REFLECTIVE REPORT

Reflective Report

Reflective Report

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to expand the boundaries of our knowledge by writing a reflective report on the “Business Research and Consultancy Project”. In this report we will analyse the research methods that we have used in consultancy project report, with rationale for actual progress and what if anything could have been done differently. Secondly, we will assess client relationship (problems & solutions), group dynamics, and project management with theoretical and analytical backing. Finally, we will evaluate our own contribution to the group, as well as our own personal development and learning from the research project. Each step will be explained with the help of theories related to the above aspects.

Discussion & Analysis

Analysis of Research Method

In the “Business Research and Consultancy Project” we have used a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. For this report we have also collected a combination of primary and secondary data. Primary research was collected in the form of qualitative and quantitative data.

The research approach used is qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research is much more subjective than quantitative research and uses very different methods of collecting information which could be both primary and secondary. As already mentioned, this study chooses both the methods. The nature of this type of research is exploratory and open-ended. Considering the strengths and weakness of qualitative approach, the current research employed the principles of qualitative research approach as well as quantitative research. Central to the discussion of the rationale behind qualitative method strategy is the fact that knowledge is accumulated from a variety of sources in a variety of ways, thus, methodological diversity is needed. Basically, the qualitative method approach proposes that qualitative has its place and should be valued. No single approach to a research can be the best. So the important thing to consider is to take an approach that is best suitable to your research. And the quantitative approach suits this research the best.

Rationale for the study

Both quantitative and qualitative philosophical frameworks were considered when embarking upon this project. Quantitative research allows the researcher to empirically test hypothesis using statistical methods and provides results that are grounded by mathematically certainty (Kleinmuntz, 1996, pp. 21-32). The studies found in the literature review were found to be primarily quantitative in nature. Merriam (1998) observed, however, that traditional quantitative methods of inquiry “produced very reliable results about very unimportant things” pp. 22-51. Merriam (1998) further observed that qualitative research methodology provides the means to deeply explore a phenomenon and provide more than just “superficial data” pp. 22-51.

Given that the nature of the inquiry relates to how behaviour is manifested in communicating with clients, however, qualitative research methods that 'emphasize discovery, description and meaning rather than prediction, control and measurement” (Kolb, 2005, pp. 1-3) provided the best fit for the study. This was underscored by Merriam (1998) who found that further study was needed in the areas of trust and organizational relationships relative to business consultancy and stated that his own study was “limited by ...