Select a Topic of Interest or Business Problem Relevant to Your Degree Specialism: Business Research Method Assignment, SMU, Singapore

Section 1: Comparing two research methodologies

Select a topic of interest or business problem relevant to your degree specialism, e.g. strategy, supply chain management, international business & economics, marketing, finance, or human resources. Choose one of these topics that motivates you and that you are likely to pursue your Dissertation or Consultancy Project (you may change your mind later, but it will be to your advantage if you stick to it, so choose carefully). This will require some preliminary research into that specific area.

Provide the following subsections and address the following tasks for the chosen business problem:

1.1 Research problem Short explanation of the research problem and the particular question that you would want to study (about 150 words).

1.2 Selected key An introduction that provides a brief commentary of key relevant literature. readings Are sure to justify your choice of these references in introducing the existing knowledge on your topic (about 500 words). Attach a full visual presentation such as a mind map, a Venn diagram, or a grandfather, father, son literature map in the report’s appendix to show the scope of your review of the literature. That visual presentation will be considered when marking together with your brief commentary.

1.3 Two appropriate A detailed critique of at least two well-used research methodologies in the research methods literature you have reviewed. Discuss

a) how they are applied;

b) how the methods were deployed to provide a worthwhile contribution to the theory and research and

c) what gaps the methods may leave that could lend the area to further analysis (and an opportunity for your own research).

Discuss the pros and cons of methods in the context of the proposed research question/research problem, and demonstrate full awareness of constraints and limitations deriving from the investigation.

Section 2: Instrument and Conclusions

Provide the following subsections and address the following tasks for the chosen business problem:

2.1 Instrument

• Provide the details of a proposed research instrument such as an interview guide, survey questionnaire, or other appropriate instruments. Provide this as an appendix to your report.

• Write 500 words of reflection, regarding how you have designed the instrument and why the way you did. The instrument is only for illustrative purposes and does not necessarily have to be complete.

2.2 Conclusions

Concluding evaluation of instrument’s expected value for the research question(s) that you consider worthy of further investigation and reflective by taking section 1 into account.

Section 3: Research Dissemination

Provide the following subsections and address the following tasks for the chosen business problem:

3.1 Relevance and audience

Briefly explain who and why maybe the right audience for implementing the potential findings from the suggested research (about 200 words).

3.2 Communication of research

Reflect what kind of summarising, media, and design of the report would be needed to disseminate the outcomes properly and most effectively. Who could be partners in public organizations, NG0s, associations, or industry?