EFIMM0158 MSc Management Student Dissertation Handbook 2023/2024R

Java Python MSc Management Dissertation Student Handbook

EFIMM0158

2023/2024

2. Introduction

A dissertation is a piece of extended academic writing of an independent study that identifies and investigates a particular research question and explores it systematically over a sustained period of time.   It provides the opportunity to read extensively and apply research skills to a particular area of study under the guidance of the assigned academic supervisor.   Dissertations  may be either empirical or library-based (non- empirical).

The dissertation is undertaken after the taught part of the Master’s programme, worth

60 of the 180 credits that make up an MSc degree.

The  purpose  of  the  Student  Dissertation   Handbook  is  to  set  out  the  common requirements for the dissertation. Please always consult your handbook before asking your supervisor. You can use the contents page or navigation view to find the relevant parts of the handbook.

This handbook includes the following topics related to the dissertation unit:

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

Principal forms of dissertation

Support provided during the dissertation period

Formal requirements for presentation and submission

The marking procedures and assessment criteria.

2.1 Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following:

1)  frame. a clear, central research question within the project topic chosen

2)  identify and critically review literature relevant to the topic and central research question

3)  understand and apply an appropriate research methodology to investigate the chosen topic including research ethics process and considerations

4)  analyse   data   and/or   evidence,   where   appropriate,   and   draw   apposite conclusions that answer the central research question

5)  integrate conclusions into wider academic debates

6)  produce a dissertation in a clear, well-written and grammatically-correct style, that conforms to the conventions of academic presentation

3.    Forms of Dissertation

Dissertation projects may typically be one of the following two forms: an empirical dissertation project or a library-based dissertation project (non-empirical).  These are generic standards, and it should be noted that all dissertation projects will include a substantial literature review and it is highly possible that many library-based projects may also have a substantial empirical element to them.

1.1     An empirical dissertation project

This type of dissertation involves carrying out a piece of extensive academic research on a scale suitable for a dissertation.  It entails a review of the literature leading to the formulation  of  a  research  question  from  the  broader  research  topic,  planning  a research study, collecting and analysing purposely created empirical data - either primary data (eg  survey data  or transcripts of interviews) or secondary data (eg previously collected statistical data), presenting the analysis of the data in a systematic way, discussing them in depth before arriving to the final conclusion. It is also possible that you might want to suggest some recommendations from your research outcomes. The research may either be original research or involve the replication of an existing research study in a different context.

Given the various Covid-19 situation  in different parts of the world, students are recommended to frequently assess the feasibility to collect the necessary data for their dissertation and make the necessary arrangement for their collection.

Sample size guidance for empirical dissertations

The findings of your Empirical Dissertation research should come from an acceptable quality of inquiry.  This acceptable quality of inquiry can be used to ascertain whether the knowledge that you are producing from your empirical research could satisfy at least the basic level of academic research scrutiny.  One important aspect to assess is whether the conclusions that you can draw from your research finding can be valid and/or  confidently  generalised  to  the  population  that  your  research  participants represent.  This is often related to whether or not you draw your conclusions of your dissertation  from  an  acceptable  number  of  participants  who  participate  in  your research.

Although there is no clear-cut answer on what constitutes an acceptable number of participants for your  research  as  this  number  depends  on  many  considerations, students have found the following guidance useful:

Sample size considerations for primary qualitative data collection

In qualitative data research where the collected data might come from interviews or focus groups, the following points may be useful to consider when to keep continuing collecting data from new interviews or focus groups or when to stop.

• Is the data collected sufficient to address the research question (i.e., have you gathered the data that you need)?

• Is the data collected of sufficient quality to enable appropriate analysis (eg,   students may be doing something interesting or innovative within interviews, such as photo elicitation)?

• Is the rationale for collecting the data (including at what point data collection was stopped) clearly articulated?

• Is the data collection, data analysis and theoretical engagement of sufficient quality and discussed in sufficient detail?

As a very rough guide, approximately 10-15 interviews (each 30+ minutes) or 2-3 focus groups (up to an hour in length) or else an equivalent to a& EFIMM0158 MSc Management Student Dissertation Handbook 2023/2024R nbsp;minimum of 5 man-hours inquiry can be used as a rough estimate for an MSc dissertation.   However, this is a rough estimate, and the four points explained previously need to be used as the main guiding principles.

