research process and different research approaches

Learning outcomes: Understand the research process and different research approaches. Be able to conduct a critical review of information sources in an area of HR/business practice and analyse the findings. Be able to draw meaningful conclusions and evaluate options for change. Know how to deliver clear, business-focused reports on an HR issue. Assessment brief/activity Your CEO has asked each departmental head to undertake a critical review of their systems, processes and practices as part of a major organisational change agenda. You have been asked to review an area of HR/business practice and present a business report to key stakeholders with recommendations for improving practice. To provide the basis for your report, you have been asked to conduct a critical review of information sources relevant to the area of practice. You should: Select an area of HR/business practice and give the reason for your choice Undertake a critical review of different information sources (at least three) e.g. research digests, academic and professional literature, online databases, key texts relevant to the selected area of practice. In your write up of the literature review you should explain why you selected that particular source and highlight some of the different research approaches adopted by the authors and comment on the advantages and disadvantages of these different approaches. Draw meaningful conclusions from the review of the different information sources. Make justified recommendations to named stakeholders for sustaining and/or improving practice. Your report structure should include: Title page (report title and their name, submission date) Executive summary (overview, methods of analysis, findings, recommendations) Table of contents (list of numbered sections) Introduction (terms of reference) Main body (headings and sub-headings these could be for each information source reviewed). Candidates should use a mix of narrative and diagrammatic formats to present their findings. Conclusion (including major inferences and recommendations for change) Reference list Appendix if used i.e. information supporting their analysis but not essential to its explanation. Evidence to be produced/required A written business report for stakeholders of approximately 2600 words. The title page, executive summary, reference list and any appendices are excluded from the word count. You should relate academic concepts, theories and professional practice to the way organisations operate, in a critical and informed way, and with reference to key texts, articles and other publications and by using organisational examples for illustration. All reference sources should be acknowledged correctly and a bibliography provided where appropriate (these should be excluded from the word count). All submissions should be in the region of 2,600 words plus or minus 10% and references should be added in the Harvard Referencing Format. There is a Harvard Referencing tutorial in the Resources Area which outlines the formatting required.