Background and significance
Provide a brief background to the management problem.
Briefly explain the circumstances/issues/factors that have led to the immediate management problem. Why does it matter? Why is it worthy of investigation? What are the expected benefits? What will be the consequences of not addressing the problem?
Research question and objectives
Clearly state the overarching research question you are addressing.
State your specific research objectives for addressing the research question.
Research boundaries
Note any boundaries of your topic e.g. only looking at a specific product/organisation /employee or customer group. . May also be a geographic boundary e.g. only looking at a certain state or province.
Report outline
Briefly explain the scope of what is to be covered in each section of this progress report.
Literature Review/Theoretical Framework
The literature review should demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the theoretical domains and secondary sources underpinning your research and provide arguments to support the focus of the study.
The literature review needs to:
1) Critically evaluate the literature rather than merely describe previous literature
2) Synthesise the literature(bring together different perspectives) - who says what and why and who thinks differently and why? The discussion needs to be integrated rather than being more like an annotated bibliography.
3) Identify key authors (previous research) and the key works in the area.
4) Present and supportan argument.
5) Clearly identify the gap in the literature (what is not known) and therefore what is being addressed by your research question.
Use the funnel approach, commencing with the broader context of the study, then discuss the main academic discipline or domain underpinning the study, and then moving to the specific theoretical domains that are relevant for your study.
Each literature review will be different, as each managerial problem is different. You need to identify the relevant theory and secondary sources that provide a foundation for your study and help to explain the phenomenon you are focusing on. You need to discuss what studies and research has already been conducted on this topic, what have other researchers and author shave discovered, and how their findings inform your research.
Attachment:- Progress Report Template.rar