Research Reflection Report (Assignment Format) – Guidelines for the Report

These notes are designed to help you deliver and conduct a successful Research Reflection Report.

The Research Reflection Report is a major piece of work and is designed to support your own self-critical

consideration of your research and related business skills and demonstrate that you can:-

Reflect and comment critically on what you have learnt during the programme and during the

carrying out of your research activities

Carefully consider the research which you have carried out and critically comment on this

Discuss the relationship of your research, research sources and evidence, and researching

activities to the production of your Major Project

Critically comment on the key areas, examples, sources of your research

Consider the relationship of your research, and researching, to both your Major Project and

possible future employment opportunities

Your Research Reflection Report is not only an academic exercise but also a piece of work which you may

wish to use in future employment contexts to demonstrate your ability to consider the importance of

research and researching to:-

business planning,

business success,

organisational contexts

your own academic and business skills and the contribution which you can make to an

organisation as a result of developing these skills

The Research Reflection Report therefore aims to support the student’s ability to be self critical about their

research. It also develops the students understanding and application of the core concepts of business and

academic skills while developing their ability to perform more effectively within organisations in a real

world context. The Report therefore encourages reflection on:-

1) Research Processes

2) The research methodologies which you have considered and applied

3) Research and researching as a problem solving process used by you as a student,

4) The identification and discussion of your key learning points which could be applied to other

situations.

5) The relationship of research and your major project to your professional development

opportunities and career development intensions

Completion of the Report

The contents of the report are given in a template format (see pages 3&4) You may treat this report as a self critical evaluation of your researching experience or “Learning

Diary” or as a final summing up of your experiences while carrying out the Research and the Major Project in which you have been involved. It is advisable not to leave the completion of the Report until the last minute.

Above all this Report should not be simply descriptive – it should be a self critical summary of your learning experiences. You should adopt a ‘critical’ viewpoint – what seems to work, what is less successful – and why? Discuss the examples of best /good/interesting research practice which you have come across. Consider how research examples/models can be usefully used in business situations– and be adapted to suit your future workplace/ academic environment.

You should attempt to respond to all template sections You should keep to the overall word limit of 4000 words maximum for the whole Report.

Things to think about when completing your Research Reflective Report:-

The nature of your research and your Major Project Why is it being done; why are you working on this subject and how significant is it to you and to future employers?

Plan of your schedulesHave you managed effectively your research and Major Project schedules and are they logical?

ResourcesWhat resources (i.e. people, evidence, references, and ideas) have you used and how are you using these? Why are they important?

MethodologiesAre the methods which you have used specified clearly, and are they sufficiently rigorous? Are data/evidence/literature sources specified and available? Are you conducting the research and the Major Project in a professional manner? What analytical frameworks will be used to make sense of the work? Are these appropriate?

Support and Barrier IssuesHave these been thought through by you? How any barriers to be/being overcome?

Anticipated Benefits to you and to a future employment organisationWhat are they? – Knowledge? : Ideas? : Learning Experience? : Efficiency? : Effectiveness? Financial?: Organisational?: Skills?

How will the project satisfy you?How will the work contribute to your personal development? How wide a range of skills and knowledge does it use from your programme? Will it demonstrate that you have an understanding of your programme subject areas?

Major Project Conclusions: The conclusions which you are forming for your Major Project – are they based on rigorous reasoning and argument?

Report Writing SkillsWrite your reflections and critical views clearly and simply.

Student name: ……TRAN THI THUY……..

Student ID number: ……B0436DHDH112………………

RESEARCH REFLECTION REPORT

(should contain the details given below)

Please type your responses in the spaces below:

Marks available

Research Methods & Processes

How and why have you chosen/decided on the research methods and processes which you are using/have used for the development of your Major Project?

How would you describe these to:

1) a reader of your Major Project and/or

2) a future employer

(max. 550 words)

The business development proposal of Zen Café can be considered as an action plan of fulfiling my dream to be an entrepreneur. Zen Cafe is a new concept of business for a coffee shop with the serene and quiet atmosphere to help customers to be relaxed after a busy working day. In order to have a clear understanding in the aspect of the market for starting the business, the business owners have to do the research on both primary and secondary data.

