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Tentative results / findings and conclusions / recommendations for second phase of primary research

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Tentative results / findings and conclusions / recommendations for second phase of primary research

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Will be made in due course. Survey has only been sent out and two more interviews have to be conducted so it's too early at this stage to make any recommendations for the second phase of primary research.

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Planned work

It is planned to conduct field research for the qualitative phase over a period of 2-3 weeks. Primary research will commence on 28/11/2016. The reason for the delay is due to the fact that permission has yet to be granted to include the questionnaire in student’s correspondence with the institute.

What didn’t work out as planned

If what is planned which is to include the questionnaire in correspondence doesn’t work for whatever reason, a contingency plan has been developed to obtain a mailing list from IoB. Again if what is planned doesn’t work out, there is a degree of flexibility there so the survey/questionnaire is not tied down to one method of data collection.

Sample/Response

A sample of 30 students has been chosen to give the best possible reflection of student’s attitudes towards the online system. However it is hoped the mailing list will consist of at least 200/300 students so this means the response rate will be timely, and the information can be obtained easily.

Recording data.

In terms of recording and inputting this data, an SPSS system will be used to analyse the responses. Responses collected from surveymonkey will be inputted into the SPSS system. Using Microsoft excel it allows the information to be displayed in tables and diagrams which is more effective in highlighting information and making possible recommendations. If making a presentation of this market research project to the Institute of Banking, diagrams and charts will be a key aspect of the quantitative findings.

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Research method
The quantitative research method to be adopted for this research proposal is a questionnaire. A questionnaire has a number of set objectives such as to translate the information needed into a specific set of questions, and to encourage the respondent to become involved in the process also.  Students receive regular correspondence via emails, letters and text messages regarding upcoming events such as exam release dates, and closing dates for regulations. It is planned to attach a link to the questionnaire on www.surveymonkey.com with this correspondence. However this will only go ahead if permission is granted from the marketing manager in the Institute. If using this method may be too invasive, a mailing list can be obtained from the membership or CPD department in IoB.

Questions and Relevance

Questions like the ones in the link below will be used to get the students opinions of the registration system in the most clear and concise way possible. MCQ format means there’s no time wasted, and the information that is needed is obtained.  In depth interviews can be used to get a deeper insight, but for the surveys it gives the chance to see how a bigger proportion feel about different aspects of the online system. By analysing the data received it can help meet the sub-objective goals set out at the start of this marketing research study. The pre-test survey gives a good indication of what the survey will look like as a whole.

Link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PJC7LTG

Form and Layout.
That is a very small example of the form design and layout for the questionnaire. The questionnaire will be divided into several different parts, and each question will be numbered. Questions will be structured and they will be of multiple choice format.

Link to pilot survey sent out to students: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PJC7LTG

Pilot.
Pretesting is very important, and should always be done when using surveys. In order to pilot this survey emails will be sent to a smaller proportion of students initially. This is because respondents will need to be similar in nature. Pre-testing means all aspects of the survey will be tested such as from design, layout and structure. Feedback from this will then be used to make any changes to the survey before it’s sent out to the full sample population of students.

Sample.
This survey is dependent upon either receiving permission to include in correspondence, or obtaining a mailing list from the membership department in IoB. However if this is granted it gives access to a broad database with a very large variety of students. So the sample size chosen for this proposal of 30 students should be achievable given the size of the mailing list and database available for this research project. 30 students is the ideal sample size for a survey of this type, and hopefully will give the information needed to paint an overall picture of student’s opinion of the online system of registration.

Collecting/Recording/Analysing
Again this data will be collected online by using Surveymonkey. Respondents will receive a link to the survey in email/correspondence which will be collected by Surveymonkey. Results can then be inputted using an SPSS system. Surveymonkey also offer result charts and diagrams which may be availed of. As mentioned diagrams and charts will be key aspects of analysing quantitative research as when dealing with numbers pictures are much more effective than words when explaining any information or result findings.

