1. Relevant journals for this assignment
To help you limit your literature review to studies that are
relevant for this module, you will find below a list of journals
to which you should restrict your library research. You can
either go directly to the journals via the University of Stirling
library and search or browse that journal, or you can search
specific journals via Google scholar’s advanced search feature
and include the journal’s title in the relevant search box.
Organization Studies Organization
Human Relations
Work, Employment and Society Management Learning
Journal of Business Ethics
Academy of Management Review
Administrative Science Quarterly
Organization Science
Academy of Management Annals
Academy of Management Journal
Journal of Management Studies
Academy of Management Learning and Education Gender, Work
and Organization
Accounting, Organizations and Society Management and
Organizational History
British Journal of Management
Journal of Management Inquiry
Culture and Organization
Research in the Sociology of Organizations Strategic
Organization
Economy and Society
Organization and Environment
Journal of Organizational Ethnography
Journal of Business Anthropology
Marketing Theory
Consumption, Markets and Culture

2. The organisation of business Description of essay assignment
(2019)
For this assignment you will be preparing a research proposal
that is 2,000 words including references and that meets all of
the requirements specified in this assignment description. The
proposal must fall within the area of knowledge covered in the
module, it must identify a research topic and it must position
this in relation to relevant academic literature, to be drawn only
from the list of academic journals provided. Below you will find
a detailed description of the purpose of the assignment, some
advice on what a research proposal is, details about the format
your proposal should take and information on how your
assignment will be assessed.
Purpose of the assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with an
opportunity to demonstrate that you are able to synthesize your
knowledge from the module to produce your own unique
proposition for a study within the field of management and
organisation. In developing a proposal, you will need to
demonstrate that you are able to:
· Identify business as a distinct form of social action that is
different from, but related to, other domains within human
society and culture
· Apply core concepts and theories from management and
organisation studies to analyse cases that focus on the
management of people and technologies in contemporary work
organisations
· Make informed and responsible judgments regarding specified
organisational problems by drawing on concepts and theories
from management and organisation studies
This assignment should be considered formative in the sense
that it provides you with an opportunity to develop the skills
required to prepare a research proposal, it provides you with an
opportunity to receive developmental feedback on such a
proposal and if you wish you can later use it as a starting point

3. for preparing a dissertation proposal.
What is a research proposal?
Definition. A research proposal is a piece of writing in which
you propose what research you want to do. The research
proposal that you are expected to prepare for this assignment
has to specifically identify: what your proposed research is
going to be about; what it is trying to find out or achieve; what
we already know about the topic; what we might learn if you
were to conduct the research; and, why that is worth learning. It
involves a considerable amount of library research.
Structure. In your seminars you learned how to construct an
argument. The research proposal presents an argument. Your
proposal therefore needs to contain
all the elements of an argument (see: Toulmin model), it needs
to have a coherent line of reasoning, and it needs to have
internal consistency. The finished product needs to be a ‘stand-
alone’ document, meaning that someone who has not spoken
with you should get a complete sense of what you are proposing
to research without discussing the proposal with you. You
should therefore think of it as an opportunity to help your
reader see how you view the situation, how your ideas advance
something an interested reader might want to know, what has
already been studied about this topic, and why the proposed
research is important and significant. It is not a “sales pitch”.
Rather, it is a carefully prepared, convincing, interestingly
written, and skilled presentation of a reasoned argument.
Audience. You should assume that your audience is composed
of scholars who know what research is and are interested to
know about your specific proposal. However, you should not
assume that they know anything about your specific topic,
which means you need to introduce it well. You should also
assume that your audience wants to know about your topic in as
much detail as possible, so you should develop your ideas.
Structure of the research proposal for this assignment
· Title. Your proposal should include a title. The title needs to

