PROFESSIONAL, STATUTORY AND REGULATORY BODY (PSRB) REQUIREMENTS

Please note that this module includes particular requirements set by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD). These are articulated in the CIPD’s Generic Assessment Guidelines (GAC). You will find them embedded in the marking rubric for the Management Research Report displayed on pages 7-11. While it is not essential that a pass is achieved in all GAC categories to pass this module for your university award, it is essential that a pass is achieved in all GAC categories to be awarded the equivalent of the CIPD Advanced Level Diploma. This means that if you have passed the module but have failed in one or more GAC categories, then you will need to re-submit your amended management research report at the next submission point.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL (10%)

You are required to complete a proposal for your research. This submission should be 2,000 words + 10% maximum. In your proposal you must demonstrate that you have addressed the following items:

• Topic: Identify an HR-related topic and focus on a particular issue in your client organisation related to that topic. This will form the basis of your research question. In this section you should include commentary related to:
  • Project Title: What is your proposed research question? This will form the title of your research and constitutes what you are aiming to answer from you your investigation.
  • Project Rationale: Why did you choose this particular problem, issue or topic? Provide a detailed rationale explaining why it is important to you and your organisation and why it is a relevant academic study in HR management /
  • Project Benefits: What is the relevance to your client organisation? What are the particular benefits to your work place and organisation for you undertaking this investigation?
  • Research Aims and Objectives: What particular aims and objectives might be implied from the problem/issue or research question? You should detail two or three aims and four to six objectives that you are seeking to answer and intent to achieve from the

• Literature: Explore and critically evaluate some of the literature related to that topic and identify some of the key themes in that literature. The indicative word count for the literature review section is 800 In this section you should include:
  • A critical explanation of at least two main theories that will guide your research, and
  • Discussion of CIPD (or other relevant professional body) research / thought pieces / positional
• Methodology: Demonstrate understanding of the methodological implications in collecting and analyzing suitable data in order to answer the research question. Commentary in the section must contain appropriate academic underpinning. The indicative word count for the methodology section is 550 In this section you should include brief but meaningful commentary concerning:
  • Research philosophy and
  • Research design and methods, including sampling size and rationale, any plans to pilot your research, and any inclusion of secondary
  • Research instrument for data
  • Data analysis strategy and
  • Limitations arising from your chosen
• Ethical Issues: Demonstrate understanding of the ethical implications in collecting, analyzing, presenting and managing suitable data in order to answer the research question. This should be auctioned by including as an appendix a completed Student Ethical Issues Form. A blank version is located in eLP. (You will then use the information contained in this form when you submit your application for project approval via the University’s Ethics Online )
• Client Organisation Approval: Obtain approval of your client organisation for this research. This should be auctioned by including as an appendix a completed and signed Research Organisation Informed Consent Form. A blank version is located in the eLP. (You will then upload this document, and a completed unsigned Research Participant Informed Consent Form, if required, to Ethics Online when you submit your application for project )
• Project Timeframe: Consider an outline time schedule for your project. Articulate this in a suitable chart and add as an appendix (note that you will not have sufficient word count to substantially comment on this in your assignment so please refer the reader to the appendix and include any further commentary there.) You need to include sufficient detail in your chart to demonstrate that you are aware of the major resource implications for your particular study, especially around data collection and analysis, other university-related activity, and, where especially impactful, key commitments associated with your professional and personal
• References: Include a single list of all references, cited correctly in this list and in-text, using the APA referencing
• Presentation: The proposal should be professionally presented in an appropriate format with no spelling or grammatical