Ethical and Other Issues in Business Research - Case Study Example

Review and Reflection on Three Case Studies 1. Review and reflection on three case studies The following are the issues that arise from the review and reflection on the three case studies. The issues chosen are different from those covered by the case studies. The scope and scale of a business research The first issue entails the scope and scale of a business research. Essentially, the scope of a business research is a function of constraints of time and data (Jankowicz 2005, p. 52). When deciding on the scale and scope of a business research, a researcher is influenced by the availability of resources such as time and the data required for the research. This is applicable to both basic and applied research. According to Sreejesh, Mohapatra and Anusree (2009, p. 54), time constraints in applied business research determine to what extent a research is carried out. Although it is always ideal that business decisions are made based on information derived from a research, the urgency of the matter may make it necessary for decisions to be made without thorough research being carried out. Also, in the event of time being a limiting factor, the scope of a business research may be adjusted in terms of the variables studied and the amount of data collected in the research. With regard to the data required for a research, the scale and scope of the research is influenced by the availability of the required data. In practice, the decision making process in business depends on the information possessed by the management (Bajpai 2011, p. 24). It is in cases where this information is not sufficient for rational decision making that business research is carried out to supplement the information. In such cases, the scale of the research will be determined by the extent to which information required to make decisions is missing. Another factor that determines the scope and scale of a business research is the cost benefit of the research. In a business setting, a research is solely conducted with the potential benefit for the organisation in mind (Kothari 2004, p. 109). A research is conducted to provide sufficient information necessary for the management to make sound decisions for the benefit of the organisation. Such benefits are reflected in three different aspects: enhancing the quality of the products, optimising the production processes of the organisation or improving how the organisation handles its marketing activities (Coldwell & Herbst 2004, p. 6). In such instances, alternative courses of action are evaluated and the best course of action that yields the highest benefit is chosen. Apart from time, data and costs, the scope and scale of a business research is determined by the nature of the problem under investigation. In applied research, the scale of the research is determined by whether the research to be conducted is evaluation or performance monitoring research (Bryman & Bell 2007, p. 54). The issue of the scope and scale of business research will be applicable to my research. This is because when conducting basic research, my work will be influenced by different factors such as time, availability of the data and the nature of the question. The scope of the research will have to conform to the time allocated for the research, how available the required data is and the nature of my research topic. In applied research, the scope of research is influenced by the same factors. In addition, the scope and scale of the research have to conform to the requirements of the management with regard to the potential benefit the research will bring to the organisation. This is important when one considers the current trend in business research where the scope of research is rapidly expanding as noted by Hair et al. (2011, p. 6) When reviewing this topic, the key discussion and learning outcome of the group was that understanding the scope and scale of a business research is important for the benefit of the entire research process. This is because the constraints of time, costs and availability of data are applicable to both basic and applied research situations. Use of secondary data in business research Another issue covered in the course is how a researcher uses secondary sources of data while conducting the research. Basically, a researcher has access to both primary and secondary data. Whereas primary data is raw and collected for the sole purpose of the research, secondary data refers to information that has already been collected for use in other purposes (Kanire 2012, p. 28). Essentially, there are three basic classes of secondary data as outlined next. First, a researcher can make use of documentary information. This is composed of both written and unwritten materials that are available for use in the research (Israel 2008, p. 88). Also, secondary data for a research may be obtained from surveys. This is data that is obtained from the results of different types of surveys conducted previously. These include census, ad hoc surveys and continuous or regular surveys (Matten 2004, p. 464). The last class of secondary data that may be available to a researcher is data from multiple sources. This may be data that has been obtained from either area-based or time-based studies that have been conducted before. There are several key advantages and disadvantages associated with collecting secondary data when conducting a business research. These advantages and disadvantages arise from the fact that depending on the type of research and the nature of data required, the researcher is bound to use a type of data that is best suited for the purpose. One advantage that arises from the use of secondary data when conducting a research is that the data is easily accessible and available to the researcher (Neelankavil 2007, p. 61). This means that the researcher can easily access the data without many requirements. Also, since secondary data has already been used for a particular purpose, the data can as well be used for many other purposes. This is because secondary data provides comparative and contextual information. In addition to this, using secondary data in a research presents the researcher with the advantage of accessing data that is generally permanent and available. This implies that the researcher can easily access the data whenever a need arises. On the other hand, using secondary data may present several difficulties