Homework Question

 Submit your research report based on your application of action research to address a specific business problem present in the given case study. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. 

Running Head: MARUTI SUZUKI CASE STUDY 1

MARUTI SUZUKI CASE STUDY 5

Maruti Suzuki Case Study

Instructor: Trevor Caskey, Ph.D.

Patricia Vela

QSO-500 Business Research

Business Problem

Research Problem

Maruti Suzuki is one of the largest passenger car producers in India. Based in Delhi, the company had dominated the automotive industry for a very long time until recently when it presented poor product management challenges. The company has seen a decline in its r4espources over the recent past, and this can be attributed to its shrinking market share. There are new entrants as well as other established competitors in the Indian automotive industry that are now giving Maruti Suzuki a run for its money. Hyundai and Tata are some of the new companies and are already giving Maruti Suzuki a competition for their consumers.

The poor product management at Maruti Suzuki has been a result of a lack of innovation, diversification, and the company’s brand image. Poor data collection and research by the company contributed to this decline in innovation that has resulted in a shrinking market share. The company has only been carrying out research on its product development using insights gained from the Indian market. This gives it a market share only in the country, while other brands like Hyundai, with a wider scope of research, are gaining prominence in international markets, thus increasing their market shares.

Maruti Suzuki has also not been observing consumer trends in their products. Most of their initial consumers are shifting their preferences from Indian cars to international brands, including Toyota and Hyundai. This reduction in the number of consumers who purchase their products locally results in lower sales, thus affecting the company’s profitability. Lack of proper research designs has proven to be the main cause of poor product management in Maruti Suzuki, and this has consequently resulted in its loss of profitability.

Stakeholders

Maruti Suzuki, like any other company, is made up of both internal and external stakeholders. The company was initially established as a joint venture between the Government of India and the Suzuki Motor company. The company increased its equity shares and attained autonomy. With the decline in sales resulting from poor product management, the company’s key stakeholders are going to be affected. A company is set up with two main aims. The first aim is to provide for the consumers’ need, and two, to attain profitability for the owners.

In this case, the decline in profits means a decline in the owners’ profitability from the annual dividends. The management of the company that represents the shareholders will also be affected by the lower profit margins. Employees from the company are also likely to face a reduction in monthly reimbursements, making them other stakeholders who are affected by poor product management as affiliates of the company.

Motor vehicle dealers will also have an impact as a result of this. There are direct dealers who buy vehicles in wholesale from the company then retail them to consumers. With the reduction of innovation, consumers are not likely to buy these products. This makes the dealers run into losses. Finally, consumers of the Maruti Suzuki products will also be affected by poor product management. Consumers need products that fulfill their needs. With poor innovation, they will be buying products with very low satisfaction levels.

Research objectives

Poor product management has been seen to have adverse negative impacts on Maruti Suzuki as a company and all of its stakeholders. This study aims to provide insights into how this problem of poor management of the products can be resolved. More specifically, this paper aims to identify ways through which the company can improve its products to ensure it reestablishes itself in the market. The study also aims to identify which aspects of product management were ignored that led to the decline in the market share of Maruti Suzuki. Addressing all of these research objectives will provide an insightful report for the Maruti Suzuki company and other automobile companies facing the same problem to apply recommendations from this paper to attain a competitive advantage.

Research question

What will be the effect of Maruti Suzuki employing effective product development strategies and encouraging innovation on the company’s financial performance?

Ethical issues

To complete this research study, data will have to be obtained from both the consumers and affiliates of Maruti Suzuki. The first ethical issue in the collection is ensuring that we have collected data in a manner that does not violate the subjects’ rights. This study will use direct interviews and questionnaires to collect data from the respondents. We will use random sampling to get a sample of the population. First, we will have to obtain consent from the people, and only those who consent will be used as respondents.

The data collected from the questionnaires and interviews will be stored in a secure and encrypted database. A backup on the cloud will be made of this same data. The human subjects will be treated in accordance with beneficence as an ethical principle. This allows us to treat the subjects in a humane way without violation of their human rights in the process. The anonymity of the subjects and confidentiality of their responses will be guaranteed so as to ensure that no privacy violations have been made. Vulnerable groups, including those with disabilities, the aged, and other vulnerable groups, will be given priority in this exercise’s conduction.

Literature review

Theories

Maruti Suzuki has been associated with poor product management that has led it to fail in maintaining its competitive advantage against its business rivals in the automotive industry. Business continuity is dependent on a number of variables, including product development, quality of work, creativity, and efficient growth. The management is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that all of these variables are met to ensure the business is productive. Several studies have been conducted that reveal how poor product management has affected businesses.

Suzuki did not apply scientific management theory in the management of its products (Anderson et al., 1994). The company’s management failed to ensure that there is continued innovation and research beyond the locality to the global arena to develop insights on how to develop their products. According to Locke (1982), failure to use the scientific theory of management in a business can have vast negative impacts. In this case, Suzuki lost its competitive advantage and resulted in losses.

