Analysing the Impact of Brexit on UK-EU Relations: A Comparative Analysis of Diplomatic Strategies and for the analysis

Strong points:

1. You demonstrated a good awareness of the purpose of the research project. That is, what it should accomplish, what are its key elements, how to design it, etc.

2. You show a good understanding of the topic, highlighting many important questions that are pertinent for the research.

Areas for improvement

1. The research question should be clearly stated before the literature review. Otherwise, there is no indication of why that literature is relevant for the project. It would also help to have a stronger connection between them (research question and literature review). There are too many research questions and no indication of what is a main one, so they are pulling the project in different directions. This indecision is reflected in the literature review, as each of the subheadings seems to cover an aspect of the main topic without providing a comprehensive approach to one core question.

2. It is not clear what the "research onion" method entails, how it shapes your project, or how it allows you to produce an answer for your research questions. The following sections (research philosophy, research approach, data collection and data analysis) are all very vague. Also, the use of quotation marks is very unclear.

3. The research aims reflect the indecision in the research question. The three aims seem to be barely related. They are three different avenues of research.

4. The budget table is unclear. Why do you need one? Why do you need to spend £1500 in "coordination with other universities" in this dissertation project? Where do these numbers come from? What is this money.

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Dissertation proposal template and guidance about how to structure your proposal

Dissertation proposal guidance

Your proposal should address each of the following points.  They are listed in an order that you are suggested to adopt in your proposal. A template (with these headings) is available at the end of the document.

1. Title.  This should provide a succinct (that is concise and precise) identification of the topic involved. This is likely to remain provisional and therefore be open to change and some amendment before you submit your final dissertation.  This might be different to your research question (see below).

2. Context of the research proposed.   The purpose of both this section and the literature review (below) is for you to locate your proposed research within the wider field of enquiry.  A good research question is highly focused and clearly defined but you need to convey to the reader why this is an important or relevant topic. One way of doing so is to consider the policy relevance, political salience, and social context of the topic, broadly speaking.  If you are undertaking a largely theoretical study then you might want to think more in terms of conveying to the reader the relevance of your chosen theory or school of thought: what are its chief intellectual concerns and how is it situated within the broader theoretical debates, occurring. 

3. Literature Review.  Like the section above, the purpose of the literature review is to help make sense of your proposed area of enquiry.  Whereas the context of the proposed research was more concerned with the locating your research within the broad field of enquiry, your literature review should provide a rationale for your research question.  Within any particular field of enquiry there are a variety of concerns and questions.  Your review of the literature should introduce to the reader the particular debate or problem with which your dissertation is engaging, thereby allowing you to specify your research question.   

4. Research question. Your question should be straightforward and clearly defined, and make sense in terms of your preceding review of the broader context and literature review.  Whereas, the title of your research might signpost the field of the research and broader problem with which the dissertation is engaging, your research question should be specified in a way that can be answered.  You will not know what the answer is at this point in your research, although having engaged with relevant literature in the process of writing your proposal you will hopefully be aware of some possible answers to the question.  One way of thinking about whether your question is specified properly is to consider whether you can imagine an answer to it.  If you cannot imagine what a plausible answer might be then this could be because you have not narrowed down the focus of your enquiry sufficiently or that you actually have two questions posing as a single question.  A straightforward, simply expressed, question is a sound basis for research that leads to sophisticated and nuanced conclusions

5. Hypotheses (possibly). You might want specify a testable hypothesis or hypotheses. Your hypothesis should be a statement, not a question, and one that can be verified/falsified with evidence.  This can be a useful way of ensuring that your research is well defined and narrowly focused, but it is not necessarily appropriate for all research projects.  This is particularly the case if you are adopting an approach that could be labelled post-positivist or interpretist.  The idea of falsifying or affirming a hypothesis largely accepts the scientific method as a mode of enquiry, in which the neutrality of the researcher and the possibility of objective or impartial knowledge are taken for granted.  Post-positivist or interpretist approaches (which include post-colonialism, post-structuralism, critical theory, and feminism to name but a few) largely reject these assumptions.  Research undertaken from a post-positivist or interpretist perspective asserts that in various ways all knowledge is for someone and some purpose (to paraphrase Robert Cox) and is, therefore, partial and value laden.  It is for this reason that much scholarship of this kind offers critique of mainstream approaches which they contend attempt to present particular accounts as universal accounts of international relations.  If your enquiry adopts an approach that adopts a post-positivist position or interpretist position, then a hypothesis is unlikely to make intellectual sense or help guide your research.

