MBA DISSERTATION TOPIC PROPOSAL FORM

Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityInternational University College CARDIFF School of ManagementMASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

MBA 7099DISSERTATION HANDBOOK

(September 2012 Version)

ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013CONTENTS

1) Dissertation Procedures

Page 32) Dissertation Presentation

Page 5Structure and contentsFormat of the Presentation

The coverThe word count

3) Marking Scheme

Page 84) Referencing

Page 105) Plagiarism

Page 156) Guidelines for the preparation

Page 157) Process Flowchart and Submission

Page 18 (1) DISSERTATION PROCEDURESCongratulations! you have passed Part 1 of the MBA programme and now embark on the second and final part of your degree. Please keep this handbook as a source of reference, because it contains relevant information for the process and completion of this major piece of work.

You may be using this handbook if you are completing: MBA7099 = 2 modules following completion of MBA7004 Research Methods.

You are embarking on a significant piece of individual study and need to be disciplined and realistic in your use of time.

Students are given 3 months for full-time or 6 months for part-time completion and it is very important that you communicate with your supervisor, the Dissertation Coordinator or the Head of MBA if you are unable to meet the deadlines set.

Submission date for 2013 is: 2 August 2013 Staff should be contactable at all times unless on annual leave but as the summer is often the only time staff may take leave then students should be mindful of the necessity of using e-mail. E-mail in general, using your University account is the best way of keeping in contact and arranging meetings.These are the dates that allow staff time to mark, double-mark and check with the external examiner to be certain that marks are fair and consistent. Once the mark is agreed it is entered at the Examining Board and if the work exceeds 40% it will pass and an MBA awarded.

Meetings with supervisors

Each student should know that the dissertation forms part of their degree and as such requires thought and preparation. The student should be the driver here and initiate activity around the dissertation and be reading and investigating their topic demonstrating a genuine curiousity. The Research methods teaching should have helped in the preparation of the dissertation and students should be able to work unaided in the main. This is an activity that is yours and for you alone to progress and be responsible for with some advice from a supervisor.

It is very important that staff are allowed sufficient time for the reading of drafts and students MUST NOT EXPECT staff to read work instantly when a deadline is imminent. Ideally, a full draft between 2 weeks and a month before the deadline allows time for changes and amendments- subject of course, to the supervisors schedule.

Topic selection

There are a number of students that choose topics related to their chosen pathway and optional modules. Other students are influenced by their workplace/ experience or suggestions from their reading or their ideas for future career. Above all, the topic must be interesting to you because your enthusiasm will influence your writing and ability to work. There is a body of knowledge available for checking who has written about the topic chosen. Students should be aware of who has written about their subject and demonstrate how they are informed by this work and its contribution to their study.

The MBA offers a broad range of opportunities for further investigation and dissertation. You may look at the titles of the previous MBA dissertations in the library for easier orientation.The envisaged system for the dissertation process is:Students are thinking about their topic, reading and investigating this should be encouraged by Research Methods.

Student becomes familiar with expectation of a dissertation and timeframe.

Student passes Part 1 and is allocated a supervisor.

Student works with their supervisor with a clear plan of action formally recording 3 meetings.

Draft materials submitted to supervisor for checking and agreement of what is to be done next.

Work submitted following the presentation guidelines.

Student awaits final result. Examining Board dates should be checked.

Results released.

TAKE ACTION

The dissertation is not supposed to be easy. If you are struggling with your work it is understandable and you must share your problem. Rather than just thinking about it more and more, make an appointment and speak to your supervisor. If your problem is more personal in nature, you may prefer to speak to a different member of staff from a choice of the MBA team/personal tutors/International Welfare Officer. Remember there are also counselling services within University with professionally trained counsellors to help.

Learn to prioritise, make a list and take each point at a time. If you are struggling with the structure of your work, use the guidelines contained in this handbook. The marking scheme gives clear guidance on how the marks are allocated, use it.(2) DISSERTATION PRESENTATIONStructure and contents.

There is no best way of writing a dissertation or one model for an appropriate format. However, certain aspects are conventionally found in a dissertation and should only be varied after discussion with the supervisor for good reason. These are:

1) An opening section which should contain the following separate pages: Title page, declaration and statement, supervisors statement, acknowledgements, abstract(a summary of 300 words, which should summarise all sections of the dissertation:THIS MUST BE INCLUDED), and table of contents.

