An Examination of the Green Consumption Patterns and Sustainable Lifestyles of UAE Consumers

An Examination of the Green Consumption Patterns and Sustainable Lifestyles of UAE Consumers

Table of Contents

 

  1. Overview.. 3
  2. Learning Objectives. 3
  3. Secondary & Primary Data Analysis. 4
  4. Proposed Structure of the Written Proposal 4
  5. Notes on Written Reports. 10
  6. My Grading Criteria. 11
  7. Appendices. 12

Appendix A.. 12

 

 


 

A.   Overview

 

This is a ‘Group Assessment’ requiring you to produce one written Group Business Research Report (GBRR).

 

The GBRR involves students developing and conducting scientific research in order to examine the eco-friendly, organic and, in general, green consumption patterns and sustainable lifestyles of UAE Consumers taking into account specific sustainable actions such as:

 

  1. Environmental attitudes
  2. Environmental concerns
  3. Green purchase behaviors,
  4. Green product attitudes

 

B.   Learning Objectives

 

The GBRR of this assessment is designed to assess your ability to:

 

  • Demonstrate a competent understanding of research methods, and methodological and philosophical underpinnings, applicable to researching within the broad field of business and management;

 

  • Undertake a critical review of recent and relevant research appropriate to the development of the field of business and management understanding;

 

  • Plan and produce an organised and logically planned and executed research approach to contributing to business and management theory and, where appropriate, practice;

 

  • Write a final report that presents an authoritative account of your research;

 

  • Plan and design an oral presentation of your report.

 


 

C.   Secondary & Primary Data Analysis

 

You must have a minimum of 10 sources, using a variety of types.  You must have at least 5 resources outside of the materials you have used in this class. Outside resources may mean books and scientific articles (peer-reviewed papers in ABS indexed journals-the ABS list is provided by the instructor in BlackBoard), but is not limited to them.  Resources may also mean films, interviews, artwork, as well as other things I may not have thought of.  This whole sequence of assignments and activities is designed to encourage you to use writing as part of your research process, to use writing to help you learn.

 

You must have at least:

2 books (scholarly or trade (popular))

8 peer reviewed articles (all being a scientific articles in ABS indexed journals)

 

Each Group should collect primary data of AT LEAST 50 consumers and the data should be analyzed using SPSS statistical software.

 

D.   Proposed Structure of the Written Proposal

 

 

The GBRR must contain the following components:

 

  1. Abstract
  2. Introduction
  3. Literature review
  4. Theoretical Framework
  5. Research Methodology
  6. Results
  7. Discussion
  8. Conclusions
  9. References
  10. Appendices

 

An outline of the purpose and content of each section is provided below:

 

  1. Abstract – The abstract is probably the most important part of your report because it may be the only part that some will read. It is a short summary of the complete content of the project report. This enables those who are not sure whether they wish to read the complete report to make an informed decision. For those who intend to read the whole report the abstract prepares them for what is to come. It should contain four short paragraphs with the answers to the following questions:
  1. What were my research questions, and why were these important?
  2. How did I go about answering the research questions?
  3. What did I find out in response to my research questions?
  4. What conclusions do I draw regarding my research questions?

 

The academic publisher, Emerald, gives below advice to potential academic authors on how to compile an abstract. This is shown

 

  • Advice on the preparation of an abstract for publication

 

Abstracts should contain no more than 250 words. Write concisely and clearly. The abstract should reflect only what appears in the original paper.

 

  • Purpose of this paper

 

What are the reason(s) for writing the paper or the aims of the research?

 

  • Design/methodology/approach

 

How are the objectives achieved? Include the main method(s) used for the research. What is the approach to the topic and what is the theoretical or subject scope of the paper?

 

  • Findings

 

What was found in the course of the work? This will refer to analysis, discussion, or results.

 

  • Research limitations/implications

 

If research is reported on in the paper, this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process.

