RESEARCH PROPOSALS

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 1
 STUDY REFERENCE

Chapter 4
Business Research Methods
By
Donald R Cooper & C William Emory

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 2
 RESEARCH PROPOSALS
WHAT IS A PROPOSAL
• A PROPOSAL IS A WORK PLAN, PROSPECTUS,
OUTLINE, STATEMENT OF INTENT OR DRAFT
PLAN
• IT IS ESSENTIALLY A ROAD MAP SHOWING THE
LOCATION FROM WHICH A JOURNEY BEGINS,
THE DESTINATION TO BE REACHED AND THE
METHOD OF GETTING THERE

IT TELLS US …..
• WHAT WILL BE DONE
• WHY IT WILL BE DONE
• HOW IT WILL BE DONE
• WHERE IT WILL BE DONE
• TO WHOM IT WILL BE DONE
• WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF DOING IT
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 3
 RESEARCH PROPOSALS

PURPOSE OF PROPOSALS
 TO PRESENT THE PROBLEM TO BE RESEACHED
AND SIGNIFY ITS IMPORTANCE
 TO DISCUSS THE RESEARCH EFFORTS OF
OTHERS WHO HAVE WORKED ON RELATED
PROBLEMS
 TO SUGGEST THE DATA NECESSARY FOR
SOLVING THE PROBLEM AND OUTLINE HOW
THE DATA WILL BE GATHERED, TREATED AND
INTERPRETED
 (IN CASE OF CONTRACT RESEARCH) TO
PRESENT ONE’S CREDENTIALS IN A MANNER
THAT ENCOURAGES SELECTION OVER OTHER
COMPETITORS
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 4
 PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

MANAGER DESCRIBES MANAGER &

THEY DISAGREE
PROBLEM & STATES RESEARCHER
MGMT QUESTION DISCUSS
PROPOSAL.

RESEARCHER CLARIFY AND

RESEARCHER REDEFINE
EXPLORES
TRANSLATES MGMT PROBLEM &
ALTERNATIVE
QUESTION OBJECTIVES OF
APPROACHES
INTO RESEARCH QN PROJECT
THEY THEY DISAGREE
AGREE
STUDY
RESEARCHER MANAGER BEGINS
REFINES RESEARCH REVIEWS
QUESTION PROPOSAL THEY
AGREE

RESEARCHER ELABORATES RESEARCHER MANAGER

RESEARCH QN INTO PREPARES APPROVES
INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS PROPOSAL PROJECT
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 5
 RESEARCH PROPOSALS

USES FOR THE SPONSOR

• SERVES AS THE FIRST STEP IN THE
EVALUATION PROCESS
• ALLOWS THE SPONSOR TO ASSESS:
– SINCERITY OF PURPOSE
– CLARITY OF DESIGN
– EXTENT OF BACKGROUND MATERIAL
– FITNESS FOR UNDERTAKING THE PROJECT
• SERVES AS A DOCUMENT THAT THE
SPONSOR CAN EVALUATE BASED ON THE
CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL,
SCHOLASTIC OR SCIENTIFIC NEEDS
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 6
 RESEARCH PROPOSALS
USES FOR THE SPONSOR
• ALLOWS AS ASSESSMENT OF BOTH THE
RESEARCHER AND RESEARCH DESIGN,
COMPARE THEM AGAINST COMPETING
PROPOSALS AND MAKE THE BEST SELECTION
FOR THE PROJECT
• PROVIDES A BASIS TO EVALUATE THE RESULTS
OF A PROJECT BY COMPARING THE FINAL
PRODUCT WITH THE STATED OBJECTIVES AND
TO ASSESS IF THE RESEARCH GOALS HAVE
BEEN ACHIEVED
• BRINGS A DISCIPLINE TO THE SPONSOR BY
TRANSLATING THE MANAGEMENT QUESTION
INTO A RESEARCH QUESTION, OUTLINING THE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY AND AMENDING
THEM IF SO REQUIRED
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 7
 RESEARCH PROPOSALS
BENEFITS FOR THE RESEARCHER
• SERVES AS A TENTATIVE WORK PLAN THAT
CHARTS THE LOGICAL STEPS NEEDED TO
ACCOMPLISH THE STATED GOALS
• PROCESS OF WRITING A PROPOSAL ALLOWS
THE RESEARCHER TO PLAN AND REVIEW THE
PROJECT’S STEPS ON THE BASIS OF PREVIOUS
APPROACHES TO THE PROBLEM AND REVISE
THE PLAN IF AND WHERE NECESSARY
• SERVES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPOT FLAWS
IN THE LOGIC, ERRORS IN ASSUMPTIONS AND
PROBLEMS NOT ADDRESSED BY OBJECTIVES &
DESIGN
• BECOMES A MEANS OF MONITORING PROGRESS
AND MILESTONES ACHIEVED
• FORCES TIME AND BUDGET ESTIMATES
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 8
 RESEARCH PROPOSALS
TYPES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
• INTERNAL PROPOSALS
– MORE SIMPLE AND SHORTER THAN EXTERNAL
PROPOSALS
– ARE SHORTER AND MORE SELECTIVE IN THEIR
STRUCTURAL LAYOUTS AND ONLY THE REQUIRED
SECTIONS ARE COVERED
• EXTERNAL PROPOSALS
– MAY BE SOLICITED OR UNSOLICITED
– SOLICITED PROPOSALS MADE IN RESPONSE TO RFPs
– STRUCTURE MUST COVER OBJECTIVES, DESIGN,
QUALIFICATIONS, SCHEDULE & BUDGET
• STUDENT PROPOSALS

