Lack Of Knowledge In Participants

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

CHAPTER 3

Research Methodology

Introduction to the Chapter

This Chapter’s purpose is to provide implemented research design’s overview by researcher to test the theoretical framework of the scorecard of supplier satisfaction set out in previous chapter. The details of research process adopted are available in the chapter which continues with an explanation of the collected data and its analysis methods employed by the researcher including justification for approach and methods. The researcher’s method used for sampling is discussed and justified and the chapter continues with commentary of the study design limitations. The observer influence issues are finally covered as is the research’s ethical approach and a summary of the chapter is presented.

This study is empirical study to find out relationship between supplier and customer, how happy supplier brings happy customer; and connection between supplier satisfaction and supplier performance to customer satisfaction. I will try to discuss how supplier show good performance and achieve their goals, if supplier goals are achieved then company goals will be achieve vice versa. The study has discussed many types of research philosophies that may be used for research purpose. The main types of researches are positivism, realism and interpretism. For job satisfaction survey in McDonald, the philosophy that has been used is realism. This approach is used to draw and conclude the real and original results.

3.1- Overview of the Research Design

3.1.1 Research Philosophy

The number of research philosophies available to the researchers are illustrated in the below diagram known as the research onion. Researchers chose the positivism research philosophy for this research. Because of being identified as a successful form of research in the field of sociology, cultural anthropology social work and political science, this approach of research was adopted and because of being increasingly valued in business management research where quantitative research is not satisfying with the information it produced, this research approach enables researchers to "get close" to participants, to "penetrate internal logic of the participants and interpret their subjective understanding of reality" and the understanding of the ways institutions evolve is aided by this philosophy, and research questions are allowed to be generated out of actual cases. (Alan, 2007)

The assumption that research participants respond in a subjective way is based on the realism approach to research, Jankowicz (2000) indicates that through the interpretation of events the interpreters approach draws its meanings and attempts to understand the subjective reality of those that they study in order to understand their motives, actions and intentions and make sense.

The tools related to supplier satisfaction and customer services are delivered to service providers having chaotic life styles, these supplier satisfactions are required to evolve in order to meet customer demands and performance goals and objectives of McDonalds or any other organization, national policy context of the supporting people program and key stake holders. Because the researchers used average sample for McDonald framework study of supplier satisfaction and customer satisfaction in depth, the positivism approach was considered but was not adopted. (Jankowicz, 2000)

3.1.2 Research approach:

The purpose of this methodology is to prove the relationship between customer satisfaction and supplier satisfaction by making some questionnaire, flow charts and a complete survey has also been made to one particular franchise. This is the one of the best approach to get good and pure information for getting 100 % good result. There has been done primary research directly from suppliers and customers as well as managers of McDonalds. Secondary research has been done through different articles that are related to my research area. The purpose of this is to determine about the opinion of different researcher, this has been done in previous chapter of literature review. (Peck, 2011)

Flow Chart of Supplier satisfaction and customer satisfaction has been discussed as below:

The purpose of research is to verify different ways to motivate customers. The purpose is to determine that satisfaction is not gained only by raising supplier salary but there are many other ways as well, especially it depends upon supplier designation or circumstances. On other way, the purpose of research is to know that how to calculate supplier performance, what are the different ways to calculate the supplier satisfaction and how many types of performance appraisal methods there are and which method McDonald is using. All this research and information is based on primary and secondary research. For primary data collection questionnaire strategy has been used. The questionnaire strategy that has been used in this research is mixed strategy, as it uses the combination of both questionnaire and semi-formal interview. (Peck, 2011)

Data Collection:

In this research, data has been collected from different primary and secondary resources. Different internet based articles and research based articles from newspapers and journals have been considered. Books and national statistics are another form of collection of secondary based data. For collection of primary data, I have made survey for 20 suppliers, 1 manager, 1 supervisor and more than 20 customers randomly without any gender or age biasness. Any person was free to provide their feedback and on the basis of collected data all the data has been analyzed.

3.2.1- Questionnaire design:

There are two types of question in my questionnaire design.

Open ended question

For research purpose, researcher has selected some open ended questions those give the audience opportunity to express their feelings fully openly without any predetermined set of responses. By this type of questionnaire researcher can get true insightful and even some unexpected suggestions and answers

Close ended Questions

Most of Closed format questions are questions that include multiple choice answers. Multiple choice questions fall under the category of closed format questions. These multiple choices could either be in even numbers or in odd numbers. By including closed format questions in your questionnaire design, it can easily be calculated statistical data and percentages. 

Time Horizon

Before conducting research, complete plan was decided. All segments used in research are divided in timely manners. Two types of time horizons have been discussed; cross sectional as well as longitudinal method. Longitudinal method is related with specific research that is within the given and planned period of research. In cross sectional approach, one time study is conducted. Author wants to find out the factors that have influenced supplier satisfaction and customer satisfaction in McDonald within given timeline of research. Cross sectional approach is more preferable in such type of research that is going to be conduct. That is the reason, researcher has selected cross sectional approach for the study.

