In this assignment, your team will be responsible for selecting one organization and developing a research proposal for a problem they are, or may be$,$ facing in the area of human resources management. This may be the same organization your team has studied in other courses or you may select a new one. Please note that your team is responsible for preparing a research proposal, but not for actually conducting the research.

The research proposal will outline in detail your research objectives, design, methodology, approach to sampling, capturing and analyzing information, and a proposed plan for execution.

Your assignment will need to contain the following sections and information:

Executive Summary

a$.$ A short, concise and complete summary of the key elements of your proposal. The summary should provide sufficient information for an executive to understand your research proposal at a high level, and entice the executive to read the full report.

Company Overview and Introduction

a$.$ After selecting an organization of your choice, your team will create an overview and introduction about the company that includes company mission, vision, identifies sources of revenue, industry information, market share, number of employees, employee demographics, and additional information that may be important as context for this HR research proposal.

Problem definition and research objectives

a$.$ Identify, or create, a realistic problem that the human resources management department in your organization could be facing:

b$.$ Clearly define your problem and provide rationale to support why your identified issue is a problem for the human resources management department. Include support from a minimum of two peer reviewed journal articles;

c$.$ Identify any assumptions that would need to be made to provide context to your chosen HRM issue;

d$.$ Create a decision statement; and

e$.$ Create related research objectives.

Business case for business research

a$.$ Prepare a short business memo to the executives at your organization about why it is important to undertake your business research project;

b$.$ Your memo must convince the executives that undertaking this research project is essential for the organization. Your argument should include both business strategic and financial business case elements; and

c$.$ Use a minimum of two supporting peer reviewed journal articles to support your case to the executives.

Research Plan and Methodology

a$.$ Clearly outline the research methods and techniques you propose to use to meet your research objectives;

i$.$ Identify at least two research methods or techniques that would be suitable for your stated research objectives $($one method must be a survey$/$questionnaire$)$;

ii$.$ Include a recommended technique for sampling, as well as an outline of the proposed size of the target population, the characteristics of the target population, a suggested sampling frame and the sampling technique you propose for use $($including any assumptions if required$)$;

iii. Clearly outline your proposed sampling and data collection plan $($who$,$ how, when, where$)$;

v$.$ Explain the rationale for your chosen methods with respect to your research proposal and objectives; and

vi$.$ Support your decisions about your chosen research methodology with a minimum of two peer reviewed journal articles

Data Collection Tools Examples

a$.$ Prepare and include examples of the data collection tools you recommend for use as part of the research plan outlined in Section Five. This would include such things as an example$/$draft questionnaire, a sample focus group guide, sample interview questions, etc.

b$.$ Include a high$-$level overview for how you propose information analysis be done on the prospective data that would be collected from your recommended data collection tools; and

c$.$ Provide the rationale for the design of your recommended data collection tools. How will your chosen design and example questions help meet your stated research objectives?

Implementation and Communication Plan

a$.$ Describe how your overall research proposal is to meet your stated research objectives and purpose;

b$.$ Create a recommended project timeline, including specific project implementation breakdown and milestones, required to conduct your proposed business research; c$.$ Create a proposed budget for completing the business research;

d$.$ Develop a communication plan for your research proposal that will inform, and address the needs, of all individuals in your organization that will be influenced by your research proposal.