Fluent Essays

see attached Please incorporate supervisor feedback on chapter 1 and produce single document comprising Chapter 1, 2 and 3. Please you need to have at least a Masters Degree to be able to do this assignment. If you dont have, DONT COME AND WASTE MY TIME. 12 Dissertation Proposal and Dissertation Manuscript Template and Guide This cover page and template instructional content should be removed before drafting chapters. Keep the template instructions in a separate location for ongoing reference as you develop chapter content within the manuscript format. Instructions for how to use this template and guide: · Type directly into the template at “Begin writing here...” or “Text…”. Doing so should help to ensure the document is properly formatted. · Use reminders in the comments relating to formatting as well as helpful tips for guidance purposes. Additionally, in each main section, use the checklist relating to content so you know what to include before you begin to organize your thoughts. Refer to the checklist continuously as you develop each section. As you self-evaluate each section, you can actually check off each box by clicking on it to ensure you have met all the requirements. Please note these lists are resources and not meant to be exhaustive, as it is impossible to cover the details of every method and design. · The length of a section can vary, unless a guideline is provided. · Once you have developed each section, refer to the comments and checklists one last time to be sure the section matches them as discussed with your Chair, then delete them. · To delete a comment, right click on the comment, then select “Delete Comment.”. For additional strategies and guidance, click here. Version: October 2020 © Northcentral University, 2020 Comment by Northcentral University: Ensure every section in the document meets the following requirements: ☐ Use 12-point and Times New Roman font. ☐ Write in the future tense when referencing the proposed study in the dissertation proposal. Write in the past tense when referencing the completed study in the dissertation manuscript. ☐ Use economy of expression to present information as succinctly as possible without oversimplifying or losing the meaning. ☐ Avoid personal opinions and claims. ☐ Support all claims in the document with recent, scholarly, peer-reviewed sources published within 5 years of when the dissertation will be completed, unless they are seminal sources or no other literature exists. For additional information and guidance relating to scholarly and peer-reviewed sources, click here. ☐ Avoid anthropomorphism (i.e., giving human qualities to inanimate objects) such as “The article claims…”, “The study found…,”, or “The research explored…”. ☐ Clearly and precisely define key words upon their first use only. Title of the Dissertation Comment by Northcentral University: With the exception of articles and prepositions, the first letter of each word should be capitalized. The title should be two single spaces (one double space) from the top of the page. In 10-15 words, it should indicate the contents of the study. The title should be bold. The title page should include no page number, so please recheck pagination once the template cover page has been removed. Dissertation XXX Comment by Northcentral University: Insert either “Proposal” or “Manuscript.”. Submitted to Northcentral University School of XXX Comment by Northcentral University: Indicate your school name here. Do not include the specialization. in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF XXX Comment by Northcentral University: Insert your degree program in all capital letters (e.g., DOCTOR OF EDUCATION, DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION). by NAME Comment by Northcentral University: Insert your name in all capital letters (i.e., FIRST MIDDLE LAST). La Jolla, California Month Year Comment by Northcentral University: Insert the current month and year. There should be no comma separating them. Abstract Comment by Northcentral University: The abstract should be included in the dissertation manuscript only. It should not be included in the dissertation proposal. The word Abstract should be centered, bolded, and begin on its own page. Begin writing here… Comment by Northcentral University: The text should be left-justified (not indented) and double-spaced with no breaks. Checklist: ☐ Briefly introduce the study topic, state the research problem, and describe who or what is impacted by this problem. ☐ Clearly articulate the study purpose and guiding theoretical or conceptual framework of the study. ☐ Provide details about the research methodology, participants, questions, design, procedures, and analysis. ☐ Clearly present the results in relation to the research questions. ☐ State the conclusions to include both the potential implications of the results on and the recommendations for future research and practice. ☐ Do not include citations and abbreviations or acronyms, except those noted as exceptions by the American Psychological Association (APA). ☐ Do not exceed 350 words. Strive for one page. Acknowledgements Comment by Northcentral University: You may include an optional acknowledgements page in normal paragraph format in the dissertation manuscript. Do not include such a page in the dissertation proposal. The word Acknowledgements should be centered, bolded, and begin on its own page. Begin writing here… Table of Contents Comment by Northcentral University: Use the Table of Contents feature in Word. For additional information on creating a table of contents, click here. For information on updating the table of contents, click here, and for video resources from the Academic Success Center on formatting the table of contents, click here. Do not manually add headings into the Table of Contents. The headings in the table of contents are populated from the Styles gallery using the APA Level 1 and Heading 2 styles. Only include APA heading levels 1 and 2 in the table of contents. Use the Heading 2 style from the Styles gallery to add level two headings in the document. Update the table of contents to reflect any new level 2 headings added to document. Comment by Northcentral University: For Academic Success Center resources on formatting the table of contents, click here. For assistance, use the videos in the Tables and Headers tab and handouts in the Format tab. Comment by Northcentral University: Ensure the headings in the table of contents match those in the document. Please note the place holders are included in this table of contents: “XXX” under Chapter 2 must be replaced with the themes generated from the integrative critical review of the literature. If your study is qualitative, “Operational Definitions of Variables” under Chapter 3 must be deleted. “XXX” under Chapter 4 must be replaced with “Trustworthiness” for a qualitative study, “Validity and Reliability” for a quantitative study, and “Trustworthiness/Validity and Reliability” for a mixed methods study. The number of research questions listed under Chapter 4 must align with the number of research questions in your study. Under Appendices, each “XXX” must be replaced with the titles of the appendix. Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Statement of the Problem 2 Purpose of the Study 2 Introduction to Theoretical or Conceptual Framework 3 Introduction to Research Methodology and Design 4 Research Questions 4 Hypotheses 4 Significance of the Study 5 Definitions of Key Terms 6 Summary 6 Chapter 2: Literature Review 7 Theoretical or Conceptual Framework 7 Subtopic 8 Summary 8 Chapter 3: Research Method 10 Research Methodology and Design 10 Population and Sample 10 Materials or Instrumentation 11 Operational Definitions of Variables 12 Study Procedures 13 Data Analysis 13 Assumptions 14 Limitations 14 Delimitations 14 Ethical Assurances 15 Summary 15 Chapter 4: Findings 16 XXX of the Data 16 Results 17 Evaluation of the Findings 18 Summary 18 Chapter 5: Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions 19 Implications 19 Recommendations for Practice 20 Recommendations for Future Research 20 Conclusions 20 References 22 Appendix A XXX 23 Appendix B XXX 24 List of Tables Comment by Northcentral University: The words List of Tables should be centered, bolded, and begin on its own page Use the Table of Figures feature in Word and select “Table” as the caption label. For additional information and guidance, click here. Tip: For formatting the caption for tables, table headings should be double spaced and placed above the table. The word “Table” and the number should be bolded. The table title is in title case and italics. Comment by Northcentral University: Click here to review a video from the Academic Success Center on creating the List of Tables. Begin list of tables here… List of Figures Comment by Northcentral University: The words List of Figures should be centered, bolded, and begin on its own page Use the Table of Figures feature in Word and select “Figure” as the caption label. For additional information and guidance, click here. Tip: For formatting the caption for figures, figure headings should be double spaced and placed above the figure. The word “Figure” and the number should be bolded. The figure title is in title case and italics. Comment by Northcentral University: Click here to review a video on creating the List of Figures. Begin list of figures here… 1 1 Chapter 1: Introduction Comment by Northcentral University: When preparing pagination, lowercase Roman numerals are used for the front matter pages prior to the first page of Chapter 1. The Roman numerals need to be centered and placed in the footer of each front matter page. Starting in Chapter 1, page numbers need to be placed at the upper right of each page header. Chapter headings are formatted as Level 1. Review a formatting APA headings video in the Academic Success Center here. APA Style recommends one space between sentences. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Begin with an overview of the general topic to establish the context of the study and orient the reader to the field. Do not overstate the topic as you will address the topic more fully in Chapter 2. ☐ Describe the larger context in which the problem exists. ☐ Present an overview of why this research topic is relevant and warranted. ☐ Briefly explain what research has been done on the topic and why the topic is important practically and empirically (applied and PhD) as well as theoretically (PhD). ☐ Clearly lead the reader to the problem statement to follow. The reader should not be surprised by the problem described later in the document. ☐ Do not explicitly state the study problem, purpose, or methodology, as they are discussed in subsequent sections. ☐ Devote approximately 2 to 4 pages to this section. ☐ Write in the future tense when referencing the proposed study in the dissertation proposal. Write in the past tense when referencing the completed study in the dissertation manuscript. ☐ There are no personal opinions in the dissertation. All work must come from cited sources. Statement of the Problem Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Applied dissertations should be practice-based. The documented problem might be a practical problem or issue in the profession or study context for which there is not already an acceptable solution. When defining the problem, a clear distinction must be drawn between what exists currently and what is desired. An applied study does not necessarily require generalizable results beyond the study site; however, it must address a problem relevant and exists outside of the study site. Similarly, a PhD dissertation must focus on a problem relevant and exists outside of the study site. Additionally, the study must make a substantive, scholarly contribution to both the research and theory. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Review the limitations and calls for future research in the relevant scholarly literature for guidance in identifying a problem. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: There are a couple of group sessions in the Academic Success Center per week in which students can engage with a live academic coach as well as other students who share the goal of enhancing their problem statement development skills. Learn more about this session and find the link to register here. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Begin with “The problem to be addressed in this study is…” This statement should logically flow from the introduction and clearly identify the problem to be addressed by the study (current citations needed). ☐ Succinctly discuss the problem and provide evidence of its existence. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: A lack of research alone is not inherently problematic. An inability to find research on your topic might indicate a need to broaden your search. It might be helpful to review the resources in the Northcentral University Library, including the Searching 101 Workshop, or schedule a research consultation. ☐ Identify who is impacted by the problem (e.g., individuals, organizations, industries, or society), what is not known that should be known about it, and what the potential negative consequences could be if the problem is not addressed in this study. ☐ Ensure the concepts presented are exactly the same as those mentioned in the Purpose Statement section. ☐ Do not exceed 250-300 words. Purpose of the Study Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: The Academic Success Center has a weekly group session on Purpose Statements. Learn more about this session and find the link to register here. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Begin with a succinct purpose statement that identifies the study method, design, and overarching goal. The recommended language to use is: “The purpose of this [identify research methodology] [identify research design] study is to [identify the goal of the dissertation that directly reflects and encompasses the research questions to follow].” ☐ Indicate how the study is a logical, explicit research response to the stated problem and the research questions to follow. ☐ Continue with a brief but clear step-by-step overview of how the study will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) conducted. ☐ Identify the variables/constructs, materials/instrumentation, and analysis. ☐ For the proposal (DP) identify the target population and sample size needed. For the manuscript (DM), edit and list sample size obtained. ☐ Identify the site(s) where the research will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) conducted using general geographic terms to avoid identifying the specific location. To avoid compromising participants’ confidentiality or anonymity, use pseudonyms. ☐ Do not exceed one paragraph or one page. Introduction to Theoretical or Conceptual Framework Comment by Northcentral University: Select the heading that reflects whether you are using a theoretical or conceptual framework, but do not keep both words in the title. For PhD - Theoretical Framework, for applied doctorate Conceptual Framework. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Identify the guiding framework. Present the key concepts, briefly explain how they are related, and present the propositions relevant to this study. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: The Academic Success Center has a weekly group session on Theoretical and Conceptual Framework. Learn more about this session and find the link to register here. ☐ Explain how the framework guided the research decisions, including the development of the problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions. ☐ If more than one framework is guiding the study, integrate them, rather than describing them independently. Do not select a separate framework for each variable/construct under examination. ☐ Do not exceed two pages. A more thorough discussion of the theoretical/conceptual framework will be included in Chapter 2. Introduction to Research Methodology and Design Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Provide a brief discussion of the methodology and design to include a description of the data collection procedure and analysis. Do not include specific details regarding why the methodology and design were selected over others. More detailed information will be included in Chapter 3. ☐ Cite the seminal works related to the selected methodology and design. ☐ Indicate why the selected research methodology and design are the best choices for the study by explaining how they align with the problem and purpose statements as well as the research questions. Do not simply list and describe various research methodologies and designs. ☐ Devote approximately one to two pages to this section. Research Questions Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Research questions beginning with “To what extent…” or “Under what conditions…” yield more meaningful data than questions that generate yes/no responses such as “Is Variable 1 significantly related to Variable 2?” Begin writing here... RQ1 Comment by Northcentral University: Sub questions are allowed if you want to examine more in-depth research questions. For example, if the first research question has two sub questions, they would be denoted as RQ1a and RQ1b. Use APA level 3 headings for each research question. The level 3 heading is flush left, title case, bolded, and italicized. The text begins as a new paragraph. Apply level 3 headings using the Heading 3 style under the Styles gallery. Review Section 2.27 in the APA 7th edition manual, and locate more information on APA headings here. Text… RQ2 Comment by Northcentral University: Repeat this process for each research question. Text… Hypotheses Comment by Northcentral University: Hypotheses are only listed in quantitative and mixed methods studies. Comment by Northcentral University: The hypotheses must align with the research questions so RQ1 matches H1, etc. H10 Text… H1a Text… H20 Text… H2a Comment by Northcentral University: Repeat this process for each hypothesis. Maintain Level 3 heading formatting for each hypothesis. Text… Checklist: ☐ Present research questions directly answerable, specific, and testable within the given timeframe and location identified in the problem and purpose statements. ☐ Include the exact same variables/constructs, participants, and location mentioned in the problem and purpose statements. No new variables/constructs should be introduced. Significance of the Study Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Consider the professional and academic audiences who might be interested in the study results and why. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe why the study is important and how it can contribute to the field of study. ☐ For applied studies, explain how the results might both be significant to leaders and practitioners in the field and contribute to the literature. For PhD studies, explain how the results advance the guiding framework and contribute to the literature. ☐ Describe the benefits of addressing the study problem, achieving the study purpose, and answering the research questions. Whereas the problem statement should articulate the negative consequences of not conducting the study, this section should highlight the positive consequences of completing the study. ☐ Do not exceed one page. Definitions of Key Terms Term 1 Comment by Northcentral University: Replace “Term 1” with the first term and provide the definition and citation(s). Repeat this process for all the key terms. Text… Comment by Northcentral University: Maintain Level 3 heading formatting for each term. Term 2 Text… Checklist: ☐ Alphabetize and bold terms directly related to the dissertation topic and not commonly used or understood. ☐ Paraphrase the definitions of the terms using complete sentences and provide a citation for each one. ☐ Do not define theories, conceptual frameworks, statistical analyses, methodological terms, or the variables/constructs under examination. Summary Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Briefly restate the key points discussed in the chapter. Review the headings and/or table of contents to ensure all key points are covered. Chapter 2: Literature Review Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Think of Chapter 2 as a funnel and lead the reader from the broad context of the study to an explanation of why this specific study is needed. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: To ensure your study is relevant and current, continue to expand and update the literature review through the final dissertation manuscript draft. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: For exemplars on what synthesis and critical analysis look like, try searching for published literature using the following terms “critical review of the literature [school]”, inserting the name of your school. Comment by Northcentral University: The Academic Success Center has a weekly group session on Synthesis and Analysis. Learn more about this session and find the link to register here. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Begin with the first sentence of the purpose statement and problem statement that leads to a brief explanation of the organization of the literature review. Do not simply cut and paste the Purpose Statement section from Chapter 1. ☐ Provide an overview of the sub-headings in the literature that will be discussed. ☐ At the end of this section, indicate the databases accessed and the search engines used. Discuss all the search parameters, including the search terms and their combinations (with more detailed search terms located in an appendix, if appropriate), range of years, and types of literature. ☐ Devote approximately 30 to 60 pages to this chapter to include citations to at least 50 relevant sources. Comment by Northcentral University: Chapter 2 includes the statement that it is to have 30-60 pages. Depending on the topic this can be shorter. Refer to your Chair for guidance. Theoretical or Conceptual Framework Comment by Northcentral University: Select the heading that reflects whether you are using a theoretical or conceptual framework, but do not keep both words in the title. For PhD - Theoretical Framework, for applied doctorate Conceptual Framework. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the guiding theoretical/conceptual framework of the study, including the definitions of all the concepts, an explanation of the relationships among the concepts, and a presentation of all the assumptions and propositions. ☐ Explain the origin and development of the framework. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of and familiarity with both the historical and the current literature on the framework. ☐ Identify existing research studies that used this framework in a similar way. Mention alternative frameworks, with a justification of why the selected framework was chosen. ☐ Describe how and why the selected framework relates to the present study and how it guided the development of the problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions. Subtopic Comment by Northcentral University: Replace “Subtopic” with an idea from the integrative critical review of the literature. Repeat this process until each idea is included. Begin writing here… Level 3 Heading Comment by Northcentral University: The level 3 heading is flush left, bolded, and italicized. The title should be in tile case, and the text begins as a new paragraph after the heading. Apply additional level 3 headings using the Heading 3 style options under the Styles gallery. Use APA’s Headings guide to assist with proper header formatting. Comment by Northcentral University: If additional subheadings are needed, use this format per APA guidelines. Text... Level 4 Heading. Text... Comment by Northcentral University: The level 4 heading is indented and bolded. The title should be in tile case, and the title ends with a period. The text begins directly after the heading in normal paragraph format. Apply additional level 4 headings using the Heading 4 style option in the Styles gallery. Use APA’s Headings guide to assist with proper header formatting. Checklist: ☐ Critically analyze (i.e., note the strengths and weaknesses) and synthesize (i.e., integrate) the existing research. Rather than reporting on each study independently, describe everything known on the topic by reviewing the entire body of work. ☐ Present a balanced integrative critical review of the literature, ensuring all points of view are included. Cover all the important issues with a discussion of areas of convergence (i.e., agreement) and divergence (i.e., disagreement). Provide potential explanations for areas of divergence. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Use the Academic Success Center’s Synthesis and Analysis guide that has several resources, including a synthesis matrix to assist with this section. ☐ Address issues of authority, audience, and/or bias/point of view in the sources used. Summary Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: In essence, the summary is the “take-home” message of the integrative critical review of the literature with a specific emphasis on how the literature supports the need for your study. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Briefly restate the key points discussed in the chapter. Review the headings and/or table of contents to ensure all key points are covered. ☐ Highlight areas of convergence and divergence as well as gaps in the literature that support the need for the study. This discussion should logically lead to Chapter 3, where the research methodology and design will be discussed. Chapter 3: Research Method Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Begin with an introduction and restatement of the problem and purpose sentences verbatim. Comment by Northcentral University: You can copy and paste from your Chapter 1. ☐ Provide a brief overview of the contents of this chapter, including a statement that identifies the research methodology and design. Research Methodology and Design Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: The Academic Success Center has a weekly group session on Writing Research Design. Learn more about this session and find the link to register here. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the research methodology and design. Elaborate upon their appropriateness in relation to the study problem, purpose, and research questions. ☐ Identify alternative methodologies and designs and indicate why they were determined to be less appropriate than the ones selected. Do not simply list and describe research methodologies and designs in general. Population and Sample Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Depending on the study design, the population might include but not be limited to a group of people, a set of organizations, documents, or archived data. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the population, including the estimated size and relevant characteristics. ☐ Explain why the population is appropriate, given the study problem, purpose, and research questions. ☐ Describe the sample that will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) obtained. ☐ Explain why the sample is appropriate, given the study problem, purpose, and research questions. ☐ Explain the type of sampling used and why it is appropriate for the dissertation proposal methodology and design. For qualitative studies, evidence must be presented that saturation will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) reached. For quantitative studies, a power analysis must be reported to include the parameters (e.g., effect size, alpha, beta, and number of groups) included, and evidence must be presented that the minimum required sample size will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) reached. ☐ Describe how the participants will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) recruited (e.g., email lists from professional organizations, flyers) and/or the data will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) obtained (e.g., archived data, public records) with sufficient detail so the study could be replicated. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Many qualitative and mixed methods studies require multiple sources of data. Describe how the data will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) obtained from each source. Materials or Instrumentation Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: In quantitative studies, the development of a new instrument is discouraged due to the time and skills required to create a valid and reliable instrument. A thorough and extensive search of the literature should be done to locate an appropriate psychometrically sound instrument. However, if such an instrument is not located after a thorough search, and you plan to develop a new instrument, consult survey item and instrument development resources and plan piloting and validation procedures. Describe the development process in detail and provide evidence of the instrument’s validity and reliability. Include the final instrument developed based on those findings. The evidence of validity and reliability should be reported in Chapter 4. In qualitative studies, using a newly developed interview protocol based on the literature is more common and acceptable. Describe the development process in detail followed by the field testing processes used and subsequent modification made. Comment by Northcentral University: Select the heading that reflects which of the two you will be doing. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the instruments (e.g., tests, questionnaires, observation protocols) that will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) used, including information on their origin and evidence of their reliability and validity. OR as applicable, describe the materials to be used (e.g., lesson plans for interventions, webinars, or archived data, etc.). ☐ Describe in detail any field testing or pilot testing of instruments to include their results and any subsequent modifications. Comment by Northcentral University: Verify with the IRB whether permission is needed or a pilot application needs to be completed. Locate IRB resources here. ☐ If instruments or materials are used that were developed by another researcher, include evidence in the appendix that permission was granted to use the instrument(s) and/or material(s) and refer to that fact and the appendix in this section. Operational Definitions of Variables Comment by Northcentral University: Include this section in quantitative/mixed methods studies only. Comment by Northcentral University: Operational definitions are distinct from the conceptual definitions provided in the Definition of Terms section. Specifically, operational definitions indicate how the variables will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) measured. Comment by Northcentral University: A paragraph is not required to introduce the operational definitions; a single sentence introducing this section is sufficient. Begin writing here... XXX Comment by Northcentral University: Replace “XXX” with the first study variable. Repeat this process for all the study variables. Maintain Level 3 heading formatting for each variable. Text… Checklist: ☐ For quantitative and mixed methods studies, identify how each variable will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) used in the study. Use terminology appropriate for the selected statistical test (e.g., independent/dependent, predictor/criterion, mediator, moderator). ☐ Base the operational definitions on published research and valid and reliable instruments. ☐ Identify the specific instrument that will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) used to measure each variable. ☐ Describe the level of measurement of each variable (e.g., nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio), potential scores for each variable (e.g., the range [0–100] or levels [low, medium, high]), and data sources. If appropriate, identify what specific scores (e.g., subscale scores, total scores) will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) included in the analysis and how they will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) derived (e.g., calculating the sum, difference, average). Study Procedures Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the exact steps that will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) followed to collect the data, addressing what data as well as how, when, from where, and from whom those data will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) collected in enough detail the study can be replicated. Data Analysis Comment by Northcentral University: The Academic Success Center has a weekly group session on both Writing Quantitative and Writing Qualitative Analysis. Learn more about these sessions and find the link to register here. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the strategies that will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) used to code and/or analyze the data, and any software that will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) used. ☐ Ensure the data that will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) analyzed can be used to answer the research questions and/or test the hypotheses with the ultimate goal of addressing the identified problem. ☐ Use proper terminology in association with each design/analysis (e.g., independent variable and dependent variable for an experimental design, predictor and criterion variables for regression). ☐ For quantitative studies, describe the analysis that will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) used to test each hypothesis. Provide evidence the statistical test chosen is appropriate to test the hypotheses and the data meet the assumptions of the statistical tests. ☐ For qualitative studies, describe how the data will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) processed and analyzed, including any triangulation efforts. Explain the role of the researcher. ☐ For mixed methods studies, include all of the above. Assumptions Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Assumptions, limitations, and delimitations are related but distinct concepts. For additional information, click here. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Discuss the assumptions along with the corresponding rationale underlying them. Limitations Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: The study limitations will be revisited in Chapter 5. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the study limitations. ☐ Discuss the measures taken to mitigate these limitations. Delimitations Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Limited time and resources are not considered to be limitations or delimitations, as all studies are limited by these factors. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Describe the study delimitations along with the corresponding rationale underlying them. An example of delimitations are the conditions and parameters set intentionally by the researcher or by selection of the population and sample. ☐ Explain how these research decisions relate to the existing literature and theoretical/conceptual framework, problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions. Ethical Assurances Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: When research involves human subjects, certain ethical issues can occur. They include but are not limited to protection from harm, informed consent, right to privacy, and honesty with professional colleagues. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Confirm in a statement the study will (proposal) or did (manuscript) receive approval from Northcentral University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to data collection. ☐ If the risk to participants is greater than minimal, discuss the relevant ethical issues and how they will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) addressed. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: For guidance on ethical considerations in human subjects research, click here. ☐ Describe how confidentiality or anonymity will be (proposal) or was (manuscript) achieved. ☐ Identify how the data will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) securely stored in accordance with IRB requirements. ☐ Describe the role of the researcher in the study. Discuss relevant issues, including biases as well as personal and professional experiences with the topic, problem, or context. Present the strategies that will be (proposal) or were (manuscript) used to prevent these biases and experiences from influencing the analysis or findings. ☐ In the dissertation manuscript only, include the IRB approval letter in an appendix. Summary Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Summarize the key points presented in the chapter. ☐ Logically lead the reader to the next chapter on the findings of the study. Chapter 4: Findings Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Begin with an introduction and restatement of the problem and purpose sentences verbatim and the organization of the chapter. ☐ Organize the entire chapter around the research questions/hypotheses. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Review peer-reviewed research articles to locate examples of how to report results generated using the research design used in your study. XXX of the Data Comment by Northcentral University: Replace “XXX” with “Trustworthiness” for a qualitative study or “Validity and Reliability” for a quantitative study. For mixed methods studies, replace “XXX” with “Trustworthiness/Validity and Reliability.”. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ For qualitative studies, clearly identify the means by which the trustworthiness of the data was established. Discuss credibility (e.g., triangulation, member checks), transferability (e.g., the extent to which the findings are generalizable to other situations), dependability (e.g., an in-depth description of the methodology and design to allow the study to be repeated), and confirmability (e.g., the steps to ensure the data and findings are not due to participant and/or researcher bias). ☐ For quantitative studies, explain the extent to which the data meet the assumptions of the statistical test and identify any potential factors that might impact the interpretation of the findings. Provide evidence of the psychometric soundness (i.e., adequate validity and reliability) of the instruments from the literature as well as in this study (as appropriate). Do not merely list and describe all the measures of validity and reliability. ☐ Mixed methods studies should include discussions of the trustworthiness of the data as well as validity and reliability. Results Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Present sufficient information so the reader can make an independent judgment regarding the interpretation of the findings. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Briefly discuss the overall study. Organize the presentation of the results by the research questions/hypotheses. ☐ Objectively report the results of the analysis without discussion, interpretation, or speculation. ☐ Provide an overview of the demographic information collected. It can be presented in a table. Ensure no potentially identifying information is reported. Research Question 1/Hypothesis Comment by Northcentral University: Repeat this process for each research question. Text… ☐ Report all the results (without discussion) salient to the research question/hypothesis. Identify common themes or patterns. ☐Use tables and/or figures to report the results as appropriate. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Tables and figures should not be included on the same page. If you introduce a table or figure in the middle of the page and there is not enough room to include the entire table or figure on the page, it must be placed on the next page. Perform a hard right return (hold down the shift key while hitting the return key) and begin the table on the next page. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Tables and figures should be placed with the corresponding research question. The formatting of tables varies, depending on the statistical test. Follow APA formatting requirements for tables, titles, figures, and captions. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Tables and figures must be referenced in the text. Please refer to APA guidelines regarding when and how to use tables and figures. Do not fully describe data in the text and also present them in a table. ☐ For quantitative studies, report any additional descriptive information as appropriate. Identify the assumptions of the statistical test and explain how the extent to which the data met these assumptions was tested. Report any violations and describe how they were managed as appropriate. Make decisions based on the results of the statistical analysis. Include relevant test statistics, p values, and effect sizes in accordance with APA requirements. ☐ For qualitative studies, describe the steps taken to analyze the data to explain how the themes and categories were generated. Include thick descriptions of the participants’ experiences. Provide a comprehensive and coherent reconstruction of the information obtained from all the participants. Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Review published articles that used the same design for examples of how to present qualitative, thematic findings. ☐ For mixed methods studies, include all of the above. Evaluation of the Findings Comment by Northcentral University: The Academic Success Center has a weekly group session on both Writing Quantitative and Writing Qualitative Analysis. Learn more about these sessions and find the link to register here. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Interpret the results in light of the existing research and theoretical or conceptual framework (as discussed in Chapters 1 and 2). Briefly indicate the extent to which the results were consistent with existing research and theory. ☐ Organize this discussion by research question/hypothesis. ☐ Do not draw conclusions beyond what can be interpreted directly from the results. ☐ Devote approximately one to two pages to this section. Summary Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Summarize the key points presented in the chapter. Chapter 5: Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: A common tendency is to rush through Chapter 5 and fail to develop ideas fully. Take time to remember why the study was important in the first place and ensure Chapter 5 demonstrates and reflects the depth and importance of the study. Refer back to the study problem and significance and consider what professional and academic organizations might be interested in your research findings. As you complete Chapter 5, seek out avenues to present and publish your research. Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Begin with an introduction and restatement of the problem and purpose sentences verbatim, and a brief review of methodology, design, results, and limitations. ☐ Conclude with a brief overview of the chapter. Implications Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Organize the discussion around each research question and (when appropriate) hypothesis individually. Support all the conclusions with one or more findings from the study. ☐ Discuss any factors that might have influenced the interpretation of the results. ☐ Present the results in the context of the study by describing the extent to which they address the study problem and purpose and contribute to the existing literature and framework described in Chapter 2. ☐ Describe the extent to which the results are consistent with existing research and theory and provide potential explanations for unexpected or divergent results. ☐ Identify the most significant implications and consequences of the dissertation (whether positive and/or negative) to society/desired societal outcomes and distinguish probable from improbable implications. Research Question 1/Hypothesis Comment by Northcentral University: Repeat this process for each research question. Text… Recommendations for Practice Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Discuss recommendations for how the findings of the study can be applied to practice and/or theory. Support all the recommendations with at least one finding from the study and frame them in the literature from Chapter 2. ☐ Do not overstate the applicability of the findings. Recommendations for Future Research Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Based on the framework, findings, and implications, explain what future researchers might do to learn from and build upon this study. Justify these explanations. ☐ Discuss how future researchers can improve upon this study, given its limitations. ☐ Explain what the next logical step is in this line of research. Conclusions Begin writing here… Checklist: ☐ Provide a strong, concise conclusion to include a summary of the study, the problem addressed, and the importance of the study. ☐ Present the “take-home message” of the entire study. ☐ Emphasize what the results of the study mean with respect to previous research and either theory (PhD studies) or practice (applied studies). References Comment by Northcentral University: Tip: Create your reference list as you develop each section. As each citation is included in the paper, insert the reference in this section. Use the level 1 heading for the References title. If using a citation software, ensure all information is included and properly formatted. Although such programs can be helpful, they are not always correct. Comment by Northcentral University: For each reference listed, there must be at least one corresponding citation within the body of the text and vice versa. The References should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author. Note. Academic Writer, an APA Style resource provided to NCU students, has over 150 sample references. Learn how to register for an account here. Reference 1 Reference 2 Author, A., & Author, B. (year). Article title. Journal title, X(X), xxx-xxx. https://doi.org/xxxxx Appendix A XXX Comment by Northcentral University: Each appendix referenced in the text should appear in this section at the end of the manuscript. Appendices should be listed in the order referenced in the text. Remember to include each appendix in your Table of Contents. Apply the level 1 heading for each appendix title and the appendix name. Replace “XXX” with the appendix name. Insert Appendix A content here… Comment by Northcentral University: Be sure to de-identify all materials so readers cannot identify participants or where data were specifically collected. Appendix B XXX Insert/type Appendix n content here… Running head: CHAPTER 1 1 CHAPTER 1 27 You’ve made some good progress since the first review I returned to you. I appreciate how you took my earlier feedback suggestion to properly cite some seminal work for the Technology Acceptance Model. I’ve noted some concerns in this draft below. The most important appear to be to tighten up your problem statement and your purpose statement, and to make sure that they properly align with your research questions and intended methodology. Right now they do not do so as well as they could and should. There are also a number of grammar and formatting issues that should be cleaned up. Please see my margin comments below for more details. Emerging Trends in IoT in Developing Countries: A SWOT Perspective of Ghana-A Qualitative Generic Study Dissertation Proposal Table of Contents CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 3 Problem Statement 6 Purpose of The Study 8 Introduction to Theoretical Framework 8 Introduction to Research Design and Methodology 19 Research Questions 20 Significance of the Study 20 Definition of Terms 21 Chapter Summary 21 References 23 CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION After decades of anticipation and discussion, the Internet of Things has become a reality across the globe. The Internet of Things (IoT) has come with new trends that are creating huge developments and have continued to extend the online world in a myriad of manner. Connecting things to people provides vast opportunities for new learning methods, responding to issues, and monitoring situations. The IoT is now a single uniform network of connected devices. Still, its various technologies are put together and working in a coordinating manner to provide several benefits to people in developing and developed nations. The emerging trends in the IoT are making life extraordinarily facile and accessible for different people. Notably, its not only making life more straightforward, but its also turning the world into a small place or village. Thanks to the increasing new trends and advancements, It has become hugely entrenched in the systems of even the developing countries. These trends positively change the different sectors in developing countries like health, business, agriculture, and peoples lives. These trends are now connecting physicals things and work and promoting activities like people with the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning. In developing countries like Ghana, the impact of the emerging trend in IoT has also been felt. The country has continued to see the use of IoT technologies in the development of activities. For instance, in 2017, the government reported over 2 million individuals to connect online through technology (Hopalı & Vayvay, 2018). Not within the country has been put through rural interconnection where people from remote regions can now access resources and information that were not previously available. The countries continue to increase their plans for IoT connections by introducing ICT technologies to help in socio-economic developments. Through the IoT connection from urban to rural regions, the country has enhanced health, eCommerce, and education and made farmers lives more accessible across the country (Hopalı & Vayvay, 2018). The new trends are used to facilitate the large and small businesses, which is also benefiting the country to leap big. Comment by Marty Crossland: Grammar issue? Im not following what this sentence may be supposed to communicate. Since the technologies continue to move faster and with tremendous speed, the developing countrys consumers and businesses are expected to get significant innovations through IoT, where products are anticipated to be very successful. The massive growth sees different trends that will help elevate various sectors (Odoi-Lartey & Danso, 2018). However, despite the enormous positive growth, the trends in IoT come with critical challenges. One trend that is of great concern is the issue of security. Due to the enormous increase in the IoT across the globe, more issues have also emerged. These issues are centered on security problems like cyber threats, which are a huge risk to organizations, industries, and individuals. Specifically, these issues are affecting both developed and developing countries. Thus, a country like Ghana is no exception, and being a developing country when it comes to the IoT, it faces enormous risk compared to other countries with sophisticated technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects—things—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet. (Agarwal & Nethravathi 2021). The IoT is a huge chance that is highly gaining ground in this modern computing world. Since the Internet has become of great significance to peoples lives, new technologies have continued to rise and creating rapid development in the IoT field (Odoi-Lartey & Danso, 2018). The IoT technology is characterized by the interconnection of smart objects like radio frequency identification and sensors, which help transfer data without human interactions. The progressive developments in informatics, telecommunication, and sensors that created a way to actualize pervasive intelligence have shown the IoT future. It has found its way into various applications like transportation, logistics, health, agriculture, automation, and remote monitoring (Odoi-Lartey & Danso, 2018). The technologies have not only been felt in the developed countries. Still, they are also being experienced in developing countries where governments have begun to venture and emphasize the utilization of new trends. The developing countries are pressuring and investing in the public sector to become more innovative, collaborative, and open to help in the actualization of the new trends and be at the global per (Odoi-Lartey & Danso, 2018). They have realized that the Internet of things is transforming how people live, travel, work and conduct business. The IoT has become the center of the industrial and digitals transformation of cities, society, and organizations. Since the developing nations differ from the developed nation when it comes to IoT projects, its essential to research the realization of IoT within the growing nations. Therefore, its essential to research the emerging trend in the IoT in developing countries. Comment by Marty Crossland: Not clear what this means. Comment by Marty Crossland: Not proper citation format. ...according to Odoi-Lartey and Danso (2018). Moreover, its also essential to have a survey on a country like Ghana as one of the developing countries to see where they have reached when it comes to development, adaptation, challenges, and utilization of IoT technology. IoT has wide applications in Agriculture technology, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Software, Architecture, and Industrial applications. Connected devices make it possible to track production and monitor performance in real-time. Problem Statement The problem to be addressed by this study is the lack of understanding of effective utilization of the IoT in developing countries, particularly in Ghana, in their industrial development and the perceived risk associated with the use of the technology. The information era has increased globalization through the widespread use of the Internet, which creates an interconnected world (Otu, 2019). In most cases, the adoption of emerging trends and capabilities of the IoT by the developing countries has had a profound impact on their economy when it comes to allowing individuals to communicate over long distances and also reducing the national cost of production, promoting better health care, and establishing standard quantity. However, there is no apparent transformation and development process of how the developing countries have reached when it comes to IoT technology (Otu, 2019). Comment by Marty Crossland: Im doubting whether this can actually be the problem you are addressing, because it will probably be outside the scope of your dissertation for you to make any changes or have any influence to effect actual changes in the level of utilization of the IoT in Ghana, as this statement seems to imply. Since dissertations are usually about gaining knowledge rather than effecting change, it would seem more appropriate to state the problem in terms of a lack of knowledge or a lack of understanding about how the IoT is limiting its effective utilization in Ghana, and your purpose would be to discover or define some of that missing knowledge. Additionally, people have only recently recognized the need for IoT technologies appropriate for developing nations capabilities. The countries have also been faced with challenges of IoT technology diffusion and the uneven penetration and distribution of the technology within the countries (Ndungu & Signé, 2020). For the developing nations to effectively participate in the IoT market places, they require adequate resources and expertise to avoid any rapid advances since they will create more challenges (Otu, 2019). Thus, its important to research one of the countries to determine how it has progressed and how it has adopted the emerging trends in the IoT. Its also essential to look at some of the challenges, benefits, and vulnerabilities the developing countries face when adapting the IoT technology. Despite the enormous potentials and benefits of the IoT, there has not been specific research to analyze the various challenges and threats associated with the wide use of its application in developing countries in general and Ghana in particular. Therefore, it is essential to undertake research, first to understand the level of adoption of the IoT in Ghana, the operational application of the technology, and the levels of challenges and threats that individuals, companies, institutions, and government may face the use of technology. Additionally, people have only recently recognized the need for IoT technologies appropriate for developing nations capabilities. The countries have also been faced with challenges of IoT technology diffusion and the uneven penetration and distribution of the technology within the countries (Ndungu & Signé, 2020). For the developing nations to effectively participate in the IoT market places, they require adequate resources and expertise to avoid any rapid advances since they will create more challenges (Otu, 2019). Thus, its important to research one of the countries to determine how it has progressed and how it has adopted the emerging trends in the IoT. It is also essential to look at some of the challenges, benefits, and vulnerabilities the developing countries face when adapting the IoT technology. Purpose Of The Study The purpose of this research is to provide a brief but well-explained application of IoT, its benefits, and impending risks to the people of Ghana. The study also aims to fulfill the purpose of building a firm framework and further explore and recommend the best security companies by either ensuring implementation or analysis of the current schemes and developing new ones. Specifically, it aims to examine the emerging IoT trends within developing countries like Ghana. IoT has become a massive factor in businesses across the world. Also, it