 

  • Practical implications (if applicable)

 

What outcomes and implications for practice, applications and consequences are identified? Not all papers will have practical implications but most will. What changes to practice should be made as a result of this research/paper?

 

  • What is original/value of paper

 

What is new in the paper? State the value of the paper and to whom.

 

Source: From Emerald Group Publishing (2008) ‘How to . . . write an abstract’. From The Emerald website, http://info.emeraldinsight.com/ authors/guides/abstracts.htm.

 

  1. Introduction – The introduction should give the reader a clear idea about the central issue of concern in your research and why you thought that this was worth studying. It should also include:

 

  • A statement of the problem: This is a general introduction to the topic.

 

  • The significance of the problem: Comment on why this question merits investigation.

 

  • A statement of the research questions or hypothesis: What specific research questions are being addressed in this study?
  1. Literature Review – The main purposes of your literature review are to summarize the major published literature in the field of your study and to set your study within its wider context and to show the reader how your study supplements the work that has already been done on your topic. The literature review, therefore, may inform directly your research questions and any specific hypotheses that your research is designed to test.

 

  1. Theoretical Framework – A theoretical framework is a collection of interrelated concepts, like a theory but not necessarily so well worked-out. A theoretical framework guides your research, determining what things you will measure, and what statistical relationships you will look for

 

  1. Research Methodology – This should be a detailed chapter giving the reader sufficient information to make an estimate of the reliability and validity of your methods. The table below provides a useful checklist of the points that you should include in the method chapter.

 

Points to be Include in your Method Chapter
Setting
ü  What was the research setting?
ü  Why did you choose that particular setting?
ü  What ethical issues were raised by the study, and how were these addressed?
Participants
ü  How many?
ü  How were they selected?
ü  What were their characteristics?
ü  How were refusals/non-returns handled?
Materials
ü  What tests/scales/interview or observation schedules/questionnaires were used?
ü   How were purpose-made instruments developed?
ü  How were the resulting data analyzed?
Procedures
ü  What were the characteristics of the interviewers and observers, and how were they trained?
ü  How valid and reliable do you think the procedures were?
ü  What instructions were given to participants?
ü  How many interviews/observations/questionnaires were there; how long did they last; where did they take place?
ü  When was the research carried out?

Source: developed from Robson (2002) Real World Research (2nd edn).

 

 

 

There are five important points to bear in mind when outlining the research process carried out and writing your results.

 

  1. You have to describe the research design and procedures used: completely explain step-by-step what was done.
  2. You should to refer the sources of data: give complete information about who, what, when, where, and how the data was collected.
  • You have to explain the sampling procedures: explain how the data was limited to the amount which was gathered. If all of the available data were not utilized, how was a representative sample achieved?
  1. You have to present the methods and instruments of data gathering: explain the procedures for obtaining the data, also describe the manner in which data was recorded.
  2. Last but not least, you should describe the statistical treatment: explain the complete mathematical/statistical procedures used in analyzing the data and determining the significance of the results.

Proposed Methodology 

 

  1. Results – The results chapter or chapters are probably the most straightforward to write. It is your opportunity to report the major findings that your research discovered. This is where you will include such tables and graphs that will illustrate your findings (do not put these in the appendices). The chapter may also contain verbatim quotes from interviewees, or sections of narrative account that illustrate periods of unstructured observation. This is a particularly powerful way in which you can convey the richness of your data. It is the qualitative equivalent of tables and graphs. Often, a short verbatim quote can convey with penetrating simplicity a particularly difficult concept that you are trying to explain.

 

  1. Discussion – According to Saunders, M. et al (2009) “findings presented without reflective thought run the risk of your reader asking ‘so what?’: what meaning do these findings have for me?; for my organization?; for professional practice?; for the development of theory? So the main focus of the discussion chapter is on the interpretation of the results that you presented in the previous chapter. You should state the relation of the findings to the goals, questions and hypotheses that you stated in the introductory chapter. In addition, the discussion chapter will benefit from a consideration of the implications of your research for the relevant theories which you detailed in your literature review. It is usual to discuss the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of your study (explain the limitations that may invalidate the study or make it less than accurate). However, it is not a good idea to be too modest here and draw attention to aspects of your research which you may consider to be a limitation but that the reader has not noticed!

