IMAT5120 Research Methods: PhD Proposal on Food Industry

This research proposal, prepared by a student, investigates the impact of legal and political factors on the food industry, specifically within the United Kingdom. The proposal begins with a summary and background, highlighting the influence of political and legal environments on business operations, particularly in the context of Brexit. It outlines the research aim, objectives, and questions, focusing on identifying legal and political risks and their influence on the UK food industry. The methodology section details a primary quantitative research approach, utilizing surveys and interviews for data collection, along with quantitative analysis methods such as regression and correlation. The proposal is structured into work packages covering introduction, literature review, methodology, data analysis, and conclusions. It also addresses professional, legal, and ethical considerations, and presents a research management plan, including a Gantt chart detailing project timelines and deliverables. The research aims to provide recommendations for businesses in the food industry to mitigate risks and adapt to changing environments.

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Summary..........................................................................................................................................2
Background......................................................................................................................................2
Proposed work.................................................................................................................................3
Research aim................................................................................................................................3
Research Objectives.....................................................................................................................3
Research Questions......................................................................................................................4
Ratioanle......................................................................................................................................4
Methodology of work..................................................................................................................4
Work packages.............................................................................................................................5
Professional, legal and ethical issues associated with the proposed research.................................5
Relevance to Beneficiaries..............................................................................................................6
Research Management Plan.............................................................................................................6
Justification of Resources............................................................................................................6
Gantt chart showing the project management, timing and deliverables of each work package......7
References........................................................................................................................................8

2RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Summary
As the business environment has become very competitive in nature, it becomes
increasingly crucial for the various organizations to be able to identify the different issues which
may have an influence on the overall operational efficiency of the business. Hence, this proposal
has been laid down with the motive to find the influence of the Legal and Political factors on the
Food Industry in the United Kingdom (Meyer, Neck and Meeks 2017). The dynamics related to
the Brexit have greatly influenced the overall operations of the business and pertaining to this, it
becomes essentially critical for the firm to ensure that, they are being able to undertake sufficient
precautions to underlie the business operations effectively. Hence, this research proposal will
outline the background of the study, the methodology which will be used and the manner in
which the study will be carried out. A Gantt chart outlining the management of the project along
with the timing of deliverables of each work package will also be defined.
Background
The political and the legal environment of a country generally have a strong influence on
the overall operations of the enterprise (Bell, Bryman and Harley 2018). In consideration of this,
it needs to be understood that, when there is a change in the political scenario of the country, an
economic crisis and related policy implications is bound to follow (Hennink, Hutter and Bailey
2020). This can be essentially mentioned because; it is the duty of the different political parties
to come up with adequate means to define the economic policies and in addition to this, it is
crucial for the political parties to change the economic scenario as well (Bryman 2016). Hence,
the business activities of a country and the different scenarios which take place are greatly
affected by the formation of such policies by the government. According to Hitt and Duane
Ireland (2017), the political parties and organizations are greatly affected by the ideology of the
government, the philosophy of the parties, the nature and extent of bureaucracy in a firm and the
military objectives and the image of the country also influences the operations of the enterprise.
In addition to this, it becomes critically crucial for the enterprise to be aware of the legal
environment as well (Ansoff et al. 2018). The legal environment can be referred to as to the rules
and regulations which are generally established by the government and are applicable to the

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people of the country. The government based on the current political positioning of the country
and the economic scenario, passes various acts (Drake, Rancilio and Stafford 2017). However, a
change an evolution of these acts is very crucial for any enterprise and hence, the enterprise
would be required to see to it that, the different members of the firm are essentially able to
undertake the different acts and consider working in association of the different regulations so
that, the enterprise goals can be achieved successfully (Moutinho and Vargas-Sanchez 2018).
The influence of the Political and the Legal environment on the business is critical as it can be
essentially defined as the aggregate of the economic system and the prevailing social and cultural
policies.
With respect to the food industry, it can be essentially mentioned that, the changes in the
political as well as the legal structures have considerate influences on the various regulations
pertaining industry and hence, if the different companies in the industry are aware of the same,
they will successfully be able to engage in an effective relationship with their shareholders and
strategies can be formulated accordingly (Morschett, Schramm-Klein and Zentes 2015). Any
successful business is one which visualizes the external factors which influence the business
operations and take appropriate decisions accordingly in lieu of bringing about maximum profits
in a firm (Lasserre 2017).
Proposed work
Research aim
The primary aim of the research can be stated to be to assess the different ways in which
the Legal and the Political environment surrounding an industry can have an influence on the
industry as a while (Rothaermel 2017). The industry which has been chosen for the purpose of
the analysis can be stated to be the Food industry. Hence, the study will analyze the dynamics of
the food industry and understand how the aspects of the industry are bound to change based on
the Legal and Political Implications.
Research Objectives
The objectives which have been set down for the paper can be stated to be as follows:

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 To identify the concept of Legal risk and the Political risk which exists within an
industry?
 To examine the Legal and Political risks which affect the Food industry as a whole
 To analyze the influence of the Legal and Political risks on the food Industry of the
United Kingdom.
 To provide recommendations to the different enterprises as present in the food industry
which would assist them to overcome the risks being faced by them?
Research Questions
The research questions which have been set down for the study can be stated to be as
follows:
 What is the concept of Legal risk and the Political risk which exists within an industry?
 What are the Legal and Political risks which affect the Food industry as a whole?
 What is the influence of the Legal and Political risks on the food Industry of the United
Kingdom?
 What recommendations can be given to the different enterprises as present in the food
industry which would assist them to overcome the risks being faced by them?
Rationale
The reason why conducting this research has become essentially critical is because the
Food industry has been undergoing a considerable change and in consideration of this, it has
become critically relevant for the enterprise to see to it that they are successfully able to devise
regular plans which would assist them to attain the goals (Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault 2015).
Hence when the food industry will be able to identify these different factors which exist, they
would successfully be able to engage in effective strategy making with the help of which
adequate strategies can be built accordingly.
Methodology of work
The research will undertake the study based on the Primary Quantitative research
method. In this kind of a research method, the study will make use of the Primary technique of
data collection which will make use of the Primary sources of data collection such as the

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surveys and interviews from eminent personalities in the Food industry (Litosseliti 2018). Using
this technique, the study will be essentially able to identify how the Legal and Political factors
influence the business operations and what strategies can be essentially applied to combat against
these forces (Lasserre 2017). The method of Data analysis which will be essentially utilized in
this study can be stated to be the Quantitative analysis method (Quinlan et al. 2019). Under the
Quantitative analysis method, the study will make use of Statistical tools such as the Regression
and the Correlation analysis which will assist in determining the manner in which the legal and
political factors influence the performance of the firms in the Food Industry.
Work packages
The research report will be divided into the following work packages:
 Introduction: The introduction as a chapter will define and outline the background of the
study and lay down the essential Research Objectives and Questions. Along with this, the
research rationale will also be identified (Patten and Newhart 2017).
 Literature review: The theories and related factors influencing the Political and Legal
factors will be identified which will assist in the determination of their influence on the
Food Industry.
 Research Methodology: The research methodology section will identify the various
research methods which are essentially applied for the study to achieve research
objectives.
 Data analysis, Findings and Discussion: This chapter will outline the Findings of the
analysis undertaken and present a discussion on the same.
 Conclusion and Recommendations : The last chapter of the paper will present the
conclusions of the study and the recommendations will also be provided which will assist
the industry in improving its operations.

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Professional, legal and ethical issues associated with the proposed research
The study will be utilized for the purpose of the academic research only. All the
participants involved in a research will be essentially made to sign an ethics form using which
the privacy of the different research participants will be protected.
Relevance to Beneficiaries
The influence of this research can be stated to be as follows:
 It will assist the business heads to formulate effective plans for the enterprise.
 It will assist the student to understand the implications of the external environment on the
business (Smith 2015).
Research Management Plan
Justification of Resources
The resources required are as follows:
 Access to various journals and databases
 Access to participants
 Access to the different research materials

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Gantt chart showing the project management, timing and deliverables of each work
package
Activity Months
M Jan M
Feb
M
Mar
M
April
M
May
M
June
M
July
Finalizing the topic of the research 
Collection of the data from secondary
sources
 
Formation of a layout of the research
work
 
Conducting the Literature review  
Formation of the research plan  
Selection of appropriate research
methodologies
 
Collection of the data from primary
sources
 
Analysis of the collected data sets  
Interpretation of the collected data
sets
 
Conclusion of the Study  

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Drafting a rough draft  
Submitting the Final Work  

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References
Ansoff, H.I., Kipley, D., Lewis, A.O., Helm-Stevens, R. and Ansoff, R., 2018. Implanting
strategic management. Springer.
Bell, E., Bryman, A. and Harley, B., 2018. Business research methods. Oxford university press.
Bryman, A., 2016. Social research methods. Oxford university press.
Drake, B.F., Rancilio, D.M. and Stafford, J.D., 2017. Research methods. In Public Health
Research Methods for Partnerships and Practice (pp. 174-187). Routledge.
Hennink, M., Hutter, I. and Bailey, A., 2020. Qualitative research methods. SAGE Publications
Limited.
Hitt, M. and Duane Ireland, R., 2017. The intersection of entrepreneurship and strategic
management research. The Blackwell handbook of entrepreneurship, pp.45-63.
Lasserre, P., 2017. Global strategic management. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Litosseliti, L. ed., 2018. Research methods in linguistics. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Meyer, G.D., Neck, H.M. and Meeks, M.D., 2017. The entrepreneurship‐strategic management
interface. Strategic entrepreneurship: Creating a new mindset, pp.17-44.
Morschett, D., Schramm-Klein, H. and Zentes, J., 2015. Strategic international management (pp.
978-3658078836). Springer.
Moutinho, L. and Vargas-Sanchez, A. eds., 2018. Strategic Management in Tourism, CABI
Tourism Texts. Cabi.
Patten, M.L. and Newhart, M., 2017. Understanding research methods: An overview of the
essentials. Routledge.
Quinlan, C., Babin, B., Carr, J. and Griffin, M., 2019. Business research methods. South Western
Cengage.

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Rothaermel, F.T., 2017. Strategic management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Smith, J.A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage.
Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A
guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.