Part I: Generate three possible topics and select the one you are most interested in and why you selected your #1 title for your research title proposal. Think of your original problem statement – what is the business problem your research wants to solve? [Again: The background of the problem may be relevant to what you want to do professionally in your career, grad school, or doctoral study (e.g. business, or entrepreneurship, management, logistics, etc.)].
What is the business problem your research will solve? To assist you in the process of identifying your research focus, this introductory module asks you to brainstorm and generate three (3) potential titles for your research project. Note well: When choosing titles for your research paper, the ultimate goal is to guide your thought process toward finalizing a well-defined topic. In the years of teaching this course, about 20% of students have a clear and specific idea for their chosen research project, allowing them to focus their analytical and research-oriented papers effectively. Your title should not only reflect the essence of your research but also be easily discoverable through searches. It is advisable to narrow your research topic down to something manageable in less than 8-weeks. To achieve this, it’s essential to identify your intended audience as you identify your research title. Be sure to show which workplace, industry, company, or sector(s) your research will explore (e.g. Fortune 100 firms, accounting firms, public government, internet firms, retail stores?). Please narrow down who your research audience will be. If you plan to distribute surveys, consider who the recipients would be. These groups will be the target audience that you will study in the course of your research design, data collection, and analysis. Defining this audience will help you refine your research focus and make your title more precise. Remember, a well-crafted title will not only draw readers’ attention to the problem you hope to solve, but it will also accurately represent the content and purpose of your research paper.
To conclude, when selecting a title for your research paper, the primary objective is to refine your topic into a well-defined and focused subject. Avoid overly broad and vague titles, as they fail to convey the specific scope of your research. Instead, narrow the title to reflect the research’s scope and specify the target audience. For example, if your research involves a comparative study, consider explicitly stating the groups or regions involved, such as Differences in Business Ethics Laws in Mississippi vs. Michigan. This approach not only sharpens the focus but also makes your research title more precise and aligned with your intended audience and objectives.
Part II: Draw or sketch your research idea explaining what the drawing depicts and how it relates to your research project. See the student example.
Please be sure you are reading your textbook as it “will” show in the coming weeks. For this week, we focus our attention on building our research project. Recall that you have read the first chapters and are about to embark on your business research project. Also, you generated and came up with three possible titles to consider and selected your #1 choice.
Now we need you to focus on one title—”the” title—for your business research project. Based on that singular title and the readings you have done in the book to date, draw what your research project is about (e.g. what you are trying to solve, learn, or discover). This sketch or drawing taps your creative faculties to help anchor the topic in your mind.
For this next phase of our work, we are seeking to grasp a vision of what we will research. Based on this week’s readings, please submit a visual artistic representation of your work: Now select a title you would like to most research and draw (based on your readings) what you would like to investigate. Hand-drawing is best. Allow yourself to speculate freely and draw what the end product of your business research will look like. Who would you like to research? What would you like to learn? Who will you send your survey instrument to? Who is going to complete the research? etc. Draw this out. The purpose is to that you can get a concept in your head. Sketch out what you would like it to look like. This process will help you form and shape the research you will conduct in the class.
Please submit early (for your benefit, for example, 24 hours before the deadline) to garner peace of mind and to build the proactive habits and attributes of a successful business professional). Base your work on the instructions. Be sure to take a screenshot of your drawing of your planned research project and upload/submit it. Thanks.
Action: Draw your business research project and then take a picture of your drawing and upload the picture before the deadline. Include your title and a thesis statement articulating what you hope to find in your research.
Part III: Generate 5 research questions flowing from your top title and based on what you have drawn/sketched. Now that you have an idea for your research topic that will lend itself to the rigorous scientific method, please generate 5 sub-questions that you want to ask regarding your research topic. Be sure to think of who your audience is going to be (because after all, you will send them a research questionnaire). What research question are you seeking to answer? Generate 5 research questions that your study is designed to probe, deeply analyze, and thoroughly answer by way of your exhaustive business research surveys and study.
Here are sample research questions:
- “What factors contribute to employee turnover in the child care industry, and how can companies implement retention strategies?”
- “How does flexible work scheduling affect employee productivity and job satisfaction in the remote work era in the public local government?”
- “What are the key drivers of financial performance in the renewable energy sector, and how do they differ from traditional energy companies?”
- “How do changes in interest rates impact investment decisions for small businesses, and what risk mitigation strategies are most effective?”
- “What are the critical challenges and opportunities in optimizing global supply chains post-pandemic, and how can companies adapt their strategies for Amazon-specific entrepreneurs?”
- “How does the adoption of blockchain technology by tech start-ups in Mississippi enhance transparency and traceability in food supply chains, and what are the associated benefits and challenges?”
- For Fortune 50 firms…”What factors contribute to the success of [women-owned] tech startups in emerging markets, and how do they differ from those in established tech hubs?”
- For Mississippi Chamber of Commerce businesses . . . “How does open innovation impact the development of new products and services, and what are the best practices for fostering innovation ecosystems within organizations?”
Here is another set of possible questions:
Your text discusses these as subquestions. The sub-questions are the major areas you want to investigate based on your findings in the literature review.
What are the networking behaviors of business managers in the Southwest MS Chamber of Commerce Directory?
Demographic questions;
A) gender
B) race
C) position
D) tenure
E) Salary
F) education
G) age
H) managerial level – junior/senior
3 research questions with sub-questions based on literature reviews:
1) What are the networking behaviors (based on my literature review) that the managers exhibit?
Questionnaire
a) Do you attend social functions?
b) Do you join professional associations?
c) Do you network at annual conferences?
d) Do you have a mentor?
e) Do you have a sponsor?
2) What are the behaviors inside of the organization?
Questionnaire
a) Do you attend social functions sponsored by your company?
b) Do you join professional associations suggested by your supervisor?
c) Do you view social events as networking events?
d) Do you have a mentor inside the firm?
3) What are the behaviors outside of the organization?
Questionnaire
a) Do you attend soft skills training?
b) How many outside professional associations are you affiliated with?
c) How far do you travel to engage in networking events outside your city?
d) How much do you spend annually on networking events?
The above is a short and basic research example. Based on the respondents answering the 3 research questions and demographic items, it is easy to have 15+ graphs to discuss in your data analysis section. Do you see this? Does this make sense?