Dissertation Methodology †Impact of Technology on Recruitment

Dissertation examples Dissertation Methodology FREE our situate ESSAYSThe following article is a sample dissertation methodology on the following dissertation topic Impact of Technology on enlisting in UK Retail Banks.A case understand of Lloyds Banking GroupThe methodology depicts a mixed method explore, using valued surveys and tractor trailer structured discourses. ground on Saunders perplexity Onion.a. Research Philosophy Dissertation ExamplesThe genial world of coasts and ammonium alums upon which this admit is based exists extern wholey and be non cogitate to the researcher therefore they would be mensurable through objective methods quite than existence inferred subjectively through reflection, sensation or intuition (Easterby-Smith, 2002). This canvas would therefore adopt a positivist start as apt info could only be derived through quantitative analysis of phenomena detect (Saunders et al, 2007). The social interpretivism philosophy, which bearin gs to assume and reflect on the inner feelings of participants, is non being apply in this aim, due to the plains research objective, which is to underwrite the effectiveness of on course of action enlisting in an organization. Details regarding effectiveness are measured using objective means (such as increase in view application and reduction in costs), thereby warranting a positivist approach.b. Research approachDue to the positivist nature of the research, this study would adopt a deductive approach (Saunders et al, 2007). This approach represents the near common view of the relationship between speculation and research and results gotten from this approach are developed through logical cogitate (Bryman and Bell, 2007). The entropy findings would be compared against existing literary works to ascertain if they concur with what has already been published in the field of online enlisting.c. AccessThe ability to gather primary information during this study was dependen t on gaining access to an conquer source at heart the organization. The level to which this source is appropriate relies on the research question, related objectives and research designs (Saunders et al, 2007). thusly, the researcher, as a mavin of an employee at bottom the organization, was in a prosperous position to get access indoors the organization.I contacted a friend of mine who currently works within calibrate recruitment at Lloyds TSB, and hash outed the prospects of my dissertation. She spoke to several of her colleagues on my behalf and they agreed for me to conduct telephone consultations with 4 members of the graduate recruitment aggroup, some of which had been there for an aver bestride of 5 10 years (reasons expatiated nonwithstanding in this chapter). Due to the non-intrusive nature of my research, there were no objections or limitations raised by the participants with regards to the questions asked or the purpose of the study.d. Research StrategyThis s tudy would adopt a case study strategy in say the research question. Robson (2002) asserts that the case study strategy would be reclaimable if the aim of the study is to gain a rich understanding of the research perspective and the process being endorsed. thusly as this study aims to understand the recruitment process within Lloyds TSB and in addition any benefits associated with online recruitment, a case study would be most effective.Two separate yet par all toldel approaches would be utilized in this study, and are sketch in the table 1 below.Table 1 Research Strategy STRATEGYAIMSAMPLETYPE OF QUESTIONSMETHOD OF ANALYSIS 1. Quantitative questionnaireQuantify graduates apprehension of what constitutes an effective recruitment platform10 graduates who drive home applied to one or to a greater extent organizations through their online system.Closed judge scale questions, and nominal data.Descriptive analysis (bar chart, pie chart and line charts). 2. Qualitative semi-structu red interrogatesThis was done in auberge to ascertain the benefits associated with online recruitment.4 members of the recruitment rung within Lloyds TSB, who cast off been in the organization for to a greater extent than 5 yearsStructured questionnaires. point-blank questionsContent analysisi. Quantitative QuestionnaireQuantitative methods are in the main used in the data assembly process of research. It involves data that is either in the form of, or uttered as numbers (Easterby-Smith et al, 2008). The quantitative questionnaires were handed out to 10 graduates and undergraduates. The questionnaire was mainly designed with rating scale questions, where answerers were asked to state their opinion or orientation for a particular question on a scale of 1 5. Secondary nominal data was similarly included in order to ascertain the answerings status, application activity and preference. The quantitative questionnaire distributed to respondents is outlined in appendix. Quantit ative questionnaires are useful as the results derived are quantitative and measurable against another(prenominal) inconstants in an objective manner (Saunders et al, 2007). ii. Qualitative articulated lorry Structured InterviewsFollowing the access grant to four members of the recruitment team within the organization, 15 20 minute qualitative telephone interviews were carried out. A semi-structured interview is a qualitative interview that is defined by a pre-set question guide. It aims to provide in-depth findings through informal converseions with participants (Collis and Hussey, 2003). This interview method was chosen everywhere unstructured or structured interviews, because this study intends to answer the research questions by asking