All Tasks - Instructions and Guidelines - 201720

Higher Colleges of Technology
Integrative Industry Project

All Task Instructions and Guidelines for Students
TASK ONE
PROJECT PROPOSAL
AND
RESEARCH PLAN
10%
NDancy 201510 adapted from 201420 original Bistra Boukareva August 2015 1
Task One: Project Proposal and Plan 10% Week 3

Will you choose Option A or Option B?
Option A
Identify a real company that you are able to visit and where you will be able to collect primary data for analysis.
The final Research Paper for Option A requirement is 6000 – 8000 words.
Option B
Identify a local or international company that you will be able to research on the internet where you will be able
to obtain secondary data for analysis. The final Research Paper for Option B requirement is 8000 – 10000 words.
Task Instructions
Write a detailed proposal to explain what your research project will cover together with a plan
to show how you plan to complete the project.
The proposal should include:
 Details of your chosen industry with reasons for choice.

 Full details of the chosen organisation.
 A simple SWOT analysis of your chosen industry and/or organisation to highlight the factors
that influenced the choice of your issue or challenge.
 Details of specifically what you are going to research to include a clear problem statement
and at least two research objectives.
 Details of the proposed research activities and methodology.
 A detailed plan that identifies various tasks to be completed and how you think you will
approach the tasks with deadlines.
 Identification of at least three relevant Course Learning Outcomes from any semester seven
or semester eight courses that you will integrate into this project.
The proposal should be written in HCT report format and if necessary, referenced using APA
format. You should also submit the document to Safe Assign on Black Board Learn.
This task should be 1000 words and should be submitted by the end of Week 3.
See separate marking rubric
Task One Guidelines The Project Proposal

How to select a research topic
Your first step is to select a research topic within your area of interest. Your instructor may ask
you to select up to three good ideas which will be narrowed down after discussions with your
instructor. In order to have a good research topic, it must be:
Criteria Description
Option A: you need to consider if you will be able to get your primary
research done first hand and therefore you need to keep your sample
and sources within easy access. Contact the identified company.
1. Local
Option B: you need to consider how much information and data will be
available on the internet. Are there any other sources?
Do not choose Government Departments unless you are sure you can
get information from them, i.e. Government Departments are not happy
2. Researchable about giving out information to students so unless you have a lot of
influence or connections within these departments, please be aware
that getting data will/may be difficult
Make sure that your idea is as focused as possible. For example, here is a
very general idea - "Emiratisation in the UAE". To narrow a topic like
this, ask questions like "who do I want to focus on?" The options in this
case would be either private or government sector, or any industry. To
3. Specific make it more manageable, you may want to research the Level of
Emiratisation in the Banks in UAE. If this is the case, you need to further
narrow this down to a particular company. After further narrowing the
topic, your final idea may be something like “The effect of Emiratisation
on HSBC and the Banking Industry" which makes it very specific.
After selecting your local, researchable and specific research ideas, submit your idea(s) to your
instructor for approval. All research ideas, proposals and reports must be original!
Task One Guidelines The SWOT Analysis

You need to complete a simple SWOT analysis of your chosen organisation. SWOT analysis is a tool for
auditing an organization and its environment. SWOT is the first stage of project planning and helps to
focus on key issues. This will help you to identify potential areas for your research.
SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT is a common
methodology used by many businesses for strategic and annual planning, product introductions, and
competitive analysis. A traditional SWOT compares internal factors to external factors, the revised
SWOT focuses on comparing the current situation to a potential future situation.
 Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Things that the company can control and
change if necessary. Key areas internal to a company’s performance would be: organizational
performance, internal processes, customers, finances, products. List all strengths that exist
now. Then in turn, list all weaknesses that exist now. Be realistic.
 Opportunities and threats are external factors. Things outside the company’s control.
External factors would include such areas as: Changes in the industry, in which the company
operates, and Economic, Political, Legal, Social, Technological, Industry, Demographic, and
Environmental.
Simple rules for successful SWOT analysis

 Be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of your organization when
conducting SWOT analysis.
 SWOT analysis should distinguish between where your organization is today (strengths and
weaknesses), and where it could be in the future (opportunities and threats).

 SWOT should always be specific. Avoid grey areas.
 Always apply SWOT in relation to your competition i.e. better than or worse than your
competition.
 Keep your SWOT short and simple. Avoid complexity and over analysis.
Once key issues have been identified with your SWOT analysis, they feed into your research plan.
How to classify items found in a SWOT Analysis
POSITIVE/ HELPFUL NEGATIVE/ HARMFUL

to achieving the goal to achieving the goal
Strengths Weaknesses
INTERNAL Origin Things that are good now, maintain Things that are bad now, remedy,
facts/ factors of the them, build on them and use as change or stop them.
organization leverage
Opportunities Threats
EXTERNAL Origin Things that are good for the future, Things that are bad for the future,
facts/ factors of the prioritize them, capture them, build put in plans to manage them or
environment in on them and optimize counter them
which the
organization
operates
Strengths and Weaknesses will be in areas such as:
 People
 Resources
 Ideas/ Innovation
 Marketing
 Operations (products services etc.)
 Finance
Questions to Ask
 Strengths
 What do we do well?
 Is there anything you do better than most? Better than anyone else?
 Weaknesses
 What should be improved?
 What do we do poorly?
 What should you avoid, based on mistakes in the past?
Opportunity and Threat analysis is usually broken down into environmental factors and
competitors, including:
Environmental Factors Competitor Factors
 Demographics  Capability  Prices

 Economic  Resources  Promotion
 Political/legal  Ownership  Distribution
 Sociological  New entrants  Substitute
 Environmental  Market products
 Technology segments  Product life
 Cultural  Product cycle
Questions to Ask
 Opportunities
 Where can we find, or create, a competitive advantage?
 What are some of the major trends in your business?
 Consolidation / Diversification?
 Specialization / Generalization?
 Changes in technology such as computer software that lets you perform
services that others cannot.
 Changes in the types of businesses in your potential market, such as the
demand for healthcare or telecommunications expertise.
 Changes in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle.
 Changes in creative trends.

 Changes in demand for certain types of services, perhaps related to
Internet.
 Threats
 What obstacles do we face?
 What are our competitors doing that may result in a loss of clients, customers,
market share?
 Are the required specifications for your job, products or services changing?
 Is changing technology threatening our position?
 Do we have cash-flow problems?
In summary:
 Strengths need to be maintained and built upon.
 Weaknesses need to be remedied, changed or stopped.
 Opportunities need to be prioritized, captured, built on and optimized.
 Threats need to be countered or minimized and managed.
(References - http://www.marketingteacher.com/starbucks-swot/,
http://rapidbi.com/swotanalysis/ and http://www.marketingteacher.com/swot-analysis-
marketing-tools-from-marketing-teacher/
Example of a SWOT analysis for Starbucks Coffee

Mission Statement: ‘To inspire and nurture the human spirit— one person, one cup, and one
neighbourhood at a time.'
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Very profitable organization, with  Weak new product development
earning over $600 million from over the past few years.
revenue of more than $5,000 million  Too reliant on USA for market with
in 2004. over 75% of their cafes located in the
 Global brand built upon a reputation home market.
for fine products and services. It has  The organization is too dependent
almost 9000 cafes in almost 40 on one main competitive advantage,
countries. the retail of coffee. They have been
 Market presence in bookshops and slow to diversify into other sectors.
hospitals.  Viewed as too expensive when
 Fortune Top 100 Companies to Work compared to competitors such as
For in 2005. The company is a Duncan Donuts and McDonald’s.
respected employer that values its
workforce.
 Strong ethical values and an ethical
mission statement as
follows, 'Starbucks is committed to a
role of environmental leadership in all
facets of our business.'
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
 Developing markets, India, China and  McDonald’s and Duncan Donuts
Middle East provide an opportunity are offering ‘copycat’ products
for expanding global operations. at lower prices.
 Co-branding with other  Market for specialty coffee is
manufacturers of food and drink, and slowing.
brand franchising to manufacturers of  Financial crisis has many
other goods and services both have customers in USA
potential. unable/unwilling to buy
expensive coffee drinks.
 Starbuck coffee drinkers
associated with excess spending.
 Rising cost of coffee and dairy
products.
Task One Guidelines - The Project Plan
Research Design and Plan Guidelines