6. Methodology.  The preceding sections of your proposal focus on the rationale of the study ( why it is relevant, why it is important, why it makes sense with respect to the existing scholarship) and what it is about (the broad topic) and what you proposing to do (your research question).  Questions of methodology turn to how you will conduct your research.  You will not actually have to carry out the research at this point, but you should make a statement about what sort of research method would be appropriate to do so later, and why.  Research is both intellectual and practical and you need to consider how you are going to generate useful knowledge to answer your question.  Are you, for example, going to look at a particular case?   If so, what kind of case study is it (is it for exploring the insights of a particular theory? Or, are you attempting to better understand a particular case (an event or policy) by the application of a particular theory, or approach? 

7. Research aims and proposed structure.  Your research aims are different to your research question: even if you only have a single research question, you will have more than one research aim.  A research aim is a specific task that you will undertake in order to generate some specific knowledge required to give an informed answer to your research question.  It is most straightforward to have one research aim for each of your substantive chapters (that is the chapters excluding your introduction and conclusion).  When you are thinking about your research aims you will therefore need to consider how you propose to structure your dissertation.  In other words, you will need to specify the point and purpose of each chapter in terms of addressing a particular research aim. You are unlikely to have more than 3 or 4 substantive chapters, therefore, you will probably have around three research aims.  

8. Timeline. Within which your project will beof research to be completed. In the same way that specifying your research aims and proposed structure helps you think about how you are going to complete your dissertation, setting out a timeline helps you consider when you are going to complete the dissertation and complete for submission by the deadline.

9. Resources. It is worth thinking about whether your proposed research topic and method is likely to incur any likely substantial costs associated with travel, photocopying etc.  Will these be prohibitive for you?

10. Bibliography.  Please use APA 7th edition to list those references cited in the text of your research proposal. 

11. Ethics checklist: Complete and attach the checklist ( next 2 pages) to your proposal. If you answer YES to any of questions 4-7, you will need to complete the full Research Ethics Application. You should discuss this with your supervisor.

Dissertation template

Title

Analysing the Impact of Brexit on UK-EU Relations: A Comparative Analysis of Diplomatic Strategies.

Context of the research proposed

Since the early 2000’s UK and European countries have focused on developing effective foreign policy and security measures for establishment of better trade relationships between countries. Early success of European diplomacy by forming independent relationships between countries such as the UK, France and Germany has assisted in representation of security in UK and EU countries (Brattberg, 2020). However, Brexit has negatively changed overall dynamics of diplomatic strategies in political, social and trade management activities between UK and EU. Brexit has impacted in changing the architecture of multilateral diplomacy of UK for the development of a “Global Britain” after exit from EU. Brexit has influenced UK to resolve its long-standing and strong influence in NATO, United Nations and Commonwealth (Hadfield & Whiteman, 2023). In addition to this, withdrawal of UK’s membership from key institutions in international security and economic forums has changed diplomatic strategy development activities for both UK and EU.

Post-Brexit UK has unsettled foreign policy resulting in status insecurity to manage its political, social and trade activities (Hadfield & Whiteman, 2023). In this context, absence of European diplomatic strategy has influenced the UK to develop an “outside-in approach” to manage its international position after Brexit. UK’s “outside-in approach” has assisted this organisation to influence foreign policies of neighbouring countries in EU with use of its roles in multilateral institutions in the UN. G7 and NATO (Hadfield & Whiteman, 2023). It has indicated that Brexit has influenced changing the overall nature of diplomatic strategies used by UK for managing its long-standing position in Europe and global scale.

Considering the leasing of United Kingdom from the European Union due to Brexit, aspects like higher obstacles to trade, capital flows along with labour mobility have affected the output along with jobs in the UK along with the rest of other EU member states. Relations between the EU and UK have run deep as UK is among the biggest 27 trading partners, responsible for around 13 % of its overall trade in products and services (IMF, 2024). Hence, considering the changes brought by trade related issues, job opportunities, product pricing have made the context of proposed research significant owing to the affected relation between EU and UK.