to the researcher. For instance, since this type of data is initially collected for a different purpose, a researcher may discover that there is a considerable difference between the initial purpose for which the data was collected and what is being investigated. Although this is a rare occurrence, its effect is that the validity of the entire research findings may be compromised by such instances. Additionally, the secondary data that the researcher intends to use in the research may be difficult to access (Koziol & Arthur 2011, p. 169). Such difficulty may arise from inaccessibility or prohibitive costs that make it difficult for the researcher to access the data. In addition, the aggregations, definitions and conclusions drawn from the data may be inappropriate for the research topic at hand (Sreejesh, Mohapatra & Anusree 2009, p. 102). This connotes that the researcher may be forced to reanalyse the data as a way of avoiding using erroneous information in the research. Lastly, since using secondary data entails using data that has already been collected for a different purpose, the researcher using it for a research has got no control over the quality of the data. This means that errors committed in the initial data may be carried over to the new research that is being conducted (Wilson 2010, p. 121). When reviewing this topic, three key issues stand out. The first one concerns the extent to which secondary data is available to a researcher. Although secondary data is easily available in academic publications, unpublished organisational reports and in tertiary literature, the availability of these sources to the researcher is an important aspect that needs to be considered when conducting a research using secondary data. The second issue entails locating secondary data that is intended for use in a research. It is important for a researcher to not only establish that the data is available but also to accurately locate the precise data that is needed for the research. This saves time and helps the researcher to maintain relevance in the data that is used in the research. Lastly, the use of secondary data entails evaluation of potential secondary data. It is important for the researcher to evaluate all the secondary data intended for use so that its suitability to the objectives of the research at hand is determined (Bajpai 2011, p. 83). If this cannot be established, it is important that the researcher evaluates alternative sources of secondary data to be used in the research. The topic of using secondary data in research has a lot of practical relevance for my research in the future. For instance, when conducting applied research, the need to use secondary data in the form of organisation reports will arise. This will create the need for evaluating, locating and establishing the availability of the data. Ethical issues in business research The last concept is about ethical issues that arise during the process of conducting a business research. Basically, ethics in research arises from the need to take into consideration competing requirements and expectations of different stakeholders in the process of conducting the research (Gofton & Ness 2001, p. 112). There are several ways in which ethical consideration comes into play in a research. All these arise from the need for the researcher to respect the rights and obligations of all the parties involved in the research (Coldwell & Herbst 2004, p. 18). For instance, a researcher needs to take into account ethical consideration when reviewing literature that is of relevance to the research that is being conducted. This helps the researcher to develop the appropriate research ideas as well as develop a critical perspective for the entire research (Nicholson & Bennett 2008, p. 15). When doing a literature review, it is important for the researcher to be ethical enough to avoid repeating works that have already been covered. Furthermore, there is need for the researcher to remain objective and avoid distorting facts and findings of the research. This is important as a way of ensuring that the research findings are completely objective and factual (Adams et al. 2007, p. 165). Another way in which a researcher is required to demonstrate ethical consideration when carrying out a research arises when interviewing respondents. When conducting interviews, it is important for the researcher to seek the consent of the individuals to be interviewed first. It is the duty of the researcher to provide the individuals to be interviewed with sufficient information about the nature and form of the interview (Gregory 2003, p. 49). This way, the respondents are able to make informed decisions about their participation, prior to the interviews. Also, when data collection takes the form of fill- in questionnaires, it is upon the researcher to ensure that the respondents are aware of what the information they provide will be used for and that they are allowed to make informed decisions about their participation in the research. Another way in which ethical issues arise during a research is about the confidentiality of the respondents as well as the data. In both interviews and questionnaires, there is need for the researcher to guarantee the respondents that the information is confidential and their identities will be protected. This is important in researches where sensitive information is provided by the respondents or where the respondents belong to vulnerable groups in the society (Gregory 2003, p. 52). Also, a researcher is expected to demonstrate confidentiality by keeping private all information that is related to organisations involved in a research. Such information should not be disclosed for any other use apart from the intended use in the research. There are several ways in which the issue of ethical consideration in research will be of great implication to my future research. For instance, the need to make appropriate references in my final write up will influence the way I make my references in my work. The focus will be to help the reader easily access the sources that have been used in my work. Also, ethical consideration in research will have an impact on the way I prepare for and conduct interviews, if needed. The focus will be on respecting the rights of the respondents with regard to confidentiality and privacy. Lastly, the relevance of ethical consideration in research will be witnessed when presenting the findings of the research. The focus will be on ensuring that the facts are not distorted and the findings are completely objective. 