specific questions, but not so much (unstructured) that it generates inutile data, and not so less (structured) so as not to oertop out on any unanticipated information.The interview questions in the semi-structured interview are in appen dix. The themes utilized in this study were derived mainly from the literature review and were crucial in developing the questions that were raised during the study. The semi-structured approach likewise provided the researcher with the ability to probe answers. Answer probing was particularly useful in responses whereby more comment was needed in order to in full understand the answers. Due to the recent adaptation of online recruitment, the semi structured interviews was targeted at members of the team who had witnessed or orchestrated the shift towards online recruitment, that elan these respondents would be best able to answer questions that relate to the comparison of both methods.Also, members of the online recruitment team being interviewed had different positions within recruitment and handled separate tasks. The questionnaires were give to them beforehand, when the benediction was first sought, and each respondent chose the questions that they were more qualified to respond to. Therefore the research was such that all respondents answered some questions, while some others were answered by a particular individual because of their knowledge of that process. Table 2 outlines the respondent expatiate and their interview theme.Table 2 Interview Respondents and Questions asked RespondentFictionalNameRoleYears in LloydsSubjects cover R1AliceGraduate Events Manager2Effectiveness, Disadvantages R2MarthaApplication Review7Background, Adoption, Effectiveness, Disadvantages R3NickFinance and Budgeting9Adoption, Effectiveness, Efficiency R4ChloeMedia Advertisement3Effectiveness, AdvertisementEach respondent were asked for their consent to interview, prior to the interview sessions, and to a fault requested not to drop their names mentioned so as to prevent any form of organizational backlash if the contents of the study were interpreted in any other non-academic form, and distributed. They have therefore been given fictional names, so as to make the resea rch more readable.e. info Collectioni. Sampling MethodBased on the research objectives and the issues to be investigated, it would have been most appropriate if all recruitment staffs within the organization were interviewed. However, due to the time constraints and imagination limitations inherent in this study, a non-probability sample of the population was selected. Saunders et al (2007) asserts that a non-probability sample is most often used when adopting a case study strategy. A non-probability sample, as draw by (Oppenheim, 2000), is a sample in which the probability of each case being selected from the total population is not known.The samples of graduates that were chosen to partake in the quantitative study are likewise small to constitute a probability sample of graduates within capital of the United Kingdom or UK. Also, the number of employees within Lloyds who took part in the qualitative study was not high enough to constitute a significant hazard of the recruitme nt department within Lloyds TSB. Therefore the study focused more on the quantitative points of the perception of recruitment within the organization, as argue to theories expressed in the literature review, and what graduates on the outside thought of online recruitment. ii. simple Data CollectionIn collecting data that could be analysed using quantitative means, Easterby-Smith et al (2008) claims that researchers could collect either primary or secondary data. He further claims that though each of these means have their merits and demerits, the collection of ones own data gives control over the structure of the sample and the data obtained from each respondent. It also gives greater confidence that the data collected would moderate the research objectives.The researcher therefore chose to collect primary data from 20 graduates using questionnaires distributed-in-person to each respondent. This was done amongst friends and colleagues within the university who have utilized onl ine recruitment systems. Data from the semi-structured interviews would be collected using a tape recorder, and the conversations with all four employees would be transcribed word for word, and expression for expression. The advantages inherent in this approach is that it allows the researcher to document and see patterns in words and emotions that would not be available if other forms of interviews were conducted.f. Analysis of Research Findingsi. Quantitative DataThe quantitative data collected during the course of this study, whilst still in its raw form, is described by Saunders et al (2007) as being useless and conveying particular information to most people. Univariates, which are total sample distributions of one variable at a time (Oppenheim, 2005) was utilised in analysing the frequency and lot occurrence of each variable including both ordinal and nominal, category and rating scale questions. However an indepth correlation or bivariate analysis was not conducted due to the low number of graduate respondents, and also due to the fact that the study was mainly concerned with the viewpoint of the organization, and not necessarily that of the graduates. Results would be analysed using Excel and graphs would be drawn out to analyse all data with the aim of comparing them to the qualitative study. ii. Qualitative DataYin (2002) suggests that in studies whereby the research question has been formulated based on the literature review these theories that have been used in the postulation