How to refine your first draft of your MBA research theme: some suggestions
Mainly due to inexperience of doing an MBA dissertation project, quite some students try to ask a generative AI to suggest a research theme by providing 4-5 key ideas that they happen to be familiar with, probably from their working experience or from some other MBA modules they have been learning. The end result is that the initial research theme is quite messy. Worse still, the generative AI, trying to be helpful, offer a brief overview of a number of possible broad themes in 4-5 management topics. Generative AI might hint at several ways to consider the research philosophy stances and research objectives of the research theme formulation.
I suggest a few directions for the students to pick up and discuss with generative AI to further develop their initial research theme prototype formulation. [Please be reminded also that after about 5 to 8 iterations of the discussion, accompanied by the students doing some preliminary literature review, research methods study and dialogues (e.g. inner dialogues and dialogues with AI and their educated friends, etc.), they need to do another 6 to 8 iterations of their own to come up with a dissertation proposal in their own voice and in their own words, adequately knowledgeable on the dissertation project background and sub-backgrounds (the academic, real-world of practices, and the researcher positionality ones).
The following diagram includes my suggestions on how to refine your initial MBA research theme:
An illustrative example
I am an MBA student and a novice on the subject of
dissertation projects. I need to come up with an initial research theme. The
theme should cover consumer behavior, the blue ocean strategy, e-tailing,
corporate ESG policy and consumer trust. Could you suggest a research theme to
me?
Based on your
requirements to cover consumer behavior, blue ocean strategy,
e-tailing, corporate ESG policy, and consumer trust, here is a focused
research theme tailored for an MBA dissertation:
Proposed Research Theme
"Creating
Uncontested Market Space in E-tailing: How Corporate ESG Policies Drive
Consumer Trust and Purchase Behavior in Hong Kong's Online Retail Market"
Alternative Refined Title Options:
1.
"Blue Ocean
Strategy through ESG: How Sustainable E-tailing Platforms Build Consumer Trust
and Differentiate in Hong Kong's Competitive Online Retail Market"
2.
"The Role of
ESG Policy in Creating Blue Ocean Strategy for E-tailers: Consumer Trust and
Purchase Intention in Hong Kong's Online Shopping Landscape"
How This Theme Integrates All Five Elements
|
Element |
Integration
in the Research |
|
Consumer
Behavior |
Examines purchase intention,
trust formation, and decision-making processes among online shoppers |
|
Blue Ocean
Strategy |
Investigates how ESG
differentiation creates uncontested market space, avoiding red ocean price
competition |
|
E-tailing |
Focuses on Hong Kong's
online retail platforms as the research context |
|
Corporate ESG
Policy |
Analyzes environmental,
social, and governance practices as the strategic differentiation
mechanism |
|
Consumer Trust |
Measures trust as the
mediating variable between ESG communication and purchase behavior |
Why This Theme Works for Your MBA
Dissertation
·
Relevant to Hong
Kong context: Your local
market access facilitates data collection
·
Timely topic: ESG and sustainability are emerging issues
with limited research e-tailing connections
·
Theoretical
foundation: Combines
strategic management (Blue Ocean) with consumer psychology (trust/behavior)
·
Practical
relevance: Provides
actionable insights for e-tailers seeking competitive advantage
·
Methodologically
feasible: Can employ
quantitative survey methods (PLS-SEM, EFA) similar to existing studies
Suggested Research Questions
1.
How do corporate
ESG policies influence consumer trust in Hong Kong e-tailing platforms?
2.
Can ESG
differentiation serve as a blue ocean strategy for e-tailers in saturated
markets?
3.
What is the
relationship between ESG communication, consumer trust, and purchase intention?
This theme aligns
with your interests in finance/ESG and provides a clear pathway for literature
review, methodology design, and data collection.