For the primary data research, it supported me in gaining the knowledge of customers' behaviours and requirements toward the industry of food and beverage - especially the coffee and tea shops. The survey method is used in order to collect the information about customers such as behaviours, interest, and habits. Sampling method was considered with simple random and from this method, I acknowledged that it could help me to get away with factors concerning to the bias in choosing the participants. As a result, this method helps me to have the most ideal source of data for the research regarding to customers' feedback and

search helped me to acknowledge the customers' demanding as well as the potential opportunity of the market. Moreover, it also helped me to gain awareness toward particular customers' behaviours. In the aspect of a future employer, the primary research helped me finding ideal solution to get the feedback from customers. I chose the survey method to get information about customers' demographic, behaviours and favourites. The sampling method was simple random which means it could help me to avoid the biased factors as well as every case has the equal chance to be included in the survey. The population is appropriate with the total amount of 100 responses. The survey was conducted on the basis of voluntary, no personal

15

information is saved or recorded; therefore, the respondents can feel free to answer all the questions. This helped me to have an exact and obvious overview about the market and customers' requirement. It was very important for me to build up an appropriate business model based on the collected and analysed data. All of the survey's responses then were coded and categorised through Microsoft Excel so that I could make the analysis easily. The primary data would be the basis to help me build up the competitive advantages for the business and tailor the services as well as products to adapt with the customers' demand.

The secondary data research helped me to gain the overall knowledge of the industry and from that, I can identify the external factors that can have tremendous impact toward the business. During the research process, it is very important for me to narrow down the range of information needing to be studied. Moreover, in the role of a business owner, I realised that it was also essential to connect a lot of separate information into a combined and condensed set of data for further risks and opportunities analysis. As a result, appropriate strategies can be selected for the business. Additionally, the secondary research helped me to have a view toward difference scenarios that can be occurred in the future; hence, different solutions were able to be planned in advance.

During the overall research process, it was also necessary to know how to give out suitable questions and hypothesis in order to connect the primary data and secondary data together. The questions and hypothesis I made helped me in identifying the details that have the interdependent factors. Hence, it was helpful for me to operate the business in the future since I caught up with the customers' favourites tastes, behaviours, interests and so on. It also helped me in finding the common points among different customers' segmentations and therefore, I can adjust the potential services to attract more customers.

Literature & sources

1) What are the most important theories/literature sources /evidence sources which you are using to justify your research and

There are various theories that showed their importance within the business world. However, in my point of view, three theories that have a tremendous impact toward my project would be: Porter's Five Forces, Porter's Value Chain and

15

your Major Project?

2) Why are these sources important and fundamental to your work?

(max. 550 words)

Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas.

Firstly, the Porter's Five Forces helped me analyse the intensity of industry's competition. Porter's Five Forces include of "Rivalry among competing firms", "Threat of new entrants", "Threat of substitute products", "Suppliers' Bargaining Power" and "Consumers' Bargaining Power". The analysis of these forces helped me to gain the overall micro-environment knowledge in order to have a general idea in building and developing business strategy. With this framework, I can know that although there exists the fierce competition from the first competitors; however, the bargaining power from suppliers is not so high and customers are very receptive with the new business ventures - especially in the industry of Food and Beverage. However, it also means that new entrants are easy to penetrate in - especially when they can recognise the weaknesses of the existing competitors. Hence, they can provide better services and products and gain the potential market share. As a result, while doing this business development proposal, I had chance to catch up with the macroeconomics and other environmental factors related to the tea industry in Vietnam and Porter's Five Forces really helped me to have the overall view toward the opportunities as well as potential threats that can happen once I enter the business environment.

The Porter's Value Chain, in another way, helped me to build up the internal competitive advantages through the assessment of the business operation. For example, when analysing the inbound and outbound logistics in primary activities, I identified a requirement to implement a good logistic method in order to manage efficiently inventory and avoid waste. The reason for this requirement is tea and pastry are easy corrupted items. A close relationship with suppliers for the bargaining price is not enough. It also needs a close coordination between the company's management and suppliers to enhance inventory management. As a result, the cost can be reduced and operation's efficiency can be utilised. Another important aspect within the Porter's Value Chain is the Human Resource Management. The recruitment, selection and training for potential employees are very essential because they can help directors in creating the value and culture of the firm. The human resource

is also the main factor to make good use of the firm's infrastructure.

