1.

Introduction Business research is a systematic and methodical investigation into organizational problems and provides solutions while generating new knowledge (Herbst & Coldwell, 2004). The understanding of the concepts of Business Research is valuable not only for academic development but also for the professional carrier to make managerial decisions. The first step in business research is to identify the problem domain very clearly and accurately. When the problem is clearly identified, the researcher must refer related literature, identify the scope of the problem, design a conceptual framework, create a hypothesis, carry out research design, collect and analyse data and present conclusions.
Watching Thinking Feeling Doing or Reading

Figure 1. Learning Style

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This journal will contain the learning experiences, concepts of business research and the experience of my academic and professional backgrounds. This journal contains the lesson plan, the learning out comes from each lesson, the learning experiences and the learning out comes from this coursework.

2.0 Learning Experiences Learning is the acquisition of new knowledge, skills, and attributes which can be demonstrated by a relatively permanent change in an individuals capabilities and behaviour (Oxford, 1994). From the literature review of this course I have learnt how to prepare a research proposal, prepare a research design, perform a successful and unbiased data gathering and analysis, present a conclusion and recommendations. Through out this course the lesson plan was well structured and straightforward which made it easy to understand the concepts of research. As one of the main learning out comes of this course, in the first coursework I have learned how to prepare a correct and accurate literature review. This literature review contained a critical analysis on selected industrial problem and the analysis was carried out by designing a research structure and supported articles. The experience gained by this literature review will help me to conduct a successfully research in the future in my work environment.

2.1

Learning Experiences of Business Research

The lessons were conducted according to the lesson plan layout by Auston Institute of Management. The ten lesson of this course gave me a vast understanding about the concepts of research and a well guidance about carrying out a proper research. From the first lesson, I learnt the research concepts of research and analysing and preparing the research topic. In the second lesson, I learned about gathering the related
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literature and to review and analyse them. The third lesson gave me a sound knowledge in preparing and conducting a research proposal. From the forth and fifth lessons, I learnt the steps to design the research. From sixth to eighth lessons I learnt about different sampling methods such as random, stratified random, systematic cluster and non-probability sampling methods. Ninth lesson I learnt how to layout the reflective journal. Even though I have experienced business research in the financial industry, literature review was a new study area to me. This study area added new techniques to shine my knowledge by learning research design and methodologies. To gain more experience and knowledge on this new area I referred books, published journals and literature. From the coursework I gained vast knowledge, not only in the research topic but also about the other subject matters and theories, which enhanced my knowledge tremendously about the industry. During the learning process of Business Research, Literature review was the most interesting topic from this course. This topic interested me more because of the background study I had to carry out to prepare the literature review. I had to refer books and articles on areas as Research design and methodologies which gave me a new experience. The study of the published reviews added new knowledge and inspired me to conduct a strong discussion on to the collected literature. The reading materials not only gave me supported the literature review but also it helped me to learn about the new findings and trends about the current industry. The guidance given by our lecture also made it more interesting.

2.2

Learning Processes of Business Research

Research was defined as an organized, systematic, data based, critical, objective, scientific inquiry, or investigation into a specific problem, undertaken with the purpose of finding solutions to it (Sekaran, 2010). A research can be useful to review and synthesize existing knowledge, to investigate and provide solutions to some existing situation or to explore a problem and analyze

issues that are more general and construct or create a new procedure or system (Herbst & Coldwell, 2004). Through this course, I learnt to select and define the topic and to design a methodology accordingly as qualitative or quantitative related to the research subject. With the knowledge I gathered in the second lesson, I learnt to present a successful literature review to the research design I designed. The online reading materials and the knowledge shared by our lecturer helped me to layout a proper literature review by including good characteristics of a literature review, focused objectives and successful research design. Apart from the knowledge I gain by the course lesson, I referred many articles and publications in conducting a successful and unbiased data gathering and analysis. As an outcome of this I was able to conduct and present successful conclusion and recommendation to the organization I chose in the literature review. During these lessons, the lecturer trained the students with good oral presentation and report writing skills. These skills not only helped at the academic process but also made vital impact to my professional carrier. As a learning outcome of this course I have referred many books and literature to gather knowledge about business research. This preparation not only helped me in academically but also benefited to my office work much easier. When considering the academic benefits, it helped me to do a successful literature review. The literature review not only helped me to gain knowledge in research methodology but it shined my skills on presentation and improved my report writing skills. This is lesson of Business research gave me a great help to my professional carrier.

2.3 Learning Reasons of Business Research Business research is vital to an organization to make the right decisions. The managers in an organization face various problems in day to day basis and in order to solve them they need to make the right decision at the right time. Hence, it is important to be incorporated into respective academic programmes. The knowledge, which I gained from this subject, will assist me to carry out a successful research helping to make

successful managerial decisions concerning the organization. Business research has become an inevitable concept in the modern business industry. With the growing demand for this area, it is vital that a manager is relatively fluent in applying the research concepts to the organizational situation. Additionally, it is a great advantage to learn and be informed on the new theories and concepts of research since it may possibly be very useful for ones carrier. It was highlighted throughout the whole lesson, that to solve a problem it is very important to carry out a comprehensive research. Therefore, I am confident to perform a successful research in an organizational situation.

2.4

Learning Experience in Relation to Academic Development

I learnt how to carryout a business research in a logical and methodical manner. The knowledge and skills, which I gained from this subject area, helped me to understand the specific problem, collect relevant literature, analyse and carryout a research and to present a conclusion and a recommendations. By gaining knowledge of business research, executives can build their skills and unleash the fullest potential (Sekaran, 2010). Firstly, I learned how to identify a problem and narrow it down in to the selected subject area where it improved my scope of thinking. I learned the importance of referring books, journals, and online materials for the literature review. This enhanced my data mining skills and additionally improved my subject knowledge and vocabulary. By referring relevant literature, it makes the desired to gather more knowledge on the subject area, to gather new knowledge on new techniques or methods and analytical solutions provided by expertise. It is a vital part, to refer literature. The researcher should refer a range of literatures to support the research problem. Therefore, it is very important to develop a consistent research design. I understood that, even though the collected data is not sufficient to draw a conclusion the researcher should develop a conceptual model and test it through analytical tools. After completion of coursework one, I develop my knowledge and skills in the chosen subject area and analytical skills. I also gained vast knowledge in relation to data gathering
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techniques, which enhanced my skills in preparing relevant questions and interviewing relevant units in order to collect the accurate information. I developed my knowledge and skills with regard to presentation skills, which will help me to perform better in the future. The data analysis was a bit of a new experience for me. Even though I had experience in data gathering and analysing, in the literature review I had to use analytical tools. The theoretical knowledge that I had for data mining was not sufficient. I referred many books with regard to this and gathered new knowledge. With this new knowledge I gathered, I designed an appropriate research structure in order to present a successful research.

2.5 Learning Experience in Relation to Professional Development In this business world, there is a growing demand for business researchers and for professional researchers (Sekaran, 2010). Therefore, the content that I learnt from this subject will help me to execute a research in the future as a professional. The theories I have learnt from this course will assist me to practice them in the real-time situations in the industry. With this knowledge, I learnt how to advance in my career by creating value to the organization by providing a successful research. Through this course, I have developed analytical, reporting and communication skills. These skills have become strengths in my professional carrier. With my newly enhanced strengths, I wish to contribute to my organization with the financial analysis to succeed in the industry. The main goal would be to advance in my career with a sound knowledge of business research to evaluate in the managerial decisions.

2.6 Learning Experience in Relation to Personal Development Reflecting the learning outcomes of business research in relation to my personal development helped me to develop my intellectual abilities, cognitive thinkings and comparison with my research findings at my working environment. It also helped to manage my time in scheduling work and helped to improve my verbal communication, writing and presentations skills as my personal strengths.
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With the strengths I have developed, I can help my firm by carrying out market and financial research for the success of my firm.

3. Conclusion In the assignment my reflective journal shows a steadily document that I wrote, to record the progress what I have learned in my business research class in my degree final year. The learning experience that I gained by this course will helped me to carry out a research successfully in the industry. The effective experience, I gathered in referring literature, reviewing helped me discipline my writing, and analytical skills and they have become my strengths and capabilities. The learning of this subject helped me to develop my academic knowledge and to do a professional research that improved my professional goal. This course not only helped me to gain knowledge in research methodology but it shined my skills on presentation and improved my report writing skills. This is lesson of Business research gave me a great help to my professional carrier. I would like to give my gratitude to the Auston Institute of Management for including this subject in to the syllabus of this degree programme.

4. References

Auston Institute (2000) A332BUS Business Research. Singapore: Auston Institute.

Bryman, A., Bell, E. (2007) Business Research Methods. UK: Oxford University Press Herbst, F., Coldwell, D. (2004) Business Research. SA: Jota and Company Ltd

Sekaran, U. (2010) Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach. IND: John Wiley and Sons

The Oxford English Dictionary (1994). UK: Oxford university press Yolles, M. (2006) Organizations as Complex Systems. US: IAP