Course Objectives (CO):
1. Evaluate analytical tools and techniques used in business research.
2. Familiarize students with the research process, design of business research, data collection and analysis, and writing research reports.
3. Develop statistical
and quantitative reasoning ability for business decision making.
4. Analyze statistical and quantitative tools for improved decision making.
#
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)
Question # covered in
Assessment*
Total Mark out 20
1.
Develop a research plan including a problem
statement, research questions and hypotheses, review of relevant literature
& methodology.
Article
Review and Analysis
10 Marks
2.
Analyze appropriate primary and secondary data to solve the identified
business problem.
10 Marks
Learning Monitoring tool (Rubrics)
Since, the postgraduate programs are most likely self-dependent; these require creativity, open mindset, ethical hard work, teamwork spirit, respect diversity, and
analytical skills. This monitoring and assessment tool is used to report on whether you read and understand,
whether you assimilate the
knowledge, whether you develop enquiry ability, whether you have the
potential to conduct critical thinking and whether you can reflect on the knowledge accumulated by relating to real situations. It will
be considered as
evidence on the
effectiveness of
the learning process. On top of that, the following structure and its different sections will be
used as comprehensive rubrics to mark your critique.This assignment will be done
individually. Therefore, maximum before week 2 class, each student should
choose and download 2 articles from the UD library (A full
citation of the article that include the details of the retrieving UD
website should be provided)Each student should read it
carefully, then provide a detailed report using the below structure
The Structure and the Rubrics
1. Contrast between the following Research
Design Soundness, Methodological
Soundness, and Method
Soundness.
2. Answer the following questions in a very
detailed and well-cited format:
Is the study replicable?Are
the appropriate analytical techniques applied to the data collected?Are the conclusions and/or implications correctly derived from the
research finding?Are
the results correctly interpreted?Subjects: Is the description
of participants adequate? Is the method of selection clear?Is the
research design (sample, procedure, measures etc.) appropriate for the problem
studied?Materials: Is there any
description of tests, questionnaires, etc.? Is there any description of any
equipment (when applicable)?Analyses: Is there any
description of the arrangement and grouping of the data? Are the statistical
data listed in order of use?
3. Alternative Methodology:
Propose an alternative methodology for the two papers at hand, then
justify why!
DEVELOPING YOUR RESEARCH
PROPOSAL
A Research Proposal serves several purposes:
To check the feasibility and potential originality of the
research that you are proposingTo determine appropriate supervision for the research
project aimed (Presently, the course instructor is your research
supervisor)To indicate the applicant’s ability to write a clear,
coherent and structured final report or legal essay includes legal
recommendation(s) to a legal problem examined.A focused proposal is, therefore, a crucial part of the course,
more so in light of the limited duration of time for research
dedicated to the course and to complete writing the full report in a total
15-week duration. The initial proposal may evolve and change throughout the
study (for example, further refining research objectives and
development of more fundamental research questions).In developing a proposal, think of what is the significance
of this research? Why is this study useful? What methodology or
theoretical framework will be employed? How much can be achieved within the
time-scale allocated? These fundamental questions: what, why, and how.Title: a working title should indicate the keywords associated
with your research, be consistent with the outline further developed, and give
some idea of the fundamental aspects of the project. For example, if the
analysis will be comparative, this should be reflected in the title. The same
applies if it is to be a historical analysis or an economic analysis, for
example. If one particular theoretical perspective is tested and criticized,
then this should be mentioned. There will, of course, be an opportunity to
refine the title during supervision (including after the submission of the
initial proposal).Introduction: this section should briefly delimit the area of research, and
identify the primary issue, problem, or gap in knowledge which forms the
background to your proposal, including any recent literature. What will your
research achieve? The introduction is akin to an abstract or overview of the
proposed study and its goals. It should be a short but useful summary which
shows how deeply you have considered the issues fleshed out later in the
proposal.Key research questions. You need to explain what issues you are addressing which have
not been studied before, or not in the way that you intend to address them. One
way of looking at this is to ask, what problem are you trying to resolve?
