17BSP031 International

Management Analysis
Dr Sun Hye Lee
Research Design
Research Design
Quantitative
techniques;
Questionnaires, descriptive,
Quantitative
experiments, inferential
etc. statistics

Research Overall Suitable data Data collection Interpretation

objectives methodological collection and analysis and conclusion
i.e. questions approach techniques of results

Interviews, Qualitative
Qualitative focus groups, techniques;
etc. Content/
discourse
analysis

Triangulation
if necessary
Source: White & Rayner, 2014
Methodological Fit
The elements of a research project should be consistent.

Source: Edmondson & Mcmanus, 2007

Empirical Research Methodology
I. Quantitative research
II. Qualitative research
III. Mixed methods
Empirical Research Methods
Quantitative research Qualitative research

Objectives To Test Hypotheses To identify patterns

Data Collection Methods - Surveys e.g. postal questionnaire survey, - Interviews (Individuals or groups)
e-mail questionnaire survey (Internet - Observations
polls), telephone survey, etc - Documents/ Archives
Onsite survey
- Documents/ Archives (to be coded and
quantified)
- Interviews (to be coded and quantified)
Data Analysis Methods Mathematical/ Statistical analysis Content analysis, Discourse analysis
Sampling
Sample: typical of the population and unbiased
Sampling
Sampling Methods
- Random (probability) sampling: each member of population has an equal chance of being chosen
1. Simple random sampling
2. Systematic random sampling
3. Stratified random sampling

- Non-random (non-probability) sampling

1. Cluster sampling
2. Quota sampling
3. Purposive sampling
Sampling
Systematic random sampling
Sampling
Stratified random sampling: sampling proportionally from each stratum
- Examples of stratum: gender, age groups, occupations, income levels, etc.

Your population (1,000)

Stratum 2
10%
Stratum 3 Your sample (100)
20%
Stratum 1
20%

Stratum 4
20%

Stratum6
20% Stratum 5
10%
Sampling
Cluster sampling: sampling occurs within a chosen cluster

Your population
Cluster 2

Cluster 3
Your sample
Cluster 1

Cluster 4

Cluster 6
Cluster 5
Sampling
Purposive sampling = Judgmental/ expert sampling
I. Quantitative research
1. Survey
2. Experiment
3. Secondary data
Survey
Formatting your questionnaire

a. Closed question format

Horizontal format:
What do you think of the CEO's performance in his job since he took over the running of this company?
(Please tick the appropriate response)
Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor
5 4 3 2 1

Vertical format:
What do you think of the CEO's performance in his job since he took over the running of this company?
(Please tick the appropriate response)
Very good ___5
Good ___4
Fair ___3
Poor ___2
Very poor ___1
Survey
b. Likert scale format

In the next set of questions, you are presented with a statement. You are being asked to indicate your level of agreement or disagreement
with each statement by indicating whether you: Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), are Undecided (U), Disagree (D), or Strongly Disagree
(SD).

Please indicate your level of agreement by circling the appropriate response.

23. My job is like a hobby to me.

SA A U D SD
24. My job is usually interesting enough to keep me from getting bored.
SA A U D SD
25. It seems that my friends are more interested in their jobs.
SA A U D SD
26. I enjoy my work more than my leisure time.
SA A U D SD
II. Qualitative research
1. Interview
2. Observation
3. Documents and Archives
Interview
Pros and cons of interview as a research tool
Advantages Disadvantages
- Rich source of material - Time-consuming
- Misunderstandings are avoidable - Representativeness of a chosen sample is
- Flexible (re-word, re-order) questionable
- Possibility of bias, lack of reliability and
validity

Types of interviews

- Personal interviews
- Group interviews (focus group, interviewer as a moderator)
- Structured
- Semi-structured
- Unstructured
Interview (cont’d)

Interview preparation
1. Know your subject and see if the interview is the best tool
2. Select the type of interview: individual, group, structured/ unstructured
3. Select potential interviewees
4. Devise interview questions
5. Pilot the final list of questions on a small number of people
6. Think about how to analyse your interview data
Observation

Pros and cons of observation as a research tool

Advantages Disadvantages
- Cheap (no expensive, complex technology) - Time-consuming
- Easier to obtain data than interviews, - Danger of too much involvement
surveys - Personal bias
- First-hand experience allows a better
insights

Types of observation
- Participant observation: researcher involves in the researched situation
- Non-participant observation: researcher remains detached from the situation.
- Indirect observation: researcher uses notices, meeting minutes, letters, correspondence
III. Mixed Methods Research
Rationale for Mixing different methods in a study (Bryman, 2006; Greene et al.,
1989)

1. Triangulation: corroborate quantitative and qualitative data.

2. Complementarity: elaborate, enhance, illustrate, clarify the results from one
methods with the results from another
3. Development: use one methods to help develop the other method
4. Initiation: discover paradox and contradiction
5. Expansion: use different methods for different inquiry component
Writing a Research Proposal
Key components of a research proposal

- Title: provisional working title

- Aims: specific research question(s), reasons why the problem is of importance
- Literature review
- Methodology and Method:
- Quantitative/ Qualitative/ Mixed
- Surveys/ Interview/ Observation
- Sample selection
- Data analysis and interpretation
- Expected use of research findings
- Limitations
Research Proposal Example 1
Title
How ‘Green’ is Business Studies?

