3) Choosing a topic and formulating research questions
Choosing your topic and formulating research questions are important steps in your research process because the they will govern the thesis process and its outcome. One of the most important issues is to reflect what do you want to accomplish with your thesis?
- Is the most important issue to graduate as time is running out? If this is the case, select a topic from a well researched area with clear paths to follow. Remember, most employers do not care about your thesis grade.
- Do you want to get a job in a particular function in a particular industry? Look for topics that combine your career interests.
- Do you want to build your expertise on a particular topic area that is highly relevant currently, for example AI and big data. Look for topics that enable you to build your expertise on AI/big data by combining the topic with some of theoretical discussion(s) in the field of your study.
- Are you highly interested in particular theoretical discussions?
- Do you want to build on your existing strengths, or do you want to broaden your skills set, or are you perhaps seeking to expand your networks?
- Regardless of your interests, you need to find a discussion within the broad field of management studies to converse with.
It is your task to know what you want, what are your skills and what new skills you need to gain to get you on the career trajectory of your choice. If possible, choose a thesis topic that will lead you in that direction. Whatever your choice of topic and research question is, make sure it interests you and it is doable within a reasonable time. In the video (22 min 52 s) you can learn more about how to choose a topic, how to formulate research questions and how to focus them in order to make the research doable.