The summative assessment for this unit is a 2,500-word structured research proposal (100% of the mark) based on any topic of your choice in business management. Students will need to consult their respective tutors for advice on topic appropriateness. Assignment Details and Instructions. Throughout this unit, your respective tutors will guide you through detailed practical sessions/processes to enable you to develop your empirically-based proposal successfully. EMPIRICALLY BASED PROPOSAL This is a proposal for an empirical research study based on exploring a phenomenon within the literature. This proposal has to follow a defined structure as listed below. A description of the contents for the various sections is also provided.

QUESTION

The summative assessment for this unit is a 2,500-word structured research proposal (100% of the mark) based on any topic of your choice in business management. Students will need to consult their respective tutors for advice on topic appropriateness.

Assignment Details and Instructions.

Throughout this unit, your respective tutors will guide you through detailed practical sessions/processes to enable you to develop your empirically-based proposal successfully.

1. EMPIRICALLY BASED PROPOSAL

This is a proposal for an empirical research study based on exploring a phenomenon within the literature. This proposal has to follow a defined structure as listed below. A description of the contents for the various sections is also provided.

1. Abstract and Keywords (100 words)

Your abstract should summarise the aim of your research or project, the methodology used, expected contributions (theory, policy or managerial) and the limitations of your study if possible. In the end, you should provide at most 5 keywords relating to your topic.

2. Introduction and background of the research (400 words)

• In this section, you should provide a brief background of your topic.
• If dealing with firms or organisations in a specific country or context, you should specify the type of firms or organisations and provide some justification(s) as to why studying such phenomenon within that context is important.
• You should identify a research gap or problem based on a review of your core literature and then use this gap or problem to ask a research question(s) and to formulate your research objective(s).
• In answering these questions, your research will be expected to contribute to the literature and to practice.
• Briefly state these perceived contributions and then say how the rest of the proposal will be structured.

3. Critical literature review, theoretical framework/s and hypotheses/propositions (1100 words).

• Your proposal should be based on the analysis of relevant literature, drawing on academic sources such as journal articles.
• It is important you start your literature review by presenting the aim of your review of literature as this will automatically create the link to your research question.
• Your literature review should relate to your research question(s) asked in your introduction.
• Remember, you have to engage in a critical discussion of the literature by defining your keywords, analysing arguments, methodologies, and the findings of the reviewed articles.
• Compare and contrast the findings of your reviewed articles as this could help you identify a research gap or problem. It will also enables you make a claim as to how your research will complement existing research and why your research is relevant.
• In discussing your literature, you have to discuss empirical findings about the relationship between your variables or the processes through which one variables could affect the other.

4. Research context, sampling approach, and methods of data collection and analysis (600 words)

• This section is about your methodology. It is also good to start this section by stating the aim of you developing the methodology.
• You should briefly describe your research context (if not done in your literature review section) and provide some evidence of why this context is relevant for your research.
• You also have to discuss the source(s) of your data (qualitative or quantitative) and provide a rationale for your sampling approach, method of data collection, how data will be collected and analysed.
• You also have to explain how you have measured your variables (for quantitative studies) and provide some references from authors who have adopted similar approach.
• To effectively develop your methodology, you can look at any article you have reviewed that is closely related to your work to see how the researcher have justified their methodology and then see how you can adapt such method to your work and reference it correctly.

5. Perceived contributions and implications (200 words)

• Even though you have not collected and analysed any data, you should at least, based on your reading and development of your proposal, be able to identify some perceived contributions that your work will make.
• These contributions may have specific implications for theory, policy, or practice that you might discuss in your proposal.
• For example, If you have developed a framework, then that could be your contribution to theory or literature.
• Practical implications could be contributions to management. Based on your proposal, what advice can you give to firms/managers, and why should they take your advice seriously?
• Your contributions could also be that your work addresses a contradiction within existing literature or it respond to calls for further research in a specific area.

6. Limitations and area for further research (100 words).

• You are now coming to the end of your proposal.
• At this point, you need to reflect on the aim of your research and the research design. In doing so, you must not make unfounded claims or generalisations about the potential of your research proposal.
• While stating what your research could achieve, you also have to identify some shortcomings (e.g. from the methodology, from the type of data, the firms involved, the context of your research, etc) and put them forward as areas for further research.

References

Please make sure you follow the MMU Harvard referencing guide and be consistent in your referencing.

https://libguides.mmu.ac.uk/refguide/mmuharvard.

Submission information and word count.

Please note that the word count at the end of each section is only an indicative suggestion. You should, however, submit a 2,500 words research proposal excluding references, tables, figures, and appendices. Your reference list should appear at the end of your proposal. Tables and diagrams (if any) should be included in the appropriate section with a given title and the source — for example, figure 1: conceptual framework or table 1: descriptive statistics. You should submit your proposal using the assessment link found in the unit Moodle page.