4. summarise the main idea or ideas of your proposed study. It
should contain the fewest possible words needed to adequately
describe the content and purpose of your study. Keep in mind
that it is the first thing anyone reads when they see your work,
so it is consequential.
· Introduction. The written part of the proposal should begin
with an introduction – one or two paragraphs at most – in which
you present an easily accessible story or example of what your
proposed research is about. This is the only section of your
assignment where you get to refer to popular sources such as
reputable news outlets (e.g. BBC, Financial Times, The
Guardian, The Economist), legitimate websites and reports (e.g.
corporations, governments or other organisations of interest)
and if absolutely necessary anecdotal personal experiences. The
purpose of the introduction is to get your reader interested in
the topic. You could simply title it “Introduction” or you could
give it a more creative title that relates to what is in this
introduction.
· Relevance. The next section of your proposal provides an
overview of the proposed research and it is your opportunity to
show how your proposal relates to business and management
(i.e. its relevance). Building on the story or example from your
introduction, you first need to explain what it is that you want
to study. Once you have identified what you want to study you
then need to state how your chosen research topic relates to
what you have learned in this module. If we were to compare
the research proposal with the take-home exam, then the
introduction (above) is like the case (e.g. Amazon’s new
technologies) and this section is like your answer to the
question (i.e. your analysis of the case using the relevant
theories, concepts and key terms from
the module). This section will therefore provide the terms and
grounds upon which you will then review the relevant literature
in greater detail.
· Literature review. This section is the main part of your

5. assignment. Here you draw on the most important academic
journal articles that are related to your proposed research topic
to provide a summary of what we already know about this topic.
You must use the list of journals provided. It is where you
present the library research you have done in the form of a
review of the literature. The purpose of reviewing what we
already know is to arrive at a point where it is clear that what
we do not know is the thing you intend to research. This will
take the form of a research question or a research problem. In
the seminars you learned about how to formulate good research
questions and problems. In other words, the whole purpose of
this section is to develop the following structure: (a) “here is
what we know”; (b) “therefore here is what we do not know”;
(c) “therefore my research question is...”.
· Conclusion. The conclusion is the final written section of your
proposal – one or two paragraphs. This is your chance to
summarise your proposal in a couple of sentences and then
convince your reader why studying this is necessary,
interesting, important and significant. Think about the seminar
on rhetoric and do your best to persuade your reader.
· References. At the end of your proposal is a list of references
under the title “References” in which you include full citations
for everything you have cited in-text. Since your proposal will
be used to assess the quality and originality of your ideas,
whether you are able to think critically and whether you have a
grasp of the relevant literature, it is important that you think
carefully about whether your reference list reflects this.
Some common pitfalls to avoid
· Many students often spend most of their time trying to decide
on a topic and then virtually no time actually developing it.
This is a major mistake. It is better to quickly choose a topic
which is less than your ideal choice and develop it really well
than to spend almost all your time trying to decide on a topic
and then have no time to develop it.
· Make sure that your research idea, question or problem is very
clearly stated and well-grounded in academic research. Think

6. about it this way. Most of the marks for your work will be
awarded not based on the idea, question or problem itself but on
whether it is clear what this is and whether you have done the
research you need to have done to develop it properly.
· If your proposal is poorly specified, badly structured, and
filled with jargon or rambling sentences, it will not be
convincing or give a clear idea of what you are proposing. You
should aim to produce clearly written sentences that are not
repetitive.
Formatting
Please include your student number and provide a word count
under the title of your essay. Include your reference list in the
word count.
Typeface
Font
Font size Character spacing Margins Alignment
Line spacing
Body text Paragraph Headings
Arial or Times New Roman 12 point
100%, normal position Normal (2.5cm – all sides) Non-justified
1.5 lines
1.5 lines with one extra line 1.5 lines with one extra line
All pages should be numbered
Plagiarism statement
It is generally understood why cheating in examinations is
wrong: it is an attempt to gain undeserved credit by presenting
the work of another as one’s own. For the University not to treat
cheating as an extremely serious offence would be unfair to its
students and would jeopardise the standard of its awards.
Exactly the same is true of a take-home exam submitted for
assessment. Plagiarism is the equivalent of cheating in an
invigilated examination because it involves the reproduction of
another’s work, whether ideas, data or expressions, without due
acknowledgement. This is plagiarism, whether the source is
printed, electronic or handwritten, whether it is reproduced