Sampling and Sample Size:

Sample size of this study is not too large. There were no condition that has been selected for selection of customers and suppliers for research. For the purpose of researcher, researcher has researched on 5 different franchises of McDonald in London; and in each franchisee, there have been selection of 5 suppliers and 10 customers for research. Convenient sampling has been done in order to get accurate and specific results that may be easy to understand. Different customers were selected randomly to give their suggestion. The sample size for this research is n=85.

Data Analysis:

Customer satisfaction would be measured by using customer satisfaction tools. The purpose of analysis is to determine the link between customer satisfaction with supplier satisfaction and performance by making some flow chart. Purpose of analysis is to determine how satisfied are mc Donald customers? Are customers more or less pleased with McDonald than they were last year? How does your customer satisfaction level compare with that of your competitors? What impact does it have on your company’s profit?

There are some of the strengths and weaknesses that are related to this approach. Some of the close ended questions were asked from suppliers and they did not respond it so well. The reason is that, researcher cannot bind anyone to answer these questions in any condition. Open ended questions were helpful to give more open opinion, but some of the respondents may not interest in given their opinion. Close ended questions are easy to fill, but respondents have to limit to particular options. There were different questions for different variables.

Interview technique has also been used for this type of research. Manager was asked to answer the questions, there is also some limitation and strengths regarding to this strategy. The manager might not provide right information because of concerning company’s privacy policy. There is strength related to this strategy that it provide more detailed information regarding to company.

Methods of analysis:

In my proposal I will try to measure customer satisfaction by using customer satisfaction tools. And link customer satisfaction with supplier satisfaction and performance by making some flow chart. And I will try to answer how satisfied are mc Donald customers? Are customers more or less pleased with mc Donald than they were last year? How does your customer satisfaction level compare with that of your competitors? What impact does it have on your company’s profit? Excel sheet will be used to analyze the data in proper form. For this purpose different types of graph will be used, i.e. pie chart, and bar chart to represent the actual results from research.

Ethical approach to the research:

The participants are able to be confident that their privacy and confidentiality will be protected properly the manner the research ensures and was undertaken.

Participants rights are identified by Saunders et al (2003) being:

Not to participate

Beyond the scope of participation not to be harassed or offered inducements.

To be contacted at reasonable times.

To determine, when they will participate in the data collection process, within reason.

Abiding by the extent of the consent given to be expected off the researcher.

Any attempt to prolong the duration should not have one as subject.

Any question or set of questions not to be answered.

Questions creating stress or discomfort should not be of the subject

To expect to be observing strictly agreed anonymity and confidentiality in relation to discussion and during the data reporting.

The rights of participants as outlined above were followed in the research and also undertaken with engaging participants with the researcher as modeled below on the basis of informed consent. Author has been ensured privacy and confidentiality of the research, and that no one information would be leaked out. Researcher has not pursued the respondent to give answer. The respondents have also promised to provide their maximum true information to give accurate results to the study.

Issues faced in Study

This study is limited to supplier satisfaction; factors influence performance of supplier, what the key elements of satisfaction supplier are and how to measure supplier performance in McDonald. I will describe some factors influence supplier satisfaction how to increase it and benefits. Second part of my proposal is to discuss supplier performance appraisal and finally how these two are associated with customer satisfaction. Time barriers have also put a huge impact upon the study and research work. All other external forces that were not in control of researcher have also put a limitation in the research. These factors have been aroused during the questionnaires that have been asked from suppliers. Moreover, interview from manager has also put some limitation in the research as he has not provided us the maximum information. Respondents have sometime answered without any personal interest and sincerity. There is another limitation that qualitative researches do not require quantitative tools and they are mostly based upon assumptions. This data is applicable only to the few customers of McDonald in London; this data is only valid for the locality of UK people. This data cannot be applied to other countries. To apply this data on other countries, there is a need of further research. Moreover, the researcher has very limited knowledge and he has lack of skills to implement the research in proper manner. Time factor is another factor that comes in completion of project. Researcher has taken all these limitations as a challenge to complete his research.

Participant consent model:

Lack of consent

Implied Consent

Informed consent

Lack of knowledge in participants

Participants have no idea to understand their rights

Free participant consent was given and about participation rights they have been given full information as well as use of data.

Deception may be provided by different researchers

Consent of suppliers has been implied, information about use of data and return on questionnaire has been provided.

Before participants get agree to provide their information, information regarding project has been provided to them and as they get agree for their response, they were given questionnaire. To get the interviews from managers and supervisors, they were asked to give their response. The suppliers and managers of McDonalds were assured that they were given full security and privacy upon their data provided. All respondents were told about the purpose of the interview. They were also told that there would be given proper suggestion to McDonald in order to improve job satisfaction of suppliers. (Krishnamurty, 1997)

3.10- Summary of the Chapter:

The researcher has outlined the research process giving reasons why the chosen philosophy, approach and strategy were adopted to deliver the research in this chapter. The details and justification of this data collection, data analysis, research design, sources of the data and details of the primary semi structured interviews is discussed. Description of data analysis, various attached limitations to the employed research methodology are given including details of the research associated ethical considerations. The method that has been used for this research is realism, the time horizon that has been used in this research is cross sectional method, as this is a onetime study. The data that would be collected would be analyzed in next chapter, about which analysis would be made whether supplier satisfaction has an impact upon the customer satisfaction or not. On the basis of what, conclusion would be drawn and some recommendations would be made, too.