LO1 Q3. What is the difference between academic, professional, industry and company information?

To make a research we can collect different kind of sources, based on primary and secondary data. The difference between them is that the primary sources are often original data collected through "instruments" such as surveys, interviews, questionnaires, "focus groups," etc.
Secondary sources on the other hand, provide an overview of existing published knowledge on a specific topic, they are very useful in providing contextual backgrounds.
Secondary sources can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, books or academic journals. In fact there are different type of secondary sources: academic, professional, industry and company information.

Academic: is very useful to add authoritativeness to a research because it is a source which has passed through “peer review” process, this means that the source has been read by experts prior the approval for the publication. Academic Journals, textbooks, and research papers are all example of academic information.

Professional Bodies: are organisations formed by professionals in a specific field. Besides providing support for professional development, they also publish professional journals and therefore provide a variety of information on best practice and guidelines. CIPD for example, is a professional body that publish different kind of research and makes available to its members information such as reports or surveys.
The difference with the other sources is that to get the information you have to be a member.

Industry information: it is often a report or an overview that includes: a definition of the industry, a description of the market, how the industry operates and so on. Industry information is complex and it sometimes can be difficult to find.
Usually they can be found in Government Departments, Trade Union, Regulatory bodies, Financial institutions and on-line database.
This kind of information is really helpful for providing an excellent starting place for an industry analysis. (City university Website, Acacia learning).

Company information: under the name of company information we can find all data that can be collected in your organisation. Surveys, reports, financial information, promotional material and so on, are all kind of Company information (Acacia Learning).
The are really useful when you have to analyze and discuss particular issues occurring in the organization (for example absenteeism issues), but to get the information you have to be a member of the company.

LO1 Q7. What on-line databases are available and how do these aid research? (e.g. Mintel)

Among the authoritative resources available online, there are the online database. They provide market research reports on consumer products, services and lifestyle. Mintel is one of the UK biggest and well known on line database, but there are other similar services, really useful to collect industry information.
Other available on line database are:

Business Insights

Global Market Information Database (GMID)

Freedonia

XpertHR
LO2 Q 3. What data collection method will you use for your chosen area of research?

The Methodology of data collection regards the ways in which the research is carried out and it is an important aspect of any type of research study.
Depending on what type of research you want to conduct, qualitative or quantitative, there are different methods that can be applied: * interviews, case studies and observation are the principal methodologies used in the qualitative research. * questionnaires, surveys, observation and experiment are the fundamental tools used in the quantitative research

In my research proposal I have used the Mixed-Method Approach, in fact I have considered to analyze the Absence report form and the on line questionnaire for the quantitative approach, and the Semistructured Interview to the Health Physician of the company for the qualitative approach.
I choose this methodology because I think that the use a variety of data collection methods is more appropriate when investigating human behavior and attitudes. In fact the aim of the research proposal is not only to analyze the rate of the absenteeism in the company, but also investigate the causes and try to find a solution to improve the attendance.

LO3 Q 3. What resources can be used to analyse and interpret trends?

Once data are collected, the next step is to analyze them. It could be really useful to develop a plan for analyzing data before it is time to conduct analysis. It is also important to match the analysis strategy to the type of information collected and the kinds of evaluation questions we want to answer.

Depending on the scope of the evaluation and the available resources, it could be useful organize the data before begin analysis. A database or spreadsheet can be helpful in organizing data.
To analyze and interpret trends we can use different kind of resources such as such as tables, graphs and statistics.

Tables are used to organize data in one place. They are useful because facilitate finding information quickly. One of the greatest advantages of tables is that it can be easier to spot trends and anomalies. Furthermore they are versatile: tables can be used to include both quantitative and qualitative data.

Graphs are often an excellent way to display results. Different types of graphs are appropriate for different analysis: * Bar graph might be appropriate for comparing different data * Pie charts are generally used to show percentage or proportional data * Gantt chart is one of the most useful ways of showing activities (tasks or events) displayed against time.

Statistics are the third general way of examining data. Often, statistical tests are used in some combination with tables and/or graphs. Descriptive statistics are used to summarize the data and include things like average, range, standard deviation, and frequency.

LO4 Q3. Identify and analyse the benefits and drawbacks of a range of written, electronic and oral media.

The principal communication channels are nonverbal, oral, and written. Electronic channels—including the telephone, radio, television, electronic mail, and electronic conferencing—use one or more of the principal communication channels. Each of these has different characteristics that can either help or obstruct communication, depending on the circumstances, the message, and the sender and audience.

The communication activity in organisations is mainly oral and takes place between two people or in small groups. Often this oral communication concerns decision making and the results of this communication usually end up in writing.

One of the advantages of oral communication is its immediacy. In fact in face-to-face situations people have the opportunity to discuss an issue, receive immediate feedback on their comments, change their point of views and adjust the messages. People involved in oral communication also have the opportunity to evaluate the nonverbal message, that often helps to judge the credibility of the verbal message.

But oral communication has some disadvantages too: it is relatively inefficient, more difficult to store and retrieve. Sometimes speakers are imprecise in communicating the message and and listeners need to ask questions to clarify meaning.

Written communication instead refers to messages that are transmitted to receivers in writing. The advantages of writing are that it facilitates the transfer of meaning across the barriers of time and space better than either nonverbal or oral messages. Writing provides a relatively permanent record of the information. Written documents are easy to store, retrieve, and transmit. Writing also allows to prepare the message carefully at a convenient time and allows the receiver to read it at his or her convenience and prepare a carefully reply.

One of the biggest disadvantages of writing is that it is a much slower channel of communication than the nonverbal or oral channel.
Furthermore the psychological impact of a written message requires more consideration. In fact the sender doesn’t have a prompt feedback so he/she hasn't the opportunity to modify the message according to the response observed in the audience.

Electronic channels - from the electronic mail (email) to television and from the telephone to videoconferencing - usually have the same basic characteristics as the other channels, but electronic media have their own influence: speed and reach. With the electronic channels it is possible to cover more distance and more quickly.
The electronic communication channels have the advantages of both the oral and writing communication: it can be synchronous and asynchronous at the same time.
Through the electronic channels people have the possibility to do Face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations, videoconferencing, and chat rooms ( all examples of synchronous communication). Electronic channels are also useful to send letters and other printed documents, such as electronic mail, voice mail and video, more quickly (all examples of asynchronous communication).
The advantages of synchronous communication are based on the immediacy of feedback, the same of the oral communication. The difference is that the sender and receiver can be in different locations.
Principal disadvantage of synchronous communication is the need to have sender and receiver present at the same time. For example a meeting or a phone call may be convenient for one person but not for another, especially when the people involved in the communication are from different time zones.

The advantages of asynchronous communication are the same of the written communication: messages can be sent and received when convenient for sender and receiver. Furthermore, asynchronous communication can be stored and forwarded, and for this reason it provides a permanent record of the communication.
As in writing, the principal disadvantage of asynchronous communication is that feedback is delayed and may be difficult to obtain.