Assignment: Research Project
Assignment will lead up to the Research Project in Week Six. Before you work on assignment, preview the Research Project so you understand the outcome of this project. Also read this week's lecture. If you are having a difficult time choosing your topic, please contact your instructor for assistance.
In a one-to two-page paper (not including the title and reference pages), provide
• Background information about your Research Project (i.e., why have you decided to do this research?).
• The management dilemma. (i.e., what is the problem you are trying to solve with this research?)
• The research question and a hypothesis.
• A brief summary of previously conducted scholarly research on similar topics that you can find through the Ashford University Library.
Your paper must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. It must include citations and references for the text and at least two scholarly sources from the Ashford University Library that you used as background research.
BELOW IS THE RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT PROJECT SO YOU CAN KNOW WHAT IT HAS TO BE ABOUT:
Research Project
Focus of the Research Project
The version of your Research Project should be 10 to 12 double-spaced pages (not including the title page, reference page, tables, appendices, etc.). The paper will be an original business research project that tests a hypothesis of your choice. The research can relate to your place of current/previous employment or other contexts of interest. Sample topics could include, but are not limited to:
• Manufacturing quality/cost improvement
• Service quality improvement
• Systems design
• Accounts receivable/billing/accounts receivable aging
• Marketing/advertising Issues
• Sales of goods
• Investments
• Product safety
• Workplace safety
• Labor pools
• Human resources matters of broad concern
• Population studies
For your Research Project, you will be combining all parts that you have worked. Your paper should be formatted as follows:
• Part 1: Introduction
o Background information about your research project
o Describe the management dilemma
o Ethical Concerns
o Develop and explain your hypothesis
• Part 2: Literature review
o Background research on at least three scholarly sources
• Part 3: Data
o Secondary data
o Measurement benchmark and scales
o Plans for using observations, focus groups, interviews, or surveys
o Plans for analyzing data
o Plans for how to analyze results
• Part 4: Results
o Summarize and display the results of your research. Provide charts, graphs, tables, and so forth, as they might apply to your research.
o State whether you reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis based on your study; explain.
• Part 5: Conclusion
o Summarize the entire study and reflect on it
- Consider the "take-home" message that management and other decision makers can use from this research to make informed business decisions.
- Include the strengths and weaknesses of the study and suggestions for future research.
• Part 6: References
o Include a separate references page and cite all references within the text of the paper.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.