Management Dissertation Proposal Proforma - Assignment Example

?MANAGEMENT DISSERTATION PROPOSAL PROFORMA Aim, objectives and feasibility of the dissertation (first draft required in Week 2 of RM module) This section should include: 1. The research aim, the research question(s) and the research objectives 2. Feasibility: Do you have the necessary resources (such as access to requisite data, consent of your organisation, some indication of the willingness of subjects to be questioned or interviewed, etc.)? 3. Justification of the topic: Why you are researching this topic, what the potential benefit is to your firm or industry, and what actions may result from the valuable insights gained, etc. Background Intrapreneurship – also known as corporate entrepreneurship and corporate venturing – is the process whereby an individual or a group of individuals, in association with an existing organization, create a new organization or instigate renewal or innovation within that organization’ (Bosma, Stama and Wennekers, 2010, pp. 3) The M-Pesa money transfer services offered by the Vodafone Corporation are such an example of an intrapreneurship (Spitzeck, nd, pp.5-9). It is a high-risk venture since mostly the firm funds the projects but it diversifies the firm’s focus and increases innovation approaches and motivational techniques. It is also a shield for the company from risks of failure and a pilot for proposed management and entrepreneurial styles (Asgar and Wigley, 2000, pp. 4). Companies are growing and production has increased with a ready market locally, in the Americas and Africa, which would be attributable to the high rates of innovations that are characterizing these market segments. The way of running companies in Asia is different from the rest of the world in matters of administration and the use of intraprenuership could increase the growth of the companies, their reputation and their production (Antoncic and Hisrich, 2001, pp. 495). Most of the companies in Asia have a top-down administration strategy in matters of organizational culture leading to a form of innovation paralysis, a general lack of new ideas and insight: where the low-level personnel are not empowered and they hardly get things done without approval from the authorities; this approval is hard to get (Yeung, 2002 p. 1-5). Intraprenuership has been adopted by many major firms and has led to creation of major brands and diversification of market (Bosma, Stama and Wennekers, 2010, pp. 4). Therefore, intrapreneurship can be seen to be managerial phenomenon that ought to be taken more seriously and tried widely as the companies will benefit from the concepts of their employees and have them drive the exercise as it enriches management practices (Seshadri and Tripathy, 2006, pp. 17). It allows the adoption of design, creativity and innovation as a strategy for competitiveness, diversification and income generation (Hathway, 2009, pp. 8). Justification The recent development of this management practice (intrapreneurship) may imply that it is not widely used across the globe, and hence within the Asian region. This study will therefore will be very instrumental in justifying the presence or lack of this management strategy within this region. It is therefore important that the dissertation reveals how it affects or could affect the running of businesses within this region as being studied. The dissertation will therefore be concerned with developing a hypothesis on the necessity of intraprenureship in Asia and its contribution to organizations. The research question is therefore “what is the effect of intrapreneurship within Asian based organizations?” Objectives Business management is a field that involves new findings, strategies and re-strategizing on the output of the firm for increased revenue (Sabharwal, nd, 89-90). In the mid 70’s, the world of business management used a method that would later on come to be utilized and revitalized to conform to arising challenges of the new era; in the first paper about this method, Gifford and Elizabeth Pinchot in 1978 named it Intrapreneurship (Asgar and Wigley, 2000). In an effort to sum up a pool of factual evidence in respect to this field, this paper intends to carry a thorough investigation, from which the results will add up and fill the existing vacuum between other researches done regarding intrapreneurship as a management strategy. Moreover, there are loopholes that exist in the studies that have been done in the past revolving to close themes as this (as will be ascertained in the literature review). In this study, major objectives will revolve around investigating the effect of intrapreneurship within organizations in Asia and the support provided by organizations for its development, probe its necessity as well as the obstacles to its development, analyze its contribution to the Asian economic performance as well as suggest a way forward in for intraprenuership in regard to the Asian corporate. If this dissertation on the necessity of intraprenuership and its contribution in Asian corporate is done, it will go a long way in influencing future management strategies and the mode of running companies in the region. The companies could borrow from the research results to learn the essence of intrapreneurship in businesses and would be particularly of interest to employees with great ideas for innovations within these companies. In the event that the paper on intraprenuership in Asia prevails upon the Asian managerial strategies, there should be an overhaul in the management systems employed currently and adoption of new strategies that integrate intraprenuership. This should directly lead in more brands and more innovation from the employees. The selection of the topic or problem, like any other in research, is influenced by the epistemological perspectives on the