MN7183SR Management Learning and Research

Assessment 1 2020/21 (50%)

Submission Date: 30th of August 202111:59PM on Monday

Name of Student:___________________
Student ID: ______________________
Date of Submission: _____________________--
Lecturer’s Name: Dr. Alvin Chan/ Dr Tay Boon Hou
Assignment 1 Marking Rubric
Criterion 1 For Paper 2A:
Identification of the [1a.1] Write short Statement about the paper [1 mark]
research studies,
aims, and objectives, [1a.2] Research Aim [1 mark]
research questions [1a.3] Research Objectives [1 mark]
and rationales. [1a.4] Research Questions [1 mark]
Weighting 10% [1a.5] Rationale [1 mark]

For Paper 2B:

[1b.1] Write short Statement about the paper [1 mark]
[1b.2] Research Aim [1 mark]
[1b.3] Research Objectives [1 mark]
[1b.4] Research Questions [1 mark]
[1b.5] Rationale [1 mark]

Criterion 2: For Paper 2A:

Identification and
discussion of the research
philosophy underpinning
the rationale for the
research design in each
study, with reference to
research methods
literature. Use of relevant
extracts.
Weighting 20%
[2a.1] State Philosophy [2 marks]
[2a,2] State a characteristic of Ontology [2 marks]
[2a.3] Evidence of Ontological Characteristic [2 marks]
[2a.4] A characteristic of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]
[2a.5] Evidence of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]
For Paper 2B:
[2b.1] State Philosophy [2 marks]
[2b.2] State a characteristic of Ontology [2 marks]
[2b.3] Evidence of Ontological Characteristic [2 marks]
[2b.4] A characteristic of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]

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Criterion 3:
Discussion of the
research design / strategy
used in each study using
the research methods
literature.
Weighting 20%
Criterion 4:
Discussion of the design
and use of data collection
tools with reference to
research methods
literature.
Weighting 20%
Criterion 5:
Concluding discussion of
the advantages and/or
disadvantages of adopting
a qualitative or a
quantitative research
design in developing
knowledge within the
specific field where the
two studies addressed.
Weighting 20%
Criterion 6:
Presentation appropriate
to Master's standard
including use of Harvard
referencing
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[2b.5] Evidence of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]
For Paper 2A:
[3a.1] Identify Research design/ Strategy [2 marks]
[3a.2] Four Pros of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]
[3a.3] Four Cons of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]
For Paper 2B:
[3b.1] Identify Research design/ Strategy [2 marks]
[3b.2] Four Pros of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]
[3b.3] Four Cons of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]
For Paper 2A,
[4a.1] Address Sample Size [1 mark].
[4a.2] Address Ethical aspect [1mark].
[4a.3] Address the reliability aspect [1 mark].
[4a.4] Address the validity aspect [1 mark].
[4a.5] Address the "best practice" aspect [3 marks].
[4a.6] Address the “fit-for-purpose” aspect [3 marks].
For Paper 2B,
[4b.1] Address Sample Size [1 mark].
[4b.2] Address Ethical aspect [1mark].
[4b.3] Address the reliability aspect [1 mark].
[4b.4] Address the validity aspect [1 mark].
[4b.5] Address the "best practice" aspect [3 marks].
[4b.6] Address the “fit-for-purpose” aspect [3 marks].
For Paper 2A:
[5a.1] 5 Valid Advantages for Quantitative Analysis [5 marks]
[5a.2] 5 Valid Disadvantages for Quantitative Analysis [5 marks]
For Paper 2A:
[5a.1] 5 Valid Advantages for Qualitative Analysis [5 marks]
[5a.2] 5 Valid Disadvantages for Qualitative Analysis [5 marks]
[8.1] Structure to suit the demands of the assignment [3 marks]
[8.2] Grammar [3 marks]
[8.3] Harvard Reference [4 marks]
 For Paper 2A:

[1a.1] Write a short Statement about the paper [1 mark]

The paper examines how intrinsic rewards affect work engagement among south African retail
employees.

[1a.2] Research Aim [1 mark]

The first aim of the study was to investigate how work engagement among south African retail
employees is connected to intrinsic rewards. Secondly, the research aimed at investigating how
demographic variables such as gender and age impact the levels of intrinsic rewards and work
engagement. Lastly, it aimed to determine the best instrument for measuring intrinsic rewards in the
south African context for validation by looking at the level of statistical significance.

[1a.3] Research Objectives [1 mark]

The authors do not provide broad or specific objectives; the research is guided by the aims and the
research question.