2. Analysis of three case studies Case one 1. The research objectives are not compatible with the research topic. This is because whereas the research topic is concerned with the importance and effectiveness of talent retention methods in Singapore, the research objectives developed measure different aspects that do not fall within this overall topic of the research. 2. The literature is not critically presented in this case study. This is because the work fails to make good use of such skills as annotation, comparison, contrast and analysis that are critical in making a literature review critical and relevant. Moreover, the review fails in terms of sufficiency and coherence. As a way of improving the work, the review could be divided into different sections, each dealing with information that corresponds to a different particular objective of the research. This can allow sufficient and coherent review of literature that is relevant to the research objectives. 3. The reference system is not appropriate. This is because it does not adhere to any particular conventional referencing style. Case two 1. Phil and Mark had good reasons for choosing the research topic initially. This is because of the following reasons. First, their choice of topic was informed by both observation and accumulated knowledge. This was obtained from data that indicated the growing phenomenon of word of mouth recruitment as well as from their practical experience in the work environment. The second reason is that their search for information about the issue did not yield sufficient results. The only implication of this is that little or no research had been conducted about the topic. This only made their choice of research topic good. 2. To what extent is word of mouth recruitment used in local authorities? 3. One important lesson that can be learned from the experience described in the case study is the need to ensure that the research topic selected is appropriate for the research. This means that it is important that the research questions developed for the research adhere to established criteria. 4. To a large extent, the research question of Mark and Phil does meet the criteria. This means that the research question can be reliably used to conduct a valid research in the knowledge area. Case three 1. Jane would have focused on searching for information from other academic sources such as books and other published researches on the topic. 2. So as to make all relevant acknowledgements of all sources of information that she had referred to when developing her literature review. This is important so that she avoids committing plagiarism by failing to acknowledge sources of information to which she refers indirectly in her work. 3. One, the need to carefully search for materials before developing a literature review. This is important in not only widening the scope but also presenting sufficient information in the work. The second one is the need to make careful reference in the work. Accurate and careful referencing enables the reader to easily access the sources that have been used in the literature review as well as the research. The third one is the need to continuously revise my work during the process of conducting the research. This is an important strategy of eliminating all errors in the work. References Adams, J, Khan, H T A, Raeside, R & White, D 2007, Research Methods for Graduate Business and Social Science Students, Sage Publications, London. Accessed at: http://elib.tic.edu.vn:8080/dspace/bitstream/123456789/13168/1/7.pdf (1 January 2013). Bajpai N 2011, Business Research Methods, Dorling Kindersley, Chennai. Bryman, A & Bell, E 2007, Business Research Methods, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Coldwell, D & Herbst, F 2004, Business Research, Juta and Company, CapeTown. Gregory, I 2003, Ethics in Research, Continuum, London. Gofton, L & Ness, M 2001, Business Market Research, Kogan Page Publishers, London. Hair, J F, Celsi, M W, Money, A H, Samouel, P & Page, M J 2011, Essentials of Business Research Methods, M. E. Sharpe, New York. Israel, D 2008, Data Analysis in Business Research: A Step-by-Step Nonparametric Approach, Sage Publications, California. Jankowicz, A D 2005, Business Research Projects, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason. Kanire, G 2012, ‘Social Science research methodology: Concepts, methods and computer applications’. Accessed at: http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=HjS00wt3478C&pg=PA87&dq=Saunders,+M.,+Lewis,+P.,+%26+Thornhill,+A.+%282012%29.+Research+Methods+for+Business+Students&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NwXEUvioOofkoATFyYKwDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Saunders%2C%20M.%2C%20Lewis%2C%20P.%2C%20%26%20Thornhill%2C%20A.%20%282012%29.%20Research%20Methods%20for%20Business%20Students&f=false (1 January 2014). Kothari, C R 2004, Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, New Age International, New Delhi. Koziol, N & Arthur A 2011, ‘An introduction to secondary data analysis’. Accessed at: http://r2ed.unl.edu/presentations/2011/RMS/120911_Koziol/120911_Koziol.pdf (1 January 2013). Matten, D 2004, ‘Against today’s fashion: Experiences from the review front’, Marschan, R & Welch, C (eds), Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for International Business, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham. pp. 461–484 Neelankavil J, P 2007, International Business Research, M. E. Sharpe, New York. Nicholson, S W & Bennett, T B 2008, ‘Transparent practices: Primary and secondary data in business ethics dissertations’, Journal of Business Ethics, pp. 3–17. Accessed at: http://staff.lib.msu.edu/nicho147/Research/fulltext.pdf (1 January 2013). Sreejesh, S, Mohapatra, S & Anusree, M R 2009, Business Research Methods: An Applied Orientation, Springer. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CH8QFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.springer.com%2Fcda%2Fcontent%2Fdocument%2Fcda_downloaddocument%2F9783319005386-c2.pdf%3FSGWID%3D0-0-45-1411622-p175152513&ei=xB_EUvVb1eWgBI-ygLAL&usg=AFQjCNE3ya4O5aovJIcVJYGiPHVPE3hvCg&sig2=IjjF57fSg6IFfKHvB_8-jg&bvm=bv.58187178,d.cGU (1 December 2013). Wilson, J 2010, Essentials of Business Research: A Guide to doing your Research project, Sage Publications, New York. Read More