Product management theory entails the development of a product to its best quality (Nambisan, 2002). Maruti Suzuki did not develop its product in accordance with this theory. The research that the company conducted was insufficient, and its developers lacked innovation to ensure that the product was of the highest quality. The preferences of customers began shifting to companies such as Hyundai. Dean and Bowen (1994) state the importance of marketing as one of the components of product development theory. As initially stated, Suzuki was not keen on monitoring consumer behaviors. This, in turn, impacted their marketing strategies. Consequently, they ended up losing to new entrants like Hyundai.

Bias in the literature

Positive bias has been presented by Anderson et al. (1994), where they claim that there has been a significant drop in the stocks of Maruti Suzuki over the years. However, there are other key players who have also had the same issue. The stock before and after the loss indicates a positive bias in the literature. This factor makes the study pose a validity question. The collected data is also not verifiable, as well as a lack of indication of the data collection method.

Other research studies

According to a research study in 2005 by Becker-Ritterspach, the same bias represented itself. The researcher indicates the lack of verification for the sources of information that was used in the study on Maruti Suzuki. The lack of proof towards the sources of information in this study renders it bias and makes it not reliable. Responses from questionnaires would have proven to be important in verifying sources of information.

Other organization

Before the introduction of smartphones, Nokia was among the leading companies. However, with the introduction of smartphones, it became almost obsolete. The company failed to embrace the new innovation in the telecommunications industry by producing smartphones (Vuori & Huy, 2015). However, the company has made a comeback by positively managing its product and introducing smartphones to the market. Although this has happened many years later, they have still managed to regain their product management. Nokia partnered with Microsoft to produce smartphones with Microsoft’s name (Bala & Singh, 2016).

References

Anderson, J. C., Rungtusanatham, M., & Schroeder, R. G. (1994). A theory of quality management underlying the Deming management method. Academy of management Review, 19(3), 472-509.

Bala, R., & Singh, D. P. (2016). Nokia: It’s not over yet, A Come Back in 2016. International

Journal of Management, IT and Engineering, 6(2), 222-234.

Becker-Ritterspach, F. A. (2005). Transfer, intercultural friction and hybridization: empirical

evidence from a German automobile subsidiary in India. Asian Business & Management, 4(4), 365-387.

Dean, J. W., & Bowen, D. E. (1994). Management theory and total quality: improving research

and practice through theory development. Academy of management review, 19(3), 392-418.

Locke, E. A. (1982). The ideas of Frederick W. Taylor: an evaluation. Academy of Management

Review, 7(1), 14-24.

Nambisan, S. (2002). Designing virtual customer environments for new product development:

Toward a theory. Academy of Management Review, 27(3), 392-413.

Vuori, T. O., & Huy, Q. N. (2015). Distributed attention and shared emotions in the innovation process how Nokia lost the smartphone battle. Administrative Science Quarterly, 0001839215606951.

Running Head: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS FOR MARUTI SUZUKI 1

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS FOR MARUTI SUZUKI 3

Explanation of the Research Design and Methods That will be used to address Maruti Suzuki’s Business Problem

Student Name

Date

Explanation of the Research Design and Methods That will be used to address Maruti Suzuki’s Business Problem

Introduction

Maruti Suzuki is one of India’s largest passenger car producers; however, the company has seen a decline in its resources over the recent past. The above can be attributed to its shrinking market share, which results from poor product management, poor data collection, and research by the company and the lack of observation of consumer trends in their products. Unless the company can understand its problems and challenges, it cannot formulate measures and solutions to regain its position in the automobile industry in India and globally. The organization needs to conduct an in-depth analysis of its problems to formulate a revival strategy.

Theories on the problems that Maruti Suzuki is experiencing

Maruti Suzuki has been associated with poor product management that has led it to fail in maintaining its competitive advantage against its business rivals in the automotive industry. Business continuity is dependent on several variables, including product development, quality of work, creativity, and efficient growth. The management is tasked with ensuring that all of these variables are met to ensure the business is productive. Several studies have been conducted that reveal how poor product management has affected businesses.

Top of the list of the theories on the problems that Suzuki Maruti faces is the lack of applying the scientific management theory in the management of its products. The company’s management failed to ensure that there is continued innovation and research beyond the locality to the global arena to develop insights on how to develop their products. The last theory that explains the Suzuki case is the Product management theory. The theory emphasizes the development of a product to its best quality. Maruti Suzuki did not develop its product per this theory. The research that the company conducted was insufficient, and its developers lacked innovation to ensure that the product was of the highest quality. Suzuki was not keen on monitoring consumer behaviors. This, in turn, impacted their marketing strategies. Consequently, they ended up losing to new entrants like Hyundai and Tata.

The Research Design to Address Maruti’s Business Problems

In addressing the main problems that Suzuki Maruti faces a qualitative research will be carried out. The qualitative research will utilize three qualitative data collection methods; action research, individual interviews, and case study methods. There are four main advantages of the qualitative approach that make it ideal for studying Maruti Suzuki’s problems.

