6IM511 Business Consultancy Project: Research Outline and Ethics Form

This document presents a completed research outline and ethics form for a business consultancy project, focusing on Alexandra Style, a UK-based salon service. The research aims to explore market share growth using PESTLE, SWOT, and VRIO models. The project employs qualitative research methods, gathering data through online resources and demographic sampling (age, gender, and income). The form addresses ethical considerations, including informed consent, participant rights, data protection (GDPR compliance), potential risks, and adherence to the University of Derby's research ethics policy. It also covers aspects like observational research, giving advice, research in public places, animal rights, and environmental protection. The student acknowledges the accuracy of the information and their commitment to ethical research practices, awaiting seminar tutor approval before data collection.

Research Outline and Ethics Form
This form is required to be completed by all students. It will assist in formulation of your
ideas and is necessary for your seminar tutor to approve your data collection from an ethical
viewpoint.
Name
Student ID
Programme name and code BA (Hons) Business Management –
N200
Module name and code The Business Consultancy Project -
6IM511
Name of seminar tutor
1. Case Study Organisation and
Summary of Project Problem.
The organisation which is selected for
this report is Alexandra style. It is mainly
established in UK and provide saloon
services. It is required to grow the market
share for which PESTLE, SWOT and
VRIO models are used.
2. Briefly describe what you aim
to achieve by this primary
research. What are the
objectives for your research?
Aim of the research is to get detailed
information about the organisation and
find the ways which could be adopted by
it to grow the market share.
Objective: In order to reach the aim
different frameworks will be used to.
These are VRIO, SWOT and PESTLE.
3. What research method/s do
you intend to use (e.g.
questionnaire, focus group,
interviews etc.)
Qualitative research will be used
to gather information for the

research. For which Richer
information along with different
opinions of authors will be used.
Main purpose of using it is to meet
the guidelines if project and
complete a proper and well
diversified research. Different
online websites will be used to
collect detailed information for the
project.
4. Provide a description of the
expected sample (who you are
going to ask).
Demographics will be used to
collect information for the project because
the sample is segregated in different
groups on the basis of age, gender and
income level. For example, as individuals
between age of 15 to 60 use salon
service the most so they are used as
sample for gathering information.
5. Are payments or
rewards/incentives going to be
made to the participants?
Yes  No 
If yes, please give details below.
No
6. Please include below/or attach
the consent briefing you will
use at the start of your primary
data collection (see notes
below that you need to
consider when considering the
ethics of your research – not all
points need to be included in
the consent briefing if not
relevant).
a. Consent
Informed consent must be obtained for all
participants before they take part in your
project. The form should clearly state

what they will be doing; drawing attention
to anything they could conceivably object
to subsequently. It should be in language
that the person signing it will understand.
It should also state that they can
withdraw from the study at any time and
the measures you are taking to ensure
the confidentiality of data. If children are
recruited from schools you will require the
permission, depending on the school, of
the head teacher, and of parents.
Children over 14 years should also sign
an individual consent form themselves. If
conducting research on children you will
normally also require DBS clearance.
You will need to check with the school if
they require you to obtain one of these. It
is usually necessary if working alone with
children, however, some schools may
request you have DBS clearance for any
type of research you want to conduct
within the school. Research to be carried
out in any institution (prison, hospital,
etc.) will require permission from the
appropriate authority.
a. Covert or Deceptive Research
Research involving any form of deception
can be particularly problematical, and you
should provide a full explanation of why a
covert or deceptive approach is
necessary, why there are no acceptable
alternative approaches not involving
deception, and the scientific justification
for deception.
b. Debriefing
Debriefing is a process of reflection once
the research intervention is complete, for
example at the end of an interview
session. How will participants be
debriefed (written or spoken feedback)?
If they will not be debriefed, give reasons.
Please attach the written debrief or
transcript for the oral debrief. This can be
particularly important if covert or
deceptive research methods are used.

