1. Identify a relevant business problem, gather support from literature to identify research gap. Now, develop a research proposal based on the research gap.
ANSWER:
Business Problem: Inefficient Supply Chain Management in the Retail Industry
Research Gap: Although there is existing literature on supply chain management in the retail industry, there is a research gap in understanding the impact of emerging technologies, such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, on improving supply chain efficiency and reducing operational costs. Furthermore, there is limited research on the implementation challenges and potential benefits of these technologies in the context of small and medium-sized retail businesses.
Research Proposal:
Title: “Enhancing Supply Chain Efficiency in the Retail Industry through the Adoption of Emerging Technologies”
- Introduction
- Background and significance of the research problem
- Purpose and objectives of the study
- Research questions
- Literature Review
- Overview of existing research on supply chain management in the retail industry
- Identification of research gaps related to the adoption of emerging technologies
- Review of relevant studies on the application of blockchain and artificial intelligence in supply chain management
- Research Methodology
- Research design (e.g., exploratory, descriptive, or experimental)
- Data collection methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, and case studies)
- Sample selection and data analysis techniques
- Ethical considerations
- Theoretical Framework
- Theoretical models or frameworks to guide the study
- Integration of relevant theories from supply chain management and technology adoption literature
- Proposed Research Approach
- Development of a conceptual framework to examine the impact of blockchain and artificial intelligence on supply chain efficiency
- Identification of key variables and their relationships
- Hypothesis formulation (if applicable)
- Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Description of the collected data and statistical analysis methods
- Presentation and interpretation of the findings
- Discussion of the implications for supply chain management practices in the retail industry
- Conclusion and Recommendations
- Summary of the research findings
- Practical recommendations for retail businesses regarding the adoption of emerging technologies in their supply chain operations
- Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research
- References
- List of cited literature sources
Note: This is a general outline for a research proposal. Depending on the specific requirements of your research, you may need to further customize the sections and include additional details.
2. What is meant by a dependent variable? Identify the one from the following theoretical model. State any six hypotheses from this model. Identify the mediating and moderating variable.
ANSWER :
A dependent variable is a variable that is being studied and measured in relation to other variables in a research study. It is the outcome or response variable that is believed to be influenced by one or more independent variables.
Since you haven’t provided a specific theoretical model to work with, I’ll provide a generic example for illustration purposes:
Theoretical Model: Factors Affecting Employee Job Satisfaction
Dependent Variable: Employee Job Satisfaction
Six Hypotheses:
- H1: There is a positive relationship between employee job satisfaction and salary.
- H2: There is a positive relationship between employee job satisfaction and work-life balance.
- H3: There is a positive relationship between employee job satisfaction and career development opportunities.
- H4: There is a positive relationship between employee job satisfaction and organizational culture.
- H5: There is a positive relationship between employee job satisfaction and supervisor support.
- H6: There is a positive relationship between employee job satisfaction and job autonomy.
Mediating Variable: A mediating variable is a variable that comes between the independent variable(s) and the dependent variable, and it helps to explain the relationship between them. In this theoretical model, a potential mediating variable could be job engagement, which may mediate the relationship between the independent variables (e.g., salary, work-life balance, career development opportunities, organizational culture, supervisor support, job autonomy) and employee job satisfaction. Job engagement could play a role in translating the effects of these factors into job satisfaction.
Moderating Variable: A moderating variable is a variable that influences the strength or direction of the relationship between the independent variable(s) and the dependent variable. In this theoretical model, a potential moderating variable could be job tenure. Job tenure may moderate the relationship between the independent variables (e.g., salary, work-life balance, career development opportunities, organizational culture, supervisor support, job autonomy) and employee job satisfaction, as the effects of these factors may vary depending on the length of an employee’s tenure with the organization.
Note: The specific dependent variable, hypotheses, mediating variable, and moderating variable may vary depending on the context and focus of the research study.