Your proposal and plan should include the following headlines and content:
Introduction
The specific aim is a formal statement of the objectives and milestones of a research project.
The purpose of this section is to clearly and concisely describe what the proposed research is
intended to accomplish.
Should include specific research objectives.
Objectives should be obtainable within the proposed timeframe.
Study should be well-focused rather than broad and diffuse.
Background and Significance
The background and significance section states the research problem including the proposed
rationale, current state of knowledge and potential contributions and significance of the
research to the field.
Thorough background on the company/industry under study.
Specify existing gaps that the project is intended to fill.
Discussion should convey the importance and relevance of the research aims.
Highlight potential policy or practice impacts.
Preliminary Studies
Summary and evaluation of existing knowledge, including background literature and relevant
data you have collected already. Answer the question “what have we done so far?”
Research Design and Methods
The purpose of the research design and methods section is to describe how the research will be
carried out. This section is critical for demonstrating that you have developed a clear, organized
and thoughtful study design.
Should provide an overview of the proposed design and conceptual framework.
Study goals should relate to proposed study hypotheses.
Include details related to specific methodology; explain why the proposed methods are the best
to accomplish study goals.
Describe any concepts, approaches, tools or techniques.
Include a summary of relevant primary and secondary resources you will use for the project and
how they relate to the achieving your objectives.
Include details of how data will be collected and results analyzed.
Include proposed work plan and timeline.
Consider and discuss potential limitations and alternative approaches to achieve study aims.
Each research method has strengths and weaknesses. Refer to Task Three Guidelines for the
different types of research available. When designing a research study it is important to decide
what data is required then select the best methodology to gather that desired information.
Note: Don't feel that you are bound by your planning document. Through the course of the
project, you may come to realize that you cannot get the information in the way you expected,
or that you require different information. Your final paper and presentation will not be graded
on the basis of what you put down as your proposed plan unless you change everything in the
project plan.
Task One Guideline – Writing The Project Plan

A project plan is going to be useful in a number of ways
First and foremost, it will define and focus your objective using appropriate information and
analysis.
Your project plan can uncover omissions and/or weaknesses in your planning process.
You can use the plan to get opinions and advice from people, including those in your field of
business, who will freely give you invaluable advice.
The project plan should answer the following questions.
What do you intend to do (Objectives)?
Why is the work important? What is current situation (Background and Significance)?
What research will you do (primary and secondary)? How will you do it? (surveys, focus group,
observation)?
The only question remaining is when. This is covered by your proposed timetable.
Possible structure for your project plan:

 Preliminary Studies
We began by conducting a search on… (a summary of what you have done so far)
 Research Methodology
 Primary Sources
List all the primary sources you intend to interview including name, title, position, company,
qualifications, etc.
 Secondary Sources
List all the secondary sources you intend to investigate further
o Journal Articles
Examples:
Werner F. Ebke, Legal Implications of Germany’s Reunification, 24 Int’l Law, 1130 (1990)
(Marquette Law Library), available at http://www.lexisnexis/lawschool.com (last visited
Oct. 4, 2003).
Dorothy Ames Jeffers, Resolving Rival Claims on East German Property Upon German
Unification, 101 Yale L. J. 527 (1991)(Marquette Law Library), available at
http://www.lexisnexis/lawschool.com (last visited Oct. 4, 2003).
o News Sources
Examples:
German Business Scope, available at http://www.lawschool.westlaw.com under

“International Legal Materials,” under “Europe and UK,” under “News and Business”
(last visited Oct. 4, 2003).
o Electronic Resources
Examples:
Bundes der Justiz – The Homepage of the German Ministry of Justice:

http://www.bmj.bund.de/
Timetable of Research
Include dates, times, person(s) conducting interview, method of interview, etc. An optional
layout is included below however you are free to choose whichever design you wish.
Example:
Timetable of Research
Week Methodology Date/Time
Week 4-5 Secondary; Global Issues
Online Articles
HCT Database
Journals
Week 6 Secondary; Company Issues
Company publications
Industry Specific SHRM, CIPD

Publications
Week 6-8 Primary;
Personal Interview (1) Ex: Chairman of 1000 on 7/09

DEWA
Personal Interview (2) etc. 1100 – 4/10
CEO of FEWA
Cont….
 References
Follow APA guidelines.
 Research Design and Planning Advice
http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/esstplan.htm
TASK TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
10%
Task Two: Literature Review 10% Week 6
You are required to carry out secondary research in order to explore what is already being said
about your chosen issue. You must research relevant Journals, Books, Internet Publications,
HCT Library Databases etc. and select at least 10 sources including 3 journals that relate to
your chosen industry related issue or challenge. For each of your chosen sources you should
write a review of between 200 and 300 words for each article. However, you also need to
identify key themes in the literature and organise your review around these themes.
The Literature Review should be written in HCT report format and fully referenced using APA
This task should be 2000 – 3000 words and should be completed by the end of Week 6.
You will resubmit this task in Week 16 as part of the Final Research Paper but it will not
contribute towards the grade for the final paper.
See separate rubric
Task Two Guidelines
Writing a Literature Review
Your Literature Review section provides the readers with a background to your study. It will
contain three basic elements: an introduction or background information section; the body of
the review containing the discussion of sources organised as themes; and, finally, a conclusion
and/or recommendations section to end the paper. Everything in the Literature Review is from
the secondary research you conduct. All of the materials must be referenced as per APA
guidelines.
Steps in order
1. Order; Decide upon the order of the paragraphs; either chronologically, thematically, or
methodologically. In most instances, the literature review is organized by the research
objectives that have been set out in the introduction.
2. Flow; Add introductory and concluding sentences to each paragraph review.
3. Finishing; at the end, you need to write an introductory and concluding paragraph to
the overall Literature Review.
a. Write the concluding paragraph first discussing what you have drawn from
reviewing literature.
b. The introduction (written second) gives a quick idea of the topic of the literature
review, such as the central theme and will include your Research Statement or
subject.
TASK THREE
METHODOLOGY
DATA COLLECTION
AND
ANALYSIS
20%
Task Three: Methodology, Research and Data Analysis 20% Week 9
Task Instructions
You are required to conduct primary and secondary research and collect relevant data to
support your research issue or challenge, analyse the data and present the findings of your
research.
Data Collection
Primary Research will include preparing and distributing a questionnaire or interviewing people
with a prepared set of questions. You should conduct between 5 and 20 interviews. Your
survey should target a sample of between 30 and 50 people.
All primary research must be approved by your instructor before you commence your
interviews, surveys, etc. You must get your teacher’s approval for the research interview
questions.
You must also get your teacher’s approval for the research survey questions and the
minimum number of surveys to be conducted.
Secondary Research will involve collecting additional data within the organisation and other
online resources in support of your research topic.
Data Analysis
A major part of the grade for the final report will be based on the accuracy and relevance of
your primary and secondary data collection. You will also be graded on how well you
understand the data you collected and how you present that data in relation to your research
objectives. Good graphs and charts are excellent ways to summarize data for your readers and
to illustrate trends. However, you must also be able to explain your analysis in concise terms.
Whenever possible, relate these results to your knowledge of the business theory you are
studying. You can discuss how your results compare with what you expected based on the
theory. It is not necessarily true that your results will always fit into the theory. If they do not,
explain why you think that is so.
All the data you collect should be collated and presented in a relevant and attractive format
and then analysed using the statistical methods that you have learned during the BAS
programme. This is where you turn data (i.e. raw numbers and results from questionnaires,
interviews and/or focus groups) into information on which a decision and recommendations
are made. This section should include visual aids (graphs, charts, tables) intended to clarify,
emphasize or summarize the report. The results of your analysis should be clearly explained.
Note: You also need to justify your choice of data collection methods, which methods you used
and why they were relevant, and provide a full description of your methodology explaining
exactly what you did.
The Data Collection and Research Analysis should be written in HCT report format and fully
referenced using APA format. All charts, table or graphs should be clearly labeled. You should
also submit the document to Safe Assign on Black Board Learn.
This task should be 2000 – 3000 words and should be completed by the end of Week 9. You
will resubmit this task in Week 15 as part of the Final Research Paper (10%) and you are
encouraged to make improvements based on feedback received.
Task Three Guidelines - Research Methodology

