Reflective Essay on the Impact of Outsourcing on Business Performance

This essay is a reflective piece on the impact of outsourcing functions on business performance, using Vodafone Australia as a case study. The author discusses their learning experience throughout the research process, emphasizing the importance of structured methodology, framing research questions, and time management. The reflection highlights the practical application of management theories and concepts, particularly for future entrepreneurial endeavors. The author also touches upon the development of communication skills, data collection methods, and critical thinking, underscoring the value of the course in both professional and personal development. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding available literature and deriving new data for critical analysis.

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH
Business Research
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note

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The topic that I have chosen to undertaken the research is “Impact of outsourcing
function on business performance - A case study of Vodafone Australia”. First of all I have
chosen this topic for my research proposal as I am interested in the concept of outsourcing, as it
plays an important role in many business organisations. Vodafone is a multinational company
that has a good base in Australia. I wanted to understand the business function of a
telecommunication industry as well.
The learning experience form the assignment has taught me a lot about how to choose the
topic of research and how academic research conducted. Academic research follows a very
structured methodology which has to be understood and should be followed step by step I have
learnt the logic behind the entire process which will help me to structure the research I will
conduct in the future. As there is a clear rational explanation to the structure I do not have to
learn the process I have understood what follows. The learning experience has provided me
insights regarding the way research questions and objectives are framed and how the topic has
several variables which has to be considered while formulating these.
The learning experience is extremely valuable as a student I have to submit my research
paper and this is the time I will require the knowledge that I have acquired in the process. As I
have never written a research paper before it would have been difficult for me to understand the
procedure that had to be undertaken. The research has a structure that explains the rationality of
the paper making it easy for the researcher to conduct the research by organizing the study and
following the step by step process towards the conclusion (Beer and Faulkner 2014). On the
other hand one of the most important aspects of the learning process that I value is the creation of
the time schedule. Researching on a topic can be a vast experience and in order to stay in track it
should be bounded by time and scheduling. In the proposal at the end I have attached a gantt

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chart which will help me stay focused in my task. It is essential to stick to the deadlines in order
to produce a relevant research paper (Creswell 2013). The process has also helped me in
organizing my work as well making me efficient.
I also know that the learning process will be useful to me in the future. The learning
outcomes of the course has been selected by me as I knew it I going to help me in my future, I
wanted to learn management in order to get a job in the management field I also in the distant
future want to start my own business and the course will help me in understanding the dynamics
which are required in to incorporate in a business (Flick 2015). The management theories and
concepts that I have learnt in the process is important lessons especially because I want to be an
entrepreneur in the future, and I think as an entrepreneur it is important to understand the
dynamics of the business form a academic and theoretical perspective as well. In the current
scenario where there is intense competition in every sector and every market, the knowledge and
the insights that I have gathered will help me in understanding the dynamics of the industry and
will also help me in conducting my initial market research. There are similarities in the process
of market research and academic research at least the procedure is the same and therefore the
course will help me in initiating the process by conducting initial research. In my personal life I
will try to incorporate some of the discipline and some of the knowledge about organisation. This
will help me understand and evaluate my Strengths, Weaknesses, threats and opportunities that I
have at every stage of my life. I can understand my skills in an analytical way which will further
help me in choosing the right career option for me (Lewis 2015). The learning outcomes of the
course have helped me analyze situations in my personal life better.
In the learning process I have learnt several elements of management and research. I
learnt that there are processes of research approach, data collection, sample size selection etc

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(Mackey and Gass 2015). I learnt how important it is to understand the literature that is present
regarding the topic that is selected. The information that is available regarding a subject is
important to understand in order to form a base of knowledge and to understand the gap that has
not been addressed yet, providing scope for further research. In the process of research I read
about the process of outsourcing, the way it impacts the business that has in and the view of
several scholars.
Some of the observation that I have learnt in the business research process are:
communication skills, I have developed considerable communication skill in the process of
writing the business research. At every level I had to ensure effective communication as the
process ensures is restricted by time. The designing of the questionnaire is also a part of the
communication skill development as I had to focus on the process of effectively sending across
the message that I want to send to the reader so that they can respond accordingly (Neuman and
Robson 2014). I have also learnt the various processes of data collection and data analysis.
While undertaking the business research I have developed in-depth understanding about
the company that I have chosen (Vodafone) and the concept of outsourcing. I have learnt about
the advantages and disadvantages that are associated with this particular business function. I also
learnt how the process is monitored by the company as well (Roberts 2013).
In the future I can use the analysis and the data collection methods in order to write usual
answers in a much critical and analytical way. The course process has taught me to think
critically and in order to do that it is important to understand the literature that is available and
also derived new data. As mentioned earlier it will also help me in my future as an entrepreneur.

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Reference list:
Beer, A. and Faulkner, D., 2014. How to use primary and secondary data. Chapters, pp.192-209.
Creswell, J.W., 2013. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
approaches. Sage publications.
Flick, U., 2015. Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project. Sage.
Lewis, S., 2015. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches. Health promotion practice, 16(4), pp.473-475.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
Neuman, W.L. and Robson, K., 2014. Basics of social research. Pearson Canada.
Roberts, T., 2013. Understanding the research methodology of interpretative phenomenological
analysis. British Journal of Midwifery, 21(3).