Chapter 04 Im

Chapter 4
Business Research Requests and Proposals
CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, students should understand
1.
The purpose of the request for proposal and the proposal and how each is used by the
researcher and management decision maker.
2.
The types of proposals and the contents of each.
3.
The processes for evaluating the quality of proposals and when each is used.
KEY TERMS
Key terms are shown in bold, as they appear in the text, throughout the lecture notes.
DISCUSSION AND PROJECT IDEAS
Using the example on page 86 as a model, have students compose a summary

statement based on the imaginary company and management problem of their choice.
Have students read Myra Wines report on page 106 (Exhibit 4-9). Then have them
write a report on the tone and organization of the report. Or, have a class discussion.
Was the writing style too casual and/or sarcastic? Should the information have been
presented in a more neutral tone? Would the information have been easier to
understand if headings had been used? (i.e., Background Information, Proposal
Shortcomings, Conclusion) Should she have brought politics into the report in such a
negative manner? (i.e. who is eager to throw a monkey wrench into the presidents
tax incentives plan?)
Chapter 4, Business Research Requests and Proposals
CHAPTER LECTURE NOTES

BRINGING RESEARCH TO LIFE
Myra is introduced to the local manager of a national accounting firm, Robert Buffet,
by the president of the Economic Development Council.
Myra guesses, and Robert confirms, that the state government is worried that start-up
companies are investing in robotics and computers rather than creating new
manufacturing jobs.
The state has contracted with Roberts firm to study the situation in five counties.
Before interviewing can begin, however, Roberts firm must be sponsored by a

business group within each county. In this case, it is the Economic Development
Council.
Myra is asked by the president of the council to look over Roberts proposal and
assure the business community that it is in their best interest to cooperate.
PROPOSING RESEARCH
Many students, and some business researchers, view the proposal process as
unnecessary.
The more inexperienced a researcher is, the more important it is to have a wellplanned and documented proposal.
The proposal process (see Exhibit 4-1), uses two primary documents:
Request for proposal (RFP)
Research proposal
When the organization has research specialists on the payroll, an internal research
proposal is often all that is needed.
THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
The request for proposal (RFP) is a formal document that is used to solicit services
from research suppliers.
The benefit to the sponsoring organization is a opportunity to formalize the

process of documenting, justifying, and authorizing the procurement of research.
RFPs also:
Provide a chance to evaluate different solutions
Offer a way to establish, monitor, and control the performance of the winning
bidder
An RFP is a request to submit a proposal, in accordance with a specific, detailed

format, by a specified deadline.
A common format makes it easier to compare competing proposals.
The government is required to publicly announce RFPs; private firms may limit
supplier invitations to as few as one supplier (sole source).
Both technical merit and the estimated project cost determine how contracts are
awarded.
RFPs can be an important source of future business.
Therefore, suppliers must be vigilant to maintain credibility with clients and seek
to achieve positive word of mouth.
Professional guides or business listing services can also promote visibility.
Companies sometimes avoid formal RFPs.
You may be invited to propose a project during a conversation and later asked to
formalize it in writing.
Nor are all projects conducive to the RFP process.
Creating the RFP
When creating an RFP, the first step is defining and understanding the problem being
addressed.
In formal RFP processes, experts are called upon to assist.
Once the problem is defined, the technical section of the RFP can be written.
In addition to defining the technical requirements of the research, the RFP should
cover:
Project management
Pricing
Contract administration
Proposal administration
Important dates
Prior to issuing an RFP, sponsors must determine which suppliers are capable of
completing the project. Some of the things considered are:
Industry experience
Reputation
Geographic location
Quality of previous work
Size of staff
Strategic alliances with other vendors who may be necessary to the project.
Although RFPs differ from project to project and firm to firm, the general
components are:
Proposal administration information
Summary of problem
Technical section
Management section
Contracts and license section
Pricing section
Proposal Administration
This section presents an overview of the project administration.
It establishes the dates of the RFP process:
When the RFP is released

When the RFP team is available for questions
The date the proposal is expected
The dates of the evaluation and supplier selections
It includes all requirements for preparing the proposal and describes how
proposals will be evaluated.
Contact names, addresses, and numbers are listed.

Summary Statement of the Problem
The summary statement often takes the form of a letter.
It introduces the organization that issues the RFP and explains its needs.
See Example on page 86.

Technical Section
This section contains the technical information that the supplier needs to create a
proposal.
Describes the problem
Provides the technical details of each requirement
Loosely describes the services to be performed and the equipment, software, and
documentation required
This section should be neither too specific nor too general
It should allow suppliers reasonable flexibility and creativity in research design
It should restrict them to meeting the needs of the sponsor
Typically, the following would be included:
Problem statement
Description of functional requirements (what phases will be included)
Identification of constraints (what might limit research design)
Sponsors often ask the proposed researcher to answer questions.
Example: The RFP sent to MindWriter contained questions such as:
To what degree is your proposed system scalable?

