Reference no: EM133116514

Unit 11 Research Project - Higher National Diploma in Business

Assignment - Transformation in the workplace

Learning Outcome 1: Conduct appropriate research methodology which integrates knowledge into 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: You are working as a business consultant for a consultancy company [named organization/an organization of your choice - your own place of work if appropriate]. You have been approached by a business organization to conduct research into a key area of business and have been provided with a theme which will be the focus of the research. The organization has left it to you to decide what would be appropriate to investigate in this area of business and for you to choose the research topic. You should use the Pearson-set theme in your research - Transformation in the workplace.

The range of topic discussed could cover either one of the following:
• The impact of the global pandemic on accelerating workplace transformation
• Why linking organizational and employee efficiency transformation is critical for to remain competitive
• Employee collaboration tools: How they are being deployed and how they are impacting productivity in sometimes surprising ways
• The Gig Economy: It's real and redefining the nature of employment and employees
• How remote workers are surpassing their peers in the office in both job-satisfaction and productivity and how workplaces are using these insights to transform operations
• The challenges faced by organizations when embarking on workplace transformation initiatives and how the right strategy, funding, and support of management can result in an increase in product and services innovation as well as a long-term competitive edge
Once you have identified your research topic and objective you will undertake the following steps to collate, analyse and present your findings. This will be presented in the form of a research report.
• Complete a Literature Review (Secondary Research)
You need to know what the key literature is related to the research objective in order to plan a research study to explore the phenomenon. Conduct a literature review using a range of sources relating to the research topic. Evaluate the validity and reliability of the sources, discussing current understanding on the research topic area
In your report discuss the sources of literature found and how they relate or otherwise to the research topic. Your report should critically evaluate literature in order to assess the validity of the literature in supporting the research topic.
• Develop a project proposal for researching the research objective identified.
Your research proposal identifies the purpose of the research project with clear aim and objectives and justifies the chosen research methods in terms of the research question.
Discuss the ethical issues which will need to be considered and examine the research methods and approaches to be taken.
Prepare an action plan with target dates and methods for monitoring and updating your activities to ensure you meet the deadline for the final written report.
• Carry out independent primary research
Design, implement, collect and critically analyse data. For example, using a survey/questionnaire/interview or other primary research technique collect data and then present and analyse findings. Present your findings using visual illustrations e.g. bar charts/pie graphs/tables.
Your report will include the critical analysis of data and the advantages and disadvantages of the research methods and approaches taken to data collection.
• Communicate outcomes -Report
Develop a report that provides valid and justified recommendations for the business organisation based on the analysis of the research both primary and secondary. Your findings and outcomes must be based on the research proposal objective/s and refer back to this in drawing your conclusions.

Finally critically reflect on how you have conducted the project, the lessons learnt and the alternatives you would consider in the future with recommendations for actions to be taken forward.

Please see below for guidance on a report format:

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.
• You should also include the College name, report title and thedate.

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 andrecommendations.
• This summary is usually printed immediately after the titlepage.
Contents Page
• Page numbers as well as section/chapter titles should beincluded.
• If the report incorporates some appendices, their titles should belisted.
Acknowledgements
• A list of names, roles and organisations (if relevant) of all of those who helped you when compiling the report should belisted
Terms of Reference
• Refer to your project proposal

Introduction
• This section should provide some of the background of the subject that forms the principle theme of your report.
• If the report is designed to solve a perceived ‘problem', the history of the ‘problem' can be reviewed here, culminating in the situation that prompted the report to be written
• You should also provide some key information about the organisation in which your research is based.

Literature Review

• This should include a wide range of sources on the topic. Previous work on the topic has been integrated into the project. Full critical review of literature relevant to study is required.

Methodology
• This section is needed for the reader to judge the authenticity of the ‘evidence' that comprises the main body of the report. All sources should be mentioned and, if appropriate, describe how you put together your questionnaire or survey.
• Copies of questionnaires, interview questions etc. should be included in the appendices.
• If any published documents were studied, this should be mentioned here.

Main Body
• This is likely to comprise many paragraphs or sections. It is often useful to break up your assignment into sub headings.
• This section should be structured around the key themes of your research.
• Use tables, charts if possible. Your presentation of data is important.
• This section should bring together your secondary and primary research and your findings.

Conclusions
• In this section you should say what your facts or findings mean i.e. discuss the key implications arising from the wealth of detail you may have collected.
• Your findings and outcomes should be related back to your initial research objective andproposal.
• The conclusions should not incorporate any newfacts.

Recommendations
• Your recommendations should clearly spell out your ideas to enable them to be actedupon.
• In particular, if your proposals involve expenditure, you must supply a cost benefit evaluation to show what it costs and what management will get fromit.

Reflective Statement
• Reflect on the success of their project and your own performance in a personal performance review at the end of the project.
• Contemplate on the effectiveness of research methods applied for meeting the objectives of the business research project.
• Consider alternative research methodologies and lessons learnt in view of the outcomes.

Bibliography
• All references in the report should be listed in the correct Harvard format.

Appendices
• All detailed statistical tabulations, graphs, lists, questionnaires etc. should be organized into separate appendices.
• Include a list of references (sources that are actually cited in the report itself).
• Nothing should be included that isn't referred to in the main body of the report.