The research regarding the international and domestic marketing strategy of multinational enterprises

1. Title
Give a clear and succinct title, indicating the problem area around which the research will be undertaken. The title is important and should encapsulate the essence of the research.

Word Guide -Outside the word count

2. Background
Include a brief description of the background to your topic.
Explain why you have chosen the topic. Include sufficient description of the background to your dissertation to enable the reader to contextualise the research.

Word Guide 300 words

3. Preliminary Review of the Literature
Give a brief initial critical review of the academic literature that you have read in formulating the proposal. Include the key seminal texts about your topic and any recent up-to-date research in the specific area. You need to show what is already known in connection with your research and what theoretical ideas underpin your work. The literature you look at must be about the theoretical business subject underpinning your topic. For example: Marketing Strategy, Business Policy, Financial Strategy etc. etc., not about a specific organisation, company or product.

Don’t forget to give a list of references at the end of the proposal. Use the Harvard Referencing system properly (look carefully at the Coventry University Guide to the Harvard System).

Word Guide 800 (6 references at least)

4. Research Question and Objectives
Under this heading you should write your single overarching research question that will guide the whole of your research project. This should then be developed into 3 to 4 specific research objectives which are written so that they begin with

“To critically evaluate……” or
“To analyse….” or
“To judge…”
“To recommend…”
etc. etc.

i.e. using higher order verbs that convey M-level research activity. Look at the example proposals on Moodle.

Word Guide 200

5. Methodology and Research Methods
This is the most important section. Your methodology must be appropriate to the research questions posed and the research objectives derived from them. What is required under this heading is a clear description and justification of the methodological stance taken and the specific methods that will be used. Remember that methodology refers to the strategy for the enquiry, and the specific methods refer to the data collection techniques to be employed.

A clear description of the three phases of the Research Plan is required:
Research Strategy and the Underpinning Philosophy
The Research Design and
The Data Collection Methods

Include an assessment of the limitations of your research – comment briefly on validity, reliability, replicability and aspects of validity and generalizability.

You should critically compare alternative research techniques and state why you have chosen your particular approach.

At the end of this section summarise your approach in the following table

Data Gathering Activity    Details of Sample    Method of Data Analysis    Which Research Objective This Data Informs.

Word Guide 900
The table is outside the word count.

6. Ethical Considerations
Include a discussion of any ethical issues raised by your particular proposal and how you propose to handle them. You will need to acknowledge and follow the CU Ethical Approval Process.

State whether you need to use a participation information sheet and/or a consent form.

If your research involves secondary data only then the ethical implications will generally be minimal. In this case you need to merely acknowledge here that you will seek low risk ethical approval using the Coventry University online ethics system.

Word Guide 200

7 Planning and any special resources required
Include a Gantt chart (or simple bar chart) here. (Gantt chart is in addition to the word count). The Gantt chart should cover the period of time over which you will be conducting the actual research project.

Indicate any particular problems you are likely to face.

Word Guide 100

The target total word count is 2500 words.
Place your List of References Here.
The List of References is outside the word count

Marking Scheme: Feed-Forward and Feedback Sheet for Research Proposal M11BSS
You are encouraged to evaluate your work and judge how far you have achieved the criteria according to the feed-forward description below..

M25BSS Module Learning Outcomes    Feed-Forward and Total Mark Available
How does your research proposal compare with the feedback in the second column?
1.    Understand the key concepts involved in developing a research proposal and how they interrelate in a complementary way to form a coherent research proposal    Your research proposal represents a coherent plan in which all the various elements of the design are compatible and combine together to form a practical and workable research project. You have explained the business and personal reasons for your choice of project. You have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the nature of research and the various philosophical choices that underpin your approach. In particular, the methodology and research methods that you have chosen are fully consistent with the research objectives you have set for the project. The research methods are capable of delivering the outcomes you have set. Your initial literature review provides a defensible theoretical framework upon which to develop your investigation and data analysis.