Does your proposed solution offer redundancy in the event of a failure?
Can the recorded calls be replayed immediately?
Can call data be displayed visually for analysis?
How does your solution support the CompleteCare customer satisfaction
philosophy at MindWriter?
If the sponsor requires that the supplier offer creative solutions, the RFP describes the
constraints within which solutions must work.
Sample Constraints Example from client of Visionary Insights:

The sample sizes and breakdowns for various market are:
Europe: 500 completed surveys
Asia: 500 completed surveys
United States: 300 completed surveys
Regional differences
Differentiation by segment and brand
Proposed sample proportion for distributors/resellers:
Resellers = 90-95% of respondents
Distributors = 5-10%
Building technical quality control into the RFP will strengthen the project.
Even low bidders must provide the requisite quality for consideration.
When the supplier must provide technical reports during the project, project
management is less costly for the firm.
Management Section
Every project requires some level of management.
The sponsors timing on schedules, plans, and reports is included in this section.
It includes such things as:
Implementation schedules
Training and reporting schedules
Quality control
Other documentation
Specific supplier qualifications
References
Increasingly, websites are used to provide additional information to those invited to

submit proposals.
These website URLs are documented in the RFP.
Contracts and License Section
A research supplier is often privy to confidential and potentially damaging

information about the sponsor.
Nondisclosure of such information is critical.
The sponsor should discuss the safeguarding of intellectual property and the use
of copyrights.
Terms, payment and required benchmarks are stated here.
Typically, a sample purchase contract would be included.
Because the RFP is usually part of the final contract, it should be carefully worded to
avoid misinterpretation.
If a task is not described in the RFP (or during contract negotiations), the firm may
not be able to require that the supplier complete it.
Pricing Section
To cost the proposal, all information needed by the supplier must be provided.
Examples of items that could be concluded:
Services
Meetings with client
Travel
Mail and telephone costs
Facilities and equipment
Pilot tests
Manpower costs
Deliverables
Ethical standards are integral to designing the pricing section.
A sponsor would not send a vendor an RFP to:

Help the sponsor plan its project budget
Estimate costs and ideas for a project the sponsor intends to execute in-house
Create the impression of a competitive bid when the sponsor intends to solesource the project
Format
RFP format requirements vary widely.
Elements of a typical format:
Instructions to bidders
Background
Overview or profile of the buyers company
Project overview
Project requirements
Vendor information
Company profile
History and description
Legal summary (active lawsuits or pending litigation)
Partnerships and alliances
References
Proposed solution
Services and support
Cost proposal
Services pricing
Maintenance pricing
Contractual terms and conditions
Because projects are often unique, careful consideration should be used when
qualifying potential research suppliers.
See Exhibit 4-2 for a checklist.
Objectives of the RFP process:
Qualify potential vendors
Allow supplier(s) eight to ten weeks to prepare bids
Be available to answer supplier questions or hold a prebid conference
Evaluate submissions on known criteria
Award contracts
Start the project on published dates
Provide a critique to all suppliers who submitted proposals
Providing a critique to non-winning suppliers will help them become more

competitive in the future and maintain goodwill between you and the supplier
A well-written RFP allows an organization to request high-quality proposals.
A poorly written RFP causes the process to take longer and cost more, and may
not provide a complete solution.
It is essential that time and effort be invested at the beginning.
You are a researcher and youve just received an RFP. Whats next?
First, decide if creating a proposal is worth the time and effort it will take.
Even if you are not responding to the RFP, becoming familiar with proposals
can be helpful.
THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
A proposal is an offer to produce a product or render a service.
The purpose of a research proposal is:
To present the management question to be researched and relate its importance.
To discuss the research efforts of others who have worked on related management
questions.
To suggest the data necessary for solving the management question and how the
data will be gathered, treated, and interpreted.
A proposal is also known as a work plan, prospectus, outline, statement of intent, or

draft plan.
The proposal tells us what, why, how, where, and to whom the research will be done.
It must also show the benefit of doing the research.
Well-prepared proposals include potential problems that may be encountered along