Last but not least, Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas is another important theory that directors need to consider. With this theory, I was able to plan the detailed business model in the most condensed way to communicate with the partners. The business model canvas helped me in involving important stakeholders as well as taking care to core values and factors that can affect to the business operation. For example, the canvas gave me the idea in building the relationship marketing concept with the customers to ensure and enhance the customers' loyalty. It also helped me to outline the key resources that can become the competitive advantages of the business.

Your Knowledge

What key areas of knowledge have you gained from undertaking your research and the Major Project?

Indicate why these are so important to you?

(max. 400 words)

Most important knowledge aspects that I gained from undertaking the Major Project can be categorised in three fields: statistics, human resources and strategic management.

When I received all the answers for surveys, I was really confused and did not know what was the exact way to analyse all the results, especially the categorical answers that contain multivariable. I was really confused when I wanted to make the comparison to find the interdependent factors among potential customers but the descriptive bars and charts were not enough. The statistical knowledge, however, had faded when I did not use it for a long time. Therefore, I spent time in order to train myself again concerning to statistics. As a result, the statistics gave me a lot of tools in order to analyse the information effectively. I knew how to code and categorise the data so that the further analysis can be taken. I used the numerical figures to code the categorical answers and therefore, the data later can be put in comparison easily. I focused in Chi-square tests for multivariable, the ANOVA table, and the linear regression. As a results, the later analysis process was much easier for me to conduct. For example, I can make clear the relationship between the respondents' age groups with their favourite drinks flavours or the interdependence between the respondents' occupation status with their spending ability. Hence, I was able to create the adjusted menu based on their requirement.

10

Another important knowledge aspect was human resource management. A lot of start-up firms in Vietnam were failed seriously since the founders just only focused in increasing as much profit as possible. Just few of them knew how to build up the appropriate culture and service standards within the internal employees firstly in the organisation. With me, I put the priority of building the culture and high service standard to bring the utmost satisfaction to customers. Tea Di Lusso was a new entrant when comparing with other competitors; therefore, bringing to customers high service standard with competitive price is the only way to gain the market share. The strategic management aspect, in another way, helped me to connect a lot of factors both internally and externally as well as the macroeconomic matters to help me build up the right direction for the business.

Your Learning

What are the most important aspects/examples of learning and/or skills which you have gained from:

(1) undertaking the MBA programme,

(2) following through your research, and

(3) applying your knowledge and what you have learnt in your Major Project

(max. 400 words)

1) After undertaking the MBA programme, my business knowledge was completely enhanced to a new aspect - to the role of a true business owner. I was sharpened regarding to the field of Strategic Management and could apply effectively various strategic models from Porter's Five Forces to Yip's Drivers. I knew what the Red Ocean strategy or BCG Matrix is. However, the most important knowledge that I gained was the competitive strategy. In order to gain the competitive advantages that bring the benefits to the business, identifying the business strategic capabilities plays important roles. In the strategic capabilities, the business owners must clarify their unique resources as well as the the core competences - the basis that other competitors cannot duplicate or obtain. In order to achieve such strategic capabilities, the business owners should be fluent in using various frameworks of strategy formulation. For example, the SWOT (strengths - weaknesses - opportunities - threats) analysis would be appropriate for both internal and external factors analysis while the PESTEL (political - economic - social - technological - environmental - legal) framework can help the business owners gain more details about external environmental factors that have tremendous impact toward business operation.

2) In the research aspect, self-researching and scheduling skills would be the most effective skills I

10

can gain. As stated before, I did not remember much about the statistics knowledge; therefore, I had to schedule and plan for the self-studying carefully if I wanted to finish the major project on time. Therefore, I researched and applied the Kaizen method of Japanese. In this method, I cut the required tasks into as detailed pieces as possible. These pieces would need the simple steps to complete. Then, I practised my micro management by continuously improving small pieces of the whole tasks. For example, I splitted the research methods and process parts into pieces such as: "collecting surveys' answers", "coding question 1, 2, 3, etc.", "doing descriptive statistic for question 1", and so on. By this way, I could really help myself out of stress, but still felt that I had progressive achievement day by day. Therefore, finally, I was confident to ensure the quality of the final Major Project but still gained the new knowledge as well as way of working.

Critical Thinking and your

ideas

In carrying out your research, your

analysis, your evaluation of

evidence, and in identifying or

proposing conclusions, what has

been the most important

discovery, or piece of evidence, or

theory, or viewpoint, or critical

idea, or critical addition to your

knowledge, or other item of

importance and why?