offers benefits and threats essential for economic development (Polat & Sodah, 2019). The research method will involve a qualitative study approach. The design will use a structured questionnaire to companies and evaluation of different secondary data. Developing nations regularly use technology to promote innovations and social changes (Polat & Sodah, 2019). Comment by Marty Crossland: You appear to be focusing mainly on practical aspects of the topic for your outcomes. To that end, it seems as if you are concentrating primarily on finding practical solutions to the issues you are identifying. While this is important and laudable, normally for a dissertation, you should begin and focus on the problem from a theoretical perspective (perhaps by looking for theory-based explanations or inquiries of the “hows” and “whys” of the research questions). At the end of your study you may indeed make some important recommendations for practical applications of your findings. But the primary focus of your dissertation study should be more concentrated on discovering or “explaining” or “predicting” with a sound basis in theory, rather than simply “fixing or improving” something practical, and that process of discovery should proceed logically out of theory-based research instead of practical need, no matter whether your degree type is practical or applied. This is what sets the doctoral degree apart from a masters degree. Comment by Marty Crossland: Your research purpose statement (sometimes referred to as the goal) is a simple, singular declarative statement of what you intend to accomplish in order to address the problem you clearly identified in your problem statement. There should be tight alignment between your problem and purpose statements -- basically, Here is the formal problem statement that has been identified from existing research, and this is what is proposed to be accomplished by this proposed study to address that problem. Take care that you are addressing a specific outcome as the purpose/goal, and NOT just describing the process(es) that might be required to attain the purpose/goal. Im noting in your language here that you are using only process-oriented language rather than outcomes-related language to try to craft a purpose statement. To examine is a process. Comment by Marty Crossland: You seem to be conflating methods here. You might use a questionnaire, or a structure interview. However, I am not familiar with a structured questionnaire as a methodology. Please elaborate and clarify, or else change this verbiage. +3 Introduction to Theoretical Framework Technology Acceptance Model Wei et al. (2018) define the Technology Acceptance Model, pioneered by Davis (1989), as the continuous improvement and progress in technology-related applications by accepting or rejecting a dilemma. Basing our arguments on this, there has been the development of numerous models and theories that attempt to shed light on the efficient use of technology. The most reasonable model is Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). This model stands out in the way it examines issues affecting its users in accepting modern technology. Without considering the foundation, adjustment, growth, and limitations of the model, broad and systematic research of IoT in Ghana would be limited. Comment by Marty Crossland: With this draft you have done a much better job of building upon the seminal works of this body of research. TAM is an expansion of Fishbein and Ajzens Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen (1975), whose aim is to provide detailed information on factors that determine acceptance and usage of IoT. It includes Perceived usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use which are critical when choosing acceptance of technology by communities and is ideal when analyzing their behavior. According to Wei et al. (2018), various factors encourage the use and acceptance of technology. Such aspects include the ability of the individuals to enumerate their differences, beliefs, social influences, attitudes, and influences by different situations. These aspects play a significant role in influencing the individuals desire to embrace IoT and encourage the capacity to reject or accept it. Additionally, the authors stated that the individuals behavior is determined by their intention or urge to perform the behavior, which is the ability to make decisions. Their behavior signals this to take a step and engage in the actual conduct, which is adopting IoT in their daily activities. TAM remains the most accepted model. It seeks to define the characteristics that push individuals of a developing nation like Ghana to adopt technology and make it part and parcel of their daily lives. The curiosity of the individuals can determine these characteristics to adopt IoT with the urge to know what it will do for their lives which will propel them into making actual usage of the technology. Another superiority of this model in determining the eagerness of individuals in countries like Ghana to adopt the technology is its ability to envision and predict the curiosity and motivations that will make them make the decision. The intention of individuals to adopt IoT is determined by their nature which reflects their human attitude, subjectivity existing within them, which indicates their social influence, and the last aspect is their perceived behavioral control. Therefore, an individuals intention to adopt or develop a particular skill can be driven by the aspects as mentioned earlier. To validate the models reliability, numerous researchers such as Simon et al. (2011) made a physical test of the technique by predicting the possibility of technology acceptance among individuals from service teachers in developing countries. The outcomes indicate that indeed there is a definite relationship between the method and acquisition of information. Shih et al. (2011) also discovered that the personal behavior of accepting a particular technology is valuable. Still, it is incomplete if we fail to look at social aspects and the individuals environment. Alharbi and Drew (2014) also found that various issues affected an individuals intention to adopt mobile usage in making payments. It found out that effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and social influence played a significant role in making the individual accept e-finance. In connection to this, Alenezi et al. (2011) recommend that during the formulation stage, the perception concerning new technology, social norms, and subjective development influences the customer to purchase the technology as they make decisions based on perceptions about the quality of the product or service. Alenezi et al. (2011) further observed the significance of the relationship between the Perceived Ease of Use and its Perceived Usefulness to a broader context. They found out that the two directly associate with the attitudes used to determine acceptance and use of technology. Pasaoglu (2011) Sees Perceived Usefulness as a subjective prompt that including particular features to specific application systems will increase job performance within that organization which they define as performance expectation. On the other hand, Cheung and Vogel (2013) discovered that the beliefs would drive the Apparent Ease of Use that adoption of the technology will be hassle-free and effortless to acquire or purchase a specific set of skills that the author defines as effort expectation. To clarify the issue, Mojtahed et al. (2011) stated that TAM was in a better position to anticipate that certain attitudes will directly impact the mindset that would propel the efforts of people to adopt the technology. Over and over again, TAM has proven to be successful, especially when it comes to revealing specific shortcomings within society. In their study, Cheung and Vogel (2013) discovered that apart from the development of information usage, statistics demonstrate that there has been a significant decrease among the elderly, low-income societies, and the illiterate to use technological resources and devices. This is in comparison to the young, learned, and influential individuals in the community. The application of TAM in determining the individuals to target with specific technology has helped developers confirm that education, age, race, and earnings are directly linked to visualizing the significance of information through reliance on technology. This, in turn, develops the necessity and attitudes to incline and initially gather skills to help them access information on how the technology will be used and how it will benefit them. According to original inventors of the TAM model, Davis (1989), the two significant variables, Apparent Usefulness and Apparent Ease of Use, play a substantial role in determining the rate at which technology will be adopted. This signals the intention of the user to develop new skills that will suit the technology to be invented. The philosophers also confirm that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations can influence how the technology users are willing to acquire the skills required. According to the authors, extrinsic motivation is the desire to execute an activity because others perceive it to help attain precise outcomes which are different and separate from the activity itself. On the contrary, Intrinsic motivation is the decision to carry out a specific task for no apparent reason other than undertaking the procedure for others to see. Technology Organization Environmental Model Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) is a model which DePietro, Wiarda, and Fleischer (1990) describe as an essential procedure in technological innovation. The authors analyze the model to a profound extent starting from engineers being the initial developers of an organization to the technology being adopted and put to work by entrepreneurs and other individuals. The TOE model represents the segment of the innovation process reflecting on how the organizations context influences the rate at which the innovations are implemented and adopted. The TOE model is an organizational theory that attempts to explain the various elements incorporated by an entity to influence the decisions to adopt the technology. The three essential elements are the organizational framework, technological framework, and environmental framework strategically positioned to influence innovation (Awa, & Ojiabo, 2016). Figure 1: Technology-Organization-Environment Framework (TOE). (DePietro, Wiarda, & Fleischer, 1990) Figure 1 shows the relationship between the organization, technology, and external task environment, influencing technological innovation decision-making. Technological Framework The technological framework encompasses all technologies that Ghana views to be most relevant and in which some are already in use within the firm while others are in the market. Still, the country is yet to decide to purchase. The current technologies existing within the nation are more important and play a significant role in facilitating the adoption process. They establish a broadened limit on the pace and scope of the nations technological transition. The technical innovations in the market but are yet to be adopted by the government also influence the innovation adoption rate because they restrict what is attainable (Chan et al., 2018). They show Ghana the technologies they can change and adapt to be more effective in their operations. Inside the innovation groups outside Ghana are the innovations whose aim is to create incremental, inconsistent, and synthetic changes. The innovations that make gradual transitions usually introduce new attributes or new versions of the current technology. The comprehensive technologies often embody the least substantial risk and create a platform of change in adopting innovations within the organization. In Zhang et al. (2003), illustrations include changing from CRT computer monitors to adopting LCD monitors or executing upgrades from one version of the organizations ERP system to bringing in a new update. The innovations that develop synthetic transitions usually create a foundation of moderate changes within Ghanaian organizations, where the current technologies or ideas are incorporated in a novel routine. An example of this change is how Ghana Universities deliver the contents of their courses from online sources (Awidi, 2008). And there are no innovations that have been introduced on storing, recording, and transmitting information, and they do not see the necessity of creating innovation in their course content. As a result, the universities can decide to combine their current technologies in a novel way to innovate the education systems to make them better. On the contrary, the technologies that bring discontinuous changes within the facility after its implementation are known as radical innovations. They indicate enormous deviations from the existing technology or procedures. An example of these innovations includes implementing bar-code scanning within the grocery industries during the 1980s to adopt PCs in numerous institutions or even shifting to cloud computing (Baker, 2012). In most cases, in a developing country like Ghana, many industries will be characterized by the technical innovations that will bring incremental changes and synthetic changes at an agreeable pace of technological adoption. Their decisions will be limited to the two choices. On the contrary, some of Ghanas industries might be characterized by discontinuous changes. Therefore, it will require that the industrys management make quick decisions to land them into the next technology to enhance and attract competitive advantage. During evaluation for the discontinuous technologies, the enterprises should always consider whether the technology they will adopt aims to strengthen their competence (Chandra & Kumar, 2018). Competence enhancing technologies empower the organization to change as they establish upon their expertise. In contrast, competence demolishing innovations usually results in magnificent changes within the industries which is not reputable. An example of competence tarnishing invention includes the shift to cloud computing, which might prove challenging because the organizations are in a country that is currently developing and thus may not have adequate resources to finance the shift (Sunyaev, 2020). In the long run, the industries that have invested almost all of their resources to achieve high IT function levels may now find that the expertise will no longer give them a competitive advantage. Instead of adopting a technology that will most probably make them incompetent, the industries can opt to shift towards competence developing institutions that demonstrate vast asset and resource tracking capacity, which relies on bar-coding and building competence around it. Even with the need to shift, such as involving optical scanners and bar codes with RFID tags to adopting digital scanners, companies can capitalize on the current databases to act as storage sites (Hou, Liao, & Luo, 2020). They can move on to adopting new efficiencies within their processes if the manual scanning becomes obsolete. In summary, it is essential that Ghanaian government advisors direct organizations on careful consideration of the type of organization they should apply to their business processes that will mainly focus on creating new uses of the existing technologies. It should create awareness to the organization owners that some innovation may bring drastic outcomes if implemented, and therefore they should stay away from them. Organizational Framework The organizational framework often refers to the attributes and resources of the Ghanaian organizations, including the linking structures among staff, the size of the firm, intra-organizational communication procedures, and the volume of slack resources held by the organization. Historically, there are numerous ways in which this context affects the rate of innovation implementation and adoption in its decisions. In Yoon, Jeong, and Park (2021), the first mechanism in the organizational framework is linking structures that link subunits of the institution or the extent of internal boundaries to spread innovation. Unofficial linking agents, including boundary spanners, product champions, and gatekeepers, are related to the adoption. Bayuo (2017) asserts that the cross-functional employees and teams with unofficial or official linkages to other departments or other value chain associates are supplementary illustrations of the mechanisms. More extensively, the organizational framework has been carefully researched to discover its association with innovation adoption in many institutions in Ghana. For instance, decentralized and organic organizational structures are linked with innovation adoption (Darvishmotevali, (2019). Ghana institutions that have fully adopted this form of corporate structure focus on creating teams equipped with a high degree of fluidity in their responsibilities and encourage lateral communication as an extension to enhancing the communication process along the reporting lines (Owusu, 2018). Other researches on the kind of organizational structure an organization should adopt signify that while the decentralized and organic system can be a perfect match for the adoption phase of the innovation process. on the other hand, mechanical structures emphasizing more clear employee roles can be best suited for the innovation process. Procedures of communication adopted within an organization have also played a significant role in promoting or inhibiting innovation adoption. Vodonick (2018) notes that top managers can nurture innovation by establishing an organizational framework that will readily accommodate changes and support innovations that supplement the firms core mission and vision. In Dansoh, Oteng, and Frimpong (2017), the behaviors portrayed by Ghanas top management and the communication they will decide on adopting should focus on describing the responsibility of innovation in the firms overall strategy, indicate the significance of the invention to the staff, and approach to rewarding innovation legally and informally. The communication process to be embraced should focus on placing the history of innovation within the firm at the heart of its operations and building an excellent leadership team that will cast a compelling and achievable vision for the future of the organization. Other most discussed aspects within Ghanas organizational framework impacting IoT adoption are the firms size and slack. While many literature pieces indicate that an entitys slackness enhances adoption, other articles suggest that innovation can occur even with the absence of this aspect (Pasaoglu, 2011). Others prove that the presence of slack within the organizations business processes does not mean that it successfully adopts it. While slack is attractive and helpful in many instances, it is neither necessary nor adequate for innovation. The size of the facility is another widely studied context but a valid link to illustrate the relationship between the two aspects is nowhere to be found. Generally, large-scale organizations within Ghana are more likely to embrace innovation (Ankrah & Freeman, 2021). Still, most of this research has faced a lot of criticism on the foundations that size is often considered a crude proxy for more precise and meaningful underlying organizational factors. Such factors include the ability of the organization to possess a specific superior resource. Rajapathirana and Hui (2018) note that the relationship between the size of the organization and the adoption of innovation cannot be decisively confirmed. Researchers are constantly arguing to use more or more precise measures or organizational variables instead of relying on the generic and straightforward action, which is the firms size. The Environmental Framework The environmental framework involves how Ghana structures its industries, the absence or presence of robust technology service providers, and the governments ability to regulate its environment. Numerous studies have been carried out to investigate industry structure in Ghana in various ways. For example, stiff competition within Ghanas consumer markets stimulates the adoption of many innovation strategies. Similarly, dominating firms within the value chain can have a high possibility of influencing the decisions made by the other value chain partners to involve themselves in innovating their value chains. About the industrys life cycle, many studies argue that organizations situated in rapidly growing industries have a high tendency to innovate more frequently (McKinn, 2016). Comment by Marty Crossland: If this is true, then you should cite three or more of them here. Comment by Marty Crossland: If this is true, then you should cite three or more of them here. Another example is in the banking industries where the government implements strict measures on privacy which may prevent these financial institutions from inventing new ways that customers can use to access their financial information (Tchao et al., 2017). Therefore, there is an evident relationship between government regulations and innovation because one action can either discourage or encourage the other. Introduction to Research Design and Methodology Guided interviews will be used as a data-gathering technique. This reflects in the ability to plan for anticipated responses. Also, the interview will ensure unexpected responses are recorded for later analysis. The data collection method offers a framework of the schematic presentation of problem topics leading to extensive exploration. This had a consideration of open-ended questions enabling the respondent to give complete information. The sample size would involve five stakeholders in the technology industry, five consumers of the IoT products and services, and five distributors. Comment by Marty Crossland: On page 7 you said you would be using something you called structured questionnaires. That is different that what you are naming here, and I am not familiar with either term. I think you mean structured interviews, but you are not saying that in either place. Comment by Marty Crossland: Unclear what this refers to. Consumers and distributors would be considered stakeholders. Did you perhaps mean vendors of IoT? Data analysis will be enabled through meta-analysis as a thematic analysis method. Specifically, responses from participants shall be analyzed to identify recurring themes concerning IoT implementation at an organizational level. Eventually, the results obtained from the analysis will be used in making study conclusions. Comment by Marty Crossland: Does this mean that when you say consumers in the paragraph above, you mean organizational consumers instead of individual consumers? Please clarify. Research Questions The following research question will be the underlying guide to gain an understanding of the various opportunities and challenges associated with the use of the Internet of Things (IoT): Comment by Marty Crossland: Gaining understanding is not a proper purpose statement, as it is not quantifiable, and you do not know when you are finished. What will be the actual expected deliverable from the study? 