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Business Research for Decision Making

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Individual Research Project - Defining the Problem

You have just been hired by Juicy Red Tomato Company as a human resources consultant. Juicy Red Tomato Company (JRT), a tomato grower operating in Florida, hired you to investigate (1) the effectiveness and efficiency of its organizational structure, and (2) the selection and maintenance of managerial personnel. The reason why? Internal costs are rising, key personnel are leaving, and the company is considering expanding its operations.

You are not the first consultant; your predecessor had started to develop a proposal, but left suddenly. Review the proposal in progress, then add what is needed to complete this initial stage of problem definition. Use the first five steps of the Research Process for Basic and Applied Research, Figure 4.1, on the Sekeran, p. 56, for formulating a full research design.

Following is your predecessor's work:

Juicy Red Tomato Company is a tomato grower, operating in Florida. The company has been in operation for 15 years, during which it has grown at a rate of about 5% per year. Costs have remained steady for the first 10 years of the company's existence, but have grown by 2.5 - 4% over the past 3 years. Reasons cited by the company include unexpected temperature drops, pests, and increased labor costs. Management has tended to come from within the company, as long-term employees "rise through the ranks". Over the past year, several long-term, key personnel have left, citing that they had "no future" with JRT. On the bright side, JRT is poised for an increased rate of growth, through possible expansion of the business.

JRT has retained this consultant to investigate (1) the effectiveness and efficiency of its organizational structure, and (2) the selection and maintenance of managerial personnel. We will conduct internal and external research on the causes of the issues and present recommendations.

After preliminary interviews within the organization and research of the produce industry, and business cases with similar challenges, we have formed a hypothesis; that Juicy Red Tomato Company needs to invest in retention not only of its managerial personnel, but also front-line production employees. In addition, JRT needs to improve communication between production and operations, possibly by enhancing technology used by the company as a whole.

Using the Cybrary, the Internet and your course materials, write a 5-7 page document via Word that elaborates on your proposal, filling in any pieces that your predecessor omitted. Apply the standard of APA Style (5th edition) to all research and writing tasks for the course.

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Solution Summary

After reviewing the proposal, this solution applies the first five steps of the Sekeran Research Model to the case scenario e.g Juicy Red Tomato Company. Supplemented with two theoretical articles for theory consideration for the theoretical framework for Step 4 of the Sekaran Research Model.

Solution Preview

Please see attached response (some of which is presented below), as well as two theoretical articles for consideration. I hope this helps and take care.

RESPONSE:

Response: Question Scenario: You are not the first consultant; your predecessor had started to develop a proposal, but left suddenly. Review the proposal in progress, and then add what is needed to complete this initial stage of problem definition Use the first five steps of the Research Process for Basic and Applied Research, Figure 4.1, on the Sekeran, p. 56, for formulating a full research design.

1. Observation (Broad Area of research identified)

Juicy Red Tomato Company (JRT), a tomato grower operating in Florida is interested in determining: (1) the effectiveness and efficiency of its organizational structure, and (2) the selection and maintenance of managerial personnel. Internal costs are rising, key personnel are leaving, and the company is considering expanding its operations.

2. Preliminary Data Gathering (Interview, Literature Survey)

Completed preliminary interviews within the organization and researched of the produce industry, and business cases with similar challenges. The company has been in operation for 15 years, during which it has ...

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