Methods in Which Factors Contributing to Drinking of Alcohol Can Be Determined - Research Proposal Example

The