Judging Research Studies

Chih Hung Chen, (2011), The major components of corporate social responsibility, Journal of Global Responsibility, Vol. 2 Iss: 1 pp. 85 - 99. Retrieved May 31,2012, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/20412561111128546






Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure for identifying a corporate social
responsibility (CSR) model with best goodness-of-fit. This research constructed a model of which CSR
was mainly influenced by four core components: accountability, transparency, competitiveness, and
responsibility.


Design/methodology/approach – The data presented in this study were collected from companies
in the year 2009 in Taiwan using questionnaires, and in total 185 companies were analyzed. Structural
equation modeling was applied to assess the proposed CSR model containing four latent factors and 13observation indicators.


Findings – The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the correlation among four
latent variables was significant, and the second-order factor structure fit the observed data well.
Research limitations/implications – The result supported the proposed model that four
constructs played a dominant role toward CSR. Business leaders therefore could have clearer
perspectives while facing challenges regarding CSR issues.


Originality/value – The paper shows that while developing business strategies, companies taking
accountability and transparency as priority would strengthen their competitiveness and generate
responsibility and in turn lead to CSR. Companies would obtain great advantages in the long run.

Poster Presentation

This is a good poster but should provide some conceptual framework and hypotheses. Actually, nowadays people are still confusing about the halal logo in Malaysia.

 This also a good poster but the findings is not interpreted in the most simple way. its hard to me to understand. overall this is a nice and good poster presentation.




Reference:


Poster presentation in Faculty of Economic and Business of UNIMAS,3rd year students.(23 may 2012)

ETHNOGRAPHY...

The term ethnography has come to be equated with virtually any qualitative research project (e.g., see Research Gateway) where the intent is to provide a detailed, in-depth description of everyday life and practice. This is sometimes referred to as "thick description" -- a term attributed to the anthropologist Clifford Geertz writing on the idea of an interpretive theory of culture in the early 1970s (e.g., see The Interpretation of Cultures, first published as a collection in 1973).  The use of the term "qualitative" is meant to distinguish this kind of social science research from more "quantitative" or statistically oriented research. The two approaches, i.e., quantitative and qualitative, while often complimentary, ultimately have different aims.

While an ethnographic approach to social research is no longer purely that of the cultural anthropologist, a more precise definition must be rooted in ethnography's disciplinary home of anthropology. Thus, ethnography may be defined as both a qualitative research process or method (one conducts an ethnography) and product (the outcome of this process is an ethnography) whose aim is cultural interpretation. The ethnographer goes beyond reporting events and details of experience.  Specifically, he or see attempts to explain how these represent what we might call "webs of meaning" (Geertz again), the cultural constructions, in which we live.

Ethnographers generate understandings of culture through representation of what we call an emic perspective, or what might be described as the "'insider's point of view." The emphasis in this representation is thus on allowing critical categories and meanings to emerge from the ethnographic encounter rather than imposing these from existing models.  An etic perspective, by contrast, refers to a more distant, analytical orientation to experience.

Originating in anthropology, this term traditionally refers to a practice in which researchers spend long periods living within a culture in order to study it. The term has been adopted within qualitative market research to describe occasions where researchers spend time - hours, days or weeks - observing and/or interacting with participants in areas of their everyday lives. This contrasts with interview-based research in which interaction with respondents is limited to a conventional interview or group discussion format, is more limited in time, and often takes place outside the participant's own environment

Advantages

• One of the more widely cited benefits of conducting ethnographic research is that due to the first-hand observation that is involved, usually conducted over an extended period of time, the research can provide extensive and in-depth findings about human behavior. In addition, because ethnographic research relies on observation rather than examinations or predetermined tests, the research can evolve and explore new lines of inquiry.

Disadvantages

• Due to the fact that ethnographic research relies on observation, it often takes a longer period of time to produce thorough and reliable results. Also, because the research is reliant upon the observations of just one or a few people, the conclusions about what the human subjects were doing, saying or feeling could be altered by the observers' cultural bias or ignorance.

Link http://www.aqr.org.uk/glossary/?term=ethnography

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEORY & FACT?

In popular usage, theory can be defined as a vague and fuzzy form of fact, and always changes if it is deemed as untrue or the current situation requires it to changes. It is made up of 3 steps of methodology, Pratt (1998) which is:

1. Making an observation.
2. Come out with a theory.
3. Using the theory to predict future observations.

Compared to hypothesis, which exist as the 1^st base of formulating scientific laws, theories are lighter in weight and is placed as the 2^nd base. Nevertheless, both are proposed from research. For professionals such as scientist, theory is a conceptual framework that explains existing observation and predicts new ones. For instance, in the case of sunrise, it is an existing observation which is explained by the theory of gravity proposed by Sir Isaac Newton. His theory explains why the sun is seen moving across the sky, as well as many other phenomenon such as the trajectory followed by the sun as it move across the sky, the phases of the moon, Venus, & the tides, just to mention a few. Thanks to his theory, it is possible to calculate the above phenomenon’s’ occurrences for the next 2 centuries. Nevertheless, theories are always presented to be true even if the claims in the said theories are mere speculations or a general agreement between a significant numbers of experts. Moreover, theories are statements that often undergo a series of tests to nullify the claims made by those who oppose them.

