MSc International Business

DISSERTATION / CASE STUDY PROJECT HANDBOOK

SESSION 2021/2022

 Information contained in this handbook is correct at the time of printing, however, there may be changes during semester.

Please consult Canvas regularly

Contents and Page Numbers 

1. 1.THE DISSERTATION/CASE STUDY PROJECT – STAGE I: Design

This handbook is designed to provide you with information on the dissertation or a case study project that you will undertake at the end of the taught element of your programme. The summer project is the largest single piece of work you will do on your degree programme. It is a challenging exercise but ultimately a very rewarding one. For most students it can also seem a rather daunting prospect, especially at the beginning. This handbook is intended to help you along the way by providing you with guidelines on advancing your topic, developing your research, writing up the final report and with information on relevant organisational matters such as deadlines and the marking scheme

You will undertake Research Methods as part of the Independent Project module. Research Methods is of a practical nature and is designed to ensure that your topic choice is relevant, researchable and is in the form of a Research Proposal. Independent Projects must demonstrate evidence of research ability and your Proposal is part of that process. Independent Projects are required to demonstrate an understanding of literature review structures, research methodology and data collection methods, frameworks of interpretation (linked to the literature and choice of method) and an understanding of research limitations.

1.1 Learning Outcomes

On completion of Research Methods you should have:

• Understood the dissertation/project and its requirements with particular notes on structure and referencing styles;
• Identified at least one data source for your topic;
• Identified relevant literature on an International Business (IB) topic suitable for each data source with acceptable research objectives;
• Identified a suitable methodology and method for each data source;
• Completed your Research Proposal examination of c.2500 words.

To complement this handbook you will find useful textbooks in the library. Work by authors such as Creswell, J.W. who gives you useful background to research, Yin, R.K. is essential for case studies and Bryman, A. and Bell, E. are useful for quantitative discussions. Your research methods module will provide information on which textbooks are particularly advantageous to your chosen method and research approach.

In addition to consulting this handbook, you should note that an MSc in International Business must have a focus on IB. IB relates, in general, to business which transacts across borders. However, the academic field - in terms of research and journal articles suitable for MSc dissertations/projects – tends to focus on three main themes:

• foreign direct investment (FDI),
• multinationals (MNEs) and their existence, strategy, and organisation,
• explaining internationalisation and globalisation (see Griffith et al, 2008).

Within IB the importance of comparative management practices across cultures is also emphasised, especially cross- national and intra-national diversity (see Tung, 2008)

References:

Griffith, D.A., Cavusgil, S.T., Xu, S. (2008) ‘Emerging themes in international business Research’. Journal of International Business Studies, Vol 39, pp.1220–1235.

Tung, R.L. (2008) ‘The cross-cultural research imperative: the need to balance cross-national and intra-national diversity’. Journal of International Business Studies, Vol 39, pp.41–46.

1.2 Teaching and Learning Feedback

For Research Methods, you carry out a course of lectures, group seminars and practical sessions. This will provide feedback on the quality of your passed Proposal which you are expected to review for adaptation into your dissertation/project. Your Supervisor will then assist you expand your Proposal towards a full dissertation/project submission

2.THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The Purpose of the Proposal

Your first important task is, of course, to submit the research proposal. For many students this can be the most difficult part of the whole process but it is obvious that you can’t get anywhere until you’ve done it. Since the dissertation/project will be part of your life for several months, it is very important that you take the choice of topic and your Proposal submission seriously. Expanding your work into an outline is discussed in Section 3.3.

2.2 Working Up and Narrowing Down

Your task is to maintain a tight focus for your Proposal. You get the right focus for your proposal through a process of ‘working up’ a subject area, and then focusing down onto specific topics. As you do this, you should also bear in mind the seven basic criteria, covering points (a) to (g) which you should use to develop your Proposal. 

2.3 The Need for Data

The Research Proposal forms the foundation for your whole project and its importance is reflected in the separate mark which is given to it. In the Proposal you define the objectives you are setting yourself, explain their rationale and link them to the data source, indicate and justify the methods you will use to collect and interpret the data, and set out a detailed schedule for dissertation execution and completion. The work and thought you put into the Proposal will be a major determinant of the ultimate success of your dissertation/project.

2.4 The Planning Phase

The selection of a suitable data source should have been done in a systematic way. You must have established clear objectives to your research aims and clarified that these objectives can be met by gaining data from your chosen source(s). You should be able to follow through from your Proposal, to ensure you have:

(a) Identified a broad area of study to aid your literature review. For example: HR in China

(b) Selected a known data source within it and one to which you still have access. For example: Which companies do you know?

(c) Decided how to approach them and with which method.

(d) Formulated your contacts and narrowed down the study. For example: Are Western HR training systems suitable for Chinese SMEs in Shanghai?

(e) Used your literature review to develop suitable research questions within your chosen method.

(f) Ensured that your proposed plan conforms to IB requirements (a purely domestic analysis is not suitable, but a domestic analysis using comparative international literature can be).

From this Planning Phase you then move into the Action Phase

2.5 The Action Phase

The dissertation/project will be developed from the Research Proposal of 2500 words.

The supervisor who is appointed (see section 3) has a role which is basically advisory and which does not involve telling you exactly what you should or should not be doing. Your work will face a critical examination from both an internal and external marker.

There are three particular educational aims of the dissertation. The Independent Project module is designed to help you initiate these:

1. To further develop your research, analytical and reporting skills.
2. To further develop your project and time management skills.
3. To allow some measure of specialisation at the end of your programme in a direction suiting your interests.

Please remember that we cannot indicate to you that any piece of work you wish to submit, will, or will not, pass.