How to choose from different Research Methods
TYPE METHODS TECHNIQUES

1 Library and a. Analysis of historical a. Recording of notes, content analysis, CD
Internet records and DVD listening and analysis
Research b. Analysis of documents b. Statistical compilations, reference and
guides, contents analysis
2 Field Research a. Non participant direct a. Observational behavioral scales, use of
observation score cards, etc.
b. Participant observation b. Interactional recording, possible use of
tape recorders, photo graphic
techniques
c. Mass observation c. Recording mass behaviour, interview
using independent observers in public
places.
d. Mail questionnaire d. Identification of social and economic
background of respondents
e. Opinionnaire e. Use of attitude scales, projective
behaviour, use of sociometric scales
f. Personal interview f. Interviewer uses a detailed schedule
with open and closed questions
g. Focused interview g. Interviewer focuses attention upon a
given experience and its effects
h. Group interview h. Small groups of respondents are
interviewed simultaneously
i. Telephone survey i. Used as a survey technique for
information and for understanding
opinion; may also be used as a follow up
of questionnaire
j. Cross sectional collection of data for
j. Case study and life history intensive analysis, longitudinal
collection of data
3 Laboratory a. Small group of random a. Use of audio-visual recording devices,
Research behaviour, play and role use of observers, etc.
analysis
Doing your Research - Guidelines
Primary Research: between 5 and 20 interviews* within the company and industry and/or
between 30 and 50 surveys**
All primary research must be approved by your instructor before you commence your
interviews, surveys, etc.
*You must get your teacher’s approval for the research interview questions.
**You must get your teacher’s approval for the research survey questions and the minimum
number of surveys to be conducted.
Secondary Research: any additional sources of information such as the company website,
company publications, the internet, government publications, journals, books,
etc.
Terminology
There are two sources of data;
 Primary data collection uses surveys, experiments or in-house records, direct
observation
 Secondary data collection may be conducted by collecting information from a diverse
source of documents or electronically stored information. Government census data and
market studies are examples of common sources of secondary data.
Qualitative data are non-numeric data that can be classified into groups or categories,
example, gender, major, type of car. Quantitative data are observations measured on a
numeric scale example, age, sales per month, annual housing rents. If you are creating graphs
or charts (and you should!) for your Research Report, the data classification will determine the
type of graph/chart you create.
Once a research topic has been determined the next step is to identify the information
required and how to get it.
These will usually include such primary data as: interviews, survey results and quantitative
measures (review of in-house records and accounts, data from trade shows or Chamber of
Commerce or Government records). Good secondary sources of data for your project would
be: professional journals, industry studies, case studies.
Data Sources and Getting Started
Your project will probably consist of both primary and secondary data sources. Primary
research is any type of research that you go out and collect yourself. Examples include surveys,
interviews, observations, and in-house data collection and analysis. Secondary research occurs
when a project uses existing data. As opposed to data collected directly from respondents or
"research subjects" for the express purposes of a project, (primary research), secondary sources
already exist. Secondary research includes previous research reports, newspapers, magazines
and journals, and government statistics. For this project you should use both primary and
secondary sources and integrate them in a cohesive fashion.
The data you collect from these sources should be both quantitative (so you can analyze and
draw unbiased conclusions) and qualitative (this will provide insight into your numbers).
Each research method has strengths and weaknesses. When designing a research study it is
important to decide what data is required then select the best methodology to gather that
desired information.
Key Data Collection Techniques
 Surveys
 Questionnaires
 Interviews
 In-house Company Records
 HCT Database
 Government or Official Agency Records

 Professional Journals
 Case Studies
The table below describes the basic sources of different types of data for your study.
Data Collection Methods Uses

 Professional journals These methods will help to identify trends in
 Case studies industry and practice.
 Data from: trade shows, Chamber of
Commerce, Government records
 Surveys To learn what people think about business
 Interviews ideas, products or most aspects of HR
 Focus Groups
 Observation Observation will give you a firsthand view.
 Accounts Identifying of any in-house business records
 Financial Statements that will provide accurate picture of current
 Sales Records results in the business. Analyzing these
 HR Records records for patterns or trends.
 Operational Data
 Mission Statement Review of in-house operational and
 Management meeting minutes managerial philosophy.
 Balance Scorecard
Triangulation of Data
One of the benefits of combining primary research with secondary research is in the area of
data triangulation. Data triangulation is when a piece of data, a finding, or a generalization is
able to be verified with several different research methods. This helps add to your credibility
and makes your findings stronger
Example
You are studying purchasing trends on UAE campuses. You find national averages that indicate
that 45% of college students travel abroad in the summer vacation. You conduct your own
research at the DWC campus. You find that 47% of the individuals you surveyed travelled
abroad last summer; you also interview a career counselor on campus who reports that
approximately 1/3 of the students who she sees refuse summer jobs because they expect to
travel. Thus, your results from an interview with an expert and your own survey support the
national average.
Survey Methods
What is a Survey?
Today the word "survey" is used most often to describe a method of gathering information
from a sample of individuals. This "sample" is usually just a fraction of the population being
studied.
For example,
 a sample of students is questioned to determine what they think about the DWC library
.
 a manufacturer does a survey of the potential market before introducing a new product
.
 a government office uses a survey to gather information it needs to evaluate its
customer service.
Not only do surveys have a wide variety of purposes, they also can be conducted in many ways-
including over the telephone, by mail, or in person. Nonetheless, all surveys do have certain
characteristics in common.
 Census studies all members of the population,

 Surveys gather information from only a portion of a population of interest-the size of
the sample depending on the purpose of the study.
In a statistical survey, the sample is not selected haphazardly or only from persons who
volunteer to participate. It is mathematically chosen so that each person in the population will
have a measurable chance of selection. This way, the results can be reliably projected from the
sample to the larger population. Remember your statistics course.
Information is collected by means of standardized procedures so that every individual is asked

the same questions in more or less the same way. The survey's intent is not to describe the
particular individuals who, by chance, are part of the sample but to obtain a profile of the
population for decision-making.
In a survey, individual respondents are never identified. All of the survey's results are presented
in completely anonymous summaries, such as statistical tables and charts.
Establishing Objectives
The first step in any survey is deciding what you want to learn. You do this in general when you
create your SWOT Analysis and use it to decide on your project proposal or your overall goal.
After this, you are required to breakdown your proposal into some specific objectives. These
help you to determine more specifically what you need to know.
The objectives of the project determine whom you will interview or survey and what you will
ask them. If your objectives are unclear, the results will probably be unclear. Some typical
objectives include learning more about:
 The potential implementation of a new system

 Ratings of current products or services
 Employee attitudes
 Customer/patient satisfaction levels
 Reader/viewer/listener opinions
 Student opinions
 Opinions about current policies or a new law
 Corporate images
These sample goals represent general areas. The more specific you can make your objectives,
the easier it will be to get usable answers.
Selecting the Sample
There are three main components in determining the quality of your sample:
WHO will be surveyed?

HOW will you select your sample?
HOW MANY respondents will you include in your sample?
1. Who will be surveyed?

Deciding what kind of people to interview. Researchers often call this group the target
population. If you conduct an employee attitude survey or a DWC student body survey, the
population is obvious. If you are trying to determine the likely success of a product, the
target population may be less obvious. Correctly determining the target population is
critical. If you do not interview the right kinds of people, you will not successfully meet
your goals. Your results will be incorrect and not usable.
2. How will you select your sample?

Most surveys try to use some form of random sampling. The goal is to sample from the
population so that everyone in the population has a known, positive chance of being
selected. This takes a plan. A critical element in any survey is to locate all the members of
the population being studied so that they have a chance to be sampled. The list of these
population members is called a sampling frame. This could be a telephone directory, a list
of all the students in a college, or a list of customers holding credit card accounts etc. A
sampling frame makes the job of choosing the sample much simpler.
Often, however, no list will be available. There will be no list, for example, of women in the
Emirates who read at least one fashion magazine each month. This does not mean that we
cannot survey them, though it will affect the kind of survey we are able to carry out, as we shall
see later. We will, however, need some way of identifying the people we want to take part. For
example, if we were going to conduct a survey using personal interviews we could begin by
asking some 'screening' questions, such as ‘Do you read at least one fashion magazine each
month?’. If the respondent replies ‘No’, then we would simply thank them and end the
interview.
In your report you must identify the population you are studying and how you reached (or
sampled) from this population. If a sampling frame is available, use it.
POPULATION SAMPLE
 All items of interest  Portion of population
 Group of interest to investigator  Will be used to reach conclusions about
population
3. How many respondents you will include in your sample?
Deciding how many people you need to interview. Statisticians know that a small,
representative sample will reflect the group from which it is drawn. The larger the sample,
the more precisely it reflects the target group. However, remember increasing your sample
size yields diminishing improvements in precision. You must make a decision about your
sample size based on factors such as: time available, budget and how the results will be
used.
Types of Samples – How to Select Participants in a Survey
Probability Sample
For a sample to be representative of a group it is important that every member of the