• IN TERMS OF COMPLEXITY:
– EXPLORATORY STUDY
– SMALL SCALE STUDY
– LARGE PROFESSIONAL STUDY
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 9
 RESEARCH PROPOSALS

STRUCTURING OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL

• FORMULATED ON MODULAR BASIS TO CATER

TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS
• EACH MODULE IS ALSO FLEXIBLE
INTERNALLY SO ITS CONTENT & LENGTH
MAY BE ADAPTED TO SPECIFIC NEEDS
• BASED ON THE RELAVENT MODULES, A
PROPOSAL CAN BE TAILORED FOR AN
INTENDED AUDIENCE.

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 10
 MODULES TO INCLUDE IN PROPOSALS
PROPOSA MANAGEMENT STUDENT
L GOVT
TYPES INTERNAL EXTERNAL
TERM MASTER DOCTORAL
PROPOSAL
PAPER THESIS THESIS
MODULES EXPLOR- SMALL LARGE EXPLOR- SMALL LARGE LARGE
ATORY SCALE SCALE ATORY SCALE SCALE SCALE

EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY YE YES YES YES YES YES
S
PROBLEM
STATEMENT YES YE YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
S
RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES YES YE YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
S
LITERATURE
REVIEW YES YES YES YES YES
IMPORTANCE
/ BENEFITS YES YES YES YES YES YES
RESEARCH
DESIGN YES YE YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
S
DATA
ANALYSIS YES YES YES
NATURE & RESEARCH PROPOSALS 11
 MODULES TO INCLUDE IN PROPOSALS
PROPOSA MANAGEMENT STUDENT
L GOVT
TYPES INTERNAL EXTERNAL
TERM MASTER DOCTORAL
PROPOSAL
PAPER THESIS THESIS
MODULES EXPLOR- SMALL LARGE EXPLOR- SMALL LARGE LARGE
ATORY SCALE SCALE ATORY SCALE SCALE SCALE

QUALIFICAT-
IONS OF
RESEARCHERS
YES YES YES YES
BUDGET
YE YES YES YES YES YES
S
SCHEDULE
YES YE YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
S
FACILITIES &
SPECIAL YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
RESOURCES
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT YES YES YES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
YES YES YES YES YES YES
APPENDIXES/
GLOSSARY OF YES YES YES YES YES
TERMS
MEASUREMENT
INSTRUMENT YES YES YES YES
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 12
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• ALLOWS A BUSINESS MANAGER/SPONSOR TO
UNDERSTAND QUICKLY THE THRUST OF THE
PROPOSAL
• ESSENTIALLY AN INFORMATIVE ABSTRACT
• GOAL IS TO SECURE A POSITIVE EVALUATION
BY THE EXECUTIVE WHILE THE FULL
EVALUATION IS CONDUCTED BY THE STAFF
• SHOULD INCLUDE:
– BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
– RESEARCH OBJECTIVES/RESEARCH QUESTIONS
– BENEFIT OF THE APPROACH ADOPTED
– IN UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS, A BRIEF
DESCRIPTION OF QUALIFICATIONS OF
RESEARCHER ARE ALSO RECOMMENDED
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 13
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIMS TO CONVINCE THE SPONSOR TO CONTINUE READING
THE PROPOSAL BY CAPTURING HIS ATTENTION
• SHOULD COVER:
– THE PROBLEM (MANAGEMENT QUESTION)
– ITS BACKGROUND (AND)
– CONSEQUENCES
• THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM SHOULD ALSO BE
EMPHASIZED IF A SEPARATE MODULE ON THE BENEFITS
OF THE STUDY IS NOT INCLUDED
• ON READING THIS MODULE THE SPONSOR SHOULD KNOW:
– THE PROBLEM
– ITS SIGNIFICANCE
– WHY SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO CHANGE THE
STATUS QUO

