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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT
Tasks for Course: DLMARM01 – Advanced Research Methods
CONTENT
1. Task…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2 1.1 Task 1: Brand Loyalty Among Millennials (Generation Y) and Generation Z …………………………………….. 2 1.2 Task 2: Case Study Research ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3 1.3 Task 3: eMobility ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
2. Additional information for the evaluation of the written assignment ………………………………………. 4 3. Tutorial Support…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
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1. TASK
Please choose one of the topics listed below to write your assignment on.
The starting point for your term paper will be the course book, the contents of which will serve as the basis for an in-depth examination of one of the following questions. You are expected to research and cite from sources corresponding to your chosen topic.
Note on copyright and plagiarism:
Please take note that IU Internationale Hochschule GmbH holds the copyright to the examination tasks. We expressly object to the publication of tasks on third-party platforms. In the event of a violation, IU Internationale Hochschule is entitled to injunctive relief. We would like to point out that every submitted written assignment is checked using a plagiarism software. We therefore suggest not to share solutions under any circumstances, as this may give rise to the suspicion of plagiarism.
Please take note that personal data should always be anonymized so that it is not possible to draw conclusions about a specific or identifiable person. This also applies to company-related data.
1.1 Task 1: Brand Loyalty Among Millennials (Generation Y) and Generation Z
Researchers have known for quite some time that attitudes and behaviors differ from generation to generation. For example, a recent survey by the PEW Research Center in the U.S.A. found substantial generational differences in the job approval ratings of American presidents. Some marketing researchers have the view that Millennials (Generation Y, born in 1981 to 1996) and Generation Z (born in 1997 to 2012) have different attitudes towards brand loyalty. Their assumption is that Generation Z is less loyal due to the fast-pacing nature of modern media such as social media. Others argue that there are no differences in loyalty, just the communication channels and the type of products and services Generation Z are loyal to differ.
1. Based on secondary research, provide arguments and counterarguments for both views.
2. Based on (1), develop a quantitative survey research design that could assess the relative merit of each view empirically.
3. Conduct the research designed in (2) based on a convenience sample of your choosing and provide an empirically grounded answer to the central question: “Are Gen Z less loyal?”.
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1.2 Task 2: Case Study Research
The current global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in December 2019 in China, has to date resulted in an estimated 3,000,000 deaths worldwide. The impact of the virus on human and economic life has been so significant that people have started to refer to a ‘new normal’. The case study research approach, which you have learned about, lends itself nicely to investigate the complexities of the pandemic’s impact on human and economic life.
1. Briefly explain why the case study research approach can be suitable to investigate the pandemic’s impact on human and economic life. Which specific type of case study design is more, and which is less suitable? Include the advantages of the approach as well as possible disadvantages in your discussion.
2. Apply the case study approach and pick two maximally different for-profit-organizations to explore the impact of the pandemic on employees’ work life (e.g., tasks, context, mindset, daily routines) by considering organization-level factors (e.g., structure, culture, technology) and employee-level factors. Compare and contrast the two organizations in order to arrive at stylized impact categories, contingencies, and coping mechanisms at the organization and employee levels.
3. For each organization, conduct a minimum of two in-depth interviews with key informants.
1.3 Task 3: eMobility
Germany overtook the United States in terms of the total number of newly registered e-cars, just behind China.
1. Use data published by ZSW (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg) for Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, UK, France, USA, Germany, and China (see: https://www.zsw bw.de/fileadmin/user_upload/PDFs/Pressemitteilungen/2021/pr05-2021-ZSW
WorldwideFiguresElectricCars.pdf) to develop an index, that is capable of the different levels of new registrations of electric cars.
2. Use the index developed in (1) to predict the levels of new registrations of electric cars for the next three years, overall and for each of the countries listed in (1). Explicitly state and explain the assumptions of your predictive model.
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2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT
When conceptualizing and writing the Written Assignment, the evaluation criteria and explanations given in the writing guidelines should be considered.
3. TUTORIAL SUPPORT
In this Written Assignment task, several support channels are open; as the student, it is your responsibility to select your preferred support channel. The tutor is available for technical consultations and for formal and general questions regarding the procedure for processing the Written Assignment. However, the tutor is not required to approve outlines or parts of texts and drafts. Independent preparation is part of the examination work and is included in the overall evaluation. However, general editing tips and instructions are given in order to help you get started with the Written Assignment.
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