7co04 Business Research In People Practice

Unit introduction

Learners in Level 7 of the Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning and Development must conduct business research in people practice. In this unit, students define and identify a research issue before conducting research in people practice. Learners use evidence to create a research report, draw conclusions, and make recommendations to manage people practice issues encountered in the workplace. Through the research process, students eventually develop critical reflection.

Objectives of the course

The following are the unit’s learning outcomes, which serve as the foundation for completing the unit assessment:

• Leaners intend for people to conduct research that will benefit the organization.
• Learners identify research methods required for data collection and justify the best method for the specific research in people practice.
• Learners analyze research data and develop insights to help people and businesses.
• Learners draw conclusions and make recommendations to manage the business’s and people’s futures.

The first learning outcome

The business research project

The unit requires students to first identify a research topic in any of the business’s practice areas. The topic should aim to effect change in the organization and should be entirely focused on adding value to people and the business environment as a whole. Learners should be guided by topics such as promoting employee engagement, retaining staff, promoting employee well-being, improving workplace communication, and improving employee performance when choosing research topics.

After determining the research topic, students should formulate research questions and then examine evidence from journals, books, organizational reports, and government reports to support the research questions. The analysis is critical in restructuring the research literature review, as learners evaluate the various sources of evidence required to help them understand the study issue.

Developing questions to address the research issue

Learners must develop questions that focus on the research topic to understand the research agendas and participate in the development of research questions. The questions guide students in determining the research outcomes. Learners concentrate on writing concise questions that are transparent and clear to research audiences. Learners will develop effective results in analyzing research findings as a result of these questions.

The second learning outcome

Research Methodology

The methodology entails gathering the data that researchers will need to complete the research. Learners should distinguish between the various types of data that they may need to use in developing their research project. They must comprehend the significance of various research methods and justify the best research method for completing the research they intend to conduct. Learners should be able to distinguish between primary and secondary research, qualitative and quantitative research, as well as the risks and benefits of various research methods. They should, for example, be able to distinguish between case study research, survey research, focus group discussions, and study process observations.

Learners should be aware of the ethical issues that they should follow when collecting data from respondents, as well as how they should interact with the surrounding environment where the research is conducted. Confidentiality is an important consideration if interviewees or respondents provide data that the researchers analyze to produce research results or findings. The learners should understand the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of the data collected from respondents. This lends credibility and ethics to the research.

The third learning outcome

Analyzing data and making decisions

The data analysis stage of the research process requires researchers to choose a research method based on the costs and opportunities that the method will bring to completing the research. Learners should therefore become familiar with data collection and data analysis methods. Furthermore, researchers’ interrogations in analyzing evidence are required to identify issues that improve the practical evaluation of the research topic. As a result, learners should learn statistical approaches to data analysis, content analysis, and learning to code to analyze data. These, however, are dependent on the research method chosen by the researcher for the intended research. After completing the research, the findings are presented in patterns that make them effective in providing evidence relating to the research. Learners should take care to be ethical when analyzing and presenting research findings. This is critical because it prevents the researcher from becoming biased.

The fourth learning outcome

Recommendations and conclusions

Researchers conclude after thoroughly analyzing the data collected from respondents. The findings are combined to highlight concepts, themes, and patterns relevant to the researcher’s research topic. Learners at this level should learn how to conclude concisely and transparently while also developing the research report appropriately. Once the researchers have concluded and identified issues that may have triggered the investigation, they develop recommendations that are supposed to be people- and business-focused depending on the research topic. The recommendations should persuade the audiences to act for them to be implemented. As a result, students should understand how they will communicate the recommendations to the research audiences. The costs of implementation are another critical issue that learners should consider when developing recommendations. These potential barriers may prevent them from being implemented, and you should be aware of mechanisms to overcome them.

Analyzing critically

After completing the research, students should reflect on the lessons they have learned from the beginning to the end of the project. They identify their strengths and weaknesses as part of the development process, as well as areas for improvement. This will give the students insight and confidence in carrying out future research to create and support organizational change.

Finally

The unit raises awareness to assist learners in understanding how to research various practices that require change within the organization. Learners will learn how to choose a research topic, develop research questions, conduct research methodology using the appropriate research method, analyze research data, and develop conclusions and recommendations that are appropriate for addressing the research issue.

Reference

Angrave, D., Charlwood, A. and Kirkpatrick, I. (2016) HR and analytics: why HR is set to fail the big data challenge. Human Resource Management Journal. Vol 26, No 1.

Creswell, J.W. and Creswell, J.D. (2018) Research design: qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. London: Sage.

Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A. Donnelly, R. and Kynighou, A. (2020) Human resource management at work: the definitive guide. 7th ed. London: CIPD Kogan Page.