need to raise concrete information in a particular field based on research methods through scientific mechanisms of data collection and analysis. In the study analysis as presented above, the need to establish the importance or effect of intrapreneurship within business entities in Asia necessitates the scientific evaluation of the issues in order to confirm our arguments. Epistemology in light of research concerns itself with four primary questions that are answered to show the feasibility and validity of the research (Anastas, 2002, pp.2). The research question is also in tandem with epistemological influences in answering how the knowledge will be acquired as it hints of the interview method and use of secondary data from other sources like the internet in its feasibility argument (Anastas, 2002, pp.2). It as well shows that we already have background information through the internet hence answering the question of how we know what we know. Question The study will be focusing on the question: if intrapreneurship is beneficial to other parts of the globe, is the outcome similar in Asia? Hypothesis These hypotheses are based on a generalization of ideas, which will need to be substantiated by the research. a) Hypothesis: as intrapreneureship is beneficial elsewhere within the globe, it is equally profitable in Asian firms. b) Hypothesis: there has been notable positive performance in the overall Asian economy following the wide adoption of the intrapreneurship by these companies. Feasibility: The research is feasible as it seeks to establish observable values and there is enough basic secondary data from the internet as well as the management control systems of these organizations. I also assume that the employees of the organizations will also be glad to be interviewed as they are bound to gain if intraprenuership is adopted in their organizations. 2. Literature review (first draft required in Week 3 of RM module) Find at least 10 sources of academic information (references) connected to the work you propose to do and analyse them to show how your work may fill or extend an existing gap. Compare and contrast the sources with each other and with your approach, whereby, at least half of the sources must be from refereed academic journals, which will be found in the online library. (Week 3 of RM module requires 3academic articles. You will then extend this to 10 when working in your DA classes during Weeks 5 to 7.) The corporate cultural orientation has been studied over time in order to ascertain the relevance of this theme within the context of entrepreneurship within business organizations. It is critical for organizations to understand as well as appreciate the power or innovation from within and more so understand the factors that necessitate the culture of intrapreneurship. With lots of studies having been done in under almost similar themes, there still exits a vast gap (in confirming the effect of intrapreneurship and firms) between the information that has been generated through these studies and what this study intends to provide. For instance, a study was carried out in Bangladesh to establish the factors that are favorable for the thriving of intrapreneurial spirit within the country. The study employed a sample representation of industries as well as companies through which the generalization of the findings was to be made. High innovation among the trading firms was notable within this era of globalization. Through an empirical study mode, the research found out four basic determinants of the capacity for companies to engage in intrapreneural activities: Technically skilled employees, the organization’s layout, secrecy availability as well as the market knowledge by the organization. However, the findings did not reveal any correlation between an organization’s profitability or economic performance and the rate of intrapreneurship. Maier and Zenovia (2011) undertook a study through the literature to compare and contrast entrepreneurship versus intrapreneurship within the current world. Among the many things they were to study, they sought to substantiate the existing similarities as well as differences. Their study revealed that the two are major basic tools that companies and other firms can exploit for use within the economic dynamics that we are facing today and through which, solutions to trade problems can be found. In particular, this study found out that every company should uphold the spirit of innovation as it is only through this that future success of them are laid. They reasoned that yesterday’s innovation can never guarantee tomorrows competence hence the need to encourage the intrapreneural spirit. Though their findings found a place for intrapreneurship and other innovations within organizations, they lacked factual figures to substantiate the essence of the innovation within organizations. Bosma and friends studied the distribution of intrapreneurs within the framework of age and found that more innovation rests with the younger employees as compared to the elderly employees. Furthermore, the likely hood of employees to engage in intrapreneural innovations is double within the high-income countries as compared to the low-income countries (Bosma, Stam and Wennekers, 2010, pp. 24-25). This therefore equally confirmed the essence of the innovation within organizations though it lacked qualitative analysis of the implication to the general performance of intrapreneurshiop within the context of age and level of education. Globalization is seen to be a threat to some extent as innovations are simply taking over the older ones thus necessitating constant innovation for organizations in order to be ascertained of survival within this current framework. Arslan and Cevher (n.d. pp. 71-75) carried a study with the theme of intrapreneurship as a driver to innovation. They