Analyzing the Changes Faced by Computer R Us - Research Proposal Example

Analyzing the Changes Faced by Computer R Us: A Study on CompleteCare company Division Foundations of Business Analysis Student’s Name Date of Submission Table of Contents 1.0.Problem statement/background 3 2.0.Purpose of the research 3 3.0.Methodology 4 3.1.Research design 4 3.2.Questionnaire Design 5 3.3.Sample Design 6 3.3.1.Sampling methods 6 3.3.2.Estimator 8 4.0.Budget and timeline 9 5.0.Dummy tables 11 References 13 1.0. Problem statement/background Computer R Us is a computer manufacturer and retailer that launched a service and repair division, CompleteCare for its portable/laptop/notebook computers. However, it has been noted that the division is experiencing a shortage from trained technical operators available to serve the customers. As the Workload of repair pile up and deadlines become tighter, the insufficient personnel can be of a great limitation to the organization. As a result, the few available technical operators have greater workloads, hence minimizing their productivity and performance. There has been a reported unreliability of the division to pick up and deliver customer machines to the repair center. The division suffers from bad reputation when it comes to satisfying the needs of the customer. Moreover, the division also experiences major problems for some types of machines. With the increasing challenges, the division is unable to meet its set objectives and the objectives of the entire organization. 2.0. Purpose of the research Because this study aims at investigating the problems faced by Computer R Us, the research aims at studying and analyzing problems faced by CompleteCare division. The study will also recommend various possible solutions to the problems faced by the CompleteCare. As a qualitative study, the study will try to answer the ‘how’ land ‘why’ questions. By answering these questions, the researcher will gain insights about the challenges facing the division and build a theoretic base to make recommendations. Moreover, the research aims providing the management of the company with a greater understanding of these challenges and how the company would benefit from implementing the recommended actions. 3.0. Methodology 3.1. Research design Scientific research and practical research are different types of research designs. According to Saunders, Lewis & Thornbill (2007), scientific research is meant to contribute to a body of knowledge where the benefactors of the research are fellow researchers. The ultimate goal of scientific research is to give knowledge that would be significant academic resources to any individual who have an interest on a similar research area. In contrast, argue that practical research aim at providing information that helps in solving practical problems. The immediate benefactors of practical research are individuals with practical interest such as policymakers and occupational practitioners. This research aims at analyzing and studying the challenges experienced by Computer R Us and at a point, provides recommendation and possible solutions to these problems. Therefore, this study will adopt the practical research design. However, this research is less oriented towards description and more focused on finding explanations. The study will also apply the deductive research approach. The theoretical propositions regarding the challenges faced by the company would be a guide on how to organize and direct my data analysis. With refrence to Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2009), it is advantageous to apply the theoretical approach as it would help the researchers to design and analyze their research, hence able to adapt their own approach. Moreover, the researcher will choose a survey research design because it is best suited to answer the research questions and address the purpose of the study. Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2012) defines a survey research as a research design that involves a study of group of individuals or items by collecting and analyzing data obtained from a few individuals or research items as a representation of the entire population. The survey research design will involve the analysis of the data obtained by the sample population and generalize the final results on the entire population. 3.2. Questionnaire Design Data will be collected in a hard copy format questionnaire. Since the objective of the study is to analyses and find solutions to the challenges that face Computer R Us, the study will use the company’s employees and managers as the target population. The questionnaire titled ‘Challenges facing Computer R Us’ would include questions based on the theoretical propositions. The questionnaire will have four sections; A, B, C, & D. Section A will collect personal data of the respondents. Section B will contain questions regarding the challenges that the company face. Section C will contain questions regarding what makes the employees not to serve the customers more efficiently. The last section, section D will list various possible steps that the respondents might feel would be necessary when dealing with the challenges. The questionnaire used the Likert 5- point scales that range from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The questionnaire will go through various modifications and refinement to reach its final form. The modifications will be based on the pilot study’s results and feedbacks. The researcher will also construct a detailed checklist that would contain research variables that guided the generation of the research questions. Finally, the questionnaire will be designed in such a way that it is easier for the respondents to understand and move from one question to the next without significant confusion. The questions will also use a basic word that is simple and straightforward for easy understanding (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2012). The questionnaire items will be developed using the English language so as to be simple and for easy answering. 