The discussion chapter is where you have the opportunity to shine. It will show the degree of insight that you exhibit in reaching your conclusions. However, it is the part of the report that most of us find difficult. It is the second major opportunity in the research process to demonstrate real originality of thought (the first time being at the stage where you choose the research topic). Because of that, we urge you to pay due attention to the discussion chapter. In our view it should normally be at least as long as your results chapter(s). Crucially, here you are making judgements rather than reporting facts, so this is where your maturity of understanding can shine through.

 

  1. Conclusion – This should be a conclusion to the whole project (and not just the research findings). Check that your work answers the questions in following table:

 

Do your Conclusions Answer These Questions?
ü  Did the research project meet your research objectives?
ü  Did the research project answer your research questions?
ü  What are the main findings of the research?
ü  Are there any recommendations for future action based on the conclusions you have drawn?
ü  Do you have any overall conclusions on the research process itself?
ü  Where should further research be focused? (Typically this will consider two points: firstly, new areas of investigation implied by developments in your project, and secondly parts of your work which were not completed due to time constraints and/or problems encountered.)

Source: Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A (2009). Research Methods for Business Students (5th edn), FT: Prentice Hall

 

  1. References – You should cite all external sources in your text by:
  1. Generating automatically your bibliography in Microsoft Word (see Appendix A below)
  2. Using APA referencing system.

It is a good idea to start your references section at the beginning of the writing process and add to it as you go along. It will be a tedious and time-consuming task if left until you have completed the main body of the text. If you do leave it until the end, the time spent on compiling the reference section is time that would have been better spent on checking and amending your report.

 

  1. Appendices – Supplementary material at the end of a book, article, document, or other text, usually of an explanatory, statistical, or bibliographic nature. In general, appendices should be kept to the minimum. If they are so important that your reader’s understanding of the points you are making in the text makes their inclusion in the report necessary, then they should be in the main body of the text. If, on the other hand, the material is ‘interesting to know’ rather than ‘essential to know’ then it should be in the appendices.

 


 

E.   Notes on Written Reports

 

Always remember that you will be judged by the quality of your work, which includes your written work such as case study reports. Sloppy, dis-organized, poor quality work will say more about you than you probably want said! To ensure the quality of your written work, keep the following in mind when writing your report:

 

  1. Proof-read your work! Not just on the screen while you write it, but the hard copy after it is printed. Fix the errors before submitting.
  2. Use spell checker to eliminate spelling errors
  3. Use grammar checking to avoid common grammatical errors such as run on sentences.
  4. Note that restating of case facts is not included in the format of the case report, nor is it considered part of analysis. Anyone reading your report will be familiar with the case, and you need only to mention facts that are relevant to (and support) your analysis or recommendation as you need them.
  5. You are highly encouraged to use tools, framework and theories covered in this course to conduct analysis and synthesis and develop arguments. Clearly identifying and correctly matching theoretical basis while building arguments will help in securing good grades.
  6. If you are going to include exhibits (particularly numbers) in your report, you will need to refer to them within the body of your report, not just tack them on at the end! This reference should be in the form of supporting conclusions that you are making in your analysis. The reader should not have to guess why particular exhibits have been included, nor what they mean. If you do not plan to refer to them, then leave them out.
  7. Write in a formal manner suitable for scholarly work, rather than a letter to a friend.
  8. Common sense and logical thinking can do wonders for your evaluation!
  9. You should expect that the computer lab’s printer or your printer will not be functioning in the twelve hours prior to your deadline for submission. Plan for it!
  10. Proof-read your work! Have someone else read it too! (particularly if English is not your first language) This second pair of eyes will give you an objective opinion of how well your report holds together. ALL works MUST be TYPED and hard copy MUST be professionally presented – NO exceptions.

