Challenges Related to Completing the Dissertation - Assignment Example

Challenges Related to Completing the Dissertation As an academic exercise, the preparation of the dissertation is undertaken by attaching so much importance and attempts to achieve perfection. In the light of this, there are a number of challenges that are faced in achieving these goals or objectives. Some of the challenges in completing a dissertation are personal whiles others have to do with the process (Craig, 2012). As much as possible however, the researcher has to ensure that the challenges faced do not become a basis for the validity and reliability of the dissertation to be affected (Bravo, Earls and Johnson, 2011). As far as personal challenges are concerned, the researcher envisions that there could be a possible challenge when it comes to the allocation of time for the various aspects of the dissertation. This is because the current dissertation is being prepared at a time when other academic activities and co-curricular activities are ongoing. Once this happens, the tendency that the timeframe set for the dissertation may not be adhered to is higher. With regards to challenges with the research process itself, it can be said that a major problem that is likely to surface has to do with the primary data collection process where the researcher plans on collecting data by the use of interview. Indeed, there is the tendency that respondents are going to be tempted to come up with responses that do not necessarily reflect the true state of affairs as exists in their organizations but answers that in their opinion may satisfy the course of the research. This particular challenge can be overcome by using as many follow up questions to authenticate the validity of answers given by respondents as possible. Plan for Completing the Dissertation The plan presented below has been designed to be a guideline for the researcher in the conduct of the research work. This plan is going to help in distinguishing regular day to day activity from activities that has to do with the dissertation (Craig and Stevens, 2012). Key themes in the plan are presented below Time: late evening and dawn shall be committed to the dissertation whereby research and writing of the research shall take place. This is because during the day, other socio-economic activities would take place. Time for library research shall however be fused into the regular academic time table, which takes place during the day. The same shall happen with times when stakeholders in the dissertation team shall be met. A draft of the timetable for completing various parts of the dissertation is given below Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Selection of project topic Collecting background information on the topic Preparation of proposal Completion of proposal Vetting of proposal Drafting of chapters 1 and 2 Seeking permission from respondent agencies Completion of draft chapter 3 and 4 Completion of draft chapter 5 Vetting draft dissertation Writing final project Finances: There shall be a special budget for running the dissertation. This is necessary to do because the preparation of dissertation comes with extra cost involving stationery, research, purchase of books, printing, transportation and honorariums. The needed funds for the dissertation budget shall be set in a special account ahead of the main dissertation so that funds needed to run normal family activities would not be affected. Blending and Adapting the Approaches The diversity that exists in the availability of research approaches makes it possible for researchers to identify appropriate approaches that meet different forms of research needs (Denham, 2001). For the qualitative method selected by the researcher, there are as many as five (5) approaches that can be used to achieve the same results and objectives. As and when necessary therefore, the researcher is going to combine a number of these approaches. The combination of approaches has often been necessitated by diversity in variables available to the researcher (Cumming and Olswang, 2009). When using a qualitative method for example, a researcher may not get as thorough information about respondents as possible if only a single approach is used in a situation whereby many different variables exist. Depending on the diversity in variables therefore, the researcher may decide to combine the use of interview with observation so that data that can readily be available from facial recognition can be collected using observation and those that may need deeper investigation may be collected using the interview. It is important to use research questions as avenues for collecting data – both primary and secondary data. When combining qualitative approaches also, it is important to ensure that there is as much diversity in the structuring of the research questions as there are in the approaches. Commonly, open ended questions are suitable for interview where thorough investigations are needed to come out with conclusions (Deverick and Keith, 2010). Close ended questions are also useful for observation and other forms of approaches where the researcher is not expected to undertake much thorough investigation. A combination of