of the research question could also be used in analyzing the findings. Thereby suggesting that a deductive approach to data analysis would be essential for speculative driven studies.Based on these arguments, this study analyzed the qualitative findings using deductive methods. The findings from each respondent and questionnaire theme were analyzed according to the literature review topics discussed. In the cause whereby different respondents had something to say about a particular issue, all their opinions were record and taking into consideration in the analysis of findings. A fact ragtime of all findings according to the theory is illustrated in chapter 4. Full transcripts of the interview are in the appendix.The pattern matching office, as postulated by Saunders et al, (2007), would be utilized in this deductive analysis. It involves predicting a pattern of outcomes based on theoretical propositions. These propositions are thereby analyzed in the data analysis process. This procedure involves the development of an analytical framework, utilizing existing theory, and then testing the adequacies of the framework as a means of explaining the findings (Saunders et al, 2007). In the instance where a pattern is set up as initially predicted, it would be evidence that suggests that there is indeed an explanation for findings.g. EthicsBlumberg, et al (2005) describes ethics as referring to the appropriateness of ones demeanor in relation to the r ights of those who become the subject of a research project. A number of ethical issues have been identified and raised with respect to this study. The issues, and move taken to better such issues are discussed belowThe company may be secretive about some aspects of its online recruitment, such as the bar of graduates and marketing techniques to attract graduates, which it may not like its competitors to know about. Employees responding to semi structured interviews may not be so willing to discuss their personal opinion of the banks recruitment system, or the calibre of graduates received through their channels, in case their response does not sincerely conform to the brand and reputation that the organization is trying to build (for instance, the bank may pose as an equal opportunity organization that employs from assorted backgrounds, whereas they mostly only recruit students from top Oxbridge universities with a certain background). teaching such as this could pose diffic ulties if the bank eventually decides to broaden its jackpot of candidates and employ people from varying backgrounds.Apart from these ethical considerations, no other ethical dilemmas have been found with relation to this essay. Therefore, in order to alleviate these issues, the questionnaire and interviews would be designed in such a way that it does not offend, harm, provoke or stress any of the participants in any way. Questions asked would be non-instrusive as no personal information about names age or post would be requested. Information about specific applicant quality and demographics of applicants recruitment would not be sought.Also, in terms of graduate questionnaires that have been distributed, some candidates may think that answering these questions and including personal details may impede or even benefit them when applying to said organizations. Therefore the questionnaires would fully state that it is an academic research and in no way constitutes a study conducted by the organization.h. LimitationsThe major limitation of this research would be gaining access to graduates who have gone through online recruitment systems and applied specifically to Lloyds TSB. Graduates that have applied to the bank are diverse both in culture and geography. Therefore this study would be limited in not being able to survey a probability sample of graduates who have either used online recruitment or specifically applied to Lloyds TSB in the past. The willingness and capacity of staff to answer questions with relation to graduate recruitment is also impeded. Some staff may not be willing to discuss sensitive issues such as their views, some may be unintentional to discuss online recruitment in any capacity to an external researcher such as myself, while some may not have the relevant experience required to answer most of the questions raised in this study. Therefore the list of participants has been limited to 4, which in no way represents a probability sample o f the recruitment workforce within the organization. There is also a secondary limitation with regards to the experience of those staff that participate in the interviews. The ideal participants would typically have been working in recruitment for over 10 years, and would have witnessed and participated in the renewal from traditional to online recruitment within the organization. However, only two of the participants answering this questionnaire are ideal candidates, the other 2 have been working within recruitment over the past 2 3 years and were in no capacity to discuss the transition between traditional and online recruitment. However, their views were still helpful and contributed significantly to the findings of this study. This study did not incorporate recent events such as the merger between Lloyds TSB and HBOS. It also did not include the recent government bailout and financial crisis affecting most UK financial institutions. This information could have impacted on the quality of graduate applications that the organization received within the past 3 years, and could pose a shortfall in the information gathered. However, including this information would have extended the limits of the study, beyond the word count and capacity currently accepted.