Honours - How To Write A Research Report Guideline Mak

Guideline for Writing a Research Report
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT
Honours Research Report
How to Write a Research Report

Guideline
2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 4
2. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR RESEARCH REPORTS ................................................ 5
3. STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT....................................................................................... 7
3.1 LENGTH ........................................................................................................................... 7
3.2 FORMATTING .................................................................................................................. 7
3.3 REFERENCING ................................................................................................................ 8
4. ACADEMIC WRITING ...................................................................................................... 8
4.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF ACADEMIC WRITING ............................................................. 9
5. TITLE PAGE................................................................................................................... 10
6. DECLARATION .............................................................................................................. 11
7. ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... 12
8. TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................. 13
8.1 EXAMPLE: TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................13
9. WRITING THE SECTIONS OF THE RESEARCH REPORT .......................................... 15
9.1 SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 15
9.1.1 Introduction and Background to the Research Problem .....................................................15
9.1.2 Research Problem ................................................................................................................16
9.1.3 Aim of the Study ...................................................................................................................16
9.1.4 Research Objectives .............................................................................................................17
9.1.5 Research Questions .............................................................................................................17
9.1.6 Significance of the study......................................................................................................17
9.2 SECTION TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................... 18
9.2.1 What is the literature review? ..............................................................................................18
9.2.2 Searching for literature..........................................................................................................18
9.2.2.1 Systematic Review ................................................................................................................................ 18
9.2.2.2 Platforms for searching the existing literature....................................................................................... 19
9.2.3 Writing the Literature Review ..........................................................................................21
9.3 SECTION THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ....................................................... 22
9.3.1 The Research Philosophy ......................................................................................................22
9.3.2 Research Approach ................................................................................................................24
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9.3.3 Research Strategy ..................................................................................................................26
9.3.3.1 Positivist (Quantitative) Research Strategy .......................................................................................... 26
9.3.3.2 Interpretivist (Qualitative) Research Strategies .................................................................................... 26
9.3.4 The Research Design .............................................................................................................28
9.3.5 Target Population and Sampling ...........................................................................................29
9.3.5.1 Kinds of Sampling ................................................................................................................................. 30
9.3.6 Sample Size .............................................................................................................................32
9.3.7 The Research Instrument .......................................................................................................32
9.3.8 Administration: Questionnaires and interviews ..................................................................34
9.3.9 Collection of Questionnaires ................................................................................................35
9.3.10 Pilot Study .............................................................................................................................35
9.3.11 Validity and Reliability/ Criteria of Trustworthiness ...........................................................35
9.3.12 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................37
9.3.13 Data Storage and protection ................................................................................................38
9.3.14 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study .........................................................................38
9.3.15 Elimination of Bias................................................................................................................38
9.3.16 Research Ethics: Key Considerations.................................................................................39
10. SECTION FOUR: RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ..... 40
11. SECTION FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................ 42
11.1 Key findings from the literature review ...............................................................................42
11.2 Key findings from the primary study ..................................................................................42
11.3 Conclusions ..........................................................................................................................42
11.4 Recommendations ...............................................................................................................43
11.5 Overall study conclusion .....................................................................................................43
12. BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................. 43
13. APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... 43
14. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MANUAL .......................................................................................... 44
15. APPENDIX A – EXAMPLE OF SECTION FOUR OF A QUANTITATIVE STUDY ............. 46
SECTION FOUR: RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS ........... 46
16. APPENDIX B - EXAMPLE OF SECTION FOUR OF A QUANTITATIVE STUDY .............. 62
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1. INTRODUCTION
The Research Report affords students the opportunity to demonstrate the research and analytical
skills learnt during the completion of the honours degree.
Through the Research Report, students should demonstrate their ability to:
 Analyse,
 Investigate, and
 Report on a particular issue or problem in an area of research.
During the research exercise students will need to demonstrate an understanding of critical
business and public administration issues, show their understanding and mastery of research
concepts and methodologies, illustrate their ability to critically read and review relevant literature
and should show their ability to appropriately select and apply research concepts in order to
collect, analyse and report data.
On completion of the Research Report, the following objectives should have been achieved:
 To successfully present a systematic review of the literature relevant to the field of study,
 To illustrate appropriate research questions or problems to be answered in the study,
 To demonstrate a sound research strategy in order to answer the research questions and
problems,
 To follow the specific research design, managing the practical problems that might have
arisen during the data collection phase of the study,
 To adhere to all ethical principles of research,
 To select and conduct an appropriate analysis of the data, and
 To produce a written report on the Research Project, following the guidelines provided by
MANCOSA.
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2. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR RESEARCH REPORTS
Grading Assessment Criteria
1. Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of the requirements for an

Honours Research Report
2. Applies relevant theoretical knowledge referenced from the literature
3. Collects adequate primary data and information to support the investigation
75% and above
(Excellent) 4. Shows excellent empirical statistical rigour
5. Shows the ability to exercise judgement
6. Incorporates some originality and personal insights
7. Clearly meets the terms of reference and achieves the objectives set
8. Has excellent presentation, is well structured and has full referencing
1. Demonstrates a broad understanding of the requirements for an Honours

Research Report
2. Applies selective relevant knowledge from the literature
3. Collects and analyses more than adequate data to support the investigation
70-74% 4. Shows sufficient empirical statistical rigour
(Very Good)
5. Shows ability to evaluate the problem, but lacks the originality and depth of
judgement of the excellent category
6. Achieves the research aims and objectives set
7. Demonstrates a competent grasp of the research process
8. Is well presented and organized
1. Demonstrates an acceptable level of understanding of the requirements for

an Honours Research Report
2. Applies some relevant knowledge from the literature
60-69% 3. Collects and analyses adequate data to support investigation
(Good)
4. Limited empirical statistical rigour
5. Expresses ideas and concepts sufficiently well to answer the research aims
and objectives
6. Content is adequately presented and organized
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7. Well -structured but evidence of minor faults may exist (e.g. poor
referencing)
1. Demonstrates some level of understanding of the requirements of an

Honours Research Report, but is simplistic in the application of knowledge
50-59%
(Satisfactory) 2. Collects and analyses some relevant data but lacks a convincing argument
3. Shows simplistic scientific rigour
4. Achieves an adequate coverage of the research aims and objectives
1. Demonstrates a basic level of understanding of the recommended structure

and format of an Honours Research Report, but includes errors
2. Collects inadequate data to investigate the problem, and/or falls short on the
40-49% analysis thereof
(Poor)
3. Fails to demonstrate evidence of empirical statistical rigour
4. Inadequate/limited coverage of the research aims and objectives
5. May be poorly presented
1. Does not adhere to the recommended structure and format for an Honours
Research Report
2. Fails to demonstrate evidence of the systematic collection and/or analysis of
Below 40% primary data
(Unacceptable)
3. Fails to demonstrate evidence of empirical statistical rigour
4. Fails to achieve the research aims and objectives
5. Different areas of the study are misaligned/poorly conceptualised
6. Does not adhere to the referencing guidelines
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3. STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
 Title page
 Declaration
 Abstract
 Table of Contents
 Section One: Introduction
 Section Two: Literature Review
 Section Three: Research Methodology
 Section Four: Results, Discussion and Interpretation of Findings
 Section Five: Conclusions and Recommendations
 Bibliography
 Appendices
3.1 LENGTH
The Research Report submission should not exceed 30 - 40 typed pages/or 10000 – 14000 words
(excluding the appendices and bibliography). When you have completed compiling your Research
Report with adherence to the guidelines and have the approval of your supervisor, please submit
to: honours.report@mancosa.co.za
3.2 FORMATTING
 Page Margins and page numbering

- It is important to number your pages correctly. The initial pages should be
numbered in roman numerals (i, ii, iii…). Page 1 begins at the Introduction section
- The standardisation for page margins is 2.5 cm from the left and right of the page
 Line spacing
- The required line spacing for the report is 1.5
 Font style
- Font size 12 must be used
- Either Times New Romans or Arial font must be used
 Headings
- Headings should be numbered
- Main headings should be in CAPS and bold
- There are no periods after the last number used. e.g. 2.1
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- Headings such as TABLE OF CONTENTS, ABSTRACT or ABBREVIATIONS are

not numbered
 Tables and figures
- To be enclosed in frames with appropriate headings and numbers
- The number used when labelling tables and figures should be aligned to the
section in which it appears, for example, the first table in section two will be labelled
Table 2.1
3.3 REFERENCING
 MANCOSA suggests that all students use the HARVARD SYSTEM of referencing.
 Please consult with the Referencing guidelines in this regard
 The Harvard Referencing Generator is a useful referencing tool. You can access it
online: http://www.harvardgenerator.com
4. ACADEMIC WRITING
Academic writing is a formal style of writing used at universities and in scholarly publications.
Academic writing will be encountered when reading journal articles and books on academic
topics. Students are expected to write assignments and research papers in academic style.
Academic writing follows the same writing process as other types of texts, but it has specific
conventions in terms of content, structure and style.
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Table 1: Do’s and Don’ts of Academic Writing
Academic writing is… Academic writing is not…

 Formal and unbiased  Personal
 Clear and precise  Long-winded
 Focused and well-structured  Emotive and grandiose
 Well-sourced
 Correct and consistent
4.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF ACADEMIC WRITING
Now that you have a definition of academic writing, here are some tips to remember about
the characteristics of academic writing.
Planning - There is a certain amount of planning that is to be done before starting with
the research proposal or research report write up to ensure that it will be analytical and
organized.
Outline - A proper outline is a must for academic writing. An outline will not only help to
formulate your thoughts, but will also help you identify certain relationships between
topics. It will help you determine the pertinent information to be included in your research
study.
Tone - A formal tone is used. You do not use slang words, jargon, abbreviations, pronouns
or numerous clichés.
Language - The language used in your research study needs to be clear and words need
to be chosen for their precision. A thesaurus is a good tool to help you pick just the right
words to explain the issues described.
Point-of-view - The point of view is always in the third person, as the focus of academic
writing is to educate the reader on the facts, not to support an opinion.
Cohesion: The smooth movement or “flow” between sentences and paragraphs.
Clarity: The meaning of what you are intending to communicate is perfectly clear; the
reader does not have to “read between the lines” to guess what you are saying.
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Logical Order: Refers to a logical ordering of information. In academic writing, writers

tend to move from general to specific. In a historical passage, the movement of information
is chronological; that is, from old to new.
Consistency: Consistency refers to uniformity of writing style. The writer should be
consistent. The principle of parallelism also exemplifies consistency (the same
grammatical structures should be consistently used in a list). Finally, in citing sources,
consistency of style is also essential.
Conciseness: Conciseness is economy in the use of words. Good writing quickly gets to
the point and eliminates unnecessary words and needless repetition (redundancy). The
exclusion of unnecessary information promotes unity and cohesion. (This concept, of
course, does not include the repetition of information in the conclusion, where the reader
expects the writer to “sum up.” However, remember that the ideas must be stated in a
different way than they were stated in the text).
Completeness: While repetitive or unnecessary information must be eliminated, the writer
has a
responsibility to provide essential information on a given topic. Failure to provide essential
information is indeed an error. For this reason, as well as others, you must consult a variety
of sources.
Variety: Variety helps the reader by adding variety to the text. It is achieved in part by
using various methods of joining ideas. In addition to constructing sentences of various
types and lengths, the writer should try to use synonyms when possible.
Formality: Academic writing is formal in tone. This means that sophisticated vocabulary
and grammatical structures are used. In addition, the use of pronouns such as “I” and
contractions is
avoided.
5. TITLE PAGE
The title page must include the following:

 Title of report
 Name of student
 Name of college
 Degree title
 Name of Supervisor
 Date of submission
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6. DECLARATION
DECLARATION
I, [student name, student number], declare that: Initial
I have read, (sought and obtained clarification, where required) and

understood MANCOSA’s Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Policy.
I am aware that plagiarism (the use of someone else’s work without

their permission and/or without acknowledging the original source) is
wrong.
I have sought and obtained clarification, where applicable, on aspects

of plagiarism that I was unsure about.
I have followed the required conventions in referencing the thoughts

and ideas of others.
I confirm that ALL the work included in this submission for

assessment is my own unaided work except where I have explicitly
indicated otherwise.
I confirm that I have not adopted/employed any unethical means in

producing the work contained in this submission.
I understand that MANCOSA may take disciplinary action against me

if there is a belief that this submission is not my own, unaided work
or that I have failed to acknowledge the source/s of the ideas or words
in my writing.
Date
*Please note that all points above MUST be initialled for the submission to be processed by the
Postgraduate Research Department
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7. ABSTRACT
The abstract should describe what the report is about and its central findings. This must include
the research problem, research methods and procedure, research findings, conclusions,
implications and recommendations. You need to highlight the key issues and findings. Do not
exceed 250 - 300 words.
The abstract should include the following key process elements:

 Reason for writing: What is the importance of the research? Why would a reader be
interested in the research/ broader thematic area?
 Problem: What problem does this research attempt to solve? What is the scope of the
project? What is the main argument/claim made in the research?
 Methodology: Detail the approach used in the study (Qualitative or Quantitative? What
sampling technique was employed for this study? What was the sampling frame for this
study?).
 Results/ Findings: Include specific data that indicates the results or findings from the
study.
 Recommendations/ Implications: What changes should be implemented as a result of
the findings of the work? Briefly outline the recommendations that the study presented.
Qualities of a good abstract:

 Includes one or more coherent and concise paragraphs
 Uses an introduction-body-conclusion structure in which the parts of the report are
discussed in order: purpose, research questions, methods, findings, conclusions,
recommendations
 Adds no new information - merely summarizes the content of the research report
 Can be understood without reading the research report itself
 Provides a condensed and concentrated version of the full text
 Does not contain citations
 Does not contain lengthy background information
 Does not contain any sort of illustration, figure, or table, or references to them
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8. TABLE OF CONTENTS
 All numbered headings and sub-headings must be included in the table of contents.
 A table of contents must also be included for tables and/or figures. These are called list of
tables and list of figures and must appear on a separate page.
 You need to ensure that the page numbers on the table of contents matches the contents
of the text.
8.1 EXAMPLE: TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Page numbers are included as an example, page numbers must be included throughout the table
of contents)
Content Page No.

Title page i
Declaration ii
Abstract iii
Table of contents
List of tables
List of figures
List of acronyms
1. SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1. Introduction and Background to the Research Problem
1.2. Research Problem
1.3. Aim of the study
1.4. Research Objectives
1.5. Research Questions
1.6. Significance of the study
2. SECTION TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
(Include all headings/ subheadings – this will differ for every study)
3. SECTION THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Philosophy
3.2 Research Approach
3.3 Research Strategy
3.4 Research Design
3.5 Target Population and Sampling
3.5.1 Kinds of Sampling
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3.5.2 Sample Size

3.6 Research Instrument
3.7 Pilot Study
3.8 Reliability and validity / Trustworthiness
3.9 Data Analysis
3.10 Data Storage and protection
3.11 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study
3.12 Elimination of Bias
3.13 Research Ethics: Key Considerations
4. SECTION FOUR: RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS
(Include all headings/ subheadings – this will differ for every study)
5. SECTION FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Key findings from literature review
5.2 Key findings from the primary study
5.3 Conclusions
5.4 Recommendations
5.5 Overall study conclusion
Bibliography
Appendices
Appendix A: Permission Letter

Appendix B: Draft Consent/ Covering Letter
Appendix C: Draft Questionnaire/ Interview Schedule
LIST OF TABLES Page

Table 1.1 Year on year growth in trading income 23
Table 1.2 Year on year growth in headline earnings per share 27
Table 2.1 The leadership behaviour map 33
LIST OF FIGURES Page

Figure 4.1 Formal training 55
Figure 4.2 Time sheets 56
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Figure 4.3 Benchmarking costs 57
LIST OF ACRONYMS
BOT - Build-operate-transfer
EAP - East Asia and the Pacific
GDP - Gross domestic product
IADB - Inter-American Development Bank
IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
IFC - International Finance Corporation
IFIs - International financial institutions
LAC - Latin America and the Caribbean
NOTE: Lists are to be presented on separate pages
9. WRITING THE SECTIONS OF THE RESEARCH REPORT
9.1 SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION
Section One serves an important role in conveying information about the research. It provides the
reasons for your research and an overview of what the reader can expect to find in more detail in
the following sections. The contents for this section will come from the research proposal. Please
ensure that this chapter has an introduction and conclusion.
The section needs to focus on the following headings:
 Introduction and Background to the Research Problem

 Research Problem
 Aim of the study
 Research Objectives
 Research Questions
 Significance of the study
9.1.1 Introduction and Background to the Research Problem
The introduction is an essential part of Section One it provides the reader with a general
understanding of the research problem. The introduction should include a clear and concise
description of the study and provide a ‘map’ of the structure and content of Section One. The
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background of the research problem provides context for the study. It should include an overview
of the research problem that ultimately emphasizes the importance of the study. The background
needs to provide an overview of relevant expert views around your study.
 This should be short and concise (approximately 35 lines). Avoid long paragraphs that
are irrelevant to the subject matter as you may lose the reader’s attention.
 Present basic information about the research project itself, and what the reader can expect
in the upcoming sections of the research report.
 The background and introduction should set the stage for the problem to be researched.
 As a hint, the information relating to the background to the problem should include
quotations by other authors.
9.1.2 Research Problem
The research problem is the focal point for the entire study, the problem statement should reflect
the key issue or phenomenon that needs to be addressed in the study. The background of the
study and research objectives are based off of the research problem. Creswell (2013: 131)
indicates that a research problem can also be considered as “a need for the study” or “creating a
rationale for the need of the study”. Creswell (2013:131) argues that the research problem should
be considered as “an argument as to why the topic you wish to study matters”.
State the exact problems/challenges/opportunities/issues that the organisation is faced with

and hence the need to research (this must be in line with your title). This section should flow from
the background to the problem (approximately 10-12 lines).
Keep the following in mind when writing your research problem:
 Key concepts and ideas which are current in the area should be highlighted.
 Briefly note some of the underlying assumptions in the research area.
 Describe what needs to be solved and identify the most significant issues that require
exploration. It is imperative that the independent and dependent variables are identified.
9.1.3 Aim of the Study
The research aim refers to “the main goal or overarching purpose of a research project” (Thomas
and Hodges, 2010: 38). The aim of the study refers to the desired outcomes, or the general
intentions of the research, which 'paint a picture' of your study. It should emphasize what is to be
accomplished and reflect the aspirations and expectations of the research topic.
 Your aim must be clear, unambiguous and concise, and indicate what you intend to
achieve with the research regarding the research problem or opportunity.
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 The aim should consist of three parts: What is being studied, how it is being studied and
why it is being studied. Once again, the aim needs to flow logically from the problem
statement.
 This usually starts with, “The aim of this study is...”
9.1.4 Research Objectives
The objectives of the study refer to the operationalisation of the aim of the study. Simply put, the
objectives use specific statements which define measurable outcomes. According to Thomas and
Hodges (2010), research objectives indicate specific issues or topics that the research project
plans to investigate, these statements are developed from the aim of the study.
Objectives are presented as brief statements, one sentence each.
You should have 3 objectives. Remember, the purpose of the research report is to investigate a
business issue. However, simply investigating an issue is not enough, and, therefore, you must
be able to recommend solutions to remedy problems and capitalise on opportunities. As such,
the final objective should focus on this.
Use bullet points to list your objectives.
9.1.5 Research Questions
Bryman (2012: 197) states that “a research question is a question that provides an explicit
statement of what it is the researcher wants to know about”. Research questions are essentially
a conversion of your research objectives into questions.
Convert your objectives into direct questions.
In other words, there should be as many research questions as there are research objectives.
For example,
Objective:
To examine the influence of job satisfaction on turnover intention levels at Company X.
Question:
How does job satisfaction influence turnover intention levels at Company X?
9.1.6 Significance of the study
You should take note that most readers do not have preconceived ideas of what the value of the
study will be. They are neutral. Therefore, you need to establish and convey to the reader to
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whom this research would be beneficial, for example, your company; your business associates;
or members of a grouping; or a particular region. Beyond stating who the study will benefit, you
should provide an indication of how it will be of benefit.
When compiling the significance of the study, the following questions should be answered:
 Will it be academically important?

 Will it contribute to knowledge?
 Who will the study be beneficial to? (consider ALL stakeholders)
9.2 SECTION TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
9.2.1 What is the literature review?
The literature review is considered a systematic analysis of existing knowledge relevant to your
own research problem. Bryman (2012) argues that your search for literature should be guided by
your research questions. Bryman (2012) believes that “the literature review is where you
demonstrate that you are able to engage in scholarly review based on your reading and
understanding of the work of others in the same field”.
The literature review is also a means to demonstrate your ability to not just simply reproduce the
theories and opinions of others, but to interpret what they have written by using their ideas to
support a particular viewpoint or argument (Bryman, 2012). Please ensure that this chapter has
an introduction and conclusion.
9.2.2 Searching for literature
9.2.2.1 Systematic Review
At Honours Level, you are expected to be able to demonstrate the ability and capacity to
undertake a systematic and precise search for relevant literature and be able to manage the large
amounts of information you will find. You will need to make use of a systematic review approach
to compile your literature review in this section. This approach to reviewing literature adopts
explicit procedures that eliminate bias that has been known to occur in traditional practices of
reviewing literature (Bryman, 2012).
Steps to follow to successfully conduct a systematic literature review:
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 Define the purpose and scope of review - You will need to develop a concise statement
of the purpose of the review, this would be in the form of research questions, which you
would have already developed in Section One.
 Seek out studies relevant to the scope and purpose of the review - You will need to
seek out literature that is relevant to your research questions, that essentially answers
your research questions. You can make use of keywords and terms that are relevant to
your purpose defined in the previous step.
 Appraise the studies from step 2 - This step simply narrows down your search to studies
that are published from a particular time period or studies from a particular geographical
region, depending on the nature of the study (ideally literature should be current and not
older than 5 years).
 Analyse each study and synthesize the results - This step involves categorising the
information of the literature (Date; location; sample size; data collection methods; and the
main findings) and synthesizing the results. You would simply summarise the key findings
of the literature used in the systematic review.
The use of the steps above will allow you to demonstrate a systematic review that ensures the
use of relevant literature in your field of study.
9.2.2.2 Platforms for searching the existing literature
 Electronic databases
This is the best source for online journals and articles that may be relevant to your field of study.
The most reliable search engine would be ‘Google Scholar’, where you can access journal articles
that are most relevant, your search can also be filtered according to date published and author.
You can also access the full end text reference in the correct referencing style.
Google Scholar also allows you to create email alerts on articles that are relevant to your field of
study.
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 Electronic databases available to MANCOSA students
1. Sabinet
http://reference.sabinet.co.za/
User Id: 001c
Password: mcsa
2. EBSCO
http://search.epnet.com/
User Id: mancosa13
Password: @ccess01
3. Emerald
https://www.emerald.com/insight/
In order to gain access to journals in EMERELD you will need to register on their website
4. http://scholar.google.co.za/
5. https://doaj.org/
6. https://vimeo.com/408417057/098b32e627
Additional Online Resources
7. http://www.questia.com/Index.jsp
8. http://www.mapnp.org/library
9. http://www.ipl.org/
 Bibliography search
Another tip for searching for literature or sources would be to look at the sources in the
bibliography of a source you have already acquired.
 Expanding your search

