RESEARCH METHODS:DCM 223

1. XYZ Supermarket
XYZ supermarket (The supermarket chain) is a retail chain. For the last two years, it has
expanded its operations all over East Africa. The retailer has also acquired Kangaroo
Supermarkets Limited’s assets in three towns at an undisclosed amount after it was cleared
for transactions by the Competitions Authority. The company’s plan to increase its branch
network has put the supermarket into a financial crisis. The contractors and suppliers have
not been paid. The employees have not been paid for the last three months. Customers have
complained of poor customer care at the retail chain hence the number of customers has
dropped by 40%. Recently other retail chains have reopened their branches in an effort to
expand their regional footprint, with a mix of urban and upcountry branches. The
supermarket chain plans to reorganize its operations and there is fear some employees will
be retrenched, a scenario that is causing disputes between the employees and the retailer.
The director of XYZ Supermarket has commissioned you as a research consultant to
conduct a study on “The impact of the expansion programme on the growth of the
supermarket chain.”

Required:
a) Formulate any four research objectives for this case study. (8 marks)

b) State the purpose of the study (2 marks)

c) i) Give a suitable research design for the study (2 marks)

ii) Explain and justify any two sampling techniques in this study (4 marks)
iii) Describe any three suitable data collection methods in this case (6 marks)

d) Identify three possible major findings and three major recommendations for this study
(6 marks)
2. a) Enumerate the purpose of research (6 marks)

b) Discuss reasons why managers need to understand research (6 marks)

c) Explain any three types of research designs used by researchers (6 marks)

3. a) Outline the various types of validity (6 marks)

b) Define the following terms:

i. Sample (2 marks)
ii. Sampling (2 marks)
iii. Population (2 marks)
 c) Sampling is divided into two main categories. Based on this statement, explain briefly
the two main sampling techniques (6 marks)
4. a) Outline the qualities of a good research question (4 marks)

b) Outline three advantages of postal questionnaire as a technique of data collection

(6 marks)
c) A student was overheard saying there is no need for literature review. Critic this
statement (8 marks)

5. a) Explain what you understand by the following terms as used in research

i. Data editing (2 marks)
ii. Data coding (2 marks)

b) An abstract is a component that features in a research project proposal. Highlight five

critical issues in the content of the abstract (10 marks)

c) State any four characteristics of a good objective in research (4 marks)

6. a) Explain ways in which a researcher can ensure plagiarism and deception are controlled
while conducting research (6 marks)

b) Data analysis is classified into two. Outline the classification (6 marks)

c) Explain the criteria used to determine a good research report (6 marks)