Sample size considerations for primary quantitative data collection

In quantitative data  research where the  collected  data  might  come from surveys (through questionnaires), the following points may be useful to decide on the minimum sample size necessary to produce reliable findings. This is a guide.

1.  If the population size of the subject that you are studying is small (ie consists of

200 individuals or less), then you should use the entire population as a sample. For example, if you plan to do research on Top 50 UK entrepreneurs using survey, you need to sample the whole population of top 50 entrepreneurs. However, you also need to consider the cost and time factor to collect such data.

2.  You can also use the same sample size as those studies similar to the one that you  plan  to  do  in  your  dissertation  research.     Focusing  on  reading  the methodological part from the similar research during your literature review on your topic can provide guidance about the typical sample size that you can use for your research.

3.  Alternatively, you can use published tables of sample size for known sizes of population, selected margin of error, selected confidence level and whether you plan to collect categorical or continuous data.  One of the well-known tables for this  purpose  was  produced  by  Taro  Yamane  (1967)  [Yamane,  T  (1967).

Statistics, An Introductory Analysis, 2nd Ed., New York: Harper and Row.]

4.  If you do not know the size of the population of the subjects that you are studying, then you are advised to use William Gemmell Cochran’s (1963)’s formula to calculate sample size for a population with an infinite size (ie very large size) [Cochran, W.G. (1963). Sampling Techniques, 2nd Ed., New York: John Wiley and Sons,  Inc.].   According  to  Cochran  (1963),  the  suggested sample  size  for  studying  an  unlimited  population  size  with  the  population variability of 50% (maximum variability), margin of error of 5% and confidence level of 95% is 385.

For dissertations in the University of Bristol Business School, a guide for a sample for quantitative data research, like surveys, is between 100 to 200.  This corresponds to the population variability of 50% (maximum variability), margin of error of 5% and the confidence level between 70% and 85% (between 1 to 4 and 1 to 5 likely that your value will be off the specified range) for research on an unlimited population size. This sample size is a guide.

Consequently, when  planning the survey and  reporting your research and  in the

dissertation, you have to specify in advance the size of the population that you are studying (eg unlimited (very large) or not). Also, if the characteristics of that population are known from the previous literature and/or from the published statistics, you are required to compare the characteristics of your collected sample with the reported characteristics of the population that you are studying.  Also, because it is very rare to have 100% success rate, ideally, you should send your questionnaires to a much larger number of respondents in order to make sure that you can collect the minimum acceptable size of sample to be analysed.

1.2     A library-based (non-empirical) dissertation project

A library-based (non-empirical) dissertation is best distinguished from an empirical study by regarding it as an investigation using “supporting evidence” and secondary data that is already available in the public domain and in the forms which can be readily utilised for supporting the dissertation arguments.  This can involve the re-analysis of an existing data set (eg published secondary data), a critical study of the existing research on a particular topic, the study of the development of a specific concept or theoretical framework in the literature, or a critical investigation into an area relevant to  your  programme.     Typically,  it  will  involve  the  analysis  of  various  forms  of documentary evidence: the research literature, government documents, web sources, published data, etc.

A library-based study of this sort usually aims to add something extra to the existing study that is being discussed or criticised, by providing a summary of the weight of evidence  for  and  against  a  particular  position  or  theory,  identifying  key  gaps  in knowledge, or providing a new perspective from which to view an issue.  A library- based study can provide an excellent opportunity to consider how research done in a range of different contexts, relates to particular contexts.

It can potentially be very valuable and important work.  However, it must be noted that such a study goes further than the simple describing of what exists. It requires properly formulated research questions which are used to critically evaluate the sources, or the cases used.  It also requires a clear and coherent research design which outlines and justifies the search strategy for the evidence selected.

Number of companies or organisations requirement for library-based dissertations

You  are  NOT  PERMITTED  to  write   a  library-based  dissertation  around  ONE PARTICULAR company or organization.  Your library-based dissertation MUST USE AT LEAST TWO organisations as the key topic of its discussion.  This might be in the form. of the comparison of at least those two companies or organisations