On the other hand, fact usually remains perpetual & true most of the time and it can also be supported by evidences. It is what one can readily observe, and it can pertain to any objectives as well as real phenomenon such as the trajectory of a boomerang after being thrown, the motion direction of a ball after being thrown vertically upward, or other simple observation occurrences. The facts that can be gathered from the former example are that the boomerang’s trajectory will curve inwardly, while for the latter is that the ball’s motion direction will be downward during its descending. As it is acquired from observations, we can relate fact to theories. Furthermore, if the activities that create those 2 phenomenons are done repeatedly under a controlled environment that cancels all unnecessary variables; those 2 phenomenons would have become very obvious, true, & undeniable facts, and will remain so even after a long period of time unless there exist more rigid and precise methods / ways of measuring certain phenomenon. As a conclusion, the following statement can make things easier to understand:

• Fact are observation while theories are the explanations to those observation.
• Theories are vague truths or unclear fact whereas facts are really fact.

References:

1. Pratt, P. J. (1998). Fact or Theory?. Johnpratt.com. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from http://www,johnpratt.com/items/astronomy/science.html
2. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-fact-and-theory/

INDUCTIVE OR DEDUCTIVE TYPES OF RESEARCH?

(Prof. Dr. S. M. Aqil Burney (2008). Inductive & Deductive Research Approach. http://www.drburney.net. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://www.drburney.net/INDUCTIVE%20&%20DEDUCTIVE%20RESEARCH%20APPROACH%2006032008.pdf)

 

There are 2 types of research exist, which are the Inductive & Deductive Research Approach. The 1^st one, which is the Inductive Research Approach, works by moving from the more specific observations to a broader generalizations and theories. It can be pictured as moving from the bottom to the top. Any conclusion derived from this approach is based on the premises. However, this approach involves a lot of uncertainty.

(Prof. Dr. S. M. Aqil Burney (2008). Inductive & Deductive Research Approach. http://www.drburney.net. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://www.drburney.net/INDUCTIVE%20&%20DEDUCTIVE%20RESEARCH%20APPROACH%2006032008.pdf)

 

       The 2^nd one is the Deductive Research Approach. This approach works the other way, which is from the more general to the more specific. Basically, it moves from the top to the bottom. The conclusion acquired from this method follows logically from the premises, which are the facts available.

(Prof. Dr. S. M. Aqil Burney (2008). Inductive & Deductive Research Approach. http://www.drburney.net. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://www.drburney.net/INDUCTIVE%20&%20DEDUCTIVE%20RESEARCH%20APPROACH%2006032008.pdf)

       The differences between these 2 approaches, aside from its sequences patterns & slight components differences, are at the starting and ending points. For Induction Research Approach, it moves from the specific to the general, where this contrasted with Deduction Research Approach. The 2^nd differences are that Induction Research Approach tends to utilized observations in its arguments. Deductive Research Approach on the other hand favors laws, rules, and accepted principles in its arguments.

In his book, which is the Relationship Marketing: Exploring Relational Strategies in Marketing (Financial Times/Prentice Hal, 2004), John Egan (2004) stated that Inductive Research Approach creates empirical (meaning that something that is experienced or seen rather than on theory) generalization via the observations of particular examples. The conclusions acquired are beyond the facts, making it as nothing more than strong possibilities. This approach is usually associated with qualitative methods.

        Egan (2004) also stated that due to its workings especially that of its arguments, the Deductive Research Approach is considered as analytical and certain. This is also contributed by it being able to be deduced from the premises. This approach usually is associated with the scientific view of research.

(Andreana Drencheva (June 15, 2011). Inductive Corporate Social Responsibility: A Business Strategy .http://andreanadrencheva.com. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://andreanadrencheva.com/2011/06/15/corporate-social-responsibility-a-business-strategy/

            For my proposed research topic, which is the “Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) impacts on the consumers”, I have categorized it as having both type of Research Approach. The reasons behind my decision is that during the progress of this research, I will utilized previously related researches regarding the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the processes of identifying & gathering data & information, where this is known as Deductive Research Approach (Creating 1^st impression based on other individuals’ observations). As for the Inductive Research Approach (Creating empirical generalization via ways such as personal observations), it will be implemented during my personal research processes to identify &gather as many data & information in order to prove that my hypothesis is true. 

