Selecting Research Area
Selecting a research area is the very first step in writing your dissertation. It is important for you to choose a research area that is interesting to you professionally, as well as, personally. Experienced researchers note that “a topic in which you are only vaguely interested at the start is likely to become a topic in which you have no interest and with which you will fail to produce your best work”[1]. Ideally, your research area should relate to your future career path and have a potential to contribute to the achievement of your career objectives.
Your dissertation supervisor, colleagues, family members and others can only make suggestions about your dissertation topic. But it is You who should make the final decision.
The importance of selecting a relevant research area that is appropriate for dissertation is often underestimated by many students. This decision cannot be made in haste. Ideally, you should start considering different options at the beginning of the term. However, even when there are only few weeks left before the deadline and you have not chosen a particular topic yet, there is no need to panic.
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There are few areas in business studies that can offer interesting topics due to their relevance to business and dynamic nature. The following is the list of research areas and topics that can prove to be insightful in terms of assisting you to choose your own dissertation topic.
Globalization can be a relevant topic for many business and economics dissertations. Forces of globalization are nowadays greater than ever before and dissertations can address the implications of these forces on various aspects of business.
Following are few examples of research areas in globalization:
- A research into economic implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for multinational companies based in China.
- Impacts of globalization on marketing strategies of beverage manufacturing companies: a case study of The Coca-Cola Company.
- A study into advantages and disadvantages of various entry strategies to emerging markets in Central Asia.
- An assessment of potential implications of Israel-Palestine conflict on US economy.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Transformation is one of the evolving hot topics that can make for a good and relevant dissertation topic. Potential research topics in this area may include:
- The impact of artificial intelligence adoption on operational efficiency: a case study of Amazon in the United States logistics market.
- Ethical challenges of algorithmic decision-making in recruitment: a case study of IBM in the UK technology sector.
- The role of generative AI in digital advertising content creation: a case study of Coca-Cola in China’s beverage market.
- Digital transformation and human capital development: a case study of Tata Consultancy Services in the Indian IT services market.
- AI governance and compliance strategies: a case study of Microsoft under EU regulatory frameworks.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is also one of the most popular topics at present and it is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. CSR refers to additional responsibilities of business organizations towards society apart from profit maximization. There is a high level of controversy involved in CSR. This is because businesses can be socially responsible only at the expense of their primary objective of profit maximization.
Perspective researches in the area of CSR may include the following:
- The impacts of CSR programs and initiatives on brand image: a case study of McDonald’s India.
- A critical analysis of argument of mandatory CSR for private sector organizations in Australia.
- A study into contradictions between CSR programs and initiatives and business practices: a case study of Philip Morris Philippines.
- A critical analysis into the role of CSR as an effective marketing tool.
- A study into the role of workplace ethics for improving brand image.
Social Media and viral marketing relate to increasing numbers of various social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok etc. Increasing levels of popularity of social media among various age groups create tremendous potential for businesses in terms of attracting new customers.
The following can be listed as potential studies in the area of social media:
- A critical analysis of the use of social media as a marketing strategy: a case study of Burger King Malaysia.
- An assessment of the role of Instagram as an effective platform for viral marketing campaigns.
- A study into the sustainability of TikTok as a marketing tool in the future.
- An investigation into the new ways of customer relationship management in mobile marketing environment: a case study of catering industry in South Africa.
- A study into integration of Twitter social networking website within integrated marketing communication strategy: a case study of Microsoft Corporation.
Culture and cultural differences in organizations offer many research opportunities as well. Increasing importance of culture is directly related to intensifying forces of globalization in a way that globalization forces are fuelling the formation of cross-cultural teams in organizations.
Perspective researches in the area of culture and cultural differences in organizations may include the following:
- The impact of cross-cultural differences on organizational communication: a case study of BP plc.
- A study into skills and competencies needed to manage multicultural teams in Singapore.
- The role of cross-cultural differences on perception of marketing communication messages in the global marketplace: a case study of Apple Inc.
- Effects of organizational culture on achieving its aims and objectives: a case study of Virgin Atlantic.
- A critical analysis into the emergence of global culture and its implications in local automobile manufacturers in Germany.