both close ended and open ended questions is thus suggested for a research where approaches are blended. Areas for Further improvement Even though a lot could be said to have been achieved in terms of progress and skill associated with qualitative reasoning and analysis, there still remains a lot more to be done to consolidate the needed knowledge for the successful completion of the dissertation. One of the areas where there still need to be an improvement has to do with the use of focus group for data collection. The reason why there has been a major gap in this area is that the researcher has been very much used to using survey and larger groups for data collection. Another area where there still need to be an improvement is in the area of using qualitative software for data for analysis. Again, cause for this deficiency is that I have been more in tuned with the use of quantitative software such as the statistical package for the social sciences, SPSS. Plan for improving those skills? In direct relation to the problems identified, there are corresponding contingency solutions that have been planned to improve the said skills. The improvement of all of these skills is very necessary in ensuring that the final dissertation that will be produced becomes of the highest standard and up to the expected quality (DiCenso, Guyatt and Ciliska, 2005). It is especially important that the researcher finds means of improving the skills as the dissertation is going to be undertaken as an individual research. As far as the use of focused group is concerned, the researcher is going to undertake a mock data collection exercise using that particular method. It is planned that students in the class of the researcher shall be used for this purpose so that as much as the researcher practices the use of the method, he could identify more areas within the method that needs to be improve. Consequently, qualitative software shall be used in analyzing data for the mock research. This means that the plan for improving the skills has to do with constant and repetitive practice. Role of course in helping determine a dissertation topic approach Entering the course has been very instrumental in helping me determine a dissertation topic approach that best fits the needs of the present study. For instance through the distinction that the course has drawn between various forms and approaches to research (Hom and Griffeth, 2005), it has been possible to differentiate between topics that can be researched into qualitatively and those that can best be researched into quantitatively. With such basic knowledge, it was easier determining the dissertation topic approach because I knew whether or not my dissertation topic was qualitative. Another important role that the course has played is that it has enlightened me on topics that are researchable and those that are not. Ideally therefore, determining dissertation topics have been focused on the impact that the topic would eventually bring on professional and academic practice. Finally, it has been through the course that the specific and most critical areas of given topics that are worth weaving the research aims and objectives around have been identified (Hian and Einstein, 2010). Changes to original topic and approach The original topic has not changed but the approach has somewhat changed. The reason for maintaining the topic is due to the rationale behind the topic, the significance of the topic, and the place of the topic on professional practice. The topic of the dissertation has from the beginning of the study being “The Impacts of Employee Involvement in the Hiring and Promotion Process of Public Agencies“. The approach to the topic has however changed as it has been said earlier. Initially, the approach was to use the quantitative research method in coming out with the necessary data around the impact of employee involvement on hiring and promotion. But upon a series of considerations that came out of the lessons of the course, it was realized that the topic is highly social and thus would require as many secondary data as possible (Lewin, 2011). Meanwhile, secondary data are handled best in a qualitative method of research as compared to quantitative method (Munchus, 2003). Using a software package Ahead of this course, I had very little knowledge that there was software that could actually be used in analyzing qualitative research data. This is because I was more familiar with the use of software for quantitative research data as they are the type of data that involves numeric indexes (Munchus, 2003). However, this course has enlightened by knowledge on the use of software even for qualitative research. Before, the only means of data analysis I knew about was hand coding method for various forms of interview. But for now, I have come to appreciate the extent to which using software package makes research work more consolidating, reliable and effective. This is because most instances of human errors emanating from fatigue and miscalculations are avoided. What is more, the use of software package makes data analysis efficient because a lot more is analyzed within the shortest possible time (Grotsky, 2009). Finally, the package software ensures that