COL Project Manual Final

8/6/2019 COL Project Manual Final

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MANUAL FOR

PROJECT PROPOSAL

ANDPROJECT REPORT

OF

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITYISLAMABAD



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MANUAL FOR

PROJECT PROPOSAL

AND

PROJECT REPORT

OF

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

COMMONWEALTH MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Development & Review TeamMajed Rashid

Salman QureshiMalik Tariq MehmoodNazim Hussain

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITYISLAMABAD



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FOREWORD

The Project Handbook has been prepared with a view to providing our

Commonwealth MBA and MPA students with some basic and necessaryinformation on writing a research proposal and final project report. This will

assist the students in thinking through many aspects of crafting implementing

and defending the research project. It is our attempt to share some of many ideas

that have surfaced in the past that definitely make the task of completion of

research so much easier. We have tried to give some suggestions on the

following: selection of a topic, developing a project statement, writing Literature

Review, Research Design, Data Analysis, Conclusion and Findings, Bibliography

and such other necessary components.

Guidelines of a research report have been provided on the format and style of the

project and specimens have been annexed for guidance. We hope that all given

information will help you in choosing the project title, and conducting research

work.

With this in mind enjoy the manual. We hope it will help you to finish your

research in good shape

Majed Rashid



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INTRODUCTION

This master level Research Project Manual is designed for all Commonwealth

Master of Business Administration / Public Administration students. The

students will be required to conduct a research study in the academic field of the

chosen area after completion of the course work for (COL EMBA/MPA).

The research project carries a weight of (06) credits and is an integral part of

Commonwealth MBA/MPA Programme. After successful completion of

required courses and research project (code 5598) each student will receive COL

MBA / MPA degree. This manual has been developed to provide broad

guidelines to the students and help them in preparing their project synopsis and

final report.

The university hopes that after following these guidelines the students of this

prestigious programme will be in a position to write an excellent research report

and create a value addition for them.

Wish you good luck

Salman Ali Qureshi

Malik Tariq Mahmood

Nazim Hussain



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Research Proposal and Final Report

The Allama Iqbal Open University’s mission is to deliver the collaborative Master

of Commonwealth MBA / MPA degree in such a way that can equipped the

students with latest managerial skill so that they may be able to contribute

effectively at their work places.

All research reports normally use the same format. It does not matter whether

you are doing a customer satisfaction research, employee’s opinion survey,

research on impact of globalization research or a marketing research. All have the

same basic structure and format. Their contents may be different.

The distinguishing feature of research is an original contribution to knowledge.

Thus the final research report for the project course (code 5598) is a document

whose purpose is to prove that the student has made an original contribution to

knowledge.

The research report must highlight the following important aspects:

Student has identified a worthwhile question or problem, relating to the

generic discipline of Management Sciences (Business or Public

Administration as per his or her enrolment)

S/he has solved the problem or answered the question(s) raised during

research

Their contribution to knowledge lies in their findings.

It has been observed that the students enrolled in the project course do not get

the approval of topic and proposal / synopsis from the programme management

office, Allama Iqbal Open University campus Islamabad before starting their

research. Therefore, at the outset, students of final semester of COL MBA/MPA

are required to (i) To select the research topic in consultation with the Supervisor

provided by their approved study centre (ii) To develop and submit a researchproposal / synopsis to the department for approval / acceptance prior to starting

their research report/study.



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Stages of the Research Process

and so on

Problem

Discovery and

Definition

ResearchDesign

Sampling

Data

Gathering

Data

Processing and

Anal sis

Conclusionand Report

Discovery and

Definition



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The research process

1. Observation

2. Preliminary Data gathering (Preliminary Data gathering about situation

i.e. broad problem area)

3. Problem definition

4. Hypotheses

5. Literature Review & Theoretical framework (variables identified)

6. Research design

7. Data collection ,analysis and interpretation

8. Deduction

9. Report writing

10. Report presentation

11. Managerial decision making



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WHAT IS RESEARCH

Research is an ORGANIZED and SYSTEMATIC way of FINDING ANSWERS to

QUESTIONS or solutions of problems.

1) Systematic: because there is a definite set of procedures and steps which

the students/researchers will follow. There are certain things in the

research process which are always done in order to get the most accurate

results.

2) Organized: in that there is a structure or method in going about doing

research. It is a planned procedure, not a spontaneous one. It is focused

and limited to a specific scope.

3) Questions: are central to research. If there is no question, then the answer

is of no use. Research is focused on relevant, useful, and important

questions. Without a question, research has no focus, drive, or purpose.

4) Finding Answers: is the end of all research. Whether it is the result after a

testing hypothesis or answer to a simple question, research is successful

when we find solutions answers. Sometimes the answer is no, but it is still

an answer.



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IMPROTANT STEPS

Identifying a Project/Research Topic

Research begins with defining a topic in which a student may be interested andwilling to put effort. Research topic should relate to the subject whom the

students have studied in their programme (Management Sciences, Business or

Public Administration). The three significant characteristics of a research

topic/problem are that is should be significant, researchable and new or add a

new angle to established facts. Some important elements of selecting a topic are

as under:

First you select a problem/topic in a general area that is related to the area

of your expertise and interest. Second step is to narrow down the general

problem area to make it specific, and researchable.

Formulate a research topic in order to achieve your objective.

Access to the data must be ensured about the topic prior to its finalization.

The topic should be open to methods of research.

The selected topic should be in a field in which there is real need for the

research.

Must keep in mind why the research is important and to whom.

Students need to describe the research context clearly.

While thinking about research topic:

Discuss ideas with colleagues

Browse the literature, especially journals

Discuss ideas with your supervisor – he/she is an expert within the

discipline and can help you decide on an appropriate topic



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Setting the topic in context

When placing your topic in context it is often useful to think about the following:

What is the scope of the topic?

What is the purpose of the research?

Who is the intended audience?

What is the time period?

What is the geographical coverage?

What are the relevant/related disciplines?

