Dissertation Guide for Bcom and McOm Marketing Students

  Midlands State University

Faculty of Commerce

Department of Marketing Management

Dissertation Guide for Bcom and Mcom Marketing students

Choosing a Research Topic

• Topic must be of interest to the researcher, department, faculty, the university, the community, business, academics as well as being of interest to national aspirations.
• Research is undertaken from two perspectives (1) from the problem perspective (2) opportunity perspective. Students are therefore encouraged to identify problems or opportunities in the business environment to help you come up with a topic.
• Students are urged to do a lot of literature search before choosing the research topic.
• Students are encouraged to visit the university library and department library, so as to select topic from areas that are not over researched
• Do not choose a topic that is overtaken by events, for example one based on the financial crisis in Zimbabwe.
• Avoid topics that will generate a lot of politics from the organization or sector under study. The topic must not be against the values of the organization, in which case information will not be availed when you need it.
• Research topic chosen must be supported by adequate LITERATURE.
• Mcom students are encouraged to carry out research based on an industry or sector while Bcom students’ research should be based on an organization or company.
• NB,  Where there is no problem or opportunity there is no research and thorough literature search can help students in choosing a topic.

Proposal Writing

What is a proposal?

• It is a plan of action, a framework, a roadmap showing activities to be following in coming up  with a research
• Shows what and how you would research on, when different activities would be undertaken as well as the probable expenditure on each activity to be undertaken.
• Purpose of research proposal is to present and justify a research idea you have and to present the practical ways in which you think the research should be conducted.
• Research proposal must have impact upon the reader
• Research proposal should be written in clear and plain grammar and should be well structured so that your message gets across easily
• Research  proposal should answer 3 questions (1) What research project will you undertake (2) Why is it important to study in the chosen area (3) How will you proceed to carry out the research

Components of the proposal

• Introduction
• Background to the problem/study
• Statement of the problem
• Broad Aim
• Specific Objectives
• Research questions/Hypotheses
• Justification/Significance of the study
• Delimitations
• Assumptions
• Limitations
• Definitions of terms and Abbreviations
• Literature review
• Research Methodology
• Data presentation and analysis tools
• Budget
• NB, proposal language is written or expressed in future since it is a plan often to be undertaken.

DISSERTATION FORMAT

Chapter 1:        General introduction

1.  Introduction

1. Background to the problem
2. Statement of the problem
3. Research objectives
4. Research questions/hypotheses
5. Research justification/Significance of the study
6. Assumptions
7. Delimitations
8. Limitations
9. Definition of terms and abbreviations

Chapter summary

Chapter 2:        Literature Review

1. Introduction

2.1. Theoretical framework

NB. Other subheadings will flow and be consistent with research objectives or questions

Chapter summary

Chapter 3:        Research Methodology

1. Introduction

3.1. Research Design