Reference no: EM133162459

Unit 11 Research Project - Equality and Diversity in the Workplace

Learning Outcome 1: Examine appropriate research methodologies and approaches as part of the research process.

Learning Outcome 2: Conduct and analyse research relevant to a business research project.

Learning Outcome 3: Communicate the outcomes of a research project to identified stakeholders.

Learning Outcome 4: Reflect on the application of research methodologies and concepts

Assignment Brief

Introduction to the Theme

The Pearson-set theme for use with Level 5 Unit 11: Research Project is: Equality and Diversity in the workplace

Equality is relevant in all workplaces, regardless of whether the business employs two people or two hundred people, irrespective of whether they work remotely, in an office, a warehouse or on a shop floor. It is about ensuring that everybody has the same access to the same opportunities without any discrimination. Diversity takes into account differences between people and groups of people, by placing a positive value on those differences. A diverse and inclusive work place values people's different backgrounds, knowledge, skills, and experiences, and uses these differences to create a productive and effective workforce.

Managing both equality and diversity is equally important as it impacts on all the employees working in an organisation. Business cases have proven that biases and discrimination within the workplace can impede business growth and productivity and therefore, many businesses look beyond any legal considerations and policies to effectively promote equality and diversity to improve productivity, opportunity, and competitiveness.

Selected Topic and Scenario

You are working as a business consultant Trainee for a consultancy company, and have been approached by a business organisation to conduct research into a key area of business and have been
provided with the theme (Equality and Diversity in the workplace) which will be the focus of the research.

The organisation has left it to you to decide what would be appropriate to investigate in this area of business research and for you to choose the research topic or a choice from the list below:

• Behaviours that support Equality and Diversity in the workplace

• Managing Cultural Diversity in the workplace

• Gender Equality in Leadership and Management

• Workplace Discrimination

• The Work-Life balance and Enrichment Experience

Part 1 - Research Proposal and Ethical Considerations

Your chosen topic will however, have to be approved by your supervisor to ensure that the topic and set aims and objectives are fit for purpose. Hence the first part of the research project requires you to Produce a Research Proposal that clearly defines a research question or hypothesis supported by a literature review.

Guidance
A Research Proposal is a concise and coherent summary of your proposed research. Your research proposal should set out the central issues or questions that you intend to address. It should outline the general area of study within which your research falls, referring to the current state of knowledge and any recent debates on the topic, as well as demonstrate the originality of your proposed research.
Strong research projects are those with clear, well focused and defined aims and objectives. A central skill in selecting a research objective is the ability to select a suitable and focused research objective. One of the best ways to do this is to put it in the form of a question. You are encouraged as a business research trainee to look into and discuss a variety of topics related to the theme to generate ideas for a good research objective.
The research proposal should evidence sources of literature, timelines for the research, the proposed methodologies to be used as well as the ethical considerations for the research as below:

• Define your research problem or question. This can be stated as a research question, objectives or hypothesis. Identify appropriate aims and objectives

• Provide a literature review giving the background and conceptualisation of your proposed area of study. This would provide existing knowledge and benchmarks by which your data can be judged.

• Consider and define your research methodology and research process. Demonstrate understanding of the pitfalls and limitations of the methods chosen and ethical issues that might arise as well as timelines

Part 2 - The Research Project
On approval of the research proposal by your supervisor, you are to Critically Evaluate research methodologies and processes in application to a business research project to justify chosen research methods and analysis to be presented in a report format.

Guidance
For the purpose of the research, you must Examine appropriate research methods and Conduct Primary and Secondary research using appropriate methods for a business research project that consider costs, access and ethical issues. Using philosophical and theoretical frameworks, you can Evaluate the different research approaches and methodology to make Justifications for the choice of methods selected.
After conducting the primary and secondary research, you must Apply appropriate analytical tools to analyse research findings and data and a Discussion of the merits, limitations and pitfalls of approaches to data collection and analysis can also be undertaken.

Part 3 - Communicating the Outcomes
On completion of the research analysis and findings, you are to Communicate Critical Analysis of the outcomes and make valid, justified recommendations.

Guidance
In an Appropriate Manner, you must Communicate the research outcomes for the intended audience. The outcomes can be communicated Coherently and logically to the intended audience, demonstrating how outcomes meet set research objectives.

Part 4 - Reflection on the application of research methodologies and concepts.

In this part, you are to Demonstrate a Reflection and Engagement in the resource process leading to recommended actions for future improvement.

Guidance
You must Reflect on the effectiveness of research methods applied for meeting objectives of the business research project in terms of effectiveness and challenges and Consider alternative research methodologies and lessons learnt in view of the outcomes. A Critical Reflection and insight that results in recommended actions for improvements and future research considerations can be provided.

Parts 2; 3 and 4 should be presented in a report format under the headings as below in approximately
5,000 words:

A. Title Page - It is important that you state clearly, at the beginning of the assignment, what its title is, which module it applies to and your name as the author.

B. Executive Summary - A summary should be provided, so that people can see at a glance what the report is about. You should mention your key findings, conclusions and recommendations.

C. Contents Page - Page numbers as well as section/chapter titles should be included, also if the report incorporates some appendices, their titles should be listed.

D. Introduction- offers the background to the study and has two main roles: to expand the material summarised in the executive summary and to signpost the content of the rest of the project. The introduction also includes clearly the research topic, research aims & objectives, rationale for the research and research questions.

E. Literature Review - The purpose of the literature review is to evidence your awareness of where your own piece of research fits into the overall context of research in your field. The review allows you to describe the current trends of research of your topic and areas that you can refer to in your research. Please provide a sufficiently adequate amount of secondary research with genuine references which is related to your topic of research. Fake/false citations and references will be treated as Academic Misconduct.
F. Methodology and Data Collection- Include a discussion of research philosophy, approaches, evaluation of quantitative and qualitative methods used, use of primary and secondary sources, sampling methods and the questionnaires used for the survey. While discussing your research methods, you need to justify why these research methods are appropriate from the standpoint of costs, access and ethical issues as well as timelines.

G. Data analysis and interpretations- analyse your primary data using appropriate tools - if you have used a questionnaire, use an excel spreadsheet and show appropriate charts and diagrams. If you have used qualitative research, use appropriate methods such as thematic analysis to analyse the responses. Provide an interpretation to the findings of your research. A good way of interpretation is to link the findings of your research to the findings of other authors that you have reviewed in your secondary research in the literature review section. A copy of your Questionnaire must be embedded in the appendix of the research project - including data sheet you have created from your questionnaire/interview analysis.

H. Research Outcomes- Report a summary of research findings to Stakeholders including the organisation you are researching. Your report should include PowerPoint presentation (6-8 slides). Research outcomes generally include research findings, conclusions and recommendation for the organisation if any. Your slides could include a slide each for title; aim, objectives and research questions; major approaches and methodologies adopted; major findings from the research; conclusion and recommendations.

I. Conclusion and Recommendations - as a summary of your entire research project.

J. Reflection & Recommendation of alternative research methodology- Write a reflection on the effectiveness of research methods applied for meeting objectives of the business research project- and also a brief consideration of alternative research methodologies and lessons learnt in view of the outcomes.

K. Bibliography - Note that your research must provide in-text citation in the body of your research and the list of References as per the Harvard Referencing System.

L. Appendices - All detailed statistical tabulations, graphs, lists, questionnaires etc. should be organised into separate appendices. Note that:

Attachment:- Research Project.rar