7. verbatim or is paraphrased, and whether it is drawn on
extensively or in brief.
The University has an agreed policy setting out procedures and
penalties for dealing with academic misconduct. This policy can
be found on the University's portal. The policy also gives
guidance on proper and adequate acknowledgement of source
material, but if students are in any doubt at all about the nature
of plagiarism, or the means by which to avoid it, students are
strongly advised to consult their tutor. Students should clearly
understand that it is their responsibility to be sure they
understand these matters. Ignorance is not accepted as a defence
for plagiarism.
Assessment
This is an assessed task and in order to pass the course, you
must complete the task. It will count as 50% of your final mark
and will be assessed using the full range
of marks. At the end of this document you will find the
University of Stirling Common Marking Scheme which will be
used for determining your mark. Your work will be assessed
against the indicators below. The ultimate aim of the assessment
will be to evaluate the answers you provide as a whole against
the generalised marking criteria. The level of achievement
against these generalised criteria will be determined by the
extent to which the indicators below have been addressed. Since
this is an assessed task which counts toward a university degree
it will be assessed at a standard that would be expected from
students at the University of Stirling. In particular, attention
will be given to whether this is a piece of scholarly work that
meets the standards of academic rigour.
Assessment indicators 1. Structure
o A 2,000-word essay, including references
o Word processed according to required format
o Contains a reference list at the end of the document o
Reference list uses correct referencing format
o Essay follows required structure
2. Style

8. o Claims and quotations are appropriately cited in the text o
Contains logical transitions at all levels
o Prose is clear and easy to understand
o Sentence structure is satisfactory
3. Content
o Has a title that summarises the main idea
o Begins with an introduction that introduces the topic
o Contains a section that explains the relevance of the topic o
Correctly links this with theories, concepts and key terms o
Reviews the relevant literature
4. Argument
o Constructs a logical sequence of argumentation
o Develops overall in a clear and interesting manner
o Components of the argument fit together
o Every paragraph supports or explains a part of the main
argument
Relevant journals for this assignment
To help you limit your literature review to studies that are
relevant for this module, you will find below a list of journals
to which you should restrict your library research. You can
either go directly to the journals via the University of Stirling
library and search or browse that journal, or you can search
specific journals via Google scholar’s advanced search feature
and include the journal’s title in the relevant search box.
Organization Studies Organization
Human Relations
Work, Employment and Society Management Learning
Journal of Business Ethics
Academy of Management Review
Administrative Science Quarterly
Organization Science
Academy of Management Annals
Academy of Management Journal
Journal of Management Studies
Academy of Management Learning and Education Gender, Work
and Organization

9. Accounting, Organizations and Society Management and
Organizational History
British Journal of Management
Journal of Management Inquiry
Culture and Organization
Research in the Sociology of Organizations Strategic
Organization
Economy and Society
Organization and Environment
Journal of Organizational Ethnography
Journal of Business Anthropology
Marketing Theory
Consumption, Markets and Culture
Common marking scheme
Mark Equivalent Grade
Result Descriptor of Attainment of Learning Outcomes
90+ 1st
Pass Meets all the requirements to attain 80 – 89 but in addition
demonstrates an exceptional degree of originality and
exceptional analytical, problem-solving and/or creative skills.
80-89
Meets all the requirements to attain 70 – 79 but in addition
demonstrates outstanding quality evidenced by an ability to
engage critically and analytically with source material, exhibits
independent lines of argument, is highly original and uses an
extremely wide range of relevant sources where appropriate.
70-79
Excellent range and depth of attainment of intended learning
outcomes, secured by discriminating command of a

10. comprehensive range of relevant materials and analyses, and by
deployment of considered judgement relating to key issues,
concepts or procedures
60-69 2:1
Pass Attainment of virtually all intended learning outcomes,
clearly grounded on close familiarity with a wide range of
supporting evidence, constructively utilised to reveal
appreciable depth of understanding.
50-59 2:2
Pass Attainment of most of the intended learning outcomes,
some more securely grasped than others, resting on a
circumscribed range of evidence and displaying a variable depth
of understanding.
40-49 3rd
Pass Acceptable attainment of most intended learning outcomes,
displaying a qualified familiarity with a minimally sufficient
range of relevant materials, and a grasp of the analytical issues
and concepts which is generally reasonable, albeit insecure.
30-39 Fail – Marginal
Fail Appreciable deficiencies in the attainment of intended
learning outcomes, perhaps lacking a secure basis in relevant
factual or analytical dimensions.
0-29 Fail – Clear
Fail No convincing evidence of attainment of intended learning
outcomes, such treatment of the subject as is in evidence being
directionless and fragmentary.