3.THE DISSERTATION/PROJECT SUPERVISOR

You will have identified an appropriate title and topic for your Proposal, including a set of research objectives, for submission and marking in Research Methods. A supervisor will be allocated by your Programme Director. Normally you will find that the allocation is based on the particular interests and expertise of the supervisor and although you may discuss a potential topic with a member of academic staff, there is no guarantee that you will actually be allocated that particular person as supervisor. However, if your Proposal has outlined a particular method (e.g. statistical analysis using SPSS) then a supervisor familiar with that method will be allocated.

The role of the supervisor is to provide advice, guidance, support and criticism as needs be. It is not the role of the supervisor to make corrections or rewrite parts of your work. 

Because of the highly individual nature of both the Proposal and the ensuing Dissertation/Project, the expectation is for you to be proactive in your use of a supervisor. You are the one responsible for completing the Dissertation/Project. You are the one who will have to the take the lead in initiating and maintaining contact with your supervisor.

Their role is not so much to give you the answers to your questions, but to help you find them for yourself. In any division/institute there is a very wide range and variety of skills, knowledge, experience and backgrounds that you should be able to draw on. In principle, you should be able to regard all members of staff as a resource that you can draw on for specialist advice on topics and techniques. In practice, you should remember that only your ‘official’ dissertation supervisor is timetabled to help you, and anyone else you approach is under no particular obligation to do so. 

3.1 Supervisory Roles

In general, your supervisor will act as follows:

1. The dissertation/case study is your project. You need to design it and make decisions about what course of action will be most productive and result in the strongest piece of work. Your supervisor can advise you on these things but the decisions must be yours.

1. The timetabling and completion of the various sections of your work are your responsibility. Your supervisor may set deadlines in the course of the project and ask you for particular pieces of work to help you avoid last minute panics. You can decide the pace of your work and establish your own deadlines along the way, but the supervisor will also wish to help you in this regard as work done in a rush, at the last minute, is usually not of good quality and it reflects badly on you.
2. When you want to discuss your project please email your supervisor to make an appointment to meet. Your supervisor will give you the earliest possible appointment, taking into account that your supervisor will have teaching, research and administrative responsibilities that means your supervisor will not be in the office all day, every day.

1. If your supervisor makes general comments on writing or organization of your work you are expected to learn from such comments and apply them to succeeding pieces of writing.

1.  You should plan for supervision of your work to end by the end of August at the latest. At that point you should take the advice given to you and finalise and complete the work independently.

One main piece of advice: do start writing as soon as possible.

3.2  The student-supervisor relationship

The following are the main things that you can expect of your supervisor and vice-versa: What you can expect from your supervisor:

• Supervisors will discuss your ideas, plans, and reading with you. In doing so, they will offer constructive feedback and suggestions and give general guidance on the development of your research questions, research tools, the timetabling of your work, and the organization of your dissertation.
• Supervisors will normally read one draft of each of your main dissertation/project chapters (see below) offering constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement to the content. Some supervisors may not read the final conclusions chapter wanting this to be purely your work. They will not be expected to proof- read your dissertation for you.
• Supervisors will endeavour to read work and reply to e-mails as quickly as possible, but, because of other commitments, they cannot be expected to read work to very tight deadlines or reply immediately to e-mails. A good rule of thumb is to allow at least a week between submitting any work and receiving feedback on it.

What supervisors and the Division can expect from you:

• To accept that the organisation and production of your dissertation/project is your responsibility and yours alone, with advice and guidance from your supervisor.
• To attend the lectures and seminar sessions.
• To complete, and hand in, on time, the topic proposal and ethics forms (found on Canvas).
• To develop and agree with your supervisor a practical timetable for the work programme.
• To maintain regular contact at timely intervals with your supervisor (often two weekly intervals but this depends on the stage of your dissertation).
• To define your research question with help from your prospective/actual supervisor based on the information and advice given during the formal classes.
• To use relevant academic literature and other sources of relevant ideas and data with advice and guidance from your supervisor.
• To conduct your research in a professional and ethical manner, with integrity, respect, and consideration for others in accordance with relevant points made in this handbook and in the University’s guidelines on ethical research practice.
• To produce clearly presented work at all times, both in draft form and as the final product. Drafts should be page-numbered, double-spaced and include your registration number in the header.
• To respond to constructive feedback on your suggestions and your drafts made by your supervisor in an equally professional and constructive fashion, remembering that any criticisms are of your work, not of yourself.
• To report to, and discuss with, your supervisor any problems in searching for information and gathering data as soon as they occur, so that they can be aired and overcome quickly, with any delays minimised.
• To contact your Dissertation/Project co-ordinator immediately about any problem that cannot be resolved by recourse to your supervisor, in the knowledge that any confidential information reported to him/her will remain confidential.
• If contact with your supervisor and/or the Dissertation/Project co-ordinator appears to be genuinely unlikely to lead to the resolution of a problem that appears to be delaying the production of your dissertation, to contact as soon as possible your Head of the Division so that whenever possible the problem is solved in an amicable, constructive, decisive, and timely fashion.

It is compulsory that you have a minimum of 3 face-to-face meetings with your supervisor over the Summer period. If you are unable to attend in person due to health reasons, being abroad, or other circumstances -- please notify your supervisor as soon as possible and arrange for meetings to take place via phone or online modes of communication, e.g., MSTeams, Skype etc

The responsibility for the dissertation/project is the student’s, and not that of the supervisor. Supervisors will not meet unreasonable requests from students. A supervisor’s advice will normally cover major points of substance and may not cover all points of detail. A supervisor cannot be expected to be actively researching each student’s chosen topic.