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 14
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• FLOWS NATURALLY FROM THE PROBLEM
STATEMENT GIVING SPECIFIC, CONCRETE AND
ACHIEVABLE GOALS
• ADDRESSES THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF THE
INVESTIGATION
• LAYS OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING PLANNED
BY THE PROPOSED RESEARCH:
– IN A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY, OBJECTIVES CAN BE
STATED AS RESEARCH QUESTIONS OR FURTHER
BROKEN DOWN INTO INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS
– IN A CAUSAL STUDY, OBJECTIVES CAN BE RESTATED
AS HYPOTHESIS
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 15
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
• SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR JUDGING
THE REMAINDER OF THE PROPOSAL
AND ULTIMATELY THE FINAL
REPORT
• CONSISTENCY OF THE PROPOSAL IS
VERIFIED BY CHECKING TO SEE
THAT EACH OBJECTIVE IS
DISCUSSED IN THE RESEARCH
DESIGN, DATA ANALYSIS & RESULTS
SECTIONS
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 16
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
LITERATURE REVIEW
• EXAMINES RECENT OR HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH
STUDIES, COMPANY DATA, OR INDUSTRY REPORTS THAT ACT AS
A BASIS FOR THE PROPOSED STUDY
• BEGIN FROM A COMPREHENSIVE PERSPECTIVE AND MOVE TO
MORE SPECIFIC STUDIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE
PROBLEM
• EXTRANEOUS DETAILS OF THE LITERATURE SHOULD BE
AVOIDED AND A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE INFORMATION IS MADE
• FOLLOWING ASPECTS ARE FOCUSSED UPON:
– IMPORTANT RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS OF OTHER STUDIES
– RELAVANT DATA AND TRENDS FROM PREVIOUS RESEARCH
– PARTICULAR METHODS OR DESIGNS THAT COULD BE
DUPLICATED OR SHOULD BE AVOIDED
– HOW THE LITERATURE UNDER REVIEW APPLIES TO THE STUDY
YOU ARE PROPOSING

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 17
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
LITERATURE REVIEW
• IDENTIFY THE WEAKNESSES OR FAULTS IN THE DESIGN OF
OTHER STUDIES AND HOW YOU PROPOSE TO AVOID REPEATING
THEM
• IF YOUR PROPOSAL DEALS SOLELY WITH SECONDARY DATA,
DISCUSS ITS RELAVANCE AND THE BIAS OR LACK OF BIAS
INHERENT IN IT
• TO AVOID ERRORS OF INTERPRETATION AND TRANSCRIPTION,
ALWAYS REFER TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
• MAY BE LAID OUT IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FORMS:
– FROM BROADER TO NARROWER PERSPECTIVES AND
SPECIFICS
– IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
– ACCORDING TO ISSUES/ AUTHORS
• CLOSE THE LITERATURE REVIEW BY SUMMARIZING
IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE LITERATURE AND INTERPRETING
THEM IN TERMS OF YOUR PROBLEM
• IN THE LIGHT OF FINDINGS, REFINE THE PROBLEM IF
NECESSARY RESEARCH PROPOSALS 18
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

IMPORTANCE/BENEFITS OF THE STUDY

• DESCRIBES EXPLICIT BENEFITS THAT WILL
ACCRUE FROM THE STUDY
• ALSO REQUIRES THE RESEARCHER TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS MOST TROUBLING TO
THE SPONSOR AND OUTLINE ITS
IMPLICATIONS AND POSSIBLE REMEDIES
• IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN
UNSOLICITED EXTERNAL PROPOSALS WHERE
THE SPONSOR HAS TO BE CONVINCED THAT
YOUR PLAN WILL MEET THEIR NEEDS

