Research Methodology Proposal

Topic: An Investigation into the role of Information Technology in Human

Resource Management. A case study of Lidl Ltd.

Introduction:

This proposal is to give the outline of research context from which the
research topic is drawn to develop my dissertation. The technology plays pivotal role
in all industries because it brings effectiveness and the speed of process. Human
Resource Management is most important assets in an organization which helps to
meet the organizations goals and objectives.
In this dissertation, Researcher intends to study the role of Information
Technology in Human Resource Management.

Background of Study:

This study will be based on the role of information technology in

Human resource management. To survive and successful in today’s competitive
world, all companies must be adopted the information technology. This changing
facet of automated business environment has indirectly affected the role human
resource management employees in commercial firms. There is lot of researches
has been done in this area. But this study will analyse the specific questions in a
particular firm.

Literature Review:

HRM proposes that HRM systems can contribute to the creation of a

long term competitive advantage (youndt and Snell 1998). HRMS is focused on the
internal development of knowledge stocks at individual level. It contributes to the
creation of a sustained competitive advantage enabling firms to decrease overhead
and administrative costs, balance work requirements (Pfeffer 1994) and enhance
organisational flexibility (Miles and Snow 1992).
Many HR managers and the people manage, may not be comfortable
with the changes that are on the horizon. At the point of evaluating the performance
of their employees, human resource managers must now address the question of
how well they are incorporating IT into their jobs (King 2000). Electronic
communication leads to a feeling of isolation in some employees and difficulties in
building relationships and teams (CIPD 2006).
IT provides the human resource function with the potential to become
more involved with business strategy and thereby add value(Shaw 1994). It is clear
though that no single company will be able to avoid these changes and necessary
adaptations (Baloh 2002). Information Technology is transforming the way human
resource managers in the public sector do their jobs (King 2000). New technologies
especially computers allow quicker and easier access to personal information (Stone
1999). Managing virtual corporations and virtual workers in this technology driven
world is going to pose tough challenges for HR managers in the years ahead (Kumar
2005).
By providing those brief literature reviews, this study will analyse the
particular three research questions that will have to be addressed.

An Introduction to the Organization:

EDF Energy:
• EDF energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies and the UK’s largest
producer of electricity.
• It employs over 20,000 people and handles 5.5 million customer accounts.
• It generates £6.6 billion revenue in 2008 financial year.

Aims & Objectives:

Researcher intends to look into the development of Human resource

management by the use of Information technology. Researcher aims and objectives
are,

 To review extent conceptual models and theoretical frameworks related to

information technology and HRM.

 To examine the role of IT in the effective delivery and support of HR.

 To identify the effectiveness of IT in employee communication and

engagement.
 To investigate the impact of IT in changing skills and roles of HR.

Research Questions:

In order to carry out this research and reach those aims and objectives,
researcher intends to answer the following research questions;

 Does technology really helps to improve the HR activity and process?

 What is the effect of Human Resource Information system on employee

communication and engagement?

 Does technology changes the roles and skills of HR?

Research Methodology:

According to Oxford Concise Dictionary, research is the systematic

study of materials and sources etc, in order to establish facts and reach new
conclusions. Research plays pivotal role in academics. The term Research
Methodology defines the theory of how research should be undertaken. Research
methodology is very important because it helps to bring the clear conclusions.
Positivism and Interpretivism are the two major types of research paradigm which
will underpin the research strategy and the method that will be used to undertake the
research.

Research Paradigm:

Interpretivism is necessary for the researcher to understand differences

between humans in a role as social actors. This philosophy dictates that we interpret
your social roles in accordance with the meaning we give to these roles.
Phenomenology refers to the way in which we as humans make sense of the world
around us (Saunders et al 2009). Interpretivism is a philosophical position which is
concerned with understanding the way we as humans make sense of the world
around us, the underlying assumption is that by placing people in their social context,
there is greater opportunity to understand the perceptions they have of their own
activities (Hussey and Hussey, 1997).
Positivism is working with an observable social reality and that the end
product of such research can be law-like generalisations similar to those produced
by the physical and natural scientists, the assumptions is that the researcher is
independent of and neither affects nor is affected by the subject of the research
(Remeneyi et al, 1998). Positivism is a philosophical stance of natural science. A
person with a positivistic philosophy prefers working with an observable social
reality, end product of this research is usually law like generalisation. Also this
philosophy dictates only phenomenon that you can observe, which will lead to
production of creditable data (Saunders et al 2009).
Interpretive Paradigm will be used in this study as this study of
involvement is about human related process in other words subjective process. In
this study, researcher will focus on details of the situation and its reality.

Research Approach:

Inductive approach will be used in this study because of the close

understanding of the research context. This approach particularly concerned with the
context in which such events were taking place (Saunders et al, 2009).
Inductive approach uses the qualitative data and more flexible structure
to change during the research process. It focuses on human interpretation to events
in this study.
Research Strategy:

A strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation

of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple
sources of evidences (Robson, 2002). A case study strategy will be used in this
study because it involves an empirical investigation on this study within where real
life contexts using multiple sources of evidence. It also helps to researcher to gain
the rich understanding of the role of IT in human relation management. It enables us
to go for the combination of data collection and triangulate the multiple sources of
data.

