How to Write a Management Research Paper

A Management research paper, just like a piece of work devoted to any other discipline, should be well thought out. Your first and foremost task, while composing a management research paper, is finding the appropriate approach or “angle” for your investigation. First, decide on the topic of your paper. It should be interesting for you as well as for the readers. A “life” or contradictory topic may draw a larger circle of readers to your research paper. Try to select a topic that is not too narrow or specific. In this case, you risk not finding sufficient information related to the topic. After you find the main flow of the investigation, you may proceed with deciding on the paper format, its methodology, content, and word limit. These aspects of your management research paper, as well as the schedule for composing it, are to be discussed with your scientific advisor or tutor.

The focus of your research paper will define the entire range of techniques and the methodology you will apply. As it is generally accepted, all research methods fall into qualitative (objective) and quantitative (subjective). Surely, it is good to combine the methods of two groups and use both numerical indicators (better presented visually in the paper) and descriptions.
A management research paper may involve the following methods of investigation:

• observation;
• focus groups;
• case study;
• interviews, surveys, questionnaires, check-lists;
• documentation review, etc.

You need to select the methodology based on the peculiarities of the chosen topic. Remember that careful data collection and analysis is the key to a successful management research paper. Your personal evaluation, in most cases, is not appropriate. You only need to present objective information and “naked” facts – they are more silver-tongued than anything else on Earth. Also, including tables, diagrams, charts, or any other visualization elements into the bare narration will add weight to your research paper.

The summary and results of the paper are to be presented in its conclusion. This is the most important part of the paper, so it requires additional attention from you. In most cases, tutors and professors apply the unspoken rule of research paper reading – looking through the introduction and conclusion only. So, sometimes the entire impression of the investigation is formed only on the basis of these components. This is the main reason why the beginning and the end of your Management research paper should be as powerful and well-written as possible. Finally, proofread and check the paper for mistakes before you consider it finished. This will require more time, but will definitely reflect positively on the readers’ overall impression about the paper.