[1a.4] Research Questions [1 mark]

The research has provided an excellent research question which is "What is the relationship between
intrinsic rewards and work engagement in the south African retail industry?" (Jacobs et al., 2014, p.
2).

The question acts as the objective of the study.

[1a.5] Rationale [1 mark]

The authors have a clear rationale. The rationale for the research was it wanted to fill the gap of
research conducted on the influence of intrinsic rewards on employee work engagement in south
Africa. Another reason for the research was to identify and validate an instrument for measuring
intrinsic rewards in South Africa because there was none before.

For Paper 2B:

[1b.1] Write a short Statement about the paper [1 mark]

The paper examines different factors that can make work intrinsically rewarding, especially for non-
profit employees from South Africa.

[1b.2] Research Aim [1 mark]

The research aimed to use qualitative analysis to illustrate how different non-profit employees in
south Africa perceive the concept of intrinsic rewards.

[1b.3] Research Objectives [1 mark]

The objective of the research was to discover ways in which the nature of their work can
psychologically reward non-profit employees.

[1b.4] Research Questions [1 mark]

The study question was 'How are employees working within NPOs in South Africa intrinsically
rewarded by their work?' (Renard & Snelgar, 2016, p. 2).

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 [1b.5] Rationale [1 mark]

The reason for the study is that there was limited research on the relevance of intrinsic rewards
within non-profit employees in South Africa; hence, the research was to reduce that gap.

For Paper 2A:

[2a.1] State Philosophy [2 marks]

The authors use the positivist philosophy in their research. Park et al. (2019, p. 690) indicate that the
positivism paradigm relies on the hypothetico-deductive method to verify priorihypotheses derived
quantitatively between independent and dependent variables. It generates explanatory casual
relationships that lead to prediction and control of the phenomenon in question. In this case, the
research examines the relationship between intrinsic awards and work engagement among workers.

[2a,2] State a characteristic of Ontology [2 marks]

Ontology assumes that there is one reality that can be validated through the senses. According to
Park et al. (2019, p. 691), based on ontology, the positivist philosophy is based on the assumption
that only one tangible reality can be understood, identified, and measured.

[2a.3] Evidence of Ontological Characteristic [2 marks]

The authors utilized a quantitative approach to find top describe the significance of the relationship
from a positivist position. Therefore, the focus of the research was on the relationship between
intrinsic rewards and work engagement on employees. Hence, the methodology utilized
questionnaires to gather data to measure that single reality.

[2a.4] A characteristic of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]

Epistemology assumes that knowledge can be defined and explored through careful measurement of
the phenomenon of interest. Tuli (2010, p. 99) indicates that epistemology answers the question,
"How do we know what we know?

[2a.5] Evidence of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]

The authors utilized two measurements for intrinsic rewards: the Work Engagement Profile (WEP)
and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). After that, they analysed the data using analysis of
variance to determine scientifically significant differences across variables. With data measurement
and analysis, the researchers would confirm the correlation between rewarding people intrinsically
and it influences their performance.

For Paper 2B:

[2b.1] State Philosophy [2 marks]

The authors utilize the interpretive philosophy in conducting their research. Chen et al. (2011, p. 129)
indicate that interpretive philosophy attempts to discover and understand how people feel, perceive
and experience the social world, which the researchers use to collect data.

[2b.2] State a characteristic of Ontology [2 marks]

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 One characteristic of ontology from the interpretivist there exists multiple realities that are
dependent of human experience and perception (All Answers, 2018). Also, being a realist ontology, it
views reality from human construct (Tuli, 2010, p. 101).

[2b.3] Evidence of Ontological Characteristic [2 marks]

The authors followed the ontological interpretivist philosophy throughout the research strategy. For
instance, in the research design, they allowed the participants to respond to the interviews in their
own words (Renard and Snelgar, 2016, p. 3).

[2b.4] A characteristic of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]

The epistemology of an interpretivist believes that knowledge is dependent in each individual’s

experience and interpretations of phenomena as they interact with each other (Tuli, 2010, p. 100).

[2b.5] Evidence of Epistemology or Axiology [2 marks]

In this case, the researchers interacted with each participant during data collection through
interviews in a natural setting. Through these interactions, the researchers obtained different
perceptions, interpretations, and experiences on intrinsic rewards.

For Paper 2A:

[3a.1] Identify Research design/ Strategy [2 marks]

The study utilized a cross-sectional design to carry out the research. In data analysis, the research
utilized descriptive statistics and ANOVA.