Literature Review 

Effects of diplomatic strategies adopted by UK and EU after Brexit on consumer attitudes, spending patterns, and purchasing behaviour

Diplomatic strategies are generally effective for nations and states as these strategies enable both the parties to have a peaceful avenue to resolve conflicts like Brexit-led relationships between UK and EU while promoting global coordination. As per the views of Jia (2022), after Brexit exit, United Kingdom has continued its cooperation and exchanges with the EU. UK has also taken the opportunity to focus more on outside EU for better advantages and business profits. One of the key diplomatic strategies has been the return of UK to science programs which raised hope of more deals involving the suspension of pre-planned EV tariffs as well. A significant thaw in connections between the EU and Britain has raised the hopes that the Horizon science deal might be the first of several breakthroughs, as per Brussels’ diplomats (O’Carroll, 2023). These deals might also include the suspension of planned tariffs on better coordination in migration and electric cars as well. Hence, the diplomatic strategies taken by EU or UK have quietly been positive for the national growth of the UK through developing its economic and political prosperity. 

The consumers might see an effective impact after the UK's return to Horizon Program after the three year lockout through enhancing the potential of new deals. As per the opinions of Wright et al., (2020), Brexit has made the EU the largest trading partner of UK while UK became the third largest trading partner of EU as well. It positively impacted the consumer attitudes or spending patterns of UK as expansion of both political and economic exchanges have benefited the overall prosperity of the British economy. Hence, the purchasing behaviour, consumer buying interests, patterns have been changed due to Brexit in terms of the relation between EU and UK.  

Changes in regulations, standards, and compliance in post- Brexit situations between UK and EU affecting political discourse, and social cohesion

UK has announced the “UK Single Trade Window” regulation during post Brexit situation which aims to simplify the interaction of traders with the Border through involving different trade parties. “UK Single Trade Window” would enable trade parties in UK to lodge standardised data as well as documents with one entry point to fulfil the export, import related regulatory needs accordingly (GOV, 2024). For instance, the UK Single Trade Window enables the trader to submit all border information required in a standardised way which impacts the political discourses of the nation as well. The social cohesion might be impacted by the Single Trade Window as it puts the onus on the government to facilitate information sharing among border executives along with agencies to then obtain the data they require. However, Svendsen (2020) stated that diplomats basically tried to save the security as well as defence policies from the implications of Brexit through including practical innovation in the defence and security context. Hence, the changes in regulation or new regulation like “UK Single Trade Window” have been a changing factor for UK and EU considering social cohesion and political discourse as a consequence of Brexit. 

The post-Brexit scenario has brought some significant changes within the standards, business compliance and registration of both UK and EU which affect the political and social context of the nation and states. As stated by Oppermann et al., (2020), efforts of Britain have been to locate the role since the referendum taking place against the backdrop of international scepticism regarding Brexit. Britain claimed that leaving the EU has enhanced the set of foreign policy roles it might play by virtue of the sovereignty it obtained effectively. Hence, the foreign policy changes has also been another crucial area that impacted the social cohesion and political phenomenon of the relationship between EU and UK.  

Effects of diplomatic strategies of UK and EU on GDP, inflation, and employment 

GDP, inflation, employment, foreign direct investment, export and import and tariffs are some of the key influencing factors of a nation’s economy which drive its overall financial stability along with the global business context as well. Three years after the transition phase, real GDP of UK is around 2-3 % lower due to Brexit in comparison to the scenario in which the UK retained its EU membership (NIESR, 2024). A lower GDP directly affected the UK's overall real income, lower levels of industrial manufacturing, and higher unemployment along with decline in retail sales as well. Additionally, the inflation rate of the European Union was around 3.4 % as of December, 2023 which is a decline compared to 11.5 % of 2022 (McEvoy, 2024). A lower inflation rate has also been a key challenge which impacted the EU in terms of its economic activities, lower economic development due to different types of economic issues. Hence, a lower GDP and inflation rate have negatively impacted both UK and EU through changing the economic certainties and possibilities of development opportunities within the business environment.