Top on the list is that the qualitative approach provides insight specific to the industry under study. Besides innovation and product manager, the main reason Maruti has failed in its operations and profitability is that it did not understand the needs and preferences of automobile customers. Considering that the qualitative approach focuses on people’s views in the addressing of a phenomenon, the qualitative data collection methods will make it easier for the company to understand its customers.

The second advantage of the qualitative research approach is that it is an open-minded method of researching. The qualitative approach allows researchers to mine the actual data that someone can provide. The approach emphasizes accessing the emotional data that drives decision-making responses (Rahman, 2017). Buying vehicles is a detailed commitment, and for that reason, customers spend much time brainstorming on the vehicle they desire to purchase. By understanding the decision making responses, Maruti Suzuki will be halfway done to solve its problems.

The third reason is that it has flexibility. A qualitative approach is not a rigid structure for conducting research. According to Kalu and Bwalya (2017), the qualitative approach seeks authentic data and emotional responses. Due to the flexible nature of the approach, researchers are permitted to conduct follow-ups on any answers to generate more complexity and depth. Unlike a quantitative approach that allows for zero deviation, the qualitative approach allows for deviations, given that the deviation contributes to the study in place. Considering that Maruti Suzuki is seeking to understand where it went wrong and how it went wrong, they should explore all possible options; the qualitative approach provides such an avenue.

The last advantage of the qualitative approach that makes it appropriate for Maruti’s problem study is that it can be based on available data, incoming data, or other data formats. The approach does not require a specific format or pattern for data collection. The reporting of information in a qualitative approach is based on both the quantity and quality of data. The approach offers researchers an opportunity to gather new data more so if they find that the data they have access to is not appropriate or is not generating useful results. Maruti is trying to revive itself, and for that reason, it must explore all possible options and solutions; the qualitative approach is the best approach that the company can take.

Action Research

Action research refers to various investigative, evaluative, and analytical research methods designed to diagnose problems and weaknesses in processes, institutions, and organizations (Ivankova & Wingo, 2018). The method allows researchers to analyze problems and consequentially formulate solutions for the problems quickly and efficiently. In Maruti’s case, the researchers can observe how other automobile manufacturers in the nation and globally conduct their operations. Through observations, the organization will compare its processes with other automobile manufacturers and consequently identify processes that they are not doing right. Through the identification, it will be possible for the organization to formulate solutions that will see its revival.

Individual Interviews

In the individual interview method, researchers or interviewers talk with respondents for 30 minutes to an hour. The majority of qualitative researchers prefer individual interviews because they allow researchers to gather information on the phenomena under study and probe the beliefs, attitudes, experiences, and desires of the interviewees (Polak & Green, 2016). Through probing, researchers gain more in-depth insight into what is being studied (Gray et al., 2020). Using the individual interview method, Maruti Suzuki’s researchers will interview motor vehicle dealers, employees of Maruti Suzuki, automobile customers, and other vehicle brand manufacturers. The questions asked will be geared at providing answers that will help Maruti identify its mistakes and weaknesses and the strengths and the opportunities that Maruti’s competitors are leveraging. By doing so, the organization will identify measures to implement to ensure that they become profitable once more.

Case Study

The case study method is an in-depth, up-close, and detailed examination of cases on the phenomenon under study. In using the case study method, researchers go through various documented cases to identify themes and patterns that can be used to explain a phenomenon (Krusenvik, 2016). For Maruti’s case, the researchers will go through the different cases documented on successful vehicle manufacturers. The researchers will review Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes, the Landrover, BMW, and the Volkswagen brand. The brands mentioned above have been in existence for long, and they have remained profitable throughout. By studying the top performers in the automobile industry, Maruti will learn how the brands have remained successful despite the many changes that have riddled the automobile industry. Also, Maruti will recognize its weaknesses and consequentially develop mechanisms and measures to propel them to profitability.

ethical considerations involved in using the qualitative research design

All the data collected will be purely used for research purposes and remain confidential. The data will remain free to withdraw from respondents from the study. No personal name or organizational names that may bring conflict of interest in the research will be included. The research will remain in the custody of Maruti Suzuki, with all rights reserved. Additionally, only relevant data will be collected by the researchers, solely for the study. The researcher will remain clear of any subjectivity in analyzing the data and preventing anything that will be harmful to the participants.

In honoring the APA principles in human research, the study will have to obey the APA principle of following informed-consent rules. Three standards are going to be enforced in this study. The first standard is the human relation standard. The human relation standard focuses on ensuring no discrimination in the study and that the best approaches are used when interacting with humans to make them as comfortable as possible (Pietilä et al., 2020). The second standard that will be enforced is the privacy and confidentiality standard. The standard will be in place to ensure that people’s rights and confidential rights are observed. In meeting the above requirement, the research findings will not be publicly shared or published without all participants’ consent. The third ethical standard that will be enforced is the research and publication standard that emphasizes that consent should be obtained from the participants before the publication of the research is done.