(max. 400 words)

There were many knowledge as well as learnings

that I gained from MBA courses and through the

project. However, above all of them, leadership skill

would be my most critical discovery.

I found that the leadership was not only how well

the directors can manage the organisations or not.

It was more than usual management. Firstly, it was

the ownership, taking high responsibility and being

proactive in every task within the daily work

routine. When I lead the groups in two sections of

Marketing Management and Strategic

Management, I found out that the leader played an

important role in proactively allocating the tasks

appropriate regarding to members' ability. I

realised that I applied the Forcing Style in leading

the group and it was quite effective when there

were a lot of passive members in your team.

Passive members would create a huge barrier for

the team to develop from norming stage to

10

performing stage regarding to Tuckman's stages of

team development because I realised that passive

members would never proactively learn or study by

themselves. The worst thing was they just only

waited another person - mostly the team's leader -

could explain everything to them and hence, they

can do their tasks without any difficulty. However, I

could not stand by them everytime in the week.

Therefore, I had to push the team members for

brainstorming and researching everyday. I exploited

all the modern technology - including using the

Google Drive in order to keep track with their

process, I later can help my members with their

assigned tasks easily. Through the teamwork in the

MBA courses, I recognised that in an organisation,

the role of a proactive and pushing leader would be

very important in supporting the members to

achieve the required objectives. Therefore, during

the process of doing business development

proposal, I always put the thought that the firm

founders must transfer the inspiration as well as

the firm's vision to the other employees so they can

have the direction and motivation to put their

effort for business efficiency. The weak leadership

directors cannot ask for building a good culture in

internal employees and bring good value to

customers since they do not know how to inspire

the employees appropriately. The MBA courses,

therefore, gained me the obvious understanding

toward leadership role.

Barriers met

What were the main difficulties and barriers which you were faced with in:

1) The barriers I met during undertaking the research would be lack of skills in using the appropriate software in analysing the primary research data. Therefore, I spent a lot of time in

(1) undertaking your research, and

(2) completing your Major project

(max. 400 words)

learning how to use the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) program for doing referential statistics effectively. Fortunately, the program user's interface was quite friendly and easy to exploit. Therefore, I can make the data analysis for referential statistics later without any difficulty. However, another barrier that I met was the access to the population since I was in the United Kingdom but the necessary population was in Vietnam. Therefore, if I could have removed the barrier for the population access, I could own a larger population and thus, the accuracy in respondents' answers would be better. Secondly, most of the surveys were conducted online; hence, I could not reach the potential customers from 50 years old and above since they do not have the habit to go online like young people. These customers in this age range are very potential since they have money and leisure time for hanging out at a tea house or coffee shop. Moreover, because of the health's issue, they would prefer tea to coffee.

2) For completing the Major Project, the main barrier that I encountered was that the official website of Vietnam Tea Association expired. Therefore, in order to get the exact information about the tea requirement or plantation situation in Vietnam, I had to rely on a lot of other secondary data such as FAO or Business International Monitor. It took me a lot of time to synthesize and summarise all data from multiple sources together. Another difficulty I had to face in the business development proposal was the communication with the partners involving in the project. Since there was difference between the time in UK and Vietnam; therefore, most of our information exchange was carried out on email. Hence, there would be some delays occurring during the project's process. .

10

Your Professional Development

What are the most important business and/or management skill(s) or academic idea(s) or lesson(s) which you have learnt from undertaking your research and your Major Project – and why?

(400 words)

The most important business lesson that I learnt from undertaking the research and business development proposal is that an organisation's culture is very important and it must be built first by the leader.

Since the leader is the inspired factor of the organisation; hence, it would be very important for the leader to be a pioneer in creating the culture within the organisation. If the leader can show that he is willing to take care the customers in the highest service quality, he then can create a formula or a standard for the employees to follow. Once the employees can get the vision of what the leaders do, they would know how to deliver the service to customers in the best way. Before taking the MBA course, I just know that maximizing the profit would be the only objective of the organisation. However, after undertaking the business development proposal, I now know that human resource would be the decisive factor that can affect to the business's success. Most of the hand-working tasks at the moment can be done by machine and other technologies, the intellectual parts will be completed through the human's mind. The business intellectual parts here can include of the business values to the customers, charming attitudes, high service standards that customers can feel of the business. Those are the essential factors to help creating the customers' loyalty of the business. Once the customers love my products, services and being loyal to the company, it means I have a firm brand name.

