Different research strategies
In general any research involves both the primary and secondary source of information and in this context the actual strategies followed to gather the primary source of information can considered as the research strategies. There are different types of research strategies and they are as explained below
Experimental approach
A perfect scientific and systematic approach is followed to gather the required information is adopted across the experimental approach of research. In general the researchers are provide an ample freedom to change the attributes of the experiments research and also has scope to change the variable that were affected with the change in the core attributes of the experimental research approach. A wide range of experiments are conducted across this approach and the key findings are furnished for the analysis of the results and also few aspects like what and how are covered in detail across the experimental research. Actual predictions are extracted from the experimental results and these predications are compared with the basic assumptions made and the accuracy of the results and also the predications is estimated using the experimental research approach and when the considered research phenomenon is achieved all the experiments are closed and the detailed conclusion to the experiments is given across this research approach. In general a sampling technique is required to refine the experiments and these include the major sampling techniques like probability sampling, random sampling and non-experimental sampling and all these sampling techniques can be used to define the inputs for the experiments conducted across the experimental research approach and based on the results of the experiments will lead to the solution to the research problem considered and thus this approach will give accurate results against the solution for the research problem considered(Lanir,2007). This approach is not followed in this project as there is no freedom to change to attributes of the experiment and also there is no scope of experimental research in this project as well. The sample size is considered is also small and due to all these aspects this approach is not well suited in this research.
Survey approach
A survey based research is more popular across many research areas and this type of approach is followed when the sample size is more than around 30. Quantitative research methodology is followed in this context and the surveys are conducted on a large sample and the data gathered is analyzed using the empirical analysis. Few statistical tools are used to analyze the data and the gatherings are categorized in to different sections for the analysis purpose. A questionnaire is prepared and the same is distributed to the large sample and based on the answers provided by the sample the required analysis to the problem considered is done using the survey based approach. In general there are different types of surveys and these include oral survey, written survey, electronic survey and manual survey and type of survey depends on the nature of research problem considered (Ross, 2009). As the aim of this project is to understand the impact of HR outsourcing a very small sample size is considered and thus the qualitative methodolgy is suited and this approach where conducting the surveys is not suited and thus this approach is not considered in this research.
Grounded theory
A detailed research data is required for this research and based on this data the grounded theory is developed. An iterative based methodology is implemented across the grounded theory and the research patterns are repeated till the accurate results of the research are achieved. Few general questions are prepared across the grounded theory and the desired linking is done to the actual research problem and the data collected using the grounded theory. In general the grounded theory is less used across the research philosophies due to the complex nature and it is mainly implemented across the scientific research strategies (Albert, 2002). In this research there is no scope of repeating the research based on few iterations and thus this theory is not suited for this research and thus not considered at this level.
Case study
If the research sample is less and the research problem considered need a close attentions towards a specific area this case study approach is implemented. Source of the problem is directly visited with this case study approach and thus it is easy to measure the accuracy of the research done with the case study approach. Direct source of data is provided with the case study approach and all the respondents involved across the case study approach can be interviewed and the impact of the research problem at their site can be easily understood in this context. In general the qualitative research methodology is the best one to apply while going for the case study research approach and the information gathered from the case considered can be evaluated and analyzed against the key assumption and the actual findings from the case chosen. A detailed level of investigation can be done in this context such that the secondary and primary source of information can be compared to understand the actual hidden facts behind the reality considered while implementing the case study approach. The information gathered with the case study can be considered as the trusted one and also accurate when compared to the other sources of information and thus in many researched where the sample size is less than 20, this case study approach is chosen.
Action research approach
Action research has the significant role to play across gathering the required data for the research. In general the actions of a particular group or team is observed and based on their attitude towards the research problem considered this action research is built. The best example site where this action research is done is at the organizations, universities, colleges and schools where the actions of a particular group are observed and from this the basic analysis to the research problem is constructed.
Ethnography
Behavioral aspects of the human involved in the research are considered as the main input for the ethnography based research approach. Cultural aspects of the humans involved in the research are considered for this type of research approach and in general this is purely based on the observations and assumptions. In general this research approach involves lot of time and the researcher should be patience enough to collect the data in the form of interviews, document analysis and observations done against a group of humans and their cultural behavior. Few aspects like traditions and customs that drive the complete cultural aspects of the humans are studied at a detailed level in this type of research approach and in general a lot of assumptions are considered in this context.
Research strategy followed in this project
A normal case study approach is chosen as the research approach for this project, as the information gathered mainly should deal with the pros and corns of HR outsourcing. In this context if a case study is chosen then the level of reliability in gathering the information is increased and thus Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is chosen as the case study. It is proved that RBS is the most reputed bank in Europe and has almost 1, 00,000 employees and even they are outsourcing the key HR activities like payroll, recruitments, training and development and thus I have chosen RBS as the required case study. I have interviewed the key respondents from the bank to understand their strategy and logic in outsourcing the HR activities and all the findings and analysis are provided in this research in the next chapters.