Version1.

ContentsofaGoodResearchProposal

1. Atitlethatisappealingandmeaningful,reflectingthecontentsoftheresearchproposal.
2. Anabstractthatshouldbemotivatingtothereader.Itshouldpresentthemanagerial/societalproblem
the dissertation aims to address, the problem statement (i.e. research objectives and research
questions)andtheresearchapproachproposed.Theabstractshouldendwithaboutfivekeywords
thatcanguidethereadertowardsthemaincontentsoftheresearchproposal.
3. Itshouldcontainatmostthreechapters.Everychapteroftheresearchproposalshouldbeginwitha
briefintroductiontoguidethereaderintothemaincontentsofthatchapter.Similarly,everychapter
shouldendwithabriefsummarycapturingthemainpointsthathavebeendiscussedinthatchapter.
4. Inthefirstchapter(Introduction),themanagerial/societalproblemshouldbeconvincinglydescribed,
the problem statement should be clearly defined, the research purpose well formulated and the
researchquestionsclearlyarticulated.Thesignificanceofyourresearchshouldbesoundandwitha
strongmotivation(i.e.,therelevancetopracticeandpreferablyalsototheory).Abriefdescriptionof
theresearchapproachshouldbeincludedinthischapter.Thechaptershouldendwithaclearoutline
ofthestructureofthedocument.
5. Thesecondchapter(Literaturereview)shouldshowmasteryoftheliteratureonthetopicofinterest
inthisresearchproposal.Literatureusedshouldberelevanttotheproblemstatementandresearch
questions.Itbeuptodate(preferablynotolderthan5yearsfromthedatetheyarecited)andfrom
creditedsources(e.g.,ISIrankedjournals,reputablepublisherslikeSAGE,Blackwell,OxfordUniversity
PressandauthoritativeinstituteslikeWorldBank,UNCTAD,TransparencyInternational).Literature
shouldbewellreviewed(e.g.,discussionofcoreconcepts,theirdimensionsandrelationshipsbetween
concepts).Yourargumentsshouldflowlogically(evidentinmeaningfulheadingsandsubheadings)
andshouldexpressyourownvoice.Thatis,thereviewshouldnotmerelysummarizetheliterature
reviewed, but should contrast, compare and combine the literature to make ones argument. The
chaptershouldendwithasummaryofthemainpointsfromtheliteraturereviewedandaconceptual
modelthatvisualizestheproposedrelationshipsbetweenthevariablesofinterest.Thismodelguides
the formulation of the hypotheses in case of explanatory (often quantitative) research/initial
propositionsincaseofexplorative(oftenqualitative)researchandthushelpstoguideyourempirical
work.
6. TheMethodologychapteristhethirdchapterandshouldconsistoftheresearchstrategy,research
setting* and where applicable, the study population, sampling method, operationalization and
measurement of key variables, data collection methods (including draft research instruments like
interviewprotocolsandsurveys),dataprocessinganddataanalysisandthetechniquesthatwillbe
used to ensure validity and reliability of the results. This chapter should end with anticipated
limitationsduringtheempiricalphaseandhowthesecanbeovercome.*Incasetheresearchsetting
textisquiteelaborate(e.g.,descriptionofcompanyorindustryunderstudy),thissettingcouldalso
bepresentedinaseparatechapterafterthemethodschapter.Thisshouldbediscussedwithyour
Supervisor.
7. ThecitedreferencesshouldappearattheendofthedocumentundertheheadingReferences.Allcited
sourcesthroughouttheresearchproposalshouldappearinthissection.Referencesshouldfollowthe

latestversionofAPA(AmericanPsychologicalAssociation)formatstyle.Thisisthemostcommonly
usedmethodtocitesourceswithinthesocialsciencesfield.TheCandidateshoulduseinformation
ethically,i.e.,thereshouldbenoevidenceofplagiarism.Allideas,text,graphics,tablesandmedia
shouldbecreditedtothesource.UsefulsourcesexplainingAPAinclude:
http://www.apastyle.org/
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/
http://owll.massey.ac.nz/referencing/apastyle.php
8. TheresearchproposalshouldincludethreeAppendices:(a)draftresearchinstruments;(bdetailed
workplanfortheresearchproject;and(c)budget(ifrelevant).
9. Theresearchproposalshouldhaveasoundstructureandaclearwritingstyle.Allexpressionsand
grammarshouldbeusedinthecorrectway.