1 ISEM 3120 Seminar ISEM Objective(s): This year, the focus of this subject is to firstly teach you how to conduct a research project, and secondly pick up some up-to- date MIS practices or issues later! Why (reason, justification!) ? (p2)

2 They are directly related to your BBA project so that this subject will strengthen your ability in conducting your BBA project later! Outline of this subject (p3)

3 Outlines of this subject: See handout Separate into three main sections: 1.the first 6 weeks will follow the assigned text 2.the last 5-6 weeks will teach statistical methods and; 3.selected IT related topics All these materials are related to your BBA projects. (How?) (p4)

4 Answer: We can see the relationship of this subject by comparing the way in which the mark distribution of your BBA project is being outlined BBA mark distribution (p5)

5 The evaluation of your BBA project is based on the following criteria: Research proposal 15% Title Background Research questions and objectives Methodology Timescale Resources, if applicable References Research report 65% Problem development Research methodology Analytical skills Findings/interpretation Presentation Recommendation/Conclusion Progress report 5% Presentation15% (p6)

6 Here, this subject covers all of the above materials except the presentation, which is not the scope of this subject. Back to our basic question here! We consider BBA project is a research work, why? Is it difficult to understand this question? (p7)

7 Let rephrase it and ask ourselves, what factors make a work/output be considered as a research? Better yet, ask ourselves: What is a “research”? (p8)

8 In today’s lecture, we answer this question by examining the following points: 1.what makes a research be a research work 2.what is the focus point(s) of a research 3.types of research works 4.research framework 5.how to select a research topic 6.how to initiate a research idea 7.how to design a refined the result of point 6 8.how to present a research proposal (p9) (p10) (p15) (p16) (p18) (p19) (p13) (p11) (p21)

9 1. What kind of product/output is considered as research works (p5 of text)? 1.data are collected systematically 2.data are interpreted systematically 3.there is a clear purpose (objective): to reveal the true facts of an event (based on a model)! (Question: what are the most problematic concepts of “research findings” from those we learnt from the newspapers, magazines or news on TV?) (p8)

10 2. The focus points of a research work (p5 of text): 1.the way in which managers draw on knowledge developed by other disciplines (why?) 2.the fact of findings draw personal or commercial advantages (must be a purpose, such as eBusiness!) 3.the fact of findings allows one to draw some form of action or account of the practical consequences (why?) (p8)

11 3. Two basic types of research work (p9, Figure 1.1): 1.Basic research (expand of knowledge, that is universal principle/standard relating to the process, such as the societal behavior) 2.Applied research (improve understanding of particular business domain, that is timescales/setting is in a small scale) (p8) (p12)

12 (p11) 12 (eg. Solving a group technology problem For factoring automation) (eg. To study how social capital affect To people sharing information in co.)

13 4. A research works should carry out in a systematic fashion, such as the process show in Figure 1.2 of p11): 1.ideas of a research work ( see Knowledge management paper for example!) 2.formulate the research topic 3.review of what have taken done in literature (that is past works done by others) 4.select a research strategy or approach 5.feasibility of the research and review its ethical issues 6.plan for its data collection 7.analysis of its data (that is using an readily available research methods) 8.present the result findings and its interpretation 9.submit a report and make a presentation (p8) (p14)

14 (p13) 14

15 5.How to select a good research topic (Box 2.2, p24) ? 1.find an research area that interests you the most 2.check if there is any past works support to your ideas 3.check if your research works is a feasible one, such as can those data which you wanted be easily collected, and that your project can be completed on schedule 4.check if the nature of your research work matches of it needs (that is considering the matching of nature of your job/position) 5.refine your research topics into a question format so that your objective is clearly stated (p8)

16 6. How to start/generate/select a research idea? 1.search/read past reports/projects/journal papers and keep notes of ideas that interest to you 2.the ideas generated can be integrated by using method such as “working up and narrowing down” (see Figure 2.1, see next slide) so that you could first identifying a board view of a topic/real world problems and then focus on a particular application (why?) 3.refine these research ideas by using varies methods, such as consultation, Delphi study, rational thinking etc. 4.refine your ideas down to one that you can clarify of its feasibility together with which you write down from a research idea to a) research question(s) and b) objective (refer to Table 2.2 to see difference between research ideas and focus research questions (refer to Table 2.3, p35 to see the difference between research questions Vs objectives) (eg. Is gender played an important role in learning the user of computers? Vs To identify the relationship between gender and the computer usage) (p8) (p17)

17 (p16) 17

18 7. Approach to design your research works: 1.identifying a theoretic work (or a theory) from literature – “a formulation regarding the cause and effect relationship between two or more variables”; so that variables can be tested. (Typically, a model can be developed and that variables can be classified as dependent and independent variables) 2.developing “intelligence gathering” – establishing the “why” questions for your research instead of “what” of relationships established in point 1 (p8)

19 8. Writing a proposal its intention is to a) organize your ideas, b) convince your supervisor (see Box 2.13, p 44 for example of ” A written research proposal”) contents included the followings: 1.Title 2.Background 3.Research questions and objectives 4.Methodology 5.Timescale 6.Resources, if applicable 7.References (p20) (p8)

20 (p19) 20

21 –End of today’s lecture –Next week, we will examine how to judge if our research is a good product!