Search example:
The research topic: Employee Engagement
1. Initial search item used: “employee engagement”
TIPS:
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 Include “PDF” in the search, for example, search for: “employee engagement, PDF”;
filter the search by year, for example, “2015 to date”, to ensure you get up to date
sources
 Using “PDF” pulls all files available in PDF - usually for free
 Search using Google Scholar! No Wikipedia! When you access an article, it will have key
words. Use these words to further refine your search criteria
EXAMPLE:
Article title: Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement Keywords listed

in the article: Employees, Job satisfaction, Stress
2. Next, search: you can include “employee engagement, job satisfaction, and PDF”. This would
yield further results. Then again, look at the article’s keywords and use those to refine the
search further.
9.2.3 Writing the Literature Review
You are expected to write the literature review based on the information you have obtained during
your literature search. Bryman (2012) emphasizes that “writing a literature review is a means of
reviewing the main ideas and research relating to your chosen area of interest”.
Consider the following when writing the literature review:
 The literature review must have an introduction and conclusion.
 The literature review must not only be a descriptive account of theory, but should
critically analyse the theory/ information presented.
 The literature review should cover:
 Definition of Key Terms
 Theories/models related to the study
 Empirical (Systematic) literature – with clear sub-headings covering the research
objectives
 You should have at least 20 in-text references from resources.
 At least 15 literary sources reviewed should be on the area of study and at least 5 of
these sources should be from academic journals.
 Using Wikipedia or similar internet sources is NOT acceptable.
 You are required to use headings and sub-headings in the literature review.
 Plan your review carefully;
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 Use the headings and sub-headings to organize the information so that it is

presented in a logical and clear manner; and
 Ensure that sections ‘flow’ from and into each other͘
 Avoid plagiarism. Do not copy and paste material from other authors/sources without
paraphrasing and acknowledge the source of the information. This would require you to
provide in-text references. You are advised ͘ to consult MANCOSA’s referencing guide to
ensure that you reference correctly.
 You are required to write in a professional and academic style. Do not use overly
descriptive or emotive language.
9.3 SECTION THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Selecting the research methodology involves decisions about the research philosophy, research
approach and research method. In this section, you will present information on the type of data
used, and the data collection and data analysis strategies applied to answer the research
questions. This section must be written in the past tense. A general rule should be adopted for
each part of Section Three:
 Define terminology/ heading (with reference)

 Discuss the different options available and also define these
 Indicate your choice
 Justify your choice
(In this section ensure that you are discussing ONLY the chosen methodology for the study)
Please ensure that this section has an introduction and conclusion.
9.3.1 The Research Philosophy
Research philosophy refers to a system of beliefs and assumptions about the development of
knowledge (Saunders et al., 2012). The knowledge development that you are embarking upon
may not be as dramatic as a new theory of human motivation, but even when answering a specific
problem in a particular organisation you are, in essence, developing new knowledge (Saunders
et al., 2012). This will involve a discussion of the research philosophy which incorporates the
fundamental philosophical concepts and values about the nature of reality and the scientific
pursuit of knowledge.
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Essentially, there are two common schools of thought about science and knowledge - positivism
and interpretivism. You will discuss the Positivism (quantitative) OR Phenomenological
(qualitative) research philosophies and you will motivate reasons for choosing a specific type.
 Positivism (Quantitative) - As a philosophy, positivism adheres to the view that only

“factual” knowledge gained through observation (the senses), including measurement, is
trustworthy. In positivism studies the role of the researcher is limited to data collection and
interpretation in an objective way. In these types of studies research findings are usually
observable and quantifiable.
Positivism depends on quantifiable observations that lead to statistical analyses.
Moreover, in positivism studies the researcher is independent form the study and there
are no provisions for human interests within the study. If you assume a positivist approach
to your study, then it is your belief that you are independent of your research and your
research can be purely objective. Independent means that you maintain minimal
interaction with your research participants when carrying out your research. In other
words, studies with positivist paradigm are based purely on facts and consider the world
to be external and objective.
 Interpretivism (Qualitative) - Interpretivism, also known as interpretivist research,
involves researchers interpreting elements of the study, thus interpretivism integrates
human interest into a study. Accordingly, interpretive researchers assume that access to
reality (given or socially constructed) is only through social constructions such as
language, consciousness, shared meanings, and instruments. Accordingly, this
philosophy emphasizes qualitative analysis over quantitative analysis. Interpretivism is
associated with the philosophical position of idealism, and is used to group together
diverse approaches, including social constructivism, phenomenology and hermeneutics;
approaches that reject the objectivist view that meaning resides within the world
independently of consciousness. According to the interpretivist approach, it is important
for the researcher as a social actor to appreciate differences between people. Moreover,
interpretivism studies usually focus on meaning and may employ multiple methods in order
to reflect different aspects of the issue. The basic differences between positivism and
interpretivism are illustrated below:
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Table 2: Differences between Positivism and Interpretivism
Assumptions Positivism Interpretivism
Nature of reality - Objective, tangible, single - Socially constructed, multiple
Goal of research - Explanation, strong - Understanding, weak

prediction prediction
Focus of interest - What is general, average - What is specific, unique, and

and representative deviant
- Laws - Meanings
Knowledge generated - Absolute (time, context, and - Relative (time, context,

value free) culture, value bound)
Subject/Researcher - Rigid separation - Interactive, cooperative,

relationship participative
Desired information - How many people think and - What some people think and
do a specific thing, or have a do, what kind of problems
specific problem they are confronted with, and
how they deal with them
9.3.2 Research Approach
The relevance of hypotheses to the study is the main distinctive point between deductive and
inductive approaches. Deductive approach tests the validity of assumptions (or
theories/hypotheses) in hand, whereas inductive approach contributes to the emergence of new
theories and generalizations (Saunders et al., 2012).
 Deductive research is consistent with quantitative research, as it focuses on scientific

principles, an examination of relationships between variables, highly structured research,
researcher independence from the topic, and a selection of samples that are sufficient in
size in order to generalize conclusions. If you have formulated a set of hypotheses for your
research study that need to be confirmed or rejected during the research process, you
would be following a deductive approach.
 Inductive research is consistent with qualitative research, as it aims to gain an

understanding of events that humans attach meaning to and a close understanding of the
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research context, as well as is more flexible in its structure to allow for emphasis on
different aspects of the research in order to more away from generalization, and allows
the researcher to be immersed in the research process. Alternatively, inductive approach
does not involve formulation of hypotheses. It starts with research questions and aims and
objectives that need to be achieved during the research process. The following table
illustrates the major differences between deductive and inductive research approaches in
terms of logic, generalizability, use of data and theory:
Table 3: Differences between deductive and inductive research approaches

Deduction Induction
Logic In a deductive inference, In an inductive inference,
when the premises are true, the known premises are used
conclusion must also be true to generate untested conclusions
Generalizability Generalising from the general to the Generalising from the specific to the
specific genera
Use of data Data collection is used to evaluate Data collection is used to explore a
propositions or hypotheses related phenomenon, identify themes and
to an existing theory patterns and create a conceptual
framework
Theory Theory falsification or verification Theory generation and building
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE APPROACHES: WHICH TO CHOOSE?
Seven factors to take into account:
1. Research Questions: What exactly are you trying to find out? Focus on the `exactly'
as this can lead you either into the quantitative or qualitative direction.
2. Are you interested in making standardized and systematic comparisons or do you
really want to study this phenomenon or situation in detail?
3. The literature: How have other researchers dealt with this topic? To what extent
do you wish to align your own research with standard approaches to the topic?
4. Practical considerations: Issues of time, money, availability of samples and data,
familiarity with the subject under study, access to situations, gaining co-operation.
5. Knowledge payoff: Will you learn more about this topic using quantitative or
qualitative approaches? Which approach will produce more useful knowledge? Which
will do more good?
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6. Style: Some people prefer one to the other. This may involve paradigm and
philosophical issues or different images about what a good piece of research looks like.
7. Inductive or Deductive: The researcher must decide whether this study falls under
deductive or inductive research.
You are required to state which research approach was chosen for your study and why.
9.3.3 Research Strategy
The research strategy describes how the researcher intends to carry out the work (Saunders et
al., 2012). The strategy can include a number of different approaches, such as experimental
research, action research, case study research, interviews, surveys. In this section, you will
discuss the research strategies in-line with the chosen research philosophy (positivist or
interpretivist) and explain why it was chosen.
9.3.3.1 Positivist (Quantitative) Research Strategy
 Surveys: This is a widely used method in business research and allows access to
significantly high numbers of participants. The availability of online sites enables the wide
and cheap distribution of surveys and the organisation of the responses. Although the
development of questions may appear easy, to develop a meaningful questionnaire that
allows the answering of research questions is difficult. Questionnaires need to appeal to
respondents, cannot be too long, too intrusive or too difficult to understand. They also
need to measure accurately the issue under investigation. For these reasons it is also
advisable, when possible, to use questionnaires that are available on the market and have
already been thoroughly validated. This is highly recommended for projects such as the
one you need to carry out for this course. When using questionnaires decisions have to
be made about the size of the sample and whether and when this is representative of the
whole population studied. Surveys can be administered to the whole population (census),
for example to all employees of a specific organisation.
9.3.3.2 Interpretivist (Qualitative) Research Strategies
 Interviews: There are different types of qualitative interviews (e.g. structured, semi-
structured, unstructured) and this is the most widely used method for gathering data.
Interviews allow access to rich information. They require extensive planning
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concerning the development of the structure, decisions about who to interview and
how, whether to conduct individual or group interviews, and how to record and analyse
them. Interviewees need a wide range of skills, including good social skills, listening
skills and communication skills. Interviews are also time-consuming to conduct and
they are prone to problems and biases that need to be minimised during the design
stage.
 Focus Groups: A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people
are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes. Focus groups are a form
of group interview that capitalises on communication between research participants in
order to generate data. Although group interviews are often used simply as a quick and
convenient way to collect data from several people simultaneously, focus groups explicitly
use group interaction as part of the method. This means that instead of the researcher
asking each person to respond to a question in turn, people are encouraged to talk to one
another: asking questions, exchanging anecdotes and commenting on each other's
experiences and points of view. The method is particularly useful for exploring people's
knowledge and experiences and can be used to examine not only what people think but
how they think and why they think that way.
 Case Study: This focuses on an in-depth investigation of a single case (e.g. one
organisation) or a small number of cases. In case study research generally,
information is sought from different sources and through the use of different types of
data such as observations, survey, interviews and analysis of documents. Data can
be qualitative, quantitative or a mix of both. Case study research allows a composite
and multifaceted investigation of the issue or problem.
 Action-oriented research: This refers to practical business research which is
directed towards a change or the production of recommendations for change. Action-
oriented research is a participatory process which brings together theory and practice,
action and reflection. The project is often carried out by insiders. This is because it is
grounded in the need to actively involve participants in order for them to develop
ownership of the project. After the project, participants will have to implement the
change.
 Grounded theory: Grounded theory refers to a set of systematic inductive methods for
conducting qualitative research aimed toward theory development. The term grounded
theory denotes dual referents: (a) a method consisting of flexible methodological
strategies and (b) the products of this type of inquiry. Increasingly, researchers use the
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term to mean the methods of inquiry for collecting and, in particular, analyzing data. The
methodological strategies of grounded theory are aimed to construct middle-level theories
directly from data analysis. The inductive theoretical thrust of these methods is central to
their logic. The resulting analyses build their power on strong empirical foundations. These
analyses provide focused, abstract, conceptual theories that explain the studied empirical
phenomena.
 Ethnography: Ethnography, simply stated, is the study of people in their own environment
through the use of methods such as participant observation and face-to-face interviewing.
9.3.4 The Research Design
Research design can be defined as a general plan about what you will do to answer the research
question (Saunders et al., 2012). Research design is defined as a framework of methods and
techniques chosen by a researcher to combine various components of research in a reasonably
logical manner so that the research problem is efficiently handled. It provides insights about ‘how’
to conduct research using a particular research methodology. Research design is the structure
that holds your research together and enables you to address the research questions in ways that
are appropriate, efficient and effective. Research designs may also be classified in terms of their
purpose. Below are some of the common forms of research designs. You are required to discuss
the research design that you have chosen and then provide a rationale for why the specific
research design was chosen.
 Explanatory research (the relationship between variables) - Explanatory research focuses