I have narrow down my topic from Corporate Social Responsibility into its impacts on the consumers. I also narrow it down into several other related sub-topics, such as its impact on the business organization, and its roles & purposes. The area that I will use in order to conduct my research will be Kuching city, Sarawak, Malaysia, and I intend on acquiring the data & information for this narrowed topic via asking questions related to the CSR to the target audiences. Examples of the questions are:

1. What are CSR?  
2. What are its impacts on the consumers and business organizations?  
3. What is its role and purposes?
4. Does CSR very vital in business?
5. What are the benefits it can provide, whether directly or indirectly?
6. What are the consumers’ perceptions and receptions towards it?

Utilizing the above questions, I will be able to sort out the exact things that need to solved in the business area of the Decision / Problem Statement (Does CSR generate profits or losses to the consumers, or both?), and find out its impacts mainly on the consumers, as well as on the business organizations.

References:

1. Prof. Dr. S. M. Aqil Burney (2008). Inductive & Deductive Research Approach. http://www.drburney.net. Retrieved April 15, 2012, from http://www.drburney.net/INDUCTIVE%20&%20DEDUCTIVE%20RESEARCH%20APPROACH%2006032008.pdf
2. Egan, J. (2004). Relationship Marketing (2nd Edition). Harlow, England: Pearson Education Limited.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK & CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

     

A theoretical framework is a collection of interrelated concepts, like a theory but not necessarily so well worked-out. (Borgatti, 1996).This is mean by theoretical framework is set of data we gathered to approved that our hypothesis is true.By knowing our scope of theoretical ,we can give strength to our hypothesis hence making the theoretical framework are very important and they are support by general knowledge of related topic.Take an example of a research conducting the effect of smoking on health,thus we gather data related to many people having sick are related to smoking will be our theoretical framework to show that smoking does affect our health.

     Miles and Huberman (1994) defined a conceptual framework as a visual or written product, one that “explains, either graphically or in narrative form, the main things to be studied—the key factors, concepts,or variables—and the presumed relationships among them” (p. 18).As stated ,anonymous (2003) stated that conceptual framework is the basis for thinking about what we do and about what it means, influenced by the ideas and research of others.

From here,we can conclude that theoretical framework is making a new theory based on perception on ,other related research (conceptual framework) and gathering data to prove our theory is true.

Reference:

1. Borgatti, P. S. (1996). Elements of Research. Analytictech. Retrieved April 3, 2012, fromhttp://www.analytictech.com/mb313/elements.htm.
2. Anonymous (2003).What is a conceptual framework?. Healthy Women – Healthy Communities project. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from http://www.lazogroup.ca/msproject/framework1-e.php

PROPOSED TOPIC

Different from the business activities during the Industrial Revolutions, which mainly emphasizes profits and productions as the main aspects, today’s business consists of many complex aspects that were never thought of before. One of the aspects that have been realized by today’s business organizations is the Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR), where this aspect also contributes to their sales and profits margins, as well as reflecting their images and responsibilities. Simply speaking, the CSR relates to the responsibilities of the companies towards the entities surrounding them, such as towards the shareholders and the environments.

      Consumers must use their positions and power via their purchases, investments, and feedbacks to the organizations in order to influence and force the organizations into executing and advancing their CSR so that any impacts resulted will be that of positive ones.

1. Topic’s Title:
    Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) impacts on the consumers.


2. Decision / Problem Statement:
    Does CSR generate profits or losses to the consumers, or both?

3. Research Objectives:

                      i.        Studying the impacts of CSR on consumers.

                    ii.        Studying the impacts of CSR towards the business organizations.

                   iii.        Understanding the roles & purposes of CSR.

                   iv.        Studying & analyzing consumers’ perceptions and receptions towards CSR.

4. Research Questions:

                      i.        What are CSR?  

                    ii.        What are its impacts on the consumers and business organizations?  

                   iii.        What is its role and purposes?

                   iv.        Does CSR very vital in business?

                    v.        What are the benefits it can provide, whether directly or indirectly?

                   vi.        What are the consumers’ perceptions and receptions towards it?

5. Identified variables:

                      i.        Dependent Variable: The organizations and their CSR activities.

                    ii.        Independent Variable: Consumer’s perceptions and receptions.

6. Survey respondents:

                      i.        Individuals (Consumers).

                    ii.        Business organizations.

7. Scope of research:

    Target will be the individuals (consumers) and business organizations in Kuching, Sarawak.    

       

This research will be an applied research which will only involve solving the problem statement (Does CSR generate profits or losses to the consumers?).

(http://www.mallenbaker.net/csr/definition.php)