(2) The first chapter should be an introduction to the dissertation which should state very clearly the purpose of the project on which the dissertation reports, the results. A brief outline of the subsequent chapters of the dissertation. (Note: it is usual, somewhat paradoxically, to write the introduction after most of the dissertation is complete in order that a student has a clear idea of what is being introduced). The student should include an aims and objectives section.3) Chapter two should be a critical review of the relevant academic literature on which the dissertation builds, identifying the relevant theoretical ideas, concepts, debates and issues.4) A chapter on Research Methods should state what methodologies are considered, what was selected and why. Justification for the final methodology selected and the sampling techniques, sampling framework, the size and type of any appropriate survey, should be included. (If a case study methodology is used then the justification for the organisation used to be included).5) One, or possibly two chapters that report on the research findings, both secondary and primary, clearly described, using as themes, what you have discovered and proposing reasons why this may be. This section should use any appropriate graphical representation that adds to the clarity of your findings.6) Clear discussion chapter setting out the main findings of the dissertation linking your literature reviews with the research findings so that a clear theme can be identified through the whole work. On this information you can make your argument and assess. Remember to include what your findings contribute to both the general literature on the subject and the specialist field, and/or practical problems which you have covered empirically. Include those results which surprised you and which may appear, at first sight, counter-intuitive to others. Make sure that you address all the objectives of the study. Do not forget to identify further avenues of development.

7) The conclusion should refer back to aims and objectives. Clear recommendations or procedures should be identified.8) References: There should be a complete reference list of all works used. This should be done in a standard Harvard format listing works alphabetically by author. It should be noted that one of the routine sources of presentational problems comes in mistakes in the referencing bibliography and therefore students should take considerable care in the compilation of the reference list and ensure that every work referred to in the texts is in fact listed in the references see separate section. 9) Appendices to the dissertation are legitimate but should be kept to an absolute minimum, eg. Questionairres used.10) Footnotes should be avoided.

It is important that the dissertation should be your own independent work as a formal examination script. A dissertation should not merely consist of a patchwork of other people's thoughts and interpretations stitched together with a few threads of the student's own devising.

The overall length of the dissertation (excluding appendices) must not exceed 15,000 words and in practice the length of a dissertation would normally be expected to be within a range of 10,000 to 12,000 words. State the number of words at the end of your work.Presentation: All copies shall be presented in permanent and legible form in typescript or print and the characters shall be not less than 12 pt. Typing shall be of even quality with clear black characters, and capable of photographic reproduction. 1.5 spacing shall be used in typescript but for the Summary and indented quotations single spacing shall be used. Drawings and Sketches shall be in black ink; unnecessary detail should be omitted and there should be at least 1 mm between lines. Page margins for both left and right side should be set at 3cm. Copies produced by xerographic or comparable permanent processes are acceptable.

The Cover:

The volume shall bear the surname and initials of the candidate, The full or abbreviated title of the dissertation,

The name of the degree for which the dissertation is being submitted

The date of submission.

Note as a Guide only:

The word count for each chapter should normally be:-

Introduction approx. 2000 words

Literature Review approx. 2000-2500 words

Methodologyapprox. 2000 words

Findingsapprox..2000 words

Discussion/Analysisapprox. 2000-3000 words

Conclusionsapprox. 1500 words

Recommendations approx. 1000 words(3) MARKING SCHEMEDISSERTATION MARKING SCHEME

Abstract and IntroductionA clear purpose with an overall aim and objectives explaining how the aim is to be achieved. A summary of what is to be covered.15%

Background Research

This is the backbone of what is to come and says what has been written that is meaningful for this study.Theoretical framework is here. Peer reviewed journals and/or up-to date reports must be in evidence. Information should have direction and lead into the local/ personal study .15%

Method

Here there is the justification of choice of the way chosen for additional investigation. The who, why, what where and how must be covered here.

This should be a natural progression from the previous section developing the existing information into a local study. The process should be transparent and not regurgitate Saunders. 10%

Research Design/Method

Ethics, limitations and the real inside story should be here evidenced in portfolioStudents should evidence the choices made eg by following an approach used elsewhere eg a similar research study in a journal but in the main this is about what they did and then what was done with the information gathered. They should recognise their audience does not need description but analysis. The section should be emphasising analysis. 15%

Findings with discussion of the data. Markers to review the portfolio of evidence.All claims to be substantiated. There should be no weak assumptions.15%

Conclusion and recommendations.Mirrors introduction and rounds up.10%

Presentation, adherence to word limit and relevant support materials included eg questionnairesJoined up approach. Uses handbook and School guidelines.10%

Contribution/originality/creativity/diligence

May demonstrate a solid understanding if not a cutting edge piece.10%

award categories

Part Two (the Masters dissertation).

