Marketing policy in English and Spanish football clubs

The maximum word count is 2500. You do not have to use the boxes provided; you can merely use the headings in your own WORD document if you wish.

1. Title
Give a clear and succinct title, indicating the problem area around which the research will be undertaken. The title is important and should encapsulate the essence of the research.
2. Background (300 words)
Include a brief description of the background to your topic.
Explain why you have chosen the topic. Include sufficient description of the background to your dissertation to enable the reader to contextualise the research.
3. Preliminary Review of the Literature( Word Guide 800 )
Give a brief initial critical review of the academic literature that you have read in formulating the proposal. Include the key seminal texts about your topic and any recent up-to-date research in the specific area. You need to show what is already known in connection with your research and what theoretical ideas underpin your work. The literature you look at must be about the theoretical business subject underpinning your topic. For example: Marketing Strategy, Business Policy, Financial Strategy etc. etc., not about a specific organisation, company or product.

Don’t forget to give a list of references at the end of the proposal. Use the Harvard Referencing system properly (look carefully at the Coventry University Guide to the Harvard System).
4. Research Question and Objectives ( Word Guide 200)
Under this heading you should write your single overarching research question that will guide the whole of your research project. This should then be developed into 3 to 4 specific research objectives which are written so that they begin with

“To critically evaluate……” or
“To analyse….” or
“To judge…”
“To recommend…”
etc. etc.

i.e. using higher order verbs that convey M-level research activity. Look at the example proposals on Moodle.

5. Methodology and Research Methods(Word Guide 900 The table is outside the word count.)
This is the most important section. Your methodology must be appropriate to the research questions posed and the research objectives derived from them. What is required under this heading is a clear description and justification of the methodological stance taken and the specific methods that will be used. Remember that methodology refers to the strategy for the enquiry, and the specific methods refer to the data collection techniques to be employed.

A clear description of the three phases of the Research Plan is required:
Research Strategy and the Underpinning Philosophy
The Research Design and
The Data Collection Methods

Include an assessment of the limitations of your research – comment briefly on validity, reliability, replicability and aspects of validity and generalizability.

You should critically compare alternative research techniques and state why you have chosen your particular approach.

At the end of this section summarise your approach in the following table

Data Gathering Activity Details of Sample Method of Data Analysis Which Research Objective This Data Informs.
6. Ethical Considerations(Word Guide 200)
Include a discussion of any ethical issues raised by your particular proposal and how you propose to handle them. You will need to acknowledge and follow the CU Ethical Approval Process.

State whether you need to use a participation information sheet and/or a consent form.

If your research involves secondary data only then the ethical implications will generally be minimal. In this case you need to merely acknowledge here that you will seek low risk ethical approval using the Coventry University online ethics system.
7 Planning and any special resources required(Word Guide 100)
Include a Gantt chart (or simple bar chart) here. (Gantt chart is in addition to the word count). The Gantt chart should cover the period of time over which you will be conducting the actual research project.

Indicate any particular problems you are likely to face.