Lesson No 6 - Research Proposals

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 1

RESEARCH PROPOSALS


STUDY REFERENCESTUDY REFERENCE

Chapter 4Chapter 4

Business Research MethodsBusiness Research Methods

ByBy

Donald R Cooper & C William Donald R Cooper & C William EmoryEmory


WHAT IS A PROPOSALWHAT IS A PROPOSAL• A PROPOSAL IS A WORK PLAN,

PROSPECTUS, OUTLINE, STATEMENT OF INTENT OR DRAFT PLAN

• IT IS ESSENTIALLY A ROAD MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION FROM WHICH A JOURNEY BEGINS, THE DESTINATION TO BE REACHED AND THE METHOD OF GETTING THERE

IT TELLS US …..• WHAT WILL BE DONE• WHY IT WILL BE DONE• HOW IT WILL BE DONE• WHERE IT WILL BE DONE• TO WHOM IT WILL BE DONE• WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF DOING IT

RESEARCH PROPOSALSRESEARCH PROPOSALS


PURPOSE OF PROPOSALS TO PRESENT THE PROBLEM TO BE

RESEACHED AND SIGNIFY ITS IMPORTANCE

TO DISCUSS THE RESEARCH EFFORTS OF OTHERS WHO HAVE WORKED ON RELATED PROBLEMS

TO SUGGEST THE DATA NECESSARY FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM AND OUTLINE HOW THE DATA WILL BE GATHERED, TREATED AND INTERPRETED

(IN CASE OF CONTRACT RESEARCH) TO PRESENT ONE’S CREDENTIALS IN A MANNER THAT ENCOURAGES SELECTION OVER OTHER COMPETITORS



PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENTPROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

MANAGER DESCRIBES PROBLEM & STATES

MGMT QUESTION

RESEARCHER TRANSLATES MGMT

QUESTIONINTO RESEARCH QN

RESEARCHER ELABORATESRESEARCH QN INTO

INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS

RESEARCHEREXPLORES

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

RESEARCHERREFINES RESEARCH

QUESTION

MANAGER & RESEARCHER

DISCUSS PROPOSAL.

CLARIFY AND REDEFINE

PROBLEM & OBJECTIVES OF

PROJECT

RESEARCHERPREPARESPROPOSAL

MANAGERREVIEWS

PROPOSAL

MANAGERAPPROVESPROJECT

STUDYBEGINS

THEY DISAGREE

THEY DISAGREETHEYAGREE

THEY AGREE


USES FOR THE SPONSORUSES FOR THE SPONSOR• SERVES AS THE FIRST STEP IN THE

EVALUATION PROCESS• ALLOWS THE SPONSOR TO ASSESS:

– SINCERITY OF PURPOSE– CLARITY OF DESIGN– EXTENT OF BACKGROUND MATERIAL– FITNESS FOR UNDERTAKING THE

PROJECT

• SERVES AS A DOCUMENT THAT THE SPONSOR CAN EVALUATE BASED ON THE CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL, SCHOLASTIC OR SCIENTIFIC NEEDS



USES FOR THE SPONSORUSES FOR THE SPONSOR• ALLOWS AS ASSESSMENT OF BOTH THE

RESEARCHER AND RESEARCH DESIGN, COMPARE THEM AGAINST COMPETING PROPOSALS AND MAKE THE BEST SELECTION FOR THE PROJECT

• PROVIDES A BASIS TO EVALUATE THE RESULTS OF A PROJECT BY COMPARING THE FINAL PRODUCT WITH THE STATED OBJECTIVES AND TO ASSESS IF THE RESEARCH GOALS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED

• BRINGS A DISCIPLINE TO THE SPONSOR BY TRANSLATING THE MANAGEMENT QUESTION INTO A RESEARCH QUESTION, OUTLINING THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY AND AMENDING THEM IF SO REQUIRED



BENEFITS FOR THE RESEARCHERBENEFITS FOR THE RESEARCHER• SERVES AS A TENTATIVE WORK PLAN THAT

CHARTS THE LOGICAL STEPS NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THE STATED GOALS

• PROCESS OF WRITING A PROPOSAL ALLOWS THE RESEARCHER TO PLAN AND REVIEW THE PROJECT’S STEPS ON THE BASIS OF PREVIOUS APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM AND REVISE THE PLAN IF AND WHERE NECESSARY

• SERVES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPOT FLAWS IN THE LOGIC, ERRORS IN ASSUMPTIONS AND PROBLEMS NOT ADDRESSED BY OBJECTIVES & DESIGN

• BECOMES A MEANS OF MONITORING PROGRESS AND MILESTONES ACHIEVED

• FORCES TIME AND BUDGET ESTIMATES



TYPES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALSTYPES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS• INTERNAL PROPOSALS

– MORE SIMPLE AND SHORTER THAN EXTERNAL PROPOSALS

– ARE SHORTER AND MORE SELECTIVE IN THEIR STRUCTURAL LAYOUTS AND ONLY THE REQUIRED SECTIONS ARE COVERED

• EXTERNAL PROPOSALS– MAY BE SOLICITED OR UNSOLICITED– SOLICITED PROPOSALS MADE IN RESPONSE TO

RFPs– STRUCTURE MUST COVER OBJECTIVES, DESIGN,

QUALIFICATIONS, SCHEDULE & BUDGET• STUDENT PROPOSALS

• IN TERMS OF COMPLEXITY:– EXPLORATORY STUDY– SMALL SCALE STUDY– LARGE PROFESSIONAL STUDY



STRUCTURING OF RESEARCH STRUCTURING OF RESEARCH PROPOSALPROPOSAL

• FORMULATED ON MODULAR BASIS TO CATER TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS

• EACH MODULE IS ALSO FLEXIBLE INTERNALLY SO ITS CONTENT & LENGTH MAY BE ADAPTED TO SPECIFIC NEEDS

• BASED ON THE RELAVENT MODULES, A PROPOSAL CAN BE TAILORED FOR AN INTENDED AUDIENCE.



MODULES TO INCLUDE IN PROPOSALS MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

GOVGOVTT

STUDENTSTUDENTINTERNALINTERNAL EXTERNALEXTERNAL

TERMPAPER

MASTER

THESIS

DOCTORAL

THESIS

EXPLOR-ATORY

SMALL

SCALE

LARGE SCALE

EXPLOR-ATORY

SMALLSCALE

LARGE SCALE

LARGESCALE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY YE

SYES

YES YES

YES

YES

PROBLEMSTATEMENT YES YE

SYES

YES YES

YES

YES YES

YES YES

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES YES YE

SYES

YES YES

YES

YES YES

YES YES

LITERATURE REVIEW YE

SYES

YES YES YES

IMPORTANCE/ BENEFITS

YES

YES YES

YES

YES YES

RESEARCH DESIGN YES YE

SYES

YES YES

YES

YES YES YES

DATA ANALYSIS YE

SYES YES

NATURE & FORM OF RESULTS

YEYESS

YEYESS

YEYESS

YEYESS

YESYES YESYES YESYES

PROPOSAL TYPES

PROPOSALMODULES


MODULES TO INCLUDE IN PROPOSALS MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

GOVGOVTT

STUDENTSTUDENTINTERNALINTERNAL EXTERNALEXTERNAL

TERMPAPER

MASTER

THESIS

DOCTORAL

THESIS

EXPLOR-

ATORY

SMALL

SCALE

LARGE SCALE

EXPLOR-ATORY

SMALLSCALE

LARGE SCALE

LARGESCALE

QUALIFICAT-IONS OF RESEARCHERS

YES YES

YES

YES

BUDGET YES

YES

YES YES

YES

YES

SCHEDULE YES YES

YES

YES YES

YES

YES YES YES

FACILITIES & SPECIAL RESOURCES

YES

YES YES

YES

YES YES YES

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

YES

YES

YES

BIBLIOGRAPHY YE

SYES

YES YES

YES YES

APPENDIXES/ GLOSSARY OF TERMS

YES

YES

YES YES YES

MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT

YES

YES

YES YES

PROPOSAL TYPES

PROPOSALMODULES


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY• ALLOWS A BUSINESS MANAGER/SPONSOR

TO UNDERSTAND QUICKLY THE THRUST OF THE PROPOSAL

• ESSENTIALLY AN INFORMATIVE ABSTRACT

• GOAL IS TO SECURE A POSITIVE EVALUATION BY THE EXECUTIVE WHILE THE FULL EVALUATION IS CONDUCTED BY THE STAFF

• SHOULD INCLUDE:– BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM– RESEARCH OBJECTIVES/RESEARCH

QUESTIONS– BENEFIT OF THE APPROACH ADOPTED– IN UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS, A BRIEF

DESCRIPTION OF QUALIFICATIONS OF RESEARCHER ARE ALSO RECOMMENDED

MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALSMODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS


PROBLEM STATEMENT• AIMS TO CONVINCE THE SPONSOR TO CONTINUE

READING THE PROPOSAL BY CAPTURING HIS ATTENTION

• SHOULD COVER:– THE PROBLEM (MANAGEMENT QUESTION)– ITS BACKGROUND (AND) – CONSEQUENCES

• THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM SHOULD ALSO BE EMPHASIZED IF A SEPARATE MODULE ON THE BENEFITS OF THE STUDY IS NOT INCLUDED

• ON READING THIS MODULE THE SPONSOR SHOULD KNOW:– THE PROBLEM– ITS SIGNIFICANCE– WHY SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO

CHANGE THE STATUS QUO



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES• FLOWS NATURALLY FROM THE

PROBLEM STATEMENT GIVING SPECIFIC, CONCRETE AND ACHIEVABLE GOALS

• ADDRESSES THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION

• LAYS OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING PLANNED BY THE PROPOSED RESEARCH:– IN A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY, OBJECTIVES CAN

BE STATED AS RESEARCH QUESTIONS OR FURTHER BROKEN DOWN INTO INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS

– IN A CAUSAL STUDY, OBJECTIVES CAN BE RESTATED AS HYPOTHESIS



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR JUDGING THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPOSAL AND ULTIMATELY THE FINAL REPORT

• CONSISTENCY OF THE PROPOSAL IS VERIFIED BY CHECKING TO SEE THAT EACH OBJECTIVE IS DISCUSSED IN THE RESEARCH DESIGN, DATA ANALYSIS & RESULTS SECTIONS



LITERATURE REVIEW• EXAMINES RECENT OR HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT

RESEARCH STUDIES, COMPANY DATA, OR INDUSTRY REPORTS THAT ACT AS A BASIS FOR THE PROPOSED STUDY

• BEGIN FROM A COMPREHENSIVE PERSPECTIVE AND MOVE TO MORE SPECIFIC STUDIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM

• EXTRANEOUS DETAILS OF THE LITERATURE SHOULD BE AVOIDED AND A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE INFORMATION IS MADE

• FOLLOWING ASPECTS ARE FOCUSSED UPON:

– IMPORTANT RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS OF OTHER STUDIES

– RELAVANT DATA AND TRENDS FROM PREVIOUS RESEARCH

– PARTICULAR METHODS OR DESIGNS THAT COULD BE DUPLICATED OR SHOULD BE AVOIDED

– HOW THE LITERATURE UNDER REVIEW APPLIES TO THE STUDY YOU ARE PROPOSING



LITERATURE REVIEW• IDENTIFY THE WEAKNESSES OR FAULTS IN THE

DESIGN OF OTHER STUDIES AND HOW YOU PROPOSE TO AVOID REPEATING THEM

• IF YOUR PROPOSAL DEALS SOLELY WITH SECONDARY DATA, DISCUSS ITS RELAVANCE AND THE BIAS OR LACK OF BIAS INHERENT IN IT

• TO AVOID ERRORS OF INTERPRETATION AND TRANSCRIPTION, ALWAYS REFER TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

• MAY BE LAID OUT IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FORMS:– FROM BROADER TO NARROWER PERSPECTIVES AND

SPECIFICS– IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER– ACCORDING TO ISSUES/ AUTHORS

• CLOSE THE LITERATURE REVIEW BY SUMMARIZING IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE LITERATURE AND INTERPRETING THEM IN TERMS OF YOUR PROBLEM

• IN THE LIGHT OF FINDINGS, REFINE THE PROBLEM IF NECESSARY



IMPORTANCE/BENEFITS OF THE STUDY

• DESCRIBES EXPLICIT BENEFITS THAT WILL ACCRUE FROM THE STUDY

• ALSO REQUIRES THE RESEARCHER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS MOST TROUBLING TO THE SPONSOR AND OUTLINE ITS IMPLICATIONS AND POSSIBLE REMEDIES

• IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN UNSOLICITED EXTERNAL PROPOSALS WHERE THE SPONSOR HAS TO BE CONVINCED THAT YOUR PLAN WILL MEET THEIR NEEDS



RESEARCH DESIGN• DESCRIBES WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO IN

TECHNICAL TERMS

• SHOULD INCLUDE AS MANY SUBSECTIONS AS NEEDED TO SHOW THE PHASES OF THE PROJECT

• SHOULD ALSO COVER:

– SAMPLE SELECTION & SIZE

– DATA COLLECTION METHOD

– INSTRUMENTATION, PROCEDURES AND ETHICAL REQUIREMENTS

– DATA ANALYSIS (IN SMALLER PROJECTS)

• IF/WHEN MORE THAN ONE WAY EXISTS TO APPROACH THE DESIGN, THE METHODS THAT HAVE BEEN REJECTED ARE DISCUSSED AND IT IS EXPLAINED AS TO WHY YOU CONSIDER YOUR METHOD MORE SUPERIOR THAN OTHERS



DATA ANALYSIS

• RELAVENT FOR LARGE SCALE CONTRACT RESEARCH PROJECTS AND DOCTORAL THESES

• OBJECTIVE IS TO ASSURE THE SPONSOR THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE CORRECT ASSUMPTIONS AND USING THEORATICALLY SOUND DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURES

• DESCRIBE PROPOSED TREATMENT AND THEORATICAL BASIS FOR USING THE SELECTED TECHNIQUES



NATURE AND FORM OF RESULTS• AIMS TO TAKE BACK THE SPONSOR TO THE

PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES TO SATISFY HIM THAT EACH GOAL SET FOR THE STUDY HAS BEEN COVERED

• SPECIFIES THE TYPE OF DATA TO BE OBTAINED AND THE INTERPRETATIONS THAT WILL BE MADE IN THE ANALYSIS

• OUTLINES FORMS OF RESULTS SUCH AS STRATEGIC PLANS, MODELS, ACTION PLANS, ETC

• ALSO COVERS DISTRIBUTION OF REPORT IF MEANT FOR MORE THAN ONE SPONSOR AND FINAL DISPOSAL OF DATA COLLECTED IN THE STUDY INCLUDING ANY PROPRIETARY RIGHTS



QUALIFICATIONS OF RESEARCHERS• COVERS:

– QUALIFICATIONS OF INVESTIGATORS WITH THE HIGHEST DEGREE HELD

– EXPERIENCE OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH

– DESCRIPTION OF SIMILAR PROJECTS HANDLED

– EXPERIENCE AS EXECUTIVE OR EMPLOYEE OF AN ORGANIZATION INVOLVED IN RELATED FIELD

– BUSINESS & TECHNICAL RESEARCH SOCIETIES TO WHICH RESEARCHER BELONGS

– ENTIRE CV OF RESEARCHER MAY ALSO BE ADDED AS AN ANNEX



BUDGET

• SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN THE FORM REQUIRED BY THE SPONSOR

• SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN ONE TO TWO PAGES. ADDITIONAL DETAILS MAY BE COVERED IN ANNEXES

• KEEP BACKUP OF INFORMATION USED TO GENERATE THE BUDGET FIGURES FOR REFERENCE/ EXPLANATION IF NECESSARY



SCHEDULE• SHOULD INCLUDE THE MAJOR PHASES OF THE

PROJECT, THEIR TIMETABLES AND THE MILESTONES THAT SIGNIFY COMPLETION OF A PHASE

• MAJOR PHASES MAY BE:– FINALIZATION OF INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS– EXPLORATORY INTERVIEWS– FINAL RESEARCH PROPOSAL (IF NECESSARY)– QUESTIONAIRRE REVISION– FIELD INTERVIEWS– EDITING AND CODING– DATA ANALYSIS– REPORT GENERATION

• PREFERABLY, THE SCHEDULE MAY BE CHARTED TO ESTABLISH CRITICAL PATHS AND TASKS/PHASES THAT CAN BE HANDLED CONCURRENTLY



OTHER MODULES

• FACILITIES AND SPECIAL RESOURCES

• PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• BIBLIOGRAPHY – FOR ALL PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE LITERATURE REVIEW

• ANNEXES & APPENDICES

– GLOSSARY

– MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT

– OTHERS




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Lesson No 6 - Research Proposals