on why questions. The way in which researchers develop research designs is fundamentally
affected by whether the research question is descriptive or explanatory. It affects what
information is collected. Explanatory Research is conducted for a problem that was not well
researched before, demands priorities, generates operational definitions and provides a
better-researched model. Explanatory research is actually a type of research design that
focuses on explaining the aspects of your study. Explanatory Research is conducted in order
to help us find the problem that was not studied before in-depth. Explanatory research is not
used to give us some conclusive evidence but helps us in understanding the problem more
efficiently. When conducting the research, the researcher should be able to adapt
himself/herself to the new data and the new insight.
 Descriptive research (describes the ‘profile’ of the phenomenon) - Descriptive research
designs help provide answers to the questions of who, what, when, where, and how
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associated with a particular research problem; a descriptive study cannot conclusively

ascertain answers to why. Descriptive research is used to obtain information concerning the
current status of the phenomena and to describe "what exists" with respect to variables or
conditions in a situation. The subject is being observed in a completely natural and unchanged
natural environment. Descriptive research is often used as a pre-cursor to more quantitative
research designs with the general overview giving some valuable pointers as to what variables
are worth testing quantitatively. If the limitations are understood, they can be a useful tool in
developing a more focused study. Descriptive studies can yield rich data that lead to important
recommendations in practice.
 Exploratory research (asks ‘what is happening’͘) - An exploratory design is conducted
about a research problem when there are few or no earlier studies to refer to or rely upon to
predict an outcome. The focus is on gaining insights and familiarity for later investigation or
undertaken when research problems are in a preliminary stage of investigation. Exploratory
designs are often used to establish an understanding of how best to proceed in studying an
issue or what methodology would effectively apply to gathering information about the issue.
An exploratory study is particularly useful if you wish to clarify your understanding of an issue,
problem, or phenomenon, such as if you are unsure of its precise nature. Exploratory research
is flexible and can address research questions of all types (what, why, how). Exploratory
research generally utilizes small sample sizes and, thus, findings are typically not
generalizable to the population at large.
9.3.5 Target Population and Sampling
The sample selected is related to the population that is highlighted in the research questions and
objectives. The target population is the entire aggregation of respondents that meet the
designated set of criteria. You need to define the population which you are targeting, e.g. all
employees in a company.
A sample is a fractional part of the whole relevant group or population. The basic idea is that by
selecting some of the elements in a population and focusing research attention on this finite group,
you may apply the findings of the study to the whole population of interest.
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Figure 1: Population, target population and sample
Source: Saunders et al. (2012)
9.3.5.1 Kinds of Sampling
There are two broad sampling methods: Probability and Non-probability
With probability sampling, the likelihood of any one member (or element) of the population being
selected, is known. In non-probability sampling, the exact number of elements in the population
is unknown, meaning that the likelihood of selecting any one member of the population is
unknown.
The choice of sampling method will be dependent on the research questions, methodology
chosen, and whether you want to generalize the results from the sample to the larger population.
Each method has a number of sampling techniques available. At the proposal phase a decision
should have been made on which overall sampling method will be used, (probability OR non-
probability), a sampling technique would have been chosen. The lists below are not exhaustive
but rather illustrate some of the more popular options. Briefly discuss the relevant options,
highlight the sampling method and technique you had chosen, motivate why it was the most
suitable option, and detail how the sampling was executed.
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Refer to the below information on the different types of sampling and the corresponding
sampling techniques:
9.3.5.1.1 Probability Sampling
The probability sampling technique only applies to a quantitative research study.
Examples of probability sampling methods include the following:
 Simple Random Sampling: Each population element has an equal chance of being
selected into the sample. Sample drawn using random number table/generator.
 Systemic Sampling: A type of probability sampling method in which sample members
from a larger population are selected according to a random starting point and a fixed
periodic interval (every kth element). This interval, called the sampling interval, is
calculated by dividing the population size by the desired sample size.
 Stratified Sampling: Divide population into sub-populations or strata and use simple
random sampling or systematic sampling on each stratum.
 Cluster Sampling: Population is divided into internally heterogeneous sub-groups and an
entire cluster is then chosen to be part of the sample.
9.3.5.1.2 Non-probability Sampling
The non-probability sampling technique only applies to a qualitative research study.
Examples of probability sampling include the following:
 Haphazard / Convenience Sampling: The researcher selects a sample that is

convenient or easy to access.
 Quota Sampling: A sample in a predetermined group is selected, has the same
proportions of individuals as the entire population with respect to known
characteristics.
 Purposive / Judgemental Sampling: Is a sampling technique in which researchers
rely on their own judgment when choosing members of the population to participate in
their study.
 Snowball Sampling: The researcher will select an element (participant) that is
connected to another element. The first will refer the researcher to the next and so on.
Hence, the reference to a snowball.
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 Maximum Variation Sampling: The researcher identifies the categories of interest in

relation to the research topic and then intentionally seeks out subjects or settings
which represent the greatest possible range of differences in the phenomena being
studied.
9.3.6 Sample Size
The sample size of a survey most typically refers to the number of units that were chosen from
which data were gathered. However, sample size can be defined in various ways. There is
the designated sample size, which is the number of sample units selected for contact or data
collection. There is also the final sample size, which is the number of completed interviews or
units for which data are actually collected. The final sample size may be much smaller than the
designated sample size if there is considerable nonresponse, ineligibility, or both. Not all the units
in the designated sample may need to be processed if productivity in completing interviews is
much higher than anticipated to achieve the final sample size.
The sample size must be explicitly stated (ensure that you justify why the sample size was
chosen).
 If you are using the quantitative research approach – your sample size (number of
respondents) should be a minimum of 50 (as per MANCOSA’s requirements).
 If you are using the qualitative research approach – your sample size should be 8 – 10
respondents (as per MANCOSA’s requirements).
9.3.7 The Research Instrument
The research instrument should have been developed at the research proposal phase. However,
should there be any changes to the objectives and the literature review; you will need to ensure
that the research instrument is adjusted accordingly.
There are many different measuring instruments that can be utilized by the student to collect the
necessary data to answer the research questions. This discussion should include why particular
instruments were used over others and what is their appropriateness to the study. The most
commonly chosen research instruments are questionnaires and interviews.
The questions you need to answer in this section are:
 What research instrument options are there?
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 What have you chosen and why?

 How will your instrument answer the research questions?
In selecting the questionnaire as the research instrument, the following information

