposal will consist of the following SIX (6) items:

1. Identify a business research topic
2. Define the research questions for the identified problem or opportunity
3. Select the appropriate research methodologies and techniques to use for the research project
4. Describe the research process
5. Describe data collection and analysis methods
6. Describe expected research outcomes

Material on Research Methods will be presented in class from week 4 to 6.

Initial Research Proposal due at the end of Week 6

Here are some questions to help you develop your business research proposal:

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

What exactly do I want to find out?
What is a researchable problem?

THEORY, ASSUMPTIONS, BACKGROUND LITERATURE:

What does the relevant literature in the field indicate about this problem?
VARIABLES AND HYPOTHESES:

What will I take as given in the environment i.e. what is the starting point?
Which are the independent and which are the dependent variables?

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS AND MEASUREMENT

Does the problem need scoping/simplifying to make it achievable?
What and how will the variables be measured?
What degree of error in the findings is tolerable?

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

What is my overall strategy for doing this research?
Will this design permit me to answer the research question?
What constraints will the approach place on the work?

INSTRUMENTATION/SAMPLING

How will I get the data I need to test my hypothesis?
What tools or devices will I use to make or record observations?
How will I choose the sample?
What degree of accuracy or level of confidence can I guarantee?

DATA ANALYSIS

What combinations of analytical and statistical process will be applied to the data?
Which of these will allow me to accept or reject my hypotheses?

CONCLUSIONS, INTERPRETATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS

Was my initial hypothesis supported or rejected? Why?
What are the implications of my findings for the theory base, for the background assumptions, or relevant literature?
What recommendations result from the work?
What suggestions can I make for further research on this topic?

MARKING SCHEME

Identify business research topic and
Define the research questions for the identified problem or opportunity.
Excellent
8-10 Good
6-7 Average
5 Not adequate
3-4 Poor
0-2
Clearly justified topic
Well defined questions
Importance and value of research topic and problem
Well referenced literature to research topic
Comments:
/40%

Select the appropriate research methodologies and techniques to use for the research project
Describe the research process
Excellent
8-10 Good
6-7 Average
5 Not adequate
3-4 Poor
0-2
Selection of suitable research method
Steps of research process described
References used to justify choices
Comments:
/30%

Describe data collection and analysis methods
Describe expected research outcomes
Excellent
8-10 Good
6-7 Average
5 Not adequate
3-4 Poor
0-2
Suitable data collection method
Description of data analysis to be done
Description of expected results
Comments:
/30%
Overall Comments TOTAL /100%

HOLMES INSTITUTE
FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
HI6007 Assessment Three
Business Research Report Proposal: FINAL Research Proposal
Due Friday Week 12
2500 words worth 20%

The FINAL research proposal will consist of the following NINE (9) items:

1. A business research topic.
Strengthen and improve initial proposal.

2. A brief literature review of the research topic
Produce 2 to 3 pages on background information on your research topic.

3. Research questions for the identified problem or opportunity
Strengthen and improve initial proposal

4. Appropriate research methodologies and techniques to use for the research project
Strengthen and improve initial proposal

5. A project plan using a Gantt Chart and clearly defined milestones (if in a group with clearly defined individual tasks, contributions and milestones)
Use Microsoft Project or other software to produce the Gantt Chart.
Your milestones for HI6008 are:
Week 6: Literature Review due.
Week 10: Data Collection and Analysis Report due.
Week 14: Final Business Research (Capstone) Thesis due.

6. Description of the research process
Strengthen and improve initial proposal

7. Description of data collection and analysis methods
Strengthen and improve initial proposal

8. Description of expected research outcomes
Strengthen and improve initial proposal

9. A completed Ethics Checklist.
Complete and sign ethics checklist below and attach with FINAL research project proposal.
All students will need to pass the final research proposal submitted in week 12 to be able to start the capstone research proposal in HI6008 the following semester.
Submit hard copy of FINAL research report to Holmes by 4pm on Friday of Week 12.

ETHICS CHECKLIST FOR STUDENT RESEARCHERS

• This checklist is designed to alert you to your ethical obligations when you conduct research involving human subjects.
• These questions must be answered when a research project is proposed and before a research project is implemented.
• Attach the completed checklist to your final research proposal in week 12.
________________________________________
Student Name and ID: _______________________________________

Title of the Project: ______________________________________________________________________
Please circle your answers:
1) Will the human subjects be informed of the nature of their involvement in the collection
of data and of features of the research that reasonably might be expected to influence
willingness to participate? Yes No
2) Will the human subjects be told that they can discontinue their participation at any time? Yes No
3) Will the human subjects in your study be aware that they are the targets of research? Yes No
4) If the subjects are underage, will their guardians be asked to sign the consent form? Yes No N/A
5) Is the confidentiality of the human subject’s identity positively ensured? Yes No
6) In cases where there is a possibility that the human subject’s identity can be deduced by Yes No
someone other than the researcher, is the subject’s right to withdraw his/her data
respected?
7) Will the researcher fulfil all the promises made to the human subjects including providing Yes No
the summary of the findings upon request?
8) Will all necessary measures be taken to protect the physical safety of Yes No
the human subjects from dangers such as faulty electrical equipment, poor
grounding, lack of oxygen, falls, traffic & industrial accidents, possibility
of hearing or vision loss etc.?
9) Will the human subject be debriefed (told the true nature of the study) after Yes No
the data has been collected?

10) In cases in which the human subject is dissatisfied or a complaint about the researcher or Yes No
procedure, will the researcher explain to the human subject that he or she may express
this complaint to the Subject Coordinator?
11) Does the study involve concealment from and/or deception of the human subject? Yes No
12) Will deception be used in order to obtain agreement to participate? Yes No
13) Will the study involve human subjects who are legally or otherwise not in a position to
give their valid consent to participate such as children, prison inmates, mental patients? Yes No
14) Will information on your human subjects be obtained from third parties? Yes No
15) Will any coercion be exerted upon subjects to participate? Yes No
16) Will the study involve physical stress to the human subjects such as might Yes No
result from heat, noise, electric shock, pain, sleep loss, deprivation of
food and drink, drugs, alcohol?
17) Will the study cause any mental discomfort to the human subjects such as fear, Yes No
anxiety, loss of self-esteem, shame, guilt, embarrassment etc.?
18) Could publication of the research results possibly interfere with strict confidentiality? Yes No
19) Could publication of the research results possibly harm the human subject –
either directly or through identification with his/her membership group? Yes No

20) Are there other aspects of the study that may interfere with the protection of the Yes No
well-being of the human subjects?
________________________________________
If you have selected NO for any of the questions 1 to 10 and/or you have selected YES for any of the questions 11 o 20, please provide comments to clarify your choice (use additional pages if necessary).

________________________________________
Signature of the Student Researcher: ________________________________________________________
APPROVED: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________________

 

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