[3a.2] Four Pros of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]

The first pro of cross-sectional design is that it is easy and quick to conduct. The researchers were
only required to identify participants and give them questionnaires, then wait for a response.
Secondly, the data collected is anonymous, especially on sensitive matters, since the sample was
identified using the non-probability method. Third, it uses a randomized process to collect
information. In the study, the researchers used purposive sampling to identify the participants. Lastly,
cross-sectional design can conduct research remotely. Based on the study, the researchers identified
one retail organization in South Africa to conduct the research remotely.

[3a.3] Four Cons of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]

The first con is that cross-sectional design creates room for bias. Jacobs, Renard, and Snelgar (2014,
p. 4) indicate that incomplete questionnaires were excluded because, as stated by the authors from
Malhotra 2010, any incomplete questionnaire creates inconsistency and must be excluded. Second,
the design gives the researchers a hard time checking for disqualified questionnaires. The
researchers look for inaccurate information and those who answered only one question and exclude
them, which is tedious. Third, it is difficult to determine if the answers are true or not. Fourth, the
attributes of the participants may not apply to the general population of retail workers.

For Paper 2B:

[3b.1] Identify Research design/ Strategy [2 marks]

The authors utilized a phenomenological design. That is because they applied interviews and
interpretations to figure out the employees' perceptions on different aspects of their work lives.

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 [3b.2] Four Pros of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]

First, the phenomenological design allows for the collection of rich data. The researcher conducted
in-depth interviews that helped gain in-depth data. Secondly, researchers obtained unique
perspectives from the participants, which was critical for the study. Third, the design provided the
researchers with a profound and detailed understanding of the relevance of intrinsic rewards as they
asked the participants different questions on the matter. Lastly, phenomenological design has a
simple data collection strategy since only recorded and transcribed interviews are required.

[3b.3] Four Cons of Research Design / Strategy [4 marks]

First, the design consumes a great deal of time in data collection as the researchers conducted long
and in-depth interviews for each participant. Second, data analysis is tedious and difficult as it
required the research to use different steps of thematic analysis to find, analyze and report patterns
in the data. Third, the design makes it difficult to control the pace of data collection because the
length of the interviews depended on the depth of answers from the participants. Lastly, the
phenomenological design creates room for researcher-induced bias due to the predetermined
questions and expected answers.

For Paper 2A:

[4a.1] Address Sample Size [1 mark].

The research targeted a sample size of 323 employees who sampled randomly using the purposive
sampling technique. Out of the sampled participants, only 181, about 56% of the total sample size,
responded accordingly. Out of the 181 participants, 144 were women and 37 men. The majority were
between 28 to 37 years old. The data were analyzed using Statistica and Microsoft excel, and ANOVA
was used to determine the significance of the variables.

[4a.2] Address Ethical aspect [1mark].

The research considered ethics appropriately. It was conducted under a permit, and participation
was voluntary. Additionally, the researchers kept confidentiality and anonymity as no names of the
employees appeared on the questionnaire. In addition, no information of the participants was given
to the organization after the analysis.

[4a.3] Address the reliability aspect [1 mark].

The research questionnaire is reliable. That is because the researchers conducted both a pilot and
final study with similar questionnaires. Besides having the positive point of achieving reliability, the
design can cause memory loss effects as the respondents may not remember the exact answer of the
first questionnaire.

[4a.4] Address the validity aspect [1 mark].

The research questionnaire is valid because the results obtained illustrate a positive correlation
between variables. It is valid because the test produces accurate and reproducible results.

[4a.5] Address the "best practice" aspect [3 marks].

The researcher adheres to the aspect of best practice. They illustrated that through honesty and
openness as they acknowledged other authors' contributions to the research. Secondly, it
demonstrated respect to confidentiality and privacy as it did not disclose any participant's

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 information. Another best practice was accountability and responsibility, as they declared to have no
personal or financial relationships that could influence the research.

[4a.6] Address the “fit-for-purpose” aspect [3 marks].

The research design of the research is fit-for-purpose. It was able to address the aims of the research.
It showed a significant relationship between intrinsic rewards and work engagement among south
African retail workers. However, it failed to validate the work engagement profile instrument in south
Africa for measuring intrinsic rewards.

For Paper 2B:

[4b.1] Address Sample Size [1 mark].

The authors utilized a sample size of 15 participants through non-probability sampling, which is
advantageous because only a few people are needed. Data analysis was done using thematic
analysis, which requires more attention and is time-consuming.

[4b.2] Address Ethical aspect [1mark].

The authors maintained ethics by making the participation voluntary, no names were needed, and it
was kept anonymous.

[4b.3] Address the reliability aspect [1 mark].

The researchers confirmed reliability by asking the participants the same predetermined questions,
which ensured there was consistency.

[4b.4] Address the validity aspect [1 mark].

