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How to write a simple Academic project concept paper for a classroom assignment by Dr.
Lango.

A concept paper enables in putting thoughts and ideas into paper for consideration for
research. It
is from the concept paper that one develops the research proposal which can either be
business or
academic oriented. Most students, and especially the postgraduate students who have a
mandatory
requirement of undertaking research, usually goes direct to the research proposal. Some
quotas
also have professed the school of thought that a concept paper and research proposal are
the same.
As good as they may seem similar, they are different in the process and presentation. The
concept
paper aim is to capture the thoughts and ideas while the research proposal captures the
ideas in a
structured manner for approval to research. Therefore, in order to write a simple concept
paper,
follow these steps:

1. Concept paper title

Every paper must have a title and concept paper is not left out as one needs to have a title
that
summarizes what the paper is about. The title should be as brief as possible and to the
point such
that by a glance one would know exactly the paper’s intention. Example:

“Leveraging on Mobile Payment Methods to gain Competitive Advantage by local based

businesses”

2. Introduction
Introduce the concept by giving a brief on how it will contribute to the organization or
company
having more opportunities as a result. Also, state your understanding of the main objective
of the
targeted area of implementation clearly introducing the gap intended to be
addressed. An
introduction is like the sitting room of the concept paper as it determines a lot on
the person
proposing the concept. During presentations, this section also, act as the persona guide to
how the
rest of the presentation is preempted. Example:
Mobile payment methods have popularity with big businesses operating in large towns and
cities
across the world. These payment methods enable the business customers to access their
cash at
the point of sale and do not need to have physical money to complete their transactions.
This study
will therefore help in understanding the mobile payment methods preferences for the local
based
business and how and why these preferences have failed to prevail. The research will
therefore
address that gap that is viewed as the low uptake of mobile payment methods by the local
based
businesses which are essentially operating in remote areas. This concept builds upon the
various
insights that have been undertaken by various researchers in the business and
information
technology field to bridge the gap of strategic implementation of information technology
systems
in business to gain competitive advantage.
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3. Need for this Study

One of the senior professors where the author teaches refer to this section as “who
dies if the
concept is not implemented” and further advises that it should addresses the pertinent
societal
need. The need of the study should have a concrete evidence in the sense that the source
of the
need must be documented and verifiable. It is also important to look at what other scholars
have
done on the concept previously, and whether this is enough to answer the questions
intended for
the study. Example:

It is estimated that more than 5 billion people have access to mobile phone devices and that
out of
this figure about a third of the population is based in local areas. Further, the
village-based
businesses do not have immediately access to the physical money banking system as
they are
located kilometers away. Porter (2011) notes that in order for businesses to achieve and
sustain
superior performance, they must be able to implement systems that are competitively
superior.
Budree and Williams (2013, September) and Namada (2018) established that the areas with
large
number of low-income earners experienced low uptake technological advancements
and
businesses in these locations are not keen on leveraging on technology. The concept will
therefore
be intended to identify the salient factors that local businesses can apply in leveraging on
mobile
payment methods to gain competitive advantage.

4. Background
This section indicates that some research has been carried on the area of interest, however
there
still exit a gap that needs to filled. It is important therefore to outline several studies that
have been
undertake on the topical area summarizing their conclusive evidence and relevance to the
study
area. A more descriptive background will then be structured from the worldview, regional,
and
localized perspective. For a shorter-version concept paper this may not count
however it is
important to show that some study have been done but little research in the area of
interest and
how the concept seeks to solve this gap.

Several studies have concluded that mobile payment methods is one of the major factors
put in
place by businesses in gaining competitive advantage, however this has also, not been
achieved in
remote areas. As a result, Onyango et al. (2014) in their study on mobile phone technology
and
the evident performance of micro and small enterprises, concludes that there is an impact
on the
use and implementation of mobile phone technology to achieve the full business
performance. In
order, therefore to achieve competitive advantage, Porter (2011) advises that the
strategy
implemented should be geared towards achieving full potential competitively.

Many scholars also agree that there is a significant relationship between mobile payment
methods
and gaining competitive advantage to sustain an improved performance. Most also argue
that the
mobile payment method of use will be dependent on the location and nature of need. The
handbook
by Namada (2018) notes that the concept of organizational learning must be down-trotted
to the
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local businesses to learn which mobile technology suits their operations and how this
technology
can be leveraged to achieve competitive advantage. The literature and conclusions
from the
scholars however fail to answer specific questions that related to leveraging on mobile
payment
methods to gain competitive advantage for local based businesses. Most of the
studies were
focused on businesses and companies in towns and cities with the area of interest
majoring on
performance whether competitively or not. This study will therefore be focused on the
factors of
consideration for leveraging on mobile payment methods to gain competitive advantage by
local
based businesses.

5. Objectives
These are the broad and specific objectives the research seeks to answer. It should be stated
starting
with the words “To” and linked to the general and the specific area where the study
is to be
undertaken. Both the general and the specific objectives must be regularized to conform
with the
topic of the concept. Example:

The research paper seeks to achieve its general objective of leveraging on mobile
payment
methods to gain competitive advantage by focusing on the following specific objectives:
1. To determine the influence of perceived risks on the use of mobile payment methods
to gain
competitive advantage by local based businesses.
2. To determine the influence of M-Payment characteristics (mobility, reachability,
convenience,
and compatibility) on the use of mobile payment methods to gain competitive advantage by
local based businesses.
3. To assess the influence of personal innovativeness on use of mobile payment methods
to
gain competitive advantage by local based businesses.

6. Research Questions and or Hypothesis

The research can choose to answer either questions emanating from the research
literature and
especially from the research objectives, or hypothesis scenarios and test at the end of the
research
whether they were accepted or not. Example: Choosing research questions.