I am now able to offer a more focused suggestions on
ideas to refine my research theme as follows: I will use the research
philosophy of pragmatism for my dissertation project; my more research theme is
about "Blue Ocean Strategy through corporate ESG policy in the Hong Kong
e-tailing shopping product sector for generations z and alpha "; my
preferred additional key words are market segmentation and Gutman's Means-End
Chain Theory. I am prepared to use questionnaire survey and semi-structured
interview for me dissertation project. Could you suggest a more concrete
research theme to me and indicate 3 relevant research issues and 3 relevant
public media-reported issues to me on my research theme?
Concrete Research Theme
"Blue Ocean
Strategy Through Corporate ESG Policy in Hong Kong E-tailing: A Pragmatist
Study of Market Segmentation and Consumer Value Perception Among Generations Z
and Alpha Using Gutman's Means-End Chain Theory"
Three Relevant Research Issues
(Academic/Theoretical)
|
# |
Research
Issue |
Why
It Matters |
|
1 |
How ESG policy
creates value innovation for Blue Ocean Strategy in e-tailing |
Blue Ocean Strategy requires
simultaneous differentiation AND low cost; ESG typically increases costs.
Your study investigates whether ESG can create uncontested market space
without sacrificing profitability |
|
2 |
Generational
differences in ESG-driven consumer value hierarchies |
Gen Z (born 1997-2012) and
Gen Alpha (born 2013-2025) have distinct value systems. Using Gutman's
Means-End Chain, you'll map how ESG attributes → functional consequences →
personal values differ between cohorts |
|
3 |
Market
segmentation effectiveness based on ESG preference clusters |
Pragmatism philosophy allows
mixed methods to identify which segmentation criteria (values, attitudes,
behaviors) best predict ESG-driven purchase intentions in Hong Kong
e-tailing |
Three Relevant Public Media-Reported Issues
(Real-World Context)
|
# |
Media-Reported
Issue |
Relevance
to Your Research |
|
1 |
Hong Kong
e-tailers facing intense price competition from cross-border platforms
(Taobao, Pinduoduo) |
Red ocean competition forces
local e-tailers to seek Blue Ocean differentiation; ESG may be the differentiator |
|
2 |
Gen Z and Alpha
consumers increasingly demand sustainable/s Ethical shopping options but show
"trust gap" in greenwashing claims |
Your study addresses this
gap by applying Gutman's theory to understand what ESG attributes genuinely
connect to personal values |
|
3 |
Hong Kong
government's 2025 ESG reporting mandates for listed companies extending to
supply chains |
Regulatory pressure makes
ESG implementation urgent for e-tailers; your research provides practical
insights for compliance + competitive advantage |
Why This Theme Works for Your Methodology
|
Component |
Alignment |
|
Pragmatism
Philosophy |
Justifies mixing
questionnaire (quantitative: PLS-SEM for value hierarchies) + interviews
(qualitative: exploring means-end chains) |
|
Questionnaire
Survey |
Measures ESG awareness,
trust, purchase intention across segmented Gen Z/Alpha samples
(n≈200-300) |
|
Semi-structured
Interviews |
Deep-dive into how ESG
attributes connect to personal values (laddering technique from Gutman's
theory) |
|
Hong Kong
Context |
Your local access
facilitates data collection; relevant to your MBA program |
Suggested Research Questions
1.
How do Gen Z and
Gen Alpha consumers in Hong Kong perceive corporate ESG policies in e-tailing,
and what value hierarchies do these perceptions create?
2.
Can ESG policy
serve as a Blue Ocean Strategy for Hong Kong e-tailers to differentiate from
cross-border competitors?
3.
Which market
segmentation criteria based on ESG preferences best predict purchase intention
among younger generations?
This theme
is specific enough for dissertation focus yet flexible
enough for pragmatist mixed methods, directly addresses both academic
gaps and real-world business challenges in Hong Kong.
Could you also suggest 4 research objectives to me as
well as 3 additional academic theories for me to use (pleas provide references
on them in Harvard reference format).