the way, and methods for avoiding or working around them.
SPONSOR USES
All research has a sponsor, in one form or another.
A research proposal allows the sponsor to assess:
The sincerity of the researchers purpose
The clarity of his or her design
The extent of his or her relevant background material
The researchers fitness for undertaking the project
The researchers discipline, organization, and logic
The sponsor will compare your proposal with all the others received.
Comparison of the research project results with the proposal is the first step in
evaluating the overall research.
Another benefit of the proposal is the discipline it brings to the sponsor.
Many managers do not adequately define the problem they want to address.
The proposal acts as a catalyst for discussion between the person conducting the
research and the manager.
Exhibit 4-3 shows the iterative fashion in which a proposal can be worked until the
sponsor authorizes the research to proceed.
RESEARCHER BENEFITS
A proposal is more beneficial to the researcher than to the sponsor.
Writing it encourages the researcher to plan and review the projects logical steps.
This review prompts the researcher to assess previous approaches to similar

management questions and revise the research plan accordingly.
Developing the proposal allows you to spot flaws in the logic, errors in
assumptions, or management questions that are not adequately addressed by the
objectives and design.
The approved research proposal can be used as a guide throughout the

investigation.
Progress can be monitored and milestones noted.

At completion, the proposal serves as an outline for the final research report.
A contract researcher makes a profit from correctly estimating cost and then
pricing the research project appropriately.
A thorough proposal process is likely to reveal all possible cost-related

activities, thus making the estimate more accurate.
Because many of these activities are related to time, it forces the researcher to
create a time estimate and/or schedule for the project.
Because many people procrastinate, having a schedule helps them work
methodically toward the completion of the project.
TYPES OF RESEARCH PROPOSALS
In general, there are two types of proposal audiences: internal and external.
With few exceptions, the larger the project, the more complex the proposal.
Proposals for public sector projects are generally more complex than those for
private sector projects.
Proposals have three general levels of complexity (see Exhibit 4-4):
Exploratory studies (most simple)
Small-scale studies (more complex and common in business)
Large-scale studies (the most complex, costing up to several million dollars)
Government agency large-scale project RFPs can generate proposals running several
hundred pages.
Exhibit 4-5 displays a set of modules for building a proposal.
The order of the modules can used as an outline for a proposal.
Choose the appropriate modules for inclusion.

Most small-scale studies do not require a glossary of terms (theyre defined
within the body of the proposal).
For a solicited study, the RFP will indicate both the content headings and their
order.
Internal Proposals
Internal proposals are more succinct than external ones.
A simple project may require no more than a couple of pages of information that
outlines:
The problem statement
Study objectives
Research design
Schedule
Businesses are concerned with how to:

Solve a problem
Make a decision
Improve an aspect of their business
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Businesses seldom begin research studies for other reasons.
An executive summary is mandatory for all but the most simple of proposals.
For smaller-scale projects, descriptions are not required for facilities and special
resources, nor is there a glossary.
Because managers are generally familiar with the problem, the associated jargon,
requirements, and definitions should be included directly in the text.
External Proposals
An external proposal is either solicited or unsolicited.
A solicited proposal is often in response to an RFP.
An unsolicited proposal represents a suggestion by a contract researcher for

research that may be done.
The unsolicited proposal has the advantage of not having competition, but the
disadvantage of having to speculate on the dilemma facing the firms management.
In addition, the writer must decide to whom the document should be sent.
Such proposals are often time sensitive.
The most important sections of an external proposal:
The objectives
The design
Qualifications
Schedule
Budget
In contract research, the results and objectives sections are the standards against
which the completed project is measured.
The executive summary of an external proposal may be included within the letter of
transmittal.
As the project becomes more complex, more information about project management,
facilities, and special resources is required.
With government-sponsored research, particular attention must be paid to each

specification in the RFP.
Any proposal that ignores or fails to meet any specification is automatically

disqualified.
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STRUCTURING THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Use Exhibit 4-5 to put together a set of modules that tailors your proposal to the
intended audience.
Executive Summary
The executive summary allows a busy manager or sponsor to understand quickly the
thrust of the proposal.
The goal of the summary is to secure a positive evaluation by the executive who will
pass the proposal on to the staff for full evaluation.
The summary should include brief statements of the:
Management dilemma
Management question
Research objectives/research questions
Benefits of your approach
If your proposal is unsolicited, a brief description of your qualifications is also

appropriate.
Problem Statement
This section must convince the sponsor to continue reading your proposal.
Capture the readers attention by stating the management dilemma, its

background, its consequences, and the resulting management question.
The importance of answering the management question should be emphasized

here, if it is not addressed later in the proposal.
Include any restrictions or areas of the management question that will not be
addressed.
Clearly distinguish the primary problem from related problems.
Avoid the use of idioms or clichs.
After reading this section, the potential sponsor should know the management
dilemma and the question, its significance, and why something should be done to
change the status quo.
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Research Objectives
Lay out exactly what is being planned by the proposed research.
In a descriptive study, the objectives can be stated as the research question.
The research question can be further broken down into investigative questions.
If the proposal is for a causal study, the objectives can be restated as a hypothesis.
Give the sponsor specific, concrete, and achievable goals.
List objectives in order of importance, or in general terms first, moving to specific