c. Withdrawal from the
Investigation
Participants should be told explicitly that
they are free to leave the study at any
time without jeopardy. It is important that
you clarify exactly how and when this will
be explained to participants. Participants
also have the right to withdraw their data
in retrospect, after you have received it.
You will need to clarify how they will do
this and at what point they will not be able
to withdraw (i.e. after the data has been
analysed and disseminated).
d. Confidentiality and Data
Protection
You must comply with GDPR (General
Data Protection Regulation) and the
University's Good Practice
https://www.derby.ac.uk/research/about-
our-research/ethics/research-ethics/
policy-and-guidance/ This means,
amongst other things:
 It is very important that the
Participant Information Sheet
includes information on what the
research is for, who will conduct
the research, how the personal
information will be used, who will
have access to the information
and how long the information will
be kept for. This is known as a
'fair processing statement.'
 You must not do anything with the
personal information you collect
over and above that for which you
have consent.
 You can only make audio or visual
recordings of participants with
their consent (this should be
stated on the Participant
Information sheet)
 Identifiable personal information
should only be conveyed to others
with the participant's permission,

although this is ill advised and
should not be necessary within
the expectations of this module..
 You must store data securely.
Consent forms and data should
be stored separately and
securely.
 You should only collect data that
is relevant to the study being
undertaken.
 Data may be kept indefinitely
providing its sole use is for
research purposes and meets the
following conditions:
 The data is not being used to take
decisions in respect of any living
individual.
 The data is not being used in any
which is, or is likely to, cause
damage and/or distress to any
living individual.
 You should always protect a
participant's anonymity unless
they have given their permission
to be identified (if they do so, this
should be stated on the Informed
Consent Form).
 All data should be returned to
participants or destroyed if
consent is not given after the fact,
or if a participant withdraws.
e. Protection of participants
Are the participants at risk of physical,
psychological or emotional harm greater
than encountered ordinary life? If yes,
describe the nature of the risk and steps
taken to minimise it.
f. Observational research
If observational research is to be
conducted without prior consent, please
describe the situations in which
observations will take place and say how
local cultural values and privacy of
individuals and/or institutions will be

taken into account.
g. Giving advice
Students should not put themselves in a
position of authority from which to provide
advice and should in all cases refer
participants to suitably qualified and
appropriate professionals.
h. Research undertaken in public
places
You should pay particular attention to the
implications of research undertaken in
public places. The impact on the social
environment will be a key issue. You
must observe the laws of obscenity and
public decency. You should also have
due regard to religious and cultural
sensitivities.
i. Animal Rights
Research which might involve the study
of animals at the University is not likely to
involve intrusive or invasive procedures.
However, you should avoid animal
suffering of any kind and should ensure
that proper animal husbandry practices
are followed. You should show respect
for animals as fellow sentient beings.
j. Environmental protection
The negative impacts of your research on
the natural environment and animal
welfare must be minimised and must be
compliant to current legislation. Your
research should appropriately weigh
longer-term research benefit against
short-term environmental harm needed to
achieve research goals.
7. Are there any further ethical
implications arising from your
proposed research? Yes 
No 
If your answer was no, please
explain why.
Yes.

8. Have / do you intend to request
ethical approval from any other
body/organisation? Yes  No
 (this may include approval
from businesses who are
customers of your organisation
who you need to ask questions
of)
If ‘Yes’ – please give details
No.
Submission/Approval
YOUR SUBMISSION OF THIS FORM
INDICATES THAT YOU AGREE TO
THE FOLLOWING:
The information supplied is, to the
best of my knowledge and belief,
accurate. I clearly understand my
obligations and the rights of the
participants. I agree to act at all times
in accordance with University of Derby
Research Ethics Policy and Code of
Practice:
https://www.derby.ac.uk/research/about-
our-research/ethics/research-ethics/
YOUR SEMINAR TUTOR WILL LOOK
AT YOUR ETHICS FORM AND
APPROVE (OR NOT) YOUR
RESEARCH. YOU MUST NOT CARRY
OUT ANY PRIMARY DATA
COLLECTION UNTIL APPROVED. THE
SUBMISSION DATE FOR THIS FORM
IS NO LATER THAN 1st FEBRUARY. IF
YOU WISH TO CARRY OUT YOUR
RESEARCH BEFORE THIS DATE, YOU
MUST TELL YOUR SEMINAR TUTOR
THAT YOU HAVE SUBMITTED THIS

FORM EARLY.