Research Methodology, NMIMS Dec 2025 Assignment

Description

Research Methodology

Internal Assignment Applicable for Dec 2025 Examination

 

Q1 A consulting firm is preparing to launch a research project on the impact of remote work on employee productivity. The project lead, inspired by recent client experiences, is eager to proceed quickly and has drafted a hypothesis based on anecdotal evidence. However, the team is concerned about the risk of duplicating existing studies and missing key variables such as digital fatigue and communication barriers. They recognize the need to conduct a thorough literature review but are unsure how to structure it to inform their research objectives and methodology. Based on the scenario, how should the research team apply the principles of a critical literature review to ensure their study on remote work and employee productivity is both original and relevant, while avoiding duplication of existing research?

(10 Marks)

 

Q2 (A) A management intern is tasked with studying customer behavior at a busy café in Bangalore. She considers two options: observing customers without their knowledge to capture natural behavior (concealed observation), or informing them in advance and obtaining consent (unconcealed observation). The café owner is open to either method but is concerned about both data authenticity and ethical standards. Evaluate the ethical and methodological implications of choosing concealed (covert) observation over unconcealed (overt) observation in a study of customer behavior in a public café. Weigh the potential for authentic data against the ethical responsibilities of the researcher, and justify which approach would be more appropriate in this context.

(5 Marks)

 

Q2 (B) A research team is analyzing customer satisfaction survey data collected using a 5- point Likert scale. For ease of analysis, they consider treating the ordinal data as interval data to calculate means and run parametric tests. Some team members question whether this is methodologically sound and worry about the impact on the study’s conclusions. Evaluate the implications of treating ordinal data from a Likert scale as interval data in statistical analysis. Should the research team proceed with this approach, or are there risks to the validity of their findings? Justify your recommendation with reference to measurement theory.