Do not wait until the last minute, a few days before the submission date, and then give your supervisor the whole dissertation/project or most of it (or even more than two chapters) to read. The supervisor will not have the time to give you proper feedback, and it is also unfair to the other students whose work they will be reading at the same time. To make the most of your supervisor’s expertise you should regularly show them draft work and meet deadlines, as set between you and them. 

4.ETHICS APPROVAL PROCESS

All projects need to be considered for ethical implications and must get ethics approval prior to commencing any fieldwork or primary data collection work.

The Faculty has a research ethics framework that you should be familiar with prior to the commencement of your project. (A copy of the Framework is available on Canvas). It is essential that you consult the University web pages on ethics: https://www.stir.ac.uk/research/research-ethics-and-integrity/general-university-ethics-panel/. All student projects will need to apply through the General University Ethics Panel (GUEP).

There is a requirement to complete and submit an Ethics review form for the work you undertake in your project. Failure to do so will result in the project not being accepted by the university. You should also make a formal statement in your report that you have undertaken your research in accordance with the Ethics framework. In general terms the key ethical considerations are provided below:

• Research should be designed, reviewed and undertaken to ensure integrity and quality;
  • Research staff and subjects must be informed fully about the purpose, methods and intended possible uses of the research, what their participation in the research entails and what risks, if any, are involved. This is known as ‘informed consent’;
  • The confidentiality of information supplied by research subjects and the anonymity of respondents must always be respected, particularly where failure to observe anonymity may result in negative consequences for research subjects;
  • Research subjects must participate in a voluntary way, free from any coercion. Consent must be obtained from parents/responsible adults when undertaking research involving children under 16. Research involving vulnerable groups (e.g. children or young people under 18, individuals with learning difficulties etc.) will nearly always require formal Ethics approval by the Faculty BEFORE any interviews etc. take place;
  • Harm to research participants must be avoided. Extra care must be taken to avoid harm in the case of

• The independence of research must be clear and any conflicts of interest or partiality must be explicit.

5.THE DISSERTATION/CASE STUDY PROJECT

5.1 Structure of the Dissertation/Project

5.1.1 Length

The dissertation/project, within a limit of 12,000 – 15,000 words (excluding appendices), will normally contain:

1) Introduction: A clear statement of the research problem, general aim and specific objectives, and the limitations that might be considered in your work. 

2) A literature review placing your research in the context of other research in the field.

3) A statement of the methodology adopted and with appropriate justification.

4) Presentation and analysis of data captured.

5)  Conclusions summarising the research findings and linking them to the literature, evaluating the approach taken.

6)  recommendations in relation to the original objectives including suggestions for any future research directions.

However some people have six chapters, perhaps because they have extra background material in order to set the scene. Whilst there is no strict rule on the number of chapters, consideration should be given to the flow and structure of the dissertation overall.

5.1.2   Structure

The structure of your dissertation/project will depend in part on the information to be included (something you may discuss with your supervisor); however, a dissertation based on primary empirical research should generally include the following:

Title Page - This should have the full title, your name, student number, the full name of the degree for which the dissertation/project is being presented and the year of submission (See Appendix C for a sample Title Page)

Abstract - The abstract should provide a succinct description of the dissertation/project research and what it delivers. Although the abstract is included at the beginning of your dissertation/project, it should be written last of all, and should be a full summary – a snapshot of the whole dissertation. It should contain WHAT you were doing, WHY you were doing it, HOW you did it, the KEY findings, and the MAIN conclusions. It contains the bare bones of your report, and should be around 300 words.

Acknowledgements - It is customary to acknowledge help given by others at the beginning of the dissertation/project in an Acknowledgements section. This could include the supervisor or people, organisations who have supplied specific assistance. The Acknowledgements are personal and optional.

Table of Contents - This acts as a guide and reference section and should include the main chapter headings and principal subsections, together with accurate page numbers. 

List of Tables - All tables must be sequentially numbered eg (Table 1.1, Table 1.2) in this list and given a title. In the main text the table should have its title and source clearly stated. They should be placed within the text close to where they are referenced, although substantial and detailed statistical data may be appended at the end of the dissertation.

List of Figures - All figures must be sequentially numbered e.g. (Figure 1.1, Figure 1.2) in this list and given a title. In the main text the figure should have its title and source clearly stated. They should normally be placed within the

text close to where they are first referenced or be on separate following pages. Some figures might also be included in the appendices, but do consider the flow of the material being conveyed to the reader. Repeated need to refer to an appendix probably suggests the material is central to the argument and thus should be within the main body of the thesis. Large maps, diagrams, CDs, DVDs etc. if necessary, can be included in a pocket attached to the back cover.

5.2 Dissertation/Project Sections

The required word count is 12,000 – 15,000 (plus or minus 10%) excluding references and appendices. Each section below suggests a word count – what is actually needed will depend on many things. However putting more words in one section means less words can be put in another. This is a tradeoff that you must manage.

Abstract (100-200 approx words)

An abstract succinctly describes the most important aspects of the study. It provides an overview of the research, outlines the aim of the study (an aim is what the study will do and hopes to achieve), the methodological process and design of the research, and the key findings and argument. It should be clear to the reader what they will discover by reading your dissertation.

Introduction – (1000 approx words)

The introduction tells the reader what the dissertation intends to provide. It must therefore include your aims and objectives and research questions/hypotheses, set within a wider context; an outline of how the material will be developed in the report (e.g. a sentence or two as to what is contained in each chapter); and a concise description and justification of the methodology that has been used.

Literature review (3000-3500 approx words)

This is a review of the literature relevant to your topic logically structured around the themes you have identified from your readings. The literature should underpin the whole piece of research and justify your overall aim, as well as informing your research questions/hypotheses.