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 19
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
RESEARCH DESIGN
• DESCRIBES WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO IN TECHNICAL TERMS
• SHOULD INCLUDE AS MANY SUBSECTIONS AS NEEDED TO SHOW
THE PHASES OF THE PROJECT
• SHOULD ALSO COVER:
– SAMPLE SELECTION & SIZE
– DATA COLLECTION METHOD
– INSTRUMENTATION, PROCEDURES AND ETHICAL
REQUIREMENTS
– DATA ANALYSIS (IN SMALLER PROJECTS)
• IF/WHEN MORE THAN ONE WAY EXISTS TO APPROACH THE
DESIGN, THE METHODS THAT HAVE BEEN REJECTED ARE
DISCUSSED AND IT IS EXPLAINED AS TO WHY YOU CONSIDER
YOUR METHOD MORE SUPERIOR THAN OTHERS

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 20
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

DATA ANALYSIS
• RELAVENT FOR LARGE SCALE
CONTRACT RESEARCH PROJECTS AND
DOCTORAL THESES
• OBJECTIVE IS TO ASSURE THE SPONSOR
THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE
CORRECT ASSUMPTIONS AND USING
THEORATICALLY SOUND DATA ANALYSIS
PROCEDURES
• DESCRIBE PROPOSED TREATMENT AND
THEORATICAL BASIS FOR USING THE
SELECTED TECHNIQUES
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 21
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
NATURE AND FORM OF RESULTS
• AIMS TO TAKE BACK THE SPONSOR TO THE
PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES TO SATISFY HIM THAT EACH GOAL
SET FOR THE STUDY HAS BEEN COVERED
• SPECIFIES THE TYPE OF DATA TO BE OBTAINED
AND THE INTERPRETATIONS THAT WILL BE
MADE IN THE ANALYSIS
• OUTLINES FORMS OF RESULTS SUCH AS
STRATEGIC PLANS, MODELS, ACTION PLANS, ETC
• ALSO COVERS DISTRIBUTION OF REPORT IF
MEANT FOR MORE THAN ONE SPONSOR AND
FINAL DISPOSAL OF DATA COLLECTED IN THE
STUDY INCLUDING ANY PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 22
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
QUALIFICATIONS OF RESEARCHERS
• COVERS:
– QUALIFICATIONS OF INVESTIGATORS WITH THE
HIGHEST DEGREE HELD
– EXPERIENCE OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH
– DESCRIPTION OF SIMILAR PROJECTS HANDLED
– EXPERIENCE AS EXECUTIVE OR EMPLOYEE OF AN
ORGANIZATION INVOLVED IN RELATED FIELD
– BUSINESS & TECHNICAL RESEARCH SOCIETIES TO
WHICH RESEARCHER BELONGS
– ENTIRE CV OF RESEARCHER MAY ALSO BE ADDED AS
AN ANNEX

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 23
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

BUDGET
• SHOULD BE PRESENTED IN THE FORM
REQUIRED BY THE SPONSOR
• SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN ONE TO
TWO PAGES. ADDITIONAL DETAILS MAY
BE COVERED IN ANNEXES
• KEEP BACKUP OF INFORMATION USED TO
GENERATE THE BUDGET FIGURES FOR
REFERENCE/ EXPLANATION IF
NECESSARY
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 24
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
SCHEDULE
• SHOULD INCLUDE THE MAJOR PHASES OF THE PROJECT,
THEIR TIMETABLES AND THE MILESTONES THAT SIGNIFY
COMPLETION OF A PHASE
• MAJOR PHASES MAY BE:
– FINALIZATION OF INVESTIGATIVE QUESTIONS
– EXPLORATORY INTERVIEWS
– FINAL RESEARCH PROPOSAL (IF NECESSARY)
– QUESTIONAIRRE REVISION
– FIELD INTERVIEWS
– EDITING AND CODING
– DATA ANALYSIS
– REPORT GENERATION
• PREFERABLY, THE SCHEDULE MAY BE CHARTED TO
ESTABLISH CRITICAL PATHS AND TASKS/PHASES THAT
CAN BE HANDLED CONCURRENTLY
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 25
 MODULES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS

OTHER MODULES
• FACILITIES AND SPECIAL RESOURCES
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• BIBLIOGRAPHY – FOR ALL PROJECTS THAT
REQUIRE LITERATURE REVIEW
• ANNEXES & APPENDICES
– GLOSSARY
– MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT
– OTHERS
RESEARCH PROPOSALS 26
RESEARCH PROPOSALS

RESEARCH PROPOSALS 27