The purpose of this assignment is to develop your skills in critical evaluation of scientific psychological evidence as part of the process of developing scientific arguments. For this assignment you are required to read a set research article and critically evaluate it by answering a series of questions. The critique should focus on the claims that the authors of the articles make about their results and evaluating whether or not those claims are credible, and why. You will be marked on how well you have addressed the questions relating to evaluation of the article.
The assignment should be submitted on the Article Evaluation template which includes a Cover Sheet and marking proforma/feedback sheet, and is available on the course Learnonline page. The assignment must be submitted via Learnonline.
Note that if your submitted assignment file is corrupted you will be required to resubmit your assignment. The date on which a readable file is submitted to Learnonline will be deemed to be the date of submission. If this is after the due date a late penalty of 5% per working day will be applied to the assignment. It is your responsibility to ensure that the assignment file you submit is not corrupted.
Requests for extensions must be submitted prior to the assignment due date. All applications for extension must be made via the Extension request link on the course Learnonline page and include supporting documentation (eg medical certificate, letter from counsellor). Students will be notified (via Learnonline) whether or not the extension has been granted (and the new submission date where appropriate). An assignment handed in after the due date for which an extension has not been granted will lose 5% per working day. Assignments will not normally be accepted once marked assignments have been returned to the class (and if accepted will receive a maximum mark of 50%).
The maximum word limit for this assignment is 600 words (excluding the cover page and questions). Marks will be deducted from papers exceeding this limit based on the percentage by which the limit is exceeded. For example, a 660 word paper is 10% over the limit and would have 10% deducted.
SAMPLE ANSWER
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Assignment Cover Sheet – Internal
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Course code and title:BEHL 2005 Introductory Research Methods
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Assignment number:1
Due date:5pm Friday 19/08/2016
Assignment topic as stated in Course Information Booklet:Article Evaluation
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Question
Type your answers into the boxes below
Mark
1. What was the aim of the study?
(2 marks)
The study evaluates statistics anxiety among the university students. In this study, statistical anxiety refers to the anxiety feelings experienced by students when studying statistics course or performing statistical analyses (gathering of projects data and interpretation of the data). The study highlights the sources/causes of statistical anxiety. The causes evaluated include financial issues, family matters, work, and other socio-cultural factors; and how these challenges impact the university students, especially the non-traditional students, when taking statistics courses at the university.
/2
2. What is the main argument in the introduction? (1 mark)
Is the argument convincing? Why, or why not? (1 mark)
According to this article, approximately 46% of the college students are above 25 years. Bell main argument is that the rates of the old students have increased. The paper also argues that these “mature age” students face various hurdles in their classroom. These challenges are attributed to the unrealistic societal goals, low self image, social familial problems, and in some cases, the excessive practical orientation. The challenges along with poor management of time cause poor academic preparation and increased anxiety. The study hypothesizes that lack of proper time management and self care are the main cause of poor academic achievement, especially in statistics course. The argument is convincing because it is supported by statistical findings from evidence based research.
/2
3. Identify the independent (1 mark) and dependent (1 mark) variables.
The independent variable age of the student, while the dependent variable is the students’ scores generated by Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS).
/2
4. Does this study have a with-groups or a between-groups design? (1 mark)
This is a between-group study. The testing factor is the aspect of statistics anxiety among non-traditional student’s vs younger students (two variable groups) thus the assertion that it is a between-groups study.
/1
5. Is this study a true experiment?
(1 mark)
No
/1
6. State one main result reported in the study.
(1 mark)
State one main claim the researchers make on the basis of this result.
(1 mark)
Is this claim justified by the results? (1 mark)
Could there be an alternative explanation for the result? If yes give one example. (1 mark)
The nontraditional students scored higher on factors that predict anxiety, which indicated more anxiety. The factors investigated includes students perception of statistics, interpretation anxiety, class and test anxiety, fear for seeking help, fear of statistical teachers, and computation self concept. The nontraditional students scored highest in Test and class anxiety factor (p=0.89, t= -1.36). The traditional students scored highest on factor 1- worth / perception on statistics which has been reported at 64th percentile as compared to the 60th percentile.
The researcher claims that as statistical anxiety increases, the final grades gets lower. Therefore, the non-traditional students (scored high statistical anxiety) tend to have lower grades. This probably because they did not get same studying experience as the younger population. Therefore, they will need study harder in order to perform better and score higher.
This claim is not fully justified by the Bell’s findings. This is because it is not certain if the nontraditional students suffer from other challenges other than the six factors evaluated.
Yes, the statistical anxiety is not the only cause of poor performance in nontraditional group. Probably being away from mathematics and classroom for a long period of time. Other additional explanation includes other responsibilities such as work and family responsibilities which leave with them little time to study.
/4
8. Are the results generalisable (from the sample and in space and time)? (1 mark)
Why, or why not?(1 mark)
Although this is a quantitative research, the study sample is not a true representative of the population. Therefore, the findings cannot be used to reflect general population in space and in time. This is because Bell did not consider other variables such as level of students, ethnicity, education background, and gender which could introduce bias due to residual confounding effects.
/2
9. Point out one good thing about the research. (1 mark)
The study points out the challenges experienced by the nontraditional students. This is important as it helps the lecturers as well as the school administration establish interventions that will reduce statistical anxiety. For instance, the school can introduce dashboard where students can discuss or set up conversations that can help them lessen statistical anxiety.
/1
Overall Grade, Percentage
and Comments
/15
References
Bell, J. A. (2003). Statistics anxiety: The nontraditional student. Education,124(1), 157.
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The data collection process is always a fundamental element in empirical research. For this week’s Key Concept Exercise you will shape your research idea within the context of a quantitative research framework, analyse the optimal data collection process that could align to your research idea, explore the strengths and weaknesses of the chosen technique, and finally critically discuss the potential validity and reliability of the data that you plan to collect.
• Read the required Learning Resources which uploaded.
• Return to your chosen research topic-problem (as subsequently amended) and consider a quantitative approach.
• In approximately 550 words, explain how your research ideas could take the shape of a quantitative research project.
• What specific methods would you implement for data collection and analysis?
• What type of data would you need to tackle the research question(s)?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research design?
• Can you recommend ways to maximise the validity and reliability of the data to be collected?
My chosen research topic-problem:
Research Aim: To identify and explore the human resource strategies that influence employee engagement within organisations in Qatar and to develop recommendations on how these human resource strategies can be changed in order to improve employee engagement.
Research Questions:
RQ 1: Which human resource strategies influence employee engagement within organisations in Qatar?
RQ 2: How do these human resource strategies influence employee engagement within organisations in Qatar?
RQ 3: How can these human resource strategies be changed in order to improve employee engagement within organisations in Qatar?
End-Product: Objective: To develop recommendations on how human resource strategies can be changed in order to improve employee engagement within organisations in Qatar.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Data collection methods and analysis
A quantitative research purposes to test the hypotheses that are developed from theory (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill 2012). For that reason, this project will use questions to collect data. Questionnaires are widely used in business studies to gather primary information. In this case, questionnaires will be used to collect relevant information on human resource strategies that influence employee engagement within organisations in Qatar. In particular, self-completed questionnaires will be appropriate and also completed with the participants without the researcher being around. As such, the questionnaires will be sent through email to the respondents after filling they will return them. On the other hand, collection of secondary information will entail analyzing previous data relevant to human resource strategies that influence employee engagement within organisations. In that view, secondary information will be gathered from organization’s files or websites. When it comes to data analysis, the study will use descriptive statistics, correlation and linear regression.
Type of data to address the research questions
This being a quantitative project, the data collected would be descriptive in nature. The data would tackle primary and secondary on human resources strategies used by Oatar firms; and forms of employee engagement
The strengths and weaknesses of Descriptive research design
The appropriate research design in this scenario is descriptive. Some of its strengths and weaknesses are;
Strengths
This research design can collect a lot of data through description while identifying variables as well as hypothetical variables that can in turn be explored using other means. Such description presents a number of benefits since it offers multifaceted techniques for collecting information (Sreejesh, Mohapatra & Anusree, 2013). For instance, questionnaires can presents statistics about human resources strategies and illustrate how to improve employee engagement. Moreover, descriptive research design presents distinct means of gathering information. Case studies may be based on different sources like companies websites.
Weaknesses
Confidentiality; this is a major weakness of descriptive research design, however, in most instances; the respondents may be genuine in providing their views. This is especially during interviews as the respondents may refuse to give correct responses to questions (Collis & Hussey 2013). Another weakness of this research design is objectivity and errors. For instance, during questionnaire development questions are not only prescriptive but also predetermined. Additionally, a study can have errors since the researcher records what he/she wants to hear while ignoring other issues that do not address the research questions.
Ways of minimizing the validity and reliability of the data to be collected
The validity and reliability of data to be gathered will be minimised by ensuring the usability of the questionnaire (Smith 2014). This refers to the level of easiness in administering and interpreting the questionnaire. In addition, validity of data to be gathered will be reduced by not just collecting but also analyzing information to assess the accuracy of the questionnaire. Thus, the research will perform a pilot study, to test the accuracy of questionnaire that would significantly reduce validity of the data (Ross & Onwuegbuzie 2014). Another approach of minimising validity and reliability would be ensuring that questionnaire consistently measures the intended variables.
Bibliography
Collis, J. and Hussey, R., 2013. Business research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Palgrave Macmillan.
Ross, A. & Onwuegbuzie, A.J. 2014, “Complexity of quantitative analyses used in mixed research articles published in a flagship mathematics education journal”, International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 63-73
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. 2012. Research Methods for Business Students, 6th ed. Pearson Learning Solutions.
Smith, T.A. 2014, “TESTING THEORY AND RELATED FACTORS FOR INFLUENCING PROFICIENCY IN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH”, Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 117-128.
Sreejesh, S., Mohapatra, S. and Anusree, M.R., 2014. Business research methods. Springer International Publishing AG.
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Assignment Task:
Choose one firm operating in the energy sector and write a 2,500 word report critically
evaluating their strategic use of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the influence it
has on the strategic direction/objectives/choices of that particular firm.
The report should consider the following aspects:
The challenges and benefits of Corpo
rate Social Responsibility.
The strategic nature of Corporate Social Responsibility in the energy sector and the
way it can help firms achieve their strategic objectives and direction.
The importance of stakeholder management for projects in the energy sector
Appropriate energy related examples.(project samples that chosen oil sector embark upon presently, future or previous CSR projects)
Recommendations on how the chosen energy firm’s strategic use of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be improved.
Please the format of this course work must be as follow:
– Report form
– Abstract
– Introduction
– Table of contents or Figures
-Body of report (it can be in sub-ending as required above in the area of consideration aspects.
– Recommendations
– References
Note: when you are writing please it is very important to mention all stakeholders concern for this particular chosen energy sector and their CSR.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Abstract
The growing relevance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in enhancing business performance calls for firms to be actively involved in activities that promote social, economic and environmental impact in communities that they work in. In the energy sector, CSR is inevitable, given the overall image and perception of the industry; such that organizations must demonstrate their commitment to environmental conservation. This is associated with rewarding benefits including brand strength, enhanced financial performance and good relations with stakeholders. While CSR may have profound impact on organizational performance, it is also important to consider the challenges affecting CSR activities, so as to determine how to address them. In this relation, the relevance of stakeholder management for projects in the energy sector cannot be underestimated as it ensures that an organization meets their expectations when executing CSR activities. This paper is a discussion of the impact of corporate social responsibility in the energy sector; taking into consideration Phillips 66, a Houston-based company as a case study for effective CSR.
