Proposal: Analyzing Correlation Between Culture and Firm Performance

This research proposal investigates the correlation between organizational culture and firm performance. It outlines the research aim, objectives, and questions, along with the proposed methodology, including positivism philosophy, a deductive approach, descriptive design, and a survey research strategy. The proposal details the budget, time schedule, and the use of quantitative data analysis. The study aims to understand how organizational culture influences firm performance, with a focus on employee perspectives and data confidentiality. The research employs probability sampling and primary data collection to gather insights from 30 employees, aiming to provide recommendations for improving organizational culture and, consequently, firm performance. The proposal also acknowledges potential limitations in terms of accessibility, time, and budget.

Running head: PROPOSAL
Correlation between Organizational Culture and Firm Performance
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
What will you research?.............................................................................................................2
Topic......................................................................................................................................2
Research aim..........................................................................................................................2
Research objectives................................................................................................................2
Research questions.................................................................................................................2
Research hypotheses..............................................................................................................3
Why will you do the research?...................................................................................................3
What is the duration of your research?......................................................................................4
Budget....................................................................................................................................4
Time schedule........................................................................................................................4
Research methodology...........................................................................................................6
What do you people hope to achieve with your research?.........................................................9
References................................................................................................................................10

2PROPOSAL
What will you research?
Topic
The correlation between organizational culture and firm performance
Research aim
The aim of the research is to determine the correlation between organizational culture
and firm performance.
Research objectives
The objectives of the research are:
 To understand the concept of organizational culture and firm performance
 To critically analyse the factors affecting organizational culture those affect the
performance of the firm
 To assess the relationship between organizational culture and firm performance
 To provide suitable recommendations for improving the existing culture within the
organization
Research questions
The questions of the research are:
 What do you mean by organizational culture and firm performance?
 What are the factors affecting organizational culture those affect the performance of
the firm?
 What is the relationship between organizational culture and firm performance?
 What are the suitable recommendations for improving the existing culture within the
organization?

3PROPOSAL
Research hypotheses
The hypotheses of the research are:
H0: There is no relationship between organizational culture and firm performance
H1: There is relationship between organizational culture and firm performance
Why will you do the research?
Undertaking the research is crucial considering the higher level of competition that
persists in today’s business world. Rise of similar type of business organizations within a
specific sector have given rise to tough competition that makes survival even more
challenging. The business organizations regardless of the sector or industry need to ensure
that they are the best in the sector they are operating in thereby, gaining an upper hand from
the competitors. There are different factors that affect and determine the performance of a
firm.
Out of them, organizational culture cannot be denied for the benefits it has to offer in
ensuring improved performance from the firm. Hence, considering the present day condition
of the business environment, having an appropriate and positive organizational culture is
necessary in ensuring improved firm performance. Appropriate organizational culture is said
to be the set of beliefs, values and modes of interacting and assumptions that help in
establishing unique psychological and social environment within the organization. The
employees spend a hefty amount of time at work that also justifies the need to suitable culture
for bringing out the best from the individuals.
The topic is interesting because this will help in determining the extent organizational
culture help in ensuring improved firm performance. A firm is said to have improved
performance when it is able to fulfil the needs of the target audiences, adapt to the ever-
changing market conditions and ensure profit maximization and revenue generation. Hence,

4PROPOSAL
improved and appropriate organizational culture help the firm to perform well by developing
morale and increased self-esteem. Additionally, as the employees have a positive mindset and
peace of mind, they feel motivated that allow them to ensure appropriate customer service.
Clear and smooth flow of information within the organization take place that allow the
organizations to achieve the goals and objectives within required time frame and quality
thereby, ensuing improved firm performance.
What is the duration of your research?
Budget
Budget category Total budget requested
Personnel services $12000
Supplies and services $7000
Travel and meetings $9000
Equipment $2200
Other $500
Indirect cost $17000
Total $47700
Time schedule
Task Name Duration Start Finish
Research Proposal
Timeline New 1 104 days Mon 22-07-19 Thu 12-12-
19
Selection of the
Research Topic 1 day Mon 22-07-19 Mon 22-07-
19
Approval of the
Research Topic 2 days Tue 23-07-19 Wed 24-07-
19
Researching and the
Development of the
Aims and Objectives
6 days Thu 25-07-19 Thu 01-08-
19
Selection of the Title 12 days Fri 02-08-19 Mon 19-08-
19

5PROPOSAL
Selection of the
Objectives 2 days Tue 20-08-19 Wed 21-08-
19
Initial Research 12 days Thu 22-08-19 Fri 06-09-19
Assembling all the
Preliminary Data 8 days Mon 09-09-19 Wed 18-09-
19
Researching the Data 6 days Thu 19-09-19 Thu 26-09-
19
Compiling the Data 14 days Fri 27-09-19 Wed 16-10-
19
Submission of the
Draft 1 day Thu 17-10-19 Thu 17-10-
19
Continuation of the
Research 20 days Fri 18-10-19 Thu 14-11-
19
Assembling New
Information 10 days Fri 18-10-19 Thu 31-10-
19
Identification of the
Sample 1 day Fri 01-11-19 Fri 01-11-19
Selecting The
Number of Sample Size 4 days Mon 04-11-19 Thu 07-11-
19
Interviewing The
Sample Population 5 days Fri 08-11-19 Thu 14-11-
19
Researching on the
Available Data 20 days Fri 15-11-19 Thu 12-12-
19
Compiling the Total
Data 10 days Fri 15-11-19 Thu 28-11-
19
Assembling and
Preparing the final
Report
9 days Fri 29-11-19 Wed 11-12-
19
Final Submission 1 day Thu 12-12-19 Thu 12-12-
19

6PROPOSAL
Research methodology
For the research of determining the correlation between organizational culture and
firm performance, positivism philosophy will be used. This philosophy will be most
appropriate because the theoretical information gathered by using logic and facts can be
supported using statistical data or scientific evidence. The values obtained can be used for
determining whether the two variables are related with each other or not. As a result,
positivism philosophy will help in gathering data that support quantifiable observations and
not develop a research that only make subjective revelations (Kumar 2019).
For the research of determining the correlation between organizational culture and
firm performance, deductive approach will be used. As the terminology indicates, deductive
approach signifies deducing observations. In this case, the past researches conducted in the
same fields are taken into considerations and are referred to for making suitable observations.
The existing pieces of literatures, information, theories and concepts can be used for
understanding the relationship between organizational culture and firm performance. As a

7PROPOSAL
result, the benefits organizational culture has in store can be unveiled that in turn helps in
ensuring improved firm performance (Bresler and Stake 2017).
For the research of determining the correlation between organizational culture and
firm performance, descriptive design will be used. This design is used mainly because it
possesses the characteristics of both explanatory and exploratory research design. In doing so,
this design will help in identifying the issue that arises in developing a harmonious and
positive culture within the organization so that the firm can perform exceptionally.
Additionally, descriptive design will also help in studying the cause and effect relationship
that will help in figuring out the probable reasons why developing an appropriate
organizational culture is challenging and comes with own set of drawbacks that affect the
overall performance of the firm negatively (Choy 2014).
For the research of determining the correlation between organizational culture and
firm performance, survey research strategy will be most appropriate. This is because survey
strategy is easily administered and can help in collecting data from a large population in less
time. As a result, the views and opinions can be gathered by developing close-ended survey
questionnaire related to organizational culture and firm performance. As the employees are
the ones working for ensuring improved firm performance, they need to be surveyed for
understanding the role positive and appropriate organizational culture plays in influencing
them for performing better and bringing out the best out of them thereby, ushering improved
and suitable firm performance (Bauer 2014).
For the research of determining the correlation between organizational culture and
firm performance, probability-sampling technique will be used. There are employees who
work within an organization from executive level to managerial level and the contribution of
each employee cannot be denied. Random probability sapling technique will provide equal

8PROPOSAL
opportunity to all the employees within the firm to take part and share their view on how
appropriate organizational culture help in bringing out the best of them that in turn can be
used for ensuring improved firm performance. This sampling technique will allow the
research to pick the participants randomly and consider their views about the significant
relationship between organizational culture and firm performance (Fletcher 2017). For this
study, 30 employees will be selected randomly using probability sampling technique for
serving the aim of the research.
For the research of determining the correlation between organizational culture and
firm performance, primary data collection process will be most appropriate. As the
terminology indicates, primary data collection process signifies collecting data for the first
time. For this research, data is collected for the first time for investigating the correlation
between organizational culture and firm performance. As data is collected for the first time, it
is expected that primary data collection process will help in gathering updated and recent data
that help in determining the necessity of having positive and improved organizational culture
in obtaining positive performance from the firm (McCusker and Gunaydin 2015).
For the research of determining the correlation between organizational culture and
firm performance, quantitative data analysis technique will be most appropriate. Quantitative
data analysis technique will help in analysing the results using descriptive analysis techniques
such as percentages. If the analysis results obtained shows value ranging from 0 to +1, then it
can be said that both organizational culture and firm performance are positively related.
Additionally, quantitative data analysis technique has been used because this helped in
separating the opinions of the employees based on numbers and interprets it accordingly. The
percentages were presented in pie charts and bar graphs. Hence, the study developed will be
highly reliable and valid because it will not be based only on theoretical revelations but will
have appropriate statistical evidence to back up the theoretical information (Isaacs 2014).

9PROPOSAL
With appropriate use of methodology, the significance of research ethics cannot be
denied. A research is not successful if the research ethics are not abided by appropriately.
Data confidentiality is one of the significant research ethics that needs to be followed for
completing the work successfully. According to this ethics, the data needs to be collected
unanimously and the identity and data shared by the respondents needs to be concealed. In
addition to, forcing the individuals to take part in the data collection process is also
considered unethical. Instead, the social contribution of the research needs to be
communicated and the participants need to be convinced for taking in the survey.
Furthermore, other research ethics such as collecting data from authentic sources, prohibition
of data manipulation and using information for commercial purposes is also against the ethics
of the research that needs compliance for successfully completing the ongoing research
(Mukhopadhyay and Gupta 2014).
However, in terms of accessibility issues, time, budget and sampling technique can
emerge as limitation while conducting the research full term in the future.
What do you people hope to achieve with your research?
Conducting the research will help in determining whether organizational culture is
correlated with the performance of the firm. It is expected that both the variables be co-
related with each other because the past studies have revealed that appropriate organizational
culture helps the firm to perform their best in terms of profit maximization, revenue
generation and business expansion. It is expected that the employees will agree to the fact
that positive organizational culture help in establishing peace of mind at work thereby,
facilitating them to bring the best out of them and deliver wok with quality and quantity.

10PROPOSAL
References
Bauer, G.R., 2014. Incorporating intersectionality theory into population health research
methodology: challenges and the potential to advance health equity. Social science &
medicine, 110, pp.10-17.
Bresler, L. and Stake, R.E., 2017. Qualitative research methodology in music education.
In Critical Essays in Music Education (pp. 113-128). Routledge.
Choy, L.T., 2014. The strengths and weaknesses of research methodology: Comparison and
complimentary between qualitative and quantitative approaches. IOSR Journal of Humanities
and Social Science, 19(4), pp.99-104.
Fletcher, A.J., 2017. Applying critical realism in qualitative research: methodology meets
method. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 20(2), pp.181-194.
Isaacs, A.N., 2014. An overview of qualitative research methodology for public health
researchers. International Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 4(4).
Kumar, R., 2019. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage
Publications Limited.
McCusker, K. and Gunaydin, S., 2015. Research using qualitative, quantitative or mixed
methods and choice based on the research. Perfusion, 30(7), pp.537-542.
Mukhopadhyay, S. and Gupta, R.K., 2014. Survey of qualitative research methodology in
strategy research and implication for Indian researchers. Vision, 18(2), pp.109-123.