Statistics Business Research Methods

Question: Identify the effectiveness of the best and worthiest Enterprise resource planning software in order to run small and medium enterprises surrounded in Australia. Answer: Aim and Motivation: Aim: The primary aim of this research is to identify the effectiveness of the best and worthiest Enterprise resource planning software in order to run small and medium enterprises surrounded in Australia. Motivation: ERP software is consisted with various kinds. These kinds of software can be differentiated in terms of risk factors, cost factors, performance factors, factors in terms of supply and so many. Therefore, with the help of this research work, the researcher mainly aims to identify the best ERP software for running SME business successfully in Australia (Ali Cullinane, 2014). Some of the names of renowned ERP software include SAP R/3, SAP B1, LN/Baan, Microsoft dynamics AX and so on. In this particular research, the focus of the researcher is to find out the suitable ERP software for small and medium business enterprises. SAP R/3 is the earlier name of enterprise resource planning software (Ali Xie, 2012). With the help of this particular software the SME are able to conduct fulfillment of orders, billing and maintaining product planning and so on. Human resource managers like to keep a constant record on the performance of the employees with the help of this product. SAP B1 software helps the managers to as well as employees to maintain information more effectively. As a result, they are able to make a smart business decision. The primary functions of SAP B1 software is to deal with financial accounting, bank transaction, sales and distribution and so on. Microsoft dynamics Ax mainly helps the organizational managers to re-design the business processes smoothly (Bharathi, Vaidya Parikh, 2012). This particular software increases the speed of business growth. Therefore, the primary objective of the researcher is to analyze which one would be the most suitable for running small and medium enterprises. Introduction: A business organization needs to maintain a chronological data record from every aspect in order to run a smooth business process. ERP software is one of the easiest processes of maintaining those data for the SME business effectively. Enterprise Resource Planning is one of the most effective business-management software categories (Devos, Van Landeghem Deschoolmeester, 2013). With the help of ERP software, Small and medium business enterprises of Australia are able to gather, store and ultimately interpret data and information regarding the entire process of business. ERP software allows the users to maintain smooth banking transaction, to keep the record on financial accounting, to maintain a record on the employees performance, to gather a financial planning and service delivery process. The SMES association of Australia has published a very interesting image illustrating the role of small and medium enterprises for developing the Australian economy. With the help of SME business process, the workforce of Australia has been increased to seventy percent. The people have received more job opportunities by involving themselves in small and medium enterprises. It has been observed that Australian SMEs like to use different kinds of ERP software for their business growth. Therefore, in this particular study, the researcher makes an effective analysis regarding the best ERP software for SME business (Iris Cebeci, 2014). While conducting the entire research, the research would like to prefer appropriate research methodology and data collection methods and techniques. Research Objectives: The primary objectives of the research work are as follows: To identify the best ERP software among the several types To highlight the importance of using ERP software for maintaining small and medium business enterprises in Australia To point out how ERP helps small and medium business enterprises for maintaining a smooth business process. Research Background and Literature: ERP software has rendered a revolution in the business process of SMEs of Australia. After using ERP software in the process of business, the SMEs of Australia have received the business growth smoothly. The organizations are able to maintain a chorological data record regarding the employees performance. Microsoft dynamics AX helps the managers to re-design the business strategy within a short span of time (Johansson et al., 2012). As a result, it helps the organization to maintain a smooth balance between demand and supply of the products. In addition, ERP software helps the organization for purchasing, manufacturing and service delivery of various products with the help of advanced use of technology. ERP software primarily helps the organization for collecting, maintaining and interpreting necessary data and information regarding the entire process of business (Khaleel Sulaiman, 2013). Therefore, the researcher in this particular study has decided to identify the specific feature s of the different kinds of ERP software. As a result, the SME business experts would be able to recognize which particular type of software would be suitable for their business process. In this particular part, the researcher has conducted an effective literature review about the impact of ERP software for SME of Australia. ERP software as already mentioned is able to maintain a systematic data record from different aspects. As per the point of view of Australian Association, the entrance of ERP software in the realm of small and medium enterprises has rendered a revolutionary business growth (Kilic, Zaim Delen, 2015). The managers are able to keep an accurate data record about the employees performance. They do not have to waste more time for conducting the banking transaction. With the