Running Head: DISCUSSION BOARD QUESTION 7.6 1
Discussion Board Question 7.6
Christopher Blanchard
Business Research Methods
Liberty University
Dr. Mensah
Sept. 14, 2018
DISCUSSION BOARD QUESTION 7.6 2
NCR Corporation Move
This discussion scenario is about NCR Corporation and their move from Dayton Ohio to
Duluth Georgia. NCR Corporation plans to move their world headquarters building to a location
surrounded by a growing population of young educated works, international offices, and a major
international airport (Cooper & Schindler, 2014, pp. 168-169). This move also involves receiving
major tax cuts along with NCR Corporation’s plans to reduce their high paid employee
population (Cooper & Schindler, 2014, pp. 168-169). This is a major move for the corporation
with many risks involved. Qualitative research provides NCR Corporation an opportunity to
gather information on the risk and rewards of moving in addition to accumulating thoughts on a
company move from the workers. “Qualitative research is ideal if you want to extract feelings,
emotions, motivations, perceptions, consumer language, or self-described behavior” (Cooper &
Schindler, 2014, p. 144). Although businesses are not required to discuss moves with their
employees, respecting the employee’s thoughts and listening to their concerns may help the
business and employee move smoother. They would also be following the golden rule, “so in
everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the
Prophets” (Matthew 7: 12, NIV).
What qualitative research might NCR have done to reach this decision?
An article written about sustainable supply chain management points out “qualitative
studies frequently focus on customers or multiple stakeholders” (Rebs, Brandenburg, Seuring, &
Stohler, 2018, p. 197). This would be relevant to most businesses and not just supply. It is easy to
assume NCR would focus their qualitative research on how a headquarters move would benefit
or hurt the company’s customers and stakeholders. The supply article also provides some
examples of “secondary stakeholders, such as government and non-governmental organizations
DISCUSSION BOARD QUESTION 7.6 3
(NGOs), trade associations and competitors, or media and community” (Rebs et al., 2018, p.
201). This all points to the fact that in the process of developing qualitative research, NCR
focused their management dilemma and defined management questions with thoughts
particularly focused on the stakeholders. Surveys produced with the qualitative research revealed
major tax credits from the government in Georgia, potential partnerships with European
governments, and lucrative opportunities in the surrounding areas.
NCR will use its move to Georgia to downsize its world headquarters workforce. What
Qualitative research could help NCR determine which of its 1200 employees will be offered
positions in Duluth?
Hopefully, during the development of management dilemmas and management questions,
the employees where discussed and surveys developed to get an idea of employee reactions to a
move as significant as this. Potential reactions could include employees requesting early
retirement or refusing to move. This could be the reaction NCR is looking for, making it easy to
reduce their number or it may be an unexpected reaction where they may lose high level
employees they needed to help make this move a success. While reducing the employee number
obviously has an affect on those who are let go by the company, the retained employees could be
mentally affected by the move. An article by Bellè, Carreri, Miele, & Murgia discusses the
mental status of employees when they do not feel secure at work. The article discusses a term
“vulnerable work” and defines it as “insecure and low-quality employment, with little possibility
of bargaining with the employer, low union membership, and, in general, limited access to
employment rights” (Bellè, Carreri, Miele, & Murgia, 2013, p. 155). This may only sound
relevant to contract workers but consider how the retained employees by NCR may feel as the
company they work for just moved halfway across the country and reduced their workforce in
DISCUSSION BOARD QUESTION 7.6 4
the process. If a company is allowed to do that, how secure can the employees feel in their jobs?
Those employees who just in the Lord will not feel unsecure for it is said, “trust in the Lord with
all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he
will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3: 5-6, NIV). Those who do not trust in the Lord could
negatively affect the moral of the company and reduce productivity as NCR tries to move the
company in a new directions.
DISCUSSION BOARD QUESTION 7.6 5
References
Bellè, E., Carreri, A., Miele, F., & Murgia, A. (2013). Vulnerability at work: (Un)Safety culture
in temporary jobs. Journal Of Workplace Rights, 17(2), 153-174. doi:10.2190/WR.17.2.c
Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2014). Business research methods (12th ed.). New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill
Rebs, T., Brandenburg, M., Seuring, S., & Stohler, M. (2018). Stakeholder influences and risks in
sustainable supply chain management: a comparison of qualitative and quantitative
studies. Business Research, 11(2), 197-237. doi:10.1007/s40685-017-0056-9
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