Introduction
The relevance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for contemporary organizations is inevitable, given the value it brings to an organization’s portfolio. Corporate social responsibility has been considered a compulsory undertaking for all organizations that seek to flourish in the competitive business world (Marín, Rubio & Maya, 2012). Conclusive researches have concluded that major stakeholders including customers, suppliers and investors are more likely to associate and work with companies that practice CSR, as opposed to companies with no CSR undertakings. Corporate social responsibility not only improves an organization’s image but it also impacts on a company’s profitability and ensures a streamlined relationship with local communities (Ogrean & Herciu, 2014). In the oil sector, where a majority of activities are considered social and environmental risks, CSR is particularly important as it demonstrates an organization’s commitment towards minimizing potential harm resulting from its activities.
Phillips 66 has maintained steady performance in corporate social responsibility and is considered among the top-performing companies in the energy sector, based on corporate social responsibility. The company’s consistent use of corporate social responsibility has ensured that it remains highly relevant in the communities it operates and also raised its reputation to a significant extent. Phillip 66’s social responsibility is categorized into four facets including the environment, the community, safety and occupational health and sustainable development.
This paper is a discussion of the Phillip 66 in the context of corporate social responsibility. It explores how the company’s strategic use of corporate social responsibility and how it influences its strategic direction. This paper also examines the strategic nature of CSR in the energy sector and the importance of stakeholder management for projects in the energy sector. In addition, it provides recommendations for Phillips 66 on how its strategic use of CSR can be enhanced.
Headquartered in Houston Texas, the American multinational energy company, Phillips 66’s history can be traced back to 1875. The company’s major milestone was the formation of Conoco Phillips, out of a merger between Phillips Petroleum Company and Conoco in 2002. In 2012, ConocoPhillips formed two stand-alone companies in their bid to reposition, thus forming Phillips 66. Phillips 66 operates in the energy sector, as a diversified manufacturing and logistics firm. Its major businesses include refining, chemicals, marketing, transport of fuels and products. The company was listed on Fortune 500 as number 7 in 2015 and employs approximately 14,000 employees globally. As of 30th June 2016, Phillips 66 was worth $50 billion in terms of assets.
Phillips corporate social responsibility and its influence on its strategic direction
Phillips 66 strives to be an industry leader in corporate responsibility and has put in place mechanisms designed to ensure that the company is socially responsible to its stakeholders. The organization’s corporate social responsibility can be classified into four major categories as follows.
Operational corporate responsibility
Phillips 66 seeks to maintain exceptional operation excellence by promoting safety and reliability. Accordingly, process safety and personal safety are safeguarded to ensure that its employees are protected from injury while at work and that its operations do not impact negatively on the communities in which the company operates. The company’s main goal is to lead the industry as the safest company by attaining zero injuries target and reducing its environmental footprint.
Economic responsibility
Phillips 66 seeks to maintain the highest standards of governance and business ethics. Through its policies and practices, including a code of ethics, the company ensures that it fosters ethical conduct and that of its employees. Phillips 66 is also committed towards enhancing health and safety within the organization and the community. In addition, the company regularly supports civic and political undertakings aimed at improving community performance.
Social responsibility
Phillips 66 invests significantly in the communities in which it operates in, besides ensuring that its workplaces are healthy, safe and inclusive. The company is mainly active in environmental sustainability, education and literacy, safety and preparedness and often provides grants to promote these acts of philanthropy. Phillips 66 aims at improving community resilience through education. In doing so, the company supports STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, K-12 educational programs and other programs that promote business, civic and financial literacy and understanding of the energy industry. The company also strives to collaborate with higher learning institutions in which they recruit in business and engineering.
With regard to the environment and sustainability, Phillips 66 is highly committed towards wildlife conservation and environmental education. The company participates in various wildlife and nature conservation projects. At the Humber Refinery for example, the company has created Mayflower Wood, a 120-acre woodland that consists of native shrubs and trees. Through staff volunteers, Mayflower Wood now consists of nature trails, picnic areas, walkway for the local community and educational sign boards. In terms of safety and preparedness, Phillips is actively involved in promoting safety and preparedness in communities they operate in. Phillips 66 works with government agencies such as police, fire departments, emergency management agencies and the American Red Cross to determine community needs in terms of safety and preparedness. It then offers donations to facilitate the required developments, such as, purchasing ambulances, providing technology for disaster preparedness and supporting relief efforts. The company’s employees are also actively involved as volunteers during disasters and in training communities on preparedness.
Phillips 66 values its transparency and accountability and therefore seeks to maintain positive relations with the community. The company has community advisory panels in almost all their refineries to promote effective relationships with the local community. The goal is to ensure mutual respect and create trust through engaging the local community in the refineries’ activities.
Environmental responsibility
Phillips 66 is committed to protecting the environment through the preservation of resources and effective energy use. Phillips 66 invests highly in technology and research to develop innovative products that reduce harm to the environment and also partners with organizations and donates towards environmental conservation efforts.
Impact of CSR on strategic direction
Phillips 66 corporate social responsibility has earned the organization a worthwhile reputation and can be singled out as one of the factors influencing its success. The company enjoys fruitful relations with the community and has received various awards for its CSR efforts. Examples include the unit gold awards for Occupational Health and Safety awarded to the United Kingdom business, the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency Award to five terminals OSHA Voluntary protection recognition for most of its facilities (Phillips 66 website).
The motivation to promote environmental sustainability has led to the development of a vibrant technology and research arm in the company. The company owns a Technology Center that sits on 440 acres and has 44 buildings, one of the best in the industry (Phillips 66 website). It can therefore be established that the company’s CSR activities have created a strategic niche in research, which Philips 66 can consider a great strength.
Challenges and benefits of corporate social responsibility
As a company that is highly devoted to giving back to the community, Phillips 66 has gained immensely from corporate social responsibility. However, it has also experienced a considerable level of challenges as discussed below.
Benefits of CSR
Corporate social responsibility has been linked to increased financial performance (Daszynska-Zygadlo, K, Slonski, T, & Zawadzki, 2016). This can be explained by the enhanced reputation that results when a company engages in corporate social responsibility. A good reputation tends to attract customers and reduces organizational-community friction; thus promoting financial performance. In addition, corporate social responsibility is considered a strategic approach in enhancing customer loyalty. According to Chernev & Blair (2015), a company’s engagement in CSR can alter customers’ perception of its products, thus improving its bottom-line. According to Phillips 66 website, their corporate social responsibility activities have created a competitive niche for the company. This could be explained by the trust relationship that the company enjoys with the communities in which it works, which in turn improves customer loyalty and supplier confidence.
Corporate social responsibility has a significant impact on the brand strength. Esmaeilpour & Barjoei (2016), note that CSR plays an impactful role in building a company’s brand and corporate image. This is because CSR differentiates a company and creates positive reputation among stakeholders, thus improving the image of the organization. Phillips 66 enjoys a good reputation and considerable brand strength. The company was ranked 7th on Fortune 500 and 19th on Fortune Global 500 in 2015. Phillips 66’s brand strength can also be linked to its exceptional financial performance.
Corporate social responsibility is an opportunity for organizations to differentiate themselves and develop a competitive edge. Organizations that engage in CSR are considered more responsible and accountable, and consequently more reliable (Chernev & Blair, 2015). This is what Phillips 66 aims at achieving, through engaging in activities that benefit the community. In a world where CSR is considered a good gesture, companies that practice CSR are more likely to be viewed more positively by customers, thus creating a competitive edge.
Challenges of CSR
The major challenge of CSR is the high level expenditure that companies incur in implementing various activities. This takes a significant proportion of a company’s profits and could therefore impact its financial position to a great extent (Daszynska-Zygadlo, Slonski & Zawadzki, 2016). Between 2012 and 2015, the Phillips 66 invested $71 million in donations to charities and over $5.4 billion in refining environmental projects. This represents a considerable proportion of the firm’s income, which in turn reduces its profitability.
CSR is a continuous responsibility that a company must sustain in order to maintain ethical behavior. Once a company embarks on CSR activities, it is naturally expected that it will keep up with the trend of improving the livelihoods of the local community and its employees. Phillips 66 has maintained its CSR trend over the years and withdrawing its support to the community would be interpreted as though the company is no longer interested in improving the welfare of the community.
Corporate social responsibility is often challenged by the negative perceptions associated with CSR. According to Chernev & Blair (2015), the perception that organizations that engage in CSR are motivated by self-interests and not moral undertone or the willingness to impact the society, brings about trust issues. In other instances, CSR is only seen as a means of meeting societal expectations or legal requirements. Morsing and Roepstorff (2015) also note that CSR is increasingly being considered a political activity; as organizations using CSR as a means to fulfil political duties. Currently, Phillips 66 funds political activities that are considered important for community development. However, these may be misinterpreted, leading to questions on whether Phillips 66 is just interested in creating political influence.
While CSR is associated with higher customer loyalty, Habel et al (2016) notes that the CSR’s ambivalent effect tends to affect customer perception on a company’s price fairness. According to Habel et al, the customers may suspect that a company has increased its markup for products in order to cover costs incurred in CSR. As a company that operates in the energy sector, Phillips 66 is prone to such accusations. Customers believe that energy prices are influenced by the level of expenditure incurred by companies, including CSR costs.
Strategic nature of CSR in the energy sector
The energy sector is considered a sensitive industry due to the nature of its activities, which are mostly associated with environmental degradation. There have been numerous instances of oil spills, dangerous waste disposal and release of poisonous fumes from the production of petroleum products; all which have raised concern over how responsible energy companies are towards the environment and the communities they work in. Accordingly, there is increasing pressure for organizations in the energy sector to be more socially responsible by enhancing safety, promoting proper waste disposal and reducing their carbon footprint (Marín, Rubi & Maya, 2012). Phillips 66 has invested significantly on environmental conservation and clean energy, which explains why the firm has had limited scandals, unlike others in the sector.
Given the strategic nature of CSR for energy firms, it is imperative that such firms focus on engaging in activities that promote social responsibility. Iberdrola (2016) suggests that firms in the energy sector should focus on climate change as a strategic area to consider when conducting CSR. In this regard, sustainability is of great significance as it indicates an organization’s commitment to environmental conservation. According to Iberdrola (2016), firms need to pursue practices that address environmental and social concerns as these are the most notable areas of concern. In the case of Iberdrola, the company aims at promoting sustainability through its commitment to creating renewable sources energy. As a result, the company has grown tremendously in the global arena and is currently leading among private suppliers of wind energy in Mexico and a major producer in USA, UK and Brazil (Iberdrola, 2016). Similarly, Phillips 66 has strategically chosen environmental sustainability as its main focus for CSR. The company’s goal is to provide environmentally friendly energy, which to a great extent demonstrates the firm’s commitment to community welfare, economic and social development.
Importance of stakeholder management for projects in the energy sector
Stakeholders play an imperative role in influencing the success of projects. Accordingly, firms in the energy sector must devise stakeholder management plans, aimed at ensuring that the needs and concerns of all stakeholders are taken into consideration during project execution. Stakeholder management should be given priority for energy sector projects based on the following rationale.
The first goal is to identify the potential stakeholders and consequently determine their level of interest and extent of influence each stakeholder has on the project. This includes determining what influences the view of stakeholders on the project (O’Riordan & Zmuda, 2015). Such information is of great significance because it helps in shaping the firm’s strategy and direction. Phillips 66 is currently battling a court battle over its plans for propane and butane recovery, where the plan was to transport crude oil through rail (Sunflower Alliance, 2016). This has faced considerable resistance from the community, environmental organizations and other parties, over its expected impact on the environment through increased harmful gas emission, rail explosion hazards. This shows the extent to which a company must make considerations on stakeholders’ project perceptions before its execution. When a firm is aware of the stakeholders’ interests and influence, it is possible to develop strategies that address the needs of the stakeholders and avoid any instances where there conflicts of interest arise. Further, it is possible to determine whether the expectations are manageable. Pryke & Smyth (2012) notes that depending on the interest, influence and expectations, different stakeholders need to be managed differently. This is an indication that the Phillips 66 situation with the rail project may have been handled better to manage stakeholders.