found out that innovational spreads over a vast coverage of products, services, management practices, production processes and many others. The study revealed that intrapreneurship is critical for the growth of an economy as it spurs innovation through which higher productivity will be realized. Never the less, despite high productivity of the firms, it is necessary to ascertain whether the higher productivity simply means high productivity and thus the need for such a clarification. Through the intrapreneur spirit, productivity within the companies in exploitation of better and improved innovations would result to higher yields. Some studies have tested the frameworks through which entrepreneurship thrives, others have studied the effects of the same toward the company as well as towards the overall economic performance within a country and others have also evaluated the role of corporate innovation within the changing times. The findings have gone a long way in ascertaining the hypothesis devised by these studies and better still confirming the propositions held before the studies. Furthermore, by the studies providing reliable commendations, other studies are carried out to further the research. The failure of these studies to empirically show the profit implications associated to the innovations and the organizations, this study therefore picks it up to evaluate the profit case from intrapreneurship. 3. Research methodology and methods (first draft required in Week 4 of RM module) In this section, you will discuss your research methodology. What is your epistemological approach—positivist, relativist or constructionist? This will inform the research design you choose as well as the research methods that you will use to collect both the secondary and primary data. You must be able to justify your choice in terms of your learning objectives, your research question and your research approach. Questionnaires will be required while conducting interviews with sampled companies; the practical methods to be used in the research are analyzing archival work and printed materials in libraries. This study intends to use raw facts and figures alongside processed data in order to ascertain the availability of the required data for the purpose of feasibility. Primary data will involve one on one interview and records by the chosen companies, while secondary sources will target the study of economic surveys, Economic journals from Asia bureau of statistics as well as figures through the management control system. Different data collection methods such as survey, interview and observation are often used within management research studies as revealed through Coll and friend in analysis of qualitative methodologies (Coll and Chapman, 2000, pp. 4-6). The methodology step is critical while carrying out a research study in that through review, one is able to know whether it is a study that has ever been done and if so the methods applied previously and the outcomes that were gotten. The choice of the methods of data collection is dependent on the analytical methods adopted because not all methodologies are designed to analyze factual data or theoretical facts (Carter and Little, 2007, p. 1316). It therefore assists the research in determining whether his/her methods have been used in the past and what other methods have ever been used (Anonymous, n.d, p.43-44). Other relationships are not testable hence the studies adopt the deductive methodologies of carrying out a research study (Burney, 2008, pp.4-7; Anonymous, nd. P.13). On the other hand, whenever research variables relate in manners that are both predictable through theoretical deductions and can be testable, the studies will employ the use of the two simultaneously. Deductions from the study findings will then be applicable in general context within the capacity of the study to project and make inferences(Anon, nd, 13) Analytical results from the mathematical tests indicate the factual evidence on the nature of relations that exist between the variables. For instance, this research study intends to use the analytical method of analysis to determine the effect of intrapreneural spirit within the firms in Asia. We are therefore interested in finding empirically testable figures after which we shall carry out various tests (correctional and causal tests) through statistical regressions to establish the relationship that exists in the firm’s management as well as the intrapreneurs. Through regression analysis (to establish correlation) and the statistical central measures of tendency (for causation), the author shall be able to confirm the relationships that exist between the variables as well as the firms for the purpose of overall economic evaluation. This study will therefore adopt the use of methods that can capture factual data that is very useful for the study. In this study (determining the effect of entrepreneurial practices within the Asia region), the author shall employ various methods of collecting data; questionnaires will be required while conducting interviews with sampled companies because they are easy to administer and can be mailed to the respective companies or conduct phone interviews for the purpose of lowering study costs. Secondary sources, which will establish past trends as well as future projections, on the other hand will target the study of economic surveys, Economic journals from Asia bureau of statistics. In studying the effects of entrepreneurship within firms, study will employ the use of analytical methodology of testing data and making possible inferences. Through testing the significance of the values gotten through regression methods, we ascertain the impact of each variable to the overall deductions arrived at. The research will employ use of raw facts and figures from economic surveys and individual company