changing taste of customers demand, the business experts are able to re-design their business model within a limited span of time. As a result, the relation between the managers and the employees become more effective. At the same time, the impact of using ERP software is not devoid of some of the major negative impact as well. This particular process is based on technology out-an-out. As a result, any kind of sudden technological error can hamper the entire process of business (Lewandowski, Salako Garcia-Perez, 2013). The business experts have nothing to do except managing the situation if technological error arises at the middle of business rhythm. Therefore, the researcher has concentrated to highlight how the SMEs of Australia get benefits and facilities by implementing ERP software. Research Gap: In the literature review part, the researcher is only concerned about the impact of ERP software for running the business of SMEs of Australia. Both the positive as well as the negative impact have been highlighted here. Apart from the impact, the researcher could have mentioned different functions of ERP software that can easily help the entire business process (Lueg Lu, 2013). In addition, some of the major factors that affect highly in using ERP software have also not been mentioned in this particular study. Economy is one of the major factors here. If one organization does not have economic strength for purchasing ERP software, the entire process of business would be highly affected. Therefore, economic strength is intensely needed for running a business organization successfully. SME association of Australia has mentioned that people of Australia have achieved job opportunity after the development of small and medium business enterprises (Mirbagheri Marthandan, 2012). Use of E RP software has enhanced the business scope and opportunity more and more. However, after the implementation of ERP software in the business process, it has become one of the major issues in now a day. For that purpose, the researcher has also selected this particular issue in order to conduct an effective research on it. Research Question: In order to accomplish the research work successfully, the researcher has raised some of the major questions. The questions are as follows: What is the effectiveness of using ERP software for SMEs of Australia? Which particular ERP software is the best for using in SMEs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using ERP software within business? What are the necessary factors that affect highly to use ERP software in small and medium enterprises of Australia? Research Design and methodology: Research methodology is nothing but a systematic procedure that helps to conduct an entire research work successfully. By applying the appropriate research philosophy, research approach and research design the researcher would wish to acquire sufficient knowledge and information from various sources (Purohit, Jaiswal Pandey, 2012). Post positivism research philosophy would be used in order to know what kind of ERP software would be suitable for small and medium business enterprises. Post positivism research philosophy is based on repeated observation. As a result, this methodology is not very much cost effective. Deductive research approach would be used in order to make an effective case study on SMEs (Ruivo, Oliveira Neto, 2012). By conducting the case study on SMEs of Australia, the researcher would gather information how the business experts are facing challenges in order to implement ERP software within the business process. By maintaining an effective interaction with the thr ee managers of SMEs like Entertainment media and telecoms, Vegetables Processers Websters, the researcher would be able to collect necessary data and information. Various challenges that the business organizations have to face while keeping a constant record of entire business process with the help of ERP software would be collected from the managers (Seethamraju, 2015). In addition, descriptive research design would be would be followed in this particular research work. Research variables and definition: The key focus of this particular research is to find out the effectiveness of ERP software. As already discussed, ERP software helps to enhance the entire business process. By collecting data accurately about the performance of employees, the business experts would like to make an effective communication (Shaul Tauber, 2012). While discussing the gap of research, it has been pointed out that the researcher has only focused on the impact of ERP software. In the research question, the researcher has mentioned different advantages and the disadvantages of using ERP software within the entire business process. While conducting the research methodology, the researcher intends to follow post positivism research philosophy, descriptive research design and deductive approach. Deductive approach is highly dependent on the case study method. With the help of case study method, the researchers would be able to communicate directly with the business members of SMEs of Australia. In addition, while conducting the research methodology, the researcher should maintain the ethical consideration very strictly (Shiryan, Shee Stewart, 2012). Not a single participant should be forced to provide data and information about their own business. In addition, the data that would be gathered from various sources have to be authentic. Research data and Research sample: For this particular project, the researcher would like to collect non-probability sampling technique in order to accomplish the work properly. Non-probability sampling technique is very much specific. With the help of non-probability sampling technique, the researcher would be able to select a specific sample or participants (Suh, Kim, 2012). At the