Stakeholder management promotes stakeholder engagement and provides an opportunity for the firm to influence stakeholders. Stakeholder management guides the firm on how to engage stakeholders in order to determine ways in which they can participate or contribute to the project (Pryke & Smyth, 2012). Additionally, it provides guidelines on how to influence stakeholders towards supporting the firm’s project. Effective identification of stakeholders connected with the project plays a key role in determining who will be responsible for engaging each stakeholder, depending on their influence on the project.
Stakeholder management ensures that there is reliable communication, such that the firm information can be easily relayed between the firm and its stakeholders. A communication management plan ensures that stakeholders can share their concerns with the firm and thus reduces chances of friction and possible unrest. Phillips 66 does this by ensuring that for every plant, there is a community advisory panel, which promotes communication between the company and the community. The panel also ensures that community concerns regarding the company’s activities are documented and presented to the applicable authorities within the company.
Recommendations
Phillips 66 must focus more on tumbling its carbon footprint, given that this is a major environmental concern. O’Riordan & Zmuda (2015) note that the most sustainable organizations in the sector are those that work towards environmental conservation. While Phillips 66 is already investing a considerable amount on such efforts, this should be further elevated to create a considerable impact.
The rail project resistance is an indication that Phillips 66 needs to revise its stakeholder management approach. While the project was approved by the authorities, it is clear that this did not appeal to the community; an indication that Phillips 66 should have engaged stakeholders on their plans and thus ensure that they developed a sustainable decision regarding the project. Such a project could cost the company considerably, financially and in terms of reputation, hence the need to engage stakeholders in future projects (Prykev& Smyth, 2012).
The CSR ambivalent effect presents a challenge for organizations that engage in CSR, given that customers may be suspicious of a company’s pricing. In order to resolve this, Habel, et al (2016) suggest that a company must utilize various communication strategies to ensure that CSR engagement does not impact negatively on the perception on price fairness. An example is communicating the CSR budget sources, which should ideally either come from cost reduction strategies or proportion of the profit earned.
Phillips should work towards ISO 26000 certification in order to enhance its position as a socially responsible corporate. The ISO 26000 certification recognizes a company’s efforts in corporate social responsibility and provides a guide to assess and execute CSR activities relevant for the company. This will result in increased recognition of the company’s conservation efforts.
Iberdrola 2016, A World Finance report: Corporate social responsibility in the energy sector, Retrieved from reports.worldfinance.com/corporate-social-responsibility-in-the-energy-sector/Marín, L, Rubio, A, & Maya, S 2012, ‘Competitiveness as a Strategic Outcome of Corporate
Please follow these instructions as they are very important for this chapter:
1.You should begin the Research Methodology chapter by stating, again, the research objectives of the project. This will enable the reader to make an assessment as to the validity of your chosen research methodology.
2.This chapter is that part of the dissertation where you have the opportunity to justify to the reader the process by which the research questions, which were derived by an analysis of the relevant literature, were answered.
3.It is not sufficient to say, for example, “suitable respondents were sampled using a quota sampling technique and then surveyed using a postal questionnaire” and then leave it at that.
4.It might well be the case that, given the problem(s) to be investigated, such a choice of research methods is entirely appropriate. However, if you have not taken the opportunity to justify your research choices to a reader they could be correct in assuming that you have, by chance, merely guessed at what would work and, more by luck than judgement, arrived at the ‘correct’ solution to the problem.
5.The term ‘methodology’, particularly when employed in the social sciences, does not just mean method, but also the governing philosophy behind the methods employed
6.The chapter on research methodology must, painstakingly argue for, and justify each, decision that is taken when arriving at the way in which the research is to be organized.
7.Every time that you, the researcher, have to make a choice from a number of options, you must state what each of these are, why you made the choice you did, and why you rejected those not used.
8.The conclusion of this chapter should provide a summary of the main points that have been covered. The conclusion should also direct the reader as to how the contents of this chapter link in with the contents of the next chapter, your findings.
9.All References must be in Harvard Style.
10.The survey data for The internal and external factors that affect the performance of employees in oil and gas companies within developing states such as Qatar following oil price drops in 2015!
THE INTERNAL AND THE EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF EMPLOYEES IN OIL AND GAS COMPANIES IN STATE OF QATAR AFTER THE 2015 OIL PRICE DROP
Research philosophies have been applied in most of the studies as guides to achieving the research objectives. According to Lewis and Thornhill (2009), there are two main research philosophies commonly applied by mainstream researchers. These two main philosophies include the positivist and interpretivist philosophy (Lewis and Thornhill, 2009). Idyllically, the popular research philosophies have been attributed to the noble work of Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009). Throughout the tenacity of research studies, researchers have constantly applied the two philosophies. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009), the two main (positivism and Interpretivism philosophies) have remained applicable in most of the research studies in most of the studies subject to their significance in guiding the research studies. However, there are varied opinions on the relevance of specific philosophies in various studies. To determine the applicability and the validity of a philosophy, the researchers must ascertain the relevance of the philosophy being applied. As such, research philosophy has remained a commonplace for guided research studies.
The nobility of a study demands on the philosophy adopted by researchers. Nevertheless, researchers maintain that the best choice of philosophy must often conform to the objectives of the study. For instance, the philosophy must be a guide towards achieving the aims of the study. Therefore, researchers must understand the outlook of the research before they can choose the type of philosophy to be applied. The outlook of the research determines the objectives that the study seeks to find. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009) the research outlook is the general design of the research study that determines how the study is conducted and concluded. The research outlook is however blended by the philosophical approaches. As such, Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009) maintain that every research study must be based on a particular research philosophy.
The research philosophies are known to have very distinctive variations that make them applicable in specific studies. Every research study has a distinctive outlook. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the researchers to determine the applicability of the philosophies to a given study. For example, Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009) acknowledge that while applying the interpretivist philosophy, researchers often ignore the normalities as well as the rules of the research environment arguing that the changes that are experienced in such environment are often unforeseeable and, therefore, force individuals to ignore the norms and the rules of the business environment. On the other side, Wang (2000) reiterate that individuals with their distinct views are able to propose relevant ideas and arguments.
On the contrary, Hill (2003) reiterates that the positivist philosophy recognises, follows and upholds the rules and norms of the business environment. This means that every researcher applying the positivist approach must rely on the background environments of the businesses. In this philosophy, the researchers must, therefore, be able to apply the scientific methods that help in the determining the nature of the business environments. As such, it is arguable that the philosophy states the standards as well as the rules that future researchers will rely on in their future studies. Interpretivism has blended the research studies in very many instances. Taylor (2005) argues that this philosophy has unveiled uncountable advantages to researchers.
Scientific studies are often complex in nature and require extensive comparison. In this sense, researchers normally employ interpretivist approach. In this research study, interpretivist philosophy has been applied with the view of determining both the external and internal factors affecting the performance of employees in the Qatari state O+G company. Ideally, it sets the rules upon which the researchers lay out their studies. In this research study, the researchers has, therefore, chosen the interpretivist research philosophy over the positivist philosophy. Since the study sought to consider the rules, guidelines as well as the standards that control the business environments in most of the common organisations, this approach has helped in determining how the various internal and external factors affect the employee affect the productivity of employees in oil and gas companies in state of Qatar after the 2015 oil drop (Tsai & Wang, 2013).
It is significant for the researchers to study how factors such as the compensation structure, job security and workforce autonomy affect employees’ productivity across Qatar states. On the other hand, this study will apply the available statistical analysis tools to find the results of the entire study. As such, the study’s primary data collection will be the principal method of obtaining data in this study. In addition to this, the participants in this study will be expected to provide information on the impacts of employee jobs security, workforce autonomy and compensation structures on the productivity of employees working in the a state in Qatar. While taking note on the interpretivist approach in this study, the study will also be built through the review of existing literature studies. This means that the researcher will obtain the relevant information related to the study and use the information to help in answering the study questions. The literature review and the findings from the existing literature will help in the testing of the study variables. The study analysis will then be done based on other methods for statistical analysis such as Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) as well as the Microsoft Excel.
3.2.Questionnaire
3.2.1. Advantages of Questionnaire
In this study, the questionnaire has been used as a primary source of data. To obtain data from the participants in this study, the questionnaire had been considered as the most appropriate data collection tool. One of the significance of using the questionnaire is because it will ensure collection of data independently. As such, the data collected by questionnaire will be specific to various participants. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009), questionnaires are very critical tools that can be used in collecting systematic data from a larger sample of many participants. In many instances, the data from questionnaires can be used in determining the actual responses of the participants without the interference of the other external individuals. Although the questionnaires also have certain limitations, Appleton, Song and Xia (2014) acknowledge the application of the questionnaires in most of the research studies initiate effective and accurate collection of data. In such cases, the participants are protected and are able to answer the questionnaire questions without fear or interference.
In this manner, Punch (2013) appraises the application of questionnaires stating that they are time-saving, cheaper compared to the other conventional data collection methods and able to be used with the larger samples. In studies where questionnaires are used, the validity of the findings has always remained high. Taylor (2005), notes that the responses given by most of the participants in questionnaires are personal sentiments. Questionnaires often give individuals room for self-expression thus, increasing the levels of valid responses. The questionnaire usage in both data collection and analysis has been appraised by many researchers. For example, Taylor (2005) acknowledged that the use of Bruton et al. (2015) makes it easier to analyse and collected data. The questionnaire helps in the collection of systematic data. This means that the systematic data can be easier to analyse compared to the non-systematic data.
Conversely, Punch (2013) notes that the use of questionnaire allows both statistical and descriptive data analysis unlike the other forms of data collection that restrict analysis and presentation. Based on the nature of the study, the quantitative techniques that will be used in the collection of data will lead to statistical data analysis (Taylor, 2005). Since the study will also have its qualitative components, the application of the questionnaire will be appropriate in doing a qualitative analysis.
3.2.2. Scale Design
According to Taylor, G. (2005) employee performance is affected by a number of factors. Some of these factors are intrinsic while some of them are extrinsic. Of the extrinsic factors, Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009) note that compensatory structure, the workforce autonomy and the employee job security remains principal factors affecting the employee productivity. In this manner, Fan, Wong and Zhang (2013) note that it is important to study the relationship between the employee performance and these factors. The scale to be designed in this study aims at identifying the measures that can be used in determining the effects of job autonomy, employee job security as well as the employee compensation in the Chinese SOEs (Bruton et al. 2015). In order to measure the effects of the stated factors on employee performance, the researcher will ensure that he/she uses the scale to ascertain the relationships between the factors and the levels of performance.
This study is to find how the three factors (job autonomy, job security and employee compensation structures) affect the levels of employee performance in Qatari oil and gas companies. This being the main focus, the researcher has to compare the views from various participants. The responses were significant in determining the levels of employee performance in Qatari O+G companies. Therefore, the scale design will remain critical in ensuring that the relationship between the factors and the performance is confirmed. The variables of the study will, therefore, be included and discussed in the following tables.
Measure scale of Compensation
N
Item Description
Salary
1
The salary given to the workers is often adequate and reasonable to all the workers
2
The salary is inadequate and insufficient to most workers
3
The salary is equivalent to the work done by the workers
4
Workers appreciate the salary that they receive from the managers
5
Workers always complain about the salary that they get from the managers
Pension
6
All the workers regardless of their performance are entitled to pension and salary.
7
Only hardworking employees are rewarded, salaried and entitled to a pension.
8
Workers work hard because they know that they are pensioned
9
Workers work hard because they know they do not have a pension.
