A Dissertation Proposal

A Dissertation Proposal

Introduction:

In the ever-evolving global landscape, businesses face mounting pressure to address environmental concerns and adopt sustainable practices. Consumer demand and growing markets have driven rapid expansion in the cosmetics business. This rise has highlighted the industry's environmental impact, including greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and resource depletion (Yoro & Daramola, 2020). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs have grown in response to these difficulties as a way for firms to show environmental sustainability while being profitable.

This dissertation proposal explores the intersection of CSR and greenhouses within the cosmetic industry. By investigating how CSR activities can foster environmentally friendly practices, this research aims to shed light on the potential for cosmetics companies to mitigate their ecological impact and drive positive change. Understanding the effectiveness and challenges of implementing CSR-driven green initiatives is crucial for achieving genuine sustainability in this sector.

Background and Context:

Social media influencers, changing aesthetic standards, and product innovations have rapidly grown the cosmetics industry. Despite this, this industry's recent growth has raised worries about its impact on climate change and environmental degradation. Studies suggest that the beauty industry significantly impacts pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and natural resource depletion.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a strategic framework for corporations to address better their influence on the economy, society, and environment, as illustrated (Tiep & Nguyen, 2022). The impact of corporate governance on firms value in an emerging). When they engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR), companies may boost their reputation, attract environmentally conscious customers, and contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN set these objectives. Moreover, CSR initiatives can lead to substantial cost savings through resource optimization and improved operational efficiency.

Research Gap and Objectives:

Despite the growing adoption of CSR practices in various industries, research specifically focusing on CSR's influence on greenhouse gas reduction and greenhouse in the cosmetic sector is still being determined. The research gap lies in the need for a comprehensive understanding of which CSR activities are most effective in promoting sustainable practices and greenhouse gas reduction in this industry.

The primary objectives of this research are threefold:

To assess the effectiveness of CSR activities in promoting greenhouse and environmentally friendly practices in the cosmetic industry.

To identify cosmetic companies' key drivers and potential barriers while implementing green CSR practices.

To explore the extent to which successful CSR activities contribute to reducing the cosmetic industry's carbon footprint and fostering sustainability.

Research Questions:

To address the research objectives, the study will explore the following research questions:

How do CSR activities influence adopting environmentally friendly practices within cosmetic industries?

What major CSR initiatives have cosmetic companies adopted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainability?

What are the challenges faced by cosmetic companies in effectively implementing and integrating green CSR practices into their operations?

To what extent do successful CSR activities contribute to reducing the cosmetic industry's carbon footprint, and how do they foster a culture of sustainability within the sector?

Literature Review:

During the literature review, which will offer the foundation for this study and set the scene for how it will be carried out, we will look at past research, academic publications, and industry reports connected to CSR in the cosmetics sector. This will be done to create a framework for this study. Examining the relevant previous research will serve as the foundation for this investigation, upon which the ensuing work will be constructed. During the evaluation, studies such as the most successful CSR practices, green initiatives, sustainable supply chain management, stakeholder participation, and company sustainability strategy will be emphasized (Le, Vo & Venkatesh, 2022). The research will establish gaps in knowledge and highlight areas that require additional examination to understand better the interplay between corporate social responsibility and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the cosmetics business. This will be accomplished to understand the interplay between these two concepts better. A synthesis of the relevant literature will be performed to accomplish this goal. This will assist in discovering the areas in which there are knowledge gaps. This exercise will be carried out so that a deeper comprehension of the connection between the two may be attained.

Research Methodology:

This research will adopt a systematic review approach to analyze and synthesize secondary data effectively. A thorough search will be conducted on databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using relevant keywords such as "cosmetic industry," "CSR," "greenhouse gas reduction," "sustainability," and related terms. By adhering to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the research will ensure the selection of highly relevant and credible sources.

Data Analysis:

The data from selected secondary sources will undergo a thematic analysis, categorizing and organizing information related to CSR initiatives, greenhouse gas reduction, and sustainable practices within the cosmetic industry. Thematic analysis will identify recurring patterns, trends, and key insights, enabling a comprehensive exploration of the research questions and objectives.

