Evaluating research literature and methodological strategies

Evaluating research literature and methodological strategies

Part A: Evaluating research literature

“Article 1: Golicic, S. & Mentzer, J. (2005) Exploring the drivers of interorganizational relationship magnitude, Journal of Business Logistics, Vol 26(2) . Available online through the database: Ebscohost Business Source Premier”

What was the problem the research set out to address?

In this paper, the researchers Susan Golicic and John Mentzer set out to explore the drivers that impact and influence the level of relationship that can be formed and maintained between organizations. Relationships are an integral part of organizations that can lead to the formation and creation of successful conglomerates and companies. This paper focuses on the different factors that affects relationships.

What was the research objective/questions/hypothesis?

The objective of the research was to identify how trust, commitment and dependence affect relationships of businesses and how relationships influence business goodwill.The questions and subject that has been hypothesized in this paper is that relationship magnitude which (according to the authors) is a second order construct made up of trust, commitment and dependence, affects the business relationship type, which in turn affects the acuity of worth of the relationship.

Literature review: What themes are synthesised in the literature?

The literature revolves around relation building and the chosen factors. The themes that the authors have synthesized in the literature of this paper refer to relationship building in and among businesses, the components of a formal relationship: trust, commitment, dependence and the worth of a relationship from a business point of view.

Research Design

The research design included the construction of a hypothesis and using primary research methodology to find the validity of that hypothesis.

How was the method employed?

Quantitative research methods were used.

The research methodology included the usage of a structured survey based on equation modelling. Surveys were used to find quantitative data that was then analysed to check whether the hypothesis stands correct or false.

What were the results?

The null hypothesis was stated to be true. The results of the survey analysed using structural equation modelling claimed that the hypothesis was true. It supported the initial claim of the researchers that trust, commitment and dependence are the constructs of an organizational relationship and they affect the relationship of a business with other businesses.

“Article 2: Jackson, S. Wilson, J. McCarthy, B. (2004) A new model of scheduling in manufacturing: tasks, roles and monitoring, Human Factors, Vol 46(3) Available online through the database: Thomson Gale Academic Onefile”

What was the problem the research set out to address?

This paper presents a new model of scheduling with the aim to develop and implement effective and efficient scheduling systems in the manufacturing industry. Manufacturing industries are using automated services in their industry with reduced symbiotic functions and human involvement. Computerized systems are being utilized in industries for a long time but fully automated systems have still not been discovered and so far, all the processes that are conducted in a business are symbiotic and require a certain level of human interface to work. In spite of the efforts of industrialists and computer experts, ...