Business Research: Social Networks in Wesfarmers (HI6008) Proposal

This business research proposal explores the advantages and disadvantages of using social networks in business, specifically focusing on Wesfarmers. It outlines the project's objectives, scope, and a summary of the literature review, highlighting research gaps and opportunities. The proposal includes research questions and hypotheses, detailing both qualitative and quantitative research designs and methodologies, including data collection methods, sampling techniques, and data analysis processes. It also addresses research limitations and provides a time schedule for the research plan, concluding with references and appendices. Desklib offers more resources like this to aid students in their studies.

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH
BUSINESS RESEARCH
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Project objective..............................................................................................................................3
Project Scope...................................................................................................................................4
Literature review summary..............................................................................................................4
Research Questions/Hypothesis.......................................................................................................6
Research Design and Methodology.................................................................................................6
Qualitative research......................................................................................................................6
Quantitative research....................................................................................................................8
Research Limitations.....................................................................................................................11
Time schedule................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
References......................................................................................................................................13
Appendix........................................................................................................................................15

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Introduction
The social media is an effective technique that facilitates the company to apply the online
method and transfer their targeted information among family, colleagues, friends, and clients.
The organization uses many social media sites to enhance awareness about the goods and
services if the company and obtain a reliable outcome. Organization and individuals could imply
many methods to share their information like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat,
LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. In the recent business scenario, more than 45 billion of people have
used social media to converse with their friends and family (Turban, et. al., 2017). The Facebook
is more used by people as compared to other sources of social sites. It is found that
approximately 1.86 billion of people have practice Facebook rather than other social sites to
convey their message to their family and friends. It is also illustrated that younger individuals to
convey their data. Moreover, the social networks could directly influence the business growth.
Hence, the organization should need to gain their understanding towards social networks, which
could be effective to inspire a huge number of customers (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016). `
Project objective
The primary aim of this study is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of practicing social
networks in the business. The following estimated objectives will be used by the research scholar
to attain the aim of research appropriately:
 To identify the meaning and concept of social networks- In case of Wesfarmers,
Australia.
 To explore the advantages of social networks - In case of Wesfarmers, Australia.
 To identify disadvantages of social networks - In case of Wesfarmers, Australia.

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 To suggested strategies for improving the social network's practices in the organization of
social networks - In case of Wesfarmers, Australia.
Project Scope
This research proposal is imperative to develop knowledge about advantages and disadvantages
of practicing social networks in the organization. The use of social networks in the organization
as it would be an inspiring matter for the research issue. The best understanding of social
networks could support the company to enhance organizational performance and improve
professional skills of research scholar (Cook, 2017). This proposal aid the company to make an
effective decision as it would support to improve social media practice in the organization. This
proposal could be effective for the research scholar to improve their understanding towards any
social media sites.
Literature review summary
Borgatti et al. (2018) Social network aids the company to attract a huge number of consumers
and retain them for the long term. It enables the company to convey their data among employees
for accomplishing aim and objectives of the firm. It is also found that there are many social
media sites that are used by organization and individuals such as LinkInd Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, and Snapchat as it could be imperative for getting higher success in the marketplace. It
would help the company spread awareness towards their brand among customers. It will support
to differentiate the brand of the company as compared to market players.
In opposed to this, Turban et al. (2015) explained that the social network could support the
company to improve their financial performance. The social networks enable the company to
obtain higher success in the market by making an effective relationship with consumers and
organization. Further, it is also evaluated that company could use a ranking method by which

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they could identify visitors of numbers on the company. The ranking method aid the organization
to segment the consumers who are interested in their goods and services. Hence, it can also be
examined that social media is an effective approach that enhances the possibilities of
organization success. It could also be imperative for increasing loyalty of consumers towards the
brand. It also offers many chances to the company for enhancing a number of customers in
limited time and cost. It will also support the organization to accomplish the organizational goal.
In support of this, Bryman and Bell (2015) illustrated that the social networks could help to the
company for developing best knowledge towards the customers. It will enable the company to
collect different thoughts of customers. The company will use the social network in their
business process for getting higher advantages. In the recent period, the customer uses the social
networks and obtains the depth understanding about any products and services before
purchasing. Hence, it can be said that organization could deliver valid information on the web
caused of obtaining a valid and valid outcome. It will be effective to enhance the profitability
and market share of the organization.
Burns (2016) argued that company deliver the premium products and service to their targeted
consumers as it would be effective to make a distinguish image in the consumer’s mind. It is
because; social network could facilitate the employee to freely share their information on the
web. Thus, it is analyzed that some consumers share their negative feedback on the web. It will
make negative image among the first time users. Furthermore, it is also examined that consumers
who have more satisfied with the organization services could leave their positive response on the
web while unhappy consumers leave their negative feedback on social sites. It will decline the
existing situation of the firm in the least time.

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In favor of this, Hair Jr, et al. (2015) evaluated that marketing mix strategy is imperative to
effectively deal with the business function and get a valid and reliable result. It will also assist
the organization to improve practices of social media in the working place. There are certain
factors that are considered in the marketing mix strategy like price, place, promotion, and
product. This strategy enables the organization to make an appropriate decision towards the
business and get a reliable outcome. Consequently, the company will get competitive
advantages.
Literature gap and opportunity
This literature review section support to gain the understanding of the advantages and
disadvantages of social networks in the business. This section also helps to determine the
strategies that could be supportive to improve the social network practices in the working place.
The researcher will select small sample cause of few individuals are interested in the survey
through a questionnaire (Eriksson and Kovalainen, 2015).
Research Questions/Hypothesis
Primary question
 What are advantages of social networks in the business performance?
 What are the disadvantages of social networks in the business performance?
 Which strategy is effective to improve the social network practices in the business?
Secondary question
 What is the meaning and concept of social networks?
Research Design and Methodology
Qualitative research
Chart 1: Qualitative research process

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(Sources: Luo and Zhong, 2015).
The Qualitative research method considers four stages like research discover and planning,
screening criteria, discussion, and focus group. Initially, the researcher will investigate the
information about research and develop a plan. Afterward, research scholar will screen the
standards and recruitment. Subsequently, the researcher will discuss the instruction and guide to
their specified research participants (Ruggie, 2017). In last, focus strategy will be used by the
researcher as it would be effective to make a final report to accomplish the research aim in the
least time and cost.
Approaches to reliability and Validity
In this, the inductive approach will be used by the researcher caused by subjective nature of
research. This approach will assist the researcher to gain the conceptual information in the
context of the current research matter. This research approach will be imperative to enhance the
validity and reliability of research result (Schaltegger and Wagner, 2017).
Sampling and Sample Size

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The sampling method is the best way to select the appropriate sample size from the specified
sample size. The non-probability sampling method will be used by the research scholar to
conduct their research study. The non-probability sampling method facilitates to conduct the
open-ended questionnaire in the research (Prpić, et. al., 2015). For conducting the interview, 5
marketing executive will be chosen from Wesfarmers that uses the social network in the
business.
Data Collection Method
Primary data collection method will be used by research scholar to obtain reliable data in the
context of the current research matter. It will also help the researcher to accomplish their
estimated research aim and objectives and obtain a valid and reliable outcome. This method will
support the researcher to collect reliable information by considering the interview and survey
through questionnaire method. Therefore, it could be imperative for getting feasible information
from the estimated sample size (Denscombe, 2014). This tool is effective to obtain first-hand
information about the research issue.
Variables Specifications
There are certain variables that are used by the researcher like dependent and independent
variable. In this, the independent variable is social media and the dependent variable is the
organizational performance of Wesfarmers (Bryman, 2015).
Quantitative research
Chart 2: Quantitative research process

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(Sources: Hinz, et. al., 2014).
On the behalf of above chart, it could be illustrated that the research scholar will determine the
research issue and purpose in the initial stage. Afterward, it will create the hypothesis regarding
research matter as it would be supportive to make a reliable literature review on the basis of
research objective. In this research, the researcher will select appropriate sampling method to
obtain a reliable result. After that legal ethical consideration step will be considered by the
researcher to make effective research design (Trainor, et. al., 2014). In last, the data will be
gathered and evaluated by considering many methods. In last, the researcher will make budget in
the context of the research matter.
Research Instrument
The researcher will use secondary data collection method to conduct the research matter. The
data will be collected from many sources like an annual report, academic journal, online
websites, government publication, and offline method. This method will be supportive for the

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researcher as it would facilitate to support the primary data. Consequently, the researcher will be
capable to get a reliable and valid result (Serrat, 2017).
Quantitative Data Analysis Process
Chart 3: Quantitative data analysis process
(Sources: He, et. al., 2015).
On behalf of above chart, it can be illustrated that research scholar will make the data on primary
stage. After that, research scholar will gain their intellectual capability in the context of recoding,
mean, and frequencies of data. Subsequently, the researcher will use the MS-Excel software to
evaluate the collected data by considering many methods such as graphs, tables, and charts. The
researcher will interoperate the collected data into meaningful way (Hollenbeck and Jamieson,
2015). Hence, it can be said that the quantitative data analysis could be effective to accomplish
the research aim and objectives in the least time and cost.
Sampling and Sample Size
In this, the probability sampling method will be practiced by research scholar as it would enable
to collect data by considering the random sampling method. It will support to eliminate the
biases form the research. The researcher will select 60 employees of Wesfarmers who have
experienced in the social media business. It is advantageous for the research scholar to collect

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trustworthy and feasible result in the least time (Nielsen and Schrøder, 2014). In this, the close-
ended questionnaire will be used by the researcher to conduct their research.
Reliability and Validity of Data
Validity demonstrates the degree by which research feasibility could be evaluated. For example,
a research scholar will use survey through a questionnaire to evaluate the advantages and
disadvantages of using social networks in the organization. Apart from this, the reliability is used
to examine the trustworthiness of research. The qualitative data collection method will be
practiced by the researcher to improve the validity and reliability of research outcome in the least
time and cost (Hajli, 2015).
Research Limitations
The research scholar confronted many issues at the time of conducting their research like lack of
resources, time, and cost. It will mandate the researcher to complete their researcher in estimated
cost, time and resources that will negatively impact on the research outcome (Nielsen and
Schrøder, 2014).
Time schedule
(See: Exhibit 1)

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Conclusion
With respect to the above discussion, it can be summarized that social network is practiced as the
marketing tool for attracting a large number of consumers in the least time and cost. It can also
be concluded that the social network could enable the organization to share their ideas on the
web and spread the brand awareness for getting competitive advantages. The organization should
use the marketing mix strategy to improve the social network's practices in the organization. The
organization should also use the online security software to make secure their data transaction
and make a unique image in the marketplace.