Some More Tips for Problem Formulation

" Well begun is half done " --Aristotle, quoting an old proverb

RESEARCH PAPER TOPIC IDEAS

Try to pick a topic that you are interested in. You are going to have a lot of

research and experimentation ahead of you so it helps to produce good science if

you have enthusiasm in what you are doing. Find a broad topic and do a little

preliminary work, perhaps making a shortlist of possible areas of interest.

1. Be realistic. If you have difficulty with transport then there is no point

picking a project in some far-flung, inaccessible area. You may have to go

back to resample or clarify your data. For a field study that requires lots of

walking or climbing you need to be reasonably fit. If you are not very

good at approaching strangers then avoid a subject that requires you to

ask people to fill in questionnaires. Play to your strengths and avoid your

weaknesses.

2. With the above in mind, check out the facilities your department offers.

For example, some departments offer help with statistics or using

computer programs.

3. Take into account the amount of time and resources you have. It is better

to pick a focused topic and be thorough than to try and perform some



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complex research that you struggle to finish. Your topic must be broad

enough to ensure that you have enough data but narrow enough to

maximize your time and resources.

4. Try and be a little different; if a large number of students research the

same topics then there could be a lot of people fighting over one copy of a

book or journal.

5. Will you need help? For some areas of research you may need to ask the

help of friends to take samples. An example is psychology where you need

to tempt people to answer your questions or perform your tests. What

measures will you need to entice people? Asking favors, bribery or

threats? Try to ensure that you have thought about this before you start.

6. Remember that people are there to help you. If you not sure of where to

start, often the most difficult part, do not be afraid to ask questions from

those more knowledgeable in the subject. It is common to feel a little

nervous and overwhelmed before starting on a long project but that will

pass. Remember that the reputation of your supervisor and department is

judged by how well you perform in your research paper so they will try

their best to guide you.

Types of Business research

Applied research

This research is conducted to solve a current problem faced by the organization

in the work setting, demanding a timely solution.

Basic research (fundamental, pure)

Following are the characteristics of basic research:

a. It is to generate a body of knowledge by trying to comprehend how

certain problems that occur in organizations can be solved.

b. The findings of such research contribute to the building of knowledge in

the various functional areas of business.



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Selection of S tudy

The students are advised to choose some current issue faced by the organization

in which they are going to conduct their research. Here are some examples of

Applied and basic research issues, the preference should be given to the applied

research.

Applied Research topics

1. Causes of low productivity of employees of Fazal Steel mills Islamabad

2. The possible measures to make the budgetary control system of NHA

effective

3. Human Resource practices to ensure Job Satisfaction in Askari Bank

limited with Special emphasis on performance appraisal.

4. The Impact of Compensation, Training & Development on the

organisational Commitment of Employees of PTCL

Basic Research Topics

1. Effective measures to stop bankruptcy.

2. Implications of the theories of Scientific School of Management in 21st

century.

3. TQM / Is It Effective In Reaching Quality Goals?

4. Management of the Interview and Hiring Function

5. Employee Stock Ownership Plans

How to Develop Project Proposal /Synopsis

The aim of the project proposal must be to ensure that:



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There is a need for the research and it’s significant and important.

Student is contributing something original in the research report.

The topic is feasible in terms of the availability of data.

The topic must match with the academic field i.e. MBA / MPA.

Research can be completed within the expected time period.

The project proposal helps you focus your research aim, clarify its importance

and the need, describe the methods, identify problems and plan alternatives.

Preparing a project proposal is an important part of your research. Following

key elements must be included in the project proposal:

Chapter 1 Introduction

1. Reasons for selecting the topic2. Statement of the Problem

3. Objectives of the Study

4. Significance of the Study

5. Delimitation

6. Research Hypothesis or Research Question

Chapter 2 Literature review

Distribute this chapter according to heading and sub-heading

Chapter 3 Research Methodology

1. Research Design

2. Population of the Study

3. Sampling Techniques

4. Sample Size

5. Research Tools

6. Data Collection

Chapter 4 Data Analysis and Interpretation (Tools and Techniques)

Chapter 5 Conclusion



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1. Findings

2. Conclusion

3. Recommendations

Bibliography / References

OUTLINE /STRUCTURE/CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS

CHAPTER 1

1) Introduction

This section begins with a few short introductory paragraphs (couple of pages).

In introduction the context of the research is made clear and choice of the topic is

defended. The relationship between the research problem and the research

objectives must be explained. Introduction section sets the stage for the project

report and puts the topic in perspective. It contains general statements about the

need for this study. It is a brief description of what the project report is all about.It briefly summarizes the topic and some of the reasons why it is worthwhile to

do research on this specific topic. Introduction is a bird eye view of the answers

to the main questions that will be answered in your research report. The basic

goal of the introduction is to catch the attention of the reader. Key point is that

when you are writing the introduction; put yourself in your readers’ position.

2) Background Information of the Topic

Brief background information of your topic is necessary. It could be possible that

the reader may not have any experience with some of the material you have

provided in your research report. So you need to give it to him or her.



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3) Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem is the focal point of the research. A problem does

not necessarily mean that something is seriously wrong with a current situation

that needs to be rectified immediately. A “problem” could simply indicate an

interest in an issue where finding the right answers might help to improve an

existing situation. Thus, it is fruitful to define a problem in a situation where a

gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal states. The statement of

problem should be concise statement in 8 – 10 sentences in a paragraph.

4) Obj ectives of the Study

Objectives are statements of specific actions needed to accomplish the purpose.

Enough objectives should be included to achieve the purpose, but objectives not

required to achieve the purpose should be omitted. This purpose statement or

paragraph explains what the study intends to accomplish. The purpose of the

study might be to:

Overcome the difficulty

Understand the causes or effects Provide a new interpretation

Understand what makes – successful or unsuccessful

5) Significance of the Study

This section creates a perspective for looking at the problem. It points out how

your study relates to the larger issue and uses a persuasive rationale to justify the

reason for the study. It makes the purpose worthwhile. The significance of the

study may be:

Why is your study important?

To whom is it important?

What benefits will occur if your study is done?



