Discussion Question

Marking guideline
BA: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL assessment Form
Academic Year:
Student Name:
Date of Submission:
BDP title:
Chap Marks
1 Introduction
Is the title stated clearly?
Is the abstract written clearly ?
Is the Introduction chapter well organised?
Are the Aims and objectives clearly expressed?
10
2 The business opportunity
Is the business opportunity described clearly?
10
3 Literature Review
Is extensive secondary research on the business project
evident? Is the industry size, major players, growth rate,
competitor analysis seen ?
20
4 Methodology for study Are concepts and techniques to
be applied identified (and duly referenced)?
Is the basis which will be used to assess the feasibility of
the business development proposal clearly stated?. Are
sources of data, and ethical issues stated?
15
5 Analysis and findings
Are the techniques stated in 4 properly applied?
Is there adequate analysis?
Are resource availability and constraints appraised?
Are other critical factors identified?
Has a sensitivity analysis been conducted?
20
Evaluation of Business Development Plan
Is the viability of the Business development proposal
clearly discussed? Is a detailed plan of action and
implementation outlined? What are the critical success
factors? Alternately, if the BDP is not viable in its original
form, what conditions would make it (or a variant) viable?
15
Good clear writing, adequate appendices, reference list,
overall presentation
10
Total 100
Marker: Date:

UWS SBP Dissertation Guidelines
Please note the following:
1. Please use the dissertation Guidelines to ensure you prepare the Dissertation
according to the university requirements.
2. These are the normal chapter sequences:
Chapter One – Introduction
Chapter Two – Literature Review
Chapter Three – Research Methodology
Chapter Four – Results and Discussion
Chapter Five – Conclusions and Recommendations
Each chapter begins on a new page and should have an introduction and a conclusion (apart
from chapter 1-no introduction)
3. Chapter One – The Introduction should have the following sub-headings:
1. Background to the Research
2. Organisational Background
3. Significance of the problem
4. Statement of Purpose
5. Statement of the Problem
6. Aim(s) and Objectives (Ideally, one main aim and four objectives)
7. Research Questions
8. Dissertation structure (sign-posting)
4. Chapter Two – the Literature Review must be guided by the research questions. It
provides the secondary data used to support the primary data, as you respond to
each research question in Chapter Four – Data Analysis
5. Chapter Three – Research Methodology Chapter should contain:
+ Research Philosophy; Research Approach; Research Strategy – which is a case study
strategy
+Research Design
+ Data Collection Methods
+ Data Collection Instruments
+ Sampling
+ Reliability
+ Validity
+ Ethics
+ Limitations of the research
6. Chapter Four should be titled Results and Discussion. The primary data is used to
answer the research questions, supported by the literature reviewed in chapter 2.
– You should use clear graphs, Tables, Figures to illustrate your findings.
– Label all Figures, Tables, Graphs,
– All tables fit one page; Do not let your tables run into another page.
7. Chapter Five is titled Conclusion and Recommendations. This summarises your
findings, and links back to the research purpose (re-state the aim and say how each
objective was achieved). Make practicable recommendations and they should also be
drawn from the discussion of the findings.
Structure Word
Count
Guide
Key Elements
Opening Section Number
These using
Roman
numerals
Abstract
• Title Page
• Declaration and statement of own work/ Supervisor sign off
• Acknowledgements
• Abstract: this cannot be written until the end it should be a short outline
that summarises all sections it needs be a short outline that summarises
all sections. It needs to focus on the study question (purpose of study)
methods used and the key findings in particular
300 Words • Table of contents List of Figures; List of Tables
Introduction
( Chapter 1 )
1500 Background/Context of the study to the study. Use credible sources and facts and
figures to provide evidence of trends and importance in this area
• A clear focus on a research issue or statement of any problem area and
possible causes that will be investigated if it is company investigation.
• An introduction to any company. This should be a crafted overview
relating to the topic area to some degree and not just dumped from the
company website or an article.
Significance of the study
What is the area or problem you are investigating and why it is important to the
research community any company and you? (purpose)
Statement of Purpose
Statement of the Problem
A clear statement of Aims and Objectives E.g.
Aim: (example)
To explore strategies to develop international teams
Objectives are the key elements that underpin the aim
Therefore:
Objectives (Example)
To Explore literature related to IHRM models of the universalism schools,
cultural schools and key international cultural models
To examine the importance recruitment and selection in the context of
building international teams
To explore the characteristics of a successful international team
To examine culturally aligned training for these teams
Research Questions
Literature Review
( Chapter 2 )
3500 This is a theoretical exploration of the existing knowledge that is RELEVANT to the
area you are investigating
• What research exists?
• How does this impact on your research problem?
• What relevant theories and frameworks does it supply to your problem?
• The literature review focuses on similar and contrasting perspectives that
researchers or academics have used to approach this, or similar research
areas. As such, you have to identify the strengths and weakness of such
approaches.
• Use only relevant studies, focus on their main findings and conclusions
• You should be able to consider the most appropriate areas justify these
and use them to inform/ create your research methodology
• Background of the case
• Introduce the theoretical / conceptual framework that you will be
exploring (plain English). It identifies the main theoretical points and
themes that are RELEVANT to the dissertation and informs the reader how
you intend fulfil your research aims by use of research methods. E.g.
Secondary data or primary data analysis.
Methodology
( Chapter 3 )
1500 An in-depth discussion on how the study will be undertaken and how (its with
your research question)
• What methodology will be used?
• How will it be done?
• Why was the method selected? (justification for the final selection)
• Why were other appe
• Strengths and weakness of the approach
• Design of research instrument
Design of research instrument
• Clear indication of the design features and any questions to be asked in a
survey
• Describe the data analysis techniques to be employed E.g. sampling
techniques, frameworks, size and type of an appropriate survey
If you are using a particular concept/ model then it should be critically discussed
and incorporated here.
Research Approach
Research Strategy
Data Collection Methods
Validity
Ethics
Limitations
Data Analysis and
Findings
( Chapter 4)
2000 Restate Research Questions and answer each one using primary data collected
supported by the literature review.
Illustrate with graphs, tables, charts
Conclusions
( Chapter 5 )
1500 Discuss in narrative form your conclusions linking back to your research question
and literature review so that a clear argument and thesis can be identified
throughout the work.
(A thread that weaves the whole dissertation together into a coherent document
with force of argument)
• Use clear statements on the conclusions reached
• Was your hypothesis or theory supported in your findings ?
• Answer the questions you raised in the introduction.
• How does the results compare with theory and good practice discussed in
the literature?
• How do your results compare to those of other research / academic
studies?
• What has surprised you about the results?
• What limitations may there be to your study?
• How does it add to knowledge in the field?
What further research would you recommend to develop your work in the
area knowledge and research?
Recommendations <800 Recommendations should be concise statements and include time scale as necessary. References and Bibliography All sources in the dissertation need to be referenced using the HARVARD method. Include: 1. Books 2. Journals and articles 3. Web sites with full URL address and dates accessed. Appendices Use sparingly! Appendices are to be used for relevant information that would spoil the flow of the report E.g. a good example of use is the inclusion any survey questionnaire.