same time, numerous challenges faced by the business organization due to the use of ERP software would be informed here. However, the researcher likes to form four questionnaires for the 51 employees of Entertainment media and telecoms in order to gather their feedback. Q.1.How far do you believe that ERP software is able to provide an effective service throughout the World? Option Response Percentage Total respondents Believe 31 60.78 51 Disbelieve 10 19.60 51 Neutral 10 19.60 51 Table 1: People who believe that FRP software is able to provide an effective service throughout the World Q.2. How far do you think that SMEs of Australia need to appoint a skillful competent employee to handle the FRP software? Option Response Percentage Total respondents Believe 30 58.82 51 Disbelieve 11 21.56 51 Neutral 10 19.60 51 Table2: People think that SMEs of Australia need to appoint a skillful competent employee to handle the FRP software Q.3. To what extent do you think that maintaining this kind of software is very much cost effective for the SMEs? Option Response Percentage Total respondents Believe 11 21.56 51 Disbelieve 30 58.82 51 Neutral 10 19.60 51 Table 3: People who think that maintaining this kind of software is very much cost effective for the SMEs Q.4. How far do you believe that FRP software is able to draw the attention the customers? Option Response Percentage Total respondents Believe 30 58.82 51 Disbelieve 11 21.56 51 Neutral 10 19.60 51 Table 4: People who believe that FRP software is able to draw the attention the customers Data Collection and its methods: Data collection is a procedure to collect necessary data and information by utilizing various sources. Data can be collected from two sources mainly including primary data collection sources and secondary data collection sources. Primary data collection sources can be gathered by conducting an effective survey, interview, group discussion, focal group and so many. On the other hand, secondary data collection method can be acquired from various online sources, newspapers, magazines, journals and so on. For this particular research, the researcher would like to utilize both quantitative data collection technique. Quantitative data collection technique helps the researcher to conduct an effective survey. Fifty-one employees from Entertainment media and telecoms have been selected for providing necessary data and information. The researcher would like to throw four questionnaires regarding the ERP software. As per the four questions, the employees have shared their point of views. From employees point of view, they have provided their opinion regarding the importance of ERP software for SMEs of Australia (Thapliyal, Vashishta, 2012). Data analysis: After collecting necessary data and information about the effectiveness of ERP software, the researcher would like to analyze data and information for coming into a sound conclusion. As per the feedback gathered from primary data sources, the researcher has analysed some of the major factors (Thapliyal, Vashishta, 2012). The factors are as follows: FRP software would be able to provide the service globally FRP software would satisfy the needs and demands of the customers more effectively More skillful and efficient employees would be needed to handle ERP software The organization like Entertainment media and telecoms would be able to afford the cost of maintenance Data interpretation: As per the data analysis procedure, it has been observed that the researcher collects information about ERP software from different angles. FRP software would definitely be able to provide global services if the organization likes to choose an efficient experts for handling this particular division (Shiryan, Shee Stewart, 2012). In addition, the researcher have also indicated that the suitable ERP software is highly dependent on the structure and business industry of SMEs of Australia. If the organization is based on retail, the business experts many use Microsoft dynamics Ax software in order to redesign the business strategy as per the changing demands and needs of the customers. Conclusion: The entire study has provided an in-depth understanding about the importance of ERP software for running SMEs throughout Australia smoothly. With the help of this research work, the researcher would come to know whether ERP software plays a major role for the business development of SMEs. In the literature review part, both the advantages and the disadvantages of ERP software have been discussed. While conducting the project, the researcher would like to use appropriate research methodology as well. Despite conducing an effective research, this particular study is not devoid of some of its major limitation. Only six questionnaires is not sufficient enough to collect necessary data and information about the research issue. The researcher should involve more respondents so that a huge number of data can be collected from the participants. In addition, the researcher should maintain the accuracy and authenticity of data while conducting the research work. Expected outcomes: After designing the entire research, the expected outcome should be positive. The researcher has tried to the level best to make the entire research work systematically. In the literature review part, various aspects of ERP software, its advantages and disadvantages, its impact have been discussed. In the research methodology as well, the researcher would like to use appropriate research philosophy, approach and design and data collection. While conducting the project, participants would not be forced to provide necessary data and information. Therefore, it can be expected that the outcome of the entire research study would be positive. Reference List: Ali, M., Cullinane, J. (2014). 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