Research methodology
This assignment is an analytical research evaluating current strategy and risks within a commercial bank of Latvian origin which currently experience e-commerce practices. The author’s objective of this research was to critically evaluate the concept of currently undertaken strategy by explaining the organizations practice in the field of development of their e-services. A study was conducted by using secondary data, which is a collection of various types of qualitative and quantitative data. According to Saunders et al (2003:189) there is a variety of classifications and types of secondary data such as documentary (for example books, journals, and newspapers), multiple (for example industry statistics and reports), and survey (for example target group or government surveys). The aroused possible problems with secondary data are the following:
• It is hard to segment
• Difficult to justify and check
• Can be time constrained
However, the research on secondary data and a research as such can be segmented in three basic types (Anderson 1999:14) which are 1) descriptive, 2) explanatory, and 3) exploratory. Whereas descriptive research provides an accurate profile of situation, people, and events and exploratory research has a general purpose as attempt on focusing on procession of qualitative data to obtain new insights, author has decided to undertake explanatory research because this type of research corresponds with assessment objectives which were critical appraisal followed by explanation and justification of recommendations.
Explanatory research (Anderson 1999) is the type of research which tends to explain the situation, usually in the form of causal relationships. This kind of research allows the author using both, qualitative and quantitative data.
The other possible problems met whilst performing the assignment were:
• Finding appropriate academic literature
• Finding appropriate secondary data
• Interpretation of secondary data
• Presentation of processed information
The research methodology of this assignment can be formulated of being the following:
The research methodology of this conducted study is mixed. It is based on collecting secondary data in order to make an analysis, explain and justify the recommendations by academic and practical underpinning, taking an explanatory research method of qualitative and quantitative data, and presenting the information afterwards.
This process can be represented in the following Gantt chart:
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