The appropriate sequence of describing the general public, the academic and the researcher's positionality context in dissertation report chapter 1

The appropriate sequence of describing the general public, the academic and the researcher's positionality context in an MBA (also suitable for Housing Studies) dissertation report chapter 1 (for the academic-oriented project type) (information from perplexity.ai)

My question: "On writing the MBA dissertation report chapter 1, what is the appropriate sequence to discuss the following topics:

1. the general public and professional communities' domain, covering the relevant professional practice and public media-reported issues

2. the academic domain, covering the topic of research issues, notably on the research gaps.

3. the researcher's positionality, notably on the researcher's intellectual interest and related life and work experience.

The reply: "The most appropriate sequence is: first the general public/professional domain, then the academic domain and research gap, and finally the researcher’s positionality.

​

Recommended sequence

1. General public and professional domain

   • Start with the broader practice context and public discourse so the reader understands the real‑world relevance of the topic (e.g. current professional practices, industry tensions, media‑reported issues).​

   • This functions as the background and context section that “sets the stage” before moving to formal academic problematisation.​

2. Academic domain and research gaps

   • After establishing the practical problem, narrow into the academic domain by summarising what is known, then highlighting what is missing (the research gap).​

   • This is where you articulate the research problem, aims, and possibly the key research questions that logically emerge from the practice and media issues.​

3. Researcher’s positionality

   • Conclude the chapter’s substantive narrative by explaining your positionality: intellectual interest, professional and life experience, and how these shape your lens on the practice and academic problems.​

   • Positioning this after the problem and gap allows you to show reflexively how your background influences topic choice, access, interpretation, and potential biases, while still keeping the main focus on the research problem itself.​

How this fits in Chapter 1

A typical Chapter 1 flow in an MBA dissertation could therefore be structured as:

• Introduction to topic and context (public/professional domain).​

• Academic background, research problem and gap, aims and questions (academic domain).​

• Significance, scope/limitations, key definitions (as required by your institution).​

• Researcher’s positionality and brief outline of the dissertation structure."

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.