is required:
 Questionnaire Construction - Here you will discuss how the questions were developed.
Was an existing questionnaire used or were the questions developed for the use of this
study only, i.e. did you develop the questions? Here you want to establish a link to
literature, i.e. for your research problem: what is literature highlighting as important
questions to ask about the research problem? Then discuss the number, question
categories and the types of questions that will be asked. Think about the actual structure
and layout of the questionnaire - on the component sections and the sequence of the
questions. The questions that make up the questionnaire must be aligned to the objectives
and have their foundation in the literature study.
In selecting an interview as the research instrument, the following information is required:
 Interview Methods - You need to explain why you have selected the interview method
and the type of questions to be asked. The following are the different types of interviews:
- Unstructured interviews: These are interviews that take place with few, if any,
interview questions. They often progress in the manner a normal conversation would,
however it concerns the research topic under review. It is a relatively formless interview
style that researchers use to establish rapport and comfort with the participant, and is
extremely helpful when researchers are discussing sensitive topics. The researcher is
expected to probe participants in order to obtain the most-rich and in-depth information
possible. If you select this interview style, just keep in mind that you may have to
conduct several rounds of interviews with your participants in order to gather all the
information you need. Since you do not use a standard interview protocol, sometimes
participant’s narratives manoeuvre the conversation away from other aspects of the
research topic you want to explore; it is a part of the conversational style this interview
method requires.
- Semi-structured interviews: These are interviews that use an interview protocol to
help guide the researcher through the interview process. While this can incorporate
conversational aspects, it is mostly a guided conversation between the researcher and
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participant. It does maintain some structure (hence the name semi-structured), but it
also provides the researcher with the ability to probe the participant for additional
details. If you decide to choose this interview method, understand that it offers a great
deal of flexibility for you as a researcher. You do not have to worry about needing to
conduct several rounds of interviews because your interview protocol will keep you
focused on gathering all the information that you need to answer your research
question. Even though that is the goal with an interview protocol, there may be a need
for additional probing so that you can get more details about participants’ thoughts,
feelings, and opinions.
- Structured interviews: These are interviews that strictly adhere to the use of an
interview protocol to guide the researcher. It is a more rigid interview style, in that only
the questions on the interview protocol are asked. As a result, there are not a lot of
opportunities to probe and further explore topics that participants bring up when
answering the interview questions. This method can be advantageous when
researchers have a comprehensive list of interview questions, since it helps target the
specific phenomenon or experience that the researcher is investigating. It makes for
expedient interviewing and will gather the correct information that you need, so there
should not be much need for you to do follow-up interviews for missed or forgotten
questions.
9.3.8 Administration: Questionnaires and interviews
Questionnaires (Quantitative)
In this section, you will describe the method that was used to administer the questionnaires or
interviews. The questionnaires can be administered by:
 Postage;
 Telephone;
 Face-to-face;
 and Email.
Each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages. You need to focus on which method
you used, define and discuss the method you used and explain why it was the best option.
Interviews (Qualitative)
Similarly, if you used interviews, you would describe how they were conducted. You would include
information on the conditions in which the interview was conducted, i.e. an office or meeting room,
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the format of the questions asked as well as how the data was recorded. Did you use a
Dictaphone, did you make field notes, etcetera? Please note that ‘administration and collection’
for qualitative methodologies would become one as they are face-to-face. Therefore, it’s ‘live
capturing’͘.
9.3.9 Collection of Questionnaires
The collection of questionnaires will include time frames, collection points and storage of
questionnaires. An example of this would be where questionnaires are handed out and
participants are asked to deposit the completed questionnaires in a collection box.
As above, interviews will involve live capturing and this should be mentioned.
9.3.10 Pilot Study
The term 'pilot studies' refers to mini versions of a full-scale study (also called 'feasibility' studies),
as well as the specific pre-testing of a particular research instrument such as a questionnaire or
interview schedule. Pilot studies are a crucial element of a good study design. Conducting a pilot
study does not guarantee success in the main study, but it does increase the likelihood of success.
 Define the term pilot study and explain the benefits/importance of conducting a pilot study.
 Discuss how many participants were targeted for the pilot study.
 Please ensure that the results of the pilot are clearly documented (For example: Were
there any changes made to the questionnaire/ interview schedule post the pilot study?)
 For a quantitative study, the questionnaire should have been piloted on a sample of 10
participants.
 For qualitative studies, the interview questions should have been piloted using 1-2
participants.
9.3.11 Validity and Reliability/ Criteria of Trustworthiness
 For a quantitative study discuss the following:
Validity and Reliability

Validity and reliability deal with measurement quality. Validity addresses the issue of whether the
researcher is actually measuring what he/ she has set out to measure. There are three specific
types of validity - each of which the researcher would ideally want to establish for the research
instrument prior to administering it for the actual study. You will discuss how the four specific types
of validity were considered in the questionnaire construction.
These include:
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 Construct validity – identifies how well the research instrument measures the
components of the research that it is meant to measure.
 Content validity – determines the degree to which the research instrument addresses the
components of the study and the research topic.
 Criterion-related validity – determines how well the questions used in the research
instrument measure the outcomes of the study.
 Face validity – is a simple form of validity where you apply a superficial and subjective
assessment of whether or not your study or test measures what it is supposed to measure
Reliability of a research instrument refers to the consistency or repeatability of the measurement

of the phenomena. There are four general types of reliability. Discuss how these types of reliability
were used in the questionnaire construction:
 Parallel forms of reliability – is a measure of reliability obtained by administering
different versions of an assessment/ research tool (both versions must contain items that
probe the same construct, skill, knowledge base, etcetera) to the same group of
individuals.
 Test-retest reliability – addresses the rigour of the research instrument by testing the
same research instrument twice over the same period of time.
 Internal consistency reliability – determines how regularly the same answer is provided,
particularly when measuring a specific variable. The consistency of the same response
shows a reliability of the test.
 Inter-rater reliability – address the degree of agreement among the respondents.
 For a qualitative study, you are required to discuss the trustworthiness of the study
Criteria for Trustworthiness:

 Credibility – addresses how reliable the information provided in the study is. This is
determined by ensuring that the sources of the information provided are reliable, in terms
of peer-reviewed and accredited sources.
 Transferability – this determines the degree to which the results of the study can be
generalized to another context or setting, when the concepts of the study are similar.
 Dependability – addresses the rigour of the data and results of the study through various
challenges, like changes that occur through time.
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 Confirmability – refers to how consistent the results of the study are with those of other
reliable authors. You compare the results of the study with those of other studies to identify
if the results are in-line with those of the other studies.
9.3.12 Data Analysis
Data Analysis is the process of systematically applying statistical and/or logical techniques to
describe and illustrate, condense and recap, and evaluate data. Once questionnaires have been
collected from participants and interviews recorded, the data needs to be captured. Part of data
analysis is the capturing and cleaning of data. Start this section by outlining how data was
captured, i.e. quantitative surveys can be captured onto Microsoft Excel, qualitative data will be
transcribed into Word or an alternative word processing programme.
Once captured, the data must be cleaned. In the case of surveys/ questionnaires, you would
double check your data entries, look at missing data, exclude incomplete questionnaires, etc.
Similarly, in qualitative data, that is, an interview, you will listen to the recordings again and ensure
you have transcribed the recording accurately and have not missed out any information.
 For a quantitative study:

 Discuss descriptive and inferential statistics
 If you incorporated inferential statistics, the specific tests and measures that were applied
to analyse the raw data must be referred to.
 Specify the analysis software that was used (For example: Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences (SPSS); Microsoft Excel).
 Thereafter, provide a discussion on the selected technique.
Once questionnaires have been collected from participants or interviews recorded, the data needs
to be captured. Part of data analysis is the capturing and cleaning of data. Start this section by
outlining how data was captured, that is, quantitative surveys can be captured onto Microsoft
Excel.
 For a qualitative study:

 Specify which data analysis technique was used, for example, thematic analysis and so
on.
 Specify the analysis software that was used (For example: NVivo)
 Qualitative data analysis requires you to capture the literal responses from participants.
This can be through audio-recordings or through written responses from participants. Note
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that the results from participants will be quoted in the presentation of results, as the direct
words used by participants will represent the results of the study.
9.3.13 Data Storage and protection
In this section, you need to consider:
 how data is stored;

 who will have access to the data; and
 how they will be able to access data
Hard copies, such as interview notes or audio tapes, need to be kept securely locked away, such
as in a locked filing cabinet that can only be accessed by authorised individuals.
Files, including electronic files, need to be encrypted or password protected, and only accessed
by those authorised individuals.
Raw data must be stored for a minimum of 5 years.
9.3.14 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study
In this section, ‘limitations and delimitations’ should be addressed. Delimitations imply limitations
on the research design that the student imposed deliberately.
These delimitations may include a restriction on the population for which the results of the study
can be generalized; for example, your population may include only males in a certain age group.
Limitations refer to a restriction on your study which you have no control over. For example, you
may be limited to a narrow segment of the total population you wish to study or you may be limited
to the research method you have selected to use.
Examples:
 Small sample sizes
 Non-representative sample whose generalizability is low
 Surveys only allow for superficial data to be gathered and not in-depth data
9.3.15 Elimination of Bias
Bias is any trend or deviation from the truth in data collection, data analysis, interpretation and
publication which can cause false conclusions. Bias can occur either intentionally or
unintentionally. Intention to introduce bias into someone’s research is immoral. Nevertheless,
38 | P a g e
considering the possible consequences of a biased research, it is almost equally irresponsible to

conduct and publish a biased research unintentionally. It is worth pointing out that every study
has its confounding variables and limitations. Confounding effect cannot be completely avoided.
Every researcher should therefore be aware of all potential sources of bias and undertake all
possible actions to reduce and minimize the deviation from the truth. If deviation is still present,
researchers should indicate it in their studies by declaring the known imitations of their work.
This section should include a discussion of how the researcher remained objective throughout the
study. The following areas may require explanation:
 Use of gender neutral words,
 Identifying people by race or ethnic group unless it is relevant,
 Avoid language that suggests evaluation or reinforces stereotypes, and
 Making assumptions about various age groups.
9.3.16 Research Ethics: Key Considerations
When conducting research, the researcher is ultimately responsible for the integrity of the
research process and the dignity and well-being of the research subjects. As such, it is the duty
of the researcher to recognize and balance subjectivities, provide accurate research accounts
and act within the law. You will thus need to give consideration to various issues, such as informed
consent, power and confidentiality. You should ask yourself whether your study adheres to ethical
principles of research.
A discussion on the following aspects should be considered:
 Ensuring participants have given informed consent - The concept of informed consent
refers to the importance of informing participants of the nature of the research study.
Participants of the study can only give informed consent provided they have a holistic
understanding of the nature of the study and a full understanding of their requested
involvement in the research project. This includes time commitments, type of activity,
topics that will be covered and risks involved.
Informed consent implies the following:

- Participants have the intellectual capacity and psychological maturity necessary to
- Understand their involvement in the study;
- Participants are making an autonomous decision to participate in the study;
- Involvement in the study is absolutely voluntary;
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- Participants are aware of the nature and details of the research being conducted;
- Participants are aware of their right to discontinue in the research study; and
- The researcher is honest to participants about the nature of the study.
- Participants are in no way coerced into participation in the study.
 Ensuring no harm comes to participants - Researchers should ensure that no harm is

caused to participants of the research project.
 Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity - The researcher should ensure that the identity
of all participants is protected. Protection of confidentiality may involve restricting access
to raw data, storing all data securely, reporting findings in a manner that does not allow
for ready identification of participants, and obtaining permission for subsequent use of
data.
 Ensuring that permission is obtained - It is important that official channels are cleared
by formally requesting permission to carry out a study. Negotiating access to respondents
is an important aspect of your study. Ensure that you get written permission from the
selected organisation/company from which data will be collected.
First cite a source defining each key consideration and then state how it was maintained in your
study.
10. SECTION FOUR: RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS
Your analysis or interpretation must be based on the primary data that you have collected from
the participants. You will be required to argue persuasively, interpret the results and evaluate
their implications for the organisation where the research has been conducted. Literature plays a
vital role in this section therefore you must ensure that all discussions are substantiated with
sufficient and relevant literature. Please ensure that this section has an introduction and
conclusion.
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS (Example included as Appendix A)
 Relevant use of headings and subheadings
 Descriptive Statistics - Clear graphical/tabular presentation of findings
 Logical interpretation and discussion
 Integration of literature to corroborate/refute primary findings
Suggested format for the quantitative analysis section 4:
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Response Rate
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4.3 Research Instrument

4.4 Sample Characteristics/ Demographics
4.5 Descriptive Statistics
4.6 Presentation of Findings and Discussion
4.7 Conclusion
Presentation of Quantitative Data Analysis
 Use tables or graphs to present findings.
 The tables and graphs must appear in the order that they appear in the research
instrument.
 Ensure that tables or figures are numbered correctly.
 Use percentages to present data.
 You need to make reference to tables or figures when explaining the results obtained.
 All tables and figures must be on the same page. Tables cannot be continued on the next
page.
 Explanation of tables and figures must appear directly below the table/figure.
 Interpretation, justification and discussion follow each table/figure.
Interpretation and Discussions
Your analysis or interpretation must be based on the data that you have collected. You will be
required to think hard and carefully, and argue persuasively, interpret your results and evaluate
their implications for the organisation, sample or population.
 The results from each table or figure must be analysed and discussed in detail.
 There is no right and wrong answer here. The emphasis is on sound, logical interpretation
of the findings.
 An example of a Section 4 – Quantitative analysis is presented at the end of this
document as Appendix A
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS (Example included as Appendix B)