Research methodologies can either be quantitative or qualitative.

Qualitative analysis refers to all non-numerical data or data that have not been
quantified and can be a product of all research strategies. It can range from a short
list of responses to open-ended questions in an online questionnaire to more
complex data such as transcripts of in-depth interviews or entire policy documents
(Saunders et al, 2009).

Quantitative analysis is used to analyze data into univariate analysis

(single variable), biovariate analysis (between variables) and multivariate analysis
(between three or more variables) (Bryman and Bell, 2007).

Quantitative data can be qualities it, that is, convert it into narrative that
can be analysed qualitatively. Alternatively, qualitative data can be quantitise it,
converting it into to numerical codes so that it can be analysed statistically (Saunders
et al, 2009). Quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques and analysis
procedures each have their own strengths and weaknesses (Smith, 1975). Multiple
methods are useful because they provide better opportunities to answer research
questions and better evaluate the extent to which research findings can be trusted
and inferences made from them (Tashakkori and Teddlie 2003). Researcher tends to
use triangulation method which combines both quantitative and qualitative research
methodologies because of researcher looking into the convergence results. It would
be more reliable and helps to balance of both strengths each other.

Data Collection:

Researcher intends to use both primary data and secondary data for
the data collection in this study. Primary data collection can be questionnaire,
observations and interviews. Researcher will use open ended questionnaire,
interviews as primary data. Interviews can be structured, unstructured
and semi-structured interviews. Open Questions or Open ended Questionnaire are
used in in-depth interviews or semi-structured interviews. These Questionnaires are
used if the researcher is unaware of the responses (Saunders et al, 2009).
Structured interview is a data collection technique in which interviewer made the set
of formal questions and expects the answer from the different employees.
Unstructured or in-depth interviews are informal interviews. The researcher uses
such interview pattern to explore in depth a general area in which the researcher is
interested (Saunders et al, 2009). Interview would be with Store assistant, Duty
Managers, Store Managers, HR Team members and HR Managers.

Secondary data is data that have already been collected for some
other purpose, perhaps processed and subsequently stored (Saunders et al, 2009).
Secondary data can be documentary, survey and those from multiple resources.
Researcher will use journals, books, observation and documentary analysis.
Observation can be possible in this study as researcher is currently working for Lidl.

Data Analysis:

Data can be analysed through various methods such as content

analysis, theoretical sampling, thematic analysis and grounded theory. Thematic
analysis will be used in this study because it uses multiple data to be analysed. It
helps to analyse the qualitative data by differentiating the major theme and sub
theme under which we segregate the data. Thematic analysis would be the best
appropriate analysis for this study.

Ethical Considerations:

Research ethics refer to the appropriateness of your behaviour in

relation to the rights of those who become the subject of your work or are affected by
the work. They also relate to yourself and ensuring no harm comes to you and other
researchers (Saunders et al, 2009). The research will be done according to the code
of ethics or guidelines set up by the University of Wales. Being a complete observer
confidentiality of the research data will be maintained accordingly as mentioned by
the organisation. All the processes from gaining access to analysis and reporting of
the research data will be processed ethically.
Time Matrix:

WEEKS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Identification of
the

Topic

Literature

Review

Research

Design

Choice of

Methodology

Data

Sources

Data

Collection

Data

Analysis

Writing up

Draft

Editing

Final

Document

Binding of

Document

References:
Beardwell, I., Holden, L. & Claydon, T. (2004), Human Resource Management: A
contemporary Approach, 4th edn, Harlow, Prentice Hall.

Bryman, A. and Bell, E.(2007), Business Research Methods, London, Oxford

University Press.

CIPD (2006), HR and Technology: Beyond Delivery. London, CIPD.

CIPD (2006), What is the future of Human Capital?, London, CIPD.

Fisher, C., (2007), Researching and writing a dissertation: A guide book for business
students, 2nd edn. Harlow, Prentice Hall.

Hussey, J. and Hussey, R. (1997) Business Research, Basingstoke, Macmillan

Press Ltd.

Martin, G (2005), Technology and People Management: The opportunity and the
challenge, London, CIPD.

Reddington, M. Withers, M. & Williamson, M. (2005), Transforming HR: Creating

Value through People, Oxford, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

Remeniyi, D. Williams, B. Money, A. and Swartz, E. (1998) Doing Research in

Business and management: An introduction to Process and methods, London, Sage.

Robson, C. (2002), Real World Research, 2nd edn, Oxford, Blackwell.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornthill, A. (2009), Research Methods for business
students, 5th edn, Harlow, Prentice hall.

Smith, H. (1975), Strategies of Social Research: The Methodological Imagination,

Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall.

Tashakkori, A. And Teddlie, C. (2003), Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and

Behavioural Research, Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage.

Ulrich, D.(1997), Human Resource Champions, London, Harvard Business School

Wiesnar, R. and Millett, B (2002), Human Resource Management challenge and

future directions. New York: Wiley.

www.lidl.co.uk