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6) Delimitation and Limitations

The investigator states the restrictions and limitations which he imposes on his

study. It is a statement of the limit or scope of investigation. The statement will

provide information concerning who, what, where and how many. It will

determine the boundaries of the project in hand.

This delimitation will mention the geographical limits of the study i.e. whether

the study will be covering a single town, a district, a region, a state or a country.

It will specify the limits of the study i.e. whether the study will be spread over a

few days, a few months, a year or a number of years. It will have to specify the

type of institution to be covered. Recognition of the limitation of the study helps

to focus attention on pertinent objectives and helps to minimize the danger of

oversimplification.

The scope, limitations and delimitations of the research must clearly be

mentioned in the proposal as well as in the Research report so that the other

researcher might design their research in the same work setting might prevent

their research from duplication of results. The depth of understanding regarding

the groups must be clear; additionally the limitations of your data gathering tool

which you have used must also be discussed in this section of your report.

Describe the boundaries of the study that you determine. Delimitations definethe parameters of the investigation. In academic research the delimitations will

frequently deal with such items as population/sample, treatment(s), setting, and

instrumentation.

A sample of this section is given below for you guidance:



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Delimitations and Limitations

1. Delimitations define the parameters of the investigation. In business research the

delimitations will frequently deal with such items as population/sample,treatment(s), setting, and instrumentation. For example, the study may focus on

employee in only one category or measure aptitude using only a group intelligence

test. External validity deals with the extent to which the results of a study can be

generalized to different subjects, settings, experimenters, and so on; the study has

external validity. However, there are many threats to external validity which cause

the results of a study to be specific to some limited group of people and/or set of

conditions. These threats are

(a) Those dealing with generalizations to populations (What population of subjects

can be expected to behave in the same way as did the sample subjects?), and

(b) Those dealing with the "environment" of the work (Under what conditions, i.e.,

settings, treatments, experimenters, dependent variables, and so on, can the same

results be expected?).

2. The limitations set forth reservations, qualifications, or weaknesses inherent in the

design. Generally, these will reflect anticipated inadequacies in regard to internal

validity of results. A study has internal validity if the confounding variables have

been converted to either controlled or randomized variables and if the research is

designed in such a way that it is possible to estimate the size of the random variation

so that the "experimental" variation may be compared to it for significance. The goal

is to recognize inherent threats to internal validity in the work setting.

3. No data collection tool can give perfect and quality data for research because of its

inherent limitations and due to the poor response of some respondents therefore this

is also a threat for external validity of results.4. Because the limitations of a study cannot be fully specified until the research is

completed, therefore the apparent delimitations and/or limitations are given

regarding the population/sample, treatments, setting, and instrumentation.



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7) Research Hypothesis

According to Leedey and Ormond (2001) “A hypothesis is a logical supposition, a

reasonable guess, an educated conjecture. It provides a tentative explanation for a

phenomenon under investigation. However, hypotheses are not unique to

research. Hypotheses are constantly generated in the human mind as we work to

understand day-to-day phenomena. By formulating a series of reasonable

guesses of cause and effect we are able to understand and explore the events in

our surrounding environment.”

The hypothesis is formulated after observation and the review of preliminary

data prior to the execution of the study. The hypothesis logically follows the

review and it is based on the implications of previous research as it precedes the

study procedure because the entire study is determined by the hypothesis

(including: subject, instruments, design, procedure, analysis and conclusions).

The hypothesis should be logical and testable. Hypotheses are essential for

experimental studies, for co-relational studies and for studies

determining/measuring the impact of one or more variables on other variables.

HOW TO WRITE A HYPOTHESIS

One of the crucial parts of designing and writing up any research paper is how to

write a hypothesis.

In fact, it is not as difficult as it looks, and if you have followed the steps of the

scientific process and found an area of research and potential research problem,

then you may already have a few ideas. It is just about making sure that you are

asking the right questions and generating your hypothesis statements correctly.

A research hypothesis is a testable statement of opinion. It is created from the

research question by replacing the words "Is there" with the words "There is",

and also replacing the question mark with a period. The hypotheses for the three

sample research questions would be as follows:



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A sample of Research Questions, Hypothesis and Null Hypothesis is as follow:

Questions

1. Is there a significant relationship between the corporate level of managers and theirattitudes towards the revised advertising budget?

2. Is there a significant relationship between perceived need for the new product and the

price that customers would be willing to pay for it?

3. Is there a significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims residents with

respect to what they feel are the most important problems facing the community?

Hypothesis

There is a significant relationship between the corporate level of managers and their

attitudes towards the revised advertising budget.

There is a significant relationship between perceived need for the new product and the

price that customers would be willing to pay for it.

There is a significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims residents with

respect to what they feel are the most important problems facing the community.

It is not possible to test a hypothesis directly. Instead, you must turn the hypothesis into a null

hypothesis. The null hypothesis is created from the hypothesis by adding the words "no" or

"not" to the statement. For example, the null hypotheses for the three examples would be:

Null Hypotheses

There is no significant relationship between the corporate level of managers and their

attitudes towards the revised advertising budget.

There is no significant relationship between perceived need for the new product and the

price that customers would be willing to pay for it.

There is no significant difference between Hindus and minority Muslims residents with

respect to what they feel are the most important problems facing the community.



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8) Research Question

The research question must be stated in such a way that these are testable and

answerable. Usually a descriptive research may try to find answers to questionsrather than test hypothesis.

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the literature

related to your selected area of study. The review should describe, summarise,

evaluate and clarify this literature. It should give a theoretical base for the

research and help you (the researcher) determine the nature of your research.

The purpose of a literature review is for you to take a critical look at the literature

(facts and views) that already exists in the area you are researching. A literature

review is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars

and researchers. The purpose of literature review is to convey to the readers what

knowledge and ideas have already been established on the topic, and what their

strengths and weaknesses are. As a piece of writing, the literature review must be

defined by a guiding concept (e.g., your research objective, the problem or issue

you are discussing or your argumentative thesis). It is not just a descriptive list of

the material available, or a set of summaries.