 An appropriate data analysis technique must be applied (Thematic Analysis)
 Relevant themes and sub-themes must be presented
 The emergence of themes must be clearly presented using direct responses from
participants
 Textual discussions must be clearly and concisely presented
 Integration of literature to corroborate/refute primary findings
Suggested format for the qualitative analysis section 4:

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4.1 Introduction
4.2 Sample
4.3 Word Trees/Word Clouds (will only be presented if NVivo was used)
4.4 Qualitative analysis (thematic, etcetera)
4.5 Core themes analysed (Direct quotes and Crosstabs/Matrix Coding to support findings)
4.6 Conclusion
 An example of a Section 4 - Qualitative thematic analysis is presented at the end of this

document as Appendix B
11. SECTION FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The purpose of this section is not just to reiterate what the findings from the study are, but rather
to discuss what the findings from the study mean in relation to the theoretical body of knowledge
on the topic. The conclusions of the study must satisfy the study’s research aim and objectives
which were outlined in Section One.
Begin by discussing your findings in relation to the literature review. Thereafter, clear, feasible
recommendations in keeping with the research aim and the research objectives of the study
should be provided. Begin this section with an introduction.
11.1 Key findings from the literature review
Here you will state how your research findings contribute to understanding and/or explaining the
phenomenon studied. This may include a brief critique of the interpretation given in the literature,
and the concepts or theories used in the frame of explanations. You should include findings from
the literature review (Section Two) with which your study agrees and disagrees and why.
11.2 Key findings from the primary study
A series of statements evaluating the degree to which the research objectives have been fulfilled
are presented here. Present the findings as per the research questions.
11.3 Conclusions
This section highlights the conclusions obtained from the study and highlights the research
questions and objectives. Your conclusions must satisfy your research aims and objectives which
were outlined in Section One.
You may use subheadings.
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11.4 Recommendations
You should provide clear, feasible recommendations in keeping with your objectives. This may
include constructing recommendations for an organisation saying, on the basis of your research,
what they could do to improve a practice or address a problem. Recommendations
should state what could be done, what benefit it would bring to whom and what resources would
be needed based on your research study. You can also make recommendations based on existing
recommendations and about the research on which they are based. For example: new training
systems, or new government policies/ organisational policies are often raised in this section.
11.5 Overall study conclusion
This is the final conclusion for the study which makes mention of scope for further research.
Further research could refer to topics and methodologies or to both. Removing some of the
limitations of the research (mentioned previously) provides opportunities for further research e.g.
different regions/sectors/ industries or different levels of management.
The following must be considered when preparing this section:
 Findings must be presented first, thereafter, the conclusions must flow from the findings;
 It is important that the findings are in line with the objectives and answer the research
questions; and
 The recommendations must flow from the conclusions of the study.
12. BIBLIOGRAPHY
You are required to use MANCOSA’s referencing guide when preparing the bibliography.
13. APPENDICES
The contents of the appendices are not included in the word count for a Research Report. Only
attach information which is pertinent to your study. The draft covering letter, draft questionnaire/
draft interview schedule and the permission letter from the organisation from which data was
collected must be included in the appendices.
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14. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MANUAL
Babbie, E. and Mouton, J. (2004). Chapter 6: Operationalisation. In the practice of social research,
Oxford University Press: Southern Africa.
Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches
(3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
Hart, C. (2005). Doing your research report. New Dehli: Vistaar publications.
Hughes, C. (2006). Qualitative and quantitative approaches to social research. Available from:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/sociology/staff/academicstaff/chughes/hughesc_index/teachi
n gresearchprocess/quantitativequalitative/quantitativequalitative/. [Accessed 9 April 2014].
McDabe, S. (1999). Writing a research report proposal: Notes on the process and product.
Washington DC: George Washington University.
Reiners, G. M. (2012). Understanding the Differences between Husserl's (Descriptive) and
Heidegger's (Interpretive) Phenomenological Research. Journal of Nursing and Care, 1(5), 1 - 3.
Available from:http://www.omicsgroup.org/journals/understanding-the-differences-husserls-
descriptive-and-heideggersinterpretive-phenomenological-research 21671168.1000119.pdf.
[Accessed 14 April 2014].
Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2012). Research Methods for Business Students
(6TH ed.). Harlow, United Kingdom: FT Prentice Hall.
The University of Melbourne (2010). Helpsheet: Business reports. Produced by the Teaching and
Learning Unit, University of Melbourne: Australia. Available from:
http://sydney.edu.au/business/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/90359/Txt_business_reports.pdf
[Accessed: 12 Februay 2014].
Thomas, D. and Hodges, I. (2010). Chapter 3 from Designing and managing your research
project: Core skills for social and health research.
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University of Canberra (2013). Writing a Literature review. Available from:

http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/literature. [Accessed: 9 April 2014].
Valenzuela, D. and Shrivastava, P. (2009) Interview as a method for qualitative research.

Available from http://www.public.asu.edu. [Accessed: 9 February 2009].
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15. APPENDIX A – EXAMPLE OF SECTION FOUR OF A QUANTITATIVE STUDY
SECTION FOUR: RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS
4.1. Introduction
This section illustrates a discussion of the findings from the primary data gathered for this
research study. Furthermore, this section presents the response rate, demographic
information, results, discussion, interpretation of findings of the study. A total of 45 employees
from <COMPANY> participated in this study. The questionnaire consisted of 2 sections,
subdivided into sections A and B. Section A collected information pertaining to the
demographics of the participants and section B collected information relating to the leadership
styles at the organisation and the impact that these leadership styles have on employee
performance at the organisation. Results from the questionnaires were presented graphically
following which the graphs were interpreted and a discussion provided.
4.2. SECTION A: Demographics

4.2.1. Age of Respondents
Figure 4.1: Age of respondents
2%
11%
22%
<20
20 - 29
30 - 39
40 - 49
>50
41.9
27%
Figure 4.1 above indicates that the largest percentage of the participants which is 41.9% are
between the ages of 40-49. A total of 27% percent of the participant complement are between
the ages of 30-39. Just less than a quarter of the total of participants, 22%, are between the
46 | P a g e
ages of 20-29. The smallest percentage of the participants which is 2% are below the age of
20 and 11% of the participants are above the age of 50.
4.2.2. Race
Figure 4.2: Race of Respondents
4% 0%
Black
24% Colored
Indian
White
Other
53%
18%
In figure 4.2 above it is shown that 4% of the participants were white. The coloured
participants amounted to 18% and the Indian group of participants amounted to 24%. The
largest group of the participants which is 53% is made of black employees 0% of participants
belong to any other race group other than mentioned above
4.2.3. Gender Profile of Respondents

Figure 4.3: Gender of Respondents
13,33
Male
Female
86,67
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In figure 4.3 it is shown that 86.67% of participants were male which is a significantly larger
number than that of female participants which totalled 13.33%. This shows that the
organisation may be a male dominated organisation, and this could be attributed to the
industry that the organisation operates in which is the construction industry.
4.2.4. Position of Respondents within the Organisation

Figure 4.4: Position of Respondents
8,89
Managerial
Staff
Non
Managerial
Staff
91,11
Figure 4.4 above indicates that 8.89% of the participants consisted of managerial staff and
91.11% of the participants consisted of non-managerial staff. This was important to determine
as participants at a managerial level may view the leadership style at the organisation very
differently from those employees who make up the non-managerial participants.
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4.2.5. Tenure of Respondents

Figure 4.5: Tenure of Respondents
4,44 Less than 1

15,56
17,78 year
1 to 5 years
6 to 10
years
11 to 15
years
26,67 More than

35,56 15 years
Figure 4.5 above shows that 4.44% of the participants have been working at the organisation
for more than 15 years. This is followed by 15.56% of participants who have been at the
organisation for less than 1 year. The majority of the participants fall within the above
indicators, with 17.78% of participants being employed at the organisation for 11 to 15 years;
26.67% of participants employed at the organisation for 1 to 5 years and 35.56% of
participants working at the organisation for 6 to 10 years.
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4.3. SECTION B: LEADERSHIP STYLES PRESENT AT ORGANISATION
4.3.1. Prevalent Leadership Styles at the Organisation
Figure 4.6: Prevalent leadership styles
80%
71%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
11%
9%
10% 4% 4%
0%
0%
TRANSFORMATIVE TRANSACTIONAL AUTOCRATIC DEMOCRATIC LAISSEZ-FAIRE PARTICIPATIVE
LEADERSHIP STYLE LEADERSHIP STYLE LEADERSHIP STYLE LEADERSHIP STYLE LEADERSHIP STYLE LEADERSHIP STYLE
In figure 4.6, it indicates the current leadership styles at the organisation. Those that indicated that
there was a transformative style of leadership amounted to 4%, the transformative leadership style
has the ability to bring about change and innovation. It brings about a sense of empowerment and
the employees feel stimulated and motivated in time of uncertainty. There is a strong connection
between the leader and the employee (Zhang and Bartol, 2015). Those that indicated that there was
a transactional leadership style present at the organisation equated to 9%, the transactional
leadership style is the traditional management function. Roles and responsibilities are clarified to
subordinates structures and appropriate reward and recognition is provided. It is known by objectives,
standards and there is an evaluation of correction performance policies and procedures (Schweitzer,
2017). The dominant leadership style at the organisation is. The Autocratic leadership style as per
the results which had a massive 71% response it is also known as the ask orientated leadership.
This form of leadership is primarily concerned with careful supervision and control to ensure that
subordinates do the work satisfactorily. Employees are seen a mere instrument to get the work done
(Zhang and Bartol, 2015). The high amount of responses to the leadership style could be attributed
to the level of workers of which the majority that partook in the study were labourers and therefore
would have to be follow instructions from higher management. Those that opted for the democratic
style of leadership equated to 4%, the democratic leadership style is also known as the employee
orientated leadership. The leader applies less control and motivates and encourages groups to
assume responsibility through problem solving policy setup and goal setting. This style stimulates
and increases productivity (Schweitzer, 2017) there were no responses to the laissez faire style of
leadership. Laissez faire leadership style leaves employee without any supervision or direction.
Employees need to decide on the best way forward, make decisions and execute them without any
assistance or guidance. The end result requires employees to evaluate their own performance and
implement how they may see fit for the job at hand (Schweitzer,2017). There was a 11% response
to a participative leadership style being present at the organisation.
The participative leadership style allows for the leader to implement proposals and is participative. It
allows for the employees to provide feedback, criticism and comments however the leader still makes
the final decision. This style is often used in planning stages as it assists with overcoming hostility
and thus increases employee morale, as they feel part of the process (Zhang and Bartol, 2015).
By indication of results the percentages show an unprecedented tip in the scale of the autocratic style
leadership, this is attributed to the level of worker at the organisation and that the majority of the
sample size were from labourers, and by nature of the job. These labourers are to take instructions
and are to be micro managed as to what needs to be carried out, therefore the results indicate that
the autocratic leadership style is the dominant leadership style at the organisation.
4.4. SECTION C: IMPACT OF LEADERSHIP STYLES ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