1. How has the use of IoT technology contributed to the development of Ghana’s economy? Comment by Marty Crossland: This does not seem to align with your problem statement on page 5. Your problem statement seems to assume a premise that IoT has not been utilized in Ghana. Therefore, you have already answered this supposed research question -- it has not contributed to-date to Ghanas economy. 2. What are the prospects of new applications of IoT in “Ghana Beyond Aid” digitization agenda? 3. What are the risk factors associated with the broad use of IoT in Ghana? Significance of the Study The research will provide insights into emerging trends in IoT in Ghana. An analysis on the present use of IoT in the Ghanaian economy will shed more light on the various applications of the technology and will further reveal the risk criteria associated with is mass adoption. One of the major importance of the study is directly related to to Ghana’s digitization agenda under the “Ghana Beyond Aid” policy. The study will seek to understand the extent to which the rate of sdoption of the technology in both industry and commerce and other sectors that will utilize the IoT applications in their operations The study will offer directions for adding practical application of IoT devices in health and other personal gadgets to alert people on various issues, thus providing them with information promptly. They can capture much information about their energy consumption over time. While the technology-empowered device helps the user save on time and cost, IoT will translate to increased savings due to performing numerous activities independently. Comment by Marty Crossland: Seek to understand is simply a process of research. What will be the actual deliverable from your study? Comment by Marty Crossland: The rate of adoption is a quantitative measure. I am not seeing any quantitative methodology that can definitively measure this rate, so how do you propose to do so? Comment by Marty Crossland: You seem to be primarily aiming to share wisdom about what ought to be or what ought to happen. That is not an appropriate purpose or goal for a dissertation. A dissertation is primarily about discovering new knowledge about the topic, and not about acquiring or demonstrating wisdom about how to use that knowledge. You will certainly have an opportunity to share your thoughts about how this new knowledge might be used wisely in Chapter 5, but the main focus for the dissertation proposal should be only about how to acquire valid knowledge about the topic. This short video may be useful for helping to understand the difference: https://youtu.be/XCM-QFyzI8U. Definition of Terms The below list of terms will provide the reader with a study context and better understand the research concepts and constructs. Internet of Things. The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects—things—that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet. (Agarwal & Nethravathi, 2021). Technology Acceptance Model . The TechnologyAcceptance Model is the continuous improvement and progress in technology-related applications by accepting or rejecting a dilemma. (Wei, Wang, Zhu, S., Xue, and Chen, 2018). Technology Organization Environmental Model . Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) is a model which DePietro, Wiarda, and Fleischer describe as an essential procedure in technological innovation (DePietro, Wiarda, and Fleischer, 1990). Chapter Summary Chapter 1 introduced the Internet of Things and how it has changed the IT industry and the technology landscape. The chapter also highlighted the technical framework associated with the adoption of new technologies. The chapter also defined the purpose of the study and the research question. The remainder of this study will include Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, and Chapter 5. Chapter 2 is a literature review that describes the literature on the Internet of Things opportunities, challenges, threats, and privacy issues. This chapter also discusses how organizations and institutions use IoT to maximize operational competencies and be competitive in the ever-evolving digital technology landscape. Chapter 3 describes the research design and methodology, including the sample selection process, data collection, analysis, and guided interviews. Chapter 4 provides an empirical analysis of the results of the study. Lastly, Chapter 5 deals with the results and provides recommendations, concluding comments, a summary of findings, and future research opportunities. References Agarwal, Y., & Nethravathi, K. A. (2021). Emerging Trends in the Internet of Things. In Advances in Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering (pp. 771-782). Springer, Singapore. Comment by Marty Crossland: Journal title should be in italics. Alenezi, A. R., Karim, A. A., and Veloo, A. (2011). Institutional support and e-learning acceptance: An extension of the technology acceptance model. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 8(2), 3-16. Alharbi, S., and Drew, S. (2014). Using the technology acceptance model in understanding academics behavioural intention to use learning management systems. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 5(1), 143-155. Al-Turjman, F., Kamal, A., Husain Rehmani, M., Radwan, A., & Khan Pathan, A. S. (2019). The green internet of things (g-iot). Comment by Marty Crossland: Incomplete reference. Where was it published? Ankrah, D. A., & Freeman, C. Y. (2021). Operationalizing the agricultural innovation system concept in a developing country context–examining the case of the MiDA programme in Ghana. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 1-20. Arora, A., Kaur, A., Bhushan, B., & Saini, H. (2019, July). Security concerns and future trends of the Internet of Things. In 2019 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Computing, Instrumentation and Control Technologies (ICICICT) (Vol. 1, pp. 891-896). IEEE. Comment by Marty Crossland: Conference title should be in italics. Awa, H. O., and Ojiabo, O. U. (2016). A model of adoption determinants of ERP within the TOE framework. Information Technology and People. Awidi, I. T. (2008). Developing an e-learning strategy for public universities in Ghana. Educause Quarterly, 31(2), 66. Ayebeng Botchway, E., & Yeboah-Boateng, E. O. (2019). IoT Readiness of Project Management Teams Within Local Government Organizations in Ghana. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 10(07). Comment by Marty Crossland: Journal title should be in italics. Ayetor, G. K., Mbonigaba, I., Ampofo, J., & Sunnu, A. (2021). Investigating the state of road vehicle emissions in Africa: A case study of Ghana and Rwanda. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 11, 100409. Baker, J. (2012). The technology–organization–environment framework. Information systems theory, 231-245. Bayuo, B. (2017). Growing technology and innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa through Business Innovation Centres: A case study of Ghana. Comment by Marty Crossland: Incomplete reference. Where was it published? Boakye, A., & Babatunde Olumide, O. (2020). The role of the Internet of things (IoT) to support health services in rural communities. A case study of Ghana and Sierra Leone. Transnational Corporations Review, 1-8. Comment by Marty Crossland: Journal title should be in italics. Chan, A. P. C., Darko, A., Olanipekun, A. O., & Ameyaw, E. E. (2018). Critical barriers to green building technologies adoption in developing countries: The case of Ghana. Journal of cleaner production, 172, 1067-1079. Chandra, S., & Kumar, K. N. (2018). Exploring Factors Influencing Organizational Adoption Of Augmented Reality In E-Commerce: Empirical Analysis Using Technology-Organization-Environment Model. Journal of electronic commerce research, 19(3). Cheung, R., and Vogel, D. (2013). Predicting user acceptance of collaborative technologies: An extension of the technology acceptance model for e-learning. Computers and Education , 63, 160-175. Comment by Marty Crossland: Journal title should be in italics. Dansoh, A., Oteng, D., & Frimpong, S. (2017). Innovation development and adoption in small construction firms in Ghana. Construction Innovation. Darvishmotevali, M. (2019). Decentralization and innovative behavior: The moderating role of supervisor support. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 8, 31-45. 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Internet of things and Big Data as potential solutions to waste electrical and electronic equipment management: An exploratory study. Waste Management, 68, 434-448. Comment by Marty Crossland: Journal title should be in italics. Hopalı, E., & Vayvay, Ö. (2018). Internet of Things (IoT) and its challenges for usability in developing countries. Vol, 2, 6-9. Comment by Marty Crossland: Incomplete reference. Journal title? Hou, L., Liao, R., & Luo, Q. (2020). IoT and Blockchain-Based Smart Agri-food Supply Chains. Handbook of Smart Cities, 1-22. Kobusińska, A., Leung, C., Hsu, C. H., Raghavendra, S., & Chang, V. (2018). Emerging trends, issues, and challenges in the Internet of Things, Big Data, and cloud computing. Mojtahed, R., Nunes, J. M. B., and Peng, G. C. (2011). THE role of the technology acceptance model in information systems research: a case study. In Proceedings of the IADIS International Workshop on Information Systems Research Trends, Approaches and Methodologies. Sheffield. 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Corporate Governance And Internal Audit Challenges In A Decentralized Public Governance System In Ghana. Retrieved from https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/57567865/3._IJBGM-_Corporate_governance_and_internal.pdf?1539608670=&response-content-disposition=inline\%3B+filename\%3DCORPORATE_GOVERNANCE_AND_INTERNAL_AUDIT.pdf&Expires=1624871576&Signature=Rk8OvOaSWSUrs7avc812o92uT8AJPx7Od~L-Ww5abpkqEADGWrTXUBOrXHYK-hKcooV9F8JRe0HlNTY4ZckgePFsb171kOZ1zUgY36Id8ltjee5ep~cd48-cAo99KYAWHzXCWpS8gf9vV-mAS5BbN2s2VUmanetEWrxvDm0BGLwGva-GHDVPBhJA6SS8iLyf5rNxMTXzoEmTEISXpLPDqSj3yR~1b7Z6AanKZUuJUFTs2XtSCaq047nB1pDK2il9dBB1AgojMEqI9pBKy6zT71dEC~UCe3tUnDp2XGOWTVkwnZz531sv4yiA9m-mwv3OW1lywHWsROZyMkX~gmRbEg__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA Comment by Marty Crossland: This link is not functional. Please provide a direct URL address (not a search result) to the reference. Pasaoglu, D. (2011). Analysis of ERP usage with technology acceptance model. Global Business and Management Research, 3(2), 157-165. 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Ghanaian Consumers Online Privacy Concerns: Causes and its Effects on E-Commerce Adoption. arXiv preprint arXiv:1801.01086. Vodonick, J. (2018). The key to organizational sustainability: Nurturing a culture of change. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 35(4), 458-468. Wei, Y., Wang, C., Zhu, S., Xue, H., and Chen, F. (2018). Online purchase intention of fruits: Antecedents in an integrated model based on technology acceptance model and perceived risk theory. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1521. Yoon, W., Jeong, J., & Park, K. (2021). Informal Network Structure and Knowledge Sharing in Organizations: An Empirical Study of a Korean Paint Manufacturing Company. Administrative Sciences, 11(2), 52. Zhang, J. B., Zhang, D. H., Wong, M. M., & Ng, B. T. J. (2003, September). Design and development of a cost-effective fault-tolerant execution and control system for discrete manufacturing. In EFTA 2003. 2003 IEEE Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation. Proceedings (Cat. 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