Formatting and style

Use 12-point, 1.15 line spacing, and Times New Roman for font type. Your proposal should be well structured, well presented, and make use of appropriate academic language. Harvard referencing should be used. Make sure all citations should be included in your reference list.

Similarity scores

You will have the opportunity to check your similarity report three times before your final submission. Copy and paste is a poor academic practice. We urge you all to engage in a critical discussion of the literature in relation to your research. Your similarity report will be checked, and scores on above 30 without proper reference may be investigated. Remember, plagiarism is a crime.  We will continue to teach you to write critically, and should you need any assistance; please do let your lecturers know.

ANSWER

The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Organizational Performance: A Structured Research Proposal

Abstract

This research proposal aims to investigate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and organizational performance within the context of business management. The study will employ an empirical research design, utilizing a critical literature review, theoretical framework development, and data collection and analysis methods. The expected contributions include providing insights into the potential benefits of CSR on various dimensions of organizational performance and identifying the mechanisms through which CSR activities influence these outcomes. The limitations of the study, such as potential contextual constraints, will be acknowledged. Keywords: corporate social responsibility, organizational performance, empirical research, literature review, theoretical framework.

Introduction and Background of the Research

The introduction section will provide a brief background of the research topic, emphasizing the significance of studying CSR within the context of business management. Specifically, the focus will be on exploring the impact of CSR on organizational performance. The research will primarily target firms or organizations operating in a specific country or context (Kharabsheh et al., 2023). Justification for this focus will be provided by highlighting the importance of understanding the role of CSR in the specific context and its potential implications for organizational success.

To address the research gap in the existing literature, the proposal will pose a research question and formulate research objectives. The research question will aim to investigate the relationship between CSR and organizational performance (Glavas & Radić, 2019). The objectives will guide the study in contributing to the literature and practice by identifying the mechanisms and dimensions through which CSR influences organizational performance.

Critical Literature Review, Theoretical Framework, and Hypotheses/Propositions

The literature review section will critically analyze relevant academic sources, such as journal articles, to establish the foundation for the study. The review will begin by stating the aim of reviewing the literature, thereby establishing a link to the research question. By analyzing arguments, methodologies, and findings of the reviewed articles, the literature review will compare and contrast existing research to identify any gaps or problems in the literature.

This critical discussion will serve to justify the relevance and complementarity of the proposed research. By examining empirical findings on the relationship between CSR and organizational performance, the study will contribute to existing knowledge by providing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms and outcomes. The theoretical framework will be developed based on the reviewed literature, establishing the conceptual basis for the proposed research. Hypotheses or propositions will be formulated to guide data collection and analysis.

Research Context, Sampling Approach, and Methods of Data Collection and Analysis

This section will describe the research methodology, starting with a clear statement of its aim. The research context will be outlined, highlighting its relevance to the study. The rationale for the chosen sampling approach, data collection method, and analysis techniques will be provided. For quantitative studies, the measurement of variables will be explained, referencing similar approaches employed by previous researchers.

The proposed methodology will be adapted from existing studies closely related to the research topic, ensuring its validity and reliability. By following established methodologies, the study aims to contribute to the literature by expanding empirical evidence on the CSR-organizational performance relationship. The section will also emphasize the ethical considerations involved in data collection and address any potential limitations associated with the chosen methodology.

Perceived Contributions and Implications

Although data collection and analysis have not yet been conducted, the proposal will identify perceived contributions of the research based on extensive literature review and theoretical development (Cheffi et al., 2021). The contributions may have implications for theory, policy, or practice. For instance, the proposed research may develop a framework that contributes to existing theories or literature. The practical implications could guide managers and firms in incorporating CSR practices to enhance organizational performance. The research may also address contradictions in the literature or respond to calls for further research, thus contributing to advancing knowledge in this field.

Limitations and Areas for Further Research

In acknowledging the aim and research design, the proposal will identify limitations inherent in the methodology, data type, organizations involved, or research context. These limitations will be presented as areas for further research, highlighting potential avenues for future exploration and addressing the potential gaps in the current study. By acknowledging these limitations, the proposal ensures a balanced and transparent approach to research.

References

Cheffi, W., Abdel-Maksoud, A., & Farooq, M. (2021). CSR initiatives, organizational performance and the mediating role of integrating CSR into management control systems: Testing an inclusive model within SMEs in an emerging economy. CSR Initiatives, Organizational Performance and the Mediating Role of Integrating CSR Into Management Control Systems: Testing an Inclusive Model Within SMEs in an Emerging Economy, 32(3), 333–367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00187-021-00323-6 

Kharabsheh, B., Al-Shammari, H., & Bataineh, K. (2023). Research on Corporate Social Responsibility: Insights and Future Directions. Administrative Sciences, 13(2), 64. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13020064 

Glavas, A., & Radić, M. (2019). Corporate Social Responsibility: An Overview From an Organizational and Psychological Perspective. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.90