Data collection methods and analysis
Order Instructions:
Following quantitative research design
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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