terms.
The research questions (or hypotheses) should be separated from the flow of the
text for quick identification.
The research objectives section is the basis for judging the remainder of the proposal
and the final report.
Verify the consistency of the proposal by checking to see that each objective is
discussed in the research design, data analysis, and results sections.
Literature Review
The literature review section examines recent (or historically significant) research
studies, company data, or industry reports that form the basis for the proposed study.
Begin with a comprehensive perspective, moving to more specific studies that are
associated with your problem.
Avoid extraneous details.
Always refer to the original source in order to avoid picking up any interpretation
or transcription errors.
Discuss how the literature applies to the study you are proposing.
Show the weaknesses or faults in the design.
Discuss how you would avoid similar problems.
If your proposal deals solely with secondary data, discuss the relevance of the
data and the bias, or lack of bias, inherent in it.
The review may also explain the need for the proposed work to appraise the
shortcomings and/or informational gaps in secondary data sources.
Close this section by summarizing the important aspects of the literature and
interpreting them in terms of the management problem.
Refine the problem as necessary, in light of your findings.
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Importance/Benefits of the Study
In this section, describe explicit benefits that will accrue from your study.
Emphasize the importance of doing the study now.
If you find this section difficult to write, then you have probably not adequately
clarified the management dilemma.
This section requires that you understand what is most troubling your sponsor.
The importance/benefits section is particularly important to the unsolicited external

proposal.
Research Design
This section should include as many subsections as needed to show the phases of the
project.
Provide information on your proposed design for tasks, such as:
Sample selection and size
Data collection method
Instrumentation
Procedures
Ethical requirements
When there is more than one way to approach the design, discuss the methods you
rejected, and why the selected approach is superior.
Data Analysis
A brief section on the methods used for analyzing the data is appropriate for largescale contract research projects and doctoral theses.
With smaller projects, the proposed data analysis would be included within the
research design section.
The goal of this section is to assure the sponsor you are following correct assumptions
and using sound data analysis procedures.
This module is often arduous to write.
You can make it easier to write, read, and understand your data analysis by using
sample charts and tables featuring dummy data.
This section is so important to evaluating contract research proposals that the

researcher should ask an expert about the latest research techniques available, and
then compare these to the proposed techniques.
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Nature and Form of Results
After finishing this section, the sponsor should be able to review the management
question and research objectives and verify that each goal has been covered.
Specify the types of data to be obtained and the interpretations that will be made
during analysis.
State whether the data will be turned over to the sponsor.
Include a contractual statement telling the sponsor exactly what types of information
will be received (statistical conclusions, recommendations, action plans, models, and
so on).
Qualifications of Researchers
Begin this section with the principal investigator, and then provide similar
information on everyone involved with the project.
Two elements are critical:
Professional research competence
Relevant management experience
Past research experience is the best barometer of competence, followed by the highest
academic degree earned.
Provide concise descriptions of experience with similar projects.
Highest degree usually follows the persons name (Researcher, PhD in Statistics)
Society memberships follow the research experience as a string or bulleted list
Businesses are looking for quality advice.
The entire vitae of each researcher need not be included, unless required by the RFP.
The researcher who demonstrates relevant management or industry experience is

more likely to receive a favorable nod to his or her proposal.
Complete vitae information is often placed in an appendix.
Research companies often subcontract specific research activities.
Brief profiles of these companies are provided in this section only if their
inclusion enhances the credibility of the researcher.
Otherwise, profiles are placed in an appendix.
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Budget
Present the budget in the form the sponsor requests.
Typically, the budget should be no more than two pages. (see Exhibit 4-6)
Additional information, backup details, vendor quotes, and calculations should be put
into an appendix or kept in a file for future reference.
The budget statement in an internal proposal is based on employee and overhead

costs.
The budget presented by an external research organization is the person-hour price

that the contracting firm charges.
The detail presented may vary, depending on the sponsors requirements and the
contracting research companys policy.
Some research companies quote on the basis of man-machine hours required.
This is the hourly charge for one person with computer hardware, software,
and organizational resources.
External research agencies avoid giving detailed budgets because they fear that it
will become public knowledge.
The budget section of an external research contractors proposal states the total fee
payable for the assignment.
Payments can be paid at stages of completion.
Sometimes a retainer is paid at the beginning of the contract, then a percentage at