Leadership and leadership in organizations has been a popular topic among researchers for many decades by now. However, the importance of this topic may be greater now than ever before. This is because rapid technological developments, forces of globalization and a set of other factors have caused markets to become highly competitive. Accordingly, leadership is important in order to enhance competitive advantages of organizations in many ways.
The following studies can be conducted in the area of leadership:
- Born or bred: revisiting The Great Man theory of leadership in the twenty first century
- A study of effectiveness of servant leadership style in public sector organizations in Hong Kong.
- Creativity as the main trait for modern leaders: a critical analysis.
- A study into the importance of role models in contributing to long-term growth of private sector organizations: a case study of Tata Group, India.
- A critical analysis of leadership skills and competencies for E-Commerce organizations.
Moreover, dissertations can be written in a wide range of additional areas such as customer services, supply-chain management, consumer behaviour, human resources management, catering and hospitality, strategic management etc. depending on your professional and personal interests.
How to Select a Research Area Step-by-Step
Selecting a research area can seem overwhelming at first, particularly when there are many possible topics to choose from. A structured approach can make the process much easier and increase the likelihood of selecting a topic that is both academically valuable and personally engaging.
The first step is to identify areas that genuinely interest you. Since dissertation research requires a significant investment of time and effort, choosing a topic that aligns with your interests can help maintain motivation throughout the project.
The second step is to review recent academic literature. Reading journal articles, conference papers, and recent dissertations can help you understand current debates, identify emerging topics, and discover areas where further research is needed.
The third step is to assess data availability. Before committing to a research area, you should ensure that sufficient primary or secondary data can be accessed. Many otherwise interesting topics become difficult to complete because relevant data sources are unavailable.
The fourth step is to evaluate feasibility. Consider the time available, research skills required, access to participants, ethical requirements, and financial resources. A manageable topic is usually preferable to an overly ambitious one.
The final step is to refine the research area into a focused topic. Broad subjects such as leadership, marketing, or artificial intelligence should be narrowed into specific research problems that can realistically be investigated within the scope of a dissertation.
Selecting a Research Area in Business Research
Selecting an appropriate research area is particularly important in business studies because business environments change rapidly. Technological developments, globalisation, sustainability concerns, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and changing consumer behaviour continuously create new opportunities for research.
A good business research area should satisfy three criteria. First, it should be academically relevant and connected to existing literature. Second, it should have practical significance for organisations, industries, policymakers, or consumers. Third, it should be feasible in terms of data access and research scope.
Popular business research areas include leadership, strategic management, marketing, human resource management, consumer behaviour, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. However, the best research area is not necessarily the most popular one. Rather, it is the area that offers a meaningful research opportunity while matching your interests and capabilities.
Selecting a Research Area in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence has transformed the process of selecting research topics. Students can now use AI-powered tools to brainstorm ideas, identify emerging themes, refine research questions, and explore potential directions for investigation.
At the same time, AI should be used with caution during topic selection. While AI can generate suggestions quickly, it cannot reliably determine whether a genuine research gap exists. Similarly, AI may recommend topics for which sufficient academic literature or accessible data is unavailable.
Therefore, any topic generated with the assistance of AI should be validated through a review of recent academic literature, assessment of data availability, and consultation with academic supervisors where appropriate. AI can accelerate the topic selection process, but final decisions should always be supported by independent academic evaluation.
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Common Mistakes When Selecting a Research Area
Many students encounter difficulties because they choose a research area without fully considering practical and academic factors. A frequent pitfall involves selecting a topic that is excessively broad. Research areas such as leadership, artificial intelligence, or organisational culture may sound attractive, but they often need substantial narrowing before they become suitable dissertation topics.
Another challenge arises when students choose highly specialised topics with very limited literature. Although originality is important, insufficient academic sources can make it difficult to build a strong literature review and theoretical foundation.
Some students also select topics solely because they appear easy or because sample dissertations on the subject are readily available online. This approach can reduce motivation and often results in less engaging research. An additional issue concerns data access. A research topic may appear interesting in theory, but if access to organisations, respondents, or secondary data cannot be obtained, completing the study becomes problematic.
The most successful dissertations usually combine academic relevance, practical feasibility, sufficient literature, accessible data, and genuine personal interest in the topic being investigated.
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[1] Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2012) “Research Methods for Business Students” 6th edition, Pearson Education Limited.