Improving the Competitiveness of Companies with Help of VSS

Requirements and Sample Structure of a Study Project Report
The report is structured into ‘chapters’ (first level headings), and chapters are divided
into ‘sections’ (second and third level headings).

1. Introduction

1.1 Research Background and Problem Statement
– What is the study project about?
– What has already been done scientifically on the subject?
o Past research
o Publications and reports (short overview supported by citation of prominent
works)
o Analysis of current gaps in scientific knowledge
– What is missing at the moment? To what extent can this study project fill identified
knowledge gaps?
– What is the scientific value of this research?

1.2 Main Research Aim and Specific Objectives
– Clear formulation of the main research aim, which can be described as a central,
overarching goal of the research
– Formulation of a number of specific research objectives
o in form of a ‘To Do list’ (e.g. to analyze, to discuss, to specify the concept of
…, etc.)
o if all of the specific research objectives are achieved, so the main aim will be
consequently achieved too

1.3 Research Scope and Limitations
– Justified discussion about which aspects will be covered by the study project, and
which will be excluded from the scope…
– If there are any limitations or obstacles, these should be mentioned here

1.4 Research Questions and Expected Results
– Important for the initial research phase
– Already in the beginning of the research process, we can approximately determine,
what shall be the results of the discussion
– Does not necessarily have to be an individual section or can be also ‘fused’ with
Section 1.2

1.5 Structure of the study project report
– This section shall be written after the rest of the report is already completed
– Every chapter should be briefly summarized here

2. Overview of the Research Methodology

– How will the main research aim and all specific objectives be achieved?
– Description of all applied research methods
– Justification for the selected methods
– Discussion of data sources
– Justification for selection of case study / case studies (if applicable)

3. Literature Review

– One or more chapters
– Overview of all relevant, important concepts
– Explaining everything which has to be known, in order to be able to conduct the
discussion in the later part of the study project report

4. Results and Discussion

– After the discussion chapter is finalized, the main research aim should be also
achieved
– All relevant research questions have to be answered here
– Main scientific contribution of the author/s is made through this chapter

5. Conclusions

5.1 Presentation of the main results of the conducted research, including the findings of the
literature review and results of the conducted discussion
5.2 Small Outlook / Structured summary of recommendations, which can be made on the
basis of the achieved research results

Reference style: APA Referencing style