Measure Scale for Job Security
N
Item Description
Restrictions
1
The job restriction disallows freedom off-duty
2
The job allows freedom and one may choose to be on duty or not
3
The work is monitored frequently and keenly and offenders are retrenched
Pension
4
Workers job is secure and safe making people free to do what they want.
5
All workers are entitled to pension
Measure Scale for Workforce Autonomy
N
Item Description
Work
1
Workers choose what they want to do without consulting the management
2
Workers must always work under the instruction and supervision by the management
3
Workers have the freedom to work together with the management of the organisations.
Support
4
At work, there is support given to the workers by the management in order to ensure guidance.
5
Workers work alone without the interference of the management.
Accuracy
6
The workers are usually accurate in doing things by themselves without the support of the management.
7
Workers often error when not supported by the management
Guidance
8
Workforce receives guidance from the managers frequently
9
The workforce guide themselves without the intervention of the managers
3.3.Questionnaire Design
At the end of the study, the completed questionnaires used in this study were appended as proof of the results. The questionnaires had the specific components and parts as stated in the section below.
The first part of the questionnaire had the identity details of the participants as well as the purpose of the questionnaire. The participants identified themselves with specific codes in order to ensure that there is anonymity during the study. In this manner, this section also contained the factors that were to be studied during this research. For example, the section identified factors such as employee job autonomy, compensation structure and the job security. The participants (individual workers from the Qatari O+G companies) derived the understanding of the factors to be studied from this section. In the first part, the participants identified the factors that they are aware of among the three identified factors. The participants were then being asked in this section to explain whether they enjoyed these factors or not. This was used as a confirmation that the participants were aware of the factors that affect their performance.
This first section is significant because it confirms whether the participants are aware of the factors that affect their performance. In this manner, the scale was designed in a manner that identified the degree of knowledge to confirm the level of knowledge. This means that the questionnaire assessed whether the factors (job security, compensation and job autonomy) affect their work.
The second part of the questionnaire is on the body of the questionnaire. This is where the researcher assigned responses which constituted a scale 4-pont Likert scale (1-agree, 2-disagree, 3-not sure, 4-I don’t know) for assessing the level of knowledge on the factors affecting the employees’ level of productivity. In the fourth sections, the researcher identified the details of the participants such as the demographics such as name, age, ethnicity, educational level, and frequency of purchasing as well as the levels of income.
3.4.Sampling, Data Collection & Analysis
The main aim of the study is to determine the factors affecting employees’ performance in the Qatari oil and gas employees. The interest therefore remains focused on the performance of the Qatari employees. In this study, there are many correlational factors that was included; however, the researchers use the three factors (job security, workforce autonomy and employee compensation structure) to determine how they affect the workforce productivity. Given there is a difference between the employee performances in Qatar O+G companies explained by extant literature, the study concentrated on the abovementioned factors. Since the study sought to find out the effects of these factors on the Qatari O+G employees, the employees in the Qatari state company were targeted. Although, Brandt, Van Biesebroeck and Zhang (2012) there are many Qatari companies that are eligible for the study, this study applied a concise sampling criterion in finding the best individuals to identify those who took part in this particular study. In order to be able to sample the best individuals for the study, there were factors that the researcher considered important.
One of the most important factors was the budget size for the study and its economic impacts to the researcher. Ideally, the high budget forced the researcher to restrict the sample to a given number of participants. In this manner, the researcher had to come up with another method of selecting the participants who met the specific eligibility factors. Time constraint was also a critical consideration that the researcher had to consider. Since there are many companies, the time that was needed was a lot (Tsai & Wang, 2013). In order to battle the time constraint, the researcher applied non-probability sampling. This is where participants with specific features were selected for the study. In this sense, non-probability sampling was the best method as it gave the research a mature sample for the study.
Additionally, non-probability sampling also improved the convenience during sampling. This means that the participants selected were individuals who were carefully selected. Since the sample was made of Qatari workers, Fan, Wong and Zhang (2013) posit that such sampling ensured that those included in the study were available and easily accessible. This helped in sampling individuals who ensured that the aims of the study were achieved.
On the contrary, non-probability sampling may also cause biases during sampling of the participants. Since there was the need in attaining convenience, this method of sampling was chosen for the study. Only qualified individuals were included in this research study. Some of the requirements during sampling required participants aged above 18 years, had to be workers in some of the renowned Qatari oil and gas companies and had to have willingness to take part in the study till the end.
Based on the requirements, the researcher recruited 100 participants only. This means that the researcher had to reproduce 105 questionnaires to be used among the participants. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009) the excess questionnaires help in ensuring accuracy in the distribution of the questionnaires. This limited the errors that might have arose during the study. The excess number also ensured that the questionnaires attained the validity rate. As such, the questionnaires distributed were statistically significant after the study. Larger samples require larger inputs in order to be able to come up with accurate results. This means that researchers dealing with larger samples must be able to spend larger amounts of money, resources, time and energy in conducting the studies.
Dealing with a large population of samples in various studies has remained one of the challenges for most researchers. However, the researchers may have all the money and resources needed in conducting surveys with such large samples, but the problem is that such studies may not yield accurate results. In this sense, it advisable to choose an easily manageable samples that are easier to work with. This is why this study ensured that the participants selected for the study were only 100 workers (Du, Tang & Young, 2012). In as much as this study sample is also large, it is thought to be a sizeable population that the researcher will be able to manage without limitations. Tsai and Wang (2013) say that there are a number of advantages in working with smaller populations. Ideally, the smaller populations reduce the time taken in conducting the study. A smaller sample is easier to manage as compared to the larger populations.
According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009), larger populations tend to be tiresome when assessing. This means that the researchers may overlook some of the important procedures that are necessary for the processes of the study. While Cheng and Liu (2014) appraise larger population for the validity and generalisability of the findings from larger populations, Taylor (2005) negates the idea by saying that larger population lead to dilution of the results. In this case, the researcher in this study settled for a manageable and affordable population of participants.
This study was useful in very many ways. According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009), such studies can be applied in very many situations where similar problems are experienced. Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009), postulate that there are many problems that are only revealed through research studies. Ideally, findings from this study can be used in understanding the major cases of the problems that affect Qatari oil and gas company employees. In trying to find some of the challenges that the workers face in Qatar, the findings will be used across Qatar. This means that Qatar as a whole will be represented in the study. This, therefore, calls for concise analysis and interpretation of the findings. In order to be certain of the findings of the study, the researcher had to, conduct proper research that identified all the factors that affect the oil and gas company workers.
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009) agreed that primary data collection help researchers in understanding a number of aspects in the research studies. This data was the ultimate confirmation that the cited problems are actually present. The data will be relevant in making viable decisions concerning the performance of the employees in similar companies. The primary data will also make it easier for the researcher to confirm the claims in the literature materials. As such, the primary data will be used together with the secondary data in order to come up with conclusive reports on how compensation, job security and workforce autonomy affects the performance and productivity of the employees.
The final data from this study will be usable in various oil and gas companies within and outside Qatar. This study will, therefore, help in determining how the performance of the employees working in the oil and gas companies can be improved. Ideally, the information obtained from this study will be relevant in developing standards upon which the O+G companies can use to increase the levels of performance. Based on the study, there are a number of O+G companies that face challenges of productivity. In this sense, it is imperative to incorporate the information from this study in an attempt of improving the performances of the employees in the company (Du, Tang and Young, 2012). Therefore, the concise analysis will ensure the use of Microsoft Excel and SPSS. In addition, the correlation between compensation, job security as well as workforce autonomy and the level of productivity will be analysed.
3.5.Ethical Considerations
The participants’ voluntarism is one of the major issues that are considered as a challenge in the study. The participants must be aware of the requirements of the study. In this manner, the study only considered only individuals volunteers who were included in this study. Ideally, this study considered participant anonymity, therefore; the application of the questionnaire made it possible to conceal the identity of the participants. However, all the participants had to be eligible for the study before they were included. This means that individuals who did not meet the criteria were excluded from the study.
References
Appleton, S., Song, L., & Xia, Q. (2014) “Understanding urban wage inequality in China 1988–2008: Evidence from quantile analysis”, World Development, 62, 1-13.
Brandt, L., Van Biesebroeck, J., & Zhang, Y. (2012) “Creative accounting or creative destruction? Firm-level productivity growth in Chinese manufacturing”, Journal of Development Economics, 97(2), 339-351.
Bruton, G. D., Peng, M. W., Ahlstrom, D., Stan, C., & Xu, K. (2015) “State-owned enterprises around the world as hybrid organizations”, The Academy of Management Perspectives, 29(1), 92-114.
Cheng, S., & Liu, J. (2014) “China’s R&D Production Efficiency and Impact Factors” Transnational Corporations Review, 6(4), 362-378.
Du, F., Tang, G., & Young, S. M. (2012) “Influence activities and favoritism in subjective performance evaluation: Evidence from Chinese state-owned enterprises” The Accounting Review, 87(5), 1555-1588.
Fan, J. P., Wong, T. J., & Zhang, T. (2013) “Institutions and organizational structure: The case of state-owned corporate pyramids”, Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 29(6), 1217-1252.
Hill, C. (2003) International business. Boston, Mass.: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Punch, K. (2013) Introduction to social research: Qualitative and Quantitative approaches. London: SAGE Publications.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2009) Research methods for business students. Harlow, England: Prentice Hall.
Taylor, G. (2005) Integrating Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Research. New York: University Press of America.
Tsai, C. J., & Wang, W. L. (2013) “Exploring the factors associated with employees’ perceived appraisal accuracy: a study of Chinese state-owned enterprises”, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(11), 2197-2220.
Similarities and Differences of Various Research Methodologies
Similarities and Differences of Various Research Methodologies and Methods and their Potential use in different contexts
Order Instructions:
Choosing the appropriate methodology
In examining the fundamental characteristics of the different epistemological trends and methodological approaches used in management, you should consider the links with the wider objectives of a specific research topic and how answers (or solutions to particular problems) could be provided within given management research contexts.
• Examining similarities and differences in your evaluations of different research methodologies and methods and their potential use in different contexts
• Debating the need for clear alignment between the research topic, question, and methodology/method, and what this looks like in practice
SAMPLE ANSWER
Similarities and Differences of Various Research Methodologies and Methods and their Potential use in different contexts
Surveys, case study and experimental methodologies are used in gathering data in various contexts. For instance, while survey entails collecting information on a given variable from a population sample, the experimental method is purely scientific; as such a factor being investigated is isolated to help in testing the hypothesis. On the other hand, a case study is used to investigate a phenomenon through various techniques to get detailed information (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill 2012). This is due to the fact that, it permits the researcher to identify a phenomenon and comparing various cases.
Both surveys and experimental methodologies are associated with positivism. However, Collins & Hussey, (2013) suggests that an experimental methodology shows casual connections between variables. An experimental methodology, for example, can used to examine how exercise-independent variable affects the students’ performance-dependent variable (Weber 2004). Unlike the experimental method, the survey method can be used to gather secondary and primary information from a given sample and use the findings to generalize a population (Venable 2011). This is contrary to the case study methodology that does not necessarily generalize the whole population. While experimental and survey methods are associated with positivism, a case study methodology is related to positivism as well as interpretivists. Like a survey, the case study method uses questionnaires, interviews and observations to collect primary information (García-Unanue, Felipe & Gallardo 2014). It also collects secondary data from company databases while the analysis can be qualitative, quantitative or mixed method. In the experimental method, data is gathered by reading various experiments.
Much as the case study and experimental methods focus on a relatively small sample, the survey technique uses a large sample to study a give problem (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill 2012). However, with a large sample size, the rate of response is usually low, particularly when the survey is performed using questionnaires. The survey and case-study methodologies are effective when a study is descriptive in nature. Conversely, the experimental approach is appropriate for experimental research (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill 2012). In comparison to experimental techniques, the survey and case study methods are time consuming.