population has an equal chance of being selected. The name we give to choosing a small
number at random to represent a large population is called simple random sampling. Simple
random sampling is the most common type of probability sampling. A good example of a
simple random sample would be a prize draw raffle, where all the entry coupons are put in a
box and the winners are chosen at random.
However, there may be situations where a simple random sample would not give accurate
results.
If the population is not homogenous, it may be possible to divide it into groups (or strata) which
share similar characteristics and take random samples from each of these. We call this
stratified random sampling.
Non Probability Sample
a. Sample of Convenience
Sometimes, researchers cannot easily select members of the sample with statistical accuracy.
A convenience sample is a sample where those participating in the study are selected, in part or
in whole, at the convenience of the researcher. The researcher makes no attempt, or only a
limited attempt, to insure that this sample is an accurate representation of some larger group
or population. The classic example of a convenience sample is standing at a shopping mall and
selecting shoppers as they walk by to fill out a survey.
In contrast, a random sample is one where the researcher insures (usually through the use of
random numbers applied to a list of the entire population) that each member of that
population has an equal probability of being selected. Random samples are an important
foundation of Statistics. Almost all of the mathematical theories upon which Statistics are based
rely on assumptions which are consistent with a random sample. This theory is inconsistent
with data collected from a convenience sample.
In general, the Statistics community frowns on convenience samples. You will often have great
difficulty in generalizing the results of a convenience sample to any population that has
practical relevance.
Still, convenience samples can provide you with useful information, especially if there is no
other way to draw your sample. To interpret the findings from a convenience sample properly,
you should
 recognize the limitations of this sampling method and discuss why you drew a
convenience sample
 characterize how your sample would differ from an ideal sample that was randomly
selected. In particular, pay attention to who might be left out of your convenience
sample or who might be underrepresented in your sample
 note whether the people who were left out might behave differently than the people in
your convenience sample. An interview on the street corner, for example, would
exclude people who drive. If your outcome measures are not strongly related to this
factor, you might be okay. An assessment of eye color is probably safe in this setting.
But a street corner interview would be a disaster if you were measuring whether the
general population requires more bus service in Dubai.
You also have to be careful to qualify your findings appropriately. Findings from a convenience
sample would be considered less definitive and would usually require replication in a more
controlled setting. You can also qualify your results by extrapolating them only to a much more
targeted and narrowly defined population.
b. Quota Sampling
Probability sampling is often considered the most reliable form of sampling, but it can be time
consuming and it depends on the availability of a sampling frame. Convenience sampling is
quick and cheap, but the results can be extremely unreliable. A third method is quota
sampling, which is more reliable than convenience sampling, but quicker and cheaper than
probability sampling.
Quota sampling is the most commonly used form of sampling in commercial marketing
research. Although many statisticians are critical of its reliability, it is popular with researchers
because it quick, easy and inexpensive. Its results are generally reliable, subject to
qualification. Quota sampling begins by identifying strata (subsets) in the population and then
designing a sample which matches the population's characteristics. Once the sample has been
designed it is up to the interviewer to recruit respondents who satisfy the relevant criteria.
Because the choice of respondent is left to the interviewer's expertise, quota sampling is a type
of judgement sampling. Because of this, statistics cannot be used to measure its reliability.
Nevertheless, market researchers would claim that experience has shown that quota sampling,
particularly when combined with other methods of research, can provide information which is
accurate enough for management decision making.
How to Conduct Your Survey

Data Collection Techniques
Once you have decided on your sample you must decide on your method of data collection. The
quality of a survey is largely determined by its purpose, the sample selection and the way it is
conducted. Your data collection method will help determine the number of responses.
Surveys
Surveys can be classified by their method of data collection. Mail, telephone interview, and in-
person interview surveys are the most common. Extracting data from samples of student or
employee records is also frequently done.
 Telephone interviews are an efficient method of collecting some types of data and are
being increasingly used. They lend themselves particularly well to situations where
timeliness is a factor and the length of the survey is limited.
 In-person interviews in a respondent's home or office are much more expensive than
mail or telephone surveys. They may be necessary, however, especially when complex
information is to be collected.
 Other methods such as call-in polls or internet polls are also sometimes used.
Most call-in or magazine write-in "polls," for example, are not reliable. These and other "self-
selected opinion polls may be misleading since participants have not been scientifically
selected. In these cases, persons with strong opinions (often negative) are more likely to
respond.
Response rates
Once a sample is selected, an attempt is made to collect data from all of its members. In
practice, researchers never obtain responses from 100% of the sample. Some sample members
inevitably
are traveling, sick, away at school, or in the military. Others cannot be contacted because of
their work schedule, community involvement, or social life. Others simply refuse to participate
in the study, even after the best efforts of the researcher to persuade them otherwise. Each
type of nonparticipation biases the final sample, usually in unknown ways. The response
rate describes the extent to which the final data set includes all sample members. It is
calculated as the number of people with whom interviews are completed ("completes") divided
by the total number of people or households in the entire sample, including those who refused
to participate and those who were not at home. Whether data are collected through face-to-
face interviews, telephone interviews, or mail-in surveys, a high response rate is extremely
important when results will be generalized to a larger population. The lower the response rate,
the greater is the sample bias.
Data Collection Methods
Personal Interviews or On-Site Self-Completion. Face-to-face questions with the

Interviewee. Questionnaire on-site. These can take place in the home, at a shopping mall,
on the street, outside a movie theatre, in restaurant etc.
Advantages Disadvantages
 The ability to let the Interviewee see,  Personal interviews usually cost more
feel and/or taste a product. per interview than other methods.
 The ability to find the target  Each mall has its own characteristics. It
population. For example, you can find draws its clientele from a specific
people who have seen a film much geographic area surrounding it, and its
more easily outside a theatre in which shop profile also influences the type of
it is playing than by calling phone client. These characteristics may differ
numbers at random. from the target population and create
 Longer interviews are sometimes a non-representative sample.
tolerated. Particularly with in-home
interviews that have been arranged in
advance. People may be willing to talk
longer face-to-face than to someone
on the phone.
 Easy and convenient way to collect

data from target population.
Telephone Surveys. Surveying by telephone is a popular interviewing methods. 96% of

homes have a telephone.
 People can usually be contacted  Many people are reluctant to
faster over the telephone than answer phone interviews.
with other methods.  The growing number of working
 You can dial random telephone women often means that no one is
numbers when you do not have home during the day. This limits
phone numbers. calling time.
 Skilled interviewers can often  You cannot show or sample
encourage more complete products by phone.
answers than people will give to  There may be language and
written questionnaires. translation problems in the UAE.
 Interviewers can also ask for
clarification
Email Surveys. Email surveys are both very economical and very fast. Limited to simple
questions
 Speed. An email questionnaire can  You must possess a list of email
gather several thousand responses addresses.
within a day or two.  Some people will respond several
 There is practically no cost involved times or pass questionnaires along to
once the set-up has been completed. friends. This will bias the results.
 You can attach pictures and sound  Many people will delete email from an
files. unknown source. You may have to
 The novelty element of an email email questionnaires only to people
survey often stimulates higher you know.
response levels than ordinary “snail”  You cannot use email surveys to
mail surveys. generalize findings to the whole
populations. People who have email
are different from those who do not,
even when matched on demographic
characteristics, such as age and

gender.
 Email surveys cannot automatically
skip questions or randomize question
or answer choice order.
Internet/Intranet (Web) Surveys. Web surveys are rapidly gaining popularity. They have
major speed, cost, and flexibility advantages, but also significant sampling limitations.
 Web page surveys are extremely  Current use of the Internet is
fast. A questionnaire posted on a far from universal. Internet
popular Web site can gather surveys do not reflect the
several thousand responses within population as a whole. This is
a few hours. Many people who will true even if a sample of
respond to an email invitation to Internet users is selected to
take a Web survey will do so the match the general population
first day, and most will do so within in terms of age, gender and
a few days. other demographics.
 There is practically no cost involved  People can easily quit in the
once the setup has been middle of a questionnaire.
completed. Large samples do not They are not as likely to
cost more than smaller ones complete a long questionnaire
(except for any cost to acquire the on the Web as they would be if
sample). talking with a good
 You can show pictures. Some Web interviewer.
survey software can also show  If your survey pops up on a
video and play sound. web page, you often have no
 Web page questionnaires can have control over who replies.
random question order and other  Depending on your software,
features not possible with paper there is often no control over
questionnaires. This means better people responding multiple
data. times to bias the results.
 Web page questionnaires can use
colors, and other formatting
options.
 On average, people give longer
answers to open-ended questions
on Web page questionnaires than
they do on other kinds of self-
administered surveys.
 A significant number of people will
give more honest answers to
questions about sensitive topics.
Internet surveys should be used in cases when your target population consists entirely or
almost entirely of Internet users. Business-to-business research and employee attitude surveys
can often meet this requirement. Surveys of the general population usually will not.
Mail Surveys
 Mail surveys are among the least  Time! Mail surveys take longer than
expensive. other kinds. You will need to wait
 This is the only kind of survey you several weeks after mailing out
can do if you have the names and questionnaires before you can be
addresses of the target sure that you have gotten most of
population, but not their the responses.
telephone numbers.  In populations of lower educational
 The questionnaire can include and literacy levels, response rates
pictures - something that is not to mail surveys are often too small
possible over the phone. to be useful.
 Mail surveys allow the  One way of improving response
respondent to answer at their rates is to mail a postcard telling
leisure, rather than at the often your sample to watch for a
inconvenient moment they are questionnaire in the next week or
contacted for a phone or personal two. Another is to follow up with a
interview. For this reason, they card asking people to return the
are not considered as intrusive as questionnaire. This is expensive
other kinds of interviews.
Questionnaire Design
Developing a questionnaire is as much an art as it is a science. And just as an artist has a variety
of different colours to choose from in the palette, you have a variety of different question
formats with which to question an accurate picture of customers’ views and issues that are
important to them.
The Type of Questions
Two basic types of questions can be used on any questionnaire:

a. Close-ended questions are questions for which there is a clear and definite answer. E.g.
‘How old are you?’ or ‘Where do you live?’
b. Open-ended questions are questions for which there could be an indeterminate range
of answers. The open-ended question seeks to explore the qualitative, in-depth aspects
of a particular topic or issue. It gives a person the chance to respond in detail. Although
open-ended questions are important, they are time-consuming and should not be over-
used. An example of an open-ended question might be: “What products of services were
you looking for that were not found on our website?” Or, ‘How do you feel about the
problem of dangerous driving?’ Open-ended questions are very good for finding out
about peoples’ attitudes and feelings. However, it can be difficult to summarize the
results.
The Dichotomous Question

