pg. 1 Issue 2: Mar 2019 Copyright © – All rights reserved – UK College of Business and Computing HND

HND Business
Assignment Brief
RQF Unit 11 Research ProjectUnit level 5Unit code R/508/0522Block Start Date 04th March 2019Hand out date w/c 04th March 2019Submission Deadline 12th August 2019Lectures & Formative Assessments 20 WeeksGuided learning hours 30Module Leader Dalton VincentCopyright © – All rights reserved – UK College of Business and Computing
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Assignment title

Research Project

Theme

Globalisation

Word count

6000 words

Background to the theme
The OECD defines globalisation as the following.
‘’The geographic dispersion of industrial and service activities, for example research development, sourcing of
factor inputs, production and distribution, and the cross –border networking of companies, for example through
joint ventures and the sharing of assets.’’
The key implications of globalisation for business include:
the increasing trade across borders of goods and services,
increasing levels of labour migration between countries,
the emergence of global brands,
greater outsourcing and offshoring of production,
expansion of foreign direct investment.
Globalisation has led to increasing competition and an economic and financial shift from developing to
emerging economies. It promotes a sense of cultural awareness, international co-operation and global
economic inter-dependency. Those multi-national companies that are successful have had to devise and
customise new strategies for doing business in emerging markets and implement new business models to stay
ahead of the competition.

Assignment
Part 1 – Research Proposal – (LO1)
Produce a research proposal that clearly defines a research question or hypothesis based on the theme
“Globalisation” supported by a literature review. Your proposal should examine appropriate research methods
and approaches to primary and secondary research.
The research proposal should set out the plan for how you will achieve the intended research objective and
shows whether the objective will be feasible, ethical and achievable in the time scale. It should also set out
how secondary research supports the research objective, how the research will be conducted and how the
research will be evaluated.
Choosing a research topic
Students are to choose their own research topic for this unit. Strong research projects are those with clear, well
focused and defined objectives. One of the best ways to do this is to put it in the form of a question or
hypothesis.
The following is a range of possible topic areas that could be covered but you would have to narrow it down to
a more specific area to address a specific issue:
• The benefits and drawbacks of a global business environment
• How globalisation can drive business success
• The benefits and the risks of offshoring and outsourcing
• The interrelationship between global business and global politics and the challenges that can create
• The different strategies employed by businesses to enter emerging markets
• Competing with multinational companies and survival strategies for local companies in emerging markets
• The impact of globalisation on the corporate structures of large multinational companies and the major
challenges they face.
Guidance on writing the research proposal
Your proposal should be a maximum of 2,000 words, in addition to your timetable and references or a short
bibliography. We do not expect the proposal to be perfect at this stage, nor do we expect you to stick to it very
closely as your ideas will almost certainly change once you start to study, but we do expect you to write it as
follows;
1. Introduction/ background to the research area (500 words)
Title or working title of research project (in the form of a research question or hypothesis)
Research aim and objectives
State the rationale or reasons for choosing the topic explaining why it is of academic and or practical
importance

2. Literature review (800 words)
Write a short literature review, indicating the importance of previous related research or investigated literature
and how your own research question might make a useful contribution to the area
3. Methodology (500 words)
• Explain and justify your research approach (qualitative and quantitative)
• State the main research techniques (interviews, questionnaire, case studies, modelling etc.) you might use
• Indicate your suggested data collection procedures, indicating sources and any possible difficulties
• Explain any analytical techniques you intend to use
4. Timeline of research activities (200 words)
• State your proposed timetable of activities
5. Finally, list the references in your proposal or provide a short bibliography.
Please note there will be a compulsory submission at the end of week 10 to submit your proposal. All
drafts must be submitted on the Research Project module page on the link provided for Formative
submission.
Your proposal must be accepted to continue on to the research stage. Failure to produce an
acceptable proposal would impinge on the actual research to be undertaken and the final work can be
refused.
Continue on next page

Part 2 – The Research & Report – (LOs 2, 3 & 4)
Upon successfully completing the Research proposal (Part 1) you are to undertake the research and analyse
the findings following appropriate methods for business research project.
You will communicate the outcomes of the research and conclude by reflecting upon the research process,
how well you was able to implement your proposal, the challenges you encountered and the lessons learnt in
the form of a written report.
What you need to:
 Plan and design data collection tool (for e.g. questionnaire, interviews) to match the research question
or hypothesis
 Consider any ethical issues or implications connected to your research
 Collect the data using an appropriate data collection tool (for e.g. questionnaire, interviews, observation
etc.)
 Collate the evidence using a frequency distribution table and present the findings using words, numbers
and graphs. Examples of presentation style can be seen from the following website
http://www.audiencedialogue.net/kya6b.html. Analyse the findings draw conclusions.
 Reflect on the research how successful it has been, were you able to carry it out as per your proposal,
did you achieve the objectives you set out and what have you learnt by doing the research. What will
you recommend for improvement and future research?
Guidance on presenting your work
For this part of the assignment the following is a recommended format for presenting your work.
1. Executive summary or Abstract – Give a summary of the whole report, outline the purpose, research
method, findings, main conclusions and recommendations (Mainly uses past tense).
2. Methodology – Explain very briefly how the research was done and outline how the data was collected.
3. Results/Findings – Presents findings of the research, facts only – no interpretation, Use graphic form
(eg. tables & graphs).
4. Discussion – Presents an interpretation and evaluation of the results, draw together different aspects of
the findings, findings of other studies and refer to literature.
5. Conclusion – Brief statement of what was found.
6. Recommendations – Suggest suitable changes/solutions/further research.
7. Reflection – Brief reflection on the application of research methodologies and concepts as you
suggested in your proposal, consider what you have learnt and what you can change for future.
8. References – all references used.
9. Appendices – Attachments of additional information (eg. surveys, questionnaires, glossary etc).
Source: Adapted from RMIT University (2007)