Adherence to the code of ethics in the handling of this research will be for primarily two reasons. The first reason is to ensure that the research is carried out legally and ethically. According to Reid (2018), ethics are vital in every aspect of research across the world. The second reason is that the adherence will validate the research; the research will be of more value if the findings are realized ethically. adherence to the code of ethics will ensure that the research not only follows a research framework but as well follows an ethical framework

While it is challenging to predict beneficence in a qualitative study, the researcher will ensure ensured the researcher procedures were followed strictly to bring out a beneficial outcome. All the possible consequences of the study will be considered to minimize potential harm and reduce intentional harm. The researchers will only conduct the study after the benefits of the study outweighed the benefits. The researchers will respect the privacy of all the respondents who will participate in the study. The researchers will respect the view of those respondents who will not be willing to provide personal information. The interview questions to be used will be developed in a way that the respondents will provide honest opinions. This will help to reduce bias and enhance the reliability of the study. The data obtained will remain stored on the organization’s servers encrypted. The relationship developed between the researchers and the respondents will only be used to provide information for the study and not for any other purposes. After three years, the data will be destroyed, including any backups, whether in the cloud or other storage devices.

References

Gray, L. M., Wong-Wylie, G., Rempel, G. R., & Cook, K. (2020). Expanding qualitative research interviewing strategies: Zoom video communications. The Qualitative Report, 25(5), 1292-1301. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/openview/c264828516f288b941ad22c63c576706/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=55152

Ivankova, N., & Wingo, N. (2018). Applying mixed methods in action research: Methodological potentials and advantages. American Behavioral Scientist, 62(7), 978-997. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0002764218772673

Kalu, F. A., & Bwalya, J. C. (2017). What makes qualitative research good research? An exploratory analysis of critical elements. International Journal of Social Science Research, 5(2), 43-56. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jack_Bwalya/publication/319679032_What_Makes_Qualitative_Research_Good_Research_An_Exploratory_Analysis_of_Critical_Elements/links/59b938e3458515bb9c485528/What-Makes-Qualitative-Research-Good-Research-An-Exploratory-Analysis-of-Critical-Elements

Krusenvik, L. (2016). Using case studies as a scientific method: Advantages and disadvantages. Retrieved from https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1054643&dswid=7882

Pietilä, A. M., Nurmi, S. M., Halkoaho, A., & Kyngäs, H. (2020). Qualitative Research: Ethical Considerations. In The Application of Content Analysis in Nursing Science Research (pp. 49-69). Springer, Cham. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-30199-6_6

Polak, L., & Green, J. (2016). Using joint interviews to add analytic value. Qualitative health research, 26(12), 1638-1648. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1049732315580103

Rahman, M. S. (2017). The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches and Methods in Language” Testing and Assessment” Research: A Literature Review. Journal of Education and Learning, 6(1), 102-112. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1120221

Reid, A. M., Brown, J. M., Smith, J. M., Cope, A. C., & Jamieson, S. (2018). Ethical dilemmas and reflexivity in qualitative research. Perspectives on medical education, 7(2), 69-75. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40037-018-0412-2

Running Head: MARUTI SUZUKI CASE

2

MARUTI SUZUKI CASE STUDY 2

Maruti Suzuki Case Study

Instructor: Trevor Caskey, Ph.D.

Patricia Vela

QSO-500 Business Research

Maruti Suzuki Case Study

Descriptive Statistics

As shown in the case study, the exhibit and data on the Maruti Suzuki India performance have been availed with a trend that it can be analyzed properly using descriptive statistics. Both the quantitative and qualitative sets of data have been provided for various products and various periods. In that particular case, “the right data sets that need to be deployed in the descriptive statistics is the quantitative data. The central tendencies shall be employed the median, median or mode shall be deeply explored for the data set. Furthermore, dispersion measures such as standard deviation will be deployed in the analysis because these are the components that make up the descriptive statistics (Mukherje et al.,2015). However, much of the data found in the exhibits have already been statistically analyzed, providing a mean in various conditions and markets”.

Exhibit 2: Passengers Cars Sales (in thousand cars)

The sets of data indicate various car model sales in India as well as the ones that have been sold by “Maruti Suzuki India Limited ranging from the year 2008 to 2013. By use of descriptive statistics, there are two most crucial measures that need to be applied, which are the Standard deviation and the mean” (Mukherje et al.,2015). The data in the case shall be analyzed using periods and segments.