Brexit has impacted the employment of UK through incorporating changes in immigration policies that have affected the availability of foreign workers. After UK left EU, movement freedom has ended and UK introduced a new migration process that needs individuals to include certain job offerings to work within the nation. As stated by Portes & Springford (2023), the objective of new immigration policies was to eliminate the lower skilled migration while encouraging companies to hire and train more British workers for increasing productivity or investment. This led to concerns among the firms that had earlier relied on the migrant workers from EU, and called for a new system to be more relaxed. Hence, changes in immigration policies, GDP, inflation and employment rate of UK and EU have led to several changes in economic statements for both sides considering its diplomatic strategies during post-Brexit. 

Recommended strategies for both UK and EU to improve their relationship for mutual property and long-term growth 

Joint patrols in the Indo-Pacific can be an effective strategy for UK and EU to improve its affected relationship for a better mutual property with long term development. Cooperating with the UK might show that Britain along with the EU remain unified in their support through launching joint patrols in the Indo-Pacific area (Portes & Springford, 2023). A move like this might build on UK’s leadership on Indo-Pacific while offering better credibility to its own plans for the Indo-Pacific of Europe and highlight that European unity extends beyond the continent. On other hand, industrial policy coordination might be another strategic option for both UK and UE in resolving its past conflicts and work integrated for better economic, political or social development further. United Kingdom has signalled that the country would not change the spending sprees of Bursulles, however London risks being trapped in the middle. It would be an effective way for the EU and UK to avoid clashes as well as subsidy races through similar initiatives like clean energy through official meetings of the presidents (Portes & Springford, 2023). Industrial policy coordination might offer some significant benefits like “tax rebates, tax vacations, investment credits, and export subsidies” for UK and EU in their future endeavours. Hence, industrial policy coordination and joint patrols in the Indo-Pacific might help UK and EU in improving their overall relations for mutual business benefits as well as long-term economic stability.

Research question

1. How diplomatic strategies of UK and EU after Brexit affect consumer attitudes, spending patterns, purchasing behaviour, consumer confidence, disposable income, and consumption habits?

2. What are changes in diplomatic strategies in regulations, standards, and compliance in post- Brexit situations between UK and EU affecting political discourse, social cohesion, and identity politics?

3. How the diplomatic strategies of UK and EU affected economic factors like GDP, inflation, employment, trade balances, foreign direct investment, trade flows, export and import and tariffs?

4. What would be effective strategies for both the UK and EU to improve their relationship for mutual property and growth in the long term?

Methodology

Systematic development of research methodology assists in use of appropriate tools and techniques for data collection and interpretation. This research will be following a framework such as “Saunders Research Onion” for creating an organised process of research methodology on comparative analysis of diplomatic strategies used by UK and EU. Saunders et al. (2019) observed that “research onion” helps in effective and appropriate research design to assist to improve reliability approaches in research conclusion development. Hence, this framework can be a beneficial approach in terms of considering a highly effective approach towards data collection based on diplomatic strategies and Brexit decisions for UK and EU.

Research Philosophy

Following the framework of Saunders research onion, this research will use “interpretivism research philosophy” for management of the nature of knowledge used on these research variables. “ Interpretivism philosophy ” would be beneficial for this research to incorporate assumptions and beliefs associated with research based on “Brexit and associated diplomatic strategies of EU and UK” while considering an elaborative approach for this study. As evaluated by Al-Ababneh (2020), “ interpretivism philosophy ” is considered to be beneficial to determine a subjective as well as descriptive approach. Detailed discussion regarding impact of Brexit remained better for associating consideration of core decision-making. This study will be beneficial in terms of addressing core decision-making in dealing with diplomatic strategies for the EU and UK after Brexit. Hence, both “pragmatism and positivism” will be discarded due to elaborative perspectives on EU and UK diplomatic strategies post-Brexit.

Research approach

Research approach is considered to be an important part of authentic data collected from reliable sources while working with theory development or meeting research objectives. Both “deductive and inductive research” approaches are known to be beneficial for associating research hypotheses or questions with findings in terms of gaining better understanding. As evaluated by Proudfoot (2023), an “ inductive approach ” is more beneficial in terms of deriving themes from an existing framework. On the other hand, “deductive approach” can provide a positive approach towards associating reinforcement of literature for generating theoretical framework. “Deductive approach” will be dismissed from this study’s paradigm due to its focus on generating a theoretical framework. Hence, this study will be completed by using “ inductive approach ” to generate a theoretical framework by incorporating themes.

