This document provides guidance on developing a strong research proposal. It emphasizes establishing a clear objective, rigorous methodology, and relevance. It discusses important sections like the introduction, literature review, methodology, and conclusion. Key recommendations include taking time to formulate a clear research question, addressing what reviewers look for in proposals, and avoiding overpromising. The document also cautions against common reasons for proposal rejection like lack of focus, scope, and budget clarity.

2. Reva University, 18th & 19th Dec 20153/4/2016 2
research talk 107
[ research proposals
Do’s; Don'ts; Must ]
JAIN University
professor of strategic HRM,
head- research in management,
brand ambassador, Asian HR Board, India
mm.bagali@jainuniversity.ac.in
www.linkedin.com/in/mmbagali
m m b a g a l i, phd
copyright Jain University, Bangalore, India

3. Research Proposal: Do’s; Don'ts; Must
Granting Agencies
The Must in Proposal
agenda !!

4. Views, opinions, or strategies presented
are what I personally think and believe
to reflect “Life of PhD”, and do not
necessarily reflect the views, opinions,
or strategies of the Organization…..
as a researcher, this what is my views/
experience, and I am sticking to
it…………..
D I S C L A I M E R

5. Preparation 2 years in advance
1995 First PhD
2008 Second PhD
Guided 7
Guiding 11
Managing / Mentoring around 90
Co-Guide 15
Papers 160 published
World Conference 20
Several Talks on Research 120
2 Projects…. ICSSR and AICTE
Personal research love story….

6. [Research Proposal: Do’s; Don'ts;
Must]

7. [ What they see in the proposal ]
Reasons for Projects / Clear Objective
Rigor and Relevance- leading to Conceptual
Framework
Cutting edge management research
Value-Practical Implications Usefulness / Actionable
Impact and Outcome
Sample Framework / Scope
Model development

8. AOM- Academy of Management Journal
2011; 54,5, 873-879
How many times do Winners of AMJ Best
Article Award rewrite the Title / Problem
Statement
How many times did we rewrite the Title /
Problem Statement
Setting the Hook
relevance

9. AOM- Academy of Management Journal
2011; 54,5, 873-879
How many times do Winners of AMJ Best Article
Award rewrite the Title / Problem Statement
3 to 4 times
How many times did we rewrite the Title /
Problem Statement
1 to 2 times
Setting the Hook
relevance

10. Challenges !!!
How do I start
Where Do I start from
What do I do ….
?

11. Creating a Research Space
Establishing a Territory
Creating a Niche
Occupying the Niche
Branding that space

12. The Focus
effect of organisational life
depth
coverage
scientific approach
objectives
research design
framework of the data collections
suggestions I recommendations

13. need to
address !!!
What Corporate are looking for !!
What Academic Institutes are looking for !!
What Society is looking for !!
Perceptive
Organisational
Academic
Managerial

14. [ basics of research ]
Challenging the existing one X Novel
Develop a new theory
Bridge theory X Practice
Contribution
Fresh look
Clarity…. What not to accomplish
Finding
Discover
Reexamine
Measure
Evaluate
Review
Implications
Organisational
Academic
Managerial

15. [ Content ]
Introduction
Review
Methodology
Data Collection and Presentation
Discussion and Conclusion
Suggestions and Recommendations
References / Bibliography
Appendix
– Annexure 1: Questionnaire
– Annexure 2: Schedule
– Annexure 3: Publications

16. [ Introduction ]
Body of thesis/ work/theme
Motivation to do the project
Purpose of the work
Focused on the thesis question(s)
Background information
Explain the scope of your work,
what will and will not be included
Definitions and Concept clarity
Contribution / Perceptive
Significance / Implications
End with your study plans
Executive Summary
1

17. New paradigm- Shaping the Next thoughts
Broadest reach in terms of relevance and implications
Shed New lights
What's the landscape
Interdisciplinary
Is it Valid
Is it Clear
Is it Focused
Is it Specific
Is it elegant
Grand Challenge !!
[ Relevance
Problem
Identification ]
Possible + Potential Impact
Reach
Value
Implications
Perceptive

18. [ Review ]
The pattern
Indian Study
Overseas study
Significant studies- Insights from Current Research
Gap Analysis
New area
Your Research goals
Focus: Objective / Hypothesis, Tools, Outcome
Conceptual framework
2

19. [ Relevant
A beginning ]
Literature Search Leads Observation Leads Theory
Development
Observe Leads Literature Leads Theory Development
Theory Development Leads Literature Verification Leads
Proposal
Concept Construct Leads Literature Leads idea
generation

20. [ Relevant ]
‘ What's your Argument’
Your Constructs + sub-constructs
Theoretical overview
Conceptual clarity
Definitions
Abbreviations
Key Terms