The study also ensured the research was valid by aligning the interview questions with theoretical
frameworks provided by the two-factor theory. These frameworks include meaningful work,
challenging work, varied work, and enjoyable work.

[4b.5] Address the "best practice" aspect [3 marks].

The authors maintained 'best practice' by maintaining ethical standards of anonymity, respect, and
confidentiality since all the participants' information was anonymous. Also, they acknowledged all
who participated in ensuring the research went well, including the south African reward association
for their bursary. In addition, the authors asserted that their work had no ulterior motives of
personal or financial relationships that could have influenced the research.

[4b.6] Address the “fit-for-purpose” aspect [3 marks].

The research design was fit-for-purpose. It revealed how non-profit employees are intrinsically
rewarded through categories of meaningful work, flexible, challenging, varied, and enjoyable work. It
also showed how different non-profit employees perceive the concept of intrinsic rewards.

For Paper 2A:

[5a.1] 5 Valid Advantages for Quantitative Analysis [5 marks]

One advantage of quantitative analysis is that it can be tested and checked. The researchers' cross-
sectional experimental design made it possible for anyone to replicate the test and the results.
Second, it allows access to higher sample size; in this case, the researchers accessed 323 participants.
Third, it is very easy to collect data since only questionnaires are required. Fourth, it utilizes

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 randomization, which minimizes bias; in this case, the researchers utilized purposive sampling to get
the participants. Lastly, the approach is anonymous because the questionnaires do not ask for
personal information.

[5a.2] 5 Valid Disadvantages for Quantitative Analysis [5 marks]

Due to the many participants, the analysis creates room for biasness; in this case, some respondents
submitted incomplete questionnaires while others answered only one question. Second, the results
can be misleading, especially when the respondents want to portray themselves in a positive light.
Third, since no personal information is provided, it makes it difficult to follow up on the answers,
especially when clarification is needed. Fourth, the sample may limit generalization to the wider
population due to varying individual characteristics. Lastly, since the analysis does not allow for the
review of answers, there are numerous inconclusive results.

For Paper 2B:

[5a.1] 5 Valid Advantages for Qualitative Analysis [5 marks]

First, qualitative research produces a detailed description of participants' perceptions,

interpretations, and experiences, making the study highly significant. Second, qualitative research
utilizes the interpretivist position, which is based on human experience, as the researchers sought
information from different people through interviews. Third, the analysis enables researchers to
discover and interpret different opinions from people to develop meaningful themes, such as using
different frameworks to influence intrinsic rewards on non-profit employees. Fourth, it is flexible
because researchers can either use structured on non-structured interviews; in this case, they
utilized structured interviews. Lastly, it does not rely on closed-questioning.

[5a.2] 5 Valid Disadvantages for Qualitative Analysis [5 marks]

First, as observed in the research, data interpretation and analysis are difficult since it uses thematic
analysis. Second, generalization of the results to a larger population is very limited since the research
was conducted on 15 participants. Third, the results are difficult to replicate since it depends on
individual perspectives and experiences. Fourth, the analysis focuses only on the experiences of the
participants and not the contextual sensitivities, which are included in quantitative research. Lastly,
in addition to being difficult, qualitative analysis takes a considerable amount of time to collect and
analyze the data since a single interview can take a long time.

References

All Answers. November 2018. Philosophy of Quantitative and Qualitative Research. [online]. Available
from: https://nursinganswers.net/essays/philosophy-of-quantitative-and-qualitative-nursing-
essay.php?vref=1 [Accessed 12 August 2021].

Chen, Y. Y., Shek, D. T., & Bu, F. F. (2011). Applications of interpretive and constructionist research
methods in adolescent research: philosophy, principles, and examples.
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ijamh.2011.022/html

Jacobs, S., Renard, M., & Snelgar, R.J. (2014). 'Intrinsic rewards and work engagement in the South
African retail industry'. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology. 40(2), http:// dx.doi.org/
10.4102/sajip. v40i2.1195

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 Park, Y. S., Konge, L., & Artino, A. R. (2020). The positivism paradigm of research. Academic
Medicine, 95(5), 690-694. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000003093

Renard, M., & Snelgar, R.J. (2016). 'How can work be designed to be intrinsically rewarding?
Qualitative insights from South African non-profit employees'. SA Journal of Industrial
Psychology. 42(1), http://dx.doi. org/ 10.4102/sajip.v42i1.1346

Tuli, F. (2010). The basis of distinction between qualitative and quantitative research in social science:
Reflection on ontological, epistemological and methodological perspectives. Ethiopian
Journal of Education and Sciences, 6(1).
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ejesc/article/view/65384

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