LM607 Research Methods

This assessment is a group assessment (40 marks) with an individual report (30 marks)

LO 1: Explain the principal theoretical and philosophical approaches to undertaking research in the contemporary New Zealand business context.

LO 2:  Discuss the collection and treatment of research data.

Your group needs to hold a 20-minute presentation in-class explaining your research design.  One of the group members needs to submit the power point slides using the relevant Assignment Dropbox.

1 Survey – Research question (10 marks)

Describe and justify the research question related to a business topic you can answer by surveying other EIT students.  Explain the theoretical and philosophical approaches relevant to undertaking this type of research.

2  Survey Questionnaire (10 marks)

Present your Survey Monkey (free basic plan) survey questionnaire and justify your survey questions.  The questionnaire must be anonymous, designed to answer your research question, and include:

1. Three relevant questions about the respondents’ background including at least one nominal scale variable (such as gender).
2. Four questions about the business topic, including at least one Likert scale and one nominal scale variable question.

3)  Describe the data and present your key findings. (10 marks)

4) Reflect on the issues and challenges in your survey design and collection or treatment of data.  Did everything go as planned?  What were the challenges and difficulties?  Would you change anything if you did the same survey next time?  How reliable are the findings? (10 marks)

Each of the group members is to analyse and explain one area of the collected data (i.e. one of the questions in 2b).  This should include relevant SPSS outputs, charts or tables and a written explanation of the findings.  The analysis must also include discussion about the relationship between the chosen 2b question and one of the background variables (2a).  Include critical evaluation.

The School of Business has a policy of no late assignments.  However, an assessment handed in up to 24 hours late will be marked.  A deduction of 20% of the total marks available will be made.  Any assignments received more than 24 hours late will not be marked.

It is important that you respect the intellectual property of other writers and researchers and acknowledge the use of it.  All sources must be referenced using APA.  If you do not acknowledge the material correctly, whether intentional or otherwise, you will be guilty of plagiarism, which is considered a dishonest practice.  Plagiarism will incur deductions depending on the severity of the 'offence'