21. [ Method of Study/ Methodology ]
The Present Study
Objectives
Hypotheses
Scope of the work
Research Design
Method of Study
1. Geographical Area
2. Organisation
3. Sampling Population
Hypotheses
Fully and separately state each hypothesis you want to Test separately.
Phrase it in the present tense.
Give it a distinct number (Hypothesis 1) or number letter
(Hypothesis 1a) label. Set hypotheses off in indented blocks, in italic
type.
Examples:
Hypothesis 1a. Concise writing has a positive relationship
to publication.
3

22. Sources for New Areas for
Theory Building - Relevance issues
Budget
Business TV Talk
Business News
Paper reporting
Journal scanning
Peer Review of other work
Article metric
Author metric
Journal metric
Future and Further work

23. Conference papers / LinkedIn discussion / Twitters
Books / Theses, dissertations and research in progress
Working papers or unpublished papers
Documents on the internet / Government publications, official
statistics
Personal requests to knowledgeable researchers and/or
practitioners
Sources for New Areas for
Theory Building - Relevance issues

24. Reports from relevant institutions: companies, public bodies
Government publications and official statistics
Reference works, general guides to the literature and guides to
the literature in particular subject areas (compendium
catalogues)
Journals / Editorials
Network talks and evening meets
Sources for New Areas for
Theory Building - Relevance issues

25. [ Research Design ]
Pre-pilot observation
Pre-pilot study
Mode of Data Collection
Angles of Enquiry
Sources of data collection
Analysis of the Results / Analysis Procedure
Period of Study
Findings of the Study
Uniqueness of the Study
Contribution of the work
Limitations of the Study
Implications and Perceptive
4

26. [ Interdisciplinary lenses ]
management
sociology psychology economics commerce
????
Multiple stakeholders

27. [ Data Collection and
Presentation ]
Tentative
Tables
Graphs
Figures
Numbering
Footnotes
Sources
5

28. eg: Level of enquiry
Sl. No Question
naire
Interview Foc
use
d
Gro
up
GD Video et al et al et al Remarks
HR
Trainee
HR
Executive
HR
Manager
VP- HR

29. [ Discussion and Conclusion ]
Tentative
Results with other study results
Patter
Uniqueness
Contradictory
Surprises
Limitations
Implications and Contribution
Academic
Organisational
Business community
Societal
6

30. [ Appendix ]
– Annexure 1:
Questionnaire
– Annexure 2: Schedule
– Annexure 3: Publications
– Any other work related
– Photos
– Interview published
– Write-up
– et al
7

31. [ Q-Questionnaire ]
Layout
Information to be included
Sub-sections
Reliability test
Different sets for different
respondents
8
[ references ]
Enough
Can categories
Citations……. Harvard Business School Guide

32. 1
2
3
4
5 6
7
8
[ Introduction ]
[ Review ]
[ Method of Study/ Methodology ]
[ Research Design ]
[ Data Collection]
[ Discussion and Conclusion ]
[ Appendix ]
[ Questionnaire / references ]
[ c h a p t e r s ]

33. Project life cycle
Jan
2017
April
2017
Aug
2017
Dec
2017
April
2018
Commences
ROL
Questionnaire
ready
Data collection
Report
Writing….

34. How do you present the best PhD work

38. [ Other observation ]
Preface
Acknowledgements
– Content page
• Contents of chapter
• Tables
• Figures
• Graphs
• Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, …)
• The body of the dissertation should
be numbered using Arabic numbers
(1, 2, 3,)

39. [ cont….Other observation ]
Figures and Tables
Horizontal Figures and Tables
Supplemental Figures and Tables
Acknowledging the Work of Others
List of acronyms and abbreviations
Headings and lists
Numbering of headings
Numbering of tables and figures

40. Headings Size…..12 size
Sub-headings …..10 size
Format …..12 size
Font …..Times Roman
Foot and End notes …..08 size
Space …..1.5
Foot- End Notes …..1
[ cont….Other observation ]
Ethical Issues
Copyright issues
Plagiarism

41. Spellings
Style
Grammar
Biased language
Gender biases
Avoid ‘I’
Anthropomorphic language
( non human entities )
Et al……
[ Birds eye-view]
Hence, take time to formulate the statement / title

42. Hence, take time to formulate the statement / title
• Clear sentence / clarity
• Straight to point
• Repetitions
• Logic flow
• Complex language
• Dense sentence
• Too many jargon
• Hanging at a point
• Connectivity / thread
• Lack of road map

