1. 4-1

2. Part One
INTRODUCTION TO
BUSINESS RESEARCH
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McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,All Rights Reserved.

3. Chapter Four
THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
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4. Purpose of the Research Proposal
• To present the question to be
researched and its importance
• To discuss the research efforts of
others who have worked on related
questions
• To suggest the data necessary for
solving the question
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5. The Research Sponsor
All research has a sponsor in one form
or another:
• In a corporate setting, management
sponsors research
• In an academic environment, the
student is responsible to the class
instructor
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6. What are the Benefits of the Proposal
to a Researcher?
• Allows the researcher to plan and
review the project’s steps
• Serves as a guide throughout the
investigation
• Forces time and budget estimates
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7. Types of Research Proposals
• Internal
• External
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8. Proposal Complexity
3 levels of complexity:
• The exploratory study is used for the
most simple proposals
• The small-scale study is more complex
and common in business
• The large-scale professional study is
the most complex, costing millions of
dollars
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9. How to Structure the Research Proposal?
• Create proposal modules
• Put together various modules to tailor
your proposal to the intended audience
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10. Modules in a Research Proposal
• Executive Summary • Qualifications of
• Problem Statement Researcher
• Budget
• Research Objectives
• Schedule
• Literature Review
• Facilities and Special
• Importance of the Resources
Study • Project Management
• Research Design • Bibliography
• Data Analysis • Appendices
• Nature and Form of
Results
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11. What to include in the Appendices?
• A glossary of concepts, constructs, and
definitions
• Samples of the measurement
instrument
• Other materials that reinforce the body
of the proposal
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12. Evaluating the Research Proposal
• Proposal must be neatly written in
appropriate writing style
• Major topics should be easily found and
logically organized
• Proposal must meet specific guidelines
set by the sponsor
• Technical writing style must be clearly
understood and explained
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