Proposed Outcomes:

Based on the comprehensive secondary data analysis, the research aims to provide valuable insights into the relationship between CSR activities and greenhouse gas reduction in the cosmetic industry. The findings are expected to contribute significantly to the existing knowledge on CSR and sustainability, offering practical implications and potential strategies for cosmetic companies seeking to enhance their environmental performance and overall corporate responsibility.

Limitations:

While this research seeks to contribute valuable insights to the field of CSR and greenhouses in cosmetic industries, several limitations are associated with using secondary research methods. These limitations may include potential biases in the available literature, incomplete data coverage, and the inability to capture real-time developments in the industry. Moreover, the focus on secondary data may hinder access to specific details on some CSR initiatives within cosmetics companies.

Conclusion:

This dissertation proposal outlines a comprehensive approach to exploring the potential impact of CSR activities on greenhouse practices within cosmetic industries. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on CSR and its environmental impact by addressing the research gap and investigating the key research questions. The findings promise to encourage cosmetic companies to embrace more sustainable practices, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between business growth and environmental preservation. As society and stakeholders increasingly prioritize environmental responsibility, this research is crucial in guiding the cosmetic industry towards a greener and more sustainable future (Agrawal et al., 2022). By bridging the gap between CSR and greenhouse gas reduction, this research aims to create a more sustainable and environmentally conscious cosmetic industry that can lead the way in the broader context of corporate responsibility and global sustainability efforts.

References

Yoro, K. O., & Daramola, M. O. (2020). CO2 emission sources, greenhouse gases, and the global warming effect. InAdvances in carbon capture(pp. 3-28). Woodhead Publishing.

Tiep Le, T., & Nguyen, V. K. (2022). The impact of corporate governance on firms value in an emerging country: The mediating role of corporate social responsibility and organisational identification.Cogent Business & Management,9(1), 2018907.

Le, T. T., Vo, X. V., & Venkatesh, V. G. (2022). Role of green innovation and supply chain management in driving sustainable corporate performance.Journal of Cleaner Production,374, 133875.

Agrawal, V., Mohanty, R. P., Agarwal, S., Dixit, J. K., & Agrawal, A. M. (2022). Analyzing critical success factors for sustainable green supply chain management.Environment, Development and Sustainability, 1-26.

MANAGEMENT SCHOOL

Learning to Make a Difference

ULMS790

Dissertation

Semester: Summer

2022/23

Proposal Guidance

Research Methodology Guidance

Assessment

Dissertation assessment (100%) comprising an individual 15,000-word.

Dissertation Assignment

Proposal Guidance

In the proposal of 800 words students must:

define the research aim and objectives,

explain the rationale for the research

explain data sources (these need to be clearly stated and made explicitly) and justify the secondary research methods; you MUST only use secondary desk data sources you are not permitted to collect any data from human beings e.g. via a questionnaire

set out a detailed schedule for the researchs execution and completion.

Proposals that are not adequately developed and which fail to provide information to underpin the individual assignment will be required to be revised

The following provides a template for the proposal format.

Title

The title may change as you progress with the individual assignment, but a self-explanatory title at this stage creates a focus for your subsequent work. This should provide the key words associated with the assignment and can be written in the form of a question (e.g. What Are The Motives For Alliances In The European Airline Sector?) or alternatively you can present it in the form of researchable statement (e.g. Motivation For Alliances In The European Airline Sector: An Empirical Investigation Based on Secondary Data Sources). Avoid titles that are very broad (e.g. health care in the West Midlands) or very lengthy.

Overview/Introduction:

The first stage of a research proposal normally involves setting the context for your reader. It is therefore sensible to have an opening paragraph that summarises the proposed research area and clarifies how your particular research question or problem locates within the chosen context (i.e. the academic literature and the business world). Here it is useful to give a brief indication of why you think this research is timely. For this you will need to use some of your background reading, which will help to justify the need for your chosen piece of research and convince the reader that you are not simply re-inventing the wheel and that you will make a contribution to address gaps and/or inconsistencies in the academic literature. Part of the overview may also briefly cover your own interest and experience in this area of study.

