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Assessmet -1, Analytical Response
* Please Note: In Week-1, during the class, all
assessment tasks will be discussed in details.
Analytical Response
Select two (2) research articles from a major academic
journal, that have used research methods relevant to this unit, and
write a summary and critique of them. Each of the chosen articles should have used a
different research method (for example, one has used a quantitative research
method while the other a qualitative).
Remember that a research article normally presents the
results of an original, empirical analysis related to a specific topic. Review
or state of the field articles survey a variety of publications on a specific
theme, theory pieces discuss theory without much reference to data, or the
results of the authors’ own analysis, and opinion pieces or editorials simply set
out the authors’ views on a topic.
If you have any questions about whether the article you
are considering is a research article, please check with the lecturer.
Your summary and critique should be approximately 1000
words.
For your summary, make sure to outline the theory (if
any) that the author is applying, the hypotheses that they seek to test, the
data and methods that they use, and their conclusion. If the authors are using
advanced statistical methods that you don’t understand, don’t worry too much about
trying to explain them. Identify the methods and if possible explain why the
author believes they are appropriate to the task at hand.
As much as possible, link your discussion to concepts
discussed in class. For example, is the study micro or macro? Qualitative or
quantitative? Survey, ethnography, archival etc.? How did the researchers draw
their sample?
For your critique, offer some opinion about whether the
author’s
conclusions are justified in light of the evidence they present. Do you believe
the author’s claims? Why or why not?
Assessment
Criteria
Appropriateness of the article for the
analytical response
Critical reflection of the opinions
expressed
Analysis of methodology and
conclusions
Quality and coherence of the argument
Written
Expression
Presentation
Quality of Resources and Referencing
Style
Required reference style is APA.
Note for writer: please, visit the two uploaded sample for this Assessment and Assessment item details for criteria.
Article
analysis: “The art of strategic
management- the key to success in corporate sector” and Key success factors of strategic management
implementation in SMEs in Iran”
Name
Institution/Affiliation
This
analysis paper outlines and critically analyses two different journal articles,
each focusing on explaining the key success factors in the art of strategic
management leading to the maximization of competitive advantage in different
sectors. There are two distinct approaches utilized in the analysis of the two
journal articles. In the first article the researchers reach their final
findings by utilizing qualitative research, conversely, in the other article,
the researchers utilize a mixed methods approach. This kind of approach
involves the process of using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The
use of both methodologies in research is very significant as it gives the
researcher the opportunity to compile reliable data concerning the key success
factors (Pournasir, 2013). The use of quantitative data allows the researcher
to gain access to quality data as the respondents involved in the study can
provide deep insight regarding the study. Besides, it is significant to recognize
that by the researchers in the first article depending solely on qualitative
data, can only generalize their findings thus lacking some sense of
objectivity.
Article One
In the journal
article, “The art of strategic
management- the key to success in corporate sector” Dr. Fareha Zafar, Sman
Babar, and Hina Abbas (2013), centers their study towards explaining the role
of key success factors in strategic management. In their analysis, the
researchers use Pakistan Tele Communication Limited (PTCL) as the case study.
According to Zafar et al. (2013), the company enjoys the second most
significant share of the Pakistani cell phone share market under Ufone, the
company's cellular, it also operates over 4.4 million fixed lines. As per the
collected qualitative data, the researchers conclude that PTCL enjoys a
monopoly on all phone services, but the significant improvement in cellular
networks has provided the company with a competitive environment. A qualitative
approach was selected because it allows for insights into the research problem
thus helping to establish relevant ideas for the research. Further, the
approach ensures that the researchers uncover trends concerning the analysis of
the research questions. Besides, the qualitative approach enables the researchers
to utilize technical methods. To narrow
down the scope of the research the data collected is limited only to three
sectors of the case study, these sectors include functional strategy, corporate
strategy, and business strategy. Besides, the qualitative approach enables the
researchers to utilize technical methods.
Critique
analysis of article one
In qualitative research the relevant background is provided by the review of the pertinent literature regarding the research problem thus it is an essential aspect of the study. Dr. Fareha Zafar, Sman Babar, and Hina Abbas (2013), indeed provide some relevant literature to contextualize their qualitative research, although there is no evidence of precise analysis of the literature. By avoiding the use of quantitative approach, the researchers fail to acquire and include useful data in the examination of critical success factors in the art of strategic management. The use of qualitative approach leads to the researchers generalizing on the final results; this is because the process of data collection is limited to a particular case study. This approach does not provide the researchers with the room and freedom to make systematic comparisons this is because they narrow down to a single case study (Byram & Bell, 2007)....
