Using a research theme and 3 key words to produce a more concrete research theme: on communication strategies: for MBA students

Using a research theme and 3 key words to produce a more concrete research theme: on communication strategies: for MBA students

I am a part-time MBA student; I would like to develop a more concrete research theme for my dissertation project proposal formulation, based on the following information: initial research theme being "the employment of communication strategies in the Hong Kong high-involvement financial services business". In addition, I would also like to incorporate the following 3 key words: consumer trust, consumer decision-making, communication skills.

A strong, concrete dissertation theme you could develop is:

“How communication strategies influence consumer trust and decision‑making in Hong Kong’s high‑involvement financial services: The role of frontline communication skills”

This title integrates your initial focus (“communication strategies in Hong Kong high‑involvement financial services”) with your three keywords—consumer trust, consumer decision‑making, and communication skills—while keeping it tractable for an MBA‑level project.

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1. Refining the research theme

You can frame the theme as:

An investigation into how frontline communication strategies (e.g., language, channels, transparency, digital and interpersonal techniques) shape consumer trust and, in turn, influence decision‑making processes in high‑involvement Hong Kong financial services (e.g., wealth management, investment products, mortgages, or insurance).

This allows you to anchor on:

·        High‑involvement services: where customers invest time, money, and emotional energy (consistent with investment and mortgage products familiar to you as an MBA student).

·        Hong Kong context: existing work on banking trust, digital‑channel usage, and consumer‑protection‑driven communication in Hong Kong can support your theoretical and empirical rationale.

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2. Possible research questions

These can be adjusted depending on whether you lean more toward quantitative (survey) or qualitative (interviews with customers or practitioners):

·        How do communication strategies (e.g., clarity, tone, digital vs face‑to‑face channels) in Hong Kong high‑involvement financial services affect levels of consumer trust?

·        To what extent does heightened consumer trust mediate the relationship between communication strategies and consumer decision‑making (e.g., product choice, switching behaviour, adoption of new products)?

·        Which communication skills (e.g., active listening, explanation of complex features, handling objections, use of visual aids in digital interfaces) are perceived by customers as most influential in building trust and shaping financial decisions?

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3. How the three keywords fit in

·        Consumer trust: Acts as both an outcome of communication strategies and a mediator of decision‑making, drawing on Hong Kong‑based studies that show trust, clarity, and fair treatment strongly influence financial behaviour.

·        Consumer decision‑making: Focus on how communication changes the process (e.g., information search, evaluation of alternatives, perceived risk) and outcomes (product choice, switching, investment horizon).

·        Communication skills: Can be operationalised as interpersonal skills (e.g., listening, questioning, empathy) and digital‑communication techniques (e.g., clarity of disclosures, use of plain language, interactive tools) in advisory and marketing roles.

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4. Example concrete topic variants

Depending on your industry interest (e.g., wealth management, retail banking, insurance), you could sharpen the theme further:

·        “The role of communication strategies and frontline communication skills in building consumer trust and shaping investment decisions in Hong Kong wealth management.”

·        “How digital and in‑branch communication strategies affect trust and mortgage decision‑making among Hong Kong retail banking customers.”

·        “The impact of communication skills on perceived trust and retirement‑product choices in Hong Kong’s high‑involvement financial services.”

Each variant keeps your keywords and setting but narrows the product and consumer segment for a more feasible MBA project.

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