A-Segment Mean

The segments that are included are the mid-hatch, the entry-hatch and the premium for the A-segment. The Van, the “SUV/MUV and Sedan have as well been included in the total car industry” (Sekaran et al., 2016). Thus, the focus mainly on the research is the A-segment. The total number of cars that were for the A-segment were as follows:

2008/2009

Segment

India

MSIL

Entry-hatch

295

262

Mid-hatch

498

189

Premium hatch

128

110

Totals

920

561

Mean Sales

307

187

Standard deviation

185

76

2009/2010

Segment

India

MSIL

Entry-hatch

341

268

Mid-hatch

581

219

Premium hatch

263

179

Totals

1149

666

Mean Sales

383

221

Standard deviation

166

45

2010/2011

Segment

India

MSIL

Entry-hatch

478

373

Mid-hatch

629

252

Premium hatch

439

210

Totals

1546

835

Mean Sales

515

278

Standard deviation

100

85

2011/2012

Segment

India

MSIL

Entry-hatch

487

332

Mid-hatch

527

177

Premium hatch

500

218

Totals

1514

727

Mean Sales

505

242

Standard deviation

21

80

2012/2013

Segment

India

MSIL

Entry-hatch

435

285

Mid-hatch

415

156

Premium hatch

532

244

Totals

1381

685

Mean Sales

460

228

Standard deviation

62

66

Mean, and Standard deviation has been used in the A-segment analysis above. The standard deviation has been used to show the spread or the dispersion of the segment values. The mean is the most appropriate to do the analysis because it shows the changes in mean for the sales from one period to another. The MSIL mean sales relative to the total sales in India look like they change from one financial period to another. There is a downward change in sales means from2008 to 2013.

Exhibit 3: Year-wise market share of India car manufacturers projections

The manufacturer

2008/2009

2009/2010

2010/2011

2011/2012

2012/2013

MSIL

47

45

45

38

39

Hyundai

16

16

14

15

14

Tata

15

15

14

14

12

Mahindra

7

8

7

9

12

Toyota

3

3

3

6

6

General motors

4

4

4

4

3

Ford

2

2

4

4

3

Honda

3

3

2

2

3

Volkswagen

0

0

2

3

2

Renault

0

0

0

0

2

Nissan

0

0

1

1

1

Skoda

1

1

1

1

1

Others

2

3

2

2

1

For the data shown in the table shows only the percentage. The main look should be on the MSIL over the years covered (Creswell & Creswell,2017).

The manufacturer

2008/2009

2009/2010

2010/2011

2011/2012

2012/2013

MSIL

47%

45%

45%

38%

39%

Mean loss or gain

–

2%

1%

7%

1%

There have been some substantial changes for the years mentioned for the market command. There are some companies that show the upward trend to gain the market, but the MSIL has been losing its share in the market.

Exhibit 5: The tata Nano Explanation of figures

There is a drop in sales of close 200 units in November year 2010 has been indicated. The reason is due to the safety reasons and the payment model as well, which does not encourage down payment. “Deals gain for the period May 2011 has been shown to be brought about by service agreement and Nano Facelift adaptation dispatch. Note that the organization in the investigation in this Exhibit is Tata which is one of the contenders of MSIL”.

Exhibit 6: India A-segment existing Consumers

It shows the mean occupation and household income in terms of percentage. “Independently employed individuals are the dominant part of clients with a fair, measured family. Individuals with under ₹50,000 are not many, and this unmistakably shows that it is difficult for them to manage the cost of the vehicles in any of the portion (Mukherjee et al., 2015). Discretionary cash flow and the normal family size subsequently are extraordinary determinants in the vehicle that a client chooses to buy”.

The exhibit 10: The A-segment cars bought from Maruti Suzuki Motivation

The data sets consist of the mid hatch, premium hatch and entry hatch which indicates that close to 48% are attracted into buying their first car from Maruti Suzuki India. “A portion of the reasons that may fuel this is modest buy costs. The rate anyway drops for those requiring extra vehicle from the organization. Just 27.3% would buy an expansion vehicle from Maruti Suzuki, and this could be because of the absence of development in the items and helpless administration. The most reduced level of 24.9% is seen on those requiring substitution from the organization”.

Exhibit 11: Petrol and Diesel vehicles Sales Trends

The factual investigation “gives the mean for the years in rate demonstrated that petroleum vehicles in the section and mid-incubate would lessen from 5% to 2% later. In a similar section, diesel vehicles are relied upon to increment from 5% to 25%. Be that as it may, there is a decrease in the extended deals” of petroleum vehicles just as diesel vehicles for premium-bring forth, Sedan and SUV/MUV fragments.

Inferential Statistics

The inferential statistics purpose to arrive at conclusions that go past the data available. Exhibit 3 and Exhibit 2 shows the MSIL negative growth (Becker,2015). The variance analysis clearly shows that. In the years to follow, Maruti Suzuki will see a decline in business just as its piece of the overall industry. If the organization doesn’t actualize brisk techniques, the organization will likewise observe the improvement of firm rivalry in the A-segment. The yield will be misfortunes for the organization.