3.3. Sample Design 3.3.1. Sampling methods Sampling is the process by which a researcher selects a portion of the population as a representative of the entire population (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2009). In qualitative research, a researcher selects individuals to participate in the study based on the first-hand experience of the area of study. According to Polonsky and Waller (2011), there are two major approaches to sampling namely probability and non-probability sampling. The probability sampling incorporates all the elements in the population. Therefore, the elements have an equal probability of being included in the sample (Gilham, 2003). The researcher is also able to make the mathematical calculation of the probability of an element to be selected. On the other hand, non-probability sampling is where the study elements are chosen based on their availability or from the researcher’s personal judgments. As Polonsky and Waller (2011) argue, when choosing a sample, the sample must be a representative of the population and large enough to provide adequate information to avoid errors. This means that the sample has to contain a similar proportion of the subgroup of the entire population. Any group should not be excluded from becoming part of the sample. Moreover, although the sample does not need to be composed of a particular proportion of the population, the sample has to a size that would appropriately answer the research questions in a broad manner. For this study, participants’ purposive sampling will be used to select the individuals that would represent the whole population. This method is the non-probability sampling methods and involves the researcher conscious selecting participants. The non-probability method is useful in finding the descriptive comments about the sample (Hammersley, 2000). Moreover, it is quick, inexpensive and convenient. In a qualitative research design, the purpose sampling will provide the researcher to obtain strong theoretical reasons for the choice of individuals chosen to be included in the sample. For the purpose of this study, the respondents will be chosen specific criteria, i.e. whether the participant is an employee or is involved in the management of the organization. The sample will need the researcher to develop subjective judgments regarding the research variables. At the start of the research, the researcher will access the names of 20 members, 15 employees and five managers, of the company. From this sample, three managers will come from the company’s main office while the other two from the division. The 15 employees will come from the division. The employees were exclusively selected from the division because they are more aware of the challenges and problems faced by the division that the employees at the main office. These individuals would be approached by the researcher and requested to participate in the study. Silverman (2001) argue that since a larger sample in qualitative research may result to generation of data that may be difficult to process and analyze, it is more appropriate for researcher to select a smaller sample for completeness and accuracy. Moreover, the quality of information obtained from the participants is the main focus when conducting qualitative research. Sampling procedure The researcher will carry out the sampling of the participants as follows: Sought assistant of the human resource management department and departmental heads to identify potential participants. Select the respondents based on the purposive sampling criteria The researcher will explain the purpose of the research to the participants and request them to take part in the study. 3.3.2. Estimator Estimator is the estimation process applied by a researcher to calculate sample statistics. According to Silverman (2001), different sampling methods require different sampling estimators. Purposive sampling is a random selection of the sampling units from a segment of the entire population that has the most information on the characteristics of the research interest. Data collection, processing, and analysis The researcher will verify and systematize the collected data for correctness and entirety. The qualitative data will be collected from primary sources, that is, by the use of questionnaires. The questionnaire will be the major data collection method (Hammersley, 2000). The researcher will make changes and input of the respondents will be taken considerably. To analyze the collected data, the researcher will use both explanatory and inferential statistic methods of data analysis. The researcher will apply the use of regulatory distribution such as schemas and maps. The coding and categorization will be done before data entry and the data transferred for examination using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. There are various estimators in purposive sampling. The non-parametric bootstrap is an estimation location parameter (Hammersley, 2000). The estimator applies the Monte Carlo method to measure the variance of the point estimate. The bootstrap estimator of the population mean has elements of consistency and efficiency in homogenous and heterogeneous populations (Silverman, 2001). This study ill estimate the parameters using the bootstrap on the purposive samples that will be draw to estimate the population mean and the standard area of the mean that will be estimates. Moreover, SPSS Version 8 will be used from the bootstrapping the stimulated data. 4.0. Budget and timeline To develop the feasibility of this research, the study budget and timeline will be as follows: Budget Pen, paper, clipboards $50 Printing (questionnaires) $20 Transport $80 5.0. Dummy tables Table 1: Participants’ personal information This table will include the participants’ personal information that would help the researcher to categorize the results depending on the age and employment category of the respondents Characteristics Value (N) Gender Male Female Employment Category Management Employee Table 2: Employment History Characteristics Value (N) Years Less than year 1year-3years 4 years -6 years More than 6 years Table 3: Challenges faced by Complete Care This table answers the research questions; what are the challenges and problems faced by CompleteCare division Characteristics Value (N) Misalignment of the company’s objectives and the divisions objectives Few numbers of customer care personnel Inefficient recruitment and talent management strategies Limited employee ability to make innovative decisions due to the management system Resistance to change Unrealistic goals References Gillham, B. (2003). The research interview. London: Continuum. Hammersley, M. (2000). Varieties of social research: A typology. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, Vol. 3, No.3, pp. 221-229. Polonsky M. Waller D. (2011). Designing and Managing a Research Project. Second edition. SAGE Publications Inc. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students, Fifth Edition edition, Italy: Rotolito Lombarda. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2012). Research Methods for Business Students, 6th ed., Harlow, Prentice Hall Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A., (2007). Research methods for business students (4th ed.), Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall. Silverman, D. (2001). Interpreting Qualitative Data: Methods for Analysing talk, text and interaction. London: Sage Read More