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Tentative Conclusions and recommendations - first phase of primary research

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Tentative Conclusions and recommendations - first phase of primary research

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A potential conclusion is more emphasis needs to be placed on the online platform at student events, on the website, in the prospectus etc. It may be even worth putting in bold print on hard copy registration forms. Again this will hopefully take some off the pressure off the Institute and mean less labour hours for their registry office. The client may use this information to develop a different marketing strategy for the online platform, so they can achieve their goal of having a higher percentage of students using it.

Another possible recommendation that has emerged from the first phase of research is that the online platform may need to be re-modelled, or steps could be taken so it can become more user friendly and encourage potential students to choose for the online platform, over the original hard copy format. With this recommendation the Institute can further evaluate their current system on the back of this feedback.

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When undergoing this research there was definitely some limitations to the methods that I adopted. When undergoing the in depth interviews I felt there was a heavy reliance on myself to make sure I gathered the information needed, and keep the conversation flowing.

Another limitation, or difficulty I encountered was my skill-set as a qualitative interviewer. A skilled interviewer needs to patient, observant, open-minded and most importantly a good listener. I think I lacked certain skills and experience as an interviewer but reflecting back on it now I still felt it was a good experience which I learned from, and it’s something I can improve on for my next interviews with the students

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Initial Results / Findings - first phase of primary research

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Initial Results / Findings - first phase of primary research

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So initial findings from the first phase of primary research were interesting to say the least. First phase findings were gathered from an interview held with an employee from IoB. In relation to the overall objective to gain understanding as to why more students are not utilising the online platform put in place by the Institute, it is important to get the employees view as well. The employees view will give a different perspective on the registration process.

In terms of specific sub objectives the qualitative interview was particularly helpful in identifying some tentative findings. Some of the findings were as follows:
One of the sub objectives set was possible areas of improvement and some of the feedback from the first interview was brilliant in this area. Suggestions included a bigger advertising campaign and more emphasis on it at events, and in the prospectus handed out to students.

Another sub objective was to identify how the registration system is perceived by students so the questionnaire will definitely help in this area.

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Place and setting

As part of the qualitative phase of field research an in depth interview was conducted.  This interview was conducted in the auditorium in Institute of Banking’s offices which are located on 1 North Wall Quay in Dublin. Conscious of employees having busy workloads, the interview was agreed on a time set by the employee which was 17:00 on Monday 21/11/2016.

Sample population
After permission was granted to approach any employees, 5 different IoB employees were asked if they would be interested in participating in this marketing research project. From the sample two different employees agreed, however the best suited employee was one who had experience working in the registry office, and had direct access to this online platform.

Data recording/Unexpected events
Data was recorded using handwritten notes. The participant was notified of this before the interview began and assurance of confidentiality was given regarding the information gathered. With regards to the interview plan it went quite well. However the location within IoB that was originally agreed to stage the interview was meeting room number 3. However due to a change in lecture time, it meant that room was booked so the interview was moved to the auditorium.

Transcripts
Interview held: 21/11/2016 at 1 North Wall Quay
So I suppose we’ll start off with what’s your opinion of the traditional method of registration?

I don’t mind it to be honest because I’m more of a pen and paper person myself so I can see why so many students still use it. But from the point of view of an employee it can be a slow process going through several hundred applications a day. Especially if there’s mistakes on the registration form.

Key notes: Traditional aspect/Can be slow process/Mistakes?

Is there a high percentage of hard copy registration form filled out incorrectly?

There is, and there isn’t. If you take a standard registration form such as the Professional Diploma in Financial Advice it’s easy and straightforward to complete so there’s very little mistakes in them. However different courses need different things filled out so then you’ll start to see more mistakes come in which takes time to correct.

Key notes: Mistakes vary on from type/increased difficulty=more mistakes

So then on the back of that, what’s your opinion of the current online system of registration used by IoB?

Well in a nutshell, it’s good but it can definitely be better. I think it has a lot of potential and can be a great tool for us here at IoB.

Key notes: Lots of potential

So do you feel there’s a need for improvement? (Probing question)

Well I wouldn’t say in in desperate need of improvement or anything because this system works and it makes it much easier for students to register for exams, and makes it easier for our registry department to process applications using the online system. But can it be better? Yes is my answer.