M11BSS Coursework
2
(‘Individual
Research Proposal’)
Assignment
Brief
Purpose of the Assignment
The   preparation   of   the   research   proposal   gives   students   the   opportunity   to
demonstrate their achievement of the module’s learning outcomes. The proposal
also
forms  a  plan  for  the  research  that  students  may  carry  out  for  their  Masters
dissertation.  The  self
–
assessment  elements  of  the  marking  schedule  give  students
the opportunity to consolidate their learning and also to reflect on their own work.
Nature of th
e Assignment
Achievement  of  the  learning  outcomes  of  the  module  is  assessed  by  a  Research
Proposal  of  2500  words.  The  proposal  must  be  drafted  in  accordance  with  the
module’s ‘Research Proposal Template and Marking Schedule’ which gives precise
details of
what is to be included. There are seven sections in the template entitled:
1.
Title
2.
Background
3.
Preliminary Review of the Literature
4.
Research Question and Objectives
5.
Methodology and Research Methods
6.
Ethical Considerations
7.
Planning and any special resources
required
The marking schedule is included at the end of the template which is in the form of a
Feed
–
Forward and Feedback Sheet.
The Feed
–
Forward and Feedback Sheet contains:
the assessment criteria, the learning outcomes of the module and what is expected
of   students   against   each   learning   outcome,   plus   a   column   for   student   self
–
assessment.
The assignment
consists of a completed proposal template with all sections
addressed.
Submission
The  coursework  assessment  must  be  submitted  by  4pm  on
24st  April  2015
via
Turnitin.
Assessment Criteria
1.
Understand the key concepts involved in developing a research proposal and
how  they  interrelate  in  a  complementary  way  to  form  a  coherent  research
proposal. Your research proposal represents a coherent plan in which all the
various elements of the design a
re compatible and combine together to form
a  practical  and  workable  research  project.  You  have  explained  the  business
and  personal
reasons  for  your  choice  of  project.  You  have  demonstrated  a
thorough   understanding   of   the   nature   of   research   and   the   various
philosophical   choices   that   underpin   your   approach.   In   particular,   the
methodology and research methods that you have chosen are fully consistent
with  the  research  objectives  you  have  set  for  the  project.
The  research
methods  are  capable  of  delivering  the
o
utcomes  you  have  set.  Your  initial
literature review provides a defensible
t
heoretical framework upon which to
develop your investigation and data
a
nalysis.
2.
Undertake a
critical review of the literature in the chosen business area prior
to framing the res
earch question. You have identified and critically
a
nalysed
the key seminal texts and recent works that underpin your
r
esearch proposal.
You  have  indicated  what  is  already  known  in  connection  with  your  research
topic  and  what  theoretical  ideas  form  the  fou
ndation
f
or  your  work.  The
review demonstrates that you have used the University’s electronic library
resources  to  locate  texts  and  some  have
b
een
p
ublished  in  the  last  2  years.
You  have  included  a  full  list  of  references
u
tilising  the  Coventry  University
Harvard Referencing system correctly. You have taken a critical stance to the
literature, comparing, contrasting and
a
nalysing the work
reviewed. You have
avoided merely creating a list of
l
iterature sources
.
3.
Formulate  a  s
et
of  research  objectives
.
You  have  posed  an  appropriate
r
esearch question which captures the essence of what your research is
t
rying
to  achieve.  This  overarching  research  question  can  act  as  a  guide  to  design
the
features  of  your  proposed  research  and  enc
apsulates  the
c
ontext
a
nd
rationale for your work. You have expanded upon the research
q
uestion
a
nd
produced 3 to 4 research objectives that represent areas of research
a
ctivity,
which together can answer the overarching research question. The research
obj
ectives can be viewed as individual stages of the research
p
roject and can
be  directly  related  to  the  research  methods  that  you  have  chosen.  The
research objectives are written so that they begin with To……………….etc.” ,
and use higher order verbs
that convey M
–
level research activity.
4.
Critically  compare  alternative  research  techniques  and  evaluate  their  uses
and  limitations.
As  part  of
y
our  research  Methodology  section  (section  5  of
the  template)  you  have  critically  commented  on  why  you  have  chos
en  your
specific research approach and why other approaches are not
s
uitable. Your
discussion  and  evaluation  demonstrates  that  you  have  a  firm
g
rasp  and
understanding   of   the   various   alternative   research   techniques   and
c
an
comment  on  them  with  authority  sho
wing  mastery  of  the  subject  area.