A literature review can be just a simple summary of the sources, but it usually

has an organized pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A

summary is a recap of important information of the area, but a synthesis is a re-

organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new

interpretation to old material or combine new and old interpretations, or it might

trace the intellectual progression in the field, including major debates. Depending



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on the situation, the literature review may evaluate the sources and advise the

reader on the most pertinent or relevant, aspects.

A literature review is a summary of previous research on a topic. Literature

reviews can be either a part of a large report of a research project, a thesis or a

bibliographic essay that is published separately in a scholarly journal. Some

questions to think about as you develop your literature review:

What is known about the subject?

Are there any gaps in the knowledge of the subject?

Have areas of further study been identified by other researchers that you

may want to consider?

What methods or problems were identified by others studying in the field

and how might they impact your research?

What is the most productive methodology for your research based on the

literature you have reviewed?

What is the current status of research in this area?

What sources of information or data were identified that might be useful

to you?

Besides enlarging your knowledge about the topic, writing a literature review

lets you gain and demonstrate skills in two areas:

1. Information seeking: the ability to scan the literature efficiently, using

manual or computerized methods, to identify a set of useful articles and

books

2. Critical appraisal: the ability to apply principles of analysis to identify

unbiased and valid studies.



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A crucial element of all research degrees is the review of relevant literature. There

are good reasons for spending time and effort on a review of the literature before

embarking on a research project. These reasons include:

To identify gaps in the literature

To avoid reinventing the wheel (this will save time and will stop you

from making the same mistakes as others)

To carry on from where others have already reached (reviewing the

field allows you to build on the platform of existing knowledge and

ideas)

To increase breadth of knowledge of your subject area

To provide the intellectual context for your own work, enabling you to

position your project relative to other work

To demonstrate that you can access previous work in an area

To identify information and ideas that may be relevant to your project

A good Literature Review

A literature review must do the following:

a. It should organized around and related directly to theproject/thesis or research question you are developing

b. Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known

c. Identify areas of controversy in the literature

d. Formulate questions that need further research/project

The literature review develops a relationship between academics and your

research. Your task must be to show how the academic literature sheds light on

your topic. The purpose of the literature review is to refine the statement of the

research problem or question, not to offer a tutorial on the topic. Do not repeat

large passages from a text.

Final Note



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A literature review is a piece of discursive prose, not a list describing or

summarizing one piece of literature after another. It’s usually a bad sign to see

every paragraph beginning with the name of a researcher. Instead, organize the

literature review into sections that present themes or identify trends, including

relevant theory. You are not trying to list all the material published, but to

synthesize and evaluate it according to the guiding concept of your

project/thesis or research question.

A sample of a portion of literature Review is given in the box below:



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Research Problem“Impact of Advertisement on Fashion Industry”

Relevant Literature

A consumer preference for brands with a global image, even when quality and value are not

objectively superior, has been proposed as a reason for companies to consider global brands

(Cited from, Shocker et al., 1994; Taylor and Raymond, 2000). Therefore, Fashion Company

needs to identify the response of consumers worldwide to its global advertising for such specific

consumer segment. For instance, the fashion industry for women is particularly relevant in

terms of examining the feasibility of cross-national segmentation. Research indicates that

females tend to be more fashion conscious, be more knowledgeable about fashion brands (Cited

from, Blyth, 2006), and read more fashion magazines than male consumers (Cited from,

Chamblee et al., 1993; Putrevu, 2004). This implies that marketers need to pay special attention

to women when expanding and advertising fashion brands to international markets. The

fashion industry is characterized by a considerable amount of standardized advertising. In fact,

global advertising in fashion magazines that help to create the image of a designer brand name

for fashion goods, such as apparel, accessories, and perfume, and has been used by many

leading firms (Cited from, Blyth, 2006). Increasingly, some fashion marketers have discovered

that their advertising is directly linked to retail sales and strong retail performance (Cited from,

Callan, 2006).



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Theoretical FrameworkTheoretical framework is the foundation on which the entire research project is

based. It is logically developed, described and elaborated network of associations

among the variables relevant to the problem situation.

The purpose of the theoretical framework is to demonstrate the researcher’s

knowledge and expertise in the chosen field of research, concentrating on the

research problem. Although the study may be based on other researcher’s work

and publications, the relevant ‘message’ has to be the author’s own

interpretation.

The theoretical framework should contain the relevant information on the chosen

field of research, based on a study of the theoretical basis of the topic. The more

you are able to introduce new and novel viewpoints and critically evaluate their

relevance, the greater the merit of the work. New ideas and interpretations

ensure that the author’s own voice can be heard.

One way to construct the theoretical section is to work your way up from existing

studies to your own research problem. Then, at the end of the chapter, you

should put forward more comprehensive reasoning for your own choices, thus

gaining more credibility and strength for your interpretation from the theoretical

discourse of others. If the thesis introduces new research methods, or uses less-

known existing methods, these are introduced separately, either directly after the

theoretical framework or under a new sub-heading. A sample theoretical frame

work for reference is given below:



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Research problem: Employees Job Satisfaction

Independent Variables

Intervening Variable Dependent Variable

Moderating Variable

Management

Policies

Reward System

Training &

Development

Management

Style

Working

Environment

Job Security

Employees

UnionJob Satisfaction

Performance

Appraisal



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CHAPTER 3

1) Research Methodology

This chapter describes the basic research plan. It indicates the practical way in

which the whole research study/project has been organized. You have to

describe clearly what method will be used during your study for example

documentary research, face to face interviews, and questionnaire. The nature of

the study whether it is exploratory, descriptive and types of the research i.e.

survey, comparative or a case study must be stated.

The research methodology must be appropriate to the research question. You

need to explain why your chosen method is suitable for your research. At the

proposal stage well selected and clearly justified methodology should be

provided.

2) Research Design

Research design provides the glue that holds the research project together. A

design is used to structure the research, to show how all of the major parts of the

research project - the samples or groups, measures, treatments or programs, and

methods of assignment - work together to address the central research questions.

The term “Research Design” is often used to refer to the pragmatic aspects of the

way the research was conducted. The researcher needs to explain these matters to

the readers. How you plan to carry out the study should be thoroughly

described. Who will be involved, especially the sample and population and

sampling techniques should be clearly stated.