This chapter should reveal the YOUR familiarity with and understanding of the available literature on the topic; it should not simply be a collection of (unread) citations. Later in the dissertation, the literature is synthesised with your own results in the discussion and used to review the conclusions in a wider context. Thus you should carry out your literature searches as soon as you have established what your topic might/ is to be. It may well be that the literature will indicate a modification of initial objectives and research design. The literature review should be properly developed – so do not rush it and end up with one that is under-developed.

While your literature review may contain some practical sources, remember it is an academic literature review you are undertaking. You need to look for relevant (and recent) journal articles in the field along with academic texts. The library sessions will assist you in finding sources for your literature review.

Refer to examples on Canvas and also any academic journal articles to see how a literature review is normally written 

Methodology (1500-2000 approx words)

The objectives of the study making up the dissertation/project should be clear from the beginning and the reader (examiner) should be able to follow how the dissertation proceeds to meet the objectives. Objectives can be formulated as research questions or as hypotheses and a methodology should be developed in order to explore the questions raised by the objectives.

You should include the following 

• A brief introduction focused on the process and key parts of the methodology
• Do you have a research philosophy? If so, you should describe how this enriches your analytical framework and has guided the key decisions you have made and the questions you will ask
• The overarching methodological strategy and process of the dissertation - your research design
• Tell the reader if your study used a qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methodology approach. Was it a case study? Did you use interviews, observations, or surveys? Tell the reader about all the methods used and why they are appropriate to your research questions
• If appropriate, justify the sampling strategy
  • How you collected data
  • How you analysed the data: the reader needs to know why they should trust your approach and believe it to be rigorous
  • Any limitations as to the methodological choices/ and strategies you have perused
  • Your ethical choices and strategy in the conduct of the research – how you sought to ensure your research was ethically carried out (e.g. ensuring informed consent and anonymity of participants etc.)
  • A brief summary and link to the next section/chapter 

Findings section (in some dissertations/projects this may be combined with discussion) (3000 approx words inc. discussion)

The findings section should outline the important findings the research project has uncovered. Good findings sections are logical and coherent and link with the methods section and are informed by the analytical framework and the literature review. Please be aware that a thesis with quantitative or mixed data may need to be structured differently and you should speak to your supervisor about the best way of doing so.

Think about including the following aspects when writing the section:

• A brief introduction that introduces the key themes and what the section has found
• The key findings of the study. Tell the reader how they relate to the aims and research questions
• A discussion of the important findings of your primary or secondary research in logical order
• How your findings relate to the existing literature. If they challenge orthodoxies and views then that is interesting and you should let the reader know they ways they do
• A brief conclusion should summarise the key findings from the section 

Discussion section

Whereas the findings section deals purely with empirical findings, the discussion section discusses these in comparison to other studies and research projects.

This section should cover how your findings compare to others, and include the following:

• A brief introduction that introduces what the section will do
• A summary of key research findings that are compared and contrasted to other studies (from your literature review)
• This is the point where you can reintroduce your analytical framework and use it to discuss the empirical findings and to develop your discussion
• A clear key argument and message that the reader can take away from your research
• Recommendations that will inform policy, practice, or future research
• What we know as a result of your research that we didn’t know before
• A brief summary of key findings and link to conclusion and recommendations

Conclusions and recommendations (1000-1500 approx words)

Your conclusions should summarise (and not simply repeat or cut/paste) the most salient points of the discussion and/or the main inferences to be drawn from the data. 

The chapter should clearly demonstrate your critical understanding of how your findings relate to the work of others cited within the literature review and also any practical implications of your findings. Your own results might also provide some indication of what, if any, further research might be undertaken and possibly any ways in which alternative or modified approaches might be considered.

Think about including the following aspects when writing your conclusion:

• What were the key themes, arguments, and how do they fit together to form a coherent narrative?
• A reflective discussion that returns to your research objectives explicitly or implicitly. Demonstrate that you have gone ‘full circle’ and are now evaluating your project as a whole
• Restating what you did and why, how your analytical framework was used, the key findings, and the extent to which you met the aims and objectives
• Recommendations must be made for improving policy, practice, society, or with specific regards to challenging orthodoxies
• Future research pathways should also be discussed
• There is also a need to demonstrate, if possible, how the research could be extended or what other research issues it has raised
• Do not introduce new material

If you have some recommendations for management or policy makers from your research, these can also be reported in your conclusions chapter.

General Note: There may not, in every case, be separate chapters headed as above. For example, if you engage in a purely conceptual piece of research (that is, a re-examination of existing models and theories) your whole dissertation/project is a critical, evaluative literature review, resulting in your own insights and conclusions.

Referencing

The Stirling Management School recommend using the Harvard Stirling University Referencing Style (HSU).

The following brief information will help you to get started using HSU but you should consult the Harvard Stirling University Guide on the Library web pages (http://libguides.stir.ac.uk/Harvard-Stirling)  for more detailed guidance, additional reference types and updates. This information is also available in the Management School Undergraduate Student Handbook which is available on Succeed. 

To acknowledge a paraphrased idea put the reference information in brackets next to the idea used. For example:

There is some evidence (Smith 1995) that these figures are incorrect.

OR

Smith (1995) has provided evidence that these figures are incorrect.

Multiple Authors: If a reference has two authors include both e.g. (Smith and Richardson 2013) but if it has more than two authors give only the first name followed by et al. e.g. (Johnston et al. 2012).

Example Reference List / Bibliography 

Anderson, R.C. and Klofstad, C.A. (2012) Preference for leaders with masculine voices holds in the case of feminine leadership roles. Plos One. 7 (12), e51216. Available: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0051216 [Accessed: 30 July 2014].