Aims and Objectives:

Tell the reader in a succinct and precise way the intended outcomes of your research and formulate specific research questions. The aims and objectives/questions of your research project should reflect your initial knowledge of the relevant literature and any research relevant to your company or topic area. It is important that the research you propose can make an original contribution and that work can be completed in the time proposed in your proposal.

Aim - At the beginning, you could include a sentence that summarises the overall aim of the project and how it relates to the literature. The project aim is generally a statement of the research problem/issue and in a good proposal this outlines the conceptual debate in the literature, which is prompting the research. This might be the answer to the question in your title. For example

The research aims to investigate the way in which European airline sector alliances are transforming the airline industry in Europe. In particular the study will focus upon the changing market conditions of the airline industry from an institutional theory perspective.

Alternatively, you might state some tangible outcome for the project e.g. the evaluation of: a mergers in a particular context.

Objectives/research questions - Your objectives/questions on the other hand should be clearly focused on exactly what your specific goals are. In general, objectives specify the researchable steps to achieve the project aim and therefore it is not inconceivable to have only one research objective but typically you would expect to have a number. For example:

Identify the ways in which European airline sector alliances are transforming business processes and relationships;

Investigate the expectations of customers in this dynamic environment;

Identify how customer expectations are influencing and impacting upon business practices in the European airline sector.

It is crucial to concentrate on the initial research aim and objectives and to make clear the theoretical foundation of your study. These are the foundations of the research. It will take some time and a lot of effort on your part to achieve this successfully, and you may have to change your focus and rewrite these at the initial stages several times.

Clearly stated research objectives are particularly important because they will generate questions, and possibly hypotheses when conducting the proposed research.

Research Design/Methodology

In this section you need to introduce and discuss secondary research methodology. Your methodology should be consistent with your research question. For example, if your question implies measurement, then you will need quantitative measures.

The Data

You MUST use secondary data only.

It is imperative that you do not use any data collected from human beings. This puts a constraint on what you can achieve. It is extremely important that you have sufficient data of adequate quality to answer your research questions and meet your objectives (see above). This may require several iterations of establishing what data is available and adjusting your research questions and perhaps your research objectives accordingly.

Planning your research

It is important that you draw up a project plan at the stage of developing the proposal as it can give you clear directions to finish the proposed project on time. The project plan should be a working plan, not simply a list of tasks and expected dates of start and completion of tasks. Here you can provide a week-by-week indication of the tasks required to complete the dissertation. Things normally take longer than envisaged, so do not be too ambitious. It is often helpful to work backwards from the dissertation hand-in date in order to arrive at a reasonable schedule.

References

A minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10 key references at this stage should normally be enough to convince the reader that you are knowledgeable about the topic area.

The Best Proposals:

Combine the sections above in a coherent way. They tell a story that moves seamlessly through the sections. They make it clear to the reader what the research issue/problem is, what is already known, what must be achieved to add to knowledge/understanding, how to achieve these and how the time is to be meaningfully spent.

Provide a guideline for the dissertation process. If you feel that you will not refer to the proposal over and over again during the dissertation process, then it is likely to be a poor proposal.

Additional Notes:

Guidance on the Research Methods Discussion Section of final Dissertation

As part of students reflection on the methodology, they could consider the following points:

Demonstrate awareness of other research methods (find relevant literature that addresses the points below). Please be careful not to write a descriptive account of other approaches to research. (You are not in the business of writing a research methods text book).

Identify methods you used and justify it may be quantitative analysis to address some hypothesis, or perhaps you are taking a grounded theory approach using qualitative secondary data.

Explain what secondary data is.

Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using secondary sources.

Clearly identify potential sources for your data, giving explicit detail and explain strategy for researching this material. Justify how this data will help you answer your research questions.

Explain how you can ensure the reliability and authority of your data sources (how easy/hard will it be for a reader to find your data and check it; are your sources credible; what are the strengths and weaknesses of your data?)

Format of Written Work

Please pay attention to the following points when preparing your dissertation:

Presentation.

All text should be in Times New Roman at 12pt size and double spaced. Structure.

Clearly focused presentation without ambiguity and repetition is required.

