Flashback on problem identification.....
We made a discussion on problem identification and the example which was pulled up was the fingerprint scanner.
The main reason for the invention of Bio metric fingerprint scanner was to cut down on the losses incurred by companies, due to inefficient pay roll tracking of the employees, hence it's by at least 70% of the consumers are supported by this system (International Journal of Science and Technology, 2009). Following shows a simple analysis of how "buddy punch" which occurs in traditional attendance marking systems makes a loss for the company.
Assumptions:
Pay rate per hour for an employee= $20
Work duration per day= 8 hrs.
Units produced per hour by one employee= 100 units
Cost of 1 unit= $20
Loss when a buddy punch is done if an employee is 1 hour late,
Loss from paying salary per week from an employee= 7*$20
= $140
Loss per year from salary = 12*$140
=$1680
Loss from production per week = 100*7*$20
=$14000
Loss from production per year = $14000*12
=$168000
Total loss per by an employee = 168000+1680
=$169,680
Author would like to mention that above is one of the simple analysis made on the traditional method, thus it completely show the evidence that there is a major loop hole in the traditional methods and that it should be addressed immediately. Therefore author understand that clear research into the depth of the problem can cater majorly in solving a problem efficiently, it is very important that figures and facts are reviewed before arriving at conclusions of problems.
Applies research methods
"Applied research is done to solve specific, practical questions; for policy formulation, administration and understanding of a phenomenon
"(IHMCTAN,2012). Author understands that applied research is used to study existing tools and methods in the purpose of applying it to obtain better results.
Nature of Research
How to determine the production of umbrellas for supermarket based on a research. Basically the demand for umbrellas should be measured in many aspects, thus weather and seasonality factors should be concerned. When it comes to weather, past weather condition should reviewed, apart from that sale on the particular weather conditions should noted. For example on a rainy season the sale of umbrellas are high thus the supply should be increased and when it comes to seasonality, if it is summer black colour umbrellas are not suitable because of the heat factor, thus what colour to be produced can be determined by that.
Hence author understand that past data and future predictions are much valued when it comes to research and the nature of research varies from type of research we are making on.
We were given an interactive car example to explain the nature how business organizations work towards obtaining their long term goals of growth.
Car 1: With dim lights and broken wiper
Car 2: Average car with good wipers and lights
Car 3: Super car with satellites and many more options
These three cars are travelling at same speed on the highway at the same time. Road has block in 1 km, the first care crashes with road block , while the car 2 stops at the barrier without crashing and passes it to start again, finally the intelligent car makes an exit earlier by getting information about the block and maintains the same speed and enters the highway in the next entrance. Author understands that different companies work with various types of methodologies, the best company out of 3 is the car 3 because it managed to collect data and predictions and succeed in maintaining its speed without slowing or stopping, thus companies with lot of data and statistics will stride forward withstanding all the barriers ahead.
Theoretical significance:
USC Libraries (2012) states that theoretical significance means, "Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in many cases, to challenge and extend existing knowledge, within the limits of the critical bounding assumptions"
Practical significance:
"Implies a research result that will be viewed as having importance for the practice of education or, in other words, it will be viewed as important by teachers, school administrators, policy makers, and others concerned about the day-to-day workings of education and efforts to improve it" (Pages.uoregon.edu, 2001)
Essence of Research
Qualitative data: University of Wisconsin Extension (2003) mentions that qualitative data depends on data and observations, not numbers. As with all the data, proper analysis and interpretation is required to prove the fact.
In order prove the qualitative data following is required;
- Questions you want answer
- Needs of those who uses information
- Your resources
Quantitative data: Its a process of which numerical data is collected or/and researcher transforms what is collected or observed into numerical data (Learnhigher.ac.uk, 2008).
Whats is Deductive research; "Deductive reasoning is the kind of reasoning in which, roughly, the truth of the input propositions (the premises) logically guarantees the truth of the output proposition (the
conclusion), provided that no mistake has been made in the reasoning" (Brown University, 2012)
What is Exploratory research; It is conducted when there are no earlier research is done on the subject matter, thus main idea of it is to look at patterns, ideas and hypothesis rather than confirming a hypothesis (Palgrave, 2012).
After analyzing all the above information, author understands that research is one of the most important factors when its comes to the ARMPD module. It is very important to get an idea of how research is done step by step, especially following the below steps is very important;
- Introduction
- Background and Significance
- Literature review
- Research design and methods
- Preliminary suppositions and implications
- Conclusion
- Citation
Apart from the procedure it is essential that we notify the type of research what we are going to conduct, therefore our research methods should fall into any of the types that is mentioned above. At last author would like to mention that research should be done up to the point precisely.
References
Brown
University (2012) Deductive Reasoning.
[online] Available at:
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Philosophy/onlinepapers/schechter/DeductiveReasoning.pdf
[Accessed: 17 Nov 2012].
Edison.edu
(n.d.) Lesson 1: What is Research?. [online] Available at:
http://www.edison.edu/library/researchskills/Unit1/1whatIsResearch.php
[Accessed: 13 Nov 2012].
IHMCTAN
(2012) Research Methodology. [online] Available at:
http://www.ihmctan.edu/PDF/notes/Research_Methodology.pdf [Accessed: 13 Nov
2012].
Learnhigher.ac.uk
(2008) Analyse This!!! - quantitative data introduction. [online]
Available at: http://learnhigher.ac.uk/analysethis/main/quantitative.html
[Accessed: 17 Nov 2012].
Libguides.usc.edu
(2012) Theoretical Framework - Organizing Your Social Sciences Research
Paper - LibGuides at University of Southern California. [online] Available
at: http://libguides.usc.edu/content.php?pid=83009&sid=618409 [Accessed: 17
Nov 2012].
Pages.uoregon.edu
(2001) Statistical Significance vs. Practical Significance of Research
Results. [online] Available at:
http://pages.uoregon.edu/mgall/statistical_significance_v.htm [Accessed: 17 Nov
2012].
Palgrave.com
(2012) Understanding Research . [online] Available at:
http://www.palgrave.com/business/collis/br/docs/sample.pdf [Accessed: 17 Nov
2012].
SERSC
(2009) A Brief Introduction of Bio metrics and Fingerprint Payment Technology . [online] Available at:
http://www.sersc.org/journals/IJAST/vol4/4.pdf [Accessed: 13 Nov 2012].
University
of Florida IFAS CALS (2008) Goals of Research Design . [online]
Available at: http://fycs.ifas.ufl.edu/swisher/6800_12/M05_Goals_Research.pdf
[Accessed: 13 Nov 2012].
University
of Wisconsin Extension (2003) Analyzing
Qualitative Data. [online] Available at: http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/g3658-12.pdf
[Accessed: 17 Nov 2012].
Michael (2002) mentions that there are 5 types of scientific inquiry methods;
