Overview of Methods in Business Research

As you address the components of the mini-proposal outlined below, pretend you are writing this document for committee members of your doctoral project. Provide enough detail to indicate that you have given each step of the research process serious consideration. Prepare a PowerPoint presentation of your mini-proposal with the following components:

• Title: Provide a title for your proposal.
• Rationale: Identify the topic and describe why this study is needed for a given organization (include a justification of the importance of your topic either from empirical evidence or literature).
• Research Question(s): Identify one or two research questions based on the rationale.
• Literature Review: What topics would have to be covered in your literature review? (Just list the topics.) List business theories that would be relevant to this study. Explain why they would be relevant.
• Methodology: Discuss the research design (e.g., qualitative case study, quantitative survey, action/evaluation research) that would be appropriate to answer your research question(s). Who would be the participants? What would be the procedures for data collection and analysis?
• Significance: Discuss how your research would help the organization and who would benefit.
• Reference list

Upload your presentation into the SLP4 dropbox.

Please note that for SLP 5 you will be asked to record a 5- to 8-minute (no more than 8 minutes) video presentation using these slides with Blackboard Collaborate. Then you will share the link to your presentation in the Module 5 Discussion.

SLP Assignment Expectations

Length: The PowerPoint presentation should have 7 to 12 slides.

Organization: Slide titles should be used to organize your paper according to the questions.

Grammar and Spelling: While no points are deducted for minor errors, assignments are expected to adhere to standard guidelines of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence syntax. Points may be deducted if grammar and spelling impact clarity. We encourage you to use tools such as grammarly.com and proofread your paper before submission.

As you complete your assignment, make sure you do the following:

• Answer the assignment questions directly.
• Stay focused on the precise assignment questions. Do not go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials.
• Use evidence from your readings to justify your conclusions.
• Be sure to cite at least five credible resources.
• Make sure to reference your sources of information with both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper, including pages 11-14 on in-text citations. Another resource is the “Writing Style Guide,” which is found under “My Resources” in the TLC Portal.

Your assignment will be graded using the following criteria:

• Assignment-driven Criteria: Student demonstrates mastery covering all key elements of the assignment.
• Critical Thinking/ Application to Professional Practice: Student demonstrates mastery conceptualizing the problem, and analyzing information. Conclusions are logically presented and applied to professional practice in an exceptional manner.
• Business Writing and Quality of References: Student demonstrates mastery and proficiency in written communication and use of appropriate and relevant literature at the doctoral level.
• Citing Sources: Student demonstrates mastery applying APA formatting standards to both in text citations and the reference list.
• Professionalism and Timeliness: Assignments are submitted on time.

Module 4 – Background

Overview of Methods in Business Research

Required Reading

Trochim, W. M. (n.d.) The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 2nd Edition. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/qualdata.php

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2006). Designing Qualitative Research (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publ.Chapter 4: Data Collection Methods. Available at https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/10985_Chapter_4.pdf

North Dakota Compass (n.d.) Data Collection Methods. Qualitative Data Collection Methods. Available at http://www.ndcompass.org/health/GFMCHC/Revised%20Data%20Collection%20Tools%203-1-12.pdf

Optional Reading

O’Brian, R. (1998).* An overview of the methodological approach of action research. Available at from http://www.web.net/~robrien/papers/arfinal.html

Trochim, W. (2006).* Qualitative measures. Research methods knowledge base. Available at from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/qual.php

*Resource is dated; however, it provides significant contribution to content discussion.

Varja, K., Talley, J., Meyers, J., Parris, L., & Cutts, H. (2010). High school students’ perceptions of motivations for cyberbullying: An exploratory study. The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, vol11(3). pp. 269–273. Retrieved January 2014 from EBSCO.