The result will be misfortunes for the organization. The market is changing. Thus, the organization must provide gadget instrument to stay on top. “Exhibit 4 shows the way that Nano Tata has followed to guarantee an improvement of the deals and piece of the overall industry. In this reference to this, unmistakably different organizations are adjusting to the buyer needs and accordingly expanding their stakes on the lookout. Inferential insights from this display show that Maruti Suzuki will be surpassed by different organizations like Tata who are improving their items to pull in more customers in the A-segment”.

Exhibit 6, 10 and 11shows the “need to enhance the items through cost reduction, fuel viability, and item improvement (Mukherjee et al., 2015). The general yield from the information introduced in the display places MSIL at a dark spot as far as disappointment and breakdown are concerned. If the organization doesn’t make advancements, it is normal that different organizations will surpass it and increase control in the A-segment”.

The results meaning

The statistical analysis shows that MSIL is not doing well, and it is off track at the moment. The reduced sales and the market share loss show that there is a need to do something if the company stand a chance of rescuing itself in the A-segment (Avanzi et al., 2015). It was expected that you see that Maruti Suzuki would be doing well in the market and really providing real competition to the rivals. However, the company seem to have fallen in terms of management and product policies. There is no innovation in the company, and this has led to the negative statistics for the company. Therefore, the clearest hint is that the results showcase a negative performance and thus call for improvement is inevitable.

References

Avanzi, L., Schuh, S. C., Fraccaroli, F., & van Dick, R. (2015). Why does organizational identification relate to reduced employee burnout? The mediating influence of social support and collective efficacy. Work & Stress, 29(1), 1-10. Retrieve from

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02678373.2015.1004225

Becker, T. E. (2015). Potential problems in the statistical control of variables in organizational research: A qualitative analysis with recommendations. Organizational Research Methods, 8(3), 274-289. Retrieve from

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1094428118775205

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. Sage publications.

Mukherjee, Mathur and Dhar (2015). MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA: DEFENDING MARKET LEADERSHIP IN THE A-SEGMENT

Sekaran U. & Bougie, R. (2016) Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach (7th Edition). The United Kingdom. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Retrieve from

https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=lang_en&id=Ko6bCgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA19&dq=Sekaran+U.+%26+Bougie,+R.+(2016)+Research+Methods+for+Business:+A+Skill-Building+Approach+(7th+Edition).+United+Kingdom.+John+Wiley+and+Sons+Ltd.&ots=2CZPV0LVpM&sig=Ej73RYZNFKIYhSUFN3ifIE3pE_w&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

QSO 500 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a research report.

Problem solving is the heart blood of any organization. In today’s world, data metrics are used extensively for accountability and performance measures. These
demands require a specialized form of problem solving, but there are many ways to approach data-driven problem-solving. Using action research is a very
powerful tool for identifying, analyzing, and explaining problems by using the evidence from the data analysis to guide decisions.

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).

You will refer to the given case study and choose a research problem that has (or could have) real business or organizational applications. You will explore the
theoretical foundation of the problem by integrating information from a variety of quality sources. Then you will apply basic quantitative analysis as a part of this
process and use this analysis to propose a recommendation for action. The finished research report will serve as a deliverable to a decision maker as seamless
and cogent analysis of the research problem, including the evidence for resolution.

The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final
submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Seven. The final submission is due in Module Nine.

In this assignment you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 Analyze data-driven business problems using action research

 Determine the theoretical foundation of business problems through the analysis of relevant, quality sources

 Analyze qualitative and quantitative data using primary and secondary sources to generate meaningful results

 Apply ethical reasoning that complies with legal and professional standards of practice to the research enterprise

 Present the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of research studies through the effective integration of written and analytical skills

Prompt
Create a research report based on your application of action research to research a specific business problem present in the given case study Maruti Suzuki India:
Defending Market Leadership in the A-Segment.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed in your research report:

I. 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?

II. Literature Review: 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 professional publications or magazines, internal corporate publications such as annual reports or white papers, or
established news sources.

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.

III. Research Design: Explain how you will carry out your research. Remember that your business problem should be able to be addressed using action
research.

A. Explain the research design and methods you will use, justifying why they are appropriate for your research study.
B. Describe the key variables from primary and/or secondary data sources that you will use to analyze your research problem.
C. Explain the key dependent and independent variables. In other words, how would the independent variables predict, explain, or prove the

dependent variable?
D. Explain the key ethical considerations for using these data sources, including how they meet legal and professional standards.

IV. Data Analysis: After you have collected your data, analyze it using descriptive and inferential statistics.

A. Accurately analyze the data using the appropriate descriptive statistics.
B. Construct appropriate tables or graphs to accurately display the results of the data analysis. Include explanations of the meaning of the

information presented.
C. Accurately analyze the data using the appropriate inferential statistics. Be sure to include the output.
D. Explain the meaning of the results of your data analysis in practical terms (e.g., what were the results? What results were expected? What

results were unexpected? What results were unsettling?).
E. Discuss the ethics of analyzing data to ensure it is fair, objective, and scholarly. What safeguards did you put in place to ensure the integrity of

the study?