the data analysis that takes place is highly empirical and subject to universal interpretation (Nadler and Lawler, 2003). By using package software for data analysis in the qualitative research, my idea on how to read findings of a research article has greatly been transformed. Previously, the notion I had was that qualitative research is directly focused on the researcher’s personal perceptions and discretion on data that are collected (Lewin, 2011). I therefore did not pay much attention to findings from qualitative research articles. However, having come to realize that it is indeed possible to achieve empirical results of data using package software, this notion and perception has changed greatly. Presently, I view findings as a representation of conditions that could very much exist and that needs to be addressed in one way or the other. It has also been through the use of package software that my need to read findings from a generalized perception rather from a myopic personalized perception has been transformed. Today, consider the larger interest that findings of a research article serve to the social structure (Rhodes and Steers, 2001) that currently exists rather than viewing it from the perception of the researcher’s immediate setting. How this course fits into your residency requirements The current course could be said to be a direct representation of requirements needed in my residency course. This is because the course enlightens my ideas and knowledge on how to use basic principles of social labor issues. This is something that is not only necessary for my residency requirements but also highly important for my professional practice. In the long run therefore, the findings of the dissertation, which are going to be based on the requirements and provisions of the course, are going to ensure that there is a direct transfer of knowledge on my professional studies (Saren et al, 2007). Within the residency requirements also, there is going to be a generalized transfer of knowledge unto the other aspects of learning that will require some levels of research and thorough investigative analysis. In most cases, courses that do not demand direct preparation of dissertations still require that learners undertake some forms of research. With this course which delves deep on the provisions of research methods, it is going to be possible that the basic skills to be acquired will be transferred to other subject areas. It is delightful and indeed factual to state that I am on track with both the course and the fulfillment of residency requirements. This is because I have come through with most aspects of the course, undertaken several exercises and assignments, interacted with course officials, and in all of these, positive feedbacks are received. This is not to say that there has not been any challenge at all but on a scale of 100, I would mark myself as scoring 85%, which is a very good score. Once such performance is maintained or even bettered, there is every indication that my long awaited dream of completing the course as one of the top candidates is going to be achieved. But indeed the fact that I am on track is not going to be a reason why I am going to relax in my efforts. As much as possible extra attention is going to be given to areas where I have fallen behind of late. Revisions and feedbacks from course instructors that indicate areas for further improvement are also going to be given much attention (Prahalad, and Hamel, 2009). REFERENCE LIST Bravo D.F. & Earls J . A. & Johnson. A. A, (2011). Relationship Between Hand Hygiene Compliance and Nomsocomial infection. Duke university Craig, J.V (2012) How to ask the right question in Craig, J.V & Smyth, R.L (Eds) The Evidence Based Practice Manual for Human Resource Personnel. 3rd ed. London: Churchhill Livingstone. DiCenso, A., Guyatt, G. and Ciliska, D. (2005) Evidence- based recruitment. A Guide to labor Practice. St.Louis. Mobsy, Inc. Grotsky, H. (2009). Scrutinizing hiring methods to help cut labor turnover. Hotel and resort industry, 12, 6. Hian, C. C., & Einstein, W. O. (2010). Quality of work life (QWL): What can unions do? S.A.M. Advanced Management Journal, 55 (2), 17-22. Hom, P. W., & Griffeth, R. W. (2005). Employee turnover. Ohio: South-Western Publishing Company. Lewin, K. (2011). Field theory in social science. Chicago: University of Chicago University Press. Munchus, G. (2003). Employer-employee based quality circles in Japan: Human resource policy implications for American firms. Academy of Management Review, 8, 255-261. Nadler, D. A., & Lawler E. E. (2003). Quality of work life: Perspective and directions. Organizational Dynamics, 11 (3), 20-30. Prahalad, C K and Hamel, G. (1990), “The core competence of the corporation” Harvard Business Review Vol. 68 (3) pp. 79-91 Priddle, J (2009), “Marketing ethics, macromarketing, and the managerial perspective reconsidered” Journal of Macromarketing Vol. 14 (2) pp. 47-62 Rhodes, S. R., & Steers, R. (2001). Conventional vs. worker-own organizations. Human Relations, 6, 1013-1035. Saren, Michael MacLaren, Pauline Goulding, Christina Elliott R., Shankar, Avi and Caterall, Miriam 2007, Critical marketing: Defining the field London: Butterworth-Heineman Read More