Business Decision Making

Case study for: There is no specific case study; learners will identify an organisation of their own choice to investigate. Please note, the investigation should be focused on a marketing related topic.

Task 1: Research Proposal (LO 1: LO 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5)

You are required to carry out a primary research project on behalf of an organisation (in the private, public or not-for-profit sector) of your choice. You must choose an aspect of that organisation’s work and identify why you are researching that aspect, how you will conduct the research and what you expect to find out. Areas of investigation may cover: sales performance, feedback on products, service provision, operational efficiencies, or any other area of interest to you concerning the organisation. You must demonstrate that you have carried out secondary research. This will require you to identify sources of information about your chosen organisation, including existing research data (secondary research) and published articles (literature review).

 
When you have collected the relevant background data, you must prepare a Research Proposal which must be discussed with your tutor. The proposal is a document in which you will present your plan for carrying out your primary research project. The proposal must contain the following information;

1. Introduction: name and description of the organisation you intend to research.

2. Background: why you want to research the organisation, what do you expect to find out?

3. The results of your secondary research (and/or academic review).

4. Methodologies: analysis of different approaches to research and to the collection of data

5. Identify your ‘Research Question’: what is the core theme of your research project?

6. Implementation Plan: identify the stages of your project and produce a timeline for completion.

Important: You must obtain the written approval of your proposal from your tutor BEFORE moving on to Task 2.

Task 2: Field Research (LO 2: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)

Following the approval of the proposal carried out under task 1, you are required to conduct an original piece of research. Your tasks include the following:

– Identify the research ‘universe’

– Identify a representative sample

– Choose an appropriate approach: quantitative, qualitative, observation

– Choose an appropriate data collection method: face-to-face interview, telephone, text, etc

– Design a questionnaire

– Conduct your research (data collection)

– Set up an Excel spreadsheet to record the information you have collected (collation of data)

You will be assigned a tutor who will oversee your work and guide you through the process.

 
Task 3 Research Report and Presentation (LO 3: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and LO 4: 4.1)

(a) Prepare a written report. Your Report must include the following:

– Introduction: background, purpose (include relevant content from Task 1)

– Description of research methods used

– A copy of the questionnaire used in your field research

– Analysis of the data collected: charts, diagrams, supporting comments and explanations

– Evaluation of the data collected: rank the importance of the data and say how it can be used

– Recommendations for future areas of research

– Compare what you had expected to find out (Task 1) to what you actually found out (Task 2)

– Conclusion

(b) Upon the successful completion of your written research report, you are required to prepare a PowerPoint presentation of your research findings. Use the data, charts and supporting comments from your report. You must be prepared to deliver your presentation to a live audience and be prepared to answer questions about your research.

Note: The presentations will be scheduled for the last two weeks of the semester. Precise dates, times and locations will be confirmed during the later stages of the semester.