MGMT 410: Research in Managerial Ethics

Welcome to the course guide for MGMT 410. This guide describes databases and search tools you can use to find information at the duPont-Ball Library and on the web, as well as search tips and information about library services.  

• Ask a Librarian
  • Call or text 386-747-9028 or email libref@Stetson.edu with any questions.
• Request a Research Consultation
  • Set up a one-on-one appointment with a librarian for personalized research assistance.

Term Paper #2: Research Proposal
For this paper, you will explore a topic of interest to you within current research in managerial ethics. The paper should permit you to focus on an area of interest that could be further developed (or is already being developed) as a thesis, industry practicum project, or senior research project (i.e., something you might like to present at the spring Stetson Showcase). The paper is an opportunity to fine tune your research ideas and to become familiar with existing published research on the topic. The ultimate goal of this paper is to formally propose a research project. The sections your paper must include are as follows:

• Abstract
• Justification, Purpose, and Research Questions
• Literature Review (including preliminary hypotheses, depending on your methodology)
• Research Methodology
• Data Collection and Research Design
• Timetable
• Conclusion

A minimum of 15 references should be cited, and at least 8 of those should be empirical research articles. Must be 8-10 pages in length (in addition to the reference list).

Must use APA citation style (7th edition) for writing style, abstract, headings and subheadings, and in-text and reference list citations.

Helpful links on the topic of research proposals.

Empirical Research is based on observed and measured phenomena. It is research that derives knowledge from actual experience rather than from theory or belief.

To locate empirical research in the library's databases, look for the article to mention a study, an observation, an analysis or a number of participants or subjects. Was data collected, a survey or questionnaire administered, an assessment or measurement used, an interview conducted? All of these terms indicate possible methodologies used in empirical research.

 Empirical articles often contain these sections:

• Abstract ... A paragraph length description of what the study includes.
• Introduction...Includes a statement of the hypotheses for the research and a review of other research on the topic.
• Methodology ...A description of how the research was conducted, such as:
           Who are participants
           Design of the study
           What the participants did
           What measures were used
• Results...Describes the outcomes of the measures of the study.
• Discussion...Contains the interpretations and implications of the study.
• Conclusion...Sums up the argument and the most salient points. 
• References...Contains citation information on the material cited in the report. (also called bibliography or works cited)

The sections may be combined, and may have different headings or no headings at all; however, the information that would fall within these sections should be present in an empirical article. Other synonyms for these types of articles will be "scholarly, peer-reviewed, or refereed" articles

A literature review is a comprehensive summary of previous research on a topic. The literature review surveys scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to a particular area of research. The review should enumerate, describe, summarize, objectively evaluate and clarify this previous research.  It should give a theoretical base for the research and help you (the author) determine the nature of your research.  The literature review acknowledges the work of previous researchers, and in so doing, assures the reader that your work has been well conceived.  It is assumed that by mentioning a previous work in the field of study, that the author has read, evaluated, and assimilated that work into the work at hand.

A literature review creates a "landscape" for the reader, giving her or him a full understanding of the developments in the field.  This landscape informs the reader that the author has indeed assimilated all (or the vast majority of) previous, significant works in the field into her or his research. 

Review articles. Sometimes categorized as a literature review in a database, a review article is a survey of articles on a topic with findings summarized. This provides the reader with the current state of research in a field or research area.