3) Population

it is incumbent on the research to clearly define the target population. Population

refers to the entire group of people, events, or things of interest that the



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researcher wishes to investigate. Most research in education and social sciences

involves the collection of data from human beings. The total numbers of

individuals to whom the results of the research are intended to apply constitute

the research population. It is important to describe clearly and to explain the

nature of the population.

4) Sampling Technique

Sampling is the process of selecting a sufficient number of elements from the

population. There are two major types of sampling design: Probability and Non-

Probability. Probability sampling includes random sampling, stratified

sampling, multi-stage sampling while non-probability sampling includes

convenient and judgemental sampling. The researcher must give the exact

technique which is used for selection of sample.

5) Sampling Size

A sample is a sub-set of population; it comprises some numbers selected from it.

There are no strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on logic and

judgement. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to represent the

population. The sample reflects the characteristics of the population from whichit is drawn. It is not possible to collect the data from all individuals of population

for the researcher that is why he/she selects a sample size from the population

which might consist of 100, 150 or 200 etc numbers/elements from the

population.

6) Research Tools/Instruments

Once you have selected a topic, you must clearly define the research tools. It

helps if you actually state your topic idea. Research tools are basically

instruments used for collecting the required information from the sampled

population. These instruments include questionnaire, interview, observation,

check list and sometimes documents. Students are required to clearly mention

the scales used for the development of questionnaire in research report proposal.



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7) Data Collection

Data collection is a term used to describe a process of preparing and collecting

business. A formal data collection process is necessary as it ensures that data

gathered is both defined and accurate and that subsequent decisions based on

arguments embodied in the findings are valid.

DATA COLLECTION TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Administering written questionnaires

A written questionnaire (also referred to as self-administered questionnaire) is a data

collection tool in which written questions are presented that are to be answered by the

respondents in written form.

A written questionnaire can be administered in different ways, such as by:

Sending questionnaires by mail with clear instructions on how to answer

the questions and asking for mailed responses;

Gathering all or part of the respondents in one place at one time, giving

oral or written instructions, and letting the respondents fill out the

questionnaires; or

Hand-delivering questionnaires to respondents and collecting them later.

The questions can be either open-ended or closed (with pre-categorised answers).

Types of questionnaire:

There are several types of questionnaire and each is designed to explore different

aspects or elicit different responses. Some of the more common include:

1. Dichotomous Multiple choice

2. Importance



31

3. Bipolar

4. Likert

5. Rating scale 1 - 5

6. Buying propensity

These can be used in any combination as long as the questionnaire is not too long

and it is focussed. In the fictitious examples below the data is merely illustrative.

Dichotomous

This is a fairly typical basic type of question, not too intrusive and merely asks

you to answer yes or no. As such it cannot assess the degree of feelings in

between the poles:

Multiple choices

This is a question offering three or more answers - and allows a greater breadth

of response.

How did you first hear about Bank’s web site services?

1. Television

2. Radio

3. Newspaper

4. Magazine

5. Internet

6. Other: Please Specify _______________

1

4

Do you have a salary bank Account with National Bank?

Yes No Yes

6



32

Importance

In this type of question the respondent is asked to rate the importance of an issue

to them on a scale of 1 to 5

Bipolar

The question asks for a response to be marked between two opposite ends of the

scale:

Likert

This question examines how strongly the respondent agrees with a statement andcan help assess the feelings of customers towards issues.

How would you describe the local branch of National Bank:

Conveniently _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ Inconveniently

Friendly UnfriendlyService Oriented UnhelpfulEfficient Inefficient

Having another branch of National Bank in my Town

1 2 3 4 5

Extremely Very Somewhat Not very Not at all Important Important Important Important Important

3

Development Financial Institutions generally give better services than banks?

Strongly Agree Neither agree Disagree StronglyAgreed nor disagree Disagree

1 2 3 4 5

Disagree

4



33

Rating scale

This question type rates the replies in terms of a scale from e.g. poor to first class.

As with all these types of questions it is sometimes necessary to have an even

number of boxes. To avoid the middle of the road response, commonly taken bythose trying to avoid making a stand.

Buying propensity

This type of question is trying to elicit a customer's future intentions by asking

whether they might buy a product and can help assess the needs and likely take

up of a new product if developed.

Care needs to be taken with these questions as they may reflect wants rather thanneeds!

All of the above are quantitative type questions. What they ask is for a response

within pre-defined parameters that allows input into spreadsheets and hard

analysis. Although this facilitates the input into data analysis sheets and

subsequent number crunching - the respondent is not allowed to say what they

How would you rate the services of your local branch of national bank?

First Class Good Fair Poor Very Poor

1 2 3 4 5

Good

2

If National Bank of Pakistan offers credit card facility, would you be more likely to avail it?

Definitely Probably Be unsure Probably Not Definitely Not

1 2 3 4 5

Probably

2



34

think. They can only answer the question by marking the pre-designated boxes.

Qualitative questions can allow more freedom for answers but are much harder

to analyze as each respondent will use his/her own words. Often the question

will be couched along the lines of:

This has the advantage that the respondent can say what s/he likes, which can

yield very interesting information that might not have been thought of at design

phase; but on the other side, that s/he can also respond in an unlimited and often

unconstructive manner, making analysis much harder. Whichever question types

are used they must always be designed with the express intention of:

1. inconveniencing the customer/respondents as little as possible;

2. being aimed at an homogeneous segment; and

3. Having been designed to elicit specific information that supports

your marketing initiative.

CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Data analysis can be descriptive, graphic and statistical. Often a combination of

all three forms is used. The analysis portion of the research report should be

described in detail. Each question requires its own analysis. Each question shouldbe answered using above mentioned methods of analysis. Different techniques

are used to analyze the data depending on the objectives of research and research

problem. The researcher must describe the technique or software which he/she

has used for data analysis.

Describe in your own words your opinion of National Bank’s local branch.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________



35

Results of your research must be presented clearly and concisely. Tables and

figures should be correctly presented. Results must be discussed in terms of your

research topic and objectives. There should be a relationship between results,

problem statement, literature review and your research objective.

