Proposed Sources, Strategy, and Method for Project - Essay Example

of data sources, recruitment strategy and sampling method for proposed research on correlation between corporate social responsibility and company performance.NameInstitutionDate AbstractThis paper seeks to describe data sources, recruitment strategy and sampling method for a research plan. The research will examine the correlation between corporate social responsibility and company performance using a positivist approach. This paper will focus on the sources of data that will be used in the research and propose a strategy for recruiting research participants.

The paper will also describe the sampling method proposed for use in the research. The paper will compare and contrast its proposed sampling method with two other methods to illustrate why it was the best method suited for the experiment. The paper will discuss the rationale behind the choices of recruitment and sampling methods. It will also describe permissions required for use of the data collected and determine a suitable sample size. The paper will also discuss the various strengths and weaknesses of the tentative recruitment strategy and sampling method.

Description of data sources, recruitment strategy and sampling method for proposed research on correlation between corporate social responsibility and company performance.In formulating a research proposal, a researcher has to define the kind of data to be collected so as to give accurate results. The researcher needs to employ a data sampling method. Once the type of data required has been defined, data sources must be identified. These data sources may include research participants who need to be recruited for the research.

The research requires a suitable recruitment strategy to get the suitable research participants. Data Sources As suggested by Adler and Clark (2010), data that pertains to the financial performance of corporate companies would be sourced through financial statements of listed companies. They would also be sourced from other financial publications like minutes to General Meetings, magazines and newspaper articles as well as stocks listings. Meta-analysis of past quantitative research with a sample size of 1000 observations will be another data source.

Surveys, interviews and portfolios of the companies will also serve as data sources. A survey will be conducted, with questionnaires sent to participants via mail and follow-up calls made to encourage response. Recruitment Strategy Following examples by Teddlie and Tashakkori (2009), the research’s sampling frame will include corporate managers in the public relations, marketing, accounting and finance departments. They would represent companies listed on the stock exchange as these companies’ financial records are accessible to the public.

A survey questionnaire would be sent to the specific manager by mail. A cover letter would be included that explains the need for the research and what the respondent is required to do. To add on credibility, an endorsement would be offered with the guarantee of anonymity and confidentiality. A self-addressed and stamped envelope would be included to facilitate the mailing back of the response. To increase response rates, the researcher will make follow-up calls to the participants and use direct solicitation to encourage timely responses.

The inclusion criterion is that the respondent must be a holder of a managerial office in a listed firm. The respondent must have the authority to speak on behalf of the firm on matters of policy. The research will target about 50 executives to participate as respondents. Purposive Sampling After studying Adler and Clark (2010), a non-random sampling technique; purposive sampling, was selected for the study. A longitudinal data analysis and large sample testing will be conducted. Convenience sampling was considered owing to the fact that not all managers contacted may respond to the survey.

However, it was dismissed since this would not offer an accurate representation of facts. Expert sampling was also considered to afford the research some high quality, informative data with which to work. However, the method would have neglected investigating those firms that show a low level of exposing finances and CSR activities. Purposive sampling will specify the target firms and actively seek their data for sampling. Conclusion For successful research, a recruitment strategy needs to be implemented effectively.

De Bakker, Groenewegen and Hond (2005) suggest that this is to establish and retain data sources necessary for the study. The data collected needs to undergo a process of sampling to get results that are reflective of the characters of the whole population. The kind of data and empirical investigation in this study would be best suited with quantitative research methods. Quantitative methods as the ones required in this research need wide sampling from diverse sources and firms. Positivism approach will yield better and more representative results in such a case as the one under study.

ReferencesDe Bakker, F. G. A., Groenewegen, P., & Hond, F. D. (2005). A bibliometric analysis of 30 years of research and theory on corporate social responsibility and corporate social performance, Vrije Universiteit.Adler, E. S., & Clark, R. (2010). An invitation to social research: How it’s done. Cengage Learning, 123-158.Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of mixed methods research: Integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches in the social and behavioral sciences. SAGE Publications, 193-226.