Key notes: Can definitely improve/benefits clear

Do you feel the online system of registration is more convenient for you as an employee?

It’s definitely much more convenient, as when students use the online system instead of sending in hard copy forms it cuts my workload in half. So it means I have time to do other things like answer emails or help other departments in IoB. Like the membership department as there busy all year round.

Key notes: Cuts time in half/More resources

So if a higher proportion if students started to use the online system you could use what time you have during the day more efficiently?

Yes definitely I would agree with that.

That’s interesting, so as an employee why do you feel the online system is not being utilised by more students today?

It can be difficult to put a finger on one issue in particular but there’s definitely a few reasons that may contribute to it. Like a lot of students are older and didn’t grow up in the technology age that you did so maybe that’s a factor that they don’t like change. But maybe it can be made easier for people like that so they have more of incentive to use it. Maybe it could be advertised more also.

Key notes: Technology/user-friendly/advertisement

You mentioned advertising, so do you think the online system is not being advertised enough?

I’m not sure I think that’s a difficult question to answer. But I think maybe it could be advertised in a different way to what it currently is. So maybe a different advertising strategy could be adopted.

Key notes: Advertising/marketing strategy can be improved.

That’s a good point can you expand further on that? (Probing question)

I think it all goes back to incentive. I think for the online system to improve it has be more convenient than the traditional method. So it should:

·         Reduce time – talked about in detail

·         Be more user friendly- talked about in detail

·         Clear incentives should there- talked about in detail

Okay so I have to say the information I have received has been very helpful and I want to thank you for that. I just have one final question, do you think marketing research projects like this one can improve the online system of registration used by IoB?

Well I hope so because I think there’s plenty of benefits that will come from improving the online system. If it is improved it will definitely make my job easier, but can benefit the Institute of Banking as a whole.

Observations:

The information received from this employee was very helpful as the interview was free-flowing so there was no problem in getting the information needed. It seems there is definitely a room for improvement with regards to the online system.

This interview has given good insight and understanding especially from the point of view of the employee. It can be the first steps in analysing why the online system is not being utilised by a higher proportion of students.

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First and foremost all interviews will be conducted face-to-face, and will be in depth. In-depth interviews were the most appropriate for this research proposal as it means open-ended questions can be asked that elicit depths of information from relatively few people. So for an example as a research company we can ask a student how do you think the online registration platform could be more user-friendly?  An in depth interview gives a much better opportunity to explore how the student feels about this particular topic.

So once again to state the overall objective of this research is to “gain understanding as to why more students are not utilising the online platform put in place by the Institute.” The interview process will help meet the objectives of this research as by gathering relevant data it will ultimately help reveal why the online platform is not performing as well as expected.

Questions will be both open ended and semi structured in nature as it is important to plan key questions so the right information is gathered. In order to make sure of this a probing technique will also be used which is the use of follow up questions to clarify meaning on an issue.

Questions and themes
The first stage of the interview is thematizing, or in order words clarifying the purpose of the interview. So to set this theme the purpose of this interview will be explained which  is to gain a deeper understanding of the online registration system used by the Institute of Banking. This will also help put the interviewee at ease.

Some of the questions in the main body of the interview will be as follows:

·         How many different exams have you registered for in the past?

·         Which registration process did you use?

·         Were you aware of an online registration process?

·         Which registration process did you prefer and why? (Only applicable if used both)

·         Have you ever visited the Institute of Banking’s website?

·         What was your initial opinion of its layout?

·         Would you say it is easy to navigate?

·         How do you think it could be improved?

Sample
As mentioned in the research design the target market will reflect the target population. So in the sampling design process the target population will need to be defined. A group of 30 students will be sampled for the survey, and at least 3 interviews will also be conducted in order to adequately reflect the target population. In order to get participants for the interviews at least 5-10 employees will be approached (Permission granted). The rationale for this is so a complete picture can be painted in terms of research and identify all the issues at hand whether that be down to the online platform, advertising, navigation issues etc. The rationale behind interviewing both students and employees is so the information obtained is not biased, as one participant may feel differently about certain aspects than the other.

