Research & Decision-Making for Business

Question: Analyse a business situation, formulate a research problem and devise an appropriate research design demonstrate effective communication skills? Answer: 1. Background to the Business Problem/Context for the Research While doing a business, a company faces a lot of problems. The problem that is focused in this study is the improvisation of the technology. The technology should be updated in order to overcome problems of the organization and resolve the problems for the employees of the organization. The communication styles in the business are improvising due to the update of the information technology. The outside business is controlled, developed, and flourished by the telecommunication. Tele work provides an efficient way of communicating within the organization. Under this study, the following factors are included; the importance and benefits of tele work, obstruction and hurdles of tele work, and why the tele work should be adapted by the organization in order to improve the working system. The employees work as full time or part time in an organization, this is followed by the traditional work practices. The employee normally works from morning 9 to evening 5 in the organization. The problems associated with the traditional work practices are recognized and understood by following some measures such as social trends, technology, etc. The communication process has become very fast, easy and less expensive by the introduction of the internet facility in the organization. And the processes of exchanging messages and some important information has become quick in the organizations (Albert, 1980). The organization is forced to adapt the competitive business actions by rationalizing the actions that are currently adapted by the organization and following a profitable business practice. The workforce needs and the alteration in the demand and the legislation manipulate the organization in managing the work with more responsibility. The flexible work regulation act is followed by the organization for making a better work environment (Robertson, 2000). In order to fulfill those demands and needs by developing a modern work culture, some changes should be made to the organization. Presently, as the technology has improved a lot, there are many different types of work practices that are now available for the organization such as contract terms, the mode of working, the working hours, etc. Permanent, casual and temporary terms are included in the contract terms. An employee can work as a part timer, fill timer, flexi timer, etc. Similarly, the working modes comprise of home based wor k, office based work, tele work, etc. The tele work can also be done from home rather than office. The information technology is used in the tele work to connect to the work place. This report will help in examining the traditional work practices going in the organization and its problems that arises, and in order to overcome the problem, some changes, like tele work, is implemented in the organization. 2. Overview and Background to the Proposed Method The organizations should take following steps in order to overcome this problem. First of all the functions of the tele work should be properly known. Tele work means that the employees would be working at any other place that is from anywhere other than the office and away from the managers supervision. The tele work can be done in a place where the basic necessities are outfitted that also includes secured network (Wiggins, nd.). Wireless connectivity is provided in some retail outlets with the help of which the employees continue their work. The technology has been advanced in providing better communication such as video conferencing, and sending of large amount of data quickly through the help of internet, have improvised the tele work and made it easy for the employees to work from home through tele work. Tele work provides benefits that are simultaneously with the completion of work. It also provides benefits to the environment, organization, communities, etc. The traditional w ork practices is replaced by the tele work through computers, telephones, etc. As per the needs and requirements of the employees the tele work makes the arrangements. The part time tele workers are known as the freelancers and includes the designers and the editors. The full time tele workers are known as practical teams who access from different locations in order to solve the business problems such as medical transcriptionist who carry out its work from home. The full time tele workers are provided with training and learning experience so that they give more efficient work to the organization. The tele work provides a good work practiced but besides that it also includes some complications. So, the management should go through the complication of tele work before implementing it in the organization. 3. Sample Requirements Sampling Options A questionnaire should be developed by the organization in order to know the advantages of the tele work, how its working in the organization, and its effect on the employees, etc. The questionnaire should be relevant which would have questions that would be of academic and intellectual interest to people. The questions that are to be asked should be manageable. The questions should be substantial and providing original dimensions (Patten, 2001). The questionnaire should be consistent with the requirements of the assessment. The entire question should be clear and simple so that it could be easily answered by the employees. The questions should maintain the interest of the management. The research questionnaire includes: - Is tele working a substitute to the traditional work practice? If yes? Why it is regarded as so? How the telecommunication should be carried? What are the requirements for carrying out the tele work? What are the benefits of tele working over the traditional work practice? How tele work cooperates with the modern work culture? 4. Data Collection Details A detailed information of the system is required which is known as the secondary data. The primary data and information on the business report of the tele communication are already collected. The different information regarding the tele works that are collected by various ways such as face-to-face interview, observations, analysis, survey, and experiments (Wilmot Stopher, 2002). Through this, it is clear that there are different challenges associated with the tele work such as social isolation, information and maintenance of file security. It should also be checked if there is any deficiency in the group discussion programs and group simulation. This affects the productivity and growth of the organization. This should be overcome in order to increase the productivity of the organization. The workers face the problem of control due to the monitoring of work from home. The good work that is provided by the workers to the management are often not recognized and considered by the manage ment. The goal is sometimes not clearly conveyed by the tele work and also often in tele work the practical work is not avoided from physical attendance. Besides these challenges and hurdles, it also gives more benefits to the workers such as good lifestyle, improved working environment, and work satisfaction, cast reduction in food, clothing and transportation. The tele work also helps the employees with disability in working by providing ease to them while working. Another benefit of the tele work is that the employees of tele work are also effective and productive in other work environments. Through the tele work many expenses ore also reduced because employees do the work from their home. The expenses such as office rent, electricity and other overhead cost, etc. are reduced. More recruitment options are offered due to larger and talented pool of labor. It also provides extra time for work without any disturbances because this is carried out from home itself. 5. Ethical Issues More different types of effective business modes are available due to the advancement of the technology. Similarly, the advanced technology also provides different types of business communication systems that is applicable for the practice of modern technology (Patten, 2001). The tele work system provides an effective and proficient system of communication which also flourishes the outside business. There are also ethical issues regarding the tele working system. The issues that are associated with the tele working system are: - Is the work done by the home based worker, productive? How to measure the work time of the home based worker? How a company determines that the worker works 30 hours a week? Should the inspection of the home officers be done by the employers? Besides these issues, the telework provides more advantages to its workers. The tele work provides more flexibility to its employees as they can do their work from home so they can manage their work life and personal life, better. This modern system of technology provides flexibility in the work that fulfills the requirements of each individual. The communication skills needs to be good in this system as every work in this system is done by tele communication and there is lack of face to face conversions (Zuboff, 1988). This system helps in the reduction of expenses as discussed above and due to this, the profits and the earnings is increased. It is a cost effective way of doing business and provides a competitive advantage in the recruitment and getting the best talent for the organization. This helps in increasing the margin of the profit of the business. The ethical problems can be avoided as through the telecommunication, it would contribute more towards the success of the organization by increasing the performance of the employees. This tele work system has earned name and fame regarding a progressive work option. A better life is provided to the workers which helps in improving the work performance of th e employees. So, tele work should be preferred by the organizations. 6. References Albert, K. (1980). Handbook of business problem solving. New York: McGraw-Hill. Donaldson, T., Werhane, P. (1979). Ethical issues in business. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall. Patten, M. (2001). Questionnaire research. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Pub. Robertson, S. (2000). A class act. New York: Falmer Press. Wiggins, J. Facilities managers desk reference. Wilmot, C., Stopher, P. (2002). Cost-effective data collection in Louisiana. Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana Transportation Research Center. Zuboff, S. (1988). In the age of the smart machine. New York: Basic Books.