The need for clear alignment between the research topic, question, and methodology/method, and what this looks like in practice
Clear alignment in research is important because it helps the research remain focused on achieving research objectives. In any given study, clear alignment starts with identifying a research topic, research questions and methodology (Oyegoke 2011). The research topic and research questions act as basis of the research project. Using a subject matter that is directly associated with these aspects of research distracts a researcher from focusing on the issue that in not being studied. Research questions direct the main inquiry of research project. That is the objective of the study should address the research questions.
Clear alignment of research questions with the issue under investigation, helps a researcher to concentrate on topic with clarity (Collis & Hussey 2013). When the methodology aligns with research questions, there is a direct to the issue being explored. Moreover, it also breaks down the study into a narrowed research topic easy for exploration. In reality, aligning, the topic, research question and methodology makes a study not just clear but also straight forward (Weber 2004).Understanding this important aspect is necessary is preventing needless effort, redundancy and going off topic. Generally, aligning these important elements minimizes challenges associated with writing a research project that does not respond not just to the research questions but fails to realize the research objectives as well.
Bibliography
Collis, J. & Hussey, R. 2013, Business Research: A Practical Guide for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students. 4th ed. London: Palgrave-MacMillan.
García-Unanue, J., Felipe, J.L. & Gallardo, L. 2014, ‘Using action research to achieve the implementation of cost accounting: the case of the public sports organizations at local level,’ Systemic Practice and Action Research, 28(2), pp.111-123.
Oyegoke, A. 2011, “The constructive research approach in project management research”, International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 573-595.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. 2012, Research Methods for Business Students, 6th ed. Pearson Learning Solutions.
Venable, J. 2011, “Incorporating Design Science Research and Critical Research into an Introductory Business Research Methods Course”, Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 119-129.
Weber, R. 2004, ‘Editor’s comments: the rhetoric of positivism versus interpretivism: a personal view’, MIS Quarterly, 28 (1), pp.iii-xii
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Linking paradigm and methodology and choosing an appropriate methodology lie at the heart of research. Whether using a case-study, action research, research that relies upon grounded theory, or econometrics, the research design should ensure that the chosen methodological framework meets the objectives of the research, and helps the researcher answer the research questions. For this essay you will evaluate the characteristics of the methodologies used in the two papers from your field and consider whether those align to your own research plans.
To prepare for this essay:
• Read the files for Week 3.
• Revisit the two papers from your degree field in the files that has been attached and consider the paradigms and methodologies used
•In approximately 550 words, present the paradigms and methodologies used in the TWO articles
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of the methodologies implemented in these studies?
• Which of these could (or could not) be used for your research and why?
• What could be your feasibility concerns in any case?
SAMPLE ANSWER
METHODOLOGY AND METHODS
I. Article 1
Chang, Hueiju, and Hsi-Peng (2014) carried out research on the important nature of the social media with regards to popular cohesion and message diffusion. Despite the fact that several paradigms are employed in research such as positivism, critical theory, and critical theory, these researchers apply the positivism approach (Ryan 2015). It was developed by a French philosopher known as August Comte. His argument about paradigms was that actual knowledge is one obtained from the researcher’s senses. As such, the research methodology used include observation and experiment. Chang, Hueiju, and His-Peng use the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) to observe the influence of quality and attractive messages on popular cohesion and message diffusion. When coupled with relative significance and user expertise, the usefulness and preference of a quality message lead to liking and sharing of the intention. As such, business utilizing the social media for marketing purposes gain market shares for their products.
II. Article 2
Saini and Budhwar (2008) employ the critical theory model which is very different from the earlier discussed approach. The argument of this method revolves around the employment of ideology critique and the action research. This method was to serve as a means to provide social scientists with an investigation plan for their researches. Following the research by Saini and Budhwar, who were investigating the human resource management practices of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), they utilized the case study methodology. This allows the contextual analysis of phenomena and deducing proper conclusions from the same. It is a form of action research where the researchers can analyze information, generate solutions which are implemented (Huss 2016). Their analysis revolves around the argument that the people management practices in SMEs are hindered primarily by their ‘bounded rationality’ (Saini and Budhwar 2008). This implies that these entrepreneurs usually believe that they are doing all they can to manage their people resources. Following their analysis, they discovered that their focus is primarily on financial, emotional and social support for their workforce.
III. Merits
Following the first methodology employed in the first article, positivism, there is a unique advantage it offers. This paradigm produces quantitative traits in the research implying that data trends can be easily monitored and generated as opposed to the qualitative form of data (Ryan 2015). The data is very reliable. On the other hand, the critical theory model collects information that is analyzed to produce solutions to be acted upon. Its merit is the solutions generated are dependent on the reality of the situation. It can also employ both the positivism and post-positivism approaches (Rubin and Babbie 2011). As opposed to the positivism methodology, however, the critical theory’s limitation is that it cannot be used to generate multiple conclusions or interpretation from the data (Huss 2016).
IV. Best approach for my study
The positivism paradigm bests suits my research because of its ability to generate quantitative data for analysis purposes. The data is therefore not limited to one or two interpretations similar to the critical theory model. The critical theory model focuses on generating solutions from the presented reality of a situation demanding action research to make the necessary changes which would limit my research. Positivism, on the other hand, allows the manipulation of the obtained data to create speculations regarding the future of the business. In the case of the positivism approach, the research is not as feasible as the critical theory. This is because the latter approach involves the collection of data from limited sources, unlike positivism which would require a larger sample size making it the least feasible paradigm (Al Zeera 2001).
References
Al Zeera, Z. (2001). Wholeness and holiness in education an Islamic perspective. Herndon, International Institute of Islamic Thought.
Chang, Y., Hueiju Y & His-Peng, L 2015. Persuasive messages, popularity cohesion, and message diffusion in social media marketing. Journal of Business Research, 68, pp. 777-782.
Huss, E 2016, ‘Toward a social critical, analytical prism in art therapy: The example of marginalized Bedouin women’s images’, Arts In Psychotherapy, 50, pp. 84-90.
Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2011). Research methods for social work. Belmont, CA, Brooks/Cole Cengage.
Ryan, P 2015, ‘Positivism: paradigm or culture?’, Policy Studies, 36, 4, pp. 417-433.
Saini, S D. & Budhwar S P 2008. Managing the human resource in Indian SMEs: The role of indigenous realities. Journal of World Business, 43, pp. 417-434.
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Strategies Needed for Small Retail Businesses to Sustain Beyond 5 years;Prospectus
Order Instructions:
This paper is critical as the previous paper had numerous problems and so I am changing the topic and starting all over again. I will upload a sample paper of which the writer will build on. It is important that the writer write this paper following the format of the sample paper. The writer will start from the problem statement and will follow how the writer in that paper develop that paper. the owner has choosing a topic similar to that of the sample paper so that the writer will use as much information as possible from that paper to build this new paper. This is a qualitative paper and the writer must pay attention to that fact. The writer must pay attention to passive voice as he write this paper. The sample paper is not in APA format, but the writer must use APA 6th edition throughout the paper. The writer must pay attention to sentence structure and grammar as he write the paper. The writer must also bare in mind that this paper is a continues paper and the reference cannot be more than 4 years old. The writer must use only but pear review articles for this paper as he will see some references from the sample paper. The writer will use the state of Maryland to writer the paper. the small business will coming from Maryland. so all the research will be from Maryland.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Prospectus: Strategies Needed for Small Retail Businesses to Sustain Beyond 5 years.
Problem Statement
Small businesses form a valuable part of the economy of the United States of America. However, they face the problem of entropy which can be defined as the closure of a business organization. Abatecola (2013) revealed that 20% of the small business operating within the American market fail within a period 5 years because of poor entrepreneurial strategies. Thus, the general business problem is that new business owners pursue their economic endeavors without referring to growth tactics or strategies. The specific business problem is that there is lack of entrepreneurial strategies among small business owners which could enable their businesses to remain in business for the first 5 years.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to investigate the strategies that small business entrepreneurs use to remain in business for the first 5 years. The participants of the study are small business entrepreneurs who operate within Annapolis, Maryland. The businesses will have had less than 50 employees and were profitable in the last 5 years. Moreover, the study may become an instigator societal development by encouraging the development of small businesses. Increasing the income that these businesses bring in can lead to the development of the community without having to depend on governmental resources. Increased employment will ensure that people are living above the poverty line.
Nature of the Study
Qualitative research can be categorized into four groups: ethnographic, phenomenological and case studies. Cronin-Gilmore (2012) defined ethnographies as qualitative research designs that entail private or open participation in the daily lives of the people endeavoring to explore their relationships, feelings, and beliefs (elements of culture). As much as this research study entails the study of businesses, there is no focus on the study of their cultures. The phenomenological is also not applicable to this research because the purpose of this study is not to consider the individual world perspectives on the subject matter. A case study, on the other hand, is most appropriate. Cumming and Li (2013) identified the case study approach as a research design that entails the investigation of a case with the sole purpose of producing similar outcomes. That type of case study that involves two or more case studies is the multiple case study approach. Determining the entrepreneurial strategies that small business owners are using to succeed in their business for more than 5 years means that this research will have to adapt to the descriptive, multiple case study design.
Research Question
What strategies are small business entrepreneurs in the American market using to sustain their businesses for more than 5 years?
Interview Questions
Describe the barriers that you encountered when trying to incorporate entrepreneurial strategies to your business.
Which strategies did work that have enabled you to succeed for more than 5 years?
Which strategies did not work for your business?
Which strategies would you recommend other business to pursue?
Is there a specific strategy that you can identify with as one that has guaranteed your success?
What else do you think I should know about your business that I have not asked?
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
The theory of economic development is the conceptual framework that this research will follow. It is a theory that dates to 1939 when Peter Schumpeter presented it as the transformation through economic innovation (Acs, Audretsch, & Lehmann, 2013). Moreover, the framework has its core innovation and strategic functions centering on the solid operational basis that business achieves through decisions that ensure the continued success and profitability of the business. The theory is applicable to this research study since the study is focused primarily on the success of small businesses which are a part of the functionality of the economy.
Significance of the Study
Small businesses are an integral part of an economy because of their support to the health and wellbeing of the economy. These businesses could create a net of 62.9 percent of new jobs between 1993 and 2013 (Alkali, 2012). That revelation is significant as it displays the direct participation of small businesses in the sustenance of the economy. They are also a source of revenue for the government through taxes and a source of livelihood for the people of America (Alstete, 2014). Thus, this study incorporates the mindset of change in this industry concerning success of the small businesses. Change can be advantageous to the sector as it will allow these businesses to grow and expand. The development of these businesses means the transformation and development of the areas in which they operate.
Contribution to business practicenot APA format
The year 2012 marked the year the profits of small enterprises totaled about two- thirds of all the available enterprise jobs (SBA, 2014). Small business owners were also able to employ 50% of the workforce operating in the private sector (SBA, 2014). This was a advantageous to the small business owners with startups whose age is less than five years of their potential to create high numbers of jobs (SBA, 2014). The years 2007 and 2009 mark the financial turmoil from which many organizations are still struggling to recover (Street & Ward, 2012). Abidin et al. (2014) asserts that economic instability identifiable when over 40,000 business owners filing for personal bankruptcy. Thus, understanding the cause of the rampant bankruptcy among the business owners (which could be poor strategies) in the hope of deciphering the potential causes of economic instability is integral.
Implication for social change
Understanding the current strategies that small businesses use will result in an increase the ability of these businesses to provide employment to the members of the local community. Moreover, it will lead to the development of social amenities such as banking facilities that will favor the locals.