Arranging meetings
As these interviews are face-to-face, meetings will need to arranged. Conscious that both students and employees will be giving up their time in order to benefit this study, it’s only fair the interview is held at a place that suits them best. So for employees of the Institute I will meet them at their premises on 1 North Wall Quay in Dublin. As regards to the students that will depend on who agrees to be interviewed, but this will presumably be place of work also.

Access
As part of the introduction the participant will be informed that notes will be taken during the course of the interview. However in terms of access, no one else will be able to see this information. The notes will be stored under lock and key at Dublin City University and will be destroyed once the research is completed. It will also be mentioned that participants will be referred to by number not by name, and no one else will know the number. Participants will be able to access the findings of my research once it is completed. With regards to access of participants, a senior manager will need to be approached before any employees in Iob are. Once permission is granted, employees will either be approached by email or in person if they are known in a personal capacity. Students will be contacted via email regarding both the interviews, and surveys.

Consents
Consent is a fundamental aspect of undertaking an interview so in order to get consent one of the main steps taken in this study is issuing a well-informed, and detailed consent letter to any interviewees.  Letters of consent are vitally important as not only do the outline the purpose of this research, but also detail the participant’s role in the study. It also indicates that this study is being conducted in a personal capacity and it is entirely up to them if they wish to participate or not. Their decision to participate in this study will not affect them, and assurance of confidentiality of findings will be given. Consent letters have been included in the ethics research form.

Introductions
For introduction part of the interview the ground rules will be discussed, and assurance of confidentiality will be given as well as a brief overview of the research proposal. Below is a draft introduction used for the first in depth interview.

Good afternoon,

The purpose of this study is to assess the current online platform for registration used by both students, and employees of the Institute of Banking. This interview will last no longer than 30 minutes, and you were chosen for this interview given the fact you are an employee of the Institute of Banking and have direct access to the online platform.. Once again I would like to take this opportunity to assure you of confidentiality of findings, and to inform you that your participation is voluntary and you are free to leave at any stage can at any stage, and can refuse to answer any questions if you are not comfortable with them. The information that is gathered from this interview will give a better insight into the online platform of registration and hopefully identify potential areas of improvement.

Conducting the interview:
The questioning style will be open ended and non-direct so students and employees can relate to the questions in their own way. A probing technique will be used in order to clarify meaning and ensure important information is collected. So this means participants will be asked to expand on their answers particularly if they are yes, or no answers. The most important aspect of conducting the interview is putting the participants at ease, so this will be done by asking questions informally. Hopefully the interview does not come across as intimidating, and as much valuable information as possible is gathered.

Data will be recorded on notes taken during the interview, and in order to analyse this the answers given from students and employees will be compared and contrasted. Any correlation between the interview notes will be evaluated and any suggestions or feedback they have given regarding the online platform will also be highlighted.

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Secondary research will be used to compare, contrast and clarify. Adapting to change may be what’s causing part of this issue, so issues in change management will be reviewed, with the possibility of introducing new IS/IT systems. There is a number of competitor organisations to the Institute of Banking such as the Association of Compliance Officers Ireland (ACOI). By using secondary sources such as the internet, and published records more information can be found on competitors, IT systems and there registration process. This would help in giving a comparison, and assessing the strenghts and weaknesses of both the Institute, and its competitors.

For  the first few stages of secondary research there wasn’t an over reliance on articles, and statistics however what it did involve was competitors and their databases/websites. Competitor organisations and their online registration systems they have in place were investigated. One of these organisations is the Association of compliance Officers in Ireland, however it’s important to note the Institute is also a stakeholder of the ACOI.

After conducting such research it became evident they use the bxp system. The reason this platform was introduced is to transform the life for the ACOI by eliminating a whole range of time consuming daily tasks. Together with a great new website, it has provided a single-point administration tool that has already made real, significant cost savings in terms of staff time. Adapting to change has definitely benefited ACOI as their IT/IS system provides two key functions for their online platform of registration.

Shopping cart
ACOI employees are able to add multiple membership events to a cart, including the ability to add additional members and non-members to an event.

