Paper should include:

Front page
• Your name, student ID number, course title and NNBS e-mail address
• Name of supervisor
• Project title

1. Summary of proposal
Write (copy) your original management questions (the problem you want to solve) and the research
questions as these are presented in the proposal you have submitted.
Make sure it is clear what the ‘playing field’ is, e.g. the business sector you are aiming at. E.g.
wholesalers in fruit and vegetables in the Netherland, financial organisation in Europe etc.
Summarise your original research methodology such as described in the proposal.

2. Literature review
Make a summary and analysis of the literature you have studied. The literature study is meant to
look for theories about the problem under study. These should be academic solid theories that
explain the problem in detail. Your analysis should be focussed on:
• Defining the terms used in the central issue (e.g. how do you define “social media”,
“sustainability”) and in the target group (e.g. private households, Small & Medium sized
companies)
• Finding relevant variables to describe the symptoms of the problem under study. A symptom
is something that is not as wanted or something you would like to change. (Think as a
medical doctor who looks at a patient. The first he will be doing is researching the symptoms)
Inclusive definitions of these variables. E.g. if one of the variables is ‘satisfaction’, describe
what is meant by satisfaction (different theories can describe ‘satisfaction’ in different ways,
so make a choice. And describe how it can be measured.
• Finding the relevant variablesthat can explain the symptoms, the causes of t he problem.
What are the drivers of the subject under study? Again, give definitions of these variables.
• Finding (or designing) a model with the main concepts/variables (the blocks in a model) and
the relations between these variables (the arrows in a model).
So, literature review looks for theories and models. It is possible that in your literature review also
find actual results of research. In most cases these results will not be completely relevant for your
area of research (your playing field). You can only use these results if they apply to your area of
research. In that case you have already the first results for your own research (this is called desk
research, which can be mentioned in the chapter about methodology)).
You look for different theories and models about your subject, describe the main characteristics of
the different theories/models and make a choice between these. Including a explanation why you
have chosen this theory/model. PM: it is possible that you decide that there is not a solid existing
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model and that you want to develop a new model or an adaption of an existing model. But in general
you will choose with an existing theory/model.
For your progress summarise your findings in the form of a draft chapter for your final report.

3. Final management question and research questions
By reviewing the literature you might come to the conclusion that you need/want to adapt your
management question and/or research questions slightly. In this chapter you describe your revised
management and research questions and if these have changed explain why and what you have
changed. (See “critical self evaluation”).
The research questions must be SMART which basically means that they can be measured (with the
instruments you have available in the time you have available).
In the research questions only use the variables that you have found and described in your literature
review. So, do not introduce new variables here.

4.. Methodology
Describe the (final) research design. By reviewing your management questions and/or research
questions, you might come to the conclusion that you need to adapt you research approach.
Explain why the methodology will result in reliable and valid answers.
Give full details of the methods of research that you will use. This means:
• If you use desk research: which sources will you use
• If you use qualitative interviews (incl. Expert interviews): how many people will you
interview, who will you interview (or plan to interview) + an outline of the questions you will
ask them (checklist)
sampling frame • If you use a (quantitative) survey: full details of sampling –target group
sample size + a concept questionnaire.sampling method
Details should make it possible to start fieldwork shortly after your progress report has been
approved.
It is strongly recommended to use more than one method of research (e.g. desk research + a survey).
In that case relate the methods to the different research questions.
E.g. Desk research will be used to answer research questions 1 and 3. A survey will be used to
answer research question 2, 3 and 4.

5. Evaluation of work done
The progress report should indicate clearly how your thinking has evolved from the start of the
project till now. Never mind if literature finds led you to tweak your research questions, theoretical
focus or methodology as long as you can defend the changes you made and account for them. This
you do in the progress report.
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6. Appendices
Final time table: Include all the activities in the time schedule.
References and bibliography: Use Harvard style.