However, in order to own good leadership, the start-up team must be chosen very carefully. A lot of companies in Vietnam later stucked in creating a good culture within the organisation since they had not focused in building up a good start-up team with necessary skills and capabilities. They usually formed the team with their friends or their family members who did not have appropriate knowledge or administration skills to manage the business. Therefore, certain failures came.

10

Objectives

Based on your research and the work which you have done in the MBA Programme and its use in your Major Project, what were and how far have the objectives of

The business development proposal aims to open a tea house in Vietnam in English afternoon tea style. For the start-up team, all members were identified. They were invited to join the project by the CEO and tested the management prowess through both official and unofficial interview sessions. Each

10

your major project been achieved?

(max. 450 words)

member of the management team came from different industry, most of them were from bank and investment industry. However, they all had the basic background of business management. Regarding to my own skills and knowledge, through the MBA programme, I had the chance to enhance myself in three perspectives: firstly, I knew how to apply the appropriate strategic models in particular cases in order to bring the best benefits for the organisation. Secondly, I knew how to analyse the strengths as well as weaknesses of various factors relating to the business such as suppliers, customers' bargaining power, environmental issues and so on. Therefore, I was confident to have my skill of agreement negotiation to bring the best deal for the company. Last but not least, my skills in financial management - especially in managing efficiently the cash flows - were also augmented.

Regarding to the plan, through the careful external and internal factors analysis and information exchange, the opportunities were revealed, and the competitive advantages were identified; the business founders decided to carry out the establishing of the business venture in January 2015. For the financial resource, The budgeted initial investment were calculated at US$ 50,000. Half of the capital is being called at the moment. The other partners just wait me to come back from UK then the project can be started. The potential suppliers for tea and pastry were also indicated through the professional networks of the business founders. The place for both store and office of Tea Di Lusso was also chosen - a building in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. The most concern of the founders at the moment are the supplier for POS order system and the computer systems for the company. Beside, we also prepared the job specification and analysis regarding to the employees in the tea house. The training programs and standard operation procedures were also created in order to help the new employees get well with their tasks in the very beginning. The business founders really wanted to create the culture of "be charming" with customers right away in the starting days of employees.

Findings & outcomes

How useful and/or feasible are the findings, recommendations,

The business development proposal helped me to put a serious attitude regarding to my own business and gave me a long-term vision of how my 10

conclusions, or outcomes of your Major Project to you and/or to a future Employer?

You must justify your answer with specific examples.

(max. 450 words)

company would be.

Before, when I graduated from the Bachelor of Commerce Degree, I just only knew how to apply into a multinational corporation, being a hard-working employee, doing all of the tasks assigned by managers and got promoted, I felt that was totally all I need. However, when I took the MBA programme, the ambition of being a business owner, proactively planning the strategy and coordinating other team members with my own vision raised again. The business development proposal brought me a lot of outcomes:

Firstly, no more passive attitude of being assigned with the tasks by managers, I - in the role of a director - must plan the tasks proactively to assign for the employees or founding team members. Moreover, before I did not care which types of risks could happen to the company as long as the directors still paid me enough salary each month. However, in the role of a director, I must know how to analyse a lot of factors that can cause tremendous impact and harms toward my business. Moreover, I sharpened my ability in realising the potential opportunities that can bring much benefit to the company. This would have never happened if I still worked as a salary-man.

Secondly, by doing the business development proposal, I had the very first step in establishing my own business. Before, I thought a lot about opening my own business. However, the busy working routine took me around and I always finished my days without any new ideas appeared. By taking the MBA course and business development proposal, I had chance to look over again the environmental and macroeconomic factors in Vietnam to search for potential opportunities occurred. I found that Vietnam government now did not invest much in public sectors anymore, they now have developed a lot of start-up packages for new private ventures. The bureaucratic policies have been simplified and the process for opening a start-up entrepreneur was not as difficult as before.

Last but not least, business development proposal widened my knowledge of important factors that play decisive roles within the organisation. For example, my mind would still stuck in the thinking of "maximizing the profit"; however, by taking the

project, I knew that building up the culture and well-trained human resource was much more important than any profit. Hence, my motto once I come back to Vietnam for starting the business would be: "Human resource management is my priority".

TOTAL

100