Academic Writing for International Students of Business

(Frankie) #1

(a) Certain words or phrases in the title may need clarifying because they are not widely
understood.


For the purpose of this paper, I define serendipity as search leading to unintended discovery.

 See Unit 2.6 Definitions


(b) It is useful to remind the reader of the wider context of your work. This may also show
the importance and value of the study you have carried out.
A major strength of this study is the theoretically informed context-embedded selection of HR
practices in explaining why some firms are more innovative than others.


(c) While a longer article may have a separate literature review, in a shorter essay it is still
important to show familiarity with researchers who have studied this topic previously.
The last few years have, indeed, witnessed many notable interventions and seminal
articulations of the pros and cons of globalisation for perceived disadvantaged groups,
including workers (Haq, 2003; Horgan, 2001; Klein, 2000; Rai, 2001).


(d) The aim of your research must be clearly stated so the reader is clear what you are trying
to do.
The key question addressed in this study is a simple one: Is innovativeness a link between pay
and performance in the technology sector?


(e) The method demonstrates the process that you undertook to achieve the aim given
previously.
Using a sample of 988 Dutch firms, the relationship between a set of six HR practices
and the fraction of radically and incrementally changed products in a firm’s total sales
is explored.


72 Part 1: The Writing Process


(a) Definition of key terms, if needed

(b) Relevant background information

(c) Review of work by other writers on the topic

(d) Purpose or aim of the paper

(e) Your methods

(f) Any limitations you imposed

(g) The organisation of your work
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