Creating the Kelpies (2014) [Television Broadcast] BBC 2 Scotland, 6 May.

Gilmore, S. and Williams, S. eds. (2009) Human resource management. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Roberts, I. (2003) Sociology and industrial relations. In: P. Ackers and A. Wilkinson eds. Understanding work and employment: industrial relations in transition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 31-42.

Scottish Government (2011) Economic strategy: transition to a low carbon economy. Scottish Government. Available: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/EconomicStrategy/LowCarbon [Accessed:28 March 2012]. 

The Hobbit: an unexpected journey (2013) [DVD] Directed by Peter Jackson. Los Angeles: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Information on all referencing styles can be found here: http://www.stir.ac.uk/is/student/writing/referencing/howto/

NOTE: The library’s guidance for Management states that authors’/editors’ names should be in block capitals but this

does not have to be the case.

You may find it easy to compile your reference listings if you construct a typed reference list, adding to it each time you use a source. Alternatively, if you’re IT literate, databases such as REFWORKS, are good tools to use for this purpose, although always remember to make backup copies.

Bibliography – A list of all the sources that you have consulted, even although you may not have used quotations or otherwise referenced the material. Thus general works consulted but not referenced in the text should be included in a bibliography at the end of the dissertation but only where they have been used.

Appendices - Appendices are for additional material, but your dissertation should be comprehensible without appendices. Appendices provide more information for the interested reader. You should include material such as a copy of the questionnaire used, interview schedule, any covering letters and a transcript of an interview, plus additional information, which compliments the main text, but would detract from the flow of the work if included there. However, the Appendices must not be used as a ‘dumping ground’ for text because of word limit problems.

Remember , if any material is necessary to the main dissertation then it should appear in the main body of the dissertation. Appendices should be referred to in the body at the relevant point and should never appear as an afterthought. They should be clearly separated, numbered and labelled.

5.2.2     Format and submission

Formatting

REMEMBER: Attractive presentation predisposes the reader in your favour. Even as you draft the first version of your dissertation start to think about the use of headings, margins, paragraphing, ‘white space’, well-produced illustrations, and consistency throughout the document.

The following requirements must be adhered to when you format and submit your dissertation:

(a) Dissertations/Project reports should be in A4 format.

(b) The recommended font for your dissertation/project is Times Roman size 12 or Arial size 10 (no larger).

(c)  The margins at both sides of the page should be 3.5 cm.

(d) 1.5 line spacing must be used. In the footnotes, single spacing is to be used.

(e)  Pages shall be numbered consecutively through the text, starting from the Introduction.

(f)   The title page shall give the following information:

• The full title of the dissertation/project.
• The full name of the author.
• The author’s registration number.
• The name of the university.
• The award for which the dissertation/project is submitted in partial fulfilment.
• The month and year of submission.

Submission

You are required to submit your dissertation/project report online via canvas. A physical copy is not required. If you submit after the deadline has passed, a 3% daily penalty will be applied for each day thereafter (and for dissertations/projects submitted after 12.00pm on the date of submission).

Your dissertation/project should include a signed declaration that it is your own work and that all sources have been acknowledged. A copy of the declaration form can be found in Canvas.

Confidentiality

If your dissertation/project contains data from individuals or organisations that are personally or commercially sensitive, you may request that the dissertation be regarded as confidential. In this case, access will be restricted and it will not be made available to anyone. You will be required to complete a Confidentiality Request Form which can be found in Canvas.

Data auditability

You must ensure that you have sufficient convincing proof that you have collected data used in the course of your dissertation, whether the research conducted was qualitative, quantitative, or both. This might take the form, in qualitative work, of tapes or audio files of interviews/focus groups or typed interview/focus group transcripts. For quantitative work this may include completed questionnaires and data files of the results. For material where this is not possible (such as interview tapes or completed questionnaires) you should keep this material until after your dissertation result has been released. You may be asked to provide these as evidence of the work having been undertaken

PLAGIARISM AND TURN-IT-IN SUBMISSION

Plagiarism involves the intentional presentation for assessment of the work of another (be it fellow students or published work) as your own. It constitutes an offence which will normally result in your failing the dissertation and thereby your Degree. The way to avoid this is by meticulous referencing and attribution of the work of others so that the reader is left in no doubt which parts are your own. Do not underestimate, therefore, the importance of clear, methodical referencing and attribution of ideas, figures and tables.

Turn-it-in

All final dissertations should be submitted to the submission link on CANVAS. In advance of this, you are allowed to submit your ‘near to completed’ dissertation/project to the submission link in order to check the Turnitin Similarity score. You can then make any changes required resulting from the generated report. Any other Turn-it-in submission conducted outwith the Division runs the risk of being penalised for plagiarism. The University Policy on Plagiarism in Coursework and Dissertations is contained on Canvas. 

MARKING SCHEME

Details of the Common Marking Scheme can be found at: http://www.stir.ac.uk/academicpolicy/handbook/assessmentincludingacademicmisconduct/

6.DISSERTATION/CASE STUDY PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

6.1Attendance

There are no classes during the Summer dissertation period, but one of the requirements of the Independent Project module is that students must consult with their supervisors regularly and submit regular drafts of their work. Between June and September, diligent students will normally be in contact with their supervisors on average once a week or fortnight during the summer semester.

6.2  Deadlines and Difficulties

Supervisors and tutors need deadlines to enable marking and assessment procedures to take place efficiently so that graduation dates can be achieved. Deadlines are, above all, for your own benefit: the development of your individual time and project management skills is an integral element of the exercise. If firm deadlines are not imposed, there is a real danger that you will devote more time to a particular part of the process than is sensible and that it will be at the expense of other elements. This is often a particular issue as the final submission date approaches. Every effort should therefore be made to maintain the schedule you agree with your supervisor and you are advised to diary the relevant dates NOW.