43. [ Funding Agencies ]
AICTE
UGC
ICSSR
April/May and
September/
October of
each year
This
year,
July,
2016
closing…
How the Proposals are Reviewed !!!
ILO
UN
AMDISA
National Labor Institute, Noida
AIMA
Knowledge Commission
IIAS
TISS
AIU
CRY
SKOCK
Skill India
Ford Foundation
Some Ministry, GoI
AIMA - AMT Certified in India

44. How the Proposals are Reviewed !!!
A - Outstanding
B - Very Good
C - Satisfactory
D - Unsatisfactory (Deemed to be rejected)

45. Evaluation Sheet…….Symbiosis University, Pune

46. Sholay Movie
Released in 1975
Ran for 05 years, 4 shows in an Theater, Bombay
80% of Population has seen the movie
In this 80%, 90 % can tell the movie as it is all the
scene
But, for first 90 days, the movies dint
run at all……

48. [ Good News ]
Accept rejection news also, but if things are
fine, than will have good News always

49. [ FAQ ]
Why you wish to do this Projects / Significance?
Who will be benefited / Contribution?
What would be your methodology….. Sample /
Organisation
What Questionnaire would that be?
Data Collection?
Analytical Methods used?
Budget and additional…. Direct- Indirect-
Overheads
Department Support

50. [ Sure Double Check ]
Format
English and grammar
Spellings
Key Words
Sentence meaning
Enough Justification
References
Place of Project Execution
No Objection Certificate and Letter
Check the check list of agency
Annexures
How many hard copy to be sent
Covering Letter
Permission letter from Corporate, if there
Biographical Sketches

51. Time Line
Budget
Contingent Amount
Additional Amount, if needed
Purchase of database of HR Managers
Re-submit
Joint Collaborations is better
Some Checks

52. [Conflict of interest ]
Disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest including any
financial, personal or other relationships with other people or
organizations, the submitted work that could inappropriately influence,
or be perceived to influence, their work.
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been
published previously or that it is not under consideration for publication
elsewhere
Inform the reason and wish to have or don’t, decide, and communicate
Get advance, permission, if used, and feel that, later issues should not
crop-up…. Authors obtain any proof of consent statements / seek
permission for reuse
[Submission declaration ]
[Changes to authorship]
[ Third party
copyright permissions]

53. [ Signature Areas ]
Indian Context
Start-Up’s
Women on Boards
Social Media
Gender issues
Global
MNC
Leadership
Economy and Business transformation
Across
Family Firms
Diasporas

54. Council / Funding Agency
Your Complete Topic
Your Name
Under the Guidance of
Name of The Guide
Designation
Institute/Organization / Place of work
City/ Te/ Fax/ email
University / Institute
Year
Professional Details

55. [ What they see in the proposal ]
Reasons for Projects / Clear Objective
Rigor and Relevance- leading to Conceptual
Framework
Cutting edge management research
Value-Practical Implications Usefulness / Actionable
Impact and Outcome
Sample Framework / Scope
Model development
1…Why proposal get rejected….

56. 1…Why proposal get rejected….
Clear understanding of the
final deliverable
Scope of the project
potential impact + value of the project
Strong CV / Your background
Clarity of Heads - Budget
whether the study can be conducted as described
within the allowable time frame
Methodology
meaningful results
Over promise

57. Length
New paradigm
Broadest reach in terms of relevance and
implications
Shed New lights
What's the landscape
Budget and Costing clarity
Is it Valid
Is it Clear
Is it Focused
Is it Specific
Grand Challenge !!
2…Why proposal get rejected….
Is my project suitable
for the Subject area / funding agency?

58. What field are you going to address?
Too many framework
What exactly study does
Lack focus
Insufficient justification
How it contributes for new knowledge
3…Why proposal get rejected….

59. Follow-up about the status of the proposal….
Should Enquiry ??

60. Did I understood the theme
Rigor / Relevant
Evaluate its effectiveness
Tools and techniques: from academic to
practice / or practice to academic
Appeal to real world of practicing managers
Academic scholars to collaborate with
practitioners for developing research agenda
As researcher, ask ….

61. [ A beginning ]
How many visited library before Planning to do
research
How many saw literature / article /papers /report
before commencement
How many visited company / organization before
finalizing to do research
Will give you “ Trend” analysis

62. Journal Scan for Scholarly writing
Make a span of 10 years and trend
Have received more scholarly attention
Study a Life cycle of topics / areas
[ How do I go…. 1 ]

63. Select a theme / Topic / Area / Probable issue
Send it to stake holders / get
acknowledgement
Than, select / finalize / the area of work
[ How do I go …. 2 ]

