Research Applications in Global BusinessSession 1Introductions, Data, Information, Intelligence, Ethics in ResearchStephen Humphrey

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About Stephen• 12 years marketing and management teaching experience• Range of industries – engineering, telecommunications,

TV&Film, gambling sector and education• CIM qualified and an MA in Strategic Marketing • MSc in Renewable Energy Technology – Cranfield University• Currently undertaking my PhD in Economics & Marketing• Ex-CIM examiner and moderator for Diploma and Post-Grad• Currently Examiner and Moderator for CMI (Chartered

Management Institute)• Currently an external examiner for Royal Holloway, University of

London – Mathematics & Statistics plus International Business• Run my own marketing training & consultancy business

LCA/ARU/Class Guidelines• Harvard Referencing approach please• Has to be your own work• Research thoroughly• Avoid plagiarism – most serious offence• Meet the deadline – no extensions• Be on time to class• Attend class 100% of the time • Question the tutor• Question eachother• Be respectful and polite to one another• Contribute in class• Participate in debate

Examiner Comments

• Weaker students ignored the command words i.e. Critically evaluate, critically analyse, develop, justify• Allocation of word count was not appropriate for the

grades awarded in some cases• New material added in report that was not justified or

referenced/sourced appropriately – try to avoid making unsupported comments • Some material used in the report was not contextualised

to the organisation

‘Top’ grade students• Answered all tasks • Evidence of considerable wider reading from a

range of sources• Constantly refers to key literature to support

comments and assertions• All aspects related to the assignment brief• All aspects are detailed, complete, applied and

evaluated• Consistent and appropriate use of the underlying

theory and concepts

‘Fail’ grade students

• Little evidence of wider reading• Lacks understanding of theory• Aspects of submission are inconsistent,

inaccurate or irrelevant • Ignored command prompts from the assignment

brief• Little or no evaluation• Report lacked structure and focus

Senior examiners report “One of the workable approaches to avoid making

common mistakes is the management of the researched (internal and external) literature. The brief outlines topics and components that should be addressed. Candidates should research and develop the subject matter under investigation only. There is little to be gained from diluting the core content beyond the requirements of the task and whilst wider evidence is important a candidate should know when and where to stop”

Stephen Humphrey – CMI Examiner and Practioner

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate a broad appreciation of the need for information in global management• Describe the role of information in the

overall management process• Explain the concept of knowledge

management and its importance in a knowledge-based and global economy

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“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent”Salvor Hardin in Isaac Asimov’s novel, Foundation

An organisation dedicated to predicting and reshaping the course of human history using a statistical method called psychohistory.

Psychohistory - Once a reality, now a real possibility.

Researchers are now demonstrating the power of this technique in forecasting how conflicts will develop and end.

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Information

•Good information is ‘the raw material used by management in deciding a company’s policy and day to day operations’

(Chisnell 2001)

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Information Value

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Activity

I buy mineral water. What need am I fulfilling?

Write down as many as you can think of

Think about the context in which a person may buy water. 14

Data & Information for competitive advantage• To anticipate and satisfy

customer/consumer needs• Ethos spread throughout organisation• Enable differentiation• New opportunities of ways to do business• Asset Management• Increase responsiveness• Identify new customer opportunities• Anticipate competitive attacks 15

Management and information

•Analysis •Planning•Implementation •Control

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Key information

• Information on customers• Information on other organisations• Information on the environment

• Use information in an integrated manner rather than in isolation• Better informed judgement should result in

better decisions• What are some of the problems associated with

information?17

Organisations’ Information Requirements•Markets• Share of market• Products• Price• Distribution• Promotional

planning• Finance

• Communication planning• Advertising• Sales force• Customer attitudes• Competitors activities• Environmental factors

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Typical information requirements1. Market analysis• Market size• Market profitability• Market growth trends• Main products in the market• Customer attitudes and buying behaviours• Major competitors and market shares• Distribution patterns• Marketing strategies used in the market

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Typical information requirement2. Product Research

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Typical information requirements3. Pricing Decisions

• Competitor product prices• Consumer attitudes to price•What would they expect to pay?•What would they be prepared to pay?• Cost/price/volume – what quantities are

likely to sell at different price levels?21

Typical information requirements4. Advertising and Promotions• Size of potential market• Demographic characteristics of users• Demographic profiles of segments• Behaviours and attitudes of different segments• Language used by customers in talking about

products• Share of mind compared with competitors

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Typical information requirements5. Sales decisions•Sales territories•Sales personnel efficiency•Sales statistics•Sales forecasts•Sales incentives

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Key Strategic questions

•Where are we now?•Where do we want to be?•How might we get there?•How can we ensure arrival?

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Types of information

•Descriptive – What, where, when?•Comparative – How?•Diagnostic? – Why?•Predictive? – What would happen? 25

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Information and decision making

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Knowledge Management• Knowledge – information in peoples minds (tacit)• People• Customers• Information systems

• Explicit knowledge – company knows it has• Tacit knowledge – not documented, invisible,

intangible• Barriers to developing, keeping and using

intellectual capital• Facilitating knowledge sharing & management

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Market Research

‘ The collection, analysis and communication of information undertaken to assist decision making in marketing’

(Wilson 2003)

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Characteristics of market research•Provides information to aid marketing

decision making• Involves the collection of information

using a wide range of sources and techniques•Analysis of information to understand

it•Communication and dissemination of

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Activity

Choosea) A charityb) A supermarketDiscuss all areas of research that may

be relevant to themIdentify all questions you feel might

need to be answered through research in each case 31

The knowledge age

•Huge volumes of information now available•Managers need to be selective and

systematic •As data is drawn from multiple sources, it needs to be combined and analysed for it to be of value 32

Research Ethics: An Overview and Practical Application

Stephen Humphrey

Informed Consent• Informed consent is a person’s autonomous authorization to

participate in research (Beauchamp & Childress, 2001). • ‘Informed assent’ is normally used where children are minors

(under the age of 16). The elements of assent are described as information, comprehension and voluntariness (Belmont Report, 1979).

• It is generally agreed that children aged 7-12 years do have the cognitive capacity to judge information concerning their participation in research (Helseth & Slettebo (2004) although it is recognized that some children and adolescents may have limited capacity and decision making abilities and, as such, assent and not consent would apply in this context (Lind et al, 2003).

• The environment in which informed consent is given will also influence how and why consent is agreed.

Informed dissent• It is important also to remember that consent is not an event

but a process (Alderson, 1998) and that even when, as a researcher, you have obtained consent this consent must be on-going

• Passive consent or informed assent is not the right to choose between A and B but the right not to participate (de Meyrick, 2005).

• Helseth & Slettebo (2004) allow participants to use yellow and red cards to express their feelings. As children often find it difficult to verbalise dissent, if they are asked about something they do not want to discuss (if they feel uncomfortable) they can give a warning by holding up a yellow card. If they do not want to discuss an issue or want to end their participation they can hold up the red card.

Anonymity and Confidentiality• This means no one else will be able to attribute the comments

or concepts to one specific individual • This is usually addressed in the writing up stages by both using

pseudonyms to protect the identity of the participants and by carefully considering that the quote used to illustrate the argument or theme in the research is sufficiently free of the participant’s personal information.

• It is important to note that the meaning and significance of information depends on what is already known by those receiving it (Richardson & McMullan, 2007: 1117).

• Confidentiality (and the ethical concerns regarding non-maleficence and beneficence which underlie the need to engage in a risk/benefit analysis and to minimise risks) is discussed by Mishna et al. (2004).

Protecting the data…• What is the researcher collecting the data for?• To what institution as a researcher are you affiliated to?• Who will have access to the data?• The researcher is responsible for keeping the data current,

accurate and should be kept for no longer than is necessary (e.g. the duration of the project).

• Security measures must be in place to guard against loss or damage of the data.

• The researcher must also prevent processing likely to cause damage or distress and this will include ensuring anonymity.

Covert Research• Researchers, however, can manipulate ‘consent’ and this has

been described as ‘covert research’ by Homan (2001).• Once a researcher has a signature on paper to agree to the

respondent being involved in the research process the researcher (and not the participant) is protected from any risks or outcomes as a result of the study

• Covert research is also akin to the ‘Pontius Pilate Plight’ described by Walters (1989: 958). A researcher can conform to the formal role procedures of researching but can wash his/her hands of the responsibility of what follows the research because they obtained assent/consent and, as such, were ‘honest’ and ‘open’ about what the research involved

Role of the Researcher• In the social work arena despite ‘listening to children’ being a legal

requirement (McLeod, 2007) dialogue with disaffected young people can be hard to achieve. McLeod (pg.278) argues that ‘much that appears unsuccessful in [research] interaction can be understood in power plays, with young people resisting the adult’s agenda and trying to impose their own’.

• Withholding information, changing the subject or fabricating responses are all strategies displayed by respondents dealing with powerlessness. This powerlessness may be addressed by giving the participants a greater opportunity to be involved in the research process.

• Many of the discussions of fieldwork with young people have addressed the issue of the roles researchers assume [See for example: Fine & Sandstrom, 1988; Mandell; 1988 and Corsaro; 1997]. These roles include supervisor, leader, friend, parent and ‘least adult’.

Completing the Ethical Research Process• It is important to remember to refer to the initial informed

assent or consent on completion of the research project • It is likely that the participant will have been promised

confidentiality and anonymity (see before) but it is also typical to agree to destroy any information/data collected during the research process on completion of the study

• It is imperative that this is done in such a way that any information (e.g. transcripts, photographs, drawings, and visual data) cannot be retrieved once the researcher has destroyed it.

• The use of shredding machines is normal practice for destroying items and if this is not available to the researcher the information must still be destroyed through using confidential waste procedures.

Summary

• Autonomous authorization• Consent is not an event but a process• Using pseudonyms – being aware of when confidentiality

should be breached• Access to the data• Responsibility for the participant?• State role in the environment• Not using data beyond the period of the project without

express permission