international management

Exercise: Describing and Justifying a Sampling Approach – Non-probability Sampling

Choose one of the following questions. Describe and discuss the sampling approach you would use to undertake

case study research to address the question.

1. How millennials deal with conflict and stress in the workplace? OR

2. How MNC (multinational corporation) subsidiaries move up the corporate value chain for survival?

Assumptions: The researcher is an MSc IM/SIPM/HRM student at NUI Galway and has 6 months to complete

the research project as a dissertation in part fulfilment of their master’s programme. There are, therefore, time

and financial constraints. You can assume the researcher is using a case study research design as they want an

in-depth analysis.

In discussing the sampling approach you must address the following:

• How you would choose the case(s) and participants for data collection?

• Why you would take this approach? (i.e. justify your approach)

• What might be the potential limitation(s) of your approach?

There is no right or wrong answers in this exercise. In other words, the approach you take can be very different

to someone else’s but it is important that you are able to describe in detail the approach and explain why you

would use that approach. It’s also important to recognise and identify potential limitations with the approach as

no research is perfect.

Format: Document, 1.5 line spacing, approx. 1 to 2 pages (excluding cover page, references), Harvard Style

Referencing, formal academic writing style.

Due Date: 4th Dec, 5pm (end of week 10)

Marking Criteria:

1. The extent to which there is a clear and thought-through description of your chosen sampling approach (how you would choose the case(s) and participants).

a. Pass (=/+40%): describes a sampling approach that displays a grasp of sampling in qualitative research

b. Fail (-40%): There is very little detail provided on the sampling approach that would be taken and therefore the student displays an insufficient understanding of sampling in qualitative

research.

2. The choice of sampling approach is justified. a. Pass (=/+40%): An argument is presented for justifying why the approach is selected i.e. a

logical rationale for this approach is provided

b. Fail (-40%): A very limited argument for justifying the approach is presented with little-to-no attempt to develop the argument i.e. there is little-to-no attempt to explain why you chose this

particular approach or what the logic is behind the choice.

3. A potential limitation to the sampling approach is identified and outlined by way of explanation a. Pass (=/+40%): At least one limitation is identified in the context of the sampling approach

and the limitation is outlined in terms of explaining why it is a limitation.

b. Fail (-40%): The potential limitation to the sampling approach described is not addressed or a limitation is identified but little-to-no effort is made to explain the limitation.

4. The submission is well structured and has a logical flow. a. Pass (=/+40%): At least one of the following is included: a cover page (with student name, ID

and exercise title), page numbers, section headings.

b. Fail (-40%): None of the following are included: a cover page (with student name, ID and exercise title), page numbers, section headings.

Your exercise will be assessed based on the above criteria. You must obtain a pass on all four of the criteria

above to obtain a pass in the exercise. You will get feedback on each of those criteria, which the purpose is to

help you learn and to use for future research projects that you may engage in.