Overall Methodology Used for Study Concerning the Selling of Sample Cupcakes - Research Paper Example

METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN al Affiliation) METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN Research Methodology Introduction This chapter discusses the overall methodology used in the study. The areas to be covered in this chapter include research design, target population, sampling procedures, data collection procedure and analysis. This included a major focus on the design and research methodologies. Research design The study adopted descriptive research design which is aimed at answering the project research questions and determining the factor that lead to the choice of methodologies used. The study used primary data such as an in-depth interview schedules with the business experts in the cupcake business, questionnaires on online shopping, focus group with potential customers, and pilot study through selling of cupcakes at a local event. The in-depth look into the various elements of achieving a good research was the key aspects of the design methodology. The study also adopted secondary data such as review of the reported cases from the university, the university policy and the government policy on how the online business platform should be handled. Study Location The study took place the normal market environment and the online environment in order to get in touch with the real business world. Target Population of the study and Sample Procedure The target population will be the businesspersons from both the online and physical cupcake enterprises with main focus on the former. The online businesses experts will also be engaged in an in-depth interview with the main focus being getting the expertise view into the venture to undertaken. The sample population for the study is also targeted at the customers of the cupcake. This is targeted as a means of getting to know their take on the business to be ventured into. A maximum number of five potential customers are to be interviewed in some kind of focus group. A local population is also targeted as part of the research sample. The local event is to be used to carry out pilot study through the selling of sample cupcakes. Data Collection Instruments (Instrumentation) To achieve the objectives of the research, questionnaires were used to collect data. Secondary data i.e. the business experts in the field and also the research resources already gathered from the very line of business. Online business gurus are also to be involved. The questionnaires in both closed and open ended. The questionnaires were pretested for content validity and reliability. The interview method was administered on few experts to gather more useful information for the study. Validity and Reliability of Instruments To ensure face validity and content validity of the questionnaires, the researcher intends to consult a number of experts in the field of computing, website and the online businesses shoppers. The question was pilot tested on a number of respondents within the local population at a local event. This formed the first part of the validity of the research instruments. Data Analysis Data collected was analyzed as per the set objectives using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft excel to assist in data analysis. Descriptive statistics such as mean, frequencies and cross tabulations was used. Qualitative data was also analyzed using content analysis based on the set objectives so as to give the narrative form which include direct quotations. Ethical considerations The researcher endeavored to seek the permission of the respondents and all those who shall be involved in the study. Information that shall be discovered from the participants shall not be misused and was only used for the purpose of this research. The researcher shall take it upon himself to maintain the moral responsibility of the participants as well as observing their privacy, sensitivity and confidentiality. Questionnaire on online shopping There is the need to have the target group in a research study to cast their sincere opinion. This thus required that they be provided by a means through which they can provide the information from their comfort zones. The questionnaire offers that. Open ended questionnaires was used in the research to elicit the information about the online shopping. The questionnaires are aimed at bringing out the user experience with regard to online shopping. The online shoppers are provided with a series of questions that they are expected to answer to. The answer to the questions was then used in analyzing the viability of engaging into the business. Advantages of using questionnaires as a research tool There are numerous benefits that the data collected by the questionnaires present to the researcher. The information extracted from the data can then be viewed as vital product for consideration. The first benefit of using questionnaires is practicality and the first hand nature of the method. Questionnaire is a very practical method of eliciting information. This is because the researcher gets the information direct from the respondent. This offers the original information unlike when there is second hand in the information is bound to be distorted. Secondly, the use of questionnaires offers the possibility of getting larger amounts of information from a very large number of respondents within a short period of time. When the questionnaire copies are duplicated, they can be presented to very many people who can give their thoughts in line with the questions but within a very short period of time. This is because the questions are structured to give the respondent easy time to provide response that would be specific and credible. Another benefit of using the questionnaire is that the research can be conducted by anybody, whether the researcher or any individual without hampering the credibility, validity, quality, and reliability of the data collected. The other benefit of this method is that the results gathered can often be quantified very easily and quickly either by the use of the statistical software packages or the researcher in person. The data collected using this method can also analyzed easily and more objectively and scientifically as compared to other research forms. The data collected using this method can be quantified and used to make comparisons and contrast to other researcher thus used to measure and effect changes. Limitations of the study Despite the positives from this research methodology, there are a number of shortcomings that present the challenges and a need to have a second thought before undertaking the methodology. The research methodology makes it difficult to understand some of the information rising from research like the changes in emotions, the behavior, and the individual feelings. These are not covered in the questionnaire. Another limitation of this study is that it lacks a model of telling how a sincere the respondents are and the degree of thought they have put in to the response. There is also a possibility that the respondent may be subject to things like amnesia and easily forget the information context thus argue from outside the context of what the questionnaire is seeking to elicit. The answers provided by the respondent solely depends on the interpretation of the respondent therefore it possible that each and every respondent gave differing response from the other. These factors make the use of the questionnaires a little limited in the scope of response. Interviews with business experts in the cupcake business Since time memorial, interviews have presented the best first hand information to researchers. This is because the interviewee has the opportunity to cast their wide view including those that are not covered in the interview questions. In the cupcake business, the experts in the cupcake field were contacted to give their opinion with reference to certain questions that were presented. The interview also conducted with a bank manager who gave the response according to what was asked. Below is how the interviewer interacted with the correspondent, the bank manager. When the manager was asked they expected from someone who came to them with a start-up idea, the manager said that they expect the individual to have at least the background knowledge of the field of the conceived business idea. This helped have an insight into what they are about to venture into. The manager was asked about what advice they would give such a person. According to their response, the person should carry out research into the area and ask those already in that field so that they can come-up with a realistic budget. When asked the problems that similar individuals have encountered in the past, they said that the problem with business start up encountered by new entrepreneurs is that limited finance and impatience in waiting for return of the business. When asked what causes failure of such businesses, the manager said that competition and limited back-up capital were the main causes of failure of these businesses. The manager was also asked on how the online businesses survived, the manager noted that the online platform offers wide range of clients thus limiting the unhealthy competition experienced by the business. The online platform offers equal terms of trade thus making it easy for businesses to break through. Benefits of interviews Interviews offers first-hand information as the researcher interacts with the respondent one-on-one. This enhances the quality, validity and credibility of the information collected. The interview also gives researcher to get new issues that arise during the interview as the there is chance for the interviewee to give their opinion which may represent new ideas. Focus group with the potential customers The research also involved the use of focus group. The focus group had five potential customers who were engaged through asking them about their perceptions, opinions and take on the online sales of cupcake business. Their perceptions were taken and incorporated into the final findings of the project. Advantages of focus group Just like interviews, focus group also gives the researcher an opportunity to interact with group of potential customers. The customers then cast their ideas on the business. This is important as it present the interviewee with the new and immediate ideas that can be used to improve the business. It also helps asses the customer’s position on the competitors of the business. This helps the business develop new ideologies on how to go about their daily businesses. The focus group can also help the product expectations of the customers. Pilot study The pilot study involved taking the cupcake samples to the local market customers. The cupcakes were sold to the potential customers within the local market. This presented and opportunity for the business to get the first touch with the customers. The customers then give their thought on the product depending on the taste of the product. Appendix Description of the research questionnaire and interviews (interviews and questionnaire) Bibliography Chapin, K., & McGee, J. 2012. 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