Excessive Use of Quotations.

Quotations should only be used where it is necessary to provide direct evidence of a specific point, or, where the authors mode of expression is unique or striking in some other way.

The proportion of quotations in a piece of written work including assignments and dissertations should not normally exceed 10%. More than 10% quotation counts as excessive and you may be penalized.

This is because excessive use of quotations is poor scholarship. It means that a substantial part of the work is not your own.

Postgraduate Dissertations: Criteria for Assessment

90 100% Theoretically or practically significant topic; clearly defined research question, meticulous literature review, careful execution of research design, high quality analysis, discussion and conclusions. Signs of originality in selection of question and/or approach to research. Presentation excellent. Makes a significant contribution to knowledge. Potentially publishable.

80-89% Very carefully designed and executed study. Sound theoretical framework based upon good literature review and carefully formulated approach. Clearly articulated research question, use of appropriate methodology, reflective and thorough discussion, defensible conclusions. Displays mastery of the subject matter and of appropriate theories and concepts. Presentation excellent. Useful contribution to knowledge. Potentially publishable with some refocusing.

70-79% Very carefully designed and executed study. Sound theoretical framework based upon good literature review. Carefully formulated approach and evidence of independent critical ability. Clear conclusions, detailed recommendations for practice. Good critical grasp of relevant theories and concepts. Presentation excellent.

60%-69% Adequately designed and executed study. Adequate literature review and framing of study and good effort to collect data. Ability to reflect upon weaknesses in approach. Clear conclusions, detailed recommendations for practice. Presentation good.

50-59% Generally adequate design and execution. Generally adequate literature review and framing of study and attempt to collect data but may contain weaknesses in approach, for example, poor alignment of research question and methodology. Failure to obtain all of the requisite data, conclusions lame, recommendations for practice weak or omitted. Presentation satisfactory. May contain excessive use of quotations.

40%-49% Inadequate evidence of independent research e.g. inadequate design and execution. Literature review partial, framing of study imprecise; data collection partial, poor alignment of research question and methodology. Conclusions lame, recommendations for practice weak or omitted. Presentation barely satisfactory. May contain excessive use of quotations.

30%-39% Makes some attempt to conduct independent research but unsatisfactory on one or more of the following counts: adequacy of literature review; design and methodology; data collection, analysis, discussion and conclusions and general standard of presentation. May contain excessive use of quotations.

0% - 29% Submission contains serious weaknesses on one or more of the following counts: adequacy of literature review; design and methodology; data collection, analysis, discussion and conclusions and general standard of presentation. May contain excessive use of quotations.

How will this module develop my ULMS Graduate skills?This module helps students to develop the skills set out in the module specification: Section 3, Module Outcomes. Details of how the stated skills will be tested are shown in the module specification: Appendix 1: Assessments and the Outcomes Tested.

In addition, the Management School has identified a set of key skills which it expects its students to develop throughout their studies. These are skills which are actively sought by employers and which together form the ULMS Graduate (see appendix A at the end of this module guide).

Teaching and Learning Strategies:You will be given tasks/activities for each topic. If applicable, students are expected to participate actively in learning exercises provided on Canvas since these form an integral part of the input on this module.

Students will be expected to undertake background and follow-up reading, and to access materials via the library, web and Universitys Canvas network. Your private study hours should total around 500 hours for this module, spread across the academic year. Most communication and support for learning will be posted on Canvas. You should, therefore, access Canvas on a regular basis.

For the business simulation you will work in teams. Full instructions of how these will work will be provided.

Your attention is drawn to the support the University provides for your learning via the Study Skills web page. Your Student Handbook (and Study Skills Booklet) also provides advice on the skills required for your assessments (e.g. ULMS Academic Masterclasses and/or KnowHow sessions).

Key Dates:Date Task/Assessment

26/05/2023 Deadline for Registration to ULMS790

06/06/2023 Suggested date for 1st supervisory meeting (to be arranged directly between you and your supervisor)

24/06/2023 Deadline Submission of 800-word proposal (12:00pm (midday))

01/09/2023 Suggested date for submission of draft chapter(s) to supervisor

15/09/2023 Deadline for Dissertation Submission (12:00pm (midday))

Assessment Strategy:Assessment One:

Type(s) of assessment: Dissertation

Duration: 15,000 words.

