Bryman & Bell: Research Project Guide

Table of Contents

1. Preparing Yourself to Do Research
   1. What is involved in a small-scale research project or dissertation?
   2. Start thinking about your research early
   3. Preliminary literature review/discussions to get research ideas
   4. Get to know what your institution is expecting from you
   5. Using Your Supervisor
   6. Managing Time and Resources
   7. Research checklist
2. What Do I Want to Research Exactly?
3. The Research Process
4. Writing Up Your Research Report

Preliminary literature review/discussions to get research ideas

Chapter 26

Reading the Existing Literature, Page 556

1. Start with references in bibliographies from books and journal articles and move on to using online sources for your literature review
2. In some areas of research, there are very many references
   1. try to identify the major ones and work outwards from there
3. Take good notes, including the details of the material you read
   1. it is infuriating to find that you forgot to record the volume number of an article you need to include in your Bibliography
4. You will be able to revise and refine your research questions in the process of reviewing the literature
5. A competent critical review of the literature can affirm your credibility as someone who is knowledgeable in your chosen area

Issues to Identify in the Existing Literature, Page 556

1. What is already known about this area?
2. What concepts and theories are relevant to this area?
3. What research methods and research strategies have been employed in studying this area?
4. Are there any significant controversies?
5. Are there any inconsistencies in findings relating to this area?
6. Are there any unanswered research questions in this area?

Exercise: Sources of Research Ideas

1

Question List as many sources for research ideas as you can think of. There are many possible sources for research ideas. Some of the main ones are as follows: - Colleagues/lecturers - Focus groups - Brainstorming - Lectures/seminars - Magazines - Literature-books, journals, articles, - Audio/visual media-radio, television - Conferences - Conversations - Observation of events - Other people's dissertations- chapters on 'further research' - Personal experiences - Other studies on the area of interest

2

Question Suggest a method for identifying four possible specific research topics within the disciplines of Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management and Operations Management. Scanning the appropriate business/management literature on Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management and Operations Management may provide some initial ideas. However, an appropriate technique to answer the question is that of 'working-up and narrowing down'. The technique involves a 'funnelling' process which starts with a very broad discipline and narrows it down to a specific topic. The techniques involves three steps: a) Choosing a discipline b) Narrowing down to an area or field within the discipline c) Identifying a specific research topic of interest within the area or field The process can be illustrated as in the following diagram: An example of the process is illustrated in the following matrix: DISCIPLINE AREA OR FIELD SPECIFIC TOPIC Marketing Branding The effect of co-branding in increasing sales: the case of Burger King, Esso and the Ford Motor Company Finance The equity market The effect of the collapse of the Asian Tiger Economies in 1997/8 on the world market in derivatives Human Resource Management Legislation A study to show the effect of 'Equal Opportunities' legislation in the workplace Operations Management Best Practice An application of 'Best Practice" management in the Health Service: the case of the Huddersfield /Halifax NHS Trust