Dissertation Skills for Business and Management Students

by White, Brian

• ISBN13: 9780826467881
• ISBN10: 0826467881
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-08-10
• Publisher: CENGAGE Lrng Business Press

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	vii
Preface	viii
What this book is about	1	(8)
Introduction
How to use this book
What is a dissertation?
Value of a dissertation
Producing a dissertation - the stages involved
The skills you need
A final word
Choosing and developing a subject to investigate	9	(11)
Introduction
Factors which may influence your choice of subject
Generating dissertation ideas-sources to use
Developing the idea - some techniques to try
Chapter summary
What research is and choosing an appropriate methodology	20	(8)
Introduction
Methodology and methods
What is research?
Research and business practice
The research process-different schools of thought
Research design
Ethical considerations and research
Techniques of qualitative research, including case study and action research	28	(18)
Introduction
Interviews
Observation
Diary methods
Case studies
Action research
Techniques of quantitative research, including sampling and triangulation	46	(1)
Introduction
General points about quantitative data collection techniques
Techniques of data collection
Sampling
Triangulation
Writing a proposal	46	(36)
Introduction
What is a proposal?
Why proposal are important and needed
Suggested proposal layouts
Characteristics of a good proposal
Examples of completed proposals
A final note
Using the literature	82	(24)
Introduction
Why you need information in the first place
Types of business and management information
Libraries and business information
Guidelines on making a literature search
Evaluating the information
A final word
Evaluating research results	106	(24)
Introduction
General points about the interpretation of research results
Qualitative data analysis
Quantitative data analysis
Concluding remarks
Writing up your dissertation	130	(18)
Introduction
What is the best approach to writing up your dissertation?
How to start writing up
Keep to the regulations
Characteristic features of academic writing-developing an appropriate good writing style
Dissertation format
Other points
Advice on references, footnotes, quotations and other points of style
And finally
The role of supervisors and the assessment of dissertations	148	(5)
Introduction
The role of supervisors
The assessment of dissertations
Concluding remarks
Specialist subject advice	153	(5)
Introduction
Marketing
Strategy and policy-making
Finance and accounting
Human resource management
Resource management
Managing change
Total quality management
International business
Ethics and business
Annotated bibliography	158	(5)
Index	163