CHAPTER 5 FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

At the beginning of this chapter the purpose, objectives, questions, or hypotheses

must be presented in this form of a summary of the research study limitations

that might have hindered or restricted the researcher. The conclusions are your

interpretations of the meanings of the findings based on the data and their

relationships to the literature, the problem, and the solution of the problem.

Avoid to present recommendations based on your own beliefs and biases that are

not supported by your data. Recommendations must be based on the data

analysis and must be compatible with the objectives of the study. There are two

types of recommendations; first are the recommendations related to the study,

second are the recommendations for other researchers.

PLAGIARISM

In case of project report is found to be a plagiarized (it happens if you copy

somebody else’s work instead of doing your own) version of another project

report, research work/text, etc. Published or unpublished, student’s candidature

shall be cancelled and s/he shall be debarred forever from admission to any of

the University. In case of the plagiarism is proved after the award of the degree,

the degree shall be cancel/withdrawn.



36

Size of the Final Project Report

The research reports vary considerably for example a research report based on

qualitative data may require longer data presentation and analysis rather than

research report based on quantitative data. The length of the research project

report shall not be less than 18,000 – 20, 000 words.

Arrangement/Contents of Final Project Report

The final project report should be submitted in spiral and the sequence /

arrangement of the report is as follow:

Title Page (Appendix – A)Attestation of authorship (Appendix – C) Declaration (Student) (Appendix – D)AbstractAcknowledgmentsDedicationTable of ContentsList of Tables

1) Chapter 1 (Introduction)1.1 Introduction

1.2 Background of Study1.3 Statement of the Problem1.4 Objectives1.5 Significance of the Study1.6 Research Hypothesis or Research Question1.7 Delimitation

2) Chapter 2 (Review of Literature) (Appendix – B)2.1 Sections based on natural topics or themes2.2 Similar research studies2.3 Literature giving the rationale

2.4 Short summary

3) Chapter 3 (Research Methodology)3.1 Research Design3.2 Population3.3 Sampling Technique/Procedures3.4 Sampling Size3.5 Research Instrument /Tools



37

3.6 Data Collection4) Chapter 4 (Data Analysis and Interpretation)

4.1 Demographic data and return percentages4.2 Tables summarizing data4.3 Figures, graphs, and charts pictorially depicting data4.4 Narrative describing most important findings

5) Chapter 5 (Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations)

5.1 Summary of findings5.2 Conclusions5.3 Recommendations

Bibliography (Appendix E & F)Supplementary MaterialAppendices



38

TITLE PAGE

Title page must have the research topic, name of the researcher, roll number,

registration number, submitted to, month and year on which s/he submitted the

draft of synopsis and final project report, and address (student) must be written.See Appendix A.

ABSTRACT

The abstract is the most crucial part of the report because anybody searching for

your research on a database or in a journal will usually read only the abstract.

Therefore, it must summarize your research, results and conclusions in less than

200 words.

Sometimes it is good to think of it as a sample of your research rather than a

review; it should inform the researcher that your article contains the information

they need. There are a few ideas on how to write your abstract but the best advice

is that you look at some journals relevant to your research and try to format your

abstract in a similar way. See appendix G.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It should be brief and must not exceed one page.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

This section and is merely a breakdown of sections and subsections by page

number. For a short and straightforward paper it may not be necessary to include

a contents page. But this is mandatory for a research report.

Provide list of all the chapters and subchapters of your research report. Use of

application software (MS Word) can make this very easy for you and the reader

of the research report. Please give roman numbers to preliminary pages and

chapter 1 would be the page no.1.

See appendix H.



39

LIST OF TABLES

The list of tables’ along with page numbers should exactly the same captions as

they appear in the text, so, that the reader of the report can find easily.

LIST OF FIGURES

This list should also use exactly the same captions as they appear in the text, also

mention page numbers.

LIST OF SYMBOLS, ABBREVIATIONS OR NOMENCLATURE (OPTIONAL)

One and half spacing should be adopted for typing the matter under this

heading. Standard symbols, abbreviations etc should be used.

CHAPTERS

Each chapter should be given an appropriate title, and the chapter number and

chapter name should be in CAPS, Bold with 16 Font. Tables and figures in a

chapter should be placed accordingly.

APPENDICES

Most reports have at least one appendix section to allow you to include data,

figures and calculations without breaking the flow of the main body of the

report. Most researchers reading your report will not be too interested in the

exact details, only the results. The appendix, however, allows somebody

interested in your results to check your research more thoroughly. Appendices

should be numbered e.g. Appendix A, B, and C etc. List of appendices may be

provided after list of figures.



40

DRAFTS AND CHECKING

Sometimes, when you think that you have finished your report, it is a good idea

to ask another person to read through it for you and pick out the obvious

mistakes. They can give you input on your research paper format and it is also

very easy to miss your own mistakes so an independent review is useful. After

this process you can finalize your first draft of the report.

GRAMMAR AND SPELLING

Even though you are writing scientific reports, it is essential to the research paper

format that your grammar and spelling are correct and readable. If your report is

poorly written, people will tend to assume that your research is also poor and

you are giving the assessor an easy excuse to give you a lower grade. Spell-

checkers are good for an initial check on your language use but they are not

powerful enough to pick up every mistake. If you are not confident enough about

your language skills to write a good report, "bribe" or pay somebody more skilled

to edit it for you, when you've finished your paper. Most students studying

English or other languages are only too happy to have the chance to earn a little

money on the side.

GRAPHS

Graphs are one of the easiest ways to display your results and findings in an easy

to understand format. Any graphs should take up a full page and be numbered

as diagrams 1, 2 etc. They should be referred to by these descriptions in the body

of the text. Graphs are not essential to the research paper format, but help you

present your main points. Where relevant, graphs should include any error bars

so that anybody reading your report can quickly see the degrees of significance of

your results. If you don't know what an error bar is, don't worry about this.

Graphs are best kept as simple as possible and, in the computer age, should be

drawn with one of the many software programs available.



