Global Risks to Business in the 21st Century

Global Risks to Business in the 21st Century

Global Risks to Business in the 21st Century

Case study
You are a postgraduate student at Enlighten International University, who provide distance learning courses to students across the world. You receive the email below:
As a postgraduate learner, Enlighten International University is keen to use your skills and knowledge to develop our already strong research-based reputation. Postgraduates have accumulated a deeper understanding of their subject discipline and as such are ideally placed to conduct quality, contemporary research to gain a further understanding of their chosen discipline. As part of our commitment to exchange knowledge with others we seek to add to the corpus of research already being undertaken in the international business community.
As such, the University has decided to develop a Postgraduate Research Exchange, entitled ‘Horizons’, which will provide the necessary resources to students to conduct cutting-edge research in the area of global business. The University will provide two opportunities a year for students to apply for a financial bursary to complete a particular study. The first round will open in December 2016 and postgraduates will be encouraged to submit suitable research proposals to attract a bursary of up to £10,000 to complete the research project. Proposals will be welcomed, in this first instance, in relation to ‘Global Risks to Business in the 21st Century’.
On receipt of this email, you decide that you wish to apply for a research bursary and as such you develop a research proposal, in the requested topic area, which will explore a particular and contemporary aspect of global risk.
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Research Methods © NCC Education Limited 2016
Task – 100 Marks
Ensure the research proposal addresses each of the following 5 (FIVE) elements.
Please note: approximate word count allocations are included in tasks as a guide.
a) Select an appropriate research question and research objectives for the proposal, within the given topic area. (10 marks)
b) Explain how you propose to identify appropriate sources to provide a theoretical and literary framework for the research (include explanation of how appropriate theory and suitable academic models may be identified). Explain and justify where you will locate credible academic and empirical sources, indicating any inclusion/exclusion criteria which may be applied to this selection. Finally, outline an approach of how you will critically evaluate sources of information and models, to ensure academic integrity of the project. (25 marks, 700 words)
c) Outline a clear, feasible and justified methodology for the project, including the following:
i) Provide a brief outline of the type of philosophical perspective for the research
ii) Discuss, with justification, whether you think that a qualitative, quantitative or mixed-method approach would be most suited to the proposed research project
iii) Propose a primary or secondary research design
iv) Highlight the specific methods of data collection appropriate to proposed design, including sampling
v) Identify the intended mode/s of data analysis
(40 marks, 1500 words)
d) Produce a Gantt chart to provide an appropriate order for carrying out research tasks. Assume an eight-month project lifespan. Briefly discuss this chart, explaining key milestones, anticipating any potential challenges that may arise and a strategy for overcoming them. (15 marks, 450 words).
e) Evaluate any ethical issues that may affect the proposed project and how they may be addressed (10 marks, 350 words).