Four Research Objectives
|
# |
Research
Objective |
Key
Variables/Concepts |
|
1 |
To examine how
corporate ESG policies influence consumer trust and purchase intention among
Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers in Hong Kong's e-tailing sector |
Independent: ESG policies;
Mediating: Consumer trust; Dependent: Purchase intention |
|
2 |
To apply
Gutman's Means-End Chain Theory to map the value hierarchies (attributes →
consequences → values) connecting ESG policy perceptions to personal values
across generational segments |
Attributes (ESG practices) →
Consequences (trust/benefits) → Values (self-fulfillment, security) |
|
3 |
To identify
market segmentation clusters based on ESG preferences and value orientations
that differentiate Gen Z from Gen Alpha consumers in e-tailing |
Segmentation criteria: ESG
awareness, values, attitudes, purchase behaviors |
|
4 |
To evaluate
whether ESG-driven differentiation constitutes a viable Blue Ocean Strategy
for Hong Kong e-tailers competing against cross-border platforms |
Strategic outcome:
Uncontested market space vs. red ocean price competition |
Three Additional Academic
Theories (with Harvard References)
1. Theory of Planned
Behavior (TPB)
Why use it: Complements your study by explaining how attitudes toward ESG,
subjective norms (peer influence), and perceived behavioral control predict
purchase intention among younger generations. Works well with questionnaire
surveys.
Harvard Reference:
Ajzen, I. (1991) 'The theory of planned behavior', Organizational
Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), pp. 179–211.
2. Signaling Theory
Why use it: Explains how corporate ESG policies serve as credible signals to
reduce information asymmetry between e-tailers and consumers, building trust.
Essential for understanding why ESG communication matters in online shopping
where physical product inspection is impossible.
Harvard Reference:
Connelly, B.L., Ireland, R.D., Hitt, M.A., Bromiley, P. and Busenitz, L.W.
(2011) 'Corporate signaling: An emerging research agenda', in The SAGE
handbook of strategic management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 297–315.
Alternative (foundational):
Spence, M. (1973) 'Job market signaling', The Quarterly Journal of
Economics, 87(3), pp. 355–374.
3. Stakeholder Theory
Why use it: Provides the ethical/strategic foundation for why companies should
implement ESG policies. Explains how e-tailers balancing multiple stakeholders
(consumers, employees, environment, shareholders) create long-term value and
competitive advantage through ESG integration.
Harvard Reference:
Freeman, R.E. (1984) Strategic management: A stakeholder approach.
Boston: Pitman.
Alternative (contemporary):
Freeman, R.E., Harrison, J.S., Wicks, A.C., Parmar, B.L. and de Colle, S.
(2010) Stakeholder theory: The state of the art. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
How These Theories Integrate
with Your Framework
|
Theory |
Role
in Your Dissertation |
Methodology
Fit |
|||
|
Theory |
Role
in Your Dissertation |
Methodology
Fit |
|||
|
Gutman's
Means-End Chain (core) |
Maps value hierarchies from
ESG attributes to personal values |
Laddering interviews +
survey analysis |
|||
|
Theory of
Planned Behavior |
Explains intention-behavior
gap; adds attitude/norm/control variables |
Questionnaire survey
(quantitative) |
|||
|
Signaling Theory |
Explains trust-building
mechanism through ESG communication |
Both survey (trust
measurement) + interviews |
|||
|
Stakeholder
Theory |
Strategic/ethical foundation
for ESG implementation |
Theoretical framework
chapter |
|||
|
Blue Ocean
Strategy (core) |
Strategic lens for
competitive differentiation |
Case analysis + strategic
recommendations |
|||
|
Pragmatism (philosophy) |
Justifies mixed methods
approach |
Overall research design |
|||
This theoretical triangulation strengthens your dissertation's academic
rigor while maintaining practical relevance for Hong Kong e-tailers.
Further readings: a systemic picture of dissertation project tasks.; a spiral model of formulating research project proposals.; a conceptual model of the agile literature review approach (academic-oriented type).
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