The Research Particularities - Term Paper Example

Prepare the exam answer 1a) Research findings are typically communicated in a report, which includes six sections. List them and use examples to analyse the function of each. (60/100) In academic research, a report is usually divided in six sections. Through these sections, different issues are highlighted; for this reason, the structure and the content of each of these sections is differentiated. The common section of a report could be analyzed as follows: a) Introduction; the introductory section of the report is used in order to present the research questions and to explain the value of the study. Moreover, in the specific section, the background of the study’s subject is provided. In certain cases, the introduction section of a report refers briefly to the research methods used for examining the issues under discussion, b) Literature Review; in the specific section, the academic studies published on the study’s issues are presented – usually categorized in accordance with their content. The role of the specific section of the report is to present the views of theorists and academic researchers in regard to the particular subject; most commonly, the value of the literature review of the section is depended on the following elements: b1) the relevance of the studies presented and b2) the date of publication of the studies – recent studies are generally preferred instead of old ones as they reflect the current conditions in regard to the study’s issues. In any case, academic studies are most appropriate for supporting an academic paper, c) Methodology; the methodology section is used for presenting the research methods employed in the study. The specific section is usually divided into sub-sections, as follows: participants/ sample, research tool, justification of the research methods. For example: when a survey is chosen as the research method of a particular study, then the Methodology section of the study is formulated as follows: c1) participants (characteristics, number), c2) questionnaire, c3) justification of the survey as the chosen research method, d) Analysis; the analysis section of a report includes the findings of the research developed for the specific report; in many cases, this section is combined with the Methods section of the report – in a section entitled as Research Methodology; the presentation and the analysis of data needs to follow certain rules – especially if complex methods of data analysis are involved, for instance the regression analysis of data. It is also possible that this section is pure theoretical; for instance, if the research method chosen is the case studies analysis, then the Analysis section of the report will include the case studies related to the issues under discussion, e) the Discussion section of the report explains the following issues: e1) which are the key points of the findings of the research developed for the report, e2) are these findings related with the literature presented in the report and e3) how these findings verify the research hypotheses. 1b) Analyse the differences you would expect to find in the ways in which a research study is reported in an academic journal article and a trade newspaper (40/100) The differences between the academic journals and the professional journals refer to a wide range of issues. Because of these differences, it is expected that each of the above journals is likely to use different ways in presenting a research study. The differences between the academic and the professional journals could be described as follows: a) academic journals are used by academics – usually in the development of academic research; instead, the professional journals have to respond to the needs of their members; in the same context it has to be noted that the academic journals are reviewed by academics while the professional journals are reviewed by their editor, b) the information provided through the academic journal is usually out of date – meaning that the figures and the events included are likely to refer to the past; it is not possible to retrieve an academic journal that refers to the same day or the previous day with the day of research, c) on the other hand, the findings of research provided through the academic journal are analytical – compared to the professional journals which tend to refer to summarized findings; in the same context, the views presented in academic journals are likely to be verified using appropriate academic research methods; as for the professional journals, they are expected to present a series of data – without testing their validity. Because of their structure and content, academic journals are likely to be preferred by researchers when having to develop academic research. It should be noted that both types of journals are published regularly and are widely accessible but they are differentiated in regarding to their targeted audience and the type of information provided – in the context described above. 2.Studies in international business often adopt a positivist and phenomenological research philosophy. Critically discuss such studies in relation to : a) the assumptions which underpin them (30/100) Positivist and phenomenological approaches may be used in academic studies related to international business. These approaches are based on different principles – a fact that further influences the study in which they are used. In accordance with the principles of these approaches academic studies are likely to present a series of characteristics: a) increased objectivity (positivist) or subjectivity (phenomenological approach), b) related to external facts (positivist) or based on social dependencies and relations (phenomenological approach), c) independency of researcher from his environment (positivist approach) or key influences of the environment on the researcher who is regarded as part of a specific social context (phenomenological approach). For example, the research studies which are based on formal plans and which are based on a series of facts reflect a positivist philosophical approach. On the other hand, research studies which are quite flexible and which are depended on descriptions of events as viewed by each individual (referring to the participants in such a study) show a phenomenological philosophical