RESEARCH METHODS

Article Review

Using the CSU Online Library, locate a peer-reviewed article that discusses research in an organization. Topic ideas include the role of research, development of research studies, integration of different types of methods, or the communication of research results within an organization. Note that these are ideas; please expand within the parameters of research used within organizations. Respond to the following questions/topics:

1. Summarize the article with an eye on the author’s main point.
2. How does this article contribute to contemporary thinking about research?
3. How does this article illustrate the importance of using research to make decisions within an organization?
4. How can information in this article be applied to your field?
5. What is your opinion on the topic of this article?

Your APA-formatted response must be a minimum of three pages in length (not including the title page and the reference page).

 

Unit II Scholarly Activity

Most problems companies face are due to a lack of information; with complete and accurate information, the problems could be solved. Using the CSU Online Library, explore the topic of how research is conducted in organizations to address problems or issues. Then, select a company that is of interest to you, and respond to the following questions/topics:

1. Briefly describe your company. Identify potential problems or issues (current or future) that your company might address with a research study.
2. What indicators are prevalent demonstrating that the company is effectively (or ineffectively) using research studies within the organization?
3. How might the company use secondary research? How might they use primary research?
4. What might this company do in the future to expand Its research? Include your rationale.

Your APA-formatted response must be a minimum of three pages in length (not including the title page and the reference page) and must include an introduction, a thesis statement (concise summary of the main point of the paper), and a clear discussion of the questions/topics above. Your response must include a minimum of two credible references. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations

 

Unit III Scholarly Activity

Using the CSU Online Library and other disciplinary resources, research how qualitative research is used in your field. Using this information, write an essay that describes how qualitative research tools can be used to aid in decision making within your field. Be sure your essay addresses the following questions/topics:

1. Describe specific qualitative methods and tools that could be used within your discipline to gather data. Include your rationale.
2. Evaluate their effectiveness with respect to certain areas within your discipline.
3. Include company or organizational examples within your essay, as relevant.
4. In your opinion, what is the future of qualitative research both within your discipline and in general?

Your APA-formatted response must be a minimum of three pages (not including the title page and the reference page) and must include an introduction, a thesis statement (concise summary of the main point of the paper), and a clear discussion of the questions/topics above. Your response must include a minimum of two credible references. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations

 

Unit IV Scholarly Activity

Using the CSU

Online Library and other disciplinary resources, research how quantitative research is used in your discipline. Using this information, write an essay that describes how quantitative research tools can be used to aid in decision making within your field. Be sure your essay addresses the following questions/topics:

1. Describe specific quantitative methods and tools that could be used within your discipline to gather data. Include your rationale.
2. Evaluate their effectiveness with respect to certain areas within your discipline.
3. Include company or organizational examples within your essay, as relevant.
4. In your opinion, what is the future of quantitative research both within your discipline and in general?

Your APA-formatted response must be a minimum of three pages (not including the title page and the reference page) and must include an introduction, a thesis statement (concise summary of the main point of the paper), and a clear discussion of the questions/topics above. Your response must include a minimum of two credible references. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations

 

Unit V PowerPoint Presentation

You are the research manager within your organization, and you are grappling with a problem that needs further research. Your immediate supervisor is interested in using experimentation and observation research techniques in researching this problem and requests that you prepare a presentation to educate him on these methods. You are unsure whether using these techniques would be adequate, but you set yourself on a mission to analyze the two research methods to provide him with the best information.

 

Compile a PowerPoint with your analysis of experimentation and observation as they apply to your company and/or discipline. In your PowerPoint, be sure to address the following questions/topics:

1. Describe specific experimentation and observational methods that could be used within your discipline to gather data. Include your rationale.
2. Evaluate their effectiveness with respect to certain areas within your discipline.
3. Include company or organizational examples, as relevant.
4. In your opinion, are there any ethical implications with the use of experimentation and observational methods within your discipline?

Your presentation must be at least 12 slides in length (including a title slide and a reference slide).  In this presentation, you are required to use speaker notes. In the speaker notes, you will provide what you would say if you were actually giving the presentation to your supervisor. Please write your notes in complete sentences and adhere to typical grammar and punctuation rules. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations. Be sure to use APA style for citations and references.

 

Unit VI Scholarly Activity

Select an existing company, possibly a publicly held company in order to find easily accessible information. Research the company and compile a SWOT analysis identifying a minimum of four elements under each of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Explain each element with an eye on how this affects the company overall. Once the table has been compiled, address the following questions:

1. How does this tool assist the marketing and management teams to solve problems within the company?
2. Based upon your research and this SWOT analysis, what recommendations would you make for the management team?

Your APA-formatted submission must be a minimum of three pages (not including the title page and the reference page). The table maybe single spaced. References must include a minimum of two credible sources.

 

Unit VII Web Assignment

Using your favorite search engine, locate the websites for two research firms. Conduct a review of the services offered by these two different research firms. What types of tools do they use, and how effective are those tools? Then, write an essay responding to the following questions/topics, evaluating each research firm’s capability of providing valuable services to its customers.

1. Contrast the services and tools provided by the two research firms.
2. Explain the advantages of utilizing these research firms.
3. Discuss why a company might decide to save the money and utilize its in-house team as opposed to one of these firms.
4. Explain how the tools discussed in the lecture might enable more companies to complete their research internally.

Your APA-formatted submission must be a minimum of three pages (not including the title page and the reference page). References must include the two websites and a minimum of one additional credible reference. All sources used must be referenced. Paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citation

 

Unit VIII PowerPoint Presentation

Compile a PowerPoint presentation introducing the importance of research and the use of research methods within an organization. Think about how this applies to your industry and, specifically, to a company that might use research methods discussed in this course. As you compile this PowerPoint, discuss the points identified below.

• Analyze the theoretical aspects of research methods to include the following:
• importance of conducting effective research leading to good decision making,
• analysis of the process associated with putting together a research study,
• summary of research methods including advantages and disadvantages of each, and
• effective presentation strategies for reporting research results.

 

• Apply learning from this course to your discipline to include the following:

 

• Explain either a hypothetical or real research problem that could arise within a company in your discipline.
• Discuss a minimum of two research methods that could be used to address this research problem.

Identify and explain specific challenges and opportunities associated with the use of these research methods within your discipline