11. X Fail
Fail Failure to comply with published module requirements
Research problems and questions
Research proposals
· A research proposal normally contains:
· Title
· Overview of the research
· Positioning of the research
· Research design and methodology
· References
· In this module, however, we have not learned about research
design and methodology
· Core process: Topic --> Literature review --> Research
question
What is a research question?
· Initially guides you
· Then sets up your research
· Should be clear and focused
· Synthesizes multiple sources to present your
unique proposition for a study
· Should be something that you are interested in or care about
Avoid
· The “all-about” paper
· Questions that can be answered in a few factual statements
· Rethink core process: Your interests --> Topic [ --> potential
research questions] --> Literature review --> Research question

12. Examples:
1. Too broad (does not define the segments of the analysis):
· Why did the duck cross the road?
· Problem: Which duck? Which road?
2. Similarly, this could be answered simplistically:
· How many ducks crossed the main road opposite the loch at
the University of Stirling on Mon 11 Mar?
· Problem: One sentence answer, does not leave room for
analysis
3. More precise:
· What are some of the environmental factors that occurred in
the Stirling area between February and March 2019 that would
cause ducks to cross the main road entering the campus?
· Requires the author to take a stand on what is significant
· Allows the author to argue to what degree the results are
beneficial or detrimental
How do you formulate a good research question?
· Choose a general topic of interest
· From your personal life and knowledge
· From the news
· Conduct preliminary research on the topic
· Current periodicals and journals
· This helps determine what kinds of questions the topic
generates
Consider
· Who is the audience? (academic essay)
· “How?”, “What?”, “Why?”
· Evaluate possible responses
Evaluating your working claim
• Contestable
• UNDER-DEVELOPED: “Edinburgh and Glasgow have much
in common,
although they are different in some ways” • Well, yeah, but who
cares?
• BETTER: “Although Glasgow’s industrial past has created a

13. more deeply troubled economic system than found in
Edinburgh, it has also created greater cultural diversity that is
now helping to guide the city’s economic renewal”
• Of course you could disagree with this claim; as a result it
provides a much more interesting basis for discussion. An
author is likely to support it (or dispute it) more passionately
than the first claim.
Evaluating your working claim
• Reasonable
· While you want your claim to be contestable, you also want it
to be
reasonable
· It can be radical, in the context of the dialogue on your topic,
and still be reasonable if you have sufficient evidence to
support it
· Readers will recognise the difference between thoughtful,
critical interpretations of evidence and contortions that twist
evidence around to support an unreasonable claim
Evaluating your working claim
• Specific: Broad claims are more difficult to support
effectively than focused claims. Specific claims also tend to
provide readers with more useful information than broad claims
· UNDER-DEVELOPED: “Scotland’s whisky producers are
responding to Brexit by finding new ways to generate income”
· BETTER: “As a result of the inability of parliament to reach a
decision about the terms on which the Brexit process will
proceed, Scottish whisky producers are increasingly relying on
diversifying their operations to generate long-term stability for
their businesses”
Evaluating your working claim
• Significant: Consider the context of the module and degree for
which you are writing your essay
• Is your claim adding anything meaningful to the current
dialogue surrounding the topic?
• Note that as you become more familiar with the concerns of a

14. given topic or discipline you will be able to contribute more
significantly to the discussion
Evaluating your working claim
• Interpretive: Does your claim offer an interpretation of
evidence or does it simply describe a situation?
• UNDER-DEVELOPED: “The Scottish government has
devolved powers”
• Rather than offering an interpretation, this sentence describes
an incontestable fact. While it may have truth value it is under-
developed as a proposition for an essay
• BETTER: “The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood can pass laws
on devolved matters. This division of power hinders the
effectiveness of decision- making relating to healthcare
innovation”
• These two sentences offer readers an interpretation. They
propose a specific relationship between a cause (i.e. devolution)
and its effects (i.e. hinders decision-making), as well the
rationale behind the interpretation