To underline the importance of the deadline, a penalty of the deduction of 3 marks per day will be levied for late submission unless there are clear personal circumstances such as illness or other extenuating factors which may justify an extension. Any application for an extension must be channelled through your dissertation supervisor using the relevant form. Please note that any reason for lateness, which is due to failure in project, planning or management is unacceptable: always build an allowance into your schedule for all of your other work and social commitments and for problems such as computer availability, disks crashing, printers etc.

Submission Deadline - By 12.00pm on Thursday, 8^th September, 2022 

The exact timing and number of meetings over the dissertation/project period will be for you and your supervisor to agree, but between June and September you must have at least five consultations with your supervisor, normally at least three of which must be face to face (either on a one-to-one basis, or else in the form of a group discussion with fellow students in order to share experiences and learn from each other). Note: except where in person meetings are prohibited due to health reasons, being aboard, or other exceptional circumstances. In these instances, you should notify your supervisory as soon as possible and arrange for meetings to take place via other means e.g., telephone call or online modes of communication e.g., MSTeams, Skype etc. Students reserve the right to formally request that their meetings are conducted on a one-to-one basis. At each of these consultations your supervisor will record the objectives which you were set at the previous meeting and to what extent you have achieved

them. Your supervisor, in discussion with you, will also set out new objectives to be accomplished by the next meeting. These can be communicated by email to your student email address. The aims of these communications are:

1. To inform you of your progress throughout the project and to highlight areas in which you could improve.
2. To contribute towards the assessment of the project.
3. To ensure you are within the range of 12,000 – 15,000 word count

If at any time you are experiencing difficulties, then you should endeavour to discuss these with your supervisor. Experience shows that most problems can be traced to students’ reluctance to confront and resolve issues in discussion with their supervisor.

At all times, it is anticipated that any problems arising between you and your supervisor can be resolved through discussion between both parties. However, should you have concerns about your supervisor then this should be brought to the attention of your Programme Director. Where the supervisor and the Programme Director are one and the same, you should discuss the situation with the Director of Postgraduate Programmes. In the event of the matter being unresolved, you should take your concerns to the Head of Division. It should be noted that at no point will your grades be impacted as a result of the above discussions taking place.

6.3  Use of Turnitin Software

All final dissertations/projects should be uploaded to the assignment submission link on Canvas. It is policy, within the IB Programme, that you are permitted to submit your work through Turnitin and instead of being able to submit your work once only, you may submit through Turnitin as often as you feel you would like to but you will only be able to see the original report once in every 24 hour period. Please make sure that you cite any references you have made correctly. Should you feel that there are problems with the levels of electronic correlation (above, for example, 20%) with other published works then please advise your supervisor.

6.4  Word Limits

The maximum word count is 15,000 words. If a dissertation/project is over the expected count, it is at the discretion of the supervisor and second marker to accept and mark the work, or return it to the student with a request to reduce it. Appendices are not included within these limits. It must be stressed that these limits are within a fair and reasonable range dependent on the choice of method (a quantitative method, completed well should be at the lower end of the range but a good qualitative piece of work - including case studies - should be at the upper end). Your supervisor will guide you towards a suitable word count within the range.

7.RESUBMITTED DISSERTATIONS/PROJECTS

Students who fail to achieve a passing grade in their dissertation/project will be allowed a further opportunity to resubmit their dissertation/project in order to achieve the pass mark (50%) required to be awarded a Master’s qualification. Should you fall into this category, you will receive written feedback detailing which elements of the dissertation need to be revised. There will be no further meetings with your supervisor. Resubmission deadline – 3 months after initial notification of fail grade.8. VIVA VOCE EXAMINATION

In some institutions you are orally examined on your Master’s dissertation/project. This is not standard practice with dissertations/projects at the University of Stirling. However, the Examiners reserve the right to require this in certain circumstances, such as a suspicion of plagiarism. The composition of the viva voce panel will be that of the Chief Examiner, the Supervisor, the Second Marker, and either the Programme Director or the Director of Postgraduate Programmes. Please note that these meetings will be held shortly after the dissertation/project has been marked and you should therefore be available to attend this meeting. If you are required to attend a viva voce and fail to do so, the Examiners will exercise their discretion in making their final decision.

9.CONFIDENTIALITY

If your dissertation/project contains data from individuals or organisations that is personally or commercially sensitive, you may request that the dissertation/project be regarded as confidential. You will be required to complete a confidentiality form when you submit your dissertation to the Postgraduate Office. 

10.RULES AND REGULATIONS

Your attention is drawn to sections of three sets of rules and regulations, including the issue of ensuring the work you have conducted is your own.

10.1  Code of Conduct of the Market Research Society

Any primary research which involves approaching either members of the public or outside organisations must adhere to the Code of Conduct of the Market Research Society. You will find it in the Yearbook of the Market Research Society. However, you should note in particular that:

(a) If you intend to pass on the results of your consultancy project to any outside organisation (e.g. the press, academic reports etc.), you must indicate this to potential respondents. You cannot purport to be a student merely doing an academic project, not least if you are approaching firms competing with the one who will see your results.

(b) Similarly, you cannot combine your research with selling - for example, by passing on lists of respondents to any outside organisation. The Data Protection Act may also apply here.

(b) You must not interview or carry out direct research with children without the permission of their parents.

10.2   Data Auditability

You should ensure that you have sufficient convincing proof that you have collected data used in the course of your project, whether the research conducted was qualitative or quantitative, or both. This might take the form, for example, in qualitative work i.e. tapes of interviews and focus groups undertaken etc. or completed questionnaires for any quantitative surveys. You may be asked to provide these as evidence of the work having been undertaken.