Data collection

Data collection is considered to be a potential aspect in terms of considering authentic inclusion of information from reliable sources. Data collection methods are broadly divided into “primary and secondary data collection” while focusing on sources of data for considering authentic inclusion. As evaluated by Taherdoost (2021), secondary data is beneficial for academic research for obtaining necessary information to address reliability for a research. Comparatively, primary data is collected through incorporating “ interviews, focus groups or surveys”. This research will be focused on elaborating results from “published secondary data” in terms of considering a highly beneficial approach in considering data collection and analysis. “Primary data collection” will not be included due to “shortage of time and cost” while considering data regarding UK and EU diplomatic relations and strategies after Brexit. Secondary data will be obtained from authentic databases such as “Google Scholar, SagePub or government websites”. “Accurate and reliable data collection” remains an important measure for this research in considering better analysis and consideration of information. Hence, this research would be focusing on a “qualitative strategy” while considering “secondary data” inclusion into associating reliable information.

Data analysis

Data analysis is considered to be an important measure for integrating findings from reliable sources to ensure meeting objectives more clearly. A chosen method for analysing data can be beneficial in terms of gaining better understanding associated with high-quality information for decision-making. Data analysis is generally done by utilising three methods of “thematic analysis, statistical analysis and transcript-based analysis”. This study on diplomatic relationships between EU and UK can be beneficial in terms of considering useful qualitative approaches towards decision-making. In this context, Lester et al., (2020) evaluated that thematic analysis is considered to be a qualitative measure in order to obtain data from a selected set of qualitative research as well as rigorous data mining from reliable sources. However, “statistical and transcript-based” analysis will be discarded from this research due to its focus on secondary data rather than primary data. Detailed analysis of collected data can be beneficial for mining necessary information regarding diplomatic relationship between UK and EU.

Research aims and proposed structure

Research aim

First aim of this research is to represent a comparative analysis of diplomatic strategies of UK-EU Relations in post-Brexit situations influencing consumer attitudes, spending patterns, purchasing behaviour, consumer confidence, disposable income, and consumption habits.

Second aim of this study is to assess changes in diplomatic strategies in regulations, standards, and compliance in post- Brexit situations between UK and EU affecting political discourse, social cohesion, and identity politics.

Third aim of this research is to represent comparative analysis of diplomatic strategies of UK and EU affected economic factors like GDP, inflation, employment, trade balances, foreign direct investment, trade flows, export and import and tariffs.

Proposed structure

Figure 1: Proposed structure of dissertation

(Source: Created by Author)

Proposed research structure for this research would consist of five standard chapters. First chapter will be introduction chapter providing background and contextual information about diplomatic strategies developed by UK and EU after Brexit to manage political, social and trade activities. Second chapter will be a literature review chapter representing published literature assessing diverse viewpoints on diplomatic strategies of UK and EU for managing its political, social, regulatory and trading activities. Third chapter will be methodology chapter following “Saunders research onion” for developing appropriate tools and techniques for data collection and interpretation process management. Fourth chapter will be data findings and discussion chapter for representing collected secondary data in themes for reliable research findings development. Besides, last chapter will be a conclusion and recommendations chapter illustrating concluding remarks of competitive analysis of diplomatic strategies of UK and EU after Brexit in social, political and trade operation management. This chapter will also include identification of effective strategies for both the UK and EU to improve their relationship for mutual property and growth in the long term.

Ethical issues

Ethical issues associated with collection of secondary data have been assessed as management of validity and reliability approaches for developing credible research findings and conclusions. Secondary data collection faces ethical concerns associated with the nature of information management activities and possibilities to experience harm to individual data subjects (BHBIA, 2020). This has assessed that re-use of secondary data on research variables without providing credit to original authors would increase possibilities related to ethical concern management activities in this research. Other than this, misinterpretation of information from literature would also increase ethical issues related to development of credible research on comparative analysis of diplomatic strategies of UK and EU. This research maintaining appropriate approaches of data