1. Does perceived risks influence the use of mobile payment methods to gain
competitive
advantage by local based businesses?
2. Does M-Payment characteristics (mobility, reachability, convenience, and
compatibility)
influence the use of mobile payment methods to gain competitive advantage by local based
businesses?
3. Does personal innovativeness influence the use of mobile payment methods to
gain
competitive advantage by local based businesses?
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7. Research Methodology
This is the how of the concept and describes how the concept will be achieved once it
reaches the
research level. It should define the intention on the design of research to be
conducted, the
population targeted, and the type of data to be collected. Example:

The study intends to use cross sectional survey design in determining the leverage
on mobile
payment methods to gain competitive advantage by local based businesses.
The study will sample 478 local based businesses registered in Kenya out of a
population of 4
thousand which are mainly registered and operated in village area settings.
The study will collect both primary and secondary data, and the quantitative data
generated will
be analyzed using descriptive statistics which will include percentage distribution, mean
and the
frequency counts. The qualitative data from the study will undergo transcription and
reported in
themes and sub-themes. The relationship between the independent and dependent
variables will
be explained through multiple regression.

8. Research Timeline
This is to indicate the allocation of time for undertaking the research and breaking
to specific
section and finally indicating the overall schedule of the research. Timelines are
importance in
concept paper as they are used to determine the length of the research and the funding
needs over
the period. In academic concept papers, this period is usually pre-defined by the various
university
standards and one should have a look at their university standards on the research paper
duration.
The timeline must also include how the initial and final phases of the academic project is
to be
achieved. This is where the difference between a research proposal and concept paper
vary, in that
the concept paper lists both the research proposal and research final study timelines while
the
research proposal only lists the research study timelines.

Example:

The project is expected to be completed in 17 weeks with the following indicated as the
activity’s
durations for every section of the research project:

Research Section Duration

1. Title 1 week
2. Introduction 1 week
3. Need for this Study 2 weeks
4. Background 3 weeks
5. Objectives 1 week
6. Research Questions and or Hypothesis 1 week
7. Research Methodology 2 weeks
8. Data analysis interpretations and discussions 3 weeks
EDGE FEST PRESS RELEASE

Edge Fest is one of the major Gospel music Festival Created to Engage Eastern
central Africa is also a manifestation of 100% Christian music genre of category
Ready to be launched as first Edition this December night of 24th 25th in
Bujumbura at EGLISE DU ROCHER SIEGE SOCIAL INTERNATIONAL

Syndicated every year and dedicated for all Christian artists , solo , choirs ,
groups , Actors on which will include Burundi Tanzania, DRC CONGO , Kenya ,
UGANDA , ZAMBIA , ZIMBABWE .

Main Mission

Is Evangelism trough Gospel music

Sub-mission

1) Display the finest gospel Talent across The member country of East and
Central Africa with different tune of inspiring songs of praise and worship.

2) To promote Peace and unity trough Gospel concerts across the Region
Member countries

3) To reveal the secret of Career success through Gospel music across the
member countries

VISION
The main vision is to ensure that EDGE becomes the best Christian
movement reaching Youth and people with special needs across the region
and beyond borders

STRATEGIC APPROACH:
1) Acknowledgement of various stake holders who are either within or
outside music industry.
2) Development of Audio visual studio which will facilitate productions and
publications across the various levels in the Gospel Music industry.
3) Creat a viral online Gospel music selling platforms through which artist
at different levels will be able to avail their work.
4) Preparation of Gospel music concerts and festivals across the regions
whereby various artist will be given a platform to display their talents
 5) Preparation of reach out Gospel crusades and soul winning where also
artists will be given platform to deliver the message through praise and
worship.

ROADMAP

Edge is going to hold Four events consecutively at Bujumbura, Dar es

salaam, DRC (Kinshasa/Lubumbashi/Kivu/Kisangani) and Nairobi before
stablising to other member countries. Thereafter the event will proceed to
any of the cities across the regions depending on various needs as will arose,

BUJUMBURA EVENT

This is the event scheduled to take place by 24th -25th December,2020

EVENT CONTENT

Name: Edge Fest, 2020

Mission: Acknowledge various players across Gospel Music Industry in the

region

Methodology: The event will be conducted through recognition of various

players across the industry by offering trophy as follows.

1….

2……

PROGRAMME LINE UP ON THE EVENT DAY

Venue: Eglise du Rocher siege social international Bujumbura

Date: Thursday of 24/12/2020 CHRISTMASS EVE

 Night of trophy remedy (Awards Winners ) / landscaped red carpet

and viral Live broadcast
 Media: about sixteen (16) media to be involved
  Sponsors and partners display: To showcase products and integrate
with our creative Gospel Marketing Concept at the Festival Fever.

DATE: Friday 25/12/2020 CHRISTMASS DAY

EVENT: Christmas Concert Family Day out

 Live performance from all selected choir, single artists and

groups from the region

EXPECTATION TOURNOUTS: We are expecting more than 15, 000

people to participate.

EVENT SOURCE OF INCOME:

 Expecting to raise found from sponsors and direct partners

 Sales of Tickets :The modal and price to be determined by the
organizing committee

ROLE OF THE MEDIA

We are calling for various media to join us as partners or stake holders for airing
various event activities before, during and after event.

Guest of Honor: To be selected by the organizing committee and will be

Announced from each Participating Members Country.

Live performance: This will be from various groups, choir and artist from
Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, and DRC Kongo

Conclusion :
This media conference is caped as ignition point towards
revolution of Gospel music across the region. The light will travel
from Bujumbura to other cities of the regional member countries.
The media will ever remains our strategic partners through our
mission and vision will be accomplished.