Research Methods and Ethics in E-commerce

This assignment provides an overview of research methods and ethics in e-commerce. It discusses the importance of ethical considerations in research, including confidentiality, time management, and protocol compilation. The assignment also explores different tools and techniques for predicting and making interpretations, such as graphs, tables, charts, and more. It highlights the value of understanding outcomes and how entire practices of research are linked to major outcomes for effectiveness. The assignment provides a clear and precise understanding of selected topics in e-commerce research.

RESEARCH DESIGN
PROPOSAL
(PART 1)

Table of Contents
SUBMISSION 1: RESEARCH DESIGN PROPOSAL..................................................................1
Chapter 1: Introduction...........................................................................................................1
Chapter 2: Research Methodologies.......................................................................................2
Chapter-3 Data Analysis.........................................................................................................5
Chapter-4 Ethics, Values, Referencing and Presentation.......................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

SUBMISSION 1: RESEARCH DESIGN PROPOSAL
TITLE: “To determine the importance of e-commerce in growth and
success of business. A case study on Amazon”
Chapter 1: Introduction
E-commerce or electronic commerce refers to a parts of digital technology which
plays a vital role in world of business organisation. It is analysed that today, companies
which deal both in domestic and international market, are required to digitalise their
entire business. It will help in operating business operations in more effective way
through which set target and objectives can be accomplished in short period of time. For
example: Organisations like eBay, Flip-kart, Amazon and more, deliver entire products
or services through online process to customers directly at their home. Thus, this
process assist such enterprises to adopt latest technology in business so that
sustainability at marketplace can be maintained. E-commerce is an activity by which a
company can sell or buy products, transfer money and data for executing transaction of
business, etc. using internet. In short, it can be also be defined as type of commercial
transaction which is facilitated by internet.
In today's digitalisation world, e-commerce has become most integral part of
business which aid business organisations to export their products directly to end
customers by using internet application (Moon and et. al., 2013). While talking about e-
commerce, the first company comes in mind is Amazon, where a consumer not only buy
products but also can sell own their goods. Business of this organisation is totally based
on internet and its applications. In terms of revenue, it is the largest internet company in
world after Walmart and has millions of customers, sellers, developers and content
creators. This online enterprise mainly work to meet needs of all group of customers by
providing innovative solutions. With concept of e-commerce, Amazon not only boost its
sales but also develop environment for people to buy or sell products of all branded
companies at price-bursting rates.
This research is going to evaluate the importance of e-commerce in growth and
success of business. For this purpose, different views and opinion of authors are
evaluated under literature part of present research. Under this, concept of e-commerce
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and some major challenges faced by organizations like Amazon, are revealed. Along
with this, investigation report on concept of e-commerce, seems to be quite interested
as per academic and practical perspectives.
Aims: “To determine the importance of e-commerce in growth and success of
business. A case study on Amazon”
Research Objectives:
 To evaluate the concept of e-commerce in business.
 To examine the importance of e-commerce for success and growth of business.
 To identify the major challenges which are faced by Amazon in implementation of
advanced technologies like e-commerce.
 Research Questions:
 What is the concept of e-commerce in business?
 How to examine the importance of e-commerce for success and growth of
business?
 What are the major challenges faced by Amazon in implementation of advanced
technologies?
Chapter 2: Research Methodologies
Research methodology is a technique through which data are collected by
investigator for making decisions of business. Identification, selection, process and
information analysis in respect to topic are activities conducted by an individual. It is a
systematic way through which problem are solved with aid of survey, interview,
publication research and other tools. This helps them to critically examine a study's
overall reliability and validity.
Research approach:
It is essential to distinguish information collected by various sources through
which investigator can locate the better outcomes in a viable manner. In this regard,
there are two types of research approach whose selection depends on purpose and
require to be addressed are:- deductive and in addition inductive. An explanation of
these two research approaches are stated as below:
Deductive research: This is an approach which start with formulation of
hypothesis that are either confirmed or rejected from research process. It is tactic in
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which investigator study existing theories to gain information about others work. This
helps them to create hypothesis and test for having knowledge about its accuracy.
Deductive research is structured than inductive, as specific aim require to be
accomplished by person. Thus, depth analysis is not possible under this approach as
large number of sample are analyzed.
Inductive Research: It is another approach which doesn't include hypothesis
formulation. In this, process start with research questions, objectives and aims that
required to be accomplished from the process (Masoud, 2013). After this, investigator
collect data in respect to topic by observation or tests methods. This helps them to
develop a theory or new concept. This approach is associated with qualitative, so
project makers require to follow set of rules. Thus, in this depth analysis is possible, as
small number of sample are assessed by research with higher gravity.
In present project, investigator uses deductive research approach which help
them to generate effective and valid outcomes.
Research Methods:
These are tool which are used by an investigator to execute research on specific
topic. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed are various types of methods which are used
by person in according to aim and purpose of research. Thus, this is description of tools
which is stated below:
Qualitative Research: This is a scientific method of research by which facts are
gathered by an investigator. It is an exploratory tool through which problem insights are
provided to formulate hypotheses or ideas. It is a research method which helps
individual to develop understanding on science and human that is way they feel and
think.
Quantitative Research: It refers to a structures way of gathering and analysing
information which is obtained from various sources. This research involves a method of
computational, mathematical and statistical tools for driving reliable outcomes. In terms
of purpose, this research seems to be conclusive and helps in quantifying the problem
as well as understanding how prevalent it is. As compared to qualitative research which
is more explorative, quantitative helps in measuring extent for statistical results. This
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method includes surveys and experiments as data collection tools which provide
specific information about a certain topic.
Types Of Data
Primary data: It is considered as systematic investigation under which an
investigator collect fresh data and information itself during investigation. Primary data
usually collect information in quantitative or statistical manner such as charts, graphs,
tables and diagrams. Therefore, it becomes essential for researchers to evaluate and
interpret data appropriately. It consists various methods like online and offline survey,
questionnaire, interviews of respondents and more. For this purpose, where
investigators are required to prepare a questionnaire format for analyzing the views of
different users. Therefore, this methods takes more time and costs to obtain a desired
outcome.
Secondary data: This kind of research technique help in obtaining information
which has been already organised, compiled, published as well as gathered by other
writers and authors (Chaffey, 2015). This type of data is mostly used by organisations
working under government, trade association and more, to analyse published data. It
includes various sources like magazines, trade journals, articles, newspapers, books
and more, from where investigators can gather relevant information in desired manner.
Secondary source as compared to primary one, provides large data and takes less time
and money as well. But it fails to obtain sometime reliable and authenticate information
about a certain topic.
The following research is going to make in qualitative manner, under which
literature review will be conducted on the basis of different views of authors and writers
on specific topic.
Data Sampling: It refers to statistical analysis which is used for selecting, manipulating
and analyzing a data to determine trends and patterns in a large data. Sampling allows
researchers to select a sample from large population and run analytical models for
accurate findings. Data sampling can also considered as an effective tool to gather,
organize, interpret and analyze data as per predetermined methods of research
methodologies. Since gathering information from large population data consumes much
time and cost. Therefore, sampling helps in collecting accurate and reliable data from
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the large population by selecting a sample of small size. With this assistance,
researchers are required to choose sample by specifying a group of people of proper
size. So, in general it includes two major methods that are- Probability and Non-
Probability as explained below:
Probability: This sampling method is based on the fact that every respondents
of a population, has known as well as equal chance for being selected in a sample.
Therefore, under this procedure, it is amendable for researchers to assure that all units
in population will get equal opportunity for being chosen in a group. Furthermore,
probability sampling includes various methodologies like Simple, Stratified, Systematic,
Cluster and more random sampling (Jahanshahi, Zhang and Brem 2013). Therefore, it
helps in creating samples which are highly representative of entire population.
Non-probability: It is an another tool of data sampling under which each
member of total population are not known as well as doesn't get equal chance for being
selected in a group. Therefore, sample is selected on the basis of subjective judgment
and aids researcher to execute of further investigation. It includes non-random
technique and users are selected as per certain criteria.
For conducting the present research, investigators are going to use probability
sampling method, under which respondents are selected on random basis. With this
assistance, 50 respondents are chosen from total population.
Chapter-3 Data Analysis
It refers to an activity of systematically applying techniques to describe, illustrate
and evaluate the data on certain topic. Under this present project, to evaluate the
findings, questionnaire method will be used. It helps in analyzing and interpreting the
information in appropriate manner. With this assistance, secondary method is used for
further investigation on the basis of certain research questions. By fragmenting major
activities into smaller segments, researchers get benefits to access data more easily.
This would also help in discovering reliable and relevant information by which desired
conclusion can be drawn. For this process, researchers can use different tools and
techniques for predicting and making interpretations like graph, table, chart and more.
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Chapter-4 Ethics, Values, Referencing and Presentation
It is essential to recognise ethical consideration under a research which seems to
be most crucial part (Ramanathan, Ramanathan and Hsiao, 2012). It reflects some
ethics taken by investigators for conducting their research on certain topic in
authenticate manner. There is also a well understanding of all outcomes which add
values to the investigation report. In general, there are various kinds of ethical
consideration present such as confidentiality of gathered information, management of
time, protocol compilation and more. It has also evaluated that entire practices of
research are directly linked with major outcomes for getting effectiveness in research.
The present research provides understanding about selected topic in clear and precise
manner thus, value is added.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Comer, D. E., 2018. The Internet book: everything you need to know about computer
networking and how the Internet works. Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Ha, S. and Stoel, L., 2012. Online apparel retailing: roles of e-shopping quality and
experiential e-shopping motives. Journal of Service Management. 23(2).
pp.197-215.
Rose, S. and et. al., 2012. Online customer experience in e-retailing: an empirical model
of antecedents and outcomes. Journal of Retailing, 88(2), pp.308-322.
Colla, E. and Lapoule, P., 2012. E-commerce: exploring the critical success
factors. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management. 40(11).
pp.842-864.
Ramanathan, R., Ramanathan, U. and Hsiao, H. L., 2012. The impact of e-commerce
on Taiwanese SMEs: Marketing and operations effects. International Journal of
Production Economics. 140(2). pp.934-943.
Jahanshahi, A. A., Zhang, S. X. and Brem, A., 2013. E-commerce for SMEs: empirical
insights from three countries. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise
Development. 20(4). pp.849-865.
Chaffey, D., 2015. Digital business and e-commerce management. Pearson Education
Limited.
Masoud, E. Y., 2013. The effect of perceived risk on online shopping in
Jordan. European Journal of Business and Management. 5(6). pp.76-87.
Moon, J. and et. al., 2013. Player commitment to massively multiplayer online role-
playing games (MMORPGs): An integrated model. International Journal of
Electronic Commerce. 17(4). pp.7-38.
Iddris, F., 2012. Adoption of E-Commerce solutions in small and medium-sized
enterprises in Ghana. European journal of business and management. 4(10).
pp.48-57.
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