70% and over:Distinction level

60%-69%

Merit

40 - 59%

:Pass

0 - 39%

:Fail

In order to gain a Masters Degree with Distinction, a candidate shall achieve a distinction level performance in each of Part One and Part Two of the MBA. A candidate may be awarded a masters degree with distinction in the dissertation, when the dissertation (Part two of the MBA) is awarded a distinction mark but the candidate has not achieved a distinction grade in the Part One of the MBA.POSTGRADUATE GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIAThe following give some general guidance on how marks are allocated:Overall MarksMark

Description

90 - 100An exceptional and outstanding submission, providing original insights which add to the discipline area or academic area and, with some editing, could be published as a study in its own right. In addition to the next section, a submission in this range would be distinguished by superior organisation and comprehensiveness, given the maximum word limit and time scale.

80 - 89A submission that demonstrates an excellent understanding of the question and issues under consideration and of the complexity of the issues involved. Theoretical considerations are used to underpin the overall design and the relevance of factual information. There is some measure of original and creative thinking. There must be evidence of wide reading with a critical focus.

70 - 79This range will cover a submission that has a number of original insights and also provides a comprehensive and accurate coverage of the question and issues under consideration with a high level of consistency throughout the dissertation.

60 - 69The submission will show evidence of ability to maintain a personal position in original terms and show a command of the accepted critical positions with some attempts at innovation. There is a demonstration of the dissertation question being clearly put and understood in relation to the complexities of the issues involved. There is a sound use of relevant factual knowledge and theoretical issues.

50 - 59The submission shows a reasonable ability to defend a position on the basis of use of evidence. It shows evidence of evaluation of the ability to use information and synthesis of generalisations from it. There is clear evidence of selection of appropriate material, research design, logical structure and argument but with lapses of integration. The answer demonstrates an understanding of the major basic issues, both factually and theoretically.

40 - 49The submission demonstrates some understanding of the major or basic issues in the question. There is less than average evidence of a level of analysis and judgement, use of criteria and an attempt to use a logical structure and argument. There is evidence of effort and significant data collection.

30 - 39There is little or no evidence of understanding the basic issues. There are significant factual errors and contradictions. The submission is poorly planned and integrated with little evidence of a clear train of thought or development of argument. Some evidence of ability to collate information and construct generalisations, but with little discretion.

20 - 29The submission does not clearly specify a basic question and shows little logical development or structure. There is no evidence of criticism, synthesis or evaluation.

0 - 19

Little evidence of getting beyond the proposal.

(4) REFERENCINGCITATION & REFERENCING

Introduction

The HARVARD method of referencing is recommended within University.

The HARVARD system has a number of advantages:

there are no footnotes

it does not interrupt the flow of the text when read

it provides references to sources without the reader having to go to the end of the text

it simplifies the citations at the end of the text by doing away with the need for a list of references as well as a bibliography.

The main points about referencing are to be consistent and to use the system correctly. Citing within your TextBrief quotes (less than 5 lines) are usually contained within the text but placed between inverted commas, while longer extracts are given a separate single-spaced indented paragraph with a line left blank above and below and no use of inverted commas. In both cases you must acknowledge the author within your text and give a full reference in the Reference List.

If you refer to the author directly, place the year of publication in brackets: e.g.

Bell (1994) describes a number of different strategies for . . . . .

If the author is not referred to directly in the sentence, both the name and year are placed in brackets: e.g.

One particular source on methodology (Bell, 1994) has indicated that. . . .

Do not add forenames or initials. The year refers to when the particular edition was published, not the year the text was printed. If a reference relates to a particular page in a book, include the page number prefixed by p. for a single page, or pp. if more than one page. Quotations from articles do not need the page numbers as they should be indicated in the Reference List included at the end of you work (see later in this unit).

Some examples of how to reference within your work follow:

If you want to use a small direct quotation of a piece of text within your work , then you must give the details of the text between inverted commas followed by name, date and page(s) e.g.

"Reading . . . . . may help you to devise a theoretical or analytical framework as a basis for the analysis and interpretation of data." (Bell, 1993, p. 33)

When referring to the work in the text as part of a sentence then immediately after the name include the date and page number only:

e.g. Bell (1993, p. 33) states that "Reading may help you to devise a theoretical or analytical framework as a basis for the analysis and interpretation of data."

For a long quote, it is best to use the following format

Blank line

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shows this well.

Bell, 1993, pp. 33-34

Blank line

If more than one text has been published by the same author in the same year (and is included in the reference list), then label them a, b, etc: e.g.

Jones, 1992a

Jones, 1992b, p. 51

Multiple references should be listed according to the date of publication: e.g.

Kane, 1984; Walker, 1985; and Bell, 1993.