Weighting: 100%

Submission Type: An electronic copy through Canvas. You must submit a Microsoft Word file.

Deadline:15th September 2023 12:00pm (midday)

Summary of Assessment:This is an opportunity to engage in a meaningful piece of work concerned with a specific topic of interest to display to onward academic institutions or employers a degree of mastery and excellence regarding a specific topic.

Your chosen topic, choice of approach, research question, method, structure of thesis etc. will be decided between you and your supervisor in one of four meetings (dates to be agreed with your supervisor).

More information is given in week one of ULMS719 and can be gleaned from attending the three dedicated lectures associated with ULMS790.

Tips for achieving good marks in assessments: To do well in your dissertation project you should read widely, consult all teaching material available, attend all lectures and work closely with your supervisor who will guide and support your progress.

Students are asked to note that the word count is the absolute upper limit. There is no leeway over this, i.e. you will be penalised if you submit work that exceeds the word limit (the suggestion that you may exceed the word count by 10% is a myth!). Something to note is that the word count on Turnitin is not usually an accurate reflection of an assignment's word count, and is likely to be higher than the Microsoft Word word count. This should be considered when determining if penalties for exceeding the word count should be imposed. It is recommended that you ask students to submit assignments as Word documents as this will then allow you to download their original submission (i.e. the Word file) and accurately check the word count in Word. This should be done after you have marked the assignment anonymously as you must deanonymize the assignment in order to download it. As the norm for ULMS regarding assignments is first and final, students will have no way of resubmitting should they breach the word count as calculated by Turnitin.

The following are not included in word counts:

Reference lists/bibliographies and question titles

Appendices/footnotes - provided these have been used only when necessary. If appendices or footnotes are used excessively, or contain material which should clearly be included in the main body of the essay/report, it is at the markers discretion to include these in the word count.

Tables/graphs - provided these have been imported from elsewhere (correctly referenced) and not produced by the student.

Contents pages and front pages of reports

As well as the essay/report itself, the following are included in word counts:

Citations/quotations - this includes the material paraphrased/quoted itself as well as the name, date and page information.

Tables and graphs - if they have been produced by the student.

Executive summaries in reports - unless otherwise stated.

Marking Criteria for Dissertation

90 100% Theoretically or practically significant topic; clearly defined research question, meticulous literature review, careful execution of research design, high quality analysis, discussion and conclusions. Signs of originality in selection of question and/or approach to research. Presentation excellent. Makes a significant contribution to knowledge. Potentially publishable.

80-89% Very carefully designed and executed study. Sound theoretical framework based upon good literature review and carefully formulated approach. Clearly articulated research question, use of appropriate methodology, reflective and thorough discussion, defensible conclusions. Displays mastery of the subject matter and of appropriate theories and concepts. Presentation excellent. Useful contribution to knowledge. Potentially publishable with some refocusing.

70-79% Very carefully designed and executed study. Sound theoretical framework based upon good literature review. Carefully formulated approach and evidence of independent critical ability. Clear conclusions, detailed recommendations for practice. Good critical grasp of relevant theories and concepts. Presentation excellent.

60%-69% Adequately designed and executed study. Adequate literature review and framing of study and good effort to collect data. Ability to reflect upon weaknesses in approach. Clear conclusions, detailed recommendations for practice. Presentation good.

50-59% Generally adequate design and execution. Generally adequate literature review and framing of study and attempt to collect data but may contain weaknesses in approach, for example, poor alignment of research question and methodology. Failure to obtain all of the requisite data, conclusions lame, recommendations for practice weak or omitted. Presentation satisfactory. May contain excessive use of quotations.

40%-49% Inadequate evidence of independent research e.g. inadequate design and execution. Literature review partial, framing of study imprecise; data collection partial, poor alignment of research question and methodology. Conclusions lame, recommendations for practice weak or omitted. Presentation barely satisfactory. May contain excessive use of quotations.