an intermediate stage(s), and the balance on completion.
It is very important to retain all information that you used to generate the budget.
If you use quotes from external contractors, get it in writing and keep a copy in
your file.
Keep explicit notes on how you made estimates.
Some costs are more elusive than others. Dont forget to build in the cost of such
things as proposal writing and publishing.
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Schedule
The schedule should include the major phases of the project, their timetables, and the
milestones that signify completion of a stage.
Major phases may be:
Exploratory interviews
Final research proposal
Questionnaire revision
Field interviews
Editing and coding
Data analysis
Report generation
Each phase should have an estimated time schedule and people assigned to the work.
Chart your schedule in chart form (see Exhibits 3-6 and 4-7)
If the project is large and complex, a critical path method (CPM) of scheduling
may be included (see Exhibit 4-7).
In a CPM chart:
Nodes represent major milestones
Arrows suggest the work needed to get to the milestone
More than one arrow indicates that all those tasks must be completed before the
milestone has been met.
A number placed along the arrow indicates how many days the task should take.
The pathway from start to end that takes the longest time to complete is called the
critical path.
Any delay in an activity along the critical path will delay the end of the entire
project.
Facilities and Special Resources
Projects often require special facilities or resources that should be described in detail.
Example: An exploratory study may need specialized facilities for focus group
sessions.
The proposal should list the relevant facilities and resources that will be used.
The cost for such a facility should be detailed in the budget.
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Project Management
The purpose of the project management section is to show the sponsor that the
research team is organized and can work efficiently.
A master plan is required for complex projects to show how all the phases will be
brought together.
The plan includes:
The research teams organization

Management procedures and controls for executing the research plan
Examples of management and technical reports
The research teams relationship with the sponsor
Financial and legal responsibility
Management competence
Show the relationships between researchers and assistants when several

researchers are part of the team
Sponsors must know that the project director is capable of leading the team and
acting as a liaison to the sponsor.
Procedures for information processing, record control, and expense control are
critical to large operations and should be shown as part of the management
procedures.
The type and frequency of progress reports should be recorded.
The sponsors limits on control during the process should be delineated.
This section also discusses such details as:
Printing facilities, clerical help, and nformation processing capabilities to be

provided by the sponsor.
Rights to the data, the results, and authority to speak for the researcher and for the
sponsor.
Payment frequency and timing
Proof of financial responsibility
Bilbiography
A bibliography is necessary for projects that require a literature review.
Use the format required by the sponsor. If none is specified, refer to a standard style
manual.
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Appendixes
Glossary
A glossary should be included whenever there are many words unique to the research
topic that are not understood by the general management community.
All acronyms used should be defined, even if they are defined within text.
Measurement Instrument
For large projects, it is appropriate to include samples of the measurement

instruments, if they are available when you assemble the proposal.
If the proposal includes the development of a custom-designed measurement

instrument, omit this appendix section.
Other
Any detail that reinforces the body of the proposal can be included in an appendix.
This includes:
Researcher vitae
Profiles of subcontractors (individuals or firms)
Budget details
Lengthy descriptions of special facilities or resources
Exhibit 4-8 shows how these elements were incorporated into the MindWriter
research proposal.
EVALUATING THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Proposals are subject to either formal or informal reviews.
Formal reviews are regularly done for solicited proposals.
The formal review process typically includes:
Development of review criteria, using RFP guidelines.
Assignment of points to each criterion, using a universal scale.
Assignment of a weight for each criterion, based on the importance of each

criterion.
Generation of a score for each proposal.
The sponsor should assign the criteria, the weights, and the scale to be used for
scoring each criterion before the proposals are received.
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When evaluating proposals:
Points are recorded for each criterion reflecting the sponsors assessment of how
well the proposal meets the companys needs relative to that criterion.
After the review, the scores are added to provide a cumulative total.
The proposal with the highest total wins the contract.
Several people typically review long and complex proposals.
The formal method is mostly often used for competitive government, university,
or public sector grants, and for large-scale contracts.
Small-scale contracts are more prone to informal evaluation.
In an informal review, the project needs, and thus the criteria, are well understood,
but are not usually well documented.
A system of points is not used and the criteria are not ranked.
The process is more qualitative and impressionistic.
Exhibit 4-9 shows Myras informal review of the proposal discussed in the
opening vignette.
Many factors contribute to a proposals acceptance and funding.
Primarily, the content discussed previously must be included to the level of detail
required by the sponsors RFP.
Factors that can quickly eliminate a proposal from consideration or improve the
sponsors reception of the proposal:
A poorly presented, unclear, or disorganized proposal will not get serious attention
from the reviewing sponsor.
Neatness
Organization, in terms of being both logical and easily understood
Completeness in fulfilling the RFPs specifications, including budget and
schedule
Appropriateness of writing style
Submission within the RFP timeline
In terms of writing style, the sponsor must be able to understand the problem
statement, the research design, and the methodology.
The proposal must meet specific RFP guidelines, including budgetary restrictions and
schedule deadlines.
A budget that is too high will be rejected.
Conversely, a low budget (compared to competing proposals), suggests that

