Research Methods: Employee Motivation and Performance at Tesco

This essay delves into the significance of employee motivation in enhancing the performance of retail enterprises, specifically focusing on a case study of Tesco. It explores various research methods, including research philosophy (interpretivism), research design (exploratory), research type (qualitative and quantitative), and research approach (inductive). The essay critically evaluates the selected methodologies, justifying their application to the research question. It examines the advantages and disadvantages of each method, such as the subjectivity of interpretivism, the limitations of exploratory design, and the time-consuming nature of quantitative research. The essay also discusses data collection techniques and their role in achieving the study's aims and objectives. The research aims to analyze the impact of employee motivation on the overall performance of Tesco, providing insights into how different research methods can be applied to address this issue effectively. The essay concludes by summarizing the findings and implications of the study.

RESEARCH METHOD ESSAY

Research method is a process which is used with an aim to fulfil the aims and objectives
of the specific study in an effectual manner. For any researcher, the given section is very
important as it as it guide them towards aims and objectives of the study. The research methods
possess number of tools and technologies which helps the scholars in the process of getting
answer to the research question which is being faced by them. This essay will be carried out on
the topic of analysing the importance of employee motivation in enhancing performance of retail
enterprise: a case study of Tesco (Latham and Pinder, 2005). The essay will showcase the
application of different research methods which will be used with an aim to resolve the research
question associated with the selected topic. In addition to this, the essay will critically evaluate
the selected research methods. Furthermore, it will also provide justification behind selecting
different research techniques. Finally, at the end of present essay conclusion will be drawn.
There are different types of research methods which can be applied for the purpose to
address research questions associated with the study of analysing the importance of employee
motivation in enhancing the performance of Tesco. The research methods consist of research
philosophy, research design, research type, research approach, data collection, sampling and data
analysis etc (Kothari, 2004).
The first research method which can be applied for the present study is research
philosophy. Here, research philosophy is the philosophy which basically reflects author's
important assumptions. The assumptions which are given by the author are used for developing
the base for research strategy. In this context, it has been identified that the research philosophy
has many branches which are associated with wide range of disciplines. The research philosophy
is of two types one is positivism and the other is interpretivism (Kimmel, 2009). However, for
the selected topic under study interpretivism philosophy can be used. Interpretivism is the
philosophy which allows the scholar to interpret the element of the study. Furthermore, the
interpretivism philosophy states that the truth is not fixed and it changes over the time. The given
philosophy is effective for conducting research on the topic which is qualitative in nature. This is
because, with the help of given method the areas which are associated with the qualitative
research can be studied in depth. However, it has been critically evaluated that interpretivism
philosophy follows more of subjective approach. In addition to this, it is also influenced through
the biasness of the researcher (Jonker and Pennink, 2010). It is due to the fact that, the researcher
cannot generalize the primary data which is being obtained through interpretivism study. This

happens because the data which researcher assembles is heavily influenced by the personal
values and view point of scholar. But, still the given method plays very important role in the
process of attaining aims and objectives of the study related with the selected topic (Hoy, 2009).
For the present study, interpretivism philosophy is applied because of the qualitative
nature of the topic. In this context, it has been witnessed that the employee motivation impact on
the performance of the enterprise varies from one to other. Thus, with the help of given
philosophy, the problem can be looked by scholar in totality. However, for the given study
positivism philosophy is not applied because of the absence of quantitative data. In addition to
this, positivism philosophy follows descriptive approach (Positivism philosophy, 2016). This
means that it lack in-depth analysis to the specific research issue or the problem. Here, in the
given study scholar is interested in analysing the impact of employee motivation on overall
performance of Tesco. For this, the, researcher will have to carry out detail analysis. This is
because, it is through this way only the question of the present study can be answered
appropriately (Gibbs, 2002).
Moreover, research design is another method which is used with an aim to conduct the
research on the selected topic in an effective way. Research design is considered as the blueprint
of the study which assist scholar in the process of selecting appropriate research tools and
techniques (Research design, 2016). The research design plays very important role while
conducting research on the selected topic. It is due to the fact that, the design helps the scholars
in carrying their study in the confined place and thus its aids in drawing an appropriate
conclusion with regard to the present study in an effectual manner.
The research design is of four types such as experimental, exploratory, and conclusive
(descriptive and casual) along with case study. These all forms of design have their own
advantages and disadvantages. Here, in the present study which is related with the topic of
analysing the importance of employee motivation in enhancing the performance of Tesco,
exploratory research design can be applied (Friese, 2012). Exploratory research design assists the
scholar in the task of exploring research questions which are framed with regard to the particular
study. This technique helps the researcher in evaluating the nature of the research problem
associated with the study. Here, with the use of respective method research of the given study
can be assessed that whether performance of the organisation is impacted through employee
motivation or not. Thus, by complying with the given type of activity only, aims and objectives

of the study will be met. However, it has been critically evaluated that the exploratory research
design will be more effective when selected sample size for the study is very small. Thus, it is
regarded as the major limitation which is associated with the respective research design.(Gast
and Ledford, 2010).
Besides this, descriptive is regarded as another method of research design. The
descriptive research design merely gives description regarding the aspect of population and
phenomenon which scholar is going to study. Thus, it does not provide answer to the questions
that how, when, what and why such characteristics exit in the selected population of the study.
By using the given method, scholar cannot get the answer about the question that why people
feel motivated while working within firm. This makes it difficult for the scholar to draw an
appropriate conclusion for the study. Thus, it is due to the presence of given aspect, the
respective method is not applied for the selected topic under study. In addition to this, another
type of research design is case study (Collis and Hussey 2014). In this method, the blue print
with regard to the specific study is prepared on the basis of research work which is being done by
some other scholar. The given method is effective as it helps in resolving complex issues or
problem associated with the particular study. In case study research design, scholar does not
perform extensive statistical survey but instead of this it carries out detailed analysis of the
specific situation. In addition to this, the respective design breaks the broad topic into different
subsections. But, the major loophole associated with the given method is that it does not provide
complete answer to the research question. But, it gives some clues which help the scholars to
develop the hypotheses for the selected topic (Thomas, Silverman and Nelson, 2015).
Experimental research design is the conceptual framework within which study is
conducted. The given method is applied when researcher tend to formulate the hypotheses. But,
for the present study scholar has not formulated any hypotheses and it is the reason why the
given research design is rejected by the researcher.
In order to conduct the study, researcher will have to make decision about the type of
research which it will use for the present study. Hence, the research can be of two types such as
qualitative and quantitative. Here, in the present study both qualitative and quantitative method
will be applied. The qualitative research is the type of exploratory research which helps in
gaining the understanding regarding underlying reason, opinions and motivations associated with
the particular study (Abramson and Abramson, 2011). This method plays very effective role

when scholar of the study wants to get information about the behaviour which is carried out by
the people on which the scholar is conducting its study. For example, by using the given
approach researcher can gather information about the factors which leads to hamper the
motivation of Tesco workers in a negative way. Thus, as per the gathered information only,
appropriate conclusion can be drawn by the scholar. But, it is to be critically evaluated that the
qualitative study is highly influenced through the biasness of the scholar. This disadvantage leads
to hamper the result of the study. Here, in the present study quantitative research method can also
be used. This approach is applied to review and evaluate all the quantitative data associated with
the specific study (Bowling, 2014). In addition to this, the quantitative method is also applied
because the study possesses some statistical information which needs to be reviewed by the
researcher in an effectual way. However, effectiveness of the given method occur when the
scholar have significant amount of time. This is because, it is a very time consuming approach.
Nevertheless, although theses research types have advantages and disadvantages but still they
have very important role in the task of achieving aims and objectives of the study in an
appropriate way.
In addition to this, the research methodology section of the respective study will also
make use of the research approach. Research approach is the technique which guide scholar to
perform their study in a desired way. The techniques assist the scholar in the process of
analysing nature of the study. This enables the researcher to address the objectives and questions
with respect to the specific study in a more effectual way. In accordance with the given context,
it can be said that the research approach is of two types one is inductive and deductive. The
major difference which exit between both research approach is that one applies hypotheses and
other does not (Fellows and Liu, 2015).
For the present study which is based on the topic of analysing the impact of employee
motivation on the performance of Tesco, inductive research approach can be applied. This is
used because; the study does not possess any hypotheses. Moreover, by adopting the respective
method, scholar can develop new theories as well as generalize the result in an appropriate
manner. The method also assists in analysing the impact that employee's motivation has on the
overall performance of Tesco. Thus, through this way aims and objective framed for the specific
study can be met. However, the major disadvantage associated with the given method is that it
considers nature of whole universe in a uniform way. This might create problem in gaining exact

and specific conclusion for the study. Besides this, deductive is regarded as another method. It is
a highly structured approach as it starts its investigation from the theory and gradually focuses on
the specific issue of the study. It is an appropriate method which simplify the complex problem
by segregating into different components (Farrokhyar and et.al., 2014). However, it has been
critically evaluated that the given method is influenced through the limitation that economic
condition remain same and cannot be changed over the time. It is the major reason also due to
which deductive method is not applied for the present study. This is because, it is not necessary
that the motivational technique which Tesco is employing currently will motivate employees in
future also. If this happened, at that time performance of the organisation will be affected. Due to
this, validity of the result will not be assessed.
It is very necessary for the researcher to select the data from authentic and appropriate
sources. This is because; success of any study thoroughly depends on the given aspect only. .
Thus, with an aim to perform the same, researcher make use of different primary and secondary
data collection techniques. Here, in the present study also both the given techniques can be
applied. Here, primary data can be collected with the help of tool such as questionnaire (Thomas,
Silverman and Nelson, 2015). For the scholar of the given study, it is beneficial to use primary
methods. This is because, with the help of this technique researcher can obtain new findings and
results on the particular study which is on analysing the impact of motivation on the performance
of Tesco. But, the significant benefit from method will be gained by the scholar if they have
sufficient time and finance. But, generally it is seen that the researcher lacks in both the given
requirements. Moreover, secondary method is another most effective technique. Here, for the
given study the secondary data can be collected with the help of different means such as journals,
books and online articles. Through these methods, detailed analysis can be carried out by the
scholar on the respective study. As by complying with the given type of activity only, the
questions of the respective study can be addressed as well as answered appropriately.
Sampling is the process of selecting sample from the whole universe. For any scholar, it
becomes difficult to conduct its study on whole population in an effectual way. It is the major
reason behind selecting one specific sampling technique (Gast and Ledford, 2010). Sampling
from the population can be selected from two methods such as non probability and probability.
In the present study, probability sampling method can be applied. This method consists of
number of techniques however among all; random sampling approach can be used for the present

study. The method is effective as with the help of this sample can be collected from the large
population without any complications. Furthermore, the given method also provides equal
opportunity to the population for being selected as the sample. But, it is sometime getting
influenced through the biasness of the scholar which affects the result of the study.
It is important for the scholar to analyse its data appropriately to reach on result. In this
context, for the purpose to analyse the collected data for the present study, data analysis
technique such as thematic analysis can be used. Here, data will be analysed through forming
themes (Jonker and Pennink, 2010). However, ineffectiveness of the given method tends to occur
when themes are not formulated by the researcher in an effective manner.
From the above essay it can be concluded that, selecting appropriate research method is
the demand of today's researching firms. This is because; if it is not done then significant
recommendations will not be recommended by the scholar to the firms which are striving for the
answer regarding the problem occurring in its internal and external environment. In addition to
this, it is also required by the scholar to look after the research methods which are adopted by
some other researcher who is also conducting study in the specific field. Through this way also
scholar can select an appropriate research method. Due to this, the objective of the study will be
met effectively.

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