41

You should not lose credit for using traditional pen and paper, but most

universities and schools will teach you how to utilize computer spreadsheet

applications and the saving in time and effort is worthwhile.



42

FORMAT OF THE PROJECT REPORT

Format and Style

You will be required to abide by the following format and style as specified bythe Department.

Font Times New Roman

Chapter Headings 16Bold CAPS

Headings 14 Bold CAPS

Sub-headings 14 Bold Normal (Do not italicize or underline the headings and sub-headings)

Text 12

Paper quality offset paper 90 grams Paper size A4 – 213mm x 275mm

Spacing Double

Paragraphing Indented or justified and double spacebetween paragraphs

Binding- Evaluation Copy Spiral binding- Final Copy Hardbound covered with cloth- Colour of binding Dark Black or Navy Blue- Spine To contain student’s name, title of the

Project, level and year

Citation Manual APA (Appendix – E)Harvard (Appendix – F)

Margins Left 1½” 3.8 cmRight 1” 2.5 cmTop 1¼” 3.2 cmBottom 1” 2.5 cm



43

Appendix - ATITLEFont: Times New RomanSize: TOPIC 24 bold CAPS

STUDENT’S NAME 18 bold CAPS Name of the Dept. 16 bold Name of the University 18 bold

Spine 2”

TITLE OF THEPROJECT

STUDENT’S NAME

1½” 1”

Department of _________

Allama Iqbal Open UniversityYear

1”

N a m e T i t l e o f t h e P r o j e c t

r e p o r t

- l e v e l

5 cmblankspace

The Inner title would be the same, plus:i) Statement of Submission:

Submission in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree ofCommonwealth of Learning EMBA/EMPA at the Department of BusinessAdministration, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University,Islamabad.

ii) Supervisor’s Name (iii) Month, Year



44

Appendix - BFont: Times New Roman

Size: Chapter Headings 16 bold CAPS

Headings 14 bold CAPS

Sub-headings 14 bold

Text 12Alignment Justified or IndentedSpacing DoubleParaphrasing Either indent or don’t but consistent(Do not italicize or underline the headings of sub-headings.)

2”

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 OVERVIEW

It is understood that information needs arise when an

individual finds himself in a problem situation, when he or she

no longer can manage with the knowledge that he or she

possess, (Talja 1992, P. 72). There are a lot of studies on mass

media or mass communication throughout the world done but

a few research studies conducted on ‘news-seeking patterns

throughout the world, and especially in Pakistan.

The present study is significant not only for the newspapers’

industries and readers, but it is also important for educational

point of view.

1”



45

Appendix - C

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIIVERSITY

Commonwealth MBA/MPA Programme for Executive

ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP

I, Roll No.

Registration No. A student of COL Program in

Allama Iqbal Open University, solemnly declare that my Project Report entitled

Is my own work and that, to the best of my

knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by

another person. This report is not submitted already and shall not be submitted

in future for obtaining a degree from same or another University or Institution. If

it is found to be copied/plagiarized at later stage of any student enrolled in the

same or any other university, I shall be liable to face legal action before Unfair

Mean committee (UMC), as per AIOU/HEC Rules and Regulations, and I

understand that if I am found guilty, my degree will be cancelled.

SignatureName:

Programme:



46

Appendix – D

CERTIFICATE (from supervisor)

The project report entitled “ ”, at

COL Executive Master of Business Administration/ Public Administration

conducted by ____________________________ Roll No. _______________,

Registration No. _________________ Semester _________ has been completed

under my guidance and I am satisfied with the quality of student’s research

work.

Supervisor

_________________________ Name

Date: _________________



47

Appendix - E

APA CITATION STYLE

Journal or Magazine Article

Wilcox, R. V. (1991). Shifting roles and synthetic women in Star trek:The next generation. Studies in Popular Culture, 13(2), 53-65.

Journal or Magazine ArticleDubeck, L. (1990). Science fiction aids science teaching. Physics Teacher,28, 316-318.

Newspaper ArticleDi Rado, A. (1995, March 15). Trekking through college: Classes exploremodern society using the world of Star trek. Los Angeles Times, p. A3.

Article from an Internet DatabaseMershon, D. H. (1998, November-December). Star trek on the brain:Alien minds, human minds. American Scientist, 86, 585. Retrieved July29, 1999, from Expanded Academic ASAP database.

BookOkuda, M., & Okuda, D. (1993). Star trek chronology: The history of thefuture. New York: Pocket Books.

Book Article or Chapter James, N. E. (1988). Two sides of paradise: The Eden myth according toKirk and Spock. In D. Palumbo (Ed.), Spectrum of the fantastic (pp. 219-223). Westport, CT: Greenwood.

Encyclopaedia ArticleSturgeon, T. (1995). Science fiction. In The encyclopedia Americana (Vol.24, pp. 390-392). Danbury, CT: Grolier.

ERIC Document

Fuss-Reineck, M. (1993). Sibling communication in Star trek: The next generation: Conflicts between brothers. Miami, FL: Annual Meeting of theSpeech Communication Association. (ERIC Document ReproductionService No. ED 364932)

Website



48

Lynch, T. (1996). DS9 trials and tribble-ations review. Retrieved October8, 1997, from Psi Phi: Bradley's Science Fiction Club Web site:http://www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/DS9/ep/503r.html

Graduate Studies, College of Education, University of FloridaLast modified: 12 Jul, 2005, Suggestions for Preparing aDissertation/Thesis Proposal web site:http://www.coe.ufl.edu/web/?pid=86



49

Appendix – FHARVARD CITATION STYLE

GUIDELINES FOR HARVARD REFERENCING

An important part of academic and professional writing is correct referencing. In

the following sections, guidelines will be presented to ensure that you achieve

the required standard for your studies. In any piece of work you produce, you

must acknowledge all the sources you have used to help you prepare your work.

Not only may the person reading, or more importantly marking your work, be

familiar with the original, but also more credit is given to a student who has

thoroughly researched the topic area and has cited the sources of their work. As

there are a number of referencing systems and several variations, it is suggested

that you use the following outline of the Harvard system. This will enable

anyone reading your work to locate the exact sources you have used and so

follow up the arguments or the information you have provided.