The dichotomous question is generally a "yes/no" question.
Example: Have you ever purchased a product or service from our website?
 Yes
 No
If you want information only about product users, you may want to ask this type of question to
"screen out" those who haven't purchased your products or services. Researchers use
screening" questions to make sure that only those people they are interested in participate in
the survey.
You may also want to use yes/no questions to separate people or branch into groups of those
who "have purchased" and those who "have not yet purchased" your products or services.
Once separated, different questions can be asked of each of these groups.
You may want to ask the "have purchased" group how satisfied they are with your products and
services, and you may want to ask the "have not purchased" group what the primary reasons
are for not purchasing. In essence, your questionnaire branches to become two different sets of
questions.
The Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple-choice question consists of three or more exhaustive, mutually exclusive

categories. Multiple choice questions can ask for single or multiple answers. In the following
example, we could ask the respondent to select exactly one answer from the 7 possible, exactly
3 of the 7, or as many as 3 of the 7 (1,2or 3 answers can be selected).
Example: How did you first hear about our web site?
 Television
 Radio
 Newspaper
 Magazine
 Word-of-mouth
 Internet
 Other: Please Specify _______________
For this type of question it is important to consider including an "other" category because there
may be other avenues by which the person first heard about your site that you might have
overlooked.
Rank Order Scaling
Rank order scaling questions allow a certain set of brands or products to be ranked based upon
a specific attribute or characteristic. Perhaps we know that Toyota, Honda, Mazda, and Ford
are most likely to be purchased. You may request that the options be ranked based upon a
particular attribute. Ties may or may not be allowed. If you allow ties, several options will have
the same scores.
Example: Based upon what you have seen, heard, and experienced, please rank the following
brands according to their reliability. Place a "1" next to the brand that is most reliable, a "2"
next to the brand that is next most reliable, and so on. Remember, no two cars can have the
same ranking.
__ Honda __ Mazda
__ Toyota __ Ford
The Rating Scale
A rating scale question requires a person to rate a product or brand along a well-defined,
evenly spaced continuum. Rating scales are often used to measure the direction and intensity
of attitudes.
Example: Which of the following categories best describes your last experience
purchasing a product or service on our website? Would you say that your experience
was:
 Very pleasant
 Somewhat pleasant
 Neither pleasant nor unpleasant
 Somewhat unpleasant
 Very unpleasant
The Differential Scale
The differential scale asks a person to rate a product, brand, or company based upon a seven-
point rating scale that has two bi-polar adjectives at each end. The following is an example of a
semantic differential scale question.
Example: Would you say our web site is:
 (7) Very Attractive

 (6)
 (5)
 (4)
 (3)
 (2)
 (1) Very Unattractive
Notice that unlike the rating scale, the differential scale does not have a neutral or middle
selection. A person must choose, to a certain extent, one or the other adjective.
Writing Good Questions
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Is the question necessary?

2. Is the question clear?
3. Will the question tell us what we want to know?
4. Will the respondent be able to answer the question?
5. Will the respondent want to answer the question?
The Structure of the Questionnaire
The introduction should:

1. persuade the respondent to take part and
2. 'filter' out people who do not fit the sample criteria.
The body, or content, of the questionnaire consists of questions that will provide you with the
information you are studying. These could include questions on
a. attitudes (e.g. Do you believe that women should be treated equally to men?)
b. knowledge (e.g. Can you name three Japanese car manufacturers?)
c. motives (e.g. Why did you choose this product?)
d. opinions (e.g. How would you rate the quality of this product?)
e. possible future behavior (e.g. Would you recommend this product to a friend?)
(It is very important to remember that, when asking about people's future behavior; they
may not always do what they say they do!).
The Demographic Section. Demographic questions are an integral part of any questionnaire.
They are used to identify characteristics such as age, gender, income, race, geographic place of
residence, number of children, and so forth. For example demographic questions will help you
to classify the difference between product users and non-users. Perhaps most of your
customers come from Dubai, are between the ages of 20 and 32, and have incomes between
AED 10,000 and AED 40,000.
Demographic data helps you paint a more accurate picture of the group of persons you are
trying to understand. And by better understanding the type of people who use or are likely to
use your product, you can allocate promotional resources to reach these people, in a more cost
effective manner.
Life style questions are also included. These questions provide an in-depth profile and look at
activities, interests and opinions of respondents.
Another way to make questionnaires easier to use is to incorporate ‘loops’. Loops are used to
‘jump’ from one section to another. So, for example, if the answer to Q.7 ‘Have you seen a
movie at the cinema recently?’ is ‘No’, then we can skip all the section containing questions
about the cinema and go straight on to the next section.
Checklist
Define Objectives
Did you write down what decisions will be made based on the data? Do you have no more than
3 main objectives for the survey?
Outline the Survey

 Does your survey include an introduction explaining purpose of the study, duration, and
incentive information?
 Does the survey begin with a closed-ended question?

 Do you have questions at the beginning of the survey to select appropriate survey
respondents to continue with the survey?
 Do the questions go from general to specific?
 Are the demographic questions at the end?
 Are any sensitive questions toward the end of the survey?
 Do all questions relate to your objectives?
 Do you complete each topic before moving on to the next?
Draft Questions
 Do questions avoid use of language that could be unfamiliar to respondents?
 Are the questions simple and concise?
 Do you ask questions before describing the rating scale?
 Are all possible answer options included, or did you include an “Other” option?
 Do you allow the respondent to select “Prefer not to answer” for sensitive questions,
such as income?
 Do you display the most positive answer options first?
 Do you include a midpoint answer on rating scales?
 Are you using closed-ended questions whenever possible for data analysis?
 Are open-ended questions voluntary?
Review and Pre-Test

 Have you sent the survey to colleagues or friends to review question wording?
 Does the survey take 10 minutes or less to complete? (5 closed-ended questions take
approximately one minute, and 2 open-ended questions take approximately one
minute.)
 Will you be able to make the decisions you identified in your objectives based on the
data?
Research Limitations and Constraints
Accurate, up-to-date information obtained by marketing research can be of enormous value to

an organisation in gaining and/or maintaining its competitive edge. However, there are a
number of reasons why, in reality, these potential benefits may not be realized.
Budgetary constraints – gathering and processing data can be very expensive. Many
organisations may lack the expertise to conduct extensive surveys to gather primary data,
whatever the potential benefits, and also lack the funds to pay specialist market research
agencies to gather such data for them. In these cases, organisations may be forced to rely on
data that is less than ‘perfect’ but that can be accessed more cheaply, e.g., from secondary
sources
Time constraints – organisations are often forced to balance the need to build up as detailed a
picture as possible regarding customer needs etc. against the desire to make decisions as
quickly as possible, in order to maintain or improve their position in the market
Reliability of the data – the value of any research findings depend critically on the accuracy of
the data collected. Data quality can be compromised via a number of potential routes, e.g.,
leading questions, unrepresentative samples, biased interviewers etc. Efforts to ensure that
data is accurate, samples are representative and interviewers are objective will all add to the
costs of the research but such costs are necessary if poor decisions and expensive mistakes are
to be avoided.
Legal & ethical constraints – the Data Protection Act (1998) is a good example of a law that has
a number of implications for market researchers collecting and holding personal data. For
instance, researchers must ensure that the data they obtain is kept secure, is only used for
lawful purposes and is only kept for as long as it is necessary. It must be made clear as to why
data is being collected and the consent of participants must be obtained. In addition to this,
there are a number of guidelines, laid down by such organisations as the Market Research
Society, that, although not legally binding, encourage organisations to behave ethically when
dealing with members of the public.
http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/research-limitations-constraints.html
Research Interview Questions
 You must get your teacher’s approval for the research interview questions.
 You must get your teacher’s approval for the research survey questions.
Bias and its Dangers
What is Bias?
A prejudice or slant towards one way of thinking. Bias is when you show favor to one side.
In conducting ANY research properly, each person must:

a. Be willing to look at a situation objectively and let go of any personal bias
b. Be able to immediately recognize bias in other people
Examples of Bias
1. He showed a bias toward a few workers in particular, he favoured those who were
Emirati
2. People who drive cars complain about bikes and pedestrians, people on bikes
complain about cars and pedestrians, pedestrians complain about cars and bikes
3. Do they have a bias against women?
4. The company was accused of racial bias when they would only hire people of one
nationality
5. The decision was made without bias.
6. She showed no bias toward older clients.
7. A student with a strong bias towards languages
8. “This is the safest airline in the world” quoted the CEO of Emirates
Confirmation bias refers to a type of selective thinking where one notices and looks for what
confirms one's beliefs, and ignores what contradicts one's beliefs.
TASK FOUR
FINDINGS, DISCUSSION,
CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS
10%
Task Four: Findings, Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations

10% Week 12
Task Instructions
You are now required to write the key parts of your final research paper. You should write your
findings, the discussion which also should include a detailed analysis of the strengths and
limitations of your project, the conclusions and your recommendations.
You must demonstrate how well you understand the data you collected in relation to your
research objectives. You should attempt to relate these results to your knowledge of the
learning outcomes you are studying. You should discuss how your results compare with what
you expected based on the theory. It is not necessarily true that your results will always fit into
the theory. If they do not, explain why you think that is so.
You must also include an Abstract – this is a summary of 500 words that explains all the key
points of your research project. The Abstract is included at the start of the research paper.
However, he Abstract is written last as it is a summary of the full project.
The paper should be written in HCT report format and fully referenced using APA format. You
should also submit the document to Safe Assign on Black Board Learn.
This task should be 2000 – 4000 words and should be completed by the end of Week 12.
You will resubmit this task in Week 16 as part of the Final Research Paper (10%) and you are
encouraged to make improvements based on feedback received.
Guidelines for Task Four
Abstract
An Abstract previews the main points of your report, it summarizes the entire proposal,
especially your main findings and recommendations. Therefore, the abstract should outline the
proposal’s major headings: the research question, theoretical framework, research design,
sampling method, instrumentation, data analysis, and a brief summary of your interpretations
and conclusions. It is written for upper management so that they can become familiar with
what is discussed in the full report without having to read it. The abstract should convey your
objectives, along with key conclusions and recommendations. A reader should be able to skim
the abstract without missing the point of the main report. The abstract should be no more than
500 words.
Examples of an Abstract
1. The following abstract is for a marketing research analysis of the possibility of further
developing tourism in Dubai. Although an abstract is different to a conclusion, your main
conclusions should be made in the opening statement. In this example, the researchers
introduce their market research, their main conclusions, and their final
recommendations.
Our market research group makes the following recommendations for increasing transit
passenger stay-over in Dubai. The vast majority of transit passengers do not stop in
Dubai. The average transit visitor never exits Dubai Airport. This may be because many
tourists are under the perception that Dubai is too expensive and that it offers little more
than a shopping mall experience. To encourage transit passengers to stopover, Dubai
must develop a reputation as offering a unique e experience which is great value for the
money.
In order to maximize time/expenditure in Dubai we recommend:
1. Emirates Airline offer inexpensive 2-day stopover packages which include hotel
and transport at concessionary prices. The main attraction during these stays
should be shopping trip to the Dubai malls and a day on the beach to unwind.
62% of those surveyed said they would take such a package if priced
competitively.
2. Research shows transit traffic is highest during the summer months. This is also
traditionally a ‘low’ time for hotel occupancy in Dubai. Transit passengers may
be reluctant to break their trip in Dubai due to the summer temperatures. 40% of
those surveyed would consider a 2-day layover which included an indoor luxury
‘spa’ treatment day.
The Dubai Tourism & Commerce Department (DTCD) is responsible for marketing and
promoting Dubai as a destination worldwide, as well as for taking initiatives to enhance
the experiences of visitors once they have arrived. DTCD has explored ways to increase
the amount of tourism time (and money) spent in Dubai. It identified three distinct
market segments: the transit traveller, usually from the west, who stops in Dubai en
route to another final destination, GCC travellers who frequent Dubai during short
holiday breaks, Middle Eastern and Indian sub-continent visitors who have family and
friends living/working in Dubai. Our research concentrated on the transit traveller.
Research shows that Dubai is a convenient transit stop en route between the Far East or
Australia and Europe. Dubai’s position at the crossroads of the world has allowed it to
emerge as one of the major transit hubs. Dubai is also a short-haul distance from
countries with large populations and eight hours from the more developed economies,
which is an added advantage. Despite the recent economic downturn, passenger traffic
through Dubai is expected to increase 13.67% in 2010.
Our research is based on data provided by DTCD, results from 200 questionnaires
distributed to transit passengers at Dubai International Airport and a focus group held at
the airport with transit passengers on Emirates Airlines.
2. The following Abstract is for the Influence of Supervisory Feedback on Goal Orientation
of Employees – A Conceptual Analysis:
Abstract: This paper deals with individual goal orientation of employees within the
personal selling domain. Individual goal orientation is defined as "a mental framework
for how individuals interpret and respond to achievement situations" (Brett &
VandeWalle, 1999). In the current study, we have conceptualized goal orientation in the
three-dimensional manner, focusing on learning orientation, performance-prove
orientation and performance-avoid orientation. Many studies have indicated that these
orientations of salespeople had influence on their performance (Silver, Dwyer, and Alford
2006; McFarland and Kidwell 2006; Payne, Youngcourt, and Beaulien, 2007). These
studies revealed that learning orientation and performance-prove orientation had a
positive influence on the performance of salespeople while performance-avoid
orientation had a negative influence. Ultimately, these orientations will have an impact
on the overall performance of organization. Therefore, how to enhance learning
orientation and performance-prove orientation of salespeople, and how to lower
performance-avoid orientation of salespeople will be beneficial for the organization. We
focus on supervisory feedback to see whether these objectives can be achieved.
Supervisors are likely to be influential not only because of the position they occupy, but
also salespeople are likely to have less personal contact with their peers than other
employees and are thus more likely to rely on supervisors for direction and guidance. We
tried to analyse how different types of supervisory feedback viz. positive output
feedback, negative output feedback, positive behavioural feedback, and negative
behavioural feedback influence learning orientation, performance-prove orientation, and

performance-avoid orientation of salespeople. The
conceptual analysis has shown that supervisors can influence the three dimensions of
goal orientation of salespeople. The research framework provides an insight to sales
managers for motivating the salespeople to learn and perform at a strategic level.
Findings
Whenever possible, relate these results to your knowledge of the learning outcomes you are
You should always put your findings into the context of the previous research that you found
during your literature review. Do your results agree or disagree with previous research? Do the
results of the previous research help you to interpret your own findings? If your results are very
different, why? Either you have uncovered something new, or you may have made a major flaw
with the design of the experiment.
Finally, after saying all of this, you can make a statement about whether the project has
contributed to knowledge in the field, or not. Try not to be too broad in your generalizations to
the wider world - it is a small project and is unlikely to change the world.
Discussion
Writing a discussion section is where you really begin to add your interpretations to the work.
Here you should describe how you developed your project goals from the SWOT analysis that
you completed in task one – the Project Proposal. Describe fully your objectives. The SWOT
analysis should be in the appendix.
In this critical part of the research paper, you start the process of explaining any links
and correlations apparent in your data. If you left a few interesting leads and open questions in
the results section, the discussion is simply a matter of building upon those and expanding
them.
You also need to write a detailed analysis of the strengths and limitations of your entire project.
The focus should be on the limitations and strengths in company selection, methodology used,
technique used to sample and other issues. What went well and what would you change of you
had to do the project again.
Some Research Limitations and Constraints
Accurate, up-to-date information obtained by marketing research can be of enormous value to