something is missing or there is something wrong with the researchers.
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A late proposal will not be reviewed.
Lateness communicates disrespect that the researchers schedule is more

important than the sponsors.
A late proposal also communicates a weakness in project management, which

raises an issue of professional competence.
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ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Terms in Review
1.
What, if any, are the differences between solicited and unsolicited proposals?
A solicited proposal is developed in response to a request for proposals (RFP). The
proposal is likely to compete against several others for the contract or grant. As such,
it concentrates on a known problem and proposes an appropriate research design to
address the problem. The problem statement is brief and to the point. The research
objectives are known to the client and are therefore only briefly reviewed. Most of the
proposal concentrates on the research design and the distinguishing characteristics of
the proposal (qualifications, schedule, budget, and resources).
An unsolicited proposal has the advantage of not competing against others but the
disadvantage of having to speculate on the ramifications of a problem facing the
firms management. These proposals lay greater emphasis on the problem statement
and the research objectives. In addition, the qualifications of the researchers are
emphasized. A strongly worded results section can convince the recipient of the
worth of the proposal.
Making Research Decisions

2.
You are the new manager of market intelligence in a rapidly expanding software
firm. Many product managers and corporate officers have requested market
surveys from you on various products. Design a form for a research proposal
that can be completed easily by your research staff and the sponsoring manager.
Discuss how your form improves communication of the research objectives
between the manager and the researcher.
One possible form would include the following items:
I.
II.
III.
Problem Statement
A. Discussion with management
B. Describe the management problem
C. List sub problems if any
Research objectives
A. Develop research questions related to problem statement above
B. Describe target population for each research question
Literature review
A. Description of related research
B. Listing of relevant statistical sources
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IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Research Design
A. Listing of possible research designs, check appropriate design
B. Discuss why particular design is appropriate
Results Description
A. Discuss with management the types of results
B. Return to II if results do not meet expectations
Budget - include sign-off from financial department
Schedule - review with management
A form like this simplifies the early stages of research proposal writing and provides
an easy to understand list for the sponsoring manager. This facilitates management
researcher communications. In addition, it ensures that management knows exactly
the type of research that is being commissioned. In this way, the results obtained will
be beneficial in solving the management problem.
3.
Consider the new trends in desktop publishing, multimedia computer authoring

and display capabilities, and inexpensive videotaping and playback possibilities.
How might these be used to enhance research proposals? Give several examples
of appropriate use.
Student answers will vary. Sample answer:
Desktop Publishing: Desktop publishing makes it easy to provide professional

looking proposals at a low cost. Graphic possibilities improve the ability for
proposals to show the nature of the results. In addition, word processors make it
possible for a boiler-plate proposal to be developed. Having all the standard
modules, the boiler-plate proposal is used whenever a new proposal needs to be
written, ensuring that the proper form and style are used and that all of the
relevant information is included. Such an authoring tool would dramatically
reduce the amount of time it would take to develop proposals.
Multimedia computer authoring and display: These permit development of a brief

for the client so that actual interviewing situations can be explored. This is
generally used for the client who has already contracted the researcher, and is
involved in the design of the project. Although multimedia computer systems are
currently being used primarily in training and education, new uses such as
traveling displays, full graphic presentation techniques, and motion picture
reproduction exist. Their advantage over traditional video is that powerful
personal computers can be equipped with multimedia capabilities and still remain
portable.
Video taping and display: This may be used to show a potential client the types of
specialized facilities you have. In addition, it may be used to demonstrate the
proficiency of interviewing staff, or to graphically demonstrate the problem
statement or importance of a study.
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4.
1.
You are the manager of a research department in a large department store