64. AOM….. Academy of Management
AOM….. Academy of Management Review
Administrative Science Quarterly
Strategic Management Journal
Jl of International Business Studies
Organizational Science
Vikalpa
Management review
Manager
MLS
EPW
TISS
Most Sort after Journals….
The Best
NHRD Network Newsletter
SHRM Review
AIMA…. Indian Management
IIM….
Scopus or Web of Science
EBSCO
Research gate / Academia.edu
Browzine
Journal Performance

65. Watch – Your daily must reads !!
HBR
‘ Idea Watch ’, Defend Your Research
AOM
‘ From the Editor ’,
IIMB
‘ Round Table ', Management Review
IIMA
‘ Colloquium ’, Vikalpa
The Academy of Management Perspectives - AMP
‘ Research Briefs ‘

66. Methodological Issues
Title / Areas
Methodology
Sampling
Data Collection
Writing and presentation style
Plagiarism
Type…..
Case type
Comparative analysis
Levels of inclusion

67. A Format of Project
Title
Abstract
Introduction
The Importance of paper / subject
ROL
Methodology / Design
Results / Misconception
Conclusion
Implications
Recommendations
Further Research / Gaps
Reference
Acknowledgements
Grant, if any received
Check…..
Grammar
Spellings
Punctuation errors, .,:’”!!
Language
Formatting
Paragraphs
Citations
Quotes
Page numbers
Workplace details
Key words
Appendixes
Length
Covering Letter / Mail
recap !!!

68. [ Outcome of the work ]
Slide share
Syllabus / Course
FDP / MDP
Chapter in Book
Case Writing
Best paper Award paper
Consultancy
Workshop
Training
et al

69. Closing Thoughts
Significance
Novelty
Scope
Title matters
Best Seller Book / Paper
Have 3 best practices
Benchmark
Usual chapters / change the paradigm
Rigor
Relevance
research value / equity
stakeholders
government
managers
ceo
students
community

70. the DNA for the smart and best research work
2hrs/day
small daily improvements creates stunning outcomes
visit library
talk to people
participate in conference
– State level
– India
– Asia
– Asia-Pacific
– Than………
Area wise journals
Do not be overly ambitious

71. Network in your area..

72. Project submission checklist
Format
Length
Project Title
Project Title Page
Full name of each contributing author
Affiliation for each contributing author (reflecting location at time
of research)
Brief professional biography for each contributing author
Name and email address of the corresponding author
A maximum of eight keywords
First level headings presented in bold
Sub-headings presented in italics
Consecutive numbering used, as appropriate to the levels
Notes/Endnotes
…..Consecutively numbered
Figures
Position of each table clearly labeled in the body text
submission check-list
Check references for:
Completeness
Accuracy
Consistency
Permissions
Tables
Illustrations
Figures
Diagrams
Photographs
References

73. Academy of Management Journal: http://aom.pace.edu/amjnew/
Academy of Management Review: http://www.aom.pace.edu/amr/
Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/
Journal of Management: http://journalofmanagement.moore.sc.edu/
Don’t Miss to read / refer

74. Jl. of Applied Psychology
Management Science
Jl. of International Management Studies
Jl. of Management
Administrative Science Quarterly
Organisation Science
Case Research Journal
Jl. of Business Strategies
AOM Learning and Education
Jl. of Management history
AOM Perceptive
Jl. of Management Studies
Public Administrative Quarterly
California Management Review
Personnel Review
…………..
Best 50+ Journals – few cited

75. The publications of the AOM Academy include the following:
Academy of Management Journal
Academy of Management Review
Academy of Management Perspectives
(formerly Academy of Management Executive)
Academy of Management Learning and Education
Academy of Management Annals
Academy of Management Discoveries

77. in brief
Title : Professor of HR and Management
Head- Management Research
Teaching: 18 years
Research: 14 years
Consultancy: 14 years
Administration: 14 years
Post Doct: 6 years
Papers:
Around 160 published
Conference: Around: 40 India; 20 Overseas
Research:
PhD Awarded: 7
Guiding: 8 (Six submitted their final synopsis)
Details are at : https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmbagali

78. http://in.linkedin.com/in/mmbagali
Complexly my pleasure to be with all
this morning !! workplace
…………………………………………………………….
Professor of Human Resource Management,
Head, Research in Management,
JAIN University
CMS annex, # 319, JPnagar, 6th Phase,
17th Cross, 25th Main,
Bangalore, India, 560 078
t: 80 43430400 / f: 080 26532730
e: mm.bagali@jainuniversity.ac.in
www.jainuniversity.ac.in
…………………………………………………………….

79. t: 80 43430400 / f: 080 26532730
e: mm.bagali@jainuniversity.ac.in
www.jainuniversity.ac.in
…………………………………………………………….
http://in.linkedin.com/in/mmbagali
consultancy firm
human resources & management
research affiliates, Inc