Reflective Journal: Business Research Learning and Future Plans

This reflective journal details a student's experience conducting business research, specifically focusing on the impact of social media on business development. The journal evaluates the effectiveness of the learning experience, highlighting the importance of social media for entrepreneurs and the value of secondary research. It discusses the usefulness of the learning process, including the application of acquired knowledge in future research and career opportunities. The student outlines the research process, including hypothesis formulation, secondary research methods, and the use of a Gantt chart for planning. Key observations are analyzed, emphasizing the benefits of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The journal also explains the learning process, including literature review and the use of research questions. Finally, it explains the research plan and its relevance to future studies, emphasizing the systematic approach and the enhancement of research skills. The conclusion emphasizes the value of the reflective journal in understanding the researcher's ability to learn and apply new knowledge.

INDICATIVE
REFLECTIVE
JOURNAL

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1. Evaluating the effectiveness of learning experience from the conducted business research.......1
2. Usefulness of the learning process ..............................................................................................1
3. Details about the learning process...............................................................................................2
4. Judgment regarding the key observations....................................................................................2
5. Explaining the process for learning ............................................................................................3
6. Explaining the plan and its relevance to the future......................................................................3
CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
The following report lays emphasis upon the importance of the reflective writing. As per
the business research, the learning experience gained from it has been effectively indicated in
form of the reflective journal (Lax, 2015). Also, besides the learning experience, focus has also
been given to the application of the knowledge incorporated in future.
1. Evaluating the effectiveness of learning experience from the con ducted
business research
The following research conducted on the importance of social media within business, has
proven to be quite effective for me in enhancing my knowledge. The role of social media has
been of utter importance for the entrepreneurs who want to establish their business (Mackey and
Gass, 2015). This further contributed to my learning experience that how social media could turn
out to be an effective medium for those who want to start a start-up business and take it further to
new heights. I also got to know that in Australia the social media platform has been effectively
gaining popularity by attracting majority of new businessmen. So I was also very attracted to this
platform. When I further carried my research, my knowledge was increased by the ample of
information which I gathered upon social media. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis of data
collected enabled me the effective way of how efficiently a problem could be recognized.
I also realised that the experience gained in context with the social media's importance
will assist me further if I carry out another research similar to it. This experience will enable me
to carry out my work in a more appropriate manner so that efficiency will increase. And this is
valuable in another sense that with increased level of experience I would be able to further carry
my tasks in less amount of time.
2. Usefulness of the learning process
The process which I got to know from the business research was very effective in
enhancing my way of learning. Although the research has limited time period for conduction, I
effectively utilised the secondary sources to quickly gather the necessary facts and figures
regarding the advantages & disadvantages of social media networking. The use of articles,
journals, research-work of previous researchers enabled me to quickly gather the facts. So, the
overall learning experience will be responsible for deciding the course of my future research
work. Also, the learning experience gained from this research work enabled in me the
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knowledge about the diversified field of social media within business practices. Also, in future I
could organise or follow programs that will assist me to enhance my knowledge in m ore
effective way.
I can further apply the principles learned from the learning process in future to increase
the number of career opportunities. Also, this will add up to my experience and so I could build
up a career in t his field. Also, the knowledge learned about the role of legislations will guide me
to carry my research work in a more effective way. This learning process will therefore increase
the overall efficiency of my future researches which I will do.
3. Details about the learning process
First of all I started with the process of hypothesis. In I formulated the primary question
on the basis of the topic of the business research. Then I formulated a list of research questions
which were the basis of the secondary research which was to be conducted. I had chosen the
secondary research approach because the time available for research work was very limited. And
since ample of time is taken in primary research approach, so instead I decide to choose
secondary sources such as the journals, articles which assist to gather facts and figures in as
quick-way as possible. I had utilised articles and research work done by previous other
researchers to critically review the chosen topic. This will add up more details to the key facts
associated with the topic.
Furthermore, I observed a sample of businessman and emerging entrepreneurs to find out
their practices of carrying forwards their businesses. I utilised the qualitative approach for
observing the ways in which these emerging businessmen have utilised the platform of social
media to enhance their practices of business. In order for carrying out a systematic research
work, I used a Gantt chart to showcase the planning done regarding the carrying of activities.
After the overall research conducted, in the end I further opinionated my viewpoints in form of
an overall conclusion to the result.
4. Judgement regarding the key observations
First of all the chosen topic was quite interesting since I am very much keen to gather
knowledge about the social media platform. The business research was quite helpful in
enhancing my understanding as well as learning. The approach utilised for conducting my
research work that is the qualitative and quantitative ones enabled me the knowledge about the
different methodologies that could be undertaken to carry the research work (Robinson and et.al.,
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2014). Also, I further learned that whenever there is a shortage of time for conducting the
research study, secondary resources could prove quite helpful for meeting the set objectives in
limited amount of time. Also, these resources provided the authenticated as well as relevant
information with respect to the topic chosen. Also, the importance of social media for
entrepreneurs in enhancing their business is justified by the key facts gathered from the
secondary sources.
The diversified approaches utilised to carry the research work proved to be quite effective
enough in enhancing my learning about the various aspects associated with the research.
Furthermore, my learning about the carrying of research work is pretty much enhanced. So in
future whenever I carry the research this learning will prove to be quite effective thereby giving
it a desired path upon which the objectives of the study will be effectively studied.
5. Explaining the process for learning
The research work that I carried was entirely based upon the advantages and
disadvantages associated with the use of social media within the business. To carry the study, I
first set the aim and objectives that was basically done to provide my research a desired direction
so that it could be effectively carried. In addition, I had done the literature review to critically do
the reviewing of the associated facts with the chosen topic. The literature review let me know the
various opinions of different authors regarding the topic. Also, I was feeling very creative since I
had to critically review the facts given from different authors.
Also, the Gantt chart reduced much of my tension regarding the course of study. It helped
me to provide a particular and proper schedule to the activities that I have decided to incorporate
to carry my research work. Also, I had formed research questions whose theme I have kept on
the basis of the research topic. This theme based questions provided an effective way to carry my
research work in appropriate manner. Also, because of these questions I was able to effectively
learn about writing the literature review on the basis of these themes formed. Also, the
hypotheses that is the formulated research questions assist in enhancing my learning about the
various aspects of social media in the field of business.
6. Explaining the plan and its relevance to the future
I had formulated the research plan in order to provide my study being conducted on the
advantages and disadvantages of the social networks within the field of business. I planned a
course of activities which enabled me to effectively carry out my research work. Also, since the
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research time available was limited so the planning of activities was done according to the topic
chosen in a very precise way. These activities which I had planned assisted me effectively in
carrying a systematic approach. In addition this systematic approach was fully relevant with the
topic I chose. Also I had used the articles and journals which helped me to gather the relevant
facts an d figures associated to the social media's aspects within a business.
This research conducted has enhanced my learning to a much greater extent which I
could imply in future to carry the course of my future studies. Also, I am planning to do another
course in the field of research since this has subsequently become my area of interest as well.
Furthermore, the ability of gathering facts and figures from the diversified sources and in
particular secondary resources have enhanced my skill of collection of relevant information.
Furthermore, these effective learning processes have assisted further in enhancing my lifestyle to
meet the quality standards in every task given. Also, the systematic approach has assisted me
follow a proper routine whenever a research study is carried.
CONCLUSIONS
The overall indicative reflective journal is an effective way of getting an idea about the
researcher's ability to learn and grasp new knowledge. Furthermore, it indicates the learning
experience which has enabled the researcher to carry his work in more systematic format.
Overall, it can be effectively concluded that the business research conducted has proven to be
quite beneficial in enhancing the knowledge about the topic of research.
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REFERENCES
BOOKS AND JOURNALS
Lax, M., 2015. ‘We don’t trust “them”; you say we value that, yet we know what’s really
important–but we’ll paint the grass green’: reflective journaling to identify the
organisation’s cultural paradigm. Reflective Practice. 16(4). pp.534-545.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S. M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
Robinson, R. N., and et.al., 2014. Reflective Practice in food and beverage education. Journal of
Hospitality & Tourism Education. 26(4). pp.166-177.
Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015. Introduction to qualitative research methods: A
guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.
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