References
Abatecola, G. (2013). Survival or failure in the organizational life cycle. What lessons for managers? Journal of General Management, 38, 23–38. Retrieved from http://art.torver gata.it/handle/2108/75867
Abidin, R., Hasnan, N., Abdullah, C., Mohtar, S., & Zulhumadi, F. (2014). The relationship between social capital and technology transfer performance: A study on companies in the technology park. Journal of Southeast Asian Research, 3(1), 1–9. doi:10.5171/2013.11672
Acs, Z. J., Audretsch, D. B., & Lehmann, E. E. (2013). The spillover knowledge theory of entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 41, 757–774.doi:10.1007/s11187-013-9505-9)
Alkali, M. A. (2012). An empirical study of entrepreneur’s educational level and the performance of small business manufacturing enterprises in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Interdisciplinary. Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4, 914–923. Retrieved from http://www.ijcrb.com/archives.html
Alstete, J. W. (2014). Strategy choices of potential entrepreneurs. Journal of Education for Business, 89, 77–83. doi:10.1080/08832323.2012.759094
Bublak, D. R. (2013). Barriers to small business participation in federal overseas contracts and subcontracts (Doctoral Dissertation). Retrieved from Pro Quest Dissertations and Theses. (UMI No. 1473898282)
Burdin, G. (2014). Is worker managed firms more likely to fail than conventional enterprises? Evidence from Uruguay. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 67, 203–238. Retrieved from http://www.econstor.eu
Byrd, K., Ross, L. W., & Glackin, C. E. W. (2013). A preliminary causal analysis of small business access to credit during economic expansion and contraction. Journal of Applied Finance and Banking, 3, 77–84. Retrieved from http://www.scienpress.com/journal_focus.asp?Main_Id=56
Criscuolo, C., Gal, P. N., & Menon, C. (2014). The dynamics of employment growth: Evidence from 18 countries (CEP Report No. 1274). London, England: School of Economics. Retrieved from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/60286/1/dp1274.pdf
Cronin-Gilmore, J. (2012). Exploring marketing strategies in small businesses. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 6, 96–107. Retrieved from http://www.na-businesspress.com/jmdcopen.html
Cumming, D., & Li, D. (2013). Public policy, entrepreneurship, and venture capital in the United States. Journal of Corporate Finance, 23, 345–367. doi:10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2013.09.005
Dahmen, P., & Rodriquez, E. (2014). Financial literacy and the success of small businesses: An observation from a small business development center. Numeracy, 7(1), 1–14. doi:10.5038/1936-4660.7.1.3
Leitch, C. M., McMullan, C., & Harrison, R. T. (2013). The development of entrepreneurial Leadership: The role of human, social and institutional capital. British Journal of Management, 24, 347–366. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8551.2011. 00808.x
Street, C. T., & Ward, K. W. (2012). Improving validity and reliability in longitudinal case study timelines. European Journal of Information Systems, 21, 160–175. doi.10.1057/eji s.2011.53
U.S. Small Business Administration. (2014). What is a small business? Retrieved from http://www.sba.gov
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Throughout this course, you will gain a deeper perspective of quality in health care and its importance in the health care industry. In this assignment, you will review a sample quality policy from a health care facility or provider.
Write a 1,000-1,250 word paper in which you assess the organization’s quality policy. Include answers to the following questions:
1.Discuss aspects of the policy: What is included and excluded?
2.What area of the organization is affected by this policy?
3.Why was this policy created?
Unsatisfactory
0.00%
Less Than Satisfactory
65.00%
Satisfactory
75.00%
Good
85.00%
Excellent
100.00%
70.0 %Content
55.0 % Essay on the Quality Policy of a Health Care Organization, Focusing on Completeness
Essay does not demonstrate an understanding of the concept of quality in health care implications. Essay does not address inclusions and exclusions as specified in the assignment. Essay does not demonstrate critical thinking and analysis of the situation, and does not develop effective answers to the questions, with rationale.
Essay demonstrates minimal understanding of the concept of quality in health care implications. Essay minimally addresses inclusions and exclusions as specified in the assignment. Essay demonstrates minimal abilities for critical thinking and analysis of the case study, and develops weak answers to the questions, with minimal rationale.
Essay demonstrates knowledge of the concept of quality in health care, but has some slight misunderstanding of the implications. Essay satisfactorily addresses inclusions and exclusions as specified in the assignment. Essay provides a basic idea of critical thinking and analysis for the questions, answers, and rationale. Essay does not include examples or descriptions.
Essay demonstrates acceptable knowledge of the concept of quality in health care implications. Essay satisfactorily develops understanding of inclusions and exclusions as specified in the assignment. Essay develops an acceptable response and rationale. Essay utilizes some examples.
Essay demonstrates thorough knowledge of the concept of quality in health care implications. Essay thoroughly develops an understanding of inclusions and exclusions as specified in the assignment. Essay clearly answers the questions and develops a very strong rationale. Essay introduces appropriate examples.
15.0 % Integration of Information From Outside Resources Into the Body of Paper
Assignment does not use references, examples, or explanations.
Assignment provides some supporting examples, but minimal explanations and no published references.
Assignment supports main points with examples and explanations.
Assignment supports main points with explanations and examples. Application and description are direct, competent, and appropriate of the criteria.
Assignment supports main points with references, examples, and full explanations of how they apply.
20.0 %Organization and Effectiveness
7.0 % Thesis Development and Purpose
Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim.
Thesis and/or main claim are insufficiently developed and/or vague; purpose is not clear.
Thesis and/or main claim are apparent and appropriate to purpose.
Thesis and/or main claim are clear and forecast the development of the paper. It is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose.
Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive. The essence of the paper is contained within the thesis. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.
8.0 % Argument Logic and Construction
Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources.
Sufficient justification of claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility.
Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of claims. Argument logically, but not thoroughly, supports the purpose. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis.
Argument shows logical progression. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative.
Clear and convincing argument presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative.
5.0 % Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)
Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice and/or sentence construction are used.
Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register), sentence structure, and/or word choice are present.
Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used.
Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used.
Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.
10.0 %Format
5.0 % Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)
Template is not used appropriately, or documentation format is rarely followed correctly.
Appropriate template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken. A lack of control with formatting is apparent.
Appropriate template is used. Formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present.
Appropriate template is fully used. There are virtually no errors in formatting style.
All format elements are correct.
5.0 % Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style)
Sources are not documented.
Documentation of sources is inconsistent and/or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors.
Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present.
Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct.
Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error.
100 % Total Weightage
SAMPLE ANSWER
Understanding Quality
Introduction
An explicit health care policy helps a health care organization can in the establishment of a vision for tomorrow, outline the specific responsibilities of different individuals and the specific priorities of an organization (Black et al., 2011). However, it is important to note that implementation of health related policies can be faced with some challenges. Implementation of health care policies ensures standardization of care provided as much as possible. Systems in the healthcare sector are essential since they set a general plan of action to help lead in the desired outcomes and also are fundamental in the decision-making process (Black et al., 2011). The employees get a better understanding of the organization’s desired results and also whatever the organization expects from them by making them understand fully their roles and responsibilities. Besides, is provides clarification on legal and ethical issues.
Reasons for creation of the policy
In my organization of concern, Jaydee Hospital, the policy was created to serve a variety of purposes. To start with, the healthcare field is governed by a range of professional bodies, therefore, through the establishment of these policies, it will ensure that the organization complies with the relevant governing and regulatory body’s requirements. Also, the plan will ensure the improvement of care through implementation of standards and international best practices (Black et al., 2011). Also, it was to make sure that organization sets relevant goals and objectives which ensure provision of high-quality care and safety of the patient. In the healthcare environment, most often than not, policies in the health care sector help to lay a foundation for the provision of cost-effective and quality care. Finally, the plan was meant to ensure maintenance of an environment that is conducive to risk management by avoiding accidents to patients, employees and the customers in general (Black et al., 2011).
Aspects of the policy
Nosocomial infections are those infections that occur within forty-eight hours of admission or after 3days after discharge (Morrow & Kollef, 2010). Research indicates that in every one out of 10 patients get nosocomial infections. The overall effect per year is 5000 deaths, leading to high cost being incurred (Morrow & Kollef, 2010). Patients who acquire these infections tend to spend more time in the hospital making them incur extra cost more than the unaffected patient. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit are more prone to hospital-acquired infections due to their compromised state of health, use of mechanical ventilation and prevalence of invasive procedure to patients (Morrow & Kollef, 2010). Therefore, health care professional working in these areas needs to be more vigilant on prevention control measure. Development of these nosocomial infections compromises the safety of patients, health care providers working in these settings as well as other caregivers. It, therefore, calls for the health care organizations to come up with policies which will help in reducing the incidence of these nosocomial infections hence a reduction in the mortality rate.
Through the implementation of appropriate infection control measures, there can be a decrease in the frequency of these infections. Health care providers need to come up with strategies such as prevention strategies, treatment programs, and surveillance (Morrow & Kollef, 2010). An inspection team has to be set including a microbiologist; an infection control nurse has the responsibility of all issues of infection prevention and oversight within a hospital. This team is responsible for educating the other staffs, development of infection control and prevention policies and provide guidelines in this area. For the infection monitoring and prevention programs to be effective, they require extensive knowhow on local epidemiology of the causative agents and the most appropriate interventions (Alangaden, 2011).
Surveillance is the ongoing, step by step collection, analysis and interpretation of health related information which helps in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health issues. Through surveillance, data is collected for comparison of hospital-acquired infections to help come up with strategies to improve patient and health care provider’s safety. Before an organization comes up with any strategies, it should collaborate with the surveillance team.
Various factors predispose patients to nosocomial infections in the hospital settings. Mostly, these infections are contributed by poor hand hygiene (Alangaden, 2011). Studies show that compliance with hand washing go a long way in reduction of these hospital acquired infections. Health care providers, patients, and the other caregivers should use the proper hand washing techniques help reduce these infections. Also, health care providers should properly utilize protective gears to contribute to reducing contact with body fluids (Alangaden, 2011). Gloves, aprons and air filter masks are necessary for health care providers when handing body fluids.
Another prevention is use of appropriate antibiotics. Evidence shows that proper and early use of antibiotic helps to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with nosocomial infections (Alangaden, 2011). Health care providers require to have knowledge on antibiotic; that is, their proper mode of action, prevalent bacteria pathogens and resistant bacterial also, they should administer the right dosage for the appropriate duration of time. The health care providers should as well ensure they work in conjunction with the microbiologist and other surveillance personnel.
Area of the organization affected by the policy.
Nosocomial infections are occur in every department of a health care setting especially when relevant measures are not put in place. The infection prevention, control and treatment policy on nosocomial infections will affect major areas at jade health care organization (Alangaden, 2011). These strategies need to be implemented in the outpatient departments, operating rooms, the intensive care unit as well as the wards. Studies shows that most nosocomial infections are prevalent in the intensive care unit. Therefore, health care [professionals in this area need to be more cautious.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the significance of policies may not be apparent, though, through the management of these systems, it can help in improvement of the efficiency and productivity in the health care sector as well as ensure regulations and standards are not breached. Nosocomial infections are associated with high mortality and morbidity rates leading to increased financial burden. Use of appropriate infection control measures is necessary for effective control, prevention, and treatment of these infections. Awareness of upcoming pathogens and resistant organisms is also needed for treatment of nosocomial infections. Correct dosage and duration of antibiotic therapy are recommended to help in reduction of resistant pathogens (Alangaden, 2011). Healthcare providers, caregivers, and patients should use the recommended hand washing techniques to help in reduction of the hospital-acquired infections. Hand washing should not be substituted by use of gloves and hands must be washed after glove removal.