chain. Develop a list of criteria for evaluating the types of research activities
listed below. Include a point scale and weighting algorithm.
a. Market research
b. Advertising effectiveness
c. Employee opinion surveys
d. Credit card operations
e. Computer service effectiveness at the individual store level.
This list of criteria may take many forms. Examples of acceptable answers are
presented below.
A. Market Research
1. Problem Statement/Research Objectives/Benefits (50 points)
a. The background of the problem is understood
b. The research objectives are clear and correct
c. The complexities of the research are understood
d. The benefits match/exceed managements expectations
2. Design/Analysis/Results (20 points)
a. The design is explained adequately and is appropriate
b. The researcher has the proper analysis tools at his/her disposal
c. Results will be in a usable form
3. Budget/Schedule/Special resources/Qualification (30 points)
a. Project is within budget and on schedule
b. Special resources are available
c. Researcher qualification is appropriate
B. Advertising effectiveness: Same as Market research, except more weight given to
design, less to problem statement, research objectives, and benefits.
C. Employee opinion surveys: An internal study, large in scale. Each of the major
modules is included in the evaluation. A typical point scale may range between 5
and 20 points for each section, with more weight given to the research design,
results, and project management than to the literature review, importance, and
bibliography.
D. Credit card operations: The approach is the same as Market Research except no
special resources are needed. Design/Analysis/ Results carry a heavier weight, 40
points; Problem Statement/ Research Objectives/Benefits would carry a lower
weight, 30 points. This is because the problems are relatively well understood and
analytic in nature, whereas, the design and analysis are important to insure that
the results are usable by the department store.
E. Computer service effectiveness at the individual store level: This is probably an
external study, of moderate size. Considerable attention would be given to the
problem statement and the research objectives to ensure that the correct problem
24
is being researched. As in Employee Opinion Surveys, each of the modules would

be included, and the weights would be split between them.
>From Concept to Practice
5.
Select a research report from a management journal. Outline a proposal for the
research as if it had not yet been performed. Make estimates of time and costs.
Generate a CPM schedule for the project following the format in Exhibit 4-7.
Any number of journal reports can be chosen for this one. Each should be evaluated
on its own merits. A useful exercise is for small groups to critique proposal outlines.
The proposals are distributed without identification and the group works as a team to
prepare a critique for each of 4-5 proposals.
6.
Using Exhibit 4-5 as your guide, what modules would you suggest be included in
a proposal for each of the following cases?
a) A bank interested in evaluating the effectiveness of its community
contributions in dollars and loaned executive time.
b) A manufacturer of leather custom-designed teacher development portfolios
evaluating the market potential among teachers, who are now legally required to
execute a professional development plan every three years.
c) A university studying the possible calendar change from three 11-week
quarters to two 16-week semesters.
d) A dot-com that monitors clicks on banner ads interested in developing a
different pricing structure for its service.
A.
This is a study with major public relations consequences: if the effectiveness
is perceived to be minimal the bank may stop supporting specific organizations or
institute new policies governing the loaning of executives to boards and community
initiative. Also, information about effectiveness of community contributions is
unlikely to be available from a published source, although a bank trade association
might have explored the issue. Yet even given the likely decisions and their influence
on company reputation, most firms would consider this a small study. The proposal
would typically be in the form of a memo to the president detailing the following:
1. Problem Statement Are financial and manpower contributions to community
not-for-profits providing any measurable return to the bank?
2. Research Objectives a. identify how perceived value is measured by various publics
b. define benefits (measurable return) to the bank
c. determine time period
d. other related items
3. Research Design - descriptive
4. Results anticipated
5. Schedule
25
B.
Equivalent to small-scale internal management study. See Exhibit 4-3. While
the firm is undertaking this effort to attract a new market segment that might
potentially involve the development of a new product, the types of products made by
the firm are non-technical and thus the risk is significantly reduced. The firm could
probably develop a portfolio for teachers and test the strength of the idea by offering
it to a small group of teachers.
C.
An Internal Large-scale Study. While at first glance this study would seem to
be one based on cost analyses, within a university environment there will be many
constituencies to contend with. Faculty will have to changes their courses, students
will have to changes the number of courses they take per term, numerous
administrative offices (registration, admissions, student accounts, library, etc.) will
have their operations disrupted and reconfigured. And since students rarely have only
one choice of where to attend, the university cannot make this decision in a vacuum,
it must evaluate its proposed calendar in relation to all other colleges in its market
segment and in its physical market.
D.
2001 marked a year of change in the world of dot.com companies. Many
information companies discovered that advertising was not sustaining their operation
and that they needed to evaluate new pricing models. So, a research company that
monitors web banner ad effectiveness already has some grim writing on their wall:
their market was going to shrink. So pricing might not be their only problem. Due to
the fluctuating environment, the student should approach this study more like an
exploratory external study, possibly to be followed by a small-scale or larger-scale
study once the exploratory study is passed.
7.
Review the Seagate proposal on your text CD. Using Exhibit 4-5 as your guide,
comment on what is or what is not contained therein.
The Seagate Proposal follows the model of the large-scale contract study with some
exceptions. There is no clearly noted section executive summary, nor is there a
literature review. The project objectives are fairly straightforward which would
explain the absence of these sections. The section detailing the qualifications of the
supplier teams provide the information on project management, facilities and special
resources. It is not unusual that the measurement instrument is not included;
developing it is part of the proposed project and the research teams have extensive
experience in the area of consumer satisfaction research.
The level of detail in the research design and the data analysis is the strongest clue at
to the type of study. These sections are very extensive, as they should be given the
proposed cost of the project ($142,000).
Your students might have liked to find a glossary of terms. They should be
encouraged to discuss whether such a glossary was necessary and what might justify
its exclusion or inclusion.
26
The same could be said of the literature review. What would it have added? Why was
it not included? Some likely reasons for exclusion are a prior relationship between the
parties, an understanding of the background of the deciding manager, specifications
within a RFP that specifically requested the omission of these sections.
Abbreviated Student Proposal with Comments
Problem
Section Heading
A large volume of literature exists concerning