Where there are more than two authors, the surname of the first followed by 'et al' and the year is used (full details should be provided in the reference list at the end): e.g.

Jones et al., 1991

Where the author(s) is (are) the editor(s) of the text the name(s) is (are) followed by 'ed' and then the year: e.g.

House, ed., 1986

Bell et al. eds., 1984.

Where an original source has been found in a secondary work, always quote the original in your text, but acknowledge in the Reference List at the end where the original was seen. There is no need to mention the secondary work in the text.

N.B. In postgraduate, masters and PhD work particularly, students will be expected to use primary sources as far as possible.The Reference List

You must always fully reference all your sources at the end of your work. Use the heading REFERENCES and place before any appendices

Building a Reference

The first item in your reference is the author's surname, followed by the author's initials and the date. The title is next followed by the subtitle (if there is one). The final items are the publisher's location and name.

References in the list are arranged alphabetically according to the author's name. ALL works referred to in the text and secondary sources where the work was found (if relevant) should be listed. If there is more than one text by the same author then order them by date.

Referencing different sources

Different types of sources require a slightly different method of referencing.

N.B. Please note punctuation conventions should he observed exactly as indicated in these guidelines.BooksBurgess, R.G. (1984), In the Field: An Introduction to Field Research. London: Unwin Hyman.

Burgess, R.G. (1985), Issues in Educational Research: Qualitative Methods. London: Falmer Press.

Single named authors are placed before joint authorships regardless of the year of publication, e.g.

Bell, J. (1993), Doing Your Research Project. Buckinghamshire: Open University Press.

Bell, J., Bush, T., Fox, A., Goodey, J., and Goulding, S. (eds.) (1984), Conducting Small-Scale Investigations in Educational management. London: PCP.

Publications without individual authors should be cited with the organisation responsible as the author as well as (usually) the publisher. Government Publications should cite the Department as the author with HMSO as the publisher, e.g.

Employment Department (1992), Training Statistics. London: HMSO.

Theses and Dissertations are quoted like other references in the text, but are annotated as 'non-published' work. British StandardsCite British Standards Institution, date in brackets, title, BS number, e.g.

British Standards Institution (1987), Quality Systems, BS 5750.

Conference ProceedingsInclude as much information as possible, citing the author's name and initial, the date in brackets, title of paper, title of conference, location, date, organisers/publishers, e.g.

Wharfe, L. (1991), Continuity in Education and Training for Further Education. In: The Search for Continuity in FE Teacher-Training, Huddersfield. The Polytechnic of Huddersfield and SCINSCET: Conference Report, Huddersfield.

Journal ArticlesCite the author's name and initial, the date in brackets, the title of the article, the title of the Journal (underlined/italics), the volume and part number, and the page numbers, e.g.

Churcher, J. (1990), Evaluating the effectiveness of in-service education and training. Education Today, 40 (2), pp. 37-41.

N.B. Capital letters are used for each major word (not prepositions, conjunctions or definite/indefinite articles) for book titles, but not for article titles.

Secondary SourcesArticles or chapters that are quoted from anthologies are quoted as normal in the text, but both the article and the original source must be acknowledged in the Reference List in alphabetical order, e.g.

Allan, G. and Skinner, C. (eds.) (1991), Handbook for Research in the Social Sciences.London: The Falmer Press.

Clavert, P. (1991), Writing Skills, in Allan and Skinner (eds.) (1991) pp. 96-106

Citing electronic referencesMuch of the material you use in your essays and assignments may come from electronic sources such as the internet. This material must also be referenced correctly, and guidance on how to do this can be found by following the links below

Simple guidelines with examples can be found at:

http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/library/citing_references/citing_refs_main.html

More comprehensive information is available in Excerpts from International Standard ISO 690-2 at:

http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/iso/tc46sc9/standard/690-2e.htmE-books

For e-books the required elements for a reference are:

Author, Year, Title of book. [type of medium] Place of publication: Publisher. Followed by Available at: (then) include e-book source and web site address/URL(Uniform Resource Locator) and routing details if needed. [Accessed date].

Fishman, R., 2005. The rise and fall of suburbia. [e-book] Chester: Castle Press.Available at: University Library/Digital Library/e-books http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/E-books[Accessed 5 June 2005].

Carlsen, J. & Charters, S., eds. 2007. Global wine tourism. [e-book] Wallingford: CABI Pub.Available at: University Library/Library Catalogue/ https://oscar.lib.anglia.ac.uk/[Accessed 9 June 2008].

NB Do not list references in separate categories______________________________ (5) PLAGIARISMWhat is Plagiarism?The Oxford English Dictionary defines plagiarism as 'writing borrowed thoughts as original'. Plagiarism is distinguished from the proper use of sources by its failure to discuss, analyse and acknowledge the influence of another's work. Students will, of course, use other people's work and ideas, but there is a difference between this and relying totally on other peoples' efforts.

Plagiarism is Unfair Practice. There are strict University regulations regarding Unfair Practice Procedure and Plagiarism. These are in your Student Handbook and you advised to read these carefully.

What does it cover?

Your sources of material must be acknowledged. All information taken from books, journals, handouts etc., must be clearly referenced. All written work (practical written assignments, essays for tutors, assessment essays, essays in examinations, long essays and dissertations, etc.) must be a reflection of a student's own efforts. All quotations from other sources must be acknowledged.

Students who reproduce the words of an author, editor, journalist or critic and attempt to pass them off as their own original work will be heavily penalised.

This includes both copying word for word and copying work making slight changes.

A subtle form of plagiarism occurs when there is no deliberate intention to deceive, for example making notes from a text and then copying those notes without realising that the words used are the original author's and not the student's. However, this is still plagiarism and must be avoided.

Direct copying of any material will always be severely penalised and will be brought to the attention of the exam board.

(6) GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF DISSERTATIONS FOR MBAREGULATIONS

This handbook is not a definitive statement of University regulations. Full copies of the regulations are available in the academic handbook (available from student portal) and http://www3.uwic.ac.uk/english/registry/academic_handbook/pages/home.aspx Cardiff Metropolitans regulations for Modular Masters degree schemes that covers the MBA state that candidates must successfully complete Part One of the MBA (the taught stage) before being permitted to proceed to Part Two (the dissertation stage). The dissertation shall embody the methods and results of a research project. Its length should not exceed 15,000 words.

Submit two soft bound, plus one electronic copy (Microsoft Word) of the dissertation to the Hand-In Office. Each copy of the dissertation submitted shall include:

(a)an abstract of the dissertation not exceeding 300 words; and

(b)a signed statement signed by the candidate indicating to what extent it is a result of his/her independent work or investigation, and shall indicate any portions for which he or she is indebted to other sources. Explicit references must be given and a full bibliography must be appended to the work.

(c) a signed statement certifying that it has not already been submitted in candidature for any other degree.

(d) a signed statement by the supervisor

The above forms covering a - d are located on Blackboard and must be used at the time of submission.Portfolio of Evidence

You must collect all the evidence to show exactly what has been done, including your data and notes. Please submit in a file, with your name and student number.

This must be submitted along with your dissertation.

Additional Forms

You must also loosely insert evidence of your 3 supervisor meetings (your supervisor should have this template).Mitigating Circumstances

Cardiff Metropolitan University may extend these deadlines in exceptional cases only and in accordance with the procedure and criteria laid down in the Academic Handbook. A reasoned application, supported by appropriate independent evidence, must be submitted by the candidate to the MBA Dissertation Co-ordinator for further consideration by the University. The extension shall be subject to approval of the Mitigating Circumstances Committee.

These applications are subject to scrutiny by University, which lays down the following limits beyond which candidature will lapse and examination precluded:

Within two calendar years from the start of candidature in the case of full time students Within five calendar years of the start of candidature in the case of part time studentsExtension to Candidature/Special CasesShould you require an extension that takes you beyond your period of candidature mentioned above, then you will be required to complete and submit to the MBA Dissertation Convenor a Special Cases form in accordance with the Guidance on Submission of Special Cases.(7) PROCESS FLOWCHART AND SUBMISSIONMBA Dissertation Arrangements for August 2013Hand in Date:1 Soft and 1 Hard bound Dissertations should be handed into Hand-In Office by 2 August 2013 to meet the November 2013 Exam board. An electronic copy should be submitted in 2 versions: PDF format and Microsoft Word Format

Bound into the dissertation should be the Declaration statement. (Both Student Declaration and Supervisor Declaration).Additional evidence to be submitted with your dissertationYou must collect all the evidence to show exactly what has been done, including your data and notes. Please submit in a file, with your name and student number.

This must be submitted along with your dissertation.Assessment 1: Presentation (40%)

Assessment 2: Hand-in Proposal (60%)

Finish taught part of Research Methodology Module

Proposal feedback for the student

Proposal Passed?

Yes

Supervisor Allocation

(Period = 12 Weeks)

Dissertation complete and ready to hand-in?

Hand in the Dissertation

Yes

No

Request for Extension

No

Resubmit the proposal

Is the resubmitted proposal passable?

Yes

No

Cannot proceed with the dissertation

Exit the Programme

Exam Board

Dissertation Result Declared

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