References
Alangaden, G. J. (2011). Nosocomial Fungal Infections: Epidemiology, Infection Control, and Prevention. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2010.11.003
Black, A. D., Car, J., Pagliari, C., Anandan, C., Cresswell, K., Bokun, T., … Sheikh, A. (2011). The impact of ehealth on the quality and safety of health care: A systematic overview. PLoS Medicine, 8(1). http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000387
Morrow, L. E., & Kollef, M. H. (2010). Recognition and prevention of nosocomial pneumonia in the intensive care unit and infection control in mechanical ventilation. Crit. Care Med., 38(Suppl 8), 352–62. http://doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0b013e3181e6cc98
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please use the same writer that wrote order # 114630 please. this second assignment has something to do with my first assignment #114630
THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS WELL OK.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Assignment 2: Operations Decision
Introduction
Food industry in the United States has over the recent past undergone significant changes (Cachon & Terwiesch, 2012). The changes in the food industry have involved the emergence of low-calorie foods that are frozen and microwavable since they have gained wide acceptance among consumers across the country. According to Andreyeva,Long and Brownell (2010), this trend of increasing acceptance of low caloric foods that are frozen and microwavable has been motivated by heightened awareness among consumers towards healthy foods as well as healthy eating habits. The two leading competitors within the United States in the food industry involving the production of low-calorie as well as microwavable foods are: Healthy Choice which is a subsidiary of ConAgra and Lean Cuisine which is a subsidiary of Nestle Foods. In the United States, these two companies in the food industry control a significant market share and both have a considerable grip in the food industry market. These two features of the identified companies have enabled them to grow tremendously over the last decade with regards to revenues as well as range of their food products. In order to satisfactorily answer all the questions asked in Assignment 2, reference is made to the regression calculations presented in Assignment 1 and answers to varied operation decisions are as follows:
Market structure analysis is an important marketing plan tool that provides insights into the required strategies (Russell & Taylor, 2005). Saito (2011) noted that the food industry market needs are considered to significantly influence sales volumes and revenue of such companies subsequently impacting of their profitability. This means that it is imperative to carry out an analysis of growth trend of the target market since it shows the companies’ ability to predict or forecast future market trends, which is important in facilitating long-term decisions to be made. The market structure in the food are rapidly changeable and quite dynamic in the United States even though they can vary from one state to another or from one region to another within the same state (Noreen, Brewer & Garrison, 2013). Therefore, the companies should ensure that the appropriate market structure is embraced since the imperfectly structured market characterized by oligopoly require effective managerial and operational strategies in order to achieve competitive edge in the market (Luke, Froed & McCann (2015).
According to Best (2010) and Daly (2012), there is a vast range of factors that can be attributed to market structure changes, and two of the most important factors considered include consumers’ income levels and consumers’ tastes and preferences. These two factors are majorly the cause of shifts in the demand of products in the market. For instance, an increase or decrease in the income levels of consumers can either result to increased or decrease consumers’ purchasing power subsequently leading to diminishing demand for products (Cachon & Terwiesch, 2012). Also consumer tastes and preferences is the other fundamental factor that playa a vital role in determining market structure and its monitoring should be carried out regularly (Baye & Prince, 2013; Mankiw, 2014). According to Whelan (2011), consumers’ tastes and preferences determines whether they are interested in a particular product; whereby high interest translates to more sales, while low interest results to low sales. Thus, the company should consistently monitor these two factors and ensure they remain favorable by implementing the necessary corrective actions whenever signs of unfavorability are observed (Forstater, 2007; Mankiw, 2014).
Analysis of the market structure is a vital process in determining the position of a company in the market. Thus, on basis of the assignment 1 calculation results, the cost functions of Lean Cuisine both long-run and short-run can be determined by calculating performance indicators of the company in the market including AVC, VC, TC, ATC as well as MC as shown below:
Short-run Equilibrium
Long-run Equilibrium
In both calculations, that is, in the determination of the short-run and long-run equilibrium prices are observed to remain equal to quantity subsequently leading to equilibrium in the cost functions of the company. According to Baye and Prince (2013), market dynamic variations are attributed to upward and downward shifting of the equilibrium quantities. As a result, the obtained information can be used to realize optimal product demand through appropriate shifting of the prices in a direction that is favorable to consumers (Andreyeva,Long & Brownell, 2010). According to Daly (2012), the obtained information is also vital in identifying price changes that are unfavorable in a timely manner in order to allow corrective or mitigation interventions to be appropriately and swiftly taken (Best, 2010).
The expectations of any company when beginning or expanding its operations is that they will be prosperous, but sometimes circumstances become unfavorable forcing discontinuation of the operations. Baye & Prince (2013) note that a company has the ability to decide on discontinuation of its operations either in entirety or in some divisions based on the operational or market conditions, especially when they become unfavorable. The circumstances that can lead to discontinuation of operations include when the demand for the manufactured products dwindles as well as when the products become obsolete (Saito, 2011). These two circumstances can be caused by new entrants in the markets or changes in consumer demography as well as technological advancements that make machinery and systems outdated (Cachon & Terwiesch, 2012). According to Saito (2011), necessary modifications of the old machines can be done to avoid discontinuation of operations and also the company should allocate a higher budget to research in order to ensure new, appealing and high quality products are produced. However, if the modifications do not succeed, the company should look for alternative products that can be produced by the same machines and systems failure to which they should be sold prior to more depreciation subsequent to discontinuing operations (Best, 2010; Cachon & Terwiesch, 2012; Luke, Froed & McCann, 2015). Andreyeva,Long and Brownell (2010) emphasize that it is imperative for the company to gradually discontinue its operations through a step-wise disposal of associated facilities.
The pricing policy can be used to ensure profit maximization is achieved by leveraging on elasticities. For instance, in the food industry where the company operations are based is very competitive and rapidly changing market dynamics making it necessary to make frequent evaluation of its products’ price elasticity against competitor products as well as prevailing market conditions in order to determine the appropriate strategy for competitive edge to be achieved (Daly, 2012). Therefore, the company should embrace price reductions mostly through discounting in order to increase demand for its products and subsequently make its food products more appealing and affordable to consumers so that it can achieve increased sales and revenues as well as improved profitability (Daly, 2012).
It is undoubtedly evident from previous discussion that, optimal profitability of the company is only achievable through implementation of pricing strategies that have been effectively developed (Daly, 2012; Mankiw, 2014). This is attainable by ensuring that customer income levels and demographics are appropriately articulated with regards to the prevailing economic situations. According to Luke eta al. (2015), the company can leverage on these factors to evaluate its financial performance mostly through its long-run as well as short-run profits, revenues, sales volume and ultimately market share growth. This approach is undeniably very vital because it encompasses periods of economic hardships as well as periods of favorable economic conditions; whereby in the former economic situation pricing strategy adopted is fundamental is determining financial performance, while in the latter economic situation quality and convenience factors gain significance in determining demand (Luke, Froed & McCann, 2015).
With regards to the supply and demand calculations carried out for the determination of the company’s equilibrium both in the long-run and short-run operations, it is imperative to implement effective interventions in order to improve the company profits as well as ensuring that the stakeholders are delivered with more value. The appropriate strategies ought to follow a properly laid down plan including brainstorming, implementation and monitoring. Embracing this approach or plan is highly imperative to ensure the company competitive edge in the market is maintained ultimately leading to increased revenues and profitability. As a result, the two actions that are recommended to ensure This is attributable to the fact that, this approach is important in order to ensure that there is improvement in the company’s profitability as well as ensuring that the stakeholders are delivered with more value include:
There will be need to increase capital investment particularly in the area of research and new product development. Through continuous research and adoption of cutting edge technologies in food manufacturing, the company will be able to consistently produce high quality and novel food products (Mankiw, 2014). According to Whelan (2011), this is an essential strategy in enabling production of food products that are more appealing to consumers at low production and operational costs, which will in turn improve the company profitability.
The other recommended action will be to devise and implement a marketing plan that is effective through appropriate advertising and promotional strategy to improve visibility of the company’s food products in the market and dispel the stiff competition (Cachon & Terwiesch, 2012; Daly, 2012). The company will be required to advertise its food products through a variety of promotional channels both mainstream and upcoming ones, methods and/or techniques as well as media outlets (Baye & Prince, 2013).
References
Andreyeva, T., Long, M. W., & Brownell, K. D. (2010). The Impact of Food Prices on Consumption: A Systematic Review of Research on the Price Elasticity of Demand for Food. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 216-222. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.151415.
Baye, M. & Prince, J. (2013). Managerial Economics & Business Strategy, (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Best, R. (2010). Market-based Management, (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Cachon, G. & Terwiesch, C. (2012). Matching Supply and Demand: An Introduction to Operations Management, (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Daly, J. (2012). Pricing for Profitability, (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Forstater, M. (2007). Economics. Chicago: Chicago Review Press.
Luke, M., Froed, B., & McCann, B. (2015). Managerial Economics. Boston, MA: South-Western College Publishers.
Mankiw, G. (2014). Principles of Microeconomics, (7th ed.). Boston, MA: South-Western College Publishers.
Noreen, E., Brewer, P., & Garrison, R. (2013). Managerial Accounting for Managers, (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Russell, R. S. & Taylor III, B. W. (2005). Operations Management: Quality and Competitiveness in a Global Environment, (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Assignment requested deadline November 5; NLT 7pm. Please read below for information concerning assignment. Support responses with examples and use APA formatting in the paper. You may access the school’s website by logging into: https://mycampus.southuniversity.edu/portal/server.pt
Please note that when you log into the website you must click launch class, and on the next screen click syllabus to view this week’s readings (weeks 4&5) and Academic Resources to access the school’s library.
To support your work, use the textbook, lectures and scholarly outside sources. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.
Below is feedback by professor from previous assignments, please apply.
Would like to have seen a stronger use of case law, examples, and statutory authority woven into the written paper.
Please make sure to include robust analysis with specific legal examples and legal authority.
Would like to see a stronger use of content related professional vocabulary
Read the scenarios and the questions that follow. Identify the legal issue(s) and apply legal concepts and possible arguments for each question. Prepare a solution for each question using laws, cases, examples and/or other relevant materials. Support your answers with applicable law and material from the textbook. By Saturday, November 5, 2016, prepare a 5- to 8-page paper that identifies the legal issues and potential solutions and answers all questions presented, supported by relevant legal authority. Properly cite all sources using APA format.
The Dilemmas
In the four years since Devon started Yard Tech in Florida, he incorporated the business, purchased two trailers and two pickup trucks, rented a storage facility for his trucks and equipment, and hired 2 full time employees. Yard Tech services include mowing, edging, mulching, planting, pruning and a variety of landscaping services. Yard Tech also offers pool cleaning services for a few clients. As expected, Devon and Yard Tech experience several scenarios while conducting operations.
Manny, a Yard Tech employee was mowing a yard when the homeowner’s dog escaped from his enclosure and bit Manny in the arm and ankle. The bite to the ankle severed a tendon that required extensive surgery and required months of physical therapy. Manny was unable to work for four months.
Myron was allowed to drive one of the company trucks to and from work because he was responsible for the territory in his part of town. Taking the truck home allowed Myron to go directly to the jobs without wasting time and gas to go pick up the truck each day. When driving home from work, Myron was involved in a collision with Hanh Nguyen. At the time of the accident, Myron had taken a detour in order to stop at the grocery store to pick up a few items and go home. Nguyen’s vehicle was totaled and she missed approximately two weeks of work recovering from her injuries. Nguyen sued Myron and Yard Tech. Myron suffered a broken leg and missed two months of work.
Although Devon considers himself an equal opportunity employer, he refuses to hire anyone who is not a heterosexual male or female based on his religious beliefs. Rey, a woman with 5 years of experience in landscaping applied for a job at Yard Tech. Devon hired Susan who only had two years of experience. Rey felt that she was discriminated against because she was a lesbian.