Submitting the assignment
You are to submit the full assignment (Part 1 and Part 2) on or before the stipulated submission due date on
ulearn. It is strongly advised you follow the format suggested above or if you decide to adopt a different format
you must clearly show separation between the Research proposal (part 1) and the Research Report (part 2).
Learners must ensure that they have followed the guidance and checked their work for similarity using the
plagiarism checker on ulearn dashboard before submitting their work.
Academic Misconduct’ Statement:
‘Academic Misconduct’ is a term used to describe a deliberate attempt by a student to take unfair advantage
over other students to undermine the quality, standards and credibility of the programmes and qualifications
offer by UKCBC. Academic Misconduct includes: plagiarism; collusion; falsification; replication; cheating;
bribery; and impersonation. A student suspected of Academic Misconduct will be investigated by the College
and appropriate action will be taken.
Contract Cheating’ Statement:
‘Contract Cheating’ is defined by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) as occurring when, “a third party
completes work for a student who then submits it to an education provider as their own, where such input is not
permitted.” Such third party companies have become known as ‘essay mills’, and it is the responsibility of
students to avoid contact and association with such third party companies throughout their entire period of
study. A student suspected of Contract Cheating will be investigated by the College and appropriate action will
be taken.

Assessment criteria (please do not use this as questions, try to follow guideline)
Pass Merit DistinctionLO1 Conduct appropriate research methodology which integrates knowledge into
the research process.D1 Critically evaluate
research methodologies and
processes in application to a
business research project to
justify chosen research
methods and analysis.P1 Produce a research proposal that
clearly defines a research question or
hypothesis, supported by a literature
review.
P2 Examine appropriate research
methods and conduct primary and
secondary research.M1 Evaluate different research
approaches and methodology, and
make justifications for the choice of
methods selected based on
philosophical/ theoretical frameworks.LO2 Conduct and analyse research relevant to a chosen business research
project.P3 Conduct primary and secondary
research using appropriate methods for
a business research project that
consider costs, access and ethical
issues.
P4 Apply appropriate analytical tools to
analyse research findings and data.M2 Discuss merits, limitations and
pitfalls of approaches to data collection
and analysis.LO3 Communicate the outcomes of a research project to identified stakeholders.P5 Communicate research outcomes in
an appropriate manner for the intended
audience.M3 Coherently and logically
communicate outcomes to the intended
audience, demonstrating how outcomes
meet set research objectives.D2 Communicate critical
analysis of the outcomes
and make valid, justified
recommendations.LO4 Reflect on the application of research methodologies and concepts.P6 Reflect on the effectiveness of
research methods applied for meeting
objectives of the business research
project.
P7 Consider alternative research
methodologies and lessons learnt in
view of the outcomes.M4 Provide critical reflection and insight
that results in recommended actions for
improvements and future research
considerations.D3 Demonstrate reflection
and engagement in the
resource process leading to
recommended actions for
future improvement.

Glossary of commonly used academic words.
Account for Give reasons for: explain why something happens.Analyse Examine something in very close detail and from a number of angles.
Identify the important points and chief features, and understand their
relationships.Argue Present a case for and against a proposal or statement and present your
own opinion at the end.Compare Show how two or more things are similar.Contrast Look at two or more things and draw out differences. State whether the
differences are significant.Critically evaluate Weigh arguments for and against something, assess the strength of
evidence on both sides.Define Give the exact meaning of.Describe Give a detailed account of the main features or characteristics …Discuss Write about the most important characteristics of something. Give
arguments for and against, look at it from a variety of perspectives.Distinguish Identify the differences between two items.

Evaluate Assess the worth or usefulness of something. Use evidence to support
your opinion.Examine Look at something in detail. You may be expected to ‘critically evaluate’ it
as well.Explain Make it clear why something happens or why it is the way it is.Identify Recognise name and briefly describe something.Illustrate Use examples to further explain or justify something. Could be visual or
verbal.Interpret Explain the meaning or significance of information or data that you are
presenting.Justify Provide evidence that supports an argument or idea.Outline Give only the main points, show only the main structure.Prove Present evidence in a logical structure to support an argument for a point
of view.Relate (Two meanings) 1. Show how ideas / theories/ events etc are linked or connected.
2. Tell a story. Explain something in a narrative fashion.Review Survey and comment on the key aspects of something or a range of
things.

State Give the main features clearly and simply.Summarise Draw out the main points, omitting detail and examples.To what extent… How far is something true, or contributes to a final outcome. Also how far
is it not true? In academic writing the answer is usually somewhere in the
middle.Trace Describe the development of something; follow the order of different
stages in an event or process.Adapted from Cottrell.S.(2003) The Study Skills Handbook. Basingstoke. Palgrave.

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