BMG871 CRN63826 Assignment Brief and Template 2025

PART 1: (Remember, you must plan to use primary research techniques only.)

1 Research Title 

• One or two sentences. Your topic must be an international business context.
• You should avoid studies that have exclusive Ireland/UK focus.

2 Introduction, Rationale, International Business Value (approx. 200 words)

• A background overview of the issue you intend to address.
• Articulate why the problem merits investigation and its significance.
• Outline the practical importance of your study to international businesses.
• Outline a literature gap. Outline how and where your study is positioned within the body of academic work (this final part is added following completion of Literature Review).

3 Literature Review (approx. 700 words)

• You must read the referencing/AI section on p5 before beginning this section.
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the relevant literature i.e. the key concepts and empirical articles related to your study.
• Individual theories should only be included where they are the focus of the study itself.
• How does your research relate to what has been done before in the subject area?
• It is important to cite academically robust sources and critically review them.
• A literature review should not be descriptive. It should be analytical and evaluative in nature, comparing and contrasting opinions/sources.

4 Research Aims & Objectives (approx. 100 words, designed to fill gap in literature previously identified)

• Include an aim statement: The aim of this research project is to….
• The aim statement should be broken down into 3 research objectives.
• Formulate a research question
• The research objectives should facilitate an answer to the Aim. 

5 Research Methodology (approx. 800 words)

• Articulate your plan for the research, how will it be carried out? This must be specific. Provide justifications for all decisions. Use Saunders’ Research Onion layers as sub-headings. Ensure you:
• Specify the research philosophy and corresponding research approach. 
  
• Outline your research strategy and methodology choices. Remember, you must plan to use primary research techniques.
  
• Outline your chosen data collection instruments and data analysis techniques.
  
• Convey relevant sampling considerations and the research time horizon.
  
• Consider the validity and reliability of your chosen research technique.
  
• Discuss any relevant limiting factors to your research.

6 Indicative Timetable 

• Create a Gantt Chart as evidence of time management planning, which conforms to the time constraints imposed by the university.

7 Ethical Considerations (approx. 200 words)

• Consider the particular ethical issues you will need to address as part of your research project. 

8 Reference List - A list of sources cited in the proposal, compiled using the university’s Harvard guidelines.

9 Appendices - Any addition information you wish to include.

PART 2: Qualitative Research Proposal (approx. 1400 words)

• Specify the research philosophy that underpins qualitative research and how this will impact the research approach.
• Articulate a detailed qualitative plan for the research, how will it be carried out? This must be specific and provide detail & justifications for all decisions/content. (Avoid bullet points and lists of advantages/disadvantages etc.)
• Outline your chosen data collection instruments in detail (use examples to illustrate e.g. an interview guide) and data analysis techniques.
• Convey relevant sampling considerations.
• Consider the validity and reliability of any methods proposed.
• Discuss any relevant limiting factors to your research.
• You must include a 3-month Gantt Chart as evidence of time management planning (not included in word count)

PART 3 Quantitative Research Proposal (approx. 1400 words)

• Specify the research philosophy that underpins quantitative research and how this will impact the research approach.
• Articulate a detailed quantitative plan for the research, how will it be carried out? This must be specific and provide detail & justifications for all decisions/content. (Avoid bullet points and lists of advantages/disadvantages etc.)
• Outline your chosen data collection instruments in detail (use examples to illustrate e.g. a survey guide) and data analysis techniques.
  
• Convey relevant sampling considerations.
• Consider the validity and reliability of any methods proposed.
• Discuss any relevant limiting factors to your research.
• You must include a 3-month Gantt Chart as evidence of time management planning (not included in word count)