10.3  Plagiarism

This involves the intentional presentation for assessment of the work of another (be it fellow students or published work) as your own. It constitutes an offence which will normally result in your failing the project and thereby your Degree. The way to avoid this is by meticulous referencing and attribution of the work of others so that the reader is left in no doubt which parts are your own. Do not underestimate, therefore, the importance of clear, methodical referencing and attribution of ideas, figures and tables etc. - the consequences of not doing so can be dire for the student.

All final projects should be submitted to the Turn-it-in plagiarism software via Canvas. You are permitted to submit draft copies of your work up until the due date through Turnitin. Any other Turnitin submission conducted outwith the School runs the risk of being penalised for plagiarism. The University Policy on Plagiarism in Postgraduate Coursework and Dissertations/Projects is contained on Canvas. CONFIDENTIAL

APPENDIX A – DISSERTATION/CASE STUDY PROJECT MEETING RECORD (Part 1)

(To be completed by the supervisor at each meeting and retained in the student’s file)

DISSERTATION/CASE STUDY PROJECT MEETING RECORD (Part 2)

(To be completed by the supervisor and the student at each meeting)

Student’s Name:   Reg. No.:

Programme:

Supervisor: Division: 

Date:

One of the requirements of the dissertation is that students must see and consult with their supervisors regularly and submit regular drafts of their work. Between June and September they must have at least five consultations with their supervisor, at least three of which must be face-to-face. Diligent students, however, will normally be in contact with their supervisors, either in person or by email, on average once a week or fortnight during the summer semester. 

This form should be kept by the student and produced, dated and signed at each meeting with their supervisor. It must be submitted together with the project report. A copy should be retained by the students until graduation. 

APPENDIX B – Independent Project Leave Form / information

Field work, annual leave and change of study location

In order to keep our students and staff safe, University buildings are presently closed due to current lockdown restrictions. Therefore, until it is safe to return, it is expected that teaching will continue online. Students are not therefore expected to physically attend class on campus and these arrangements apply to all students who hold a Tier 4 visa.

Tier 4 visa holders are normally required to seek authority from their supervisor/faculty before undertaking fieldwork, requesting leave, or taking an absence for any other reason. Students previously submitted a form authorising their period of fieldwork or leave. However, as physical attendance is not required on campus at the moment, you do not need to complete a form if you decide to continue with your studies remotely from a different location. This includes if you return home overseas.

Holders of a Tier 4 visa should follow the guidance laid out in the FAQ`s on the University website in relation to COVID-

19. We also ask that you to do the following:

1. Update your contact/semester address on your Student Portal with the address where you are currently staying and keep this information up to date.
2. Keep your faculty updated of your location and plans. Discuss any academic issues you may have with them. 
3. Check your student email account and respond to all relevant communication you receive from the University. 

Please note that this is a temporary change and UK Visas & Immigration are keeping sponsorship arrangements for institutions and Tier 4 students under constant review. We will update this page as and when the Tier 4 requirements change and teaching resumes on campus.

If you have any questions regarding the content of this page or in relation to your current visa status, please email the Student Immigration Team.

APPENDIX C - SAMPLE TITLE PAGE 

(Title: 50mm from top of page) 

TOWARDS THE MALAWI INFORMATION SOCIETY: DOES DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND HAVE ANY STRATEGIC SENSE?

(Name: 50mm down from title)

JOHN BROWN 1620401

(Outline: 100mm down from name) 

This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Business 

University of Stirling September 2022

APPENDIX D - HARVARD BRITISH STANDARD SYSTEM OF CITING REFERENCES

The Harvard British Standard format is the most widely used form of referencing used in academic work. Using the system, the details of the papers and books consulted and referred to be placed in full at the end of the project report, in alphabetical order according to the Surname of the author.

Harvard – British Standard System: Citing References within Your Essay

Here are some examples of in-text citation using the Harvard – British Standard style:

To acknowledge a paraphrased idea put the reference information in brackets next to the idea used.

For example:

There is some evidence (Smith 1995) that these figures are incorrect. or Smith (1995) has provided evidence that these figures are incorrec

When using direct quotations (remember to enclose direct quotations in inverted commas or quotation marks) or referring to particular sections of a document you must give the page numbers. Include the page numbers after the date within the brackets, use either a comma, or colon: to separate the date and page numbers. Abbreviations include: page (p.) pages (pp.) section (s.) and sections (ss.). If no page number is available (for example it has been taken from a web page use (n.p.)

For example:

Härdtlein et al. argue that ‘many C++-programmers still hesitate to implement the ET technique’ (2010, p.59).

OR 

Härdtlein et al. (2010, p.59) argue that ‘many C++-programmers still hesitate to implement the ET technique’.

Many students ask how to cite personal communications such as tutor comments or emails, letters, meetings with your supervisor, etc. These should be cited within the text of your essay/coursework including as much information as possible, first name/initials and surname of the source and an exact date, for example:

There is some evidence, as suggested by Joe Smith (Personal Communication, January 1, 1995), that these figures are incorrect. 

RefWorks’ Harvard British Standard Examples: What Information Do You Need For A Reference List?

Book

AUTHOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all authors} PubYear. PrimaryTitle. Edition edn. PlaceofPub: Publisher.

JOHNSON, G. and SCHOLES, K., 2010. Exploring strategy: text and cases. 9th edn. Harlow: Financial Times.

Edited Book

EDITOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all editors} eds, PubYear. PrimaryTitle. Edition edn. PlaceofPub: Publisher.