periodicals over the period of the organization in context. Focus group interviews as well as the customized individual surveys will assist in collecting the required data. Financial data from the organizations over the time period will be adopted to capture the trends in financial output of the firms before, during as well as after the innovations procedure for comparison purposes. With no certainty of whether entrepreneurship is a real phenomenon within the Asian region, this study is timely and therefore will be very implemental in justifying the presence or lack of this management strategy within this region. It is therefore important that the dissertation establish the place of intrapreneurship in Asia, and how it affects or could affect the running of businesses thereby studied. The research question is therefore “Is intraprenuership necessary in Asia and how does it contribute to organizations?” In conclusion, our analysis reveals that there exists a relationship between the methodology adopted for a research study and the subsequent methods used in collecting data. Whenever the methodological approach adopted is qualitative analysis, and then methods for data collection will vary from the methods most appropriate for other studies as the quantitative studies (Terrell, 2012, p.257). Moreover, the distinction in methodological approach as being structured and or unstructured influence the methods applied for collecting data. There are methods that are highly suitable for observation data collection while others are not well suited for observation method as an example. It is therefore the finding of this paper that while deciding on a particular data collection method, then the evaluation of the methodology to be used is critical. Research is a descriptive nature of the study, which will employ the use of analytical figure and through statistical analysis; the factual evidence of every relationship between the valuables is to be achieved. 4. Timing mileposts NB: You must reach Stage 8 at least 4 weeks before your deadline. A 30-day contingency provision is also advisable to allow for potential slippages. This will enable your DA to give you sufficient feedback on your final draft. You should produce a final Proposal for submission to the FM for approval (as agreed with your DA) within 1 to 2 months from your module start date. Milestone Description Due date Remarks 1 Stage 1: Area of interest identified Complete this column completed 2 Stage 2: Specific topic selected completed 3 Stage 3: Topic refined to develop dissertation proposal completed 4 Stage 4: Proposal written and submitted 5 Stage 5: Collection of data and information 6 Stage 6: Analysis and interpretation of collected data/information 7 Stage 7: Writing up 8 Stage 8: Final draft prepared— submission of dissertation 9 Final Deadline—9 months from module start date. 28 January 2014 References: Anastas J. W. 2002. Why Epistemology Matters’ Keynote Address Fourteenth National Symposium on Doctoral Research in Social Work College of Social Work [ Online] Available at (Accessed 3 June 2013) Antoncic B. and Hisrich Robert D. 2001. Intrapreneurship: Construct Refinement And Cross-Cultural Validation. Journal of Business Venturing.16(5), p. 495 Anonymous. n.d. An overview of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods [Online] Available at: (Accessed 20 May 2013). Anonymous, n.d. ‘Chapter 1:An Invitation to Qualitative Research’ Qualitative Practice. [Online] Available at: (Accessed 3 June 2013). Arslan, E. T. and Cevher, E. n.d. Intrapreneurship enabling organizations to drive innovation, Turkey [Online] Available at < http://ces.epoka.edu.al/icme/a7.pdf > (Accessed 3 June 2013) Asgar, J. and Wigley, R. 2000. Managing without the Ceo. Florida: Universal-Publishers. Bosma, N., Stam, E., and Wennekers, S. 2010. Intrapreneurship - An international study’, Scientific analysis of entrepreneurs and SMEs [Online]. Available at: (Accessed 20 May 2013). Burney S. M. 2008. Inductive & Deductive Research Approach’. Department of Computer Science University of Karachi. [Online] Available at < http://www.scribd.com/doc/13920229/Inductive-Deductive-Research-Approach-060320081 > (Accessed 3 June 2013) Carter, S. M. and Little, M. 2007. Justifying knowledge, justifying method, Taking Action: Epistemologies, Methodologies, and Methods in Qualitative Research. Qualitative Health Research, 17(10), p. 1316. Coll, R. K. and Chapman, R. 2000. Choices of methodology for cooperative education researchers, Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education,1(1), p. 4-6. Hathway D. 2009. ‘Managed Disruption: A Blueprint for Strategic Intrapreneurship’ A Dissertation Submitted in Part-Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration of the University of Warwick. [Online] Available at; (Accessed 3 June 2013) Maier, V. and Zenovia, C. P. 2011. ‘Entrepreneurship versus intrapreneurship’, Review of International Comparative Management, 21(5), pp. 975. [Online]. Available at: (Accessed on 18 May 2013). Spitzeck, H. n.d. The Yunus inside – social intrapreneurship. Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility [Online]. Available at: (Accessed: 28 May 2013). Terrell, S. R. 2012. Mixed-methods research methodologies, The Qualitative Report. [Online] Available at < http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17-1/terrell.pdf > (Accessed 3 June 2013) Yeung, H. 2002. Entrepreneurship and the Internationalisation of Asian Firms: And Institutional Perspective. Cheltenham: Edward Elga. Seshadri D V R. and Tripathy A. 2006, ‘Innovation through Intrapreneurship: The Road Less Travelled’. Vikalpa. 31(1), p. 17 Sabharwal Sonia. nd. ‘Lesson – 6 Managerial Roles In Small Business. [Online] Available at: < http://www.du.ac.in/fileadmin/DU/Academics/course_material/EP_06.pdf> (Accessed: 3 June 2013). Read More