Aims
To look at the various subjects taught under the umbrella of business studies, and re-assess them using a ‘green perspective, particularly within the subjects of economics and
marketing.

Relationship to previous work

Broad ideas from economists like Schumacher, Galbraith, etc., from marketeers like Kotler and Saunders, and writers like Porter point to the concept of ‘net national product’
as investigated by the World’s Bank Environment Department.

Methodology
A comparison of government and world statistics. A study of the role of marketing and how it can be ‘green’. Examples of successful companies will be used as a case study.

Plan of work
By December, all research work to be completed, and writing up to be finished by Easter.

Bibliography
Schumacher – all works.
Galbraith – all works.
Porter – all works. Source: White & Rayner, 2014
Research Proposal Example 2
Title
Total Quality Management (TQM) and Personal Motivation; the Work Environment

Aims
To give a through analysis of the problems encountered when trying to motivate people.
1. To give an indication of the ways change can be facilitated.

Relationship to previous work

In a lot of TQM books the technical problems that occur with the implementation of TQM are described very well (e.g. benchmarking, quality circles, etc.). However, the
problems of at least 80 per cent of the companies working towards TQM are social. They encounter a lot of difficulties when trying to motivate their people to accept and
incorporate new philosophies lie TQM in their way of thinking and acting. This motivation is important, because without the full support of every individual involved, TQM will
never yield the success the organization could make out of it.

Methodology
The research will be carried out as follows:
1. An analysis of occurring problems when personnel meet changes in their environment.
2. A survey of the ways personnel are motivated to adapt to changes in their environment.
3. Interviews and questionnaires will be completed with managers and production personnel in several companies introducing TQM.

Plan of work
This dissertation will take four months from January to the end of April. It is proposed to write up the dissertation during April; the data being collected and analysed within the
first three months.
Source: White & Rayner, 2014
Bibliography
Key texts in TQM and motivation will be used.
Research Proposal Example 3
Title
An investigation into the strategic issues adopted by certain major business corporations in order to establish permanent internal consulting services.

Aims
An internal consulting unit within a major business corporation is one which is permanently established to provide professional consulting services to other units within the
same corporation. In recent years there has been an increase in the establishment of internal consulting units. Possibly promoted by recent global business trends more and
more large business corporations are providing their own consultancy services. It is the intention of this dissertation to examine different companies’ approaches to the
implementation of an internal consulting group. Specifically, the dissertation intends to answer the following questions:
Why do major groups establish internal consulting units?
How are they implemented?
What demand is there for the consultancy services once the units are established?
What are the missions, objectives and benefits from the units?
What factors govern their success or otherwise?
How do the big companies evaluate the experiences gained from the establishment of such units?
By answering the above questions, the dissertation hopes to bring available theory and practice together and add to the growing literature in the field.

Relationship to previous work

One of the first publications dealing with internal consulting was by Dekom (1969) where internal management consulting was described as a new management phenomenon.
Over the ears a number of publications (e.g. Gale, 1970; Hoenke, 1970; Bellman, 1972; Allanson, 1985; Kuber, 1996) have developed the understanding of internal consulting.
It has now become a professional, highly qualified and independent service, rather than part of a simple management service. Recent publications focus on the functional,
conceptual and organizational issues of internal consulting. This dissertation will review the literature and the application of internal consulting with big business.
Research Proposal Example 3
Methodology
Both desk research and field research will be carried out. Desk research will focus on examining the literature. Field research will use a case study approach by identifying two or three big
businesses where the role of internal consulting will be examined. At this stage the number of companies has not been identified., but it is hoped in the time available to consider at least two. Each
company will be researched by carrying out interviews with selected staff, and by examining internal documents (e.g. minutes, internal reports, etc.) which are available. During my placement year I
worked for a large pharmaceutical company and I have written permission from the company that I can use them in my dissertation. I intend to use semi-structured interviews as far as possible.

Plan of work

July 2014 Early proposal. Research into the literature.

August – September 2014 Detailed literature search. Proposal finalised.

October – December 2014 Visit to companies. Interviews carried out. Literature search continued. Preliminary data evaluated.

January 2015 Layout of dissertation decided. Haps in literature and data identified.

February 2015 Literature search and data collection completed.

March – April 2015 Data evaluated. First draft of dissertation completed.

May 2015 Final draft agreed with supervisor. Final draft submitted.

Bibliography
Quoted over 20 references, each one set out according to the Harvard system.

Source: White & Rayner, 2014

References
• Edmondson, A. C. & McManus, S. E. 2007. Methodological fit in
management field research, Academy of Management Review, 32(4),
1155–1179.
• White, B. & Rayner, S. 2014. Dissertation skills: For business and
management students. Cengage Learning EMEA.
Q&A