V. Conclusions and Recommendations for Action
A. Summarize your research findings succinctly for stakeholders.
B. Explain how the research problem can be addressed by incorporating the results from your literature review and data analysis. In other words,

what do you now know about your research problem that you did not know or understand before?
C. Based on the conclusion, make recommendations to address the research problem that are actionable, feasible, and realistic.
D. Recommend appropriate strategies for handling any potential questions and concerns of stakeholders.
E. Based on your study, make appropriate recommendations for additional research that would improve the organization’s effectiveness.

Milestones
Milestone One: Draft of Business Problem and Literature Review
In Module Three, you will 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, peer-
reviewed journals. Other quality sources can be professional publications or magazines, internal corporate publications such as annual reports or white papers,
or established news sources. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Draft of Research Design
In Module Five, you will submit a draft of your research design. Explain the research design and methods that will be used to address the business problem you
identified in Milestone One, justifying why they are appropriate for your research study. To support your research design, describe the methods you will use, the
key variables, and ethical considerations involved in using the research design. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Milestone Three: Draft of Data Analysis and Conclusions and Recommendations for Action
In Module Seven, you will submit a draft of your data analysis and conclusions and recommendations for action. Analyze the data provided for your problem
using descriptive and inferential statistics. You will explain the meaning of the results of your data analysis in practical terms and consider the ethics of analyzing
data to ensure it is fair, objective, and scholarly. Using all of your research and your data analysis, you will develop the concluding section of your research
report: conclusions and recommendations for action. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.

Final Submission: Research Report
In Module Nine, you will submit your research report. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It
should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This final submission will be graded using the Final Project Rubric.

Deliverables

Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading

One Draft of Business Problem and Literature
Review

Three Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric

Two Draft of Research Design Five Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric

Three Draft of Data Analysis and Conclusions and
Recommendations for Action

Seven Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric

Final Submission: Research Report Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric

Final Project Rubric

Guidelines for Submission: Submit an APA-formatted report that is 15–20 pages in length.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Business Problem:
Research Problem

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
research problem is
exceptionally clear and
contextualized

Describes the research
problem, including the context
in which it exists

Describes the research
problem, but description is
cursory or does not include the
context in which the problem
exists

Does not describe the research
problem

3.8

Business Problem:
Stakeholders

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
description is exceptionally
clear and contextualized

Describes all key stakeholders
of the business problem

Describes the stakeholders of
the business problem, but
description is cursory or
neglects to address all key
stakeholders

Does not describe the
stakeholders of the business
problem

3.8

Business Problem:
Research Objective

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides keen insight into how
research would benefit the
stakeholder

Explains the research objective,
including how this research
would benefit the stakeholder

Explains the research objective,
but explanation is cursory or
does not show how this
research would benefit the
stakeholder

Does not explain the research
objective

3.8

Business Problem:
Research Question

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
question is exceptionally clear
and concise

Develops a research question
based on the research objective
that clearly and concisely
articulates in one sentence the
purpose of the study

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

Does not develop a research
question based on the research
objective

3.8

Business Problem:
Ethical Issues

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates keen insight into
the ethical issues present in the
study

Discusses all key real or
potential ethical issues or
challenges 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

Does not discuss real or
potential ethical issues or
challenges of the study

6.34

Literature Review:
Theories

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
examples make cogent
connections between the
theories and the organizational
problem

Explains the theories that best
ground the organizational
problem with support from
specific examples

Explains the theories that best
ground the organizational
problem, but explanation is
cursory or not supported with
specific examples

Does not explain the theories
that best ground the
organizational problem

4.76

Literature Review:
Bias and Limitations

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
is exceptionally insightful about
the potential impact the bias
and limitations may have on
research

Discusses the bias and
limitations present in the
relevant literature, including
the potential impact on
research

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

Does not discuss the bias and
limitations present in the
relevant literature

4.76

Literature Review:
Other Research Study

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates keen insight into
how other research studies
could inform your research

Summarizes another research
study that has faced this
challenge that could potentially
be replicated and applied to
your research study

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

Does not summarize another
research study that has faced
this challenge that could
potentially be replicated

4.76

Literature Review:
Other Organization

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes cogent connections
between other organizations
and own organization

Analyzes another organization
that has faced similar problems,
including an explanation of
what was done to address the
problem

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 analyze another
organization that has faced
similar problems

4.76

Research Design:
Research Design and

Methods

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates sophisticated
understanding of applying
research design and methods

Explains the research design
and methods that will be used,
including justification of why
this is appropriate for the study

Explains the research design
and methods that will be used,
but explanation is cursory,
contains issues of clarity, or
does not justify why this is
appropriate for the study

Does not explain the research
design and methods that will be
used

3.8

Research Design:
Variables

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes cogent connections
between the variables and
research problem

Describes all key variables from
the primary/secondary data
sources that will be used to
analyze the research problem