 


 

F.   My Grading Criteria

 

There’s no such thing as “the correct answer” to a case study question. Several answers. Generally, the instructors’ use the following criteria when assigning a grade to a response:

 

  1. The overall quality of a response’s content
    1. Does your response actually address a question?
    2. How effective is your solution?
    3. How original is your response?
    4. Does your response contain sufficient details?

 

  1. The degree to which a response shows understanding of concepts, frameworks and theories covered in the course
    1. Does your response actually use a concept, framework, or theory covered in this class?
    2. Does your response get into specifics of a concept, framework, or theory?
  1. The degree to which a response is logically coherent
    1. Is there a line of thought that flows through your response?
    2. Are you claims supported/illustrated with facts, examples, or illustrations?
    3. Is your response well-structured?

 


 

G.  Appendices

 

Appendix A

 

Automatically Format Bibliographies in Microsoft Word

Applies To: Word 2016 Word 2013 Word 2007

Before you can create a bibliography you need to have at least one citation and source in your document that will appear in your bibliography. If you don’t have all of the information that you need about a source to create a complete citation, you can use a placeholder citation, and then complete the source information later.

NOTE: Placeholder citations do not appear in the bibliography.

  1. Add a new citation and source to a document
  1. On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click the arrow next to Style.
  2. Click the style that you want to use for the citation and source. For example, social sciences documents usually use the MLA or APA styles for citations and sources.
  3. Click at the end of the sentence or phrase that you want to cite.
  4. On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click Insert Citation.
  5. Do one of the following:
  • To add the source information, click Add New Source, then begin to fill in the source information by clicking the arrow next to Type of source. For example, your source might be a book, a report, or a Web site.
  • To add a placeholder, so that you can create a citation and fill in the source information later, click Add New Placeholder. A question mark appears next to placeholder sources in Source Manager.
  1. Fill in the bibliography information for the source.

To add more information about a source, click the Show All Bibliography Fields check box.

Now you can create your bibliography.

  1. Create a bibliography

Now that you’ve inserted one or more citations and sources in your document you can create your bibliography.

  1. Click where you want to insert a bibliography, usually at the end of the document.
  2. On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click Bibliography.
  3. Click a predesigned bibliography format to insert the bibliography into the document.
  1. Find a source

The list of sources that you use can become quite long. At times you might search for a source that you cited in another document by using the Manage Sources command.

  1. On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click Manage Sources.

If you open a new document that does not yet contain citations, all of the sources that you used in previous documents appear under Master List.

If you open a document that includes citations, the sources for those citations appear under Current List. All the sources that you have cited, either in previous documents or in the current document, appear under Master List.

  1. To find a specific source, do one of the following:
  • In the sorting box, sort by author, title, citation tag name, or year, and then search the resulting list for the source that you want to find.
  • In the Search box, type the title or author for the source that you want to find. The list dynamically narrows to match your search term.

NOTE: You can click the Browse button in Source Manager to select another master list from which you can import new sources into your document. For example, you might connect to a file on a shared server, on a research colleague’s computer or server, or on a Web site that is hosted by a university or research institution.

  1. Edit a citation placeholder

Occasionally, you may want to create a placeholder citation, and then wait until later to fill in the complete bibliography source information. Any changes that you make to a source are automatically reflected in the bibliography, if you have already created one. A question mark appears next to placeholder sources in Source Manager.

  1. On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click Manage Sources.
  2. Under Current List, click the placeholder that you want to edit.

NOTE: Placeholder sources are alphabetized in Source Manager, along with all other sources, based on the placeholder tag name. By default, placeholder tag names contain the word Placeholder and a number, but you can customize the placeholder tag name with whatever tag you want.

  1. Click Edit.
  2. Begin to fill in the source information by clicking the arrow next to Type of source. For example, your source might be a book, a report, or a Web site.
  3. Fill in the bibliography information for the source. To add more information about a source, click the Show All Bibliography Fields check box.