an organisation in gaining and/or maintaining its competitive edge. However, there are a
number of reasons why, in reality, these potential benefits may not be realized.
Budgetary constraints – gathering and processing data can be very expensive. Many
organisations may lack the expertise to conduct extensive surveys to gather primary data,
whatever the potential benefits, and also lack the funds to pay specialist market research
agencies to gather such data for them. In these cases, organisations may be forced to rely on
data that is less than ‘perfect’ but that can be accessed more cheaply, e.g., from secondary
sources.
Time constraints – organisations are often forced to balance the need to build up as detailed a
picture as possible regarding customer needs etc. against the desire to make decisions as
quickly as possible, in order to maintain or improve their position in the market
Reliability of the data – the value of any research findings depend critically on the accuracy of
the data collected. Data quality can be compromised via a number of potential routes, e.g.,
leading questions, unrepresentative samples, biased interviewers etc. Efforts to ensure that
data is accurate, samples are representative and interviewers are objective will all add to the
costs of the research but such costs are necessary if poor decisions and expensive mistakes are
to be avoided.
Legal & ethical constraints – the Data Protection Act (1998) is a good example of a law that has
a number of implications for market researchers collecting and holding personal data. For
instance, researchers must ensure that the data they obtain is kept secure, is only used for
lawful purposes and is only kept for as long as it is necessary. It must be made clear as to why
data is being collected and the consent of participants must be obtained. In addition to this,
there are a number of guidelines, laid down by such organisations as the Market Research
Society, that, although not legally binding, encourage organisations to behave ethically when
dealing with members of the public. (http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/research-
limitations-constraints.html)
Once writing the discussion section is complete, you can move onto the next stage, wrapping
up the paper with focused conclusions and recommendations.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Here you draw your main conclusions and link them to the recommendations by showing a
need for action. The conclusion should give the main cause(s) of the problem or opportunity
that is the topic of the report. The conclusion is NOT merely a restatement of your findings.
Conclusions flow logically from your analysis. The conclusion provides the reader with insight
into what you think the data means. It should not include findings that are not related to the
recommendations.
Example of Conclusion:
“It can be concluded that to encourage transit passengers to stopover, Dubai must develop
a reputation as offering a unique experience which is great value for the money.”
It is important not to give detailed recommendations in the conclusion section. In the above
example, the sentence “Dubai must develop a reputation as offering great value for the
money.” is a general conclusion that leads into detailed recommendations. Your
recommendations should be specific and actionable. If you can, include an implementation
plan. In the recommendations, you can identify any additional research that needs to be
carried out to investigate questions that arose during the study.
Example of Recommendations:
1. Emirates Airline offer inexpensive 2-day stopover packages which include hotel and
transport at concessionary prices. The main attraction during these stays should be
shopping trip to the Dubai malls and a day on the beach to unwind. 62% of those
surveyed said they would take such a package if priced competitively.
2. Research shows transit traffic is highest during the summer months. This is also
traditionally a ‘low’ time for hotel occupancy in Dubai. Transit passengers may be
reluctant to break their trip in Dubai due to the summer temperatures. 40% of those
surveyed would consider a 2-day layover which included an indoor luxury ‘spa’ treatment
day.
TASK FIVE
ORAL DEFENCE
20%
Task Five: Oral Defence of Tasks 1 - 4 20% Week 14
Task Instructions
During week 14 you will interviewed about the work that you have completed for the research project.
You will be asked questions about Tasks 1, 2, 3 and 4. You are expected to show your understanding of
content of each task that you have submitted. Questions will also cover your knowledge of underlying
theories and processes that have been used in the research project.
Following the oral defence you will be provided with detailed developmental feedback in order to make
improvements to your work prior to submitting the Full Final Research Paper in week 16.
Oral Defence Guidelines

General areas of questioning could include but not limited to:
General Research
1. What are the limitations of your study and how would you have done things differently if time
were not an issue?
2. What did you learn about doing this research?
3. What are the practical implications of your findings?
4. What policy recommendations might you make?
5. What is the next study that you might design?
Secondary Research
1. Describe what internal secondary research sources was accessed?
2. Describe what external secondary research was sourced?
3. Describe the limitations of secondary research
Primary Research
1. What are the different types of data collection
2. What are the advantages of primary research?
3. What are the disadvantages of primary research?
Literature Review and/or Bibliography

1. Is the review recent and comprehensive?
2. Are all the primary and secondary data sources cited?
3. What are the main implications of the literature review?
Subjects of Research
1. Is the size and main characteristics of the Stakeholders described?
2. Were the entire Stakeholders studied?
3. Was a sample selected?
4. Was the method of selecting a sample clearly described?
5. Will the sample selection method used result in a representative, unbiased sample?
6. Are the size and main characteristics of the sample described?
7. Does the sample size meet suggested guidelines for minimum sample size appropriate for the
method of research used?
Instruments
1. Is a rationale given for selection of the instruments used?
2. Are the instruments appropriate for measuring the intended variables?
3. If an instrument was developed specifically for the study, are the procedures involved in its
development and validation described?
4. Is evidence presented that indicates that each instrument is appropriate for the sample under
study?
5. Is instrument validity discussed and coefficients given, if appropriate?
6. If an instrument was specifically developed for the study, are administration, scoring and
interpretation procedures fully described?
Design and Procedure

1. Is the design appropriate for testing the hypotheses/questions of the study?
2. Are procedures described in sufficient detail to permit them to be replicated by another
researcher?
Data Analysis/Results
1. Are appropriate descriptive statistics presented?
2. Are the tests of significance described appropriate, given the hypotheses and design of the
study?
3. Was every hypothesis/question tested?
4. Are the results clearly presented?
5. Are the table and figures (if any) well organized and easy to understand?
6. Are the data in each table and figure described in the test?
Conclusions, Implications and Recommendations

1. Is each result discussed in terms of the original hypothesis to which it relates?
2. Is each result discussed in terms of its agreement or disagreement with previous results
obtained by other researchers in other studies?
3. Are generalizations made that are not warranted by the results?
4. Are the possible effects of uncontrolled variables on the results discussed?
5. Are theoretical and practical implications of the findings discussed?
6. Are recommendations for future action made?
7. Based only on statistical significance, are suggestions for educational action made that are not
justified by the data; in other words, has the author confused statistical significance and
practical significance?
8. Are recommendations for future research made?
Summary (or Abstract)

1. Is the problem restated?
2. Is the design used identified?
3. Are procedures described?
4. Are the major results and conclusions restated?
TASK SIX
FINAL RESEARCH PAPER
30%
Task Six: Full and Final Research Paper 30% Week 16

Task Instructions
Having completed all the previous tasks you are now required to put them altogether in to one Final
Research Paper. You are encouraged to make improvements to Task 3 - Research and Data Analysis and
Task 4 – Findings, Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations, following feedback received on your
written work and also after the oral defence interview. The Final Research Paper should include;
The Abstract Revised 500 words

Introduction This will come from Task One – the Project Proposal
Literature Review 2000 – 3000 words
Methodology
Research Analysis Revised 2000 – 3000 words
Findings
Discussion
Conclusions Revised 2000 – 4000 words
Recommendations
References – at least ten.
Appendices
The Full and Final Research Paper should be written in HCT report format and fully referenced using APA
This task should be 8,000 – 10,000 words and should be completed by Week 16.
Task Six Guidelines

Structure of the Research Paper
 Paper to be between 8,000 and 10,000 words - minimum 16 pages
 Label each section with the titles listed here:
Title Page
Abstract
Table of Contents including a List of Illustrations
Introduction and Background (to include your Research Objectives – from Task 1)
Literature Review
Research Methodology
Data Analysis
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion (a summary)
Recommendations (at least 5 in bullet points)
References
Appendices - hard copy of primary research and copy of the Safe Assign Report. To have a
‘passing’ paper these results should be less than 20% matching.
Guidelines for each part of the paper

