5 – Internal and external research projects

Introduction
Regarding the Master Thesis COM a rough distinction can be made in projects that have either an internal orientation or an external orientation. The main difference is based on the need or preference to connect an external organisation or institute to the research project. This can be feasible and/or desirable in cases where an external organisation can provide a research context, case study or research population.

When orienting on the Master Thesis COM it is important to consider whether an internal or external orientation is feasible and/or desired, based on the research project characteristics and/or personal preference.

Based on the research project characteristics
The involvement of an external organisation will require more efforts in order to synchronize the different interests of the stakeholders. For example the research questions, research design, development and implementation of the measurement instruments, will need negotiation between with the tutors as well as the involved organisation. These negotiations will take more time and thus have their effect on the research process.

Based on student preferences
For students, the involvement of an external organisation can also be of personal interest. This because external organisation may also provide practical internship experience to add to your resume or perhaps even a starting career opportunity. Although these are interesting features of an external research project, always consider your motives when orienting towards an external organisation. Are you looking for an internship experience or an interesting context to investigate your research questions regarding the Master Thesis COM?

Schematically the difference between internal or external projects can visualized as follows:


Considerations regarding external projects
When orienting on a research project involving an external organisation, be conscious regarding the different interests that may arise, such as:

(Partly) conducting your research abroad
Depending on the on the research questions and personal interest is might be possible or feasible to (partly) conduct your research abroad. This, for example, when you are interested in investigating the effects of aspects of intercultural communication on leadership behaviour within organisations that have foreign subsidiaries. Then it might be feasible to collect research data abroad.

Please note that, apart from the previous mentioned considerations regarding external projects, some additional considerations may arise: