Overview
A research proposal is a written statement of the proposed research study, specifically stipulating the background to the proposed problem, the research problem, the research objectives and the proposed research design. The purpose of a research proposal is twofold:
(1) To show that the suggested research problem is significant enough to warrant an investigation;
(2) To show that the research method that is suggested is suitable and feasible.
Research proposal assignment A1 will be completed using the Research proposal Part 1 template. The focus of part 1 is for the researcher to uncover the (a) real world problem/opportunity/trend and to build the theoretical (research) argument that stems from the real world. Your A1 submission will (should) be used to inform your FAS submission.
Research Theme
Research theme A: Personal finances and behaviour
The myriad of factors that influence decision-making, of course, influence the way individuals work and handle their personal finances. One can conclude this by looking at the way an individual handles their personal finances or their intention and attitude towards them. Personal finance involves, among other things, decisions that include saving or investing, how to budget, where to bank, as well as insurance, mortgage, retirement planning and tax decisions (Atchley, 1998).
It is argued that financial literacy has the ability to manage this personal finance business (Kenton, 2020). It is claimed that financial literacy alone is also not effective, but that aspects such as financial knowledge, financial behavior, financial identity, financial socialisation and financial attitudes (and many more) must be considered.
Research theme B: Corporate finance and behaviour
The field of Corporate Finance might well be the area of economic research with the most misleading name (followed by Behavioural Economics as a close second). Many of the research papers identified as “Corporate Finance” deal neither with corporations nor with financing decisions. Furthermore, behavioural corporate finance (BCF) examines the effects of managerial and investor psychological biases on a firm`s corporate finance decisions (such as investment appraisal and capital structure). In contrast to the well-developed research in behavioural finance (which examines the effects of investors` biases on the behaviour of the financial markets).
Research theme C: Non-profit organisation – finances; decision making and behaviour
Non-profit organisations are crucial in building stable and equal societies. The non-profit sector of the developing world however remains under pressure due to the ever-increasing socio-economic challenges together with the ever-decreasing financial support. This trend of increased pressure is specifically relevant to the non-profit sector of South Africa. The nonprofit sector of South Africa is a nine-billion-rand industry that aims to address the challenges that exist in society concerning inequality, unemployment, education, and poverty to name a few. The most recent number of registered non-profit organisations reported by the Department of Social Development amounted to 220 116 (Gastrow, 2019). The non-profit sector of South Africa also contributes to the economy of South Africa by being a significant employer, with the number of employees exceeding any of the major economic sectors in South Africa (Swilling & Russell, 2002). A stronger, more sustainable non-profit sector would result in opportunities for economic and societal growth. The environment in which non-profit organisations need to survive is however complex, with many stakeholders and beneficiaries to consider. Non-profit organisations are different from for-profit organisations, with the most important distinction being the so-called non-distribution constraint (Du Bois, Caers, Jegers, De Cooman, De Gieter & Pepermans, 2007).