Events
Details of events needed to be made available to members and non-members, which meant including a payment method for non-members and we also allowed for free events.

This data is definitely relevant as it will be helpful in comparing and contrasting with the Institute of Banking. Most noticeably the Institute are also looking to achieve similar type benefits from utilising their online platform so this secondary research is particularly relevant.

Different textbooks and academic literature to ensure secondary research was carried out efficiently. This also aided in deciding what type of secondary research to carry out, and gave a step by step process on how to go about it.

Bibliography
Websites:

Association of Compliance Officers in Ireland (ACOI)
(online) Available here: http://www.acoi.ie/about-us/about-acoi/ Last date accessed 13/11/2016

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
(online) Available here: http://www.accaglobal.com/ie/en.html Last date accessed 15/11/2016

The Institute of Banking (IoB)
(online) Available here:  https://www.iob.ie/ Last date accessed 16/11/2016

The Insurance Institute of Ireland (III)
(online) Available here: http://www.iii.ie/ Last date accessed 20/11/2016

Books:
Leedy, Paul D., and Ormrod, Jeanne E. (2010), Practical Research: Planning and Design (9th ed.).

New Jersey: Pearson Education International.

Malhotra, Naresh K and Mark Peterson (2009), Basic Marketing Research: A Decision-Making Approach 3rd edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall

Shiu, Eric, Joseph Hair, Robert Bush, and David Ortinau (2009), Marketing Research. McGrawHill

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The Institute of Banking have highlighted some of the questions that need to be answered, however how to get this information is the important question, so that the Institute can then make relevant decisions to address this issue. The research proposal intended is to assess the current online platform used for exam registration by the Institute, and by students. In hope that the information will then help the Institute to get a much clearer overall picture of the challenges associated with this.

When setting a research objective it’s important that it is both realistic and clear. The objective in this case is “to gain understanding as to why more students are not utilising the online platform put in place by the Institute.” Information in this case will need to come from students applying for exams, and students who have used the online system, and also students who used the more traditional method of sending in a hard copy registration form.

Sub objectives for this research will be:
To identify how the online system is perceived by students.
To evaluate how well is it working as a whole.
Also to identify any possible areas for improvement.

Research Design
Research design specifies the procedures necessary to obtain the information needed to help solve this marketing challenge. It sets out a road map for conducting this marketing research project. Over the next 3 weeks both interviews and surveys will be conducted with students, and employees of the Institute of Banking. The type of research that will be carried out will be exploratory research. This is because as mentioned previously, the objective here is to gain insight and understanding from both students and employees as to why the online platform is not being utilised. This challenge needs to be defined more precisely so it will be followed up with further exploratory research, or conclusive research.

The target market will reflect the target population. So in the sampling design process the target population will need to be defined. A group of 30 students will be sampled for the survey, and at least 3 interviews will also be conducted in order to adequately reflect the target population.

In order to find out this primary research will be conducted, which will be both qualitative and quantitative. Secondary research will also be used to give a better understanding of the challenges faced.

Primary research:
For qualitative research an in depth interview will be conducted in a one on one basis with ideally students who have used both methods of registering for exams. The reason for this is because in depth interviews result in more personal responses, and also means there’s no pressure to conform. It is hoped to interview past students who have been through the process before. Some of the questions that will be asked to students are as follows:

·         Do you think the traditional method of registration (Hard copy) takes too long to fill out?

·         Have you heard of the online platform for registration before?

·         Do you find the Institutes website is too hard to navigate?

An employee who works in the Institute’s Registry department will also be interviewed. These employees will have a bird’s eye view of both registration processes, and will be familiar with the challenges facing them. It will also be good to get both sides opinion on the matter. Some of the questions employees will be asked are as follows:

·         How well do you feel the online system is working?

·         How do you feel the registration process could be improved?

·         How big of an issue do you think this is for the Institute?

