QSO 500 Milestone One Guidelines and Rubric
Overview: In this final project, you will create a research report based on the application of action research processes for developing problem solving strategies.
In designing the report, you will follow the best practices for ethical research. You will utilize the research process to inform decisions in your professional life
and as a framework for approaching research projects in other courses in your program. The final product will be a comprehensive research report using the
five-step research process (identify the problem; understand the theoretical framework of the problem; design the research study; collect, explain, and analyze
the data; report the results; and make conclusions and recommendations).
For Milestone One, submit a draft of your business problem and literature review. Using the problem you identified in your Module One journal and the
feedback you received, describe the research problem including the context in which it exists. Using the problem statement, describe the stakeholders and
research objective. Based on the research objective, develop a research question that clearly and concisely articulates in one sentence the purpose of the study.
Consider the key real or potential ethical issues or challenges of the study.
After describing your business problem and research question, prepare a comprehensive literature review that carefully and thoughtfully examines the research
problem from a scholarly perspective using a minimum of seven quality sources. A minimum of three of the sources must be selected from scholarly, peerreviewed journals. Other quality sources can be professional publications or magazines, internal corporate publications such as annual reports or white papers,
or established news sources.
Prompt: Refer to the given case study Maruti Suzuki India: Defending Market Leadership in the A-Segment and select a data-driven business problem that can be
addressed using action research to be the basis for your research report. Prepare a comprehensive literature review that carefully and thoughtfully examines the
research problem from a scholarly perspective using a minimum of seven quality sources. A minimum of three of the sources must be selected from scholarly,
peer-reviewed journals. Other quality sources can be from professional publications or magazines, internal corporate publications such as annual reports or
white papers, or established news sources.
Specifically the following critical elements must be addressed:
Business Problem: Refer to the given case study and select a data-driven business problem that can be addressed using action research to be the basis for
your research report.
A. Describe the research problem, including the context in which it exists. In other words, what caused or precipitated this problem? What has
already been done to address it?
B. Describe the key stakeholders (or potential stakeholders) of your business problem. In other words, who are the people who have the most to
gain or lose from a decision?
C. Explain the research objective. How would it benefit the stakeholder to know the results?
D. Develop a research question based on the research objective that clearly and concisely articulates in one sentence the purpose of the study.
E. Discuss the key real or potential ethical issues or challenges of the study. Consider the following: How will data be collected and protected? How
will human subjects be used, treated, and protected?
Literature Review:
A. Explain the theories that best ground your organizational problem. Support your explanation with specific examples. These theories might be
management, behavioral, social, and/or business related.
B. Discuss the bias and limitations present in the relevant literature and the potential impact these may have on your research.
C. Summarize at least one other research study that has faced this challenge that could potentially be replicated and applied to your research
study.
D. From the literature, analyze at least one other organization that has faced similar problems, explaining what they have done to address the
problem.
Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your milestone must be submitted as a 5- to 6-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman
font, one-inch margins, and at least seven sources cited in APA format.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information,
review these instructions.
Critical Elements
Business Problem:
Research Problem
Proficient (100%)
Describes the research problem,
including the context in which it
exists
Business Problem:
Stakeholders
Describes all key stakeholders of
the business problem
Business Problem:
Research Objective
Explains the research objective,
including how this research
would benefit the stakeholder
Needs Improvement (75%)
Describes the research
problem, but description is
cursory or does not include the
context in which the problem
exists
Describes the stakeholders of
the business problem, but
description is cursory or
neglects to address all key
stakeholders
Explains the research objective,
but explanation is cursory or
does not show how this
research would benefit the
stakeholder
Not Evident (0%)
Does not describe the research
problem
Value
9
Does not describe the
stakeholders of the business
problem
9
Does not explain the research
objective
9
Business Problem:
Research Question
Develops a research question
based on the research objective
that clearly and concisely
articulates in one sentence the
purpose of the study
Business Problem:
Ethical Issues
Discusses all key real or
potential ethical issues or
challenges of the study
Literature Review:
Theories
Explains the theories that best
ground the organizational
problem with support from
specific examples
Literature Review:
Bias and Limitations
Discusses the bias and
limitations present in the
relevant literature, including the
potential impact on research
Literature Review:
Other Research Study
Summarizes another research
study that has faced this
challenge that could potentially
be replicated and applied to
your research study
Literature Review:
Other Organization
Analyzes another organization
that has faced similar problems,
including an explanation of
what was done to address the
problem
Develops a research question
based on the research
objective, but it does not
clearly or concisely articulate in
one sentence the purpose of
the study
Discusses real or potential
ethical issues or challenges of
the study, but discussion is
cursory, contains issues of
clarity, or neglects to address
key ethical issues
Explains the theories that best
ground the organizational
problem, but explanation is
cursory or not supported with
specific examples
Discusses the bias and
limitations present in the
relevant literature, but
discussion contains issues of
clarity or does not address the
potential impact on research
Summarizes another research
study that has faced this
challenge that could potentially
be replicated and applied to
your research study, but
summary is cursory or contains
inaccuracies
Analyzes another organization
that has faced similar
problems, but analysis is
cursory or does not explain
what was done to address the
problem
Does not develop a research
question based on the research
objective
9
Does not discuss real or potential
ethical issues or challenges of the
study
12
Does not explain the theories that
best ground the organizational
problem
12
Does not discuss the bias and
limitations present in the relevant
literature
12
Does not summarize another
research study that has faced this
challenge that could potentially
be replicated
12
Does not analyze another
organization that has faced
similar problems
12
Articulation of
Response
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
Total
4
100%
While reading the case study on Maruti Suzuki India: Defending Market Leadership
in the A-Segment, it was really interesting to read what was and is going on in the
automotive industry. Something that stood out to me was how they researched on
what each segment would attract what type of consumer and how they know which
type of consumers would be interested in each segment. There were several
problems that were encountered while this research was conducted, but one of the
problems stood out to me. Of course we know that there is so many competition out
there when it comes to the automotive industry, by conducting a research on the
cities and areas and base if off the economy would be something that would be
helpful to them. So my research question to address this business problem would
be: What are the most important factors that consumers look for when deciding on
what vehicle will be more beneficial to their lifestyle?
MSIL should fortify their position in smaller markets. The reason being is because as
they mentioned in the article about the competition surrounding them in the big
cities. With becoming stronger in the smaller markets, MSIL will have a better
chance in offering the customers more economical options and still remain
competitive within their industry.
From a strategic point of view, the premium hatch will definitely add significantly to
the brand image and channel motivation as compared to an entry-level. The
premium hatch has its own set of customers, which are already car owners but are
looking to replace their entry or mid level hatch. By adding the premium hatch to
their brand image, it will encourage already car owners to want to upgrade and
chose a brand that is better for them as well as to build a social status.
There could be a merit when projecting a mid-level hatch product, because if offered
more interior space, which was 10% more than the entry-level, as well as better
utility features. The only thing is that the mid-level hatch was only in limited
geographies and it was not expected to have a high contribution margin.
I do think it the entry-level hatch segment would have to be merged with the midlevel hatch. The reason is because the entry-level segment has a lower profit margin
and it would benefit from the mid-hatch segment. The article mentions that the
consumers did not have a thorough understanding of the entry-level hatch
segment’s technological complexity and there were greater choices available to the
consumers in terms of models, features and brands.
Feedback from Instructor:
Good journal entry. You did a good job breaking down an area/problem to research.
Your stated research question is more of a problem statement/research objective.
You then would develop a number of research questions, that are specific, and
focused that address this research objective. Be sure there is data available in the
case study to support any questions you pose. Please review the posts in this weeks
Discussion board for ideas on how to craft a problem statement/objective and then
the supporting research questions. Good work.
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