Because Devon often worked 12 to 14 hour days in the summer, he took his poodle, Brutus, to doggie daycare. Devon completed all of the forms and signs the authorizations without reading them. One day when Brutus was at daycare, he became covered in mud after running around with a golden retriever in the play yard. When the groomers gave Brutus a bath, he collapsed and died.
On December 31, 2013, Devon entered into a 5 year lease for a storage unit with Rudy. In September 2014, Devon discovered he needed more space and found a great deal on a storage facility with indoor and outdoor space for his vehicles and equipment. Instead of leasing, Devon purchased the entire storage facility with the intention of renting out some of the space to help pay for the purchase. Devon knew that Rudy would not let him out of the lease, so he assigned his rights under the lease to Girish on January 2, 2015. Girish used the storage unit and made payments for five months. Without Rudy’s or Devon’s knowledge, Girish vacated the unit end of July without paying for June or July and still owing the remainder of the rent for the lease period.
When Devon purchased the storage facility, he obtained a mortgage from Regions Bank.
• Discuss the potential liability for Yard Tech and the homeowner for the dog bite. Explain the type of insurance, if any, that Devon should maintain for Yard Tech. Be sure to establish a proper legal foundation for your responses.
• Discuss the arguments each party (Myron, Yard Tech and Nguyen) will make related to liability in the accident. Decide which party or parties should be liable and provide support for your choice.
• Determine whether Rey will succeed if she files a discrimination lawsuit against Yard Tech. Discuss state and federal laws that support your answer.
• Using principles of bailment, determine whether Devon could recover damages from the doggie daycare for Brutus’ death.
• Which party is liable for the remaining rental payments? If the party liable for the debt does not pay and Rudy obtains a judgment ordering payment from that party, what are Rudy’s options for seeking payment?
• Explain Devon’s rights in the property, including responsibilities for taxes, payments and future sale of the property. What are Devon’s rights if he defaults on the mortgage and the bank forecloses on the property?
• Identify and explain any ethical concerns that Devon may encounter
• Conclude your paper by providing suggestions for Devon to help prevent future occurrences of these types of legal and ethical problems.
Support your answers using the appropriate law, cases, and/or text material.
Submit the paper in APA format and properly cite sources on a separate page using APA.
Assignment 2 Grading Criteria Maximum Points
Evaluated the potential liability for Yard Tech and the homeowner for the dog bite, including the type of insurance, if any that Devon should maintain for Yard Tech and a proper legal foundation for your responses. 30
Analyzed the arguments each party (Myron, Yard Tech and Nguyen) will make related to liability in the accident. Decided which party or parties should be liable and provided support for your choice 30
Assessed whether Rey will succeed if she files a discrimination lawsuit against Yard Tech, including state and federal laws that support the answer. 30
Assessed arguments for Devon’s recovery from the doggie daycare based on principles of bailment and supported by laws, cases or examples. 30
Evaluated the appropriate party for liability of the rental payments and Rudy’s options for collecting any judgment he receives. 30
Analyzed Devon’s rights and responsibilities related to taxes, payments and sale of the mortgaged property as well as rights related to default and foreclosure. 20
Evaluated any ethical issues. 10
Evaluated suggestions to help Devon prevent future occurrences of each legal and ethical issue identified. 30
Written components. 40
Total: 250
SAMPLE ANSWER
New Business Dilemmas Part II
Question 1
The homeowner from where Manny got the dog bite owes specific duties to persons entering her/his real property by invitation. Manny was on the property for a business operation of mowing the yard. Therefore, it was the duty of the homeowner to discover any danger and ensure safety or warn Manny of the dog in the cage. In most cases, the dog owners are financially liable for any personal injury that their dog causes. A dog-bite statute law in Florida holds the dog owner responsible for any injury that the dog inflicts irrespective of whether the proprietor did not know it would hurt, was careful, or consistently tried to prevent the dog from injuring someone (Ryskamp, 2015).
Therefore, the victim can sue the dog owner if he/she did not provoke the dog and was acting peacefully in a public place or lawfully in a private place (Florida’s dog bite statute, Fla. Stat. Ann. 767.04). The defendant or the insurance company will have to compensate for all the damages resulting from the bite. For instance, a woman going door to door to take a survey was allowed into a house, but unfortunately, a dog came through the front yard of the house, knocked her, and bit her. The front yard was not fenced although there was a sign on the window reading, “Trespassers will be eaten.” The court ruled that the woman entered the house with the permission of the residents; therefore, she could sue the resident owner under the dog-bite statute (Jones v. Manhart, 585 p. 2d 1250. Ariz.1978).
On the other hand, Yard Tech and Devon are legally obligated to ensure safety for their employees. However, in a case of an accident or injury during work, workers compensation insurance should provide coverage ensuring that the injured employee gets medical care and compensation for the time and income lost while unable to report to work. Every employer conducting work in the State of Florida must provide Worker’s Compensation Insurance for his or her employees (Fla. Stat. Ann. 440.02). Therefore, Devon must maintain Worker’s Compensation Insurance for Yard Tech.
Question 2
Employers are always liable for the negligent actions of their employees if an accident occurs in the course of their employment. Hanh Nguyen may have sued Myron and Yard tech based on the arguments holding them liable such as negligent hiring or retention, respondeat superior and negligent maintenance of a vehicle. On the other hand, Yard Tech may argue that Myron is liable for the accident because, at the time of the accident, he had taken a detour to stop at a grocery store. In this situation, the respondeat superior principle does not apply. However, several factors will influence which party is liable for the accident, for instance, the state in which the accident occurred and the car policy. If the company insured the truck, then the insurance company will pay for the damages.
In my opinion, Yard Tech should be liable for the accident because it occurred during the work period. Myron was only driving home, which the company is aware of and the fact that he stopped to buy groceries should not be treated as a personal errand. The accident might have occurred due to the vehicles adverse conditions like a bad tire or poor maintenance, or the employee might have been unfit to drive the vehicle. The employer is held responsible for these factors under negligent hiring and negligent associated with the vehicle’s condition (Sackrin, 2015). Therefore, Devon should pay for all the damages and compensate Myron and the victim for the injuries. Under the common law of Florida, “an employer is liable for damages for the wrongful act of his workers that causes harm to a third party” (Weiss v. Jacobson, 62 So. 2d 904 (Fla. 1953).
Question 3
If Rey files a discrimination lawsuit against Yard Tech, she will succeed because Yard Tech considers himself an equal opportunity employer yet practices sexual discrimination. The Title VII, The Equal Pay Act, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act among other related equal employment laws protect the victim from any form of employment discrimination by an employer. The Federal and State laws of Florida protect sexual discrimination in employment processes. For instance, the 2016 Florida Statutes states, “It is unlawful employment practice to refuse or fail to hire any individual due to the individual’s sex or to discriminate against any person in any program, employment, training, or apprenticeship.” It is also unlawful “to deprive in any way an individual of employment opportunities” (Fla Stat. Sec. 760.01- 760.10).
However, specific jobs may require employers to hire individuals based on sex or religion; for instance, a women’s lingerie shop may only employ females. This is referred to as bona fide occupational qualification (Mallory & Sears, 2015). In the situation of Rey, Yard Tech refused to offer her a job because she is a lesbian. Such acts are punishable by the Federal and State laws. So yes, Rey will succeed if she files a discrimination lawsuit.
Question 4
Taking Brutus to a doggie daycare means that the bailee might have accepted a fee for holding possession and taking care of the pet. This situation is called a consideration type of bailment. For “consideration,” the bailee must ensure to provide a higher standard of care compared to a bailee who is providing care without pay, and in such a situation, if anything happens to the pet, the bailee has to pay for the damages.
If the doggie daycare accepted the responsibility of taking care of Brutus voluntarily, the bailee must ensure safety and proper care of the pet for the bailor to reclaim within an agreed time. Similarly, if Devon left Brutus for an indefinite term, then the bailee had an obligation to take care of it until he takes it back and the bailor can sue the bailee for any damage or harm on the pet during this period. According to Devon’s case, it is not clear on what terms or principles he left Brutus with the doggie daycare; hence it is difficult to determine whether he would recover the damages for Brutus’ death.
However, the fact that he signed and completed some authorization forms shows that the bailee voluntarily or considerably accepted the responsibility. Therefore, there are chances that Devon could recover damages from doggie daycare for the death of his pet. The State law imposes duties upon a bailee, and in the case of any breach of those duties, the bailee is deemed liable, and the bailor can recover damages for negligence or bailment (Delott, 2016).
Question 5
In this case, Devon is liable for the remaining rental payment because he leased out the storage to another party without informing the Rudy. Rudy did not know about Girish, and apart from breaching the agreement with Rudy, Devon went ahead to lease someone’s property without his consent. Therefore, Devon should pay the remaining rent for Rudy’s storage unit.
If he does not pay and Rudy obtains a judgment ordering payment from that the liable party, Rudy’s options include first, he should serve Devon with a written notice providing him three days to pay the unpaid amount and state the action he would take if the tenant does not pay by that time. Secondly, if the responsible party does not pay by the required time, Ruby may use his security money to pay the unpaid rent, and if it is not enough, he can finally sue the tenant to cover the unpaid rent (Garcia, 2016).
Question 6
When a person purchases a fixture (in this case a building affixed to land), the buyer acquires full ownership of the property. Therefore, he has all the rights relating to it such as the right to sell it or give it away, and rights to rent it. He also remains responsible for estate taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs of the property. Devon will similarly have these rights and responsibilities upon entirely purchasing the property.
If he default on the mortgage and the bank foreclose on the property, Devon has a right to redeem the property by paying off the full amount of the unpaid loan together with particular additional payments after the foreclosure sale. However, Devon will only be able to redeem the property before the court clerk files the certificate of sale (Fla. Stat. Ann. 54.0315).
Question 7: Ethical Issues
One of the ethical issues that Devon may encounter is hiring a driver who is unfit to drive the company’s vehicle. He should take note that only licensed drivers should drive company vehicles. The employer has the responsibility to identify any criminal history or unethical acts associated with driving that may cause future accidents, failure to which the employer will be liable for any damages done by the driver in a company’s vehicle.
He may also refuse to give up possession of a property at the end the tenant’s lease. This practice provides the landlord or attorney to demand double monthly rent at the end of every month. Devon should also ensure to fulfill every agreement signed such as contracts, to avoid penalties associated with violation of contracts.
Question 8: Conclusion
Devon can prevent future occurrences of these types of legal and ethical problems if one, he provides Worker’s Compensation Insurance for his or her employees (Fla. Stat. Ann. 440.02). This kind of insurance would enable coverage for any injury or damage of an employee during work. It also prevents Devon from running at a loss in his businesses.
Secondly, he should ensure to hire licensed drivers and ensure all the company vehicles are in safe conditions at all times. Just as in the case of Weiss v. Jacobson, 62 So. 2d 904 Fla. 1953, the law states that an employer is responsible for any harm or damage caused by his or her employee. Therefore, Devon should take measures to avoid such penalties. He should also put in place policies that restrict his employees from wrongdoings causing injuries to a third party.
In addition, he should learn to read and understand every form before signing any agreement. He should seek clarification about the consequences of either party breaching an agreement. For instance, he did not read the form provided at the doggie daycare, which made it difficult for him to determine whether he could recover damages or not. As a pet owner, he should understand that he might be absolving pet bailee from legal responsibility when signing forms and should be aware of the bailee’s right to keep the pet under the Lien Law (Delott, 2016).
Mallory, C. & Sears, B. (2015). Employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida. The Williams Institute. Retrieved from: https://goo.gl/LPEMYb