For quantitative research a survey/questionnaire will be conducted, comprising of 30 past and present students who study with the Institute of Banking. Surveymonkey will be used as a platform for this survey. Students receive regular correspondence via emails, letters and text messages regarding upcoming events such as exam release dates, and closing dates for regulations. It is hoped to include a link to the survey with this correspondence, however the marketing manager will first need to be contacted. This survey will give the opportunity to ask any of the questions that weren’t asked in the in depth interview. So hopefully the research objective can be achieved which is to gain an understanding as to why more students are not utilising the online platform put in place by the Institute.

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First and foremost, the Institute of Banking is the largest professional membership organisation in Ireland. It provides a wide variety of university level banking education programmes and services. Professional development, and education are the cornerstones of this organisation.

The Institute has a rich heritage, as it was originally founded in 1898 with 719 members and has continued to grow ever since. One of the founders of this organisation was Andrew Jameson.  He was a former governor of Bank of Ireland, and played a big role in setting up the Institute. Today the Institute has a community of over 34,000 members who work across a broad spectrum of banking and financial services, which is a great testament to its original founders.

However today we live in a constantly changing environment. We must move with the times. Technology is always changing, so it’s import to adapt, in order to stay competitive. The same holds true for the Institute of Banking.

Each department in the Institute has its separate roles, but the marketing department is responsible for developing the marketing strategy for the company. It also co-ordinates the marketing campaign, so students decide to complete exams with the Institute of Banking, instead of another rival education based organisation. One main challenge is the online registration process for students registering for exams. It’s just not performing as well as initially planned. This results in a number of challenges/issues:

Students send in hard copy registration forms, which must then be processed by the registry team in the Institute. This takes up considerable time and cost, as additional labour hours are required to process these registrations.

Another issue with students opting not to use the online registration system is that the resulting hard copies that are sent in, often contain errors. Not only this, but they will often be missing payment or the appropriate information. This can be avoidable if the online platform is used where appropriate.

So this is a major challenge and one that was earmarked for market research. Why is the online system not performing? Are students unaware of this process? Is this a result of a poor advertising campaign? Is the layout not effective? These are just some of the questions that must be need answered.

Hence this is why IoB have commissioned a local research company to get to the bottom of these questions, and ultimately face this challenge affecting the Institute of Banking head on.

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Interviews

Dear Employee, as part of my final year studies, in my Bachelor of  Business Studies degree I am conducting research into the area of online registration in the Institute of Banking. I am investigating this because by assessing the current online platform, I can gain a better understanding as to why a higher proportion of students are not utilising it. I am inviting you to be a part of my study because of your role in registering for banking exams previously, using the online, or traditional method.

If you accept, you will be asked to participate in an interview with me. No one else will be present unless you would like someone to accompany you. I will record the information you give by notes. No one else will have access to this information. The notes will be stored under lock and key at Dublin City University and will be destroyed when I complete my degree. In the study, you will be referred to by number not by name, and only I will know your number.

I will ask you about the online registration platform and ask you to share your knowledge. The questions will be about your perception of both the traditional method, and the online system of registration and possible areas of improvement.There is a risk that you share some personal information or that you feel uncomfortable with some of the questions. If there is a question you’d rather not answer, I will move to the next one. You are free to withdraw from the interview at any time.

While I do have the support of the Institute of Banking to engage in this research, it is being conducted by me in a personal capacity.  You do not have to participate in this study if you do not wish to do so. Choosing to participate or not will not affect your job in any way.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. If you would like to know more about my study before deciding whether to participate, please contact me at seamus.lavin3@mail.dcu.ie. If you agree to participate, I would be grateful if you could sign read and sign the certificate of consent on the attached page. Please return this certificate to me at 10 Silverbirch Crescent, Millfarm, Dunboyne, Co. Meath. Regardless of whether you choose to participate, please let me know if you would like a summary of my findings. To receive a summary please contact me at seamus.lavin3@mail.dcu.ie

Yours faithfully Seamus Lavin

Certificate of Consent I have read the foregoing information. I have had the opportunity to ask questions about it and any questions I have asked have been answered to my satisfaction.  I consent voluntarily to be a participant in this study and I understand that I can withdraw from the interview at any time without any impact on my job.

