To work out the preliminary diagrams from a synopsis form: an illustration

To work out the preliminary diagrams from a synopsis form: an illustration:

By using the information from an MBA student's synopsis form and some logical reasoning, I derive the following preliminary management-concerns diagram and theoretical framework level-0 as follows:

Management-concerns diagram:

Theoretical framework level-0:

Based on some crude logical reasoning, if the student's main research objective is "to find out how to refine the marketing strategy of ABC Ltd, in response to the external environmental challenges" [a zone 3b item], then, it makes sense to have the following research objectives:

1. "to evaluate the marketing competence of ABC Ltd" [a zone 2 item]

2. "to evaluate the marketing performance of ABC Ltd" [a zone 3a item].

Since it is important to include one Zone 2 item in the project investigation, it is quite logical to identify the following two items as belonging to the core-focus domain:

1. "to evaluate the marketing competence of ABC Ltd" [a zone 2 item]

2. "to find out how to refine the marketing strategy of ABC Ltd, in response to the external environmental challenges" [a zone 3b item].

In other words, these two items are the main research objectives of the dissertation project.

Now, we can also formulate the project title as follows:

An investigation to evaluate the marketing competence and to refine the marketing strategy of ABC Ltd: a case study research.

Once students become familiar with the agile literature review approach, it is "not too complicated" to work out the dissertation project idea. Ultimately, the management-concerns diagram should be co-created by the researcher and a few of the stakeholders of the client organization under investigation.

Finally, it should be reminded that the theoretical framework level-0 also serves as the agenda to do literature review (so as to produce theoretical framework level-1a).