https://explorable.com/write-a-research-paper
Abstract
An Abstract previews the main points of your report, it summarizes the entire proposal,
especially your main findings and recommendations. Therefore, the abstract should outline the
proposal’s major headings: the research question, theoretical framework, research design,
sampling method, instrumentation, data analysis, and a brief summary of your interpretations
and conclusions. The Abstract should be no more than one page; approximately 500 words.
Introduction and Background
Use Task One to complete this section. Your Introduction and Background section should
include a brief background on your project and a description of the company/industry under
review. Here you should describe how you developed your project goals from the SWOT
analysis. Describe your objectives. SWOT analysis should be in the appendix.
The introductory section should provide a bridge from the abstract to the remaining discussion
sections or the body of the paper. You should define/describe the questions and/or the topic
that you will address. By defining and establishing the objectives of your paper in the
introductory section, you clarify the goal and set the direction for the rest of the paper. Provide
a justification of the need for research to be conducted on this topic. At the end of this section,
it is essential to indicate the scope of your paper, define the audience and describe the
organization. The introduction should be between 1 to 2 pages.
Literature Review
This is Task Two. Your Literature Review section provides the readers with a background to your
study. It will contain three basic elements: an introduction or background information section;
the body of the review containing the discussion of sources; and, finally, a conclusion and/or
recommendations section to end the paper. Everything in the Literature Review is from the
secondary research you conduct. All of the materials must be referenced as per APA
guidelines.
Research Methods and Data Analysis
Your Research Methods section should detail all the procedures you followed to collect and
collate the data. This includes what information you identified as critical to achieving your
objectives and how you collected this information. Identify primary sources – who, when,
where, how (interviews and / or survey methods); how the data was obtained; and what
information this data contributes to you research results. Please remember primary data can
be collected through research into a company’s documentation, as well as through
questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, and observations. Not all data you collect will
necessarily be quantitative.
In this section you should also identify problems that arose in your data collection, i.e., did
anything go wrong? In these cases how did you adjust your research so that you were able to
obtain the information required?
Findings
In this section you analyse the data you collected. This is where you turn data (i.e. raw
numbers and results from questionnaires, interviews and/or focus groups) into information on
which a decision and recommendations are made. This section should contain your graphs and
charts and a written analysis of what these graphs tell us. This section should include visual
aids (graphs, charts, tables) intended to clarify, emphasize or summarize the report.
Whenever possible, relate these results to your knowledge of the learning outcomes you are
Discussion
Writing a discussion section is where you really begin to add your interpretations to the work.
In this critical part of the research paper, you start the process of explaining any links
and correlations apparent in your data. If you left few interesting leads and open questions in
the results section, the discussion is simply a matter of building upon those and expanding
them.
Finally, after saying all of this, you can make a statement about whether the project has
contributed to knowledge in the field, or not. Try not to be too broad in your generalizations to
the wider world - it is a small project and is unlikely to change the world.
Once writing the discussion section is complete, you can move onto the next stage, wrapping
up the paper with a focused recommendations and conclusions conclusion.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Here you draw your main conclusions and link them to the recommendations by showing a
need for action. The conclusion should give the main cause(s) of the problem or opportunity
that is the topic of the report. The conclusion is NOT merely a restatement of your findings.
Conclusions flow logically from your analysis. The conclusion provides the reader with insight
into what you think the data means. It should not include findings that are not related to the
recommendations.
It is important not to give detailed recommendations in the conclusion section. In the above
example, the sentence “Dubai must develop a reputation as offering great value for the
money.” is a general conclusion that leads into detailed recommendations. Your
recommendations should be specific and actionable. If you can, include an implementation
plan. In the recommendations, you can identify any additional research that needs to be
carried out to investigate questions that arose during the study.
References
Your work should be presented professionally in HCT report format with appropriate
referencing (APA style) and a high standard of English language. You should use the built-in
Reference tools in MS Word to create your references and bibliography.
Appendices
An appendix includes all items referred to but not displayed in the body of your report. All the
background work you undertook during your project should be included in the appendix. Items
contained in the appendix should be referred to in the body of the report. Your appendix
should contain your primary data results, including summary of focus groups, interviews
(completed transcripts), external meetings and any first-hand observations. Raw and tabulated
primary data will also be shown here. Please label each Appendix item by letter, for example:
Appendix A, Appendix, B, Appendix C, etc.
Formatting Guidelines
These are the report formatting guidelines for the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).
Students, please make sure that all submitted reports follow these guidelines.
Business reports are prepared on plain white paper, without unnecessary pictures or borders.
Charts relate to the topic of the report. Pictures and charts are referred to within the report
and sourced in a caption.
The system-wide date format is DD MONTH YYYY for example 11 January 2014. Change your
computer to accept this format. The system-wide time format is the 24 hour clock for example
0930 hours. For currency, dirhams are abbreviated as “Dh” - Dh99.
The most commonly used font in business is 12 point, Times New Roman or Arial. Students use
the Left aligned, Open Punctuation model.
There are two types of reports - bound and unbound. An unbound report is stapled together at
the top left hand corner. A bound report is bound on the left side or at the top using special
binding material, such as a coil.
Report Format Bound
Top margin 2.5 cm or 1”
Bottom margin 2.5 cm or 1”
Left margin 2.5 cm or 1”
Right margin 2.5 cm or 1”
Header and Footer 1 to 1.5 cm
Reports use 1.5 (or 2.0) spacing. Paragraphs should be left aligned as this is more efficient to
prepare. Paragraphs have one blank line between them. Page numbers start after the Title or
Contents page with the number at the top right side of the page.
All reports have a main title, which is centered. A subtitle (if there is one) is centered and
follows the main title. Headings and sub-headings are at the left margin. There is one blank line
between each section and/or paragraph.
Create headings Outline View and save your work as a Template. Heading 1 should be level 1,
heading 2, should be level 2, heading 3 should be level 3.
A report can be continuous or it can have each new heading starting on a new page. There must
be no widows or orphans; therefore, you cannot separate a three-line paragraph, or a heading
from at least two lines of its paragraph.
In-text citations and all references follow APA style. Use the Reference tools in MS Word to
generate your references.
Headers should be used for this report. The Header should contain the TITLE OF PAPER and the
page number.
Example:
CLIMATE CHANGE: FACT OR FICTION 1
*Please refer to APA guidelines for complete details.
Referencing Guidelines
This section is a guide for writing In-Text Citations. APA style is the referencing style suggested
for use by the HCT.
In-Text Citations help avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is stealing a person’s words, ideas or images
by not naming the original author. Penalties for plagiarism at the Higher Colleges of Technology
(HCT) are severe often resulting in dismissal. See the Student Handbook for more information
on plagiarism and penalties for plagiarism.
Access the APA site from the HCT Online Library and use the Quick Reference Guide. The
information on Bibliographies and In-Text Citations is most useful for Bachelor students. The
HCT Online Library also has a very comprehensive section on external web sites that have
information on referencing.
When do you write  Every time you write a research report.

References?
 It is a list of every source of information that you make a reference
to in your report.
 It includes books, articles, television programs, Internet sites,
What are References? interviews and all other information sources you use in your report.
 It is an alphabetical list by the author’s last name.
 It is attached at the end of a report.
 To show what information sources you use to write your report.

 To help the reader find more information.
Why write References?  To prevent being charged with plagiarism. This is stealing another
person’s ideas (without giving credit).
 Follow the rules set by MLA/APA style.

 Look at the examples on the following pages. Each format (i.e.
books, newspapers, web sites, etc.) has an example. Follow these
How do you write
examples if you are writing your own bibliography.
References?  Use the Reference tools in MS Word. Word will format your
References and include it in your document. See the online tutorial
on nmasse.com
In-text Citation
 A link in the body of your assignment to your
References.
 Offers enough information so that the reader can
find the complete information in the References.
What is in-text citation?  Written next to the information that has been taken
from another source.
 May be written within a sentence or at the end of a
sentence.
When do you use in-text  Whenever you use information from another
source in your report.
citation?
 To lead your reader to the correct entry in your
Why do you use in-text
References.
citation?  To avoid plagiarizing.
Sources for Information on the APA Style

Purdue Online Writing
1.
Labhttps://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
HCT Library resources
2.
http://libguides.hct.ac.ae/content.php?pid=175062
HCT Library – Business Pathfinder (a word document located in your BBLearn
3.
site)

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Higher Colleges of Technology

Integrative Industry Project

Task One: Project Proposal and Plan 10% Week 3

The proposal should include:

 Details of your chosen industry with reasons for choice.

See separate marking rubric

Task One Guidelines The Project Proposal

Task One Guidelines The SWOT Analysis

Simple rules for successful SWOT analysis

weaknesses), and where it could be in the future (opportunities and threats).

How to classify items found in a SWOT Analysis

POSITIVE/ HELPFUL NEGATIVE/ HARMFUL

Strengths and Weaknesses will be in areas such as:

Environmental Factors Competitor Factors

 Demographics  Capability  Prices

 Changes in creative trends.

Example of a SWOT analysis for Starbucks Coffee

Task One Guidelines - The Project Plan

Research Design and Plan Guidelines

Should include specific research objectives.

Objectives should be obtainable within the proposed timeframe.

Study should be well-focused rather than broad and diffuse.

Background and Significance

Thorough background on the company/industry under study.

Specify existing gaps that the project is intended to fill.

Highlight potential policy or practice impacts.

Research Design and Methods

Should provide an overview of the proposed design and conceptual framework.

Study goals should relate to proposed study hypotheses.

Describe any concepts, approaches, tools or techniques.

Include details of how data will be collected and results analyzed.

Include proposed work plan and timeline.

Task One Guideline – Writing The Project Plan

The project plan should answer the following questions.

What do you intend to do (Objectives)?

Possible structure for your project plan:

List all the secondary sources you intend to investigate further

German Business Scope, available at http://www.lawschool.westlaw.com under

Bundes der Justiz – The Homepage of the German Ministry of Justice:

Industry Specific SHRM, CIPD

Personal Interview (1) Ex: Chairman of 1000 on 7/09

Follow APA guidelines.

 Research Design and Planning Advice

Task Two: Literature Review 10% Week 6

See separate rubric

Task Two Guidelines

Writing a Literature Review

2. Flow; Add introductory and concluding sentences to each paragraph review.

Task Three: Methodology, Research and Data Analysis 20% Week 9

See separate marking rubric

Task Three Guidelines - Research Methodology

TYPE METHODS TECHNIQUES

Doing your Research - Guidelines

Data Sources and Getting Started

Key Data Collection Techniques

 Government or Official Agency Records

Data Collection Methods Uses

 HR Records records for patterns or trends.

 Census studies all members of the population,

Information is collected by means of standardized procedures so that every individual is asked

 The potential implementation of a new system

Selecting the Sample

WHO will be surveyed?