Questionnaire/Survey

Dear Student, as part of my final year studies, in my Bachelor of Business Studies degree I am conducting research into the area of online registration for exams in the Institute of Banking. I am investigating this because by assessing the current online platform, I can gain a better understanding as to why a higher proportion of students are not utilising it. I am inviting you to participate in this research project because of your role in in registering for exams previously using either the traditional method, or the online platform.

Accompanying this letter is a short questionnaire that asks a variety of questions about the registration process.  I am asking you to look over the questionnaire and, if you choose to do so, complete it and send it back to me.  It should take you about 3 minutes to complete. The questionnaire does not require you to give your name or any other information that might identify you. Information compiled from the questionnaire will be reported in aggregate form and individuals will remain anonymous. No information you give will be shared with any other individual. All completed questionnaires will be stored under lock and key at Dublin City University until I complete my degree.

Through your participation I hope to gain a better understanding of the online platform and why some students aren’t availing of it.  I hope that the results of this survey will be useful, as the information obtained will then help the Institute to get a much clearer overall view of the challenges associated with this.

While I do have the support of the Institute of Banking to engage in this research, it is being conducted by me in a personal capacity.  You do not have to participate in this study if you do not wish to do so. Choosing to participate or not will not affect your job or job related evaluations in any way.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. If you would like to know more about my study before deciding whether to participate, please contact me at seamus.lavin3@mail.dcu.ie. Regardless of whether you choose to participate, please let me know if you would like a summary of my survey findings. To receive a summary, findings can be viewed at www.surveymonkey.com.

Yours faithfully
Seamus Lavin.

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Name: Seamus Lavin  Student Number: 13498592

Programme: Bachelor of Business Studies Year: 4

Project Title

To assess the performance of the online registration platform for exams, used by the Institute of Banking employees and it’s students.

Supervisor/Lecturer

Michele O’ Sullivan

Aims of Research

The aims of this research is to assess the online platform for exam registration which is currently being used by the Institute of Banking employees, and it’s students. In terms of the significance of this project it should give an insight into why the online platform isn’t being utilised by a higher proportion of students. This information could potentially yield a number of benefits for both parties involved. For the organisation, the Institute will be able to adjust their advertising/layout of the online platform if necessary in order to better fit the student’s needs. Hopefully the students will then have a more efficient method of registering for exams, which in turn will benefit the Institute of Banking as it will save them time and valuable resources which can be pooled into a different department to help the organisation improve in a different area.

Proposed Methods

The proposed methodology for this research is as follows:

Gatekeepers: In order to approach potential participants, I will send out emails to any Friends/Colleagues/Relatives/Team-mates who work, or have previously registered for any banking exams with the Institute of Banking. IoB is the largest professional network in Ireland so I don’t anticipate any issues in getting participants. Getting different  perspectives is important in order to make the information accurate so I will also conduct a one-on-one interview with an employee who works in the Institute of Banking.  In order to do this I will approach two senior managers in the Institute, to ensure I have permission to carry out my research under their supervision. I completed a year-long internship with this organisation so all of the current employees are known to me, and very approachable. The interview will last no longer than 30 mins, which will be explained to both the two students and employee in the introduction part of the interview.

Surveys: In terms of quantitative research I will also conduct a survey using SurveyMonkey which I hope to send to 30 students. For the survey, all members of the Institute of Banking receive weekly correspondence regarding different events, closing dates etc. I hope to include a link to this survey in this email sent out to students by using the Institute’s database. In order to get the go ahead for this, I will first need to contact the marketing manager who I actually worked under during my internship... Since the survey attached will be of multiple choice format it should take no longer than 3 minutes to fill out. I’m conscious that people may be busy, so I will make it as concise as possible while still obtaining the additional information I need.

Interviews: Once I receive information from the surveys completed, I can then analyse the data and see if there is additional questions I need to add to my interviews. The interviews will be unstructured, but no longer than 30 mins duration. Given this is an in depth interview I will need to meet face to face with both students and employee so one of the tasks  required of them will also be to attend this interview. I intend to take notes for the interviews, however I will show to each participant to show that they are a true representation of the views they expressed.