feedback and its effects. Many of the studies are
laboratory experiments whose results have been
directed toward the fields of administration and
management. In a laboratory setting, all variables
can be controlled and therefore the results of
these experiments cannot be directly applied to
the daily organizational situations with the same
level of effects demonstrated in experiments. This
research is designed to supply some empirical
evidence from a field setting.
Introduction should contain a broad

overview of the problem. This is an overview
of the problem without much context.
The sources and nature of feedback could be
informally defined so that logical linkages
can be made.
Statement of the Problem

This research proposes to address how sources
of feedback influence employee satisfaction and
performance in the work setting.
Research Questions:
The lack of definition affects the clarity of

the RQs. No IQs are presented. The third
question is an operational problem for the
researcher not a question.
1. What are the sources of feedback that influence

employee satisfaction and performance?
2. What importance do individuals attach to
sources of feedback?
3. How are satisfaction and performance
measured in the work setting when various
sources of feedback are used?
Importance of the Study

This research is important because although work
has been done in the field, additional attention
needs to be given to the application of this
information in the work setting. With an increase in
knowledge, workers should find it advantageous to
know how to effectively increase motivation and
performance levels in employees, through the use
of effective feedback sources. Both intrinsic and
extrinsic forms of feedback need further
investigation. If managers can determine what
types of feedback are most effective in their work
setting, they can increase performance and
satisfaction levels in their organization.
27
There is no evidence in this paragraph that

the writers assessment of work setting
applications of feedback research is correct.
Feedback has been researched to death and
much is known in both intrinsic and extrinsic
categories. The rationale for this study does
not have a sound foundation nor is it
logically argued.

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Chapter 4

Business Research Requests and Proposals

CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The types of proposals and the contents of each.

Using the example on page 86 as a model, have students compose a summary

Chapter 4, Business Research Requests and Proposals

CHAPTER LECTURE NOTES

Before interviewing can begin, however, Roberts firm must be sponsored by a

Request for proposal (RFP)

THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

The benefit to the sponsoring organization is a opportunity to formalize the

Chapter 4, Business Research Requests and Proposals

An RFP is a request to submit a proposal, in accordance with a specific, detailed

A common format makes it easier to compare competing proposals.

RFPs can be an important source of future business.

Professional guides or business listing services can also promote visibility.

Companies sometimes avoid formal RFPs.

Nor are all projects conducive to the RFP process.

Creating the RFP

In formal RFP processes, experts are called upon to assist.

Quality of previous work

Chapter 4, Business Research Requests and Proposals

Proposal administration information

Contracts and license section

This section presents an overview of the project administration.

It establishes the dates of the RFP process:

When the RFP is released

Contact names, addresses, and numbers are listed.

The summary statement often takes the form of a letter.

See Example on page 86.

Describes the problem

Provides the technical details of each requirement

Chapter 4, Business Research Requests and Proposals

This section should be neither too specific nor too general

It should allow suppliers reasonable flexibility and creativity in research design

It should restrict them to meeting the needs of the sponsor

Typically, the following would be included:

Description of functional requirements (what phases will be included)

Identification of constraints (what might limit research design)

Sponsors often ask the proposed researcher to answer questions.

Example: The RFP sent to MindWriter contained questions such as:

To what degree is your proposed system scalable?

Sample Constraints Example from client of Visionary Insights:

Chapter 4, Business Research Requests and Proposals

Every project requires some level of management.

It includes such things as:

Training and reporting schedules

Specific supplier qualifications

Increasingly, websites are used to provide additional information to those invited to

These website URLs are documented in the RFP.

Contracts and License Section

A research supplier is often privy to confidential and potentially damaging

Nondisclosure of such information is critical.

Terms, payment and required benchmarks are stated here.

Typically, a sample purchase contract would be included.

Examples of items that could be concluded:

Meetings with client

Mail and telephone costs

Chapter 4, Business Research Requests and Proposals

Facilities and equipment

Ethical standards are integral to designing the pricing section.

A sponsor would not send a vendor an RFP to:

RFP format requirements vary widely.

Elements of a typical format: