Business Research Methods on Telecommunication Market in the UK

This report provides an analysis of business research methods applied to the UK telecommunication market. It summarizes findings from various studies, including those by Nardotto et al. (2015), Jurisic & Azevedo (2011), Caporale & Spagnolo (2011), and Al-Debei & Avison (2011), focusing on market penetration, competitive strategies, and the impact of mobile technology. The report discusses common and different themes across these studies, highlighting the penetration of internet and mobile services. It also addresses study limitations, such as the narrow focus on telecommunications and insufficient sample sizes, while suggesting directions for further research, including expanding the scope to consider service sectors and recessionary periods. The report utilizes both qualitative and quantitative research approaches to provide a comprehensive overview of the UK telecommunication industry.

BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
ON TELECOMMUNICATION
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Table of Contents
Brief summary of the theory:.........................................................................................................................3
Discussion of common themes:.....................................................................................................................3
Discussion of different themes:.....................................................................................................................4
Discussion of study limitations:.....................................................................................................................4
Discussion on further research directions:.....................................................................................................5
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................................6
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Brief summary of the theory:
The article written by Nardotto et al., (2015), has been conducted in the telecommunication
market in UK to see the coverage of the market that the industry enjoys. Accordingly, a
qualitative and quantitative study has been conducted to understand the extent of the industry in
the UK market. The article authored by Jurisic & Azevedo (2011), shows that the
telecommunication sector in UK in 2000 has undergone a dynamic change with the advent of the
mobile technology as the mobile telephony has experienced tremendous growth. Currently,
telecommunication strives to be the most important sector in service marketing with a
penetration rate of more than 100%.
The study done by Caporale & Spagnolo (2011), has come across the competitive strategies that
the telecommunication sector in UK has taken up which is being highlighted by Porter’s Five
Forces. The article written by Al-Debei & Avison (2011), focuses on UK telecommunication
aspect has also shown the penetration of internet in the ordinary UK households. The aspect of
mobile internet has become quite important, and the advent of smartphones has given the
phenomenon a boost. The telecommunication market has been flooded with services like a
landline, mobile phones, the internet, mobile internet, data services and others.
Discussion of common themes:
Both the qualitative and quantitative study of the telecommunication market in UK has shown
the penetration of the customer segment that the industry enjoys. The quantitative study done by
Caporale & Spagnolo (2011), has shown the wide network coverage, service availability and
competitive prices that the industry offer to its customers. In the same manner, the qualitative
study written by Al-Debei & Avison (2011), has shown the greater bargaining power that the
customers enjoy in the market. The qualitative study has shown that the UK market stands to be
the largest per capita e-commerce market and the second largest online advertising market on a
global scale.
Again the quantitative study done by Jurisic & Azevedo (2011), has shown that internet
penetration amongst the UK population is considered amongst the highest globally. 80% of the
population is found to have internet access, and the number of internet users on a daily trend has
been on the rise. Again the study conducted by Nardotto et al., (2015), has been very benevolent
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of the fact that internet usage is quite advanced in the UK economy. Mobile internet has found a
broad prospect in the UK scenario which is being upheld by both the qualitative and quantitative
study.
Discussion of different themes:
Besides certain similarities, there have been specified differences between the results of the
qualitative and quantitative studies that have been conducted on the UK telecommunication
industry. The qualitative aspect of Al-Debei & Avison (2011), has been very specific about the
role of the telecom operating organisations like Vodafone, O2, Orange, and T-Mobile whereas
the quantitative study was done by Caporale & Spagnolo (2011), has been regarding the overall
aspect of the telecommunication industry like market penetration, internet usage and others. The
qualitative study has dedicated a streamlined study on the competitive aspect of the sector along
with the relevance of the different players in the industry which has been ignored by the
quantitative study.
The quantitative study of Nardotto et al., (2015), has been very specific about the growing trend
and the proportion of growth that the industry experienced. Basically, the quantitative study has
taken the initiative to show the excellent feat that the UK telecommunication industry.
Contrarily, the qualitative study by Jurisic & Azevedo (2011), has focused on the position of the
customers in the market and the stronghold they had been in the market for a while owing to the
advent of mobile telephony. So both the qualitative and quantitative study while focusing on the
telecommunication industry has gone towards the different direction to provide a wholesome
picture.
Discussion of study limitations:
The study conducted somewhat seems to be narrow as it has deliberately focussed on the aspects
of telecommunication only. The study by Al-Debei & Avison (2011), would have been more
meaningful if it has been conducted in the context of the service sector. The study by Caporale &
Spagnolo (2011), has been imperative for the views of authors and in certain scenarios surpassed
the real factors to hold on his perception. Though the study has been conducted on the landscape
of UK, it has not specified the implications of the telecommunication sector in its various
territories.
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The sample size considered for the study has not been enough as the number of samples is quite
smaller than the requirement of the study. The study by Jurisic & Azevedo (2011), would have
been fulfilled with the inclusion of more such relevant samples which would provide valuable
insight to the study of telecommunication industry in UK. Again the study by Nardotto et al.,
(2015), has given more importance to the qualitative aspect of the telecommunication industry
leaving aside the quantitative elements of the study which would have provided a wholesome
approach to the study.
Discussion on further research directions:
The study by Al-Debei & Avison (2011), has definitely left scope for further introspect that
could give a new dimension to the telecommunication industry prevailing in UK. Again the
study done by Caporale & Spagnolo (2011), has been conducted under a specified condition
wherein the bright aspect of the industry has been shown. The study would have been more
resourceful if the same had been done in a recessionary period. The study will have been more
interesting if diverse scenarios have been considered.
The study by Jurisic & Azevedo (2011), conducted show different elements of the study
resulting out of the qualitative and quantitative aspects. The diverse elements shown in this study
puts the matter into a very ambiguous scenario. The results of the study by Nardotto et al.,
(2015), are not in proper place though the results of the qualitative and quantitative study show
towards the same direction. The study, in this case, would have been more compact if a
hypotheses testing could have been done to prove the authenticity of the research.
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References
Al-Debei, M. & Avison, D., 2011. Business model requirements and challenges in the mobile
telecommunication sector. Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, 8(2), pp. 215-
235.
Barnaghi, P., Wang, W., Henson, C. & Taylor, K., 2012. Semantics for the Internet of Things: early
progress and back to the future. International Journal on Semantic Web and Information Systems
(IJSWIS), 8(21), pp. 1-21.
Battistella, C., 2014. The organisation of Corporate Foresight: A multiple case study in the
telecommunication industry. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 87(2), pp. 60-79.
Caporale, G. & Spagnolo, N., 2011. Stock market integration between three CEECs, Russia, and the UK.
Review of International Economics, 19(1), pp. 158-169.
Crawford, S., 2013. Captive audience: The telecom industry and monopoly power in the new gilded age.
New York: Yale University Press.
Jurisic, B. & Azevedo, A., 2011. Building customer–brand relationships in the mobile communications
market: The role of brand tribalism and brand reputation. Journal of Brand Management, 18(4-5), pp.
349-366.
Nardotto, M., Valletti, T. & Verboven, F., 2015. Unbundling the incumbent: Evidence from UK
broadband. Journal of the European Economic Association, 13(2), pp. 330-362.
Whalley, J. & Curwen, P., 2012. Third time lucky? An exploration of Hutchison Whampoa's involvement
in the mobile telecommunications industry. info, 14(2), pp. 17-41.
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