LAYOUT OF THE DISSERTATION
FIRST PAGE OF THE DISSERTATION
Title of Dissertation
By
Student’s Name
Student Number
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science Honours in Information technology or Postgraduate Diploma in
Management
Supervisor: Name
Co-Supervisor: Name if applicable
Month and Year of submission
(i)
The numbering of the pages immediately following the title page should be in small
roman numerals as shown directly above.
PAGE TWO OF THE DISSERTATION
DECLARATION
This research has not been previously accepted for any degree and is not being currently
considered for any other degree at any other institution.
I declare that this Dissertation contains my own work except where specifically
acknowledged
Student Name and Number: _____________________
Signed………………………………………..
Date…………………………………………..
(ii)
PAGE THREE OF THE DISSERTATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Here you thank everybody for their support – this includes your supervisor.
Example:
“No undertaking of a project as intense as this study is possible without the
contribution of many people. It is not possible to single out all those who offered
support and encouragement during what at times seemed to be a ‘never ending
journey’. However, there are individuals without whom this project would not have
been completed, and to them go my special thanks and acknowledgement of their
contributions.
Firstly, I am indebted to …………”
……………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………
NB. The Ethical Clearance letter must be included in the dissertation as the final
appendix.
(iii)
PAGE FOUR OF THE DISSERTATION
ABSTRACT
This should be in single spacing and about half a page. Indicate here what has actually
been done in the whole study. It is like an overview. Abstract must not be more than
250 words.
Example:
See below sample of :
Qualitative Study Abstract
Quantitative Study Abstract
(iv)
EXAMPLE OF A QUANTITATIVE STUDY
EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNET MARKETING: A MANAGEMENT AND
CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to determine whether the Internet is being utilized optimally for
marketing purposes, examining both consumer and management perspectives. A dual
approach was employed, involving two distinct samples. The first sample comprised 294
consumers from a tertiary institution in Durban, which has a total of 1,096 employees.
The sample was predominantly male (71.1%) and included 84.7% academic staff and
15.3% non-academic staff. Most participants (73.8%) used the Internet daily. Data
collection was done through a web-based questionnaire designed by the researcher.
Statistical analysis revealed significant relationships between demographic factors and
Internet usage patterns. A notable finding was that only 0.7% of this group used the
Internet for making purchases.
The second sample included 79 managers selected through non-probability purposive
sampling from approximately 10,000 companies across South Africa with an Internet
presence. These companies varied in size and industry. Data were gathered using a mail
questionnaire also developed by the researcher. Results from this sample indicated that
while the Internet had made a substantial contribution to cost savings for the participating
businesses, it was not being fully utilized due to several identified obstacles.
The study’s outcomes underline the gap between the current level of Internet utilization
and its full potential. It suggests that organizations should focus on identifying and
overcoming these barriers to enhance their use of the Internet for marketing and
operational purposes. Recommendations include implementing strategies to address these
obstacles to fully leverage the Internet’s benefits for business growth and efficiency.
(v)
EXAMPLE OF A QUALITATIVE STUDY
MANAGEMENT PROCESSES IN PROJECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL
CHANGE: CASE STUDIES FROM FOUR INDUSTRIES
ABSTRACT
Recent decades have seen increased interest in structural changes within contemporary
workplaces, focusing particularly on organizational change initiatives driven by new
information and communications technologies, often termed as projects by managers.
While much of the existing research emphasizes universal management guides and best
practices, there is a lack of context-specific studies exploring the project concept’s role in
organizational change. This study aims to address this gap by examining the change
project management processes adopted by organizations and how these processes are
influenced by organizational characteristics.
The research employs a grounded, theory-generating approach, using case studies from
four South African organizations in different sectors. Data were gathered through
unstructured, audio-taped interviews with managers responsible for the projects. The
constant comparative method of qualitative analysis was used to identify patterns and
contrasts in managerial actions and decisions, taking into account contextual factors. Data
reduction occurred in three stages, each providing a higher level of theoretical
abstraction.
The study’s findings are presented as an integrated theory with propositions linking
management processes to organizational context, with a focus on the extent of control felt
by change drivers. Key conclusions include: (1) Change drivers use a common set of six
management processes, applied variably depending on the situation; (2) The extent of
engagement with each process reflects the driver’s sense of control over the change; and
(3) This sense of control is influenced by managers’ attention to issues related to the
organisation’s and sector’s characteristics.
(vi)
PAGE FIVE OF THE DISSERTATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Description Page
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Acknowledgements iii
Abstracts iv
Table of Contents v
List of Tables vi
List of Figures vii
PLEASE NOTE THE NUMBERING OF THE PAGES
Chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
3. Research Methodology
4. Presentation of Results
5. Conclusions and Contributions
6. References
(vii)
Dissertation Layout Instructions:
Length:
The dissertation should not be less than 80 pages (1.5 line spacing including references)
and not more than 120 pages.
Dissertation composition structure:
The introduction and literature review should comprise about 30% of the write up
The methodology and design sections should comprise approximately 25%
The results and discussion, including all illustrations such as tables, charts, diagrams, etc.
should comprise 30%
General information, such as conclusions, recommendations should comprise the
remaining 15%
Font:
The Times New Roman font should be used, as well as a font size of 12. The font colour
must be black.
Referencing:
Harvard referencing style must be used
Printing and Submission of the dissertation:
Students must submit the final dissertation for examination.
External proofreading is recommended before submission. Please liaise with Dr Stephen
A on: [Link]@[Link] for any external proofreading questions.
Once approved and passed, the student must print and submit two hard copies (printed
with hardcover) of their dissertation.
All dissertations must be submitted to the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies
viii