Another is to ask, what new understanding are you trying to provide? You should
consider what justification there is for research in this area. Research
questions are exactly that: questions, to which, through your research
project, you seek the answers. While it is acceptable to have (and to
mention) working hypotheses, the core of your research (and hence, of your
proposal) should be an attempt to answer a question or cluster of interrelated
questions.Identify existing literature. This part serves to
identify the main literature in the area and to demonstrate awareness of the
major existing debates. Specific sources should be identified and cited. The
purpose of this section is not to provide a detailed summary, but to identify
the ways in which the applicant’s research is able to make a contribution: what
are the gaps? Which elements remain unresolved or untested? What new light
remains to be shed? If you are dealing with a very new area of law, you should
still include a section on the existing literature. The relevant literature may
lie in related or adjacent fields. What does the study of this new area bring to
existing debates? All literature cited should be fully referenced and included
in the bibliography. This is an important demonstration of your research
skills. The existing literature which you review can be located in a variety of
places: academic journals, NGO reports, academic monographs (books), policy
papers, Court decisions and so on. Your ability to locate the major pieces of
the existing literature in your proposal will be a significant factor in the
overall quality of your proposal.Methodology: what approach will you be taking to the research? What style of
enquiry or research techniques will you be applying? The student should be
aware of different methodological tools that could be used. He/she needs to
explain why the chosen one is the most suitable for his/her research. For
example, your research may be primarily library-based. If so, does it require
access to specialist collections? Does it require access to comparative or
historical materials? If empirical or fieldwork is planned, is this intended to
be qualitative or quantitative? How will any data be analyzed and used? You
should give some thought to any ethical or safety issues that may arise in
respect of fieldwork in particular.Outline of a timescale for the research and preliminary
table of contents. The schedule should attempt to break down the work
required into manageable segments, which will often be based on section. It is
important to include some slippage time as research often does not proceed
entirely to plan. It is also useful to include a draft table of contents
indicating how you conceive your work being organized.References cited and indicative bibliography. This section
does not count towards the word limit proposed above. The bibliography goes
beyond cited work and includes literature that will be followed up or used in
the research project.Related materials. If, for example, you have had contact with
organizations who may assist in accessing research materials, then it is
appropriate to include evidence of this as supporting documentation or if you
have previously researched the topic then it is appropriate to include a
writing sample of the output of that research.Length: the proposal should be around 2000 words (excluding
bibliography).
Create a PowerPoint that could be used communicate the
design of a program evaluation or intervention research study. The focus of
this assignment is to convey the essential structure of your Research Proposal.
While you will prepare and submit the proposal in PowerPoint you will not have
to give a presentation during the course.
Your Research
Proposal will be evaluated on two primary criteria: (a) comprehensiveness
and clarity of the proposed study’s methodology presentation (b) quality of the
appearance of the PowerPoint.
The PowerPoint should consist of the following slides:
1. Introduction
(Maximum of total 5 slides for this section):
Statement of the
problem (1 slide)
Description of the
program or intervention to be evaluated (1 – slide)
Logic Model [input,
output and outcomes) (1- 3 slides)
2. Literature
Review (Maximum of total 2 slides for this section)
Summary of current
evidence for the program or intervention effectiveness (1-2 slides)
3. Study Aims
(Maximum of total 2 slides for this section)
Aims and objectives
(1 slide)
Hypotheses (1 slide)
4. Methods
(Maximum of total 1 slide for this section)
Study design, e.g.,
Observational/Survey, pre-experimental, quasi-experimental, experimental. (1 slide)
5. Sample (Maximum
of total 3 slide for this section)
Study population and
Eligibility (1 – 2 slides)
Sampling and
Recruitment strategy (1-2 slide2)
6. Measurement
(Maximum of total 5 slide for this section)
Identify the
variables that will be measured (e.g.., outcomes, output and other variables)
(1-2 slides)
Describe at least one
measure of a study outcome ( 1-2 slides)
Specify how program
or intervention fidelity will be assessed ( 1-2 slides)
The essay should cover the four phases of the introduction/spread of Asian long-horned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis (see Lovett et al. Table 1): Absent, Localized, Spreading, and Pervasive (see Lovett et al. Fig 2 ). For each of the four phases, clearly describe the appropriate policies that would reduce impacts on trees/forest biomass. Provide supporting background discussion of the diagram, the viability of the policy, and the costs associated with implementing. Lovett provides a treatment of the Absent and Localized phases, but more research needs to be done on the last two phases. The Causal Loop Diagram (image provided) shows how the insect affects forest biomass. This cycle should be examined and overlaid with the four phases from Lovett. Details: 2,500 words, double-spaced, and 7 references in APA format (no .com sources). Please include an Executive Summary, Table of Contents, and any relevant Figures.
The essay should cover the
four phases of the introduction/spread of Asian long-horned beetle Anoplophora glabripennis (see Lovett et
al. Table 1): Absent, Localized, Spreading, and
Pervasive (see Lovett et al. Fig 2 ).
For each of the four phases, clearly describe the appropriate policies
that would reduce impacts on trees/forest biomass. Provide supporting background discussion of
the diagram, the viability of the policy, and the costs associated with
implementing. Lovett provides a
treatment of the Absent and Localized phases, but more research needs to be
done on the last two phases. The Causal
Loop Diagram (image provided) shows how the insect affects forest biomass.
This cycle should be examined and overlaid with the four phases from Lovett.
Details: 2,500 words, double-spaced, and 7 references in APA
format (no .com sources). Please
include an Executive Summary, Table of Contents, and any relevant Figures.
IMPORTANT
NO .com sources can be used, only peer reviewed
journals from Google Scholar or .gov or
.orgDo not use flowery, obscure vocabulary or run
on sentences, clear to the point writingI have attached the Lovett research, which will
be the core of the paper, along with two figures