approach. b) the research approach they adopt (30/100) In the context of the positivist approach, researchers are expected to pay attention on facts rather than the entire framework of a phenomenon. Moreover, in accordance with the positivist approach, the complexity in research methods should be avoided – this is achieved by avoiding developing assumptions through the research findings (as in phenomenological approach); rather the opposite direction is chosen: hypotheses are set in advance and are tested using appropriate research method. For example, through the positivist approach a researcher is expected to test the research hypotheses through a quantitative research method; on their turn, the hypotheses would be based on a series of facts – as identified through the research on appropriate academic sources; moreover, the facts on which the research hypotheses are based have to be identifiable externally; not resulted from observation or analysis by the researcher of a specific social context (phenomenological approach). c) the research strategy they adopt (40/100) As described above, in the context of positivist approach, the research needs to be based on specific facts; the survey is likely to be chosen as a research method in this approach. On the contrary, in the phenomenological approach, emphasis is given on the analysis of various social frameworks. In the research based on the specific approach, the researcher is expected to be personally involved: the interview is the most common research method, which is aligned with the principles of phenomenology. Moreover, the research developed using the positivist approach is likely to be based on extended samples; as for the phenomenological approach, this is based on limited samples – for instance, in the case of a research study based on interviews (phenomenological approach) the number of participants cannot be high. On the contrary, in a survey (positivist approach) the number of participants can be extremely high. 3. Professional bodies [eg CILT or ICS] / trade masazines (eg. Lloyds List) / International bodies [eg. IMO, API, UNCTAD] provide a range of services which may assist researchers in business. You are required to a) Disucss the range of services which this (Source) provides that may assist business researchers (50/100) In order to understand the differences in services provided to researchers when developing their study reference will be made to one professional body (CILT) and a trade magazine (Lloyds List), which provide such service. CILT provides to its subscribers a wide range of academic sources – through the online database EBSCO. Through the above database, books, journals, periodicals and other similar academic sources are available to researchers who work on various academic fields. In order for a researcher to use the specific database it is necessary to purchase a subscription, which offers certain rights – also imposes obligations – in regard to the use of the EBSCO system: the researcher cannot copy/paste the material provided through EBSCO – without the permission of the organization; the access to the organization’s academic material is only online – there is no availability of library. The right of the researcher on the system’s database is exclusive – it cannot be transferred; moreover, the researcher should not alternate the content of the database. Similar rules exist in regard to the use of the database of Lloyds List; the above magazine provides to its subscribers access to a wide range of articles – which however focus on a particular subject, maritime-related issues. However, strict rules exist in regard to the management of the material available through the magazine’s database – which is accessed by the subscriber through a username/password: the researcher/ subscriber cannot copy/paste or download the material available in the magazine’s system – especially if such activity takes place continuously showing the intention of the researcher for the creation of an online database. Again, in Lloyd’s list, the material can be accessed only through the Internet – there are no library facilities available. In both the above databases, the researcher can enter the term on which his research is based and a series of articles (and books in case of EBSCO) will be retrieved. b) Critically outline the limitations which data obtained from (this source) may impose on your research, in terms of (eg)…..compyright / intellectual property rights / cost of obtaining data / ethics etc. (50/100) In both the above sources, there are limitations that can influence the development of the research: a) there are strict copyright terms, which means that the researcher cannot copy/paste articles, which, however, may be important for the research, b) the access to the above databases requires subscription; the pay-back of the relevant cost cannot be always guaranteed – it is possible that the database to which a researcher is subscribed does not offer adequate material for all academic subjects. In this way, maybe the subscription in the specific service to be proved as non-important for the researcher, c) when entering a research term, it is possible that the articles/books retrieved are not – at least, not all of them – relevant with the specific query; for instance if the phrase ‘legal obligation’ is put in the search box of the Lloyd’s list a total of 530 articles will be retrieved; time will be needed for identifying the material appropriate for the study in progress. On the other hand, during searching the above databases, it is possible that a virus appears and harms the database; then, the responsibility of the user may be established – even if the user was not involved in the specific damage (Lloyds list). In other words, the terms set by the above organizations in regard to the use of their databases by researchers may be characterized as too restrictive; because of the issues discussed above, the subscription in such databases should be carefully reviewed in advance – if it can pay-back the money paid by the subscriber/ researcher. Works Cited Cilt PUBLISHING agreement, online, available from http://support.ebscohost.com/ehost/terms.html Lloyds List, terms of use, online, available from http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/static/terms-and-conditions/ Read More