Describes the variables from
the primary/secondary data
sources, but description
contains issues of clarity or
does not address all key
variables

Does not describe the variables
from primary/secondary data
sources

4.76

Research Design:
Dependent and

Independent
Variables

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
explanation is exceptionally
clear and contextualized

Explains the dependent and
independent variables

Explains the dependent and
independent variables, but
explanation contains
inaccuracies or neglects key
variables

Does not explain the dependent
and independent variables

4.76

Research Design:
Ethical Considerations

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates a sophisticated
understanding of ethical
considerations when using data
sources

Explains the key ethical
considerations for using the
data sources, including how
they meet legal and
professional standards

Explains the ethical
considerations for using the
data sources, including how
they meet legal and
professional standards, but
explanation is cursory or
neglects key ethical
considerations

Does not explain the ethical
considerations for using the
data sources

6.34

Data Analysis:
Descriptive Statistics

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates masterful
application of descriptive
statistics

Accurately analyzes the data
using appropriate descriptive
statistics

Analyzes the data using
appropriate descriptive
statistics, but analysis is cursory
or contains inaccuracies

Does not analyze the data using
appropriate descriptive
statistics

4.76

Data Analysis: Tables
or Graphs

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
explanations demonstrate keen
insight into the meaning of the
information presented

Constructs appropriate tables
or graphs that accurately
display the noteworthy
variables with explanations of
the meaning of the information
presented

Constructs appropriate tables
or graphs to display the results
of the data analysis, but some
tables or graphs are unclear or
contain inaccuracies or lack
explanation of the meaning of
the information presented

Does not construct appropriate
tables or graphs to display the
results of the data analysis

2.72

Data Analysis:
Inferential Statistics

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates masterful
application of inferential
statistics

Accurately analyzes the data
using appropriate inferential
statistics, including the output

Analyzes the data using
appropriate inferential
statistics, but analysis is
cursory, contains inaccuracies,
or does not include the output

Does not analyze the data using
appropriate inferential statistics

4.76

Data Analysis:
Meaning of the

Results

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
explanation is exceptionally
clear and contextualized

Explains the meaning of the
results of the data analysis in
practical terms

Explains the meaning of the
results of the data analysis, but
explanation is cursory, contains
inaccuracies, or is not in
practical terms

Does not explain the meaning
of the results of the data
analysis

2.72

Data Analysis: Ethics
of Analyzing Data

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
safeguards put in place
demonstrate keen insight into
the ethics involved in data
analysis

Discusses the ethics of
analyzing data to ensure it is
fair, objective, and scholarly as
well as safeguards put in place
to ensure the integrity of the
study

Discusses the ethics of
analyzing data to ensure it is
fair, objective, and scholarly,
but discussion is cursory,
contains inaccuracies, or does
not include safeguards put in
place to ensure the integrity of
the study

Does not discuss the ethics of
analyzing data to ensure it is
fair, objective, and scholarly

6.34

Conclusions and
Recommendations for

Action: Research
Findings

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
summary is exceptionally
concise and contextualized

Summarizes research findings
succinctly for stakeholders

Summarizes research findings
for stakeholders, but summary
is too comprehensive or lacks
clarity

Does not summarize research
findings for stakeholders

2.72
Conclusions and
Recommendations for

Action: Research
Problem

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes cogent connections
between the literature review,
data analysis, and research
problem

Explains how the research
problem can be addressed by
incorporating results from the
literature review and data
analysis

Explains how the research
problem can be addressed by
incorporating results from the
literature review and data
analysis, but explanation is
cursory or illogical

Does not explain how the
research problem can be
addressed

2.72
Conclusions and
Recommendations for

Action:
Recommendations

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates sophisticated
understanding of how to
address the research problem

Makes recommendations to
address the research problem
that are actionable, feasible,
and realistic based on the
conclusion

Makes recommendations to
address the research problem,
but they are not all actionable,
feasible, and/or realistic or
based on the conclusion

Does not make
recommendations to address
the research problem

2.72

Conclusions and
Recommendations for
Action: Questions and

Concerns of
Stakeholders

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
recommendations demonstrate
a keen awareness of the
intended audience

Recommends appropriate
strategies for handling any
potential questions and
concerns of stakeholders

Recommends strategies for
handling any potential
questions and concerns of
stakeholders, but not all
recommendations are
appropriate

Does not recommend strategies
for handling any potential
questions and concerns of
stakeholders

2.72

Conclusions and
Recommendations for

Action: Additional
Research

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates sophisticated
understanding of how
additional research would
improve the organization’s
effectiveness

Makes appropriate
recommendations for
additional research that would
improve the organization’s
effectiveness

Makes recommendations for
additional research that would
improve the organization’s
effectiveness, but not all
recommendations are
appropriate

Does not make
recommendations for additional
research that would improve
the organization’s effectiveness

2.72

Articulation of
Response

Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented in
a professional and easy-to-read
format

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

4.86

Total 100%