How to create a reference list/bibliography

A reference list contains only the books, articles, and web pages etc that

are cited in the text of the document. A bibliography includes all

sources consulted for background or further reading.

A reference list is arranged alphabetically by author. If an item has no

author, it is cited by title, and included in the alphabetical list using the

first significant word of the title.

If you have more than one item with the same author, list the items

chronologically, starting with the earliest publication.

Each reference appears on a new line.

There is no indentation of the references.

There is no numbering of the references.

The details required in order are:



50

1. name/s of author/s, editor/s, compiler/s (surname, and initials or given

name), or the institution responsible

2. year of publication

3. title of publication and subtitle if any (all titles must be underlined or

italicised)

4. series title and individual volume if any

5. edition, if other than first

6. publisher

7. place of publication

8. page number(s) if applicable

One author Berkman, R. I. 1994, Find It Fast: How to Uncover Expert Information on Any Subject,

HarperPerennial, New York.

Explanation of citation

Two or more authors Moir, A. & Jessel, D. 1991, Brain Sex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women,

Mandarin, London.Cheek, J., Doskatsch, I., Hill, P. & Walsh, L. 1995, Finding Out : Information LiteracyFor the 21st century,

MacMillan Education Australia, South Melbourne.

Editor(s) Robinson, W. F. & Huxtable, C. R. R. (eds) 1988, Clinicopathologic Principles ForVeterinary Medicine,

Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Sjostrand, S. (ed.) 1993, Institutional Change: Theory and Empirical Findings,

M.E. Sharpe, Armonk, N.Y.

Sponsored by institution, corporation or other organisation

( Italicised or underlined)

Berkman, R.I 1994 Find it fast: How to uncover expert information on any subject,

Harper Perennial, New York.

PUBLISHER PLACE OF PUBLICATION

Author Year Title



51

Australian Government Publishing Service 1994, Style Manual For Authors, Editorsand Printers,

5th edn, AGPS, Canberra.Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation, Market Research Department 1991,An Examination of the Effect of the

Domestic Aviation Dispute on Queensland Tourism, Queensland Tourist andTravel Corporation, Brisbane.

Series Simons, R. C. 1996, Boo!: Culture, Experience and the Startle Reflex, Series inAffective Science,

Oxford University Press, New York.Edition McTaggart, D., Findlay, C. & Parkin, M. 1995, Economics, 2nd edn,

Addison-Wesley, Sydney.Chapter or part of a book to which a number of authors have contributed Bernstein, D. 1995, 'Transportation planning' in The Civil Engineering Handbook,ed. W.F.Chen,

CRC Press, Boca Raton.No author or editor If no author is given, the title is used as the first element of a citation.Alphabetise the entry by the first main word of the title in the bibliography.

Journal article Huffman, L. M. 1996, 'Processing whey protein for use as a food ingredient', FoodTechnology, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 49-52.

Explanation of citation

Conference paper Bohrer, S., Zielke, T. & Freiburg, V. 1995, `Integrated obstacle detectionframework for intelligent cruise control on motorways',

IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, Detroit, MI, Piscataway, pp. 276-281.

Huffman, L.M 1996 ‘Possessing whey protein for use as a food ingredient’,

Food Technology, Vol. 50. No. 2, pp. 49-52.

( Italicised or underlined)

VOLUME, ISSUE, PAGE NOS.

Author Year

Title of Article



52

Appendix – G

ABSTRACT

The researcher in this thesis intended to study the effects of advertisements on Consumer’sbehaviour and tried to identify the components in the advertisements that affect theconsumer behaviour.

Advertisements are messages that inform us about different things. We daily watchnumerous advertisements of consumer goods, places, services, hotels, books, food, clothesetc. They provide the path to a company so that it can bring it offering into limelight.

Advertisement is everywhere in our daily life. When we pick newspaper we can see it there,if we tune into a radio we can hear advertisement there, if we switch on the TV we can watchthe advertisement there as well. If we are on a drive we can notice huge billboards along the

road side. Ads are not just to glitter and glamour; they in fact carry intended messages,which directly or indirectly work as persuasive communication.

In first chapter titled Introduction of Report shows the basic information about the projectsuch a background of the study, purpose of study, statement of the problem, researchquestion and delimitations.

The second chapter titled the Literature Review describes theories, historical background,categories, functioning and types of advertising, also a brief introduction and history ofProctor and Gamble (The Organization).

The third chapter includes research methodology, research design, sampling and datacollection.

The fourth chapter includes the data analysis and its interpretation.

The fifth chapter is composed of the findings, conclusions and recommendations.

At the end of the report bibliography and appendices are included.



A sample Table of Contents is given as under:Appendix – H

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title i. Abstract ii

Dedication iiiAcknowledgement ivCertificate vDeclaration vi

CHAPTTER 1 11.1 INTRODUCTION1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY1.3 HISTORICAL BACK GROUND OF STUDY1.4 CATEGORIES OF ADVERTISING

1.4.1 Immediate Action

1.4.2 Awareness1.4.3 Image

22224

89

CHAPTER-2 102.1 LITERATURE REVIEW2.2 ADVERTISEMENT

2.2.1 Paid Form2.2.2 Non-Personal Presentation2.2.3 Ideas, Goods, and Services2.2.4 An Identified Sponsor

111720243951

CHAPTER – 3 521.1 POPULATION1.2 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE1.3 SAMPLE SIZE1.4 PROBLEM FACED1.5 USES OF COMPUTER APPLICATION

5356586075

CHAPTER – 4 76DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETTATION 774.1 Demographic Information of Respondents

4.1.1 Gender of the Respondents4.1.2 Cross-tabulation of Gender with Age of Respondents4.1.3 Cross-tabulation of Gender with Qualification of

Respondents

78798793

CHAPTER – 5 945.1 FINDINGS5.2 CONCLUSION5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS

9599

102BibliographyAppendices

105107

Documents

COL Project Manual Final