Reflective Journal: Business Research, Assignment 3, 12-Week Course

This assignment is a reflective journal documenting a student's 12-week journey through a business research course. The journal details the learning process, starting with understanding various aspects of business research, research methodologies, and the selection of a research topic focused on the advantages and disadvantages of social networks in business. It covers the development of research questions, literature review, and the selection of appropriate research methods, including qualitative research. The journal reflects on the importance of sampling techniques, data analysis methods, and the creation of a time schedule for completing the research. The student selected thematic content analysis to analyze data collected from managers. The journal concludes with an assessment of the expected research outcomes, based on existing literature and empirical evidence, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the research process, from initial concepts to the final stages of analysis and reflection.

Running head: ASSIGNMENT 3
Business Research: Reflective Journal
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1ASSIGNMENT 3
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................2
2.0 Week 1.......................................................................................................................................2
3.0 Week 2.......................................................................................................................................2
4.0 Week 3.......................................................................................................................................3
5.0 Week 4.......................................................................................................................................3
6.0 Week 5.......................................................................................................................................3
7.0 Week 6.......................................................................................................................................4
8.0 Week 7.......................................................................................................................................4
9.0 Week 8.......................................................................................................................................4
10.0 Week 9.....................................................................................................................................5
11.0 Week 10...................................................................................................................................5
12.0 Week 11...................................................................................................................................5
13.0 Week 12...................................................................................................................................6
14.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................6
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................7

2ASSIGNMENT 3
1.0 Introduction
My 12 week learning course facilitated me in choosing appropriate business research
topic and conduct research that topic. The preparation of assignment 1 assisted me in framing
appropriate research questions and objectives in assignment 2. Apart from that, the knowledge
about several research methods assisted me in gathering accurate information about the research
topic.
2.0 Week 1
In 1st week, I became aware of several aspects of business researches. I understood
several ways of conducting business researches. Moreover, I came to understood appropriate
research structure, types of reasoning, practical relevance of the theories towards successful
completion of the research study. Furthermore, in this week, I also learned about overview of the
research methodologies towards collecting research information. Apart from that, I discovered
several types of business research topics. I gathered effective business research topic name after
learning about several business topics. Moreover, I learned about contemporary business
research topic and selected advantage and disadvantage of social networks in business.
3.0 Week 2
In 2nd week, I learned about relevant theories and concepts of social media in relation to
business concepts. The knowledge and concepts about the research topic assisted me in
identifying proper research questions. I have also realized the significance of social media on
business success. Such concepts have enhanced my theoretical knowledge about the research

3ASSIGNMENT 3
topic. Moreover, the theoretical knowledge facilitated me in framing effective literature review
in assignment 1.
4.0 Week 3
In this week, I actually framed literature review on the topic of social media on business
performance. The theoretical knowledge gathered from previous week facilitated me in preparing
effective literature review on the research topic. In this week, I also went through various
secondary sources towards getting more detailed information about the research topic. Moreover,
the previous literature regarding the social media in business context assisted me in forming such
effective literature review. Furthermore, the knowledge about the social media, which I received
from secondary sources, would help me in applying those in an organization, where I might join
after completion of my course.
5.0 Week 4
In 4th week, I came to understand about the significance of research questions towards
successful completion of research study. I realized that both primary and secondary research
questions have equal importance in collecting authentic information about the research topic.
Both types of questions serve different purpose in collecting relevant research information. I
understood that primary question provides the basic and fundamental information of research
topic. On the other hand, secondary questions provide detailed information about the research
topic. Based on the knowledge, I framed both primary as well as secondary research questions
for collecting accurate research information.

4ASSIGNMENT 3
6.0 Week 5
In this week, I came to know about various research methodologies to be followed in
collecting relevant and accurate research information. Moreover, I understood about the
differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods to be followed in the research
study. In this way, the knowledge, which I gathered about research methodologies, facilitated me
in selecting appropriate research method for in assignment 2.
7.0 Week 6
In 6th week, I learned about the importance of sampling and sample size towards
gathering adequate and bias free research information. Sampling technique and sample size is
important for both quantitative and qualitative data collection technique. I realized that adequate
sample size provide adequate bias free information regarding the topic of the research. Apart
from that, I also understood that effective sampling technique would be helpful in collecting data
from the respondents in reliable manner.
8.0 Week 7
After gathering huge knowledge regarding various research methodologies, I reached to a
conclusion about the selection of appropriate research methodology for my research topic.
Moreover, I selected appropriate research method after assessing its relevance with the research
topic. Moreover, I selected qualitative research method for collecting adequate research
information regarding the advantages and disadvantages of social media on business
performance of Telstra. The knowledge about both quantitative and qualitative research method
would help me in being an effective researcher in my future career.

5ASSIGNMENT 3
9.0 Week 8
In 8th week, I tool decision upon the selection of appropriate sampling technique and
sample size towards collecting adequate research information. Moreover, I selected random
sampling technique towards gathering authentic information about the research topic. I
understood that such sampling technique could gather the respondents at their convenient place
and encourage their participation in data collection process. Apart from that, I selected 5
managers of Telstra as the sample size for analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of social
media on the business performance of the organization. Such effective research method and
sampling technique will facilitate me in extracting quality research outcome.
10.0 Week 9
In this week, I learned about several data analysis technique to be followed in the
research study. I understood that appropriate data analysis technique assists in extracting
accurate information from the data collected from the respondents. The knowledge about data
analysis method assisted me assisted me in choosing the best approach of data analysis towards
analyzing the collected data.
11.0 Week 10
In 10th week, I actually selected appropriate data analysis method for converting the
general information of the collected data into specific information. Moreover, I selected thematic
content analysis for analyzing the data collected from the managers of Telstra. Such method
would facilitate me in having broader pattern of meaning of the collected data, which would
actually enhance the quality of the research result.

6ASSIGNMENT 3
12.0 Week 11
In this week, I learned about the importance of time schedule towards properly
completing the research study. The formation of time schedule would help in guiding me
towards completing the research within exact time.
13.0 Week 12
In 12th week, I assessed the expected outcome of the overall research study. Moreover, I
assessed the overall expected outcome of the research study based on the existing literature and
empirical evidences about the research topic. It helped in having an overall assumption of the
final research outcome.
14.0 Conclusion
While concluding the reflective journal, it can be understood that my learning course
assisted me in conducting effective literature review and research proposal. The knowledge
about appropriate research design, research approach, research methods and data analysis
method made me confident about conducting appropriate research study.

7ASSIGNMENT 3
Bibliography
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method. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 20(2), pp.181-194.
Gabriel, Y., 2015. Reflexivity and beyond–a plea for imagination in qualitative research
methodology. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International
Journal, 10(4), pp.332-336.
Gioia, D.A., Corley, K.G. and Hamilton, A.L., 2013. Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive
research: Notes on the Gioia methodology. Organizational Research Methods, 16(1), pp.15-31.
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work and goals. Work, employment and society, 28(6), pp.1016-1025.

8ASSIGNMENT 3
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