30%-39% Makes some attempt to conduct independent research but unsatisfactory on one or more of the following counts: adequacy of literature review; design and methodology; data collection, analysis, discussion and conclusions and general standard of presentation. May contain excessive use of quotations.

0% - 29% Submission contains serious weaknesses on one or more of the following counts: adequacy of literature review; design and methodology; data collection, analysis, discussion and conclusions and general standard of presentation. May contain excessive use of quotations.

Will feedback on draft assessments be given?

Your supervisor will provide, as a minimum, feedback on one draft chapter of your work. You should communicate directly with your supervisor regarding their availability and the amount of work they are able to review for you.

Policies for the below can be found via:

Re-sits; Penalties, use of Wikipedia, late submission; Referencing work; Marking criteria; ULMS group work policy; Requests for extensions etc. can all be found here.

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/intranet/management-school/assessment/Feedback to StudentsYou are welcome to discuss any comments, concerns or questions with the module leader during office hours.

How can I feedback my views on this module?Your feedback on the module is welcome at any time. You will be given an opportunity to provide early module feedback informally, and then formally at the end of the module via the formal module evaluation process. The sooner you alert us to any issues you might have the quicker we can resolve them. Please dont leave it to the end of the module to tell us if you are struggling!

Please be reminded of the ULMS Guidance on Providing Feedback (see your student handbook). Giving constructive feedback is a skill that you will need to develop in the workplace. We welcome feedback that is constructive and specific (it helps us improve), but please remain polite and be aware of the right of every staff member to Dignity at Work. There is lots of evidence of unconscious bias in module evaluation based on gender, age, race, etc. so please be aware of this and try to be fair to all staff.

Teaching ProgrammeYou are reading for a Masters Level award. You will therefore be required to read and critically evaluate cutting-edge academic research in your learning for the programme, not just this module. You are also required to produce an independent study project, your dissertation.

To be successful in writing your dissertation the following teaching programme (in addition to the teaching programme delivered on ULMS719) has been designed and will be supported by supervisory meetings and feedback during the completion of your independent study projects:

Date of Lecture Lecturer Lecture Topic

13/06/2023 Dr Ali Rostron Introducing the dissertation: key expectations and resources, and the research proposal

14/06/2023 Overview of the dissertation: a detailed walk-through of the key elements

15/06/2023 Succeeding in the dissertation: Data collection and analysis, effective academic writing and academic integrity

SupervisionYou are entitled to four supervisory meeting. Please arrange these with your supervisor. Please be aware that your supervisor may have research commitments during the independent project period, you will need to arrange meetings at mutually convenient times/days.

Core ReadingBryman, A. and Bell E. (latest edition) Business Research Methods, Oxford University Press: New York, 2nd edition.

Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (latest edition) Research methods for business students, Harlow: Prentice Hall, 5th edition. [E-book available]

Recommended ReadingBryman, A. and Burgess, R. G. (eds) (latest edition) Analyzing qualitative data, London: Routledge.

Collis, J. and Hussey, R. (latest edition) Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Brett Davis, M. (2007) Doing a successful Research Project. Using Qualitative and Quantitative Methods. Basingstoke: Palgrave McMillan.

Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R. and Lowe, A. (latest edition) Management Research: An Introduction, London: SAGE.

Field, A. (latest edition) Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows, London: Sage.

Fisher, C. (2011) Researching and Writing a Dissertation for Business Students, Harlow: Prentice Hall. 3rd edition.

Frankfort-Nachmias C. and Nachmias D. (1996) Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Hodder Arnold.

Meloy, J. (2001) Writing the Qualitative Dissertation: Understanding by Doing, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Association

Miles, M. B. and Huberman, M. (latest edition) Qualitative data analysis: An expanded Sourcebook, London: SAGE.

O'Leary Z. (2005) Researching Real-World Problems, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Partington, D. (2002) Essential Guide for Management Research, SAGE, London

Punch, K.F.(2005) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. London: Sage.

Ridley, D. (2008) The Literature Review, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Riley, M., Wood, R., Clark, M., Wilkie, E. and Szivas, E. (2000) Researching and Writing Dissertations in Business and Management, London: Thomson.

Salkind, N. J. (latest edition) Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics, Thousand Oaks, CA:SAGE.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (latest edition) Research Methods for Business Students, Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall.

White B. (2010) Dissertation Skills: For Management and Business Students: For Business and Management Students, Thompson Press

Yin, R. K. (latest edition) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Tips for achieving good marks in assessments:Make sure that you attend the preparatory lectures.

Make sure that you have a viable proposal that has been approved by your supervisor.

Engage fully with the learning and teaching materials.

Always send your supervisor material to look at before you meet

Think about questions to ask you supervisor before the meeting

Make sure you attend all of your supervisory meetings (you are entitled to four supervision meetings, timings to be agreed with your supervisor)

Plan your work carefully and allow time for any unexpected circumstances

Keep a 100 word record of each supervision meeting

Learning TipsThe dissertation is a precise piece of work; make sure that your thesis is coherent with clear research questions that are addressed in the findings section

Academic integrity and good academic practice are of primary importance

The library aims to provide a minimum ratio of one book per ten students for essential texts. But if more copies are needed and funds permit, it can purchase extra copies. The Library needs to find out which books are in greatest demand and you can help by taking these steps:

Place a reservation on the book. Once you have the book details on the library catalogue screen, click Request. This means as soon as a copy is returned, you will be notified and can borrow it. It also means that library staff are notified of the demand on the book.

Fill in a book suggestion form, talk to staff at the library's information support desks or contact your Liaison Librarian to let us know more copies are needed. The library will confirm who the current liaison librarian is for your programme.

Sign-off: M. Bradley 01.01.2023

THE ULMS GRADUATE LEARNING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCEThe ULMS Graduate is:

Flexible and adaptable

Our graduates understand that the business world develops and changes quickly, and ULMS will provide them with opportunities to develop the skills needed to be open to the challenges this brings.

A problem solver

Our graduates are provided with opportunities to develop their critical and analytical skills from the day they join the School. By learning to think creatively, to persevere with an issue and to draw on the resources available to them, our graduates approach difficult situations confident that they can reach a successful outcome and make a difference.

Numerate

Maths is an essential element of all of our programmes and our graduates are confident and competent when using numbers to analyse situations, solve problems and make decisions.

Commercially aware

The teaching at ULMS is drawn from the latest business and management research, ensuring that our graduates understand the environment in which they begin their careers.

A team player

Our graduates understand the importance of contributing to a team. By contributing to group work our students understand the dynamics of a team and the importance of individual roles and how each can make a difference to achieving a result.

Organised and able to work under pressure

ULMS graduates learn to manage their time carefully during their studies. Our graduates are motivated to learn outside the classroom and are adept at managing deadlines and dealing with conflicting demands upon their time.

An excellent communicator

The ULMS syllabus requires students to demonstrate their aptitude for communicating throughout their studies. Their skills include writing essays, business reports and case studies, giving presentations, listening to and questioning guest speakers and using negotiating and persuasion skills to argue a point during a class debate. Our graduates understand the difference that effective communication can make to a situation.

IT literate

Our graduates understand the importance of IT in the modern business environment and ensure that their digital literacy skills are up-to-date in order to use it successfully. They understand how to prepare and analyse spreadsheets, can write reports and use IT to enhance presentations. They are confident users of electronic databases and are skilled at finding and evaluating appropriate and relevant information from electronic sources.

Internationally aware

The ULMS teaching and research community is drawn from around the world and our students are exposed to business ideas and cultures from beyond the UK. Many graduates make the most of international opportunities available to them, from participating in overseas exchanges to participating in international inter-university business games.

A lifelong learner

ULMS graduates understand that the end of their degree programme does not mean the end of their learning journey. Our students understand the importance of continually building skills and knowledge in order to maintain commercial awareness, to be able to follow a flexible career path and to continue to make a difference throughout their working lives.

Ethically aware

The ULMS teaching, learning and assessment strategy ensures that all graduates are exposed to ideas of business ethics whilst studying and that they have an understanding of the difference business can make in the wider community and across the world.

A leader

We instil our graduates with the confidence to lead others by providing opportunities within the curriculum to debate ideas, present research, solve problems and make difficult decisions.