GILMORE, S. and WILLIAMS, S., eds, 2009. Human resource management. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Book Chapter in Edited Book

AUTHOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all authors} PubYear. PrimaryTitle. In: INITIALS. EDITOR SURNAME {repeat for all editors}, eds, SecondaryTitle. Edition edn. PlaceofPub: Publisher, pp. StartPg- OtherPg. 

ROBERTS, I., 2003. Sociology and industrial relations. In: P. ACKERS and A. WILKINSON, eds, Understanding work and employment: industrial relations in transition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 31-42.

Journal Article

AUTHOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all authors} PubYear. PrimaryTitle. Journal Title, Volume(Issue),

pp. Start Pg-Last Pg.

GORDON, R., MOODIE, C., EADIE, D. and HASTINGS, G., 2010. Critical social marketing -- the impact of alcohol marketing on youth drinking: Qualitative findings. International journal of nonprofit & voluntary sector marketing, 15(3), pp. 265-275.

Newspaper Article

AUTHOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all authors} PubYear (also enter the day and month after the year – see example below). PrimaryTitle. Newspaper Title, Section, pp. Start Pg-Last Pg.

FLEMING, S., CHARTER, D. and PHANGALOS, P., 2011, 7th May. Greece `may quit the euro to escape debts`. The Times, News, pp. 3.

Personal Communication

AUTHOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all authors} PubYear. PrimaryTitle. Edition edn. PlaceofPub: Publisher.

RUFFELL, R., 2011. ECN313: Data Sources Lecture.

Report

AUTHOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all authors} PubYear.Title.( Series Title. Report Number). PlaceofPub: Publisher.

(Note: Currently RefWorks does not display the Series Title of a report – you will need to edit your reference list manually to add this.)

WOOD, M., HALES, J., PURDON, S., SEJERSEN, T. and HAYLLAR, O., 2009. A test for racial discrimination in recruitment practice in British cities: a report of research carried out by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. (Department for Work and Pensions research report 607). Norwich: HMSO.

Report – Annual Report

AUTHOR (i.e. corporate author or company name), PubYear. Title. PlaceofPub: Publisher BT GROUP PLC, 2011. Annual report & form 20-F 2011. London: BT Group plc.

Video/DVD

DIRECTOR SURNAME, INITIAL. Year, Title, Distributor/Studio.

From faking it to making it: one to one coaching in the real world. 2005. London: Video Arts.

Web Page – Entire Web Site

AUTHOR (usually a corporate author e.g. company name or organisation) , PubDate-last updated full date, PubYear-last updated year, Title. [Homepage of Publisher], [Online]. Available: URL. [Accessed month/day, accessed year].

CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTANTS IN SCOTLAND, [Homepage of Chartered Institute of Accountants in Scotland], [Online]. Available: www.icas.org.uk/icas/ [28/9, 2011].

Web Page – Specific Part of a Web Page 

AUTHOR SURNAME, INITIALS., {repeat for all authors, PubDate-last updated full date, PubYear-last updated year, Title. [Homepage of Publisher], [Online]. Available: URL. [Accessed month/day, accessed year].

FLANDERS, S., 26/09/11, 2011-last update, Eurozone crisis: Europe choice to punish or protect [Homepage of BBC], [Online]. Available: www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15057004 [09/292011].

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT, 12/09/11, 2011-last update, Economic strategy: transition to a low carbon economy          [Homepage       of                      Scottish Government], [Online].                                    Available: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/EconomicStrategy/LowCarbon[09/27, 2011].

Example Bibliography (Harvard – British Standard 

From faking it to making it: one to one coaching in the real world. 2005. London: Video Arts. BT GROUP PLC, 2011. Annual report & form 20-F 2011. BT Group plc.

CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ACCOUNTANTS IN SCOTLAND, [Homepage of Chartered Institute of Accountants in Scotland], [Online]. Available: http://www.icas.org.uk/icas/ [28/9, 2011].

FLANDERS, S., 26/09/11, 2011-last update, Eurozone crisis: Europe choice to punish or protect [Homepage of BBC], [Online]. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15057004[09/29, 2011].

FLEMING, S., CHARTER, D. and PHANGALOS, P., 2011. Greece `may quit the euro to escape debts`. The Times, News, 7th May, pp. 3..

GILMORE, S. and WILLIAMS, S., eds, 2009. Human resource management. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

GORDON, R., MOODIE, C., EADIE, D. and HASTINGS, G., 2010. Critical social marketing -- the impact of alcohol marketing on youth drinking: Qualitative findings. International journal of nonprofit & voluntary sector marketing, 15(3), pp. 265-275 

JOHNSON, G. and SCHOLES, K., 2010. Exploring strategy: text and cases. 9th edn. Harlow: Financial Times.

ROBERTS, I., 2003. Sociology and industrial relations. In: P. ACKERS and A. WILKINSON, eds, Understanding work and employment: industrial relations in transition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 31-42.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT, 12/09/11, 2011-last update, Economic strategy: transition to a low carbon economy          [Homepage       of                      Scottish Government], [Online].                                    Available: www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Economy/EconomicStrategy/LowCarbon[09/27, 2011].

WOOD, M., HALES, J., PURDON, S., SEJERSEN, T. and HAYLLAR, O., 2009. A test for racial discrimination in recruitment practice in British cities: a report of research carried out by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. (Department for Work and Pensions research report 607). Norwich: HMSO.

If you require help with assignment writing and referencing, please refer to the Student Learning Services web pages, found at:

www.strategicplanning.stir.ac.uk/CAPL/student-learning-services/learning-services/workshops.php

Further information on how to use reference, please see: www.stir.ac.uk/is/student/writing/referencing/howto/