Now that you have completed the first six assignments, it is time to complete your research project for the course. Include the following sections in your submission. Title Page Table of Contents Ex
Writing the Report
After the statistical analysis is complete, it is time to write the final report. Although many of the components to be included in the research report already exist, the information must be communicated clearly and logically. This takes skill because the readers will likely never review much of the content included in the
MBA 5652, Research Methods 1
report. Often, those who read the reports are only interested in the explanationUoNfITrexsuSltTsUaDnYd GUIDE recommendations. It would not be unusual for stakeholders to turn to these sections, entirely neglecting the
empirical data. Therefore, it is critical to understand the audience so the writing can appeal to those stakeholders who will read the report (e.g., senior executives, middle managers, technical managers, researchers, etc.). If the audience is mixed, the best reporting strategy may be to prepare multiple reports to accommodate the various stakeholders. Although some researchers advocate producing a single report to satisfy the needs of all stakeholders, this is often not a suitable approach due to varied interests in the study (Cooper & Schindler, 2014).
For the report to be impactful, it should not be written at a level below or above the stakeholders’ understanding of the research project. Additionally, stakeholders may quickly lose interest if the report is overly technical or spends too much time reviewing known, superfluous, or irrelevant information. The best researchers are those who can communicate complicated subjects in a clear, organized, unambiguous, and objective report (Cooper & Schindler, 2014; Zikmund, Babin, Carr, & Griffin, 2013). This may be nearly as important as the results themselves. Even statistically significant results are inconsequential if the audience does not comprehend their relevance and usefulness.
Report Format
Considering the needs and expectations of the specific audience will dictate the components included in the final report. In addition to the needs of the specific audience, other factors that influence the report format include the research methodology, size and complexity of the project, formality versus informality, long report versus short report, etc. However, some components are ubiquitous to most reports (Cooper & Schindler, 2014; Zikmund et al., 2013). Typical components of a business research report include the following:
Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
Statement of the Problems
Literature Review
Research Objectives
Research Questions and Hypotheses
Research Methodology, Design, and Methods
Data Analysis
Findings
Recommendations
References
Ethical Considerations
Regardless of whether a research study is for academic, government, or business purposes, researchers have an obligation to perform to the highest ethical standards. This is especially important since, in most organizational and business research studies, human beings are used as participants. Participants often include consumers, customers, and employees, and this, in and of itself, requires the utmost care in applying ethical standards.
Respect for Persons, Beneficence, and Justice
The Belmont Report, created by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, is widely adopted by academic, government, and business entities as the definitive standard for ethical conduct. The Belmont Report outlines three pillars of ethical standards: a) respect for persons, b) beneficence, and c) justice. These standards provide safeguards so research participants are knowledgeable about the benefits and risks of the studies in which they may participate (Swanson & Holton, 2005). Although these standards play a mandatory role in academic and government research, organizational and business researchers should also design their studies so human participants do not endure physical harm or embarrassment from participation. Additionally, research participants have a right to privacy, which may also be jeopardized if ethical guidelines are not adhered to (Cooper & Schindler, 2014).
Title
MBA 5652, Research Methods 2
Informed Consent, Confidentiality, Privacy, and Anonymity UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title
Researchers are duty bound to meet the obligations of the three key principles that guide ethical conduct: a) respect for persons, b) beneficence, and c) justice. Researchers who use informed consent are formally adhering to the three principles. Informed consent shows respect for individuals by keeping them fully informed about the process in which they are about to participate. Informed consent implies a concern for the individuals’ wellbeing and avoidance of harm and, therefore, beneficence. Finally, informed consent is a commitment that people will be treated fairly and ethically, or with justice.
Employee-researchers, performing research within their own organizations can be especially problematic. To help avoid potential problems, informed consent should be provided, and confidentiality, privacy, and anonymity should be ensured. Oral consent is sufficient for most business research (Cooper & Schindler, 2014). Whether the consent is oral or written, the intent is to inform research participants of the benefits and risks.
It is easy to adopt a laissez-faire attitude about following formal ethical standards within business research. Schlee and Van Duzer (2007) recommend the standard practice of using non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements when using human participants and when handling any confidential and sensitive data. It is prudent for researchers to use non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements as privacy and intellectual property issues become more litigious.
References
Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2014). Business research methods (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw- Hill/Irwin.
Schlee, R. P., & Van Duzer, J. B. (2007). An examination of alternative approaches to the treatment of confidential information in live case projects. Marketing Education Review, 17(2), 71–82.
Swanson, R. A., & Holton, E. F., III. (2005). Research in organizations: Foundations and methods of inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Zikmund, W. G., Babin, B. J., Carr, J. C., & Griffin, M. (2013). Business research methods (9th ed.). Mason,