Secondary material: As part of my secondary research it will involve comparing and contrasting different IT/IS systems that are in place. This is to make sure the online platform is as friendly as possible and IoB are up to date with the latest technology. The best way to do this is to consult with the IT department and get their views on the topic if possible. Adapting to change could be a key issue in order to improve the registration process so I will investigate this further in my secondary research.

Presentation of findings:

I will take contact details for all participants involved in my research so I can send them the findings of my study, and this will also give me the opportunity to get more potential feedback.

Ethical Implications of My Study and Steps Taken to Protect Participants:

Ethical Implications:

Given the nature of my research, and the fact that participation is voluntary I don’t envisage any major ethical implications, however certain issues will still need to be addressed. In particular, employees of IoB will need to be considered. Some of the questions in the interviews may require their opinion on current aspects of the Institute’s registration process, and marketing techniques. So current employees may be apprehensive to criticise their employer. However this research is for the greater good of the Institute, and any criticism will be constructive.

Steps taken to protect participants:

One of the main steps taken to protect participants in this study is issuing a well-informed, and detailed consent letter to any interviewees. Letters of consent are vitally important as not only do the outline the purpose of this research, but also detail the participants role in the study. It also indicates that this study is being conducted in a personal capacity and it is entirely up to them if they wish to participate or not. Their decision to participate in this study will not affect them, and assurance of confidentiality of findings will be given. This assurance is given so interviewees are free to express their opinions, and since this will be a one on one interview hopefully there will be no pressure to conform. This is particularly relevant to employees of the Institute of Banking, as students may not have any interest invested in IoB. In addition to this, I will also detail in the letter the type of information I wish to gather so there will be no confusion when the interview does take place.

Surveys: Consent differs slightly for surveys/questionnaires as no signature is needed. However I will include a letter of consent electronically and if students do not fill out this survey I will take that as lack of consent. This letter shows why they are being asked to participate and what precisely their participation would involve. So a task required of these participants is to read this letter of consent.

SurveyMonkey does require an email address so it may be possible for me to identify such respondents so the consent letter will include this. Information will remain confidential, and under lock and key at all times during this study.

Interviews: Before any interview is undertaken all potential participants must be fully informed about the nature of the study and what their participation will involve, and they will be made aware that they are free to decline to participate without any negative repercussions. So as mentioned above one of the tasks they will be required to do is sign a letter of consent, which will be sent out to them prior to any interview taking place. I will keep all written transcripts taken during the interviews under lock and key for the duration of the study. To put further emphasis on confidentiality, these transcripts will be destroyed after I have finished my research and interviewees will be referred to only by number.

Name of Student: Seamus Lavin

Signature of Student: Seamus Lavin

Date:05/11/2016

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DCU DCUBS
Assignment Submission

| Student Name(s): | Seamus Lavin
| Student Number(s): | 13498592
| Programme: | Bachelor of Business Studies
| Project Title: | Individual Project Presentation
| Module code: | MG338
| Lecturer: | Michele O' Sullivan
| Project Due Date: | 25/11/2016

Declaration I declare that this material, which I now submit for assessment, is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others, save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. I understand that plagiarism, collusion, and copying is a grave and serious offence in the university and accept the penalties that would be imposed should I engage in plagiarism, collusion, or copying. I have read and understood the Assignment Regulations set out in the module documentation. I have identified and included the source of all facts, ideas, opinions, viewpoints of others in the assignment references. Direct quotations from books, journal articles, internet sources, module text, or any other source whatsoever are acknowledged and the source cited are identified in the assignment references. I have not copied or paraphrased an extract of any length from any source without identifying the source and using quotation marks as appropriate. Any images, audio recordings, video or other materials have likewise been originated and produced by me or are fully acknowledged and identified. This assignment, or any part of it, has not been previously submitted by me or any other person for assessment on this or any other course of study. I have read and understood the referencing guidelines found at http://www.library.dcu.ie/citing&refguide08.pdf and/or recommended in the assignment guidelines. I understand that I may be required to discuss with the module lecturer/s the contents of this submission. I/me/my incorporates we/us/our in the case of group work, which is signed by all of us.  Signed: Seamus Lavin

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Name: Seamus Lavin
Number: 13498592