Business Management
8. Assume you are compiling your research report. What are the limitations of this study?
The limitation section of the research report should objectively present the shortcomings of the methodologies or implementation difficulties (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). These difficulties could include the areas of research design, sampling design, data collection, and data analysis (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). Therefore, one limitation would be the sample sized used to collect the studies data. For instance, Petron Media disbursed 4,000 surveys to the target population and only 710 surveys were returned. Subsequently, Petron Media did not have a good representation of the population they were seeking as a whole. According to Price, Murnan, Drake, Dimmig, & Hayes a survey return rate decreases from 100%, meaning it decreases the effectiveness in capturing the perceptions of the population (as cited in Price & Murnan, 2004). If an inadequate survey return rate exists, the external validity of the results may be skewed (as cited in Price & Murnan, 2004). In the case study, the survey return rate was 17.75%. Additionally, the study is only a representation of current and past customers. Therefore, it is not a sample of the entire population, which has or had a yearly subscription to a particular magazine (Drechsler & Natter, 2012). Also, these individuals tend to have higher incomes from which they can subscribe to a yearly subscription. Therefore, the data again could be skewed slightly because lower income individuals are really not accounted for in this research. Another, limitation would be there were forty-two different customer types of seven industry groups by six job titles, meaning it would be difficult to establish if the decline in service reader cards was the same across all industries and job titles or if there was a limitation to certain industries. Lastly, the two year-groups (1992 and 1997) that were selected were based on no particular fact. Therefore,
The limitation section of the research report should objectively present the shortcomings of the methodologies or implementation difficulties (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). These difficulties could include the areas of research design, sampling design, data collection, and data analysis (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). Therefore, one limitation would be the sample sized used to collect the studies data. For instance, Petron Media disbursed 4,000 surveys to the target population and only 710 surveys were returned. Subsequently, Petron Media did not have a good representation of the population they were seeking as a whole. According to Price, Murnan, Drake, Dimmig, & Hayes a survey return rate decreases from 100%, meaning it decreases the effectiveness in capturing the perceptions of the population (as cited in Price & Murnan, 2004). If an inadequate survey return rate exists, the external validity of the results may be skewed (as cited in Price & Murnan, 2004). In the case study, the survey return rate was 17.75%. Additionally, the study is only a representation of current and past customers. Therefore, it is not a sample of the entire population, which has or had a yearly subscription to a particular magazine (Drechsler & Natter, 2012). Also, these individuals tend to have higher incomes from which they can subscribe to a yearly subscription. Therefore, the data again could be skewed slightly because lower income individuals are really not accounted for in this research. Another, limitation would be there were forty-two different customer types of seven industry groups by six job titles, meaning it would be difficult to establish if the decline in service reader cards was the same across all industries and job titles or if there was a limitation to certain industries. Lastly, the two year-groups (1992 and 1997) that were selected were based on no particular fact. Therefore,
References: Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2011). Inquiring minds want to know--Now! Retrieved from www.mhhe.com/cooper11e Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2011). Business research methods (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin Drechsler, W., & Natter, M. (2012). Understanding a firm 's openness decisions in innovation. Journal of Business Research, 65(3), 438. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.11.003 Price, J. H., & Murnan, M. (2004). Research limitations and the necessity of reporting them. American Journal of Health Education, 35(2), 66-67. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=668126631&Fmt=2&clientId=20655&RQT=309&VName=PQD Welch. J. (1985). Researching marketing problems and opportunities with focus groups. Industrial Marketing Management, 14(4), 245-253. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/10.1016/0019-8501(85)90017-3