Reflective Journal on Business Research Report Methodology 2022

Reflective Journal
on
Business Research Methodology

Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................1
2.0 Main body- Reflective journal......................................................................................1
2.1 Contribution to topic selection, problem definition, research question....................1
2.2 My support in literature review.................................................................................2
2.3 My role in research methodology section................................................................2
2.4 My reflection on research experience and insights.................................................3
2.5 My personally written part in project........................................................................3
3.0 Conclusion...................................................................................................................4
4.0 References..................................................................................................................5

1.0 Introduction
Business research comprises of ways of gathering data about the industry and
existing competition which helps in researching the market (Xun-ping and Liang, 2011;
Robson, 2011). In this regard, the current report is based on the reflection of the
business research project. For this purpose, the reflection has been provided in the
context of team cooperation in various phases of the business research project along
with personal experience and learnings. For this purpose, my knowledge from week 1 to
week ten has been considered to reflect my learning.
2.0 Main body- Reflective journal
2.1 Contribution to topic selection, problem definition, research question
In my research report, I got the opportunity of how to do academic research and
complete the report for the given assignment. Here, I have done deep research on
several topics and learnt a lot about different issues. But, conduct the study, attended all
lectures during my course and in week 1, I learnt regarding the criteria of topic selection
and group formation. Here, I was selected in an experienced group members team to
conduct research. Likewise, with the assistance of the team, I came to know to select
the most identifiable topic as "How social media influence the purchasing behaviour of
the consumers". Here, in the same week, I learnt to process with the research for further
findings. Before this assessment, I was not having the practical knowledge about
designing of the research; therefore, in week 2, I learnt with my team regarding
research formation and structure of the entire study. In this context, the effective
structure of the study helps to develop an interest in the research and assist in deriving
the knowledge in a systematic manner (Sarantakos, 2012; Okoli and Schabram, 2010).
In week 2, I come to about how to proceed with the topic after the final approval
from the professor and follow the structure of the study to complete the research
otherwise adequate outcomes will not be derived. Here, I experienced that the inclusion
of a capable team helped me a lot in framing the research questions because the team
members are having adequate knowledge regarding the effectiveness of social media
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tools. Here, I learnt that social media marketing is the foremost element to explore the
business and connect with the customers.
2.2 My support in the literature review
The literature review is a major part of the research because it provides in-depth
information with the respective study (Hjermstad eta l., 2011; Flick, 2015). Here, in week
3, I got the knowledge about the searching of academic sources on the relevant topic
and conducted the streamlined literature review. It enhanced my knowledge criteria to
use the literature of the authors appropriately and develops a flow in the entire
paragraph. Furthermore, the literature review enlarged my skills on how to construct a
section with support and arguments of the different authors on the research aim. On the
other hand, I wrote the literature with statements of various scholars and came to know
about the way of concluding the paragraph. Apart from this, in the lecture of week 4, I
experienced with my group about writing skills of a literature review so that plagiarism
can not arise. Here, it updated my knowledge with the application of several theories
and models in the literature review. I helped me at extensive coverage because here I
learnt the practical application of theories in the context of social media advertising. At
this point, Gay (2018) supported that actual knowledge of theory application boosts the
morale of the researcher to complete the study effectively.
2.3 My role in the research methodology section
The methodology is a significant part of the study, which defines the use of
appropriate methods in the research (Silverman, 2016; Mackey and Gass, 2015). In
week 5, I learnt the differences between qualitative and quantitative study and
accordingly, I and my team discuss the relevancy of qualitative research for the chosen
topic. Here, I provided my views regarding the sampling selection to collect the relevant
and authentic data for the study. However, I was not deeply knowledgeable about the
questionnaire framing, but my experienced team members taught me clearly about the
questionnaire designing and data collection approaches. Likewise, week 6 was
tremendous for me because I was getting a lot of confusion related to the inclusion of
questions. Nonetheless, I developed my research skills and searched for the framing of
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issues. In this regard, a useful questionnaire provides relevant information for the study;
otherwise, research might go in the wrong direction (Brace, 2018; Hair et al., 2015).
In week 6 and 7, I got the experience to use of interview method for data
collection in the qualitative study so that a proper analysis can take place. My study was
based on the role of social media tools to influence the customers and for this purpose, I
found that the use of the interview approach is suitable. Here, I leant regarding several
methods which would be supportive for me in future research studies. Besides this, in
week 7 and 8, I gain an understanding of qualitative data analysis and their
interpretation in my research. Here, I acquired a knowledge of how to evaluate the
collected data in a qualitative form.
2.4 My reflection on research experience and insights
The entire research study enhances my knowledge which I gained from the
study. There are several points which were not in my understanding before this
research, such as how to proceed with the investigation after approval of the topic. But
the support of my team members I come to follow the structure and apply the relevant
studies for the optimum outcomes. Likewise, the lecture of week ten extensively helped
me in the application of structured observation and content analysis in the study. All
over my experience with this research project was extremely good because here I
worked on an individual as well as team level. Additionally, at the personal level, I
improved my research skills, including structure formation, plagiarism removal,
questionnaire framing etc. However, I face the issues in collaboration with my team
members because they were experienced and I was not getting the point in one click.
This was the reason for delaying in the research; however, I learnt how to coordinate
with experienced team members and gain knowledge from their practical approaches.
2.5 My personally written part in the project
In the study, I individually wrote on the ethical consideration part wherein I did not
take the support from my team members. Here, I was knowledgeable to state about
ethical issues of the research because, before this study, I got an opportunity to write
about ethical consideration of research. Therefore, it helped me a lot to dictate
personally on ethics in this project. Apart from this, one more part as a research
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problem I have stated at own because the research problem was clear to me. I was just
liable to write in a narrative form about the selected research problem. Here, I gained
personal experience regarding the statements about research problems because I
searched a lot in this case.
3.0 Conclusion
Based on the reflection, it has been concluded that conduction of research
projects is exciting and it gives several opportunities to learn about new insights every
time. Furthermore, research studies help to improve the writing skills of the researchers
and enhances the scope of knowledge. Furthermore, research projects assist in
applying the relevant theories to prove the statement of the topic.
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4.0 References
Brace, I., 2018. Questionnaire design: How to plan, structure and write survey material
for effective market research. Kogan Page Publishers.
Flick, U., 2015. Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a
research project. Sage.
Gay, G., 2018. Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. Teachers
College Press.
Hair Jr, J.F., Wolfinbarger, M., Money, A.H., Samouel, P. and Page, M.J.,
2015. Essentials of business research methods. Routledge.
Hjermstad, M.J., Fayers, P.M., Haugen, D.F., Caraceni, A., Hanks, G.W., Loge, J.H.,
Fainsinger, R., Aass, N., Kaasa, S. and European Palliative Care Research
Collaborative (EPCRC, 2011. Studies comparing Numerical Rating Scales, Verbal
Rating Scales, and Visual Analogue Scales for assessment of pain intensity in adults: a
systematic literature review. Journal of pain and symptom management, 41(6), pp.1073-
1093.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and
design. Routledge.
Okoli, C. and Schabram, K., 2010. A guide to conducting a systematic literature review
of information systems research.
Robson, C., 2011. Real world research (Vol. 3). Chichester: Wiley.
Sarantakos, S., 2012. Social research. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Silverman, D. ed., 2016. Qualitative research. Sage.
Xun-ping, L.E.I. and Liang, W.A.N.G., 2011. Reseacrh on Issues of Logistics
Development for Anhui Agricultural Products and Countermeasures [J]. Journal of Anhui
University of Technology (Social Sciences), 3.
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