BTEC HND Unit 11: Research Proposal - Cultural Diversity at Sainsbury

This research proposal investigates the impact of hiring diverse employees on cultural diversity and company performance, focusing on Sainsbury as a case study. The proposal outlines the aims and objectives, which include understanding the concept of recruiting a diverse workforce, evaluating the relationship between diverse employees and cultural diversity, identifying management challenges, and recommending solutions. The research explores the benefits of a diverse workforce, such as increased working efficiency and improved cultural understanding, while also acknowledging challenges like cultural differences and language barriers. The research methodology employs a qualitative approach, utilizing both primary and secondary data collection methods, with a sample of 20 Sainsbury employees. The study will use thematic analysis to analyze the collected data, aiming to provide insights into effective management strategies for diverse workforces and cultural diversity within the organization. The proposal includes a timeline of activities and a list of relevant literature sources.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL FORM
Unit Number and Title: Unit 11: Research Project (Proposal)
Unit Level: 05
Unit Lecturer:
Date:
Section One: Title, objective, responsibilities
The business operates at the global level and it for this it is essential for the company to hire or
recruit the employees from all over the world. Also, hiring of the employees from different
backgrounds and areas is very beneficial for the company (Lozano and Escrich, 2017). This is
particularly because of the reason that this increases the working efficiency of the overall company.
Thus, this creates a good and cordial working environment within the company and this makes all the
employees feel comfortable while working within the company. Also, this helps in managing cultural
diversity as this will help the company in dealing with the different culture people and will improve the
working of the company.
The current research is based on Sainsbury which is the second largest chain of supermarket
and is headquartered in London, UK. The current research will outline the relation between the hiring
of different employees and the cultural diversity at the organization. Also, it will discuss about the
challenges being faced in management of cultural diversity and some solution to it. This whole study
will take place by first forming of the aim and objective and then directing the whole study towards the
attainment of the research aim and objectives.
Aims and objectives
Aim
To investigate the impact of hiring diverse employees on the performance of company with respect to
managing cultural diversity. A study on Sainsbury.
Objectives
 To understand the concept of recruiting diverse workforce.
 To evaluate the relation between hiring of diverse employees and the cultural diversity within
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Sainsbury.
 To identify the challenges being faced by Sainsbury in managing the diverse workforce to
improve the performance of the company.
 To recommend some of the measures with which management of diverse workforce and
cultural diversity can be managed.
Research questions
1. What is the concept of hiring of different employees?
2. What is the relation between the recruiting of different employees and the cultural diversity?
3. What are the various challenges being faced by company in managing diverse workforce?
Section Two: Reasons for choosing this research project
The reason for selection of topic of impact of hiring different employees on the management of
cultural diversity is that the current scenario in business environment is very competitive. If the more
preference is not given to the employees, then the performance of company will degrade. Thus, this
research will help the researcher in identifying the methods of dealing with this cultural diversity. In
addition to this another reason was the academic and personal interest of researcher.
Section Three: Literature sources searched
As per the views of Al-Bayati and et.al, (2017) the hiring of employees from different cultural
background is referred to as recruiting of the employees from the different cultures. This is majorly
because of the reason that the business operates in the global world and any country can trade with any
other country. In the similar manner the people can also work in any of the company or country in
which they have to work. Thus, it is very essential for the companies to hire employees from outside
the country as this brings in more new and talented employees within the company. Thus, this diversity
will increase the working efficiency of the employees and performance of company as well. This is
underlying the reason that when the diverse employees work together then they learn new and advance
concept from one another and this increases the working efficiency of employees.
On the flip side ANJORIN and Jansari (2018) argues that there is a great relation between the
hiring of employees and the cultural diversity. This is particularly because of the fact that when the
diverse employees are hired then this adds to the cultural diversity of company. Cultural diversity is
defined as the ability of company that they hire the employees belonging to different cultures. Thus,
this increases the working capacity and the working environment of the company. This is majorly
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because of the fact that when the people are hired from different cultural backgrounds then they all
have different working style, methods and everything different. Thus, this creates a good working
environment at the company and the employees coming from different cultures try to learn new and
different things. If the relation between hiring of employees and the cultural diversity will be good,
then this will bring in more creative and innovative ideas for completing the work in good and
effective manner. Thus, this will result in the increase in the performance of employees and the
company as well.
In against of this Emeh, Njoku and Ukenna (2017) articulates that in order to manage the
cultural diversity there are many different challenges being faced by the company in managing
performance of the company. The most common challenge or problem being faced by the company is
the difference in cultures and cultural values. This sometimes creates problem in managing the
working of the employees as the employees belonging to different cultures work with different style.
So it is not possible for company to evaluate the performance of all employees on same basis. It is so
because of the reason that for assessing the performance of the employees some common points are
undertaken and because of this the performance of employees cannot be measured as everyone has
their own distinct working pattern.
In against of this Kamales and Knorr (2019) states that the major challenge being faced by the
company in managing the diverse workforce and cultural diversity is that there is language difference
among different cultures. This is a challenge because of the fact that in different cultures the languages
are different and this might create problem at time of communication. This is pertaining to the fact that
when the languages are different then it might be possible that there may be created a communication
gap and this will have a great impact over the working of the company. Also, in addition to this
because of language issue there will be problem in the proper communication and coordination and this
will result in untimely completion of work. Also, this may create some problem within the team work
as the communication will not be proper and there can be decrease in working efficiency of the
employees.
Section Four: Research approach and methodologies
 Research type- type of research is a process through which the whole research is directed
towards the completion of the research in successful manner. This is of two major type that is
qualitative and quantitative (McKelvie and Standing, 2018). Thus, for the completion of the
current research on impact of hiring diverse employees and cultural diversity is qualitative
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research. This approach will be used pertaining to the reason that this will assist the researcher
in getting good base of theoretical knowledge and deeper understanding relating to the research
topic.
 Research approach- this is the assumptions which underlies behind the selection of different
types of methods of research. This is of two different types that is inductive and the deductive
approach of research. The completion of the current study will be undertaken with help of the
inductive approach. This is due to the fact that this will assist the researcher in first framing of
related aim and objective to the research topic and then take conduct the whole study.
 Research philosophy- this is the different values and beliefs which are underneath the selecting
criterion of the different methods of the research. This is of two different manners that is
interpretivism and positivism. For the current research the use of interpretivism will be made as
this is more suitable with the qualitative type of research.
 Data collection- for the purpose of collecting the data there are two different sources that is
primary and secondary. Thus, for the completion of the current study the combination of
primary and secondary source will be used. This is used as this will provide for much wider
range of reliable and valid data.
 Sampling- this is the selection of some of the participant from the whole population in order to
collect the data relating to research. Thus, for the completion of the present research on impact
of diverse workforce over the cultural diversity sample of 20 employees of Sainsbury will be
selected on basis of the random sampling method.
 Data analysis- this is the crucial step in the completion of research in successful manner as if
the data will not be analysed in proper manner then the whole research will not result in the
intended outcome (Moores, 2017). Thus, for this the researcher will be using the thematic
analysis as this will assist the company in making use of charts and tables and graphs to make
the data more presentable.
Section Five: Activities and timescales
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Activities to be carried out during the research project (e.g. research,
development and analysis of ideas, writing, data collection, numerical
analysis, tutor meetings, production of final outcome, evaluation, writing
the report):
How long this will take:
Activities 1th
Week
2nd
Week
3rd
Week
4th
Week 5th
Week
6th
Wseek
7th
Week
8th
Week
9th
Week
10th
Wee
k
11th
Week 12th
Week
Selection of
topic for
research
Reviewing
of different
literature
Selection of
research
methods
Identifying
of the
various
factors
After
identification
of factors
formulation
of
questionnair
e
Collecting
data with
help of
questionnair
e
Analyzing
BTEC HND in Business/ Unit 11: Research Project (Proposal)/April 2020 Page 5

collected
data with
help of
thematic
analysis
Rechecking
the data and
facts and
figures
before
submitting
Submitting
the final
report
Comments and agreement from Tutor
Comments:
I confirm that the project is appropriate /not appropriate
Agreed: .................................................................................... (name) .................................................................................... date) ......................................................
BTEC HND in Business/ Unit 11: Research Project (Proposal)/April 2020 Page 6

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Al-Bayati, A.J., and et.al, 2017. Managing cultural diversity at US construction sites: Hispanic
workers’ perspectives. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. 143(9).
p.04017064.
ANJORIN, R. and Jansari, A., 2018. Managing Cultural Diversity at Workplace.
Emeh, N.C., Njoku, M.G.C. and Ukenna, S., 2017. Managing Cultural Diversity in Federal
Broadcasting Establishments in South-East Nigeria. Journal of Management and Social
Sciences. 3(1). pp.19-34.
Kamales, N. and Knorr, H., 2019. Leaders with Managing Cultural Diversity and
Communication. Asia Pacific Journal of Religions and Cultures. 3(1). pp.63-72.
Lozano, J.F. and Escrich, T., 2017. Cultural diversity in business: A critical reflection on the
ideology of tolerance. Journal of Business Ethics. 142(4). pp.679-696.
McKelvie, S. and Standing, L.G., 2018. Teaching psychology research methodology across the
curriculum to promote undergraduate publication: an eight-course structure and two
helpful practices. Frontiers in Psychology. 9. p.2295.
Moores, D., 2017. Research methodology in deaf education: Early efforts. Research in deaf
education: Context, challenges, and considerations, pp.35-54.
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