4.4.1. Leadership Empowers me to Perform Better
Figure 4.7: Leadership empowers me to perform better performance
40%
40%
35%
30% 27%
25%
18%
20%
15%
9%
10% 7%
5%
0%
Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly
Disagree Agree
This question sought to understand employee perceptions regarding leadership ability to empower
employee performance. Data presented on figure 4.2 above shows that 9% of the participants
strongly disagreed that leadership empowers employees and a further 18% chose the ‘disagree’
option. 15% gave a neutral response. There were just above half that were in agreement when the
scores are combined (27% agree + 40% strongly agree). Northouse (2015) argue that the employee
performance is a function of the leadership style employed. Thus, according to Northouse (2015)
state that the leader needs to understand the workforce in order to determine means to empower
them. Northouse (2015) however, argue that participative leadership style encourages employee
performance. The performance of the employee, however depends on the leadership in place in
terms of style, approach and the power exercised by the leader. Transformational leaders are
however argued to the most effective leaders (Northouse, 2015).
4.3.2. The Position that I hold Motivates me

Figure 4.8: The position that I hold motivates me
42%
45%
40%
35%
30% 27%
25%
20% 16%
15%
9%
10% 7%
5%
0%
Disagree Agree
The purpose of this question was to ascertain if employee position played a role towards employee
performance improvement at the organisation. Figure 4.2 above shows that 42% of the participants
disagreed with the statement that position held by most employees motivated or influenced
employees towards better performance improvement followed by 27% who disagreed with the
statement, a combined score of 69% where in disagreement with the enquiry, whilst 7% gave a
neutral response. Those that opted for the ‘agree’ option equated to 9%, whilst a further 16% chose
the ‘strongly agree’ option. According to Northouse (2015:290) employee position is critical towards
encouraging employee performance. In a study conducted on lower level employees versus higher
level employees, by Shin and Zhou (2018), employees who believed that positions were
comparatively higher than those of others performed better than those who felt that they occupied
lower positions.
4.3.3. I have Adequate Resources to Improve my Performance

Figure 4.9: I have adequate resources to improve my performance
60% 56%
50%
40% 33%
30%
20%
7%
10% 4%
0%
0%
Disagree Agree
Figure 4.3 above indicates that a total of 56% of participants ‘strongly agree’ that they have adequate
resources to improve their performance and a further 33% of participants ‘agree’ that they are
equipped with adequate resources to aid their performance. 0% of the participants remained neutral
on this point. A combined total of 11% (4% of participants ‘disagree and 7% of participants ‘strongly
disagree’) of participants disagreed that they have the necessary resources to improve their
performance. According to Nielsen et al. (2016) in order to promote employee well-being, employee
performance and organisational growth, there must be an increasing interest in resources at work.
Nielsen et al. (2016) further explain that those organisations where resources are readily available
at the individual, group, leader, and organisational levels are organisations that maintain
psychologically healthy employees which ensures a high-level of employee well-being and
performance. It can thus be stated that employees who have the necessary resources are enabled
to successfully complete their tasks and goals, as a way to enhance their well-being and capacity to
perform well (Nielsen et al., 2016).
4.3.4. The Authority given to me Motivates my Performance
Figure 4.10: The authority given to motivates my performance
49%
50%
45%
40%
35% 29%
30%
25%
20%
13%
15%
10% 7%
2%
5%
0%
Disagree Agree
The purpose of this question was to determine if authority given to employees enhances their
performance. Figure 4.4 above indicates that almost half of the total of participants have strongly
disagreed that the authority that they are given enhances their performance. A further 29% of
participants ‘disagree’ that the authority they are given enhances their performance. The participants
who remained neutral on this amounted to 2% and 20% agreed which is a total of 7% of participants
who ‘agree’ and 13% strongly agree. Authority provides the employee with the right to give
instructions and delegate work to others (Smit et al., 2011:224) without authority, employees would
be functionless, as they would not do anything. In this study, employees do not have authority and
they believe lack of authority has negatively affected them.
4.3.5. The Responsibility given to me Enhances my Performance
Figure 4.11: The responsibility given to me enhances my performance
40%
40% 36%
35%
30%
25%
20%
13%
15%
10% 7%
4%
5%
0%
Disagree Agree
The purpose of the above question was to establish if the responsibility given to employees assists
in enhancing their performance. Figure 4.5 indicates that 40% of participants strongly agreed with
this statement and that 36% of participants agreed. There were 4% of participants who remained
neutral on this specific area, 7% of participants disagreed that the responsibility they are given
enhances their performance and 13% of participants strongly disagreed.
Smit et al. (2011:300) highlights responsibility is a basic requirement as it gives employees the
responsibility of to carry out tasks while accounting for performance and the fact that most employees
agree, suggests all is well, and that managers does have a degree of trust and this motivates the
employee to perform better.
4.3.6. I have Undergone Training to Improve my Performance
Figure 4.12: I have undergone training to improve my performance
70% 64%
60%
50%
40% 33%
30%
20%
10% 2% 0% 0%
0%
Disagree Agree
In figure 4.6 above, 2% of the participants of this study strongly disagreed that they had received the
necessary training to improve their performance. In determining whether training improves employee
performance, 0% of participants disagreed and remained neutral, 33% of the participants agreed that
that they have received the necessary training to improve their performance and the highest
percentage of participants being 64% strongly agreed that they had received the necessary training
to enhance their performance. According to Bhat (2013) the employees who receive the necessary
training and skills is able to perform their job more effectively. Employees who receive training have
a better understanding of their responsibilities within their role in the organisation (Bhat, 2013). This
kind of responsibility builds an employee’s confidence within their roles which in turn optimises the
employee’s performance. Therefore, trained employees are competent employees and competent
employees assists the organisation in retaining a position as a strong competitor within the industry
(Bhat, 2013).
4.3.7. Leadership Demonstrate Political Astuteness in Dealing with Complex Situations
and Issues
Figure 4.13: Leadership demonstrate political astuteness in dealing with complex situations and
issues
38%
40%
35%
30% 27%
25%
20% 16%
15% 11%
9%
10%
5%
0%
Disagree Agree
In figure 4.7 above there were 9% of participants who ‘strongly disagree’ that leadership at the
organisation demonstrates political astuteness in dealing with complex situations and issues. A
further 16% of participants disagreed with the statement and 11% of participants remained neutral.
The above figure indicates that 27% of participants agree that leadership at the organisation
demonstrates political astuteness in dealing with complex situations and issues and a further 38%
strongly agree. This demonstrates that 65% of the total participant complement agrees that at the
organisation demonstrates political astuteness in dealing with complex situations and issues.
According to Hartley (2015) a study conducted in the United Kingdom asked one thousand five
hundred people to identify situations where political skills were most applied out of fifteen choices.
The following percentages indicated where people found such skills to be valuable or very valuable:
working with influential people within the organisation; working with partners and strategic alliances;
thinking about how opinion impacts upon the organisation and working with regional or local
government. Hartley (2015) further explain that a key part of understanding how to develop political
astuteness in leaders is identifying how people acquire and enhance these skills.
4.3.8. Leadership Holds and Influences the Organisational Culture

Figure 4.14: Leadership holds and influences the organisational culture
45% 42%
40%
35%
29%
30%
25%
20% 16%
15%
9%
10% 4%
5%
0%
Disagree Agree
The findings reflected on figure 4.9 above shows that participants 42% Strongly agreed that
leadership had an influence on the culture at the organisation, whilst 29% agreed with the statement.
A percentage of 9% gave a neutral response. Those that were in disagreement amounted to a
combined score of 20% (16% + 4%). Smit et al. (2017) views organisational culture is one that shapes
the organisation in terms of the values, the beliefs as the critical elements defining who the
organisation is and what it is for. It provides organisational identity (Robins, 2019). According to
Northouse (2015), leaders must create a culture that is in tandem with organisational goals.
4.3.9. Leadership Ensures all Stakeholders are included in Organisational Processes

Figure 4.15: Leadership Ensures all Stakeholders are included in Organisational Processes
45% 42%
40%
35%
30% 27%
25%
18%
20%
15%
9%
10% 4%
5%
0%
Disagree Agree
The findings presented in figure 4.10 above clearly demonstrate that 42% of the participants
strongly disagreed with the statement while a further only 27% disagreed. About 4% gave a
neutral response. Those that were in agreement equated to a combined 27% (9% Agree + 18%
Strongly Agree) Stakeholders play a key role in organisational management as agreed by Jones
et al. (2011) highlights that an organisation needs to include the views of all the individuals that
have a stake in the organisation Jones et al. (2011) mentions stakeholders as employees, senior
management, community, suppliers and financiers.
Increasingly leaders need to deal with and manage a range of stakeholders with diverse goals,
values and priorities; political astuteness, aka understanding the lay of the land and using it to
your advantage, is a valuable tool in influencing and engaging stakeholders. It also helps leaders
to understand others and achieve organisational outcomes. Research evidence has shown that
people use their political astuteness in a variety of work-based situations. Such skills are
invaluable when leaders are dealing with people within their organisation, including factions and
disagreeing tribes; leaders can also apply them when liaising with partners and in strategic
alliances (Hartley, 2015).
4.3.10. Leadership offers support and guidance to team members through regular One-
on-One Review Sessions
Figure 4.16: Leadership offers support and guidance to team members through regular one on
one review sessions
45% 42%
40%
35%
29%
30%
25%
18%
20%
15% 11%
10%
5% 0%
0%
Disagree Agree
The graphical representation above is the result to the enquiry of whether Leadership offers support
and guidance to team members through regular one on one review sessions. It indicates that 42%
chose to strongly disagree, whilst a further 29% disagreed, amounting to a combined total of 71%.
Those in agreement equated to 29% (11% + 18%). Lastly those who chose to remain neutral equated
to 0%. By the findings of this enquiry one can conclude that leadership doesn’t offer guidance and
support to team members. Jones et al. (2011) argue that teamwork has become the priority for the
contemporary organisation, and team leaders should be supportive and encourage team members
to support each other. Be supportive both of the team as a whole, which we have already talked
about in several ways, but also of the individuals on the team. Remember that a team is made up of
individuals, and when you support them you are building their confidence and creating positive
attitudes. Since you know that confidence and a positive attitude and energy will improve individual
(and team) results, it is important that you not only do this, but help people do the same for each
other. Creating this upward spiral or support and encouragement will grow your team’s results as fast
as almost any other thing, and it starts with you.
4.3.11. Leadership Work Towards Set Values in Relation to Integrity and Fairness
Figure 4.17: Leadership work towards set values in relation to integrity and fairness
30% 27%
24%
25% 22%
20%
16%
15% 11%
10%
5%
0%
Disagree Agree
Figure 4.11 above indicates that 27% of the participants strongly disagreed with the statement that
leadership work towards set values in relation to integrity and fairness. This was followed by 22% of
participants who disagreed and 11% of participants remained ‘neutral’ on the above statement. A
total of 16% of participants agreed with the statement and 24% of participants strongly agreed that
leadership at the organisation work towards set values in relation to integrity and fairness. Integrity
and fairness contained within the leadership of an organisation remains vital (Stallard, 2016). Stallard
(2016) further indicated that employees and executives both agree that integrity and fairness are
amongst the most important qualities that leaders could possess. Employees who feel like they are
treated with integrity by their leaders perform at an optimal level and assist to maximise performance
of the organisation as well as building goodwill for their organisations.
4.4. Conclusion
This section provided a tabulated presentation of the findings from the study which was then
interpreted. The discussions indicated that the leadership style adopted at the organisation does
impact negatively on some of the factors that impact on employee performance. The following section
presents the findings; conclusions and recommendations of the study as well a final conclusion to
the study.
16. APPENDIX B - EXAMPLE OF SECTION FOUR OF A QUANTITATIVE STUDY
SECTION FOUR: RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE FINDINGS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
This section will present the results, discuss and interpret them. This section will indicate the
participant’s biographical details; the themes of the study. All the 10 respondents of the study
managed to respond to the research instrument. The study uncovered 7 themes. The themes
include accrual-based budgeting; the way the system works; system is effective but it is
mismanaged; corruption, bias and theft; enforce accountability and transparency; policing and
skills training; and, all levels of governance and the public officials.
4.2 PARTICIPANTS BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

4.2.1 GENDER OF THE PARTICIPANTS
Table 4.1: Gender of the participants
Male Participants Female Participants
6 4
There were 4 female and 6 male participants in this study.
4.2.2 AGE GROUP OF THE PARTICIPANTS

Table 4.2: Age group of the participants
Age Group Number of Participants
18 to 30 3
31 to 40 5
41 to 50 2
There were 3 participants aged between 18 to 30 years; 5 participants aged between 31 to 40
years; and, 2 participants aged 41 to 50 years.
4.2.3 NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE MANDATE/OFFICIAL POSITION

Table 4.3: Number of years in the mandate/official position
Number of years Number of Participants
1 to 10 4
11 to 20 4
21 to 30 2
There were 4 participants that had worked in the municipality for years between 1 to 10. There
were also another 4 participants that had worked in the municipality for 11 to 20 years. There
were 2 participants that had worked for the municipality for 21 to 30 years. The departments and
posts or mandate which they worked in are not included as a measure of protecting their
identities.
4.3 THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE DATA

This study analyzed its data thematically. The study uncovered 7 themes. The themes included
accrual based budgeting; the way the system works; system is effective but it is mismanaged;
corruption, bias and theft; enforce accountability and transparency; policing and skills training;
and, all levels of governance and the public officials. The themes will be discussed below:
4.3.1 THEME 1: ACCRUAL BASED BUDGETING

The study sought to find from its participants which budget systems are used in the <COMPANY
NAME>. This was in response to the first objective of the study.
Respondent 3 said:
“We use the accrual budgeting system.”
Respondent 8 stated that:

“The municipality uses the accrual system”
Respondent 9 pointed out that:
“The accrual budgeting system.”
The participants indicated that they use the accrual based budget for all their financial processes.
This agrees with the literature that was indicated in this study. The different levels of government
in South Africa use the accrual budgeting system (Finance and Public Accounts Cluster, 2011:
44).
4.3.2 THEME 2: THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS

The study sought to find from its participants the way budgetary system that is used in the
<COMPANY NAME> works. This was also in response to the first objective of the study.
Respondent 4 said:
“The accrual based budgeting system indicates the present and future expenses, revenue and
profit of the municipality.”
Respondent 6 explained that:
“The accrual system indicates all the financial resources in the form of a budget with present and
future income and spending.”
The respondents generally indicated that this was the system that was imposed by the PFMA
and it substituted the previous cash based system that was being used prior to 1999. This finding
was consistent with what the literature review had exposed. The introduction of the PFMA
introduced new concepts and systems of budgeting which shifted from the cash to accrual based
system (Hanabe et al., 2018: 169).
4.3.3 THEME 3: SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE BUT IT IS MISMANAGED
The study sought to find from its participants the effectiveness of the budgetary system that is
used in the <COMPANY NAME>. This was also in response to the first objective of the study.
Respondent 1 stated that:
“The accrual system is good but the municipality staff are not competent enough in applying it.”
Respondent 8 said:
“The system is well formulated but a lot of the officials do not follow the principles encompassed
in it.”
Respondent 10 explained that:
“Many municipal workers are the problem in adhering to the system.”
The participants generally indicated that the system that had been put in place by the PFMA was
well constructed and informative. It indicated all the necessary guidelines and showed how they
should be implemented on a practical basis. However, the respondents showed that the
municipal officers do not know how to manage the budget in the required manner based of a lack
of skill and expertise and malpractice of various nature. This is consistent with the findings from
the literature review. The public sector at the municipal level is mainly affected by the lack of
skills and experience and corruption, bias and all sorts of malpractice (Kleynhans and Coetzee,
2019: 2).
4.3.4 THEME 4: CORRUPTION, BIAS AND THEFT

The study sought to find from its participants if the budgetary systems are practised in the right
manner in the <COMPANY NAME>. This was in response to the second objective of the study.
Respondent 2 indicated that:
“So much corruption, bias and theft of the financial resources of the municipality.”
Participant 3 said:
“Most of the municipal officials are corrupt and take bribes.”

Participant 7 emphasized that:
“The people that we work with are corrupt, dishonest and thieves.”
The respondents indicated that in as much as the system ensures that there is no malpractices
in the budgetary aspect of the municipality, there are serious issues of corruption and theft
involved. The same public officials that are supposed to manage and administrate over the
financial resources are the ones that abuse and misuse them. This is consistent with the findings
from the literature review. The public sector at the municipal level is mainly affected by corruption,
bias and all sorts of malpractice (Kleynhans and Coetzee, 2019: 2).
4.3.5 THEME 5: ENFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

The study sought to find from its participants what can be done to ensure that the systems are
practised appropriately. This was also in response to the second objective of the study.
Respondent 1 said:
“There is a serious need to ensure that the municipal officials are transparent in terms of their
everyday duties and held accountable all the time.”
Participant 7 stated that:

“The staff members of the municipality should be accountable and transparent.”
Participant 10 explained that:

“There should be an increase in the accountability and transparency efforts in the department.”
The respondents were of the view that there is a strong need of making sure that accountability
and transparency is enforced in the municipality. This will enable a system that has been well
stipulated in terms of the Constitution and the PFMA to be implemented and managed in the
appropriate manner. This is consistent with the literature review. The South African budgetary
system is based on principles of accountability and transparency (Olivier, 2016:46).
4.3.6 THEME 6: POLICING AND SKILLS TRAINING

The study sought to find from its participants what can be done to ensure that the budgeting
system is improved. This was in response to the third objective of the study.
Respondent 2 said:
“The staff members should be under close supervision and scrutiny.”
Respondent 7 said:
“There is a need of implementing serious policing of the public officials who act out of bad faith
and training them so that they can do their duties properly since most of them lack skills and
experience.”
The respondents emphasized that it is necessary to ensure that there are other avenues that will
ensure that the budgetary system is policed. The respondents pointed out that the system cannot
only rely on the auditing aspects that occur but should involve other processes. The respondents
also emphasized that there should be skills and expertise training of some of the municipal
officials. This is because most of them have a serious lack of capabilities and necessary
experience in carrying out their functions. This is consistent with the findings of the literature
review. Most of the municipalities have also shown that they do not have a qualified and
experienced workforce that can be able to conduct its various duties and roles and ensure the
appropriate service delivery to its constituents (Hanabe et al., 2018: 167).
4.3.7 THEME 7: ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNANCE AND THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS

The study sought to find from its participants who is responsible for the improvement of the
budgeting system is improved. This was also in response to the third objective of the study.
Respondent 5 said:
“All the people in government and the municipal officers at all levels are responsible for improving
the budgetary system.”
Respondent 8 pointed out that:
“Everyone that is employed or involved in the mandates of the municipality should be involved.”
The respondents were of the perception that it was every stakeholder’s duty to ensure that the
budgetary system is improved.
4.4 CONCLUSION
This section presented the results, discussed and interpreted them. This section indicated the
participant’s biographical details; the themes of the study. All the 10 respondents of the study
managed to respond to the research instrument. The study uncovered 7 themes. The themes
included accrual based budgeting; the way the system works; system is effective but it is
mismanaged; corruption, bias and theft; enforce accountability and transparency; policing and
skills training; and, all levels of governance and the public officials. The next section will indicate
the conclusions and recommendations of the study.

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Guideline for Writing a Research Report

POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT

Honours Research Report

How to Write a Research Report

2. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR RESEARCH REPORTS

Grading Assessment Criteria

1. Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of the requirements for an

1. Demonstrates a broad understanding of the requirements for an Honours

1. Demonstrates an acceptable level of understanding of the requirements for

1. Demonstrates some level of understanding of the requirements of an

1. Demonstrates a basic level of understanding of the recommended structure

3. STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT

 Page Margins and page numbering

- Headings such as TABLE OF CONTENTS, ABSTRACT or ABBREVIATIONS are

Table 1: Do’s and Don’ts of Academic Writing

Academic writing is… Academic writing is not…

4.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF ACADEMIC WRITING

Logical Order: Refers to a logical ordering of information. In academic writing, writers

The title page must include the following:

I, [student name, student number], declare that: Initial

I have read, (sought and obtained clarification, where required) and

I am aware that plagiarism (the use of someone else’s work without

I have sought and obtained clarification, where applicable, on aspects

I have followed the required conventions in referencing the thoughts

I confirm that ALL the work included in this submission for

I confirm that I have not adopted/employed any unethical means in

I understand that MANCOSA may take disciplinary action against me

The abstract should include the following key process elements:

Qualities of a good abstract:

8.1 EXAMPLE: TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content Page No.

3.5.2 Sample Size

4. SECTION FOUR: RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS

Appendix A: Permission Letter

LIST OF TABLES Page

Table 2.1 The leadership behaviour map 33

LIST OF FIGURES Page

Figure 4.3 Benchmarking costs 57

EAP - East Asia and the Pacific

GDP - Gross domestic product

IADB - Inter-American Development Bank

IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

IFC - International Finance Corporation

IFIs - International financial institutions

LAC - Latin America and the Caribbean

NOTE: Lists are to be presented on separate pages

9. WRITING THE SECTIONS OF THE RESEARCH REPORT

9.1 SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION

The section needs to focus on the following headings:

 Introduction and Background to the Research Problem

9.1.1 Introduction and Background to the Research Problem

9.1.2 Research Problem

State the exact problems/challenges/opportunities/issues that the organisation is faced with

Keep the following in mind when writing your research problem:

9.1.3 Aim of the Study

9.1.4 Research Objectives

Objectives are presented as brief statements, one sentence each.

Use bullet points to list your objectives.

9.1.5 Research Questions

Convert your objectives into direct questions.

To examine the influence of job satisfaction on turnover intention levels at Company X.

How does job satisfaction influence turnover intention levels at Company X?

9.1.6 Significance of the study