MBA5008 Business Research Methods Case Study 3 Sample

MBA5008 Business Research Methods

Assignment details

Introduction

The student will be asked to write a research-based project building on their annotated bibliography inAssessment Task 1, articulating a research problem / issue / question, discussing a thorough literature review,analysis and discussion of the various issues identified from the literature review, using different perspectives and coming up with conclusions, solutions, and recommendations.

Task

Students are to work on a selected research problem/question, conduct a narrative literature review, and prepare a research report.

Aim

The primary aim of this assessment is for you to understand the research process and get familiar with conducting a literature review, exploring relevant theories, methods, and concepts. The secondary aim of this assignment is to give you the opportunity to enhance your research skills, critical thinking, theoretical applications and report writing skills.

How to write a research report step by step:

Report format: The report must be of 3000 words in length excluding references list.

Report structure:

Your report should have a suitable flow to allow for a clear reading with a sequence of ideas.

1. Abstract

Even though an abstract comes in as the first, you should write it at the very end, after you completed all other sections. Abstract is presenting the most relevant information and it should be no more than 250 words long. The abstract follows the same structure as your research report: Background, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Make sure you present only the most important information in your abstract, something that is the most interesting and the most relevant to the readers.

2. Introduction/Background

In this section, you need to outline the purpose of your report and its scope by presenting the research aim and the topic. You can use the same research or similar title that you have used in your Assessment 1. You need to discuss the background of your research by introducing information that include a rationale for the importance of your topic by presenting a brief review of the literature already available on the topic and the gaps in theliterature this research is trying to address.

3. Methods

You are going to conduct a narrative literature review and analyse relevant, most recent (last 5 to maximum 10 years) peer-reviewed literature available on the topic-
Use minimum of 10-12 papers. In the methods section you need to:

Explain our search strategy outlining your search syntax and databases in which you searched Outline study selection process and exclusion and inclusion criteria

ï Present data extraction process and coding

4. Results

Results indicate what you found in your research, that is in the available, most recent peer-review literature on your topic. This is only to provide the results of your research, do not interpret them at this stage. In the results section, you need to include a table and extract the following data from each of the publications you found- Minimum of 10-12 papers.

5. Discussion

This section should be the most elaborate and you should show your critical thinking skills. Do not just present the findings from the literature but critically evaluate them. It is necessary to discuss the relevance of your results and how your findings fit with other research in the area. You should relate back to your literature review and your research purpose

6. Conclusion

This is a summary of the most significant results/findings. You should not include any new material in this section. You may include research limitations and further research requirements in this section.

7. List of references

Submission Instructions

All report submissions are to be submitted through Turnitin on LMS. Drop-boxes linked to Turnitin will be set up in Moodle. Assessments not submitted through these drop-boxes will not be considered. The Turnitin similarity score will be used in determine any plagiarism of your submitted assessment.

Solution

Introduction

The goal of this study is to investigate the complex connection between transformational leadership and its effect on employee creativity and innovation in the setting of Indian SMEs. We explain the central research subject in this study, which we laid the groundwork for in Assessment 1: "The Influence of Transformational Leadership on Employee Creativity and Innovation in the Indian SME sector”. The small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector in India is vital to the country's economy because of the many ways in which it promotes expansion, employment, and new ideas. This paper sets out to examine the part played by leadership in fostering an environment conducive to employee creativity and innovation within SMEs in light of the recognition of the transformational potential of these businesses. It is crucial to have a deep comprehension of the role transformative leadership plays in encouraging innovation and creativity. It might help improve the fortunes of individual SMEs and advance India's efforts to become more globally competitive. This study's foundation rests on the dynamic field of leadership studies and its practical applications. There has been a lot of focus in recent years on the concept of transformational leadership, which is typified by charismatic and inspirational leaders who motivate their people to accomplish remarkable achievements. The extent of its impact on India's small and medium-sized enterprises is, however, unclear (Qian & Kee, 2023).
This report's literature evaluation identifies a large void in the current literature, highlighting the need for more investigation into the connection between transformational leadership and employee creativity and innovation within the setting of Indian SMEs. There have been studies done, but they are scattered, and there hasn't been a thorough synthesis of the results. This study tries to fill that void by providing a comprehensive overview of the most up-to-date, scholarly writing on the topic. In doing so, it hopes to contribute to both the theoretical and practical understanding of how transformational leadership may be used to foster innovation and creativity among India's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The report acts as a conduit, linking academic studies of leadership with India's thriving small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector to release the country's untapped creative potential for MBA assignment expert.

Method

Recent, peer-reviewed literature from the past several years is analyzed in this research report's narrative literature review. The major goal is to get an awareness of the impact of transformational leadership on employee creativity and innovation in the context of Indian SMEs by reading at least 10-12 relevant publications on the topic.

Search Strategy:

To find all relevant information, the search strategy was carefully crafted. This involved the use of academic search engines and databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and ResearchGate. The search was made more thorough and specific by using Boolean operators and pertinent keywords together. Many different permutations of the phrases "transformational leadership," "employee creativity," "innovation," "Indian SME sector," and so on have been used to cover a lot of ground in the relevant literature.

Study Selection Process:

To guarantee the quality and applicability of the selected articles, the selection procedure followed rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. The following were used as criteria:

1. Publication Date: Recent advancements and conclusions were given more weight, therefore papers published within the previous 5-10 years were given more priority.

2. Peer-Reviewed: To ensure the credibility and quality of the sources, we only evaluated papers that had been peer-reviewed.

3. Relevance: All papers that were considered for inclusion had to address the relevance of the topic, which required them to discuss how transformational leadership in the Indian SME sector affects employee creativity and innovation.

4. Empirical Studies: Surveys, interviews, case studies, and experiments were only a few of the types of empirical research conducted with the express purpose of providing useful, applicable information (Bouchrika, 2023).

The review process did not continue with any papers that did not fulfill these requirements.

Data Extraction Process and Coding:

To guarantee uniformity and facilitate analysis, the data extraction procedure followed a strict protocol. The following pieces of information were analyzed in each chosen paper:

1. Research Question and Aims: Each paper's major topic was narrowed down by determining its research question and its unique set of objectives.

2. Theoretical/Conceptual Framework: Theoretical and conceptual frameworks were described to help readers make sense of the study's theoretical underpinnings.

3. Research Design: All qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research designs used in the included papers were properly cited.

4. Methods and Data Analysis: To better understand the study process, we separated the data collection methods and analytic strategies employed.

5. Key Findings: The most important results from each publication were highlighted, but no context was included.

To facilitate a consistent and comprehensive evaluation of the chosen publications, the data extraction procedure sought to systematically classify and organize the collected data. The analysis and discussion in this study rely on the themes, trends, and gaps in the literature that were uncovered with the use of this methodological framework. The overall quality and rigor of the research report depend on the trustworthiness and relevance of the literature studied, which in turn depends on the methodological approach employed (Mittal & Dhar, 2015).

Results

The results of this research report synthesize the findings of a survey and an examination of the most recent scholarly writings on the topic of the impact of transformational leadership on employee creativity and innovation in Indian SMEs. Important data from each of the chosen studies are summarized in the table below.

Discussion

Specifically, for the context of SMEs in India, the discussion section of this research report provides a critical evaluation of the results and findings obtained from the literature review concerning the impact of transformational leadership on employee creativity and innovation. As well as discussing the review's shortcomings and providing suggestions for future studies, this section delves into the practical significance of the results for policymakers and practitioners.

Relevance of Findings

The results of this literature study provide insight into the crucial role that transformational leadership plays in inspiring innovation and originality amongst staff in a range of business contexts. These results have significant ramifications for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India, where the constant change of the economic climate necessitates creative responses. Many researches have shown a correlation between transformative leadership and employee creativity. Those looking for an explanation often turn to the social identity approach, which highlights how transformational leaders may boost employees' social identity and, in turn, stimulate their innovative work behavior. Both Social Identity Theory and Social Exchange Theory provide a theoretical basis for this, thus it makes sense.

Additionally, several studies investigate the mediating and moderating elements that further clarify this connection. For example, the notion of work engagement as a mediator is introduced by Raza et al. (2017), offering insight into how transformational leadership may improve innovative behaviour in the workplace. Knowledge sharing as a moderator and inventive atmosphere as a mediator of the connection between transformational leadership and innovation are explored by Arora and Sonde (2019).

Integration with Existing Research

This review's conclusions are consistent with the literature on leadership and innovation as a whole. The importance of transformational leadership in fostering an environment conducive to innovation inside an organization has been widely acknowledged (Eisenbeiss et al., 2008). The findings of the study by Parvin et al. (2015), which are applicable to a wide range of industries, highlight the significance of transformational leadership in influencing organizational culture and encouraging innovation in educational institutions.

These results are also consistent with research that highlights the importance of social identity in shaping employee actions (Haslam et al., 2003). Shin et al. (2012) study adds depth to this viewpoint by showing how transformational leadership might dampen the correlation between cognitive diversity and team identification, two factors that are critical to creative collaboration and problem solving.

Limitations

It is important to recognize some constraints, notwithstanding the helpful insights supplied by the evaluated literature. To begin, drawing industry-specific findings is hampered by the paucity of literature on transformational leadership in India's small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. Most of the articles that were chosen were written with an international audience in mind, therefore their immediate relevance to the Indian context may need to be explored further.
Second, most studies use a quantitative approach, which limits our understanding of the mechanisms and contextual factors that shape the connection between transformational leadership and employee creativity and innovation. This calls for an increase in the number of qualitative and mixed-methods studies (Bick et al. 2018).

Recommendations for Future Research

The following are some points to keep in mind for future study on transformational leadership and innovation in Indian SMEs in order to solve the limits and make progress in this area:

1. Contextual Research: In order to better understand the particular difficulties and possibilities that affect the efficacy of transformational leadership in encouraging innovation in the Indian SME sector, it is important to conduct context-specific research in this area (Belman and Monaco, 2001).

2. Mixed-Methods Approach: To fully understand the phenomenon and delve into the processes, viewpoints, and experiences of employees and leaders, a mixed-methods study approach should be implemented.

3. Longitudinal Studies: Consider the dynamic character of SMEs when conduct longitudinal research into the effects of transformational leadership on employee creativity and innovation.

4. Leadership Development: Exploring leadership development programs and actions that can help SME leaders become more transformative and create a more creative work environment.

Practical Implications

The findings highlight the importance of transformational leadership in promoting innovation for decision-makers and practitioners in the Indian SME sector. To motivate their teams and spark their creativity, leaders should implement transformational leadership behaviors including inspiring motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. The beneficial effects of transformational leadership on innovation may be amplified by promoting a culture of trust and information sharing among SMEs. Companies may foster environments where employees feel safe to try out novel approaches and take risks (Donaghy, 2002). The literature study highlights the critical necessity of transformational leadership in the fast-changing landscape of Indian SMEs in encouraging employee creativity and innovation. It lays the groundwork for more study and gives actionable advice to help SME executives and policymakers innovate and expand their businesses (Ankarali, 2021).

Conclusion

This study reports on an investigation of how transformational leadership affects employee innovation and creativity in India's SME sector. Key discoveries and insights have been uncovered through a comprehensive narrative literature analysis, illuminating the critical function of transformational leadership in encouraging innovation. There is a favorable and persistent link between transformative leadership and employee creativity and innovation, according to a survey of current peer-reviewed studies. Leaders' ability to mould employee social identities and levels of involvement is a key factor in inspiring creative problem-solving on the job, and this connection is grounded in Social Identity Theory and Social Exchange Theory. Despite the consistency with other studies on leadership and innovation, it is important to note the review's shortcomings, especially the lack of Indian SME-specific context-specific studies. This restriction highlights the need for more study that is sensitive to the special difficulties and possibilities of this setting. Especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this study's findings highlight the importance of transformational leadership as a catalyst for employee creativity in the context of the ever-changing business landscape. Leadership in India's small and medium enterprise (SME) sector requires cultivating a climate of trust, openness to new ideas, and sharing of expertise. The report's findings serve as a rallying cry for top-level executives to adopt transformational leadership styles, and they point to areas where more study could deepen our knowledge of this crucial connection.

References

Ankarali, H. (2021). Global evaluation of COVID-19 cases and clustering of similar countries. Northern Clinics of Istanbul, doi:10.14744/nci.2021.42492.

Belman, D.L. and Monaco, K.A. (2001). The effects of deregulation, de-unionization, technology, and human capital on the work and work lives of truck drivers. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 54(2A), p. 502. doi:10.2307/2696106.

Bick, A. (2018). Long-term changes in married couples’ labor supply and taxes: Evidence from the US and Europe since the 1980s. doi:10.3386/w24995.

Bouchrika, I. (2022). What Is Empirical Research? Definition, Types & Samples. Research.com. https://research.com/research/what-is-empirical-research
Donaghy, M. (2002). Monetary privacy in the information economy. International Sociology, 17(1), pp. 113–133. doi:10.1177/0268580902017001006.

Fanelli, J.M. (2018). Demography and the macroeconomy. Asymmetric Demography and the Global Economy.
Gruneau, R. & Compton, J. (2017). Media events, mega-events and Social Theory. Sport, Media and Mega-Events, pp. 33–47.

Lanciano, T. (2020). Risk perceptions and psychological effects during the Italian covid-19 emergency. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.580053.
Lombard, L. (2015). The Autonomous Zone Conundrum. Making Sense of the Central African Republic. doi:10.5040/9781350221246.ch-007.

Migliore, G., Schifani, G. & Cembalo, L. (2015). Opening the black box of food quality in the short supply chain: Effects of conventions of quality on consumer choice. Food Quality and Preference, 39, pp. 141–146. doi:10.1016/j.foodqual.2014.07.006.

Mittal, S., & Dhar, R. L. (2015). Transformational leadership and employee creativity: mediating role of creative self-efficacy and moderating role of knowledge sharing. Management Decision, 53(5), 894-910. DOI:10.1108/MD-07-2014-0464

Monaco, D. (2022). The rise of anti-establishment and far-right forces in Italy: Neoliberalisation in a new guise?. Competition & Change, 27(1), pp. 224–243. doi:10.1177/10245294211060123.

Nasir, J., Ibrahim, R. M., Sarwar, M. A., Sarwar, B., Al-Rahmi, W. M., Alturise, F., & Uddin, M. (2022). The effects of transformational leadership, organizational innovation, work stressors, and creativity on employee performance in SMEs. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.772104

Qian, C., & Kee, D. M. H. (2023). Exploring the Path to Enhance Employee Creativity in Chinese MSMEs: The Influence of Individual and Team Learning Orientation, Transformational Leadership, and Creative Self-Efficacy. Information, 14(8), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/info14080449

Shafi, M., Lei, Z., Song, X., & Sarker, M. N. I. (2020). The effects of transformational leadership on employee creativity: Moderating role of intrinsic motivation. Asia Pacific Management Review, 25(3), 166-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmrv.2019.12.002