Ahmed Soliman 201010073 Dr.

Ban Research methodology

Case 1

The use of internal and word-of-mouth recruitment methods :

Q1) Do you think that Phil and Mark had good reasons for choosing the research topic initially? Give reasons for your answer.
They were interested in this research for it is a very important research that nobody has ever conducted before, because word of mouth is very effective and it perhaps one of the most powerful advertising tools nowadays, they also have the necessary means to conduct this research and make it very interesting for the readers through information that we all use in our day to day life.

Q2) Draft a possible first research question for Marks and Phils idea as described in the first three paragraphs of the case study.
How come word of mouth is so powerful when it comes to hiring and firing in companies?

Q3) What lessons can you learn from Phils and Marks experience?

We can learn that there are not research subject that are acceptable and other that are, every type of research is important and useful, secondly that the researchers doesn't have to be in the same type of field to conduct any type of research, also that the opinion of people not involved in the research is very important to conduct a clean research, lastly that passion is important for success.

Q4) To what extent do you feel that Marks and Phils final research question meets the criteria outlined in Box 2.1?
In my opinion, it was met in box 2.1 since they already had the quantities data from the survey that mark conducted without forgetting that the research was not limited to a certain time frame, and the question that aroused about the reason to use word of mouth recruitment methods and the tow recruitment methods together allowed the research field to be narrow and allowed their data to be more exact and into the point.

Case 2 The effectiveness of computer-based training at Falcon Insurance Company :

Q1) Which type(s) of research strategy are employed in this study?

The types of research strategies employed in this research are : 1. practitioner-researcher strategy, 2. single case study, 3. survey, 4. experiment.

Q2) What are the benefits of adding a longitudinal dimension to this research?
The longitudinal dimension increased the usability of this research and made the data that was gathered useful to be used in real life; it also showed how the employees are developed under the circumstances of the search.

Q3) What are the benefits of using multiple methods of data collection?
Using multiple methods of data collection helps in collecting data and it also help in answering the questions that were asked at the beginning of the research, and another reason is for its ability for widening the angels in which the research is conducted.

Q4) What threats to reliability are inherent in the research design? How may these be overcome?
There are four main threats to reliability: participant error, participant bias, observer error and observer bias. The probability of participant error is low in this case as the questionnaires were designed and delivered in such a way as to provide objective results. Participant bias may be viewed as inherent in the research design as the participants may answer the questions as anticipated. They all were required to finish the CBT by the top management. Therefore, they may feel as if obliged to pretend to do it successfully. However, the researcher found the only possible way out and made these questionnaire results confidential. Moreover, the director may have announced that the objective data is essential to the company and that there would be no retribution for the wrong answers. The probability of the researcher error is low as the researcher draws her conclusions and results on the statistical and questionnaire data that can always be checked.

Q5) What threats to validity are inherent in the research design?

How may these be overcome?

Testing is one of the threats inherent in the research design. The participants knew that their achievements in completing CBT will be measured at the end of the research, so they could apply more efforts than they would otherwise.

This threat may be overcome if the researcher does not announce at once that the participants will have to answer questionnaires and go through interviews. Instrumentation is one more threat inherent in the research design as it is not quite clear how the results obtained on the basis of these employee groups may be applicable to other groups, companies and other skills obtained through CBT. Generalization and making assumptions, making some comparative analysis may be useful for overcoming this threat. The ambiguity about causal direction is present in the research design in small amounts as well.

Case 3

Change management at Hattersley Electrics :

Q1) Name the sampling techniques used at each of the three stages and list possible reasons for the choice of each of these techniques.
At the first stage, such probability sampling technique as simple random sampling is used. It is the best choice for the first stage as it enables the consultants gain general knowledge about the current situation in the company and the workers attitude to it. At the second stage, the stratified random technique is used to research the situation among various divisions and cells. At the third stage, systematic sampling technique is being employed to research the public attitude in the particular groups of the employees.

Q2) Given the quoted response rate of 97.6%, what is the accuracy (margin of error) of the questionnaire results for the division likely to have been?
Taking into consideration the number of workers (250), the percentage of these workers involved in the questionnaire (50%) and the quoted response rate (97.6%), the roughly calculated margin of error for the division is approximately 4-5%, perhaps, a little lower as the response rate is higher than the standard 95%.

Q3) What issues will need to be taken into account when generalizing from the questionnaire results to: all employees in each department of the Electrics division? all employees in the Electrics division? Give reasons for your answers.
When generalizing from the questionnaire results to all employees in each department of the Electrics division, the researchers should take into account the variable number of workers in each department, their different response rate and the number of the workers from the department who took part in the questionnaire. When generalizing from the questionnaire results to all employees in the Electrics division, the following facts should be taken into account: the general response rate, the margin of error, all top management representatives participated in the questionnaire, while the ordinary workers had been chosen, the risk of losing a job and the attitude towards the implemented changes may differ according to the position and personal traits of an employee.

Q4) Would it be possible to use the results from the three sample surveys outlined in this case to generalize about the management of change in the Hattersley plc group? Give reasons for your answer.
In my point of view, it would be possible to use the results from the three surveys outlined in this case to generalize about the management of change in the Hattersley plc group, and the reasons for that are: A. The managers that were selected randomly and interviewed separately from each other so the survey can be accepted or rejected. B. the topical issue of the management were involved in the questions of the survey.

Case 4 The involvement of auditors in preliminary profit announcements

Q1) Identify data sources used by Tony and Jim in this research. Which of these are secondary data and which are primary data? Give reasons for your answers.
In the report, tony and jim have used specific time of data source to wirte it, they have gathered full reports that are released every year

Q2) What other methods (if any) do you think Tony and Jim could have used to obtain the data they needed to test their hypothesis? Give reasons for your answer.
They could have managed to go straight to the companies manager or the person who's in charge of their reports, they would have provided accuret information and also they could have got an access to the company's data, if they have explained why they are doing it to the board of directors for example.

Q3) What were the problems faced by Tony and Jim in using these secondary data?
They didn't face much problems using the secondary data, however the have faced a bit of difficulty gathering the information from the sources.

Q4) What lessons can you learn from Tony and Jims experience?
Tony and Jim have found an interesting topic for their research, made a hypothesis and managed to obtain the relevant data. However, there are some lessons that can be learnt from their experience. First of all, they did not carry out an extensive preliminary research of the topic. They put forward an interesting hypothesis and decided to prove it. Data is not always freely available