MSc Dissertation for Business Analytics (MANM389)

MSc Business Analytics (2022/23)

(Oct)

Surrey Business School 

 Dissertation (MANM389)

 • A compulsory module (60 credits)

• Final element of the programme

• An opportunity for a sustained period of independent study and research

• Students to work independently with individual supervisor

• For you to focus on topics that are of particular interest

• Draws upon a range of different aspects of the taught programme

 Areas of Research

 Formats

 • An academically based dissertation.

• follows the standard academic pattern of identifying a topic arising from a gap in the literature and developing a methodology to explore this area in depth.

• A business or applied dissertation.

• starts with an emerging business problem, either provided from an industrial partner or with their co-operation in the process, and seeks to provide a research based solution to or exploration of the problem.

Both formats follow the same assessment criteria

 Dedicated Learning Hours

 • Independent Learning Hours: 570

• Guided Learning: 29

 Module Aims

 • Develop an original piece of research; select, define and focus upon an issue at an appropriate level

• Develop and apply relevant and sound methodologies, analyse the issue and develop recommendations and logical conclusions

• Explore ethical dilemmas that arise in research

 Requirements

 • Scope - Carry out an ‘original’ piece of research

o This can (should) be similar to what researchers have done in the

journals – but specific to the students’ context/experience

o Original means your work using ideas from existing research

o Original does not mean invent new research (that’s for PhD students)

o Original does not mean copy other people’s work and present as your own

• Understand current state of knowledge on a topic

• Develop ideas using that knowledge (an argument)

• Develop/Propose relationships relevant for the topic

• Collect/Use (Primary/Secondary) data relevant for proposed relationships

• Analyse the data adequately

• Write Dissertation-up

It is about Business Research skills (QUANTITTAIVE) NOT about how good Programming or Statistics skills!

 Topic Selection and Types

 Data Source (?)

o https://www.ons.gov.uk/

o https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/

o https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

o https://www.worldometers.info/

o https://ourworldindata.org/

o https://www.kaggle.com/

o Statista via the library and many more...

Literature Driven

o Academic Journals

o Programme Venue driven

o Based on job

o Based on earlier experience (e.g. undergrad thesis, personal experience in daily life, etc.)

 Examples of Past Topics ...

 • What are the key elements of success in the mobile application market?

• University - industry dynamic linkages

• Human capital and economic growth - cross country panel data analysis:

• Comparing logistics management in Agile and lean manufacturing

• The organizational(or individual level) impact of Infrastructure technologies

• Factors that shape service quality and satisfaction

• Reverse Logistics (PR) and Green Supply Chain

• Outsourcing parking services in combination with Sutton Council

• Drone delivery services (case on the challenges/implementation of...)

• Inventory & demand analysis (case study)

 Examples of Past Topics ...

 • To assist a UK based company in identifying and prioritising opportunities to improve bus safety, primarily through vehicle design

• To develop a system for estimating the environmental benefit of a UK based organisation "Virtual Electric" bus, and displaying this dynamically to passengers in realtime.

• Augmented reality (i.e. Google glasses) impact on tourism sector

• Social media marketing

• Use of technology in Operations Planning – e.g. SAP implementation and the adoption of the Technology Acceptance Model

• Customer Satisfaction survey – across various industry sectors

• Business Simulation games

 Important ! ...

 • Story around the research question

• How to derive it from the literature review

• Implications for businesses and research

• The methodology is there to support the research questions and not the

other way around.

It is about Business Research skills (QUANTITTAIVE) NOT about how good Programming or Statistics skills!

 Areas of Research (Again!)

 Structure

 - ExecutiveSummary - Introduction

- Literature Review

- Methodology

- Findings

- Discussions and Analysis - Conclusion

Refer to the more DETAILED Structure – published on Surrey Learn

 Marking Criteria!

 Grade Descriptor...

Supervisors

 • Department of Business Transformation

• https://www.surrey.ac.uk/department-business-transformation/people

 Supervisors

 • Department of Business Transformation

• https://www.surrey.ac.uk/department-business-transformation/people

 Supervisors

 • Department of Business Transformation

• https://www.surrey.ac.uk/department-business-transformation/people

 Examples of Journals

 • Journal of Business Logistics

• Journal of Operations Management

• Supply Chain Management: An International Journal

• Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management

• International Journal of Logistics Management

• International Journal of Logistics: Research & Applications

• Production & Operations Management

• International Journal of Operations & Production Management

• Manufacturing & Service Operations Management

• Management Science

• Operations Management

• Decision Sciences

• Many many more...

 Dissertation Timeline

    Week

 Date

Activity

  Semester 1

 10

Dec 2022

Supervisor allocation starts

12/13

By 9th Jan, 2023 (Monday)

Choosing your own supervisor (MUST be agreed by the supervisor). Email me cc’ying the supervisor! Please do speak the supervisor first!

15

By end of Jan, 2023

Assigned a Supervisor

  Semester 2

 1-2

7th Feb – 25th Feb, 2023

First meeting with supervisors to discuss the research proposal, research method and research ethics

1-7

7th Feb – 19th Mar, 2023

Students develop their research proposals (not assessed though!)

7

4pm on 21st Mar 2023 (Tuesday)

Students submit research proposal (1000 words) to your supervisor via email and submit the ethical form via SAGE, and determine the necessity of a full ethical review. ✓ YoushoulddiscusstheanswerswithyoursupervisorBEFOREyousubmityour

ethical approval form. On completion of the SAGE form, please download a copy of

your answers and save to a pdf file.

✓ Your research proposal form must be included as an appendix in your dissertation.

7 onwards

Exact schedule of work to be agreed with supervisors

From 20th Mar 2023 (Monday)

Developing your dissertation based on the research proposal:

✓ supervisorsprovidefeedbackontheresearchproposal

✓ supervisors are available for consultations in regards to literature review, methodology, data collection, discussion and conclusions. Please book an

appointment in advance.

  Semester 3

 4pm 6th Sep 2023 (Wednesday)

FINAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE for students with 120 credits. (Online Via SurreyLearn)

*4pm 9th Oct 2023 (Monday)

FINAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE ONLY for students who had Late Summer Re- assessments. (Online Via SurreyLearn)

   * Subject to confirmation

 Ethical Approval Form

 • MUST NOT begin your research and data collection without ethical approval.

• Self-Assessment Governance and Ethics Survey (SAGE Form):

https://surrey.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/sage-hdr

• Save the survey onto your own pc’s and discuss the answers with your supervisor BEFORE click finish.

Note that : The survey does not automatically get sent to yourself or your supervisors.

• Once your supervisor checked and confirmed your answers you press the finish bottom.

• On completion of the SAGE form, please download a copy of your answers and save to a pdf file.

• If your answers have indicated that your research does not require review, you do not need to do anything further, but please include the pdf in the appendices of your final dissertation.

• If your answers indicate that your research requires ethical approval review (See next slide).

• If you have questions about ethics in research, please contact your supervisor or

• FASS Ethics at [email protected].

 Ethical Approval Form

 • If your answers indicate that your research requires ethical approval review, then you are required to submit the following documents to [email protected] so your research application can be processed and allocated to reviewers for reviews:

– Self-Assessment Governance and Ethics Survey (SAGE)

– Ethics and Governance Application (EGA)

– Protocol

– Consent form

– Participation information sheet

– Data collecting tools – interview questions, survey questions etc

– Recruitment materials – emails, posters etc

– Risk analysis (can be included in protocol)

– Data management (can be included in protocol)

• Submit your documentation ASAP– as it at times it can take as long as 6 weeks to receive a Favourable Ethical Opinion which is the green light to go forward with data collection.

Please copy your supervisor in your communications with FASS ethics.

 Proposal

 • All Students must submit a research proposal (1000 words) to their supervisors via email by 4pm on 21st Mar 2023. (Not assessed, however!)

• You must include your final research proposal as an appendix in your final dissertation.

• Research Proposal Form:

• https://surreylearn.surrey.ac.uk/d2l/le/lessons/241749/topics/2450379

 Suggested Effort Timeline

   o 1/3 Effort is required for data search (for your topic!) – objective Literature review

o 1/3 Effort is about organising the Venue and collecting the data

o 1/3 Effort is Writing/reporting and ‘packaging’

 Essential!

https://amzn.to/3zBxblf

Davies, M., Hughes, N. (2014). Doing a Successful Research Project: Using Qualitative or Quantitative Methods. London: Red Globe Press

£25.65

 Recommended!

https://amzn.to/3DugPfm

Saunders, M. and Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2018). Research Methods for Business Students, 8th Edition, London: Pearson

£42.71

 Further!

https://amzn.to/3TP3DbP

Bell, E., Harley B. and Bryman, A. (2022) Business Research Methods, 6th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press

£47.99

 SurreyLearn

  IMPORTANT that you READ everything on the Module Page! The module is in the Semester 2 folder of your SurreyLearn

 Questions?