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:
• Identify a business research topic
• Define the research questions for the identified problem or opportunity
• Select the appropriate research methodologies and techniques to use for the research
project
• Describe the research process
• Describe data collection and analysis methods
• 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
Iden
tify
busi
ness
rese
arch
topic
and
Define the
research
questions for
the identified
problem or
opportunity.
Excellent
8-1
0
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
appropriat
e research
methodolo
gies and
techniques
to use for
the
research
project
Desc
ribe
the
rese
arch
proc
ess
Excellent
8-1
0
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
8-1
0
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%
Iden
tify
busi
ness
rese
arch
topic
and
Define the
research
questions for
the identified
problem or
opportunity.
E
xcellent
8-10
Good
6-7
Average 5
Not
adeq
u
a
t
e
3-4
Poor
0-2
C
learly
justified
topic
Well
defined
questions
Importance
and value of
research
topic and
problem
Well
referenced
literature to
research
topic Commen
ts:
/40
%
Select the
appropriat
e research
methodolo
gies and
techniques
to use for
the
research
project
Desc
ribe
the
rese
arch
proc
ess
E
xcellent
8-10
Good
6-7
Average 5
Not
adeq
u
a
t
e
3-4
Poor
0-2
Selection of
suitable
research
method
Steps of
research
process
described
References
used to
justify
choices Commen
ts:
/30
%
Describe
data
collection
and analysis
methods
Describe
expected
research
outcomes
E
xcellent
8-10
Good
6-7
Average 5
Not
adeq
u
a
t
e
3-4
Poor
0-2
Suitable
data
collection
method
Description
of data
analysis to
be done
Description
of expected
results Commen
ts:
/30
%
Overall Comments TOTAL /100%
Iden
tify
busi
ness
rese
arch
topic
and
Define the
research
questions for
the identified
problem or
opportunity.
Excellent
8-1
0
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
appropriat
e research
methodolo
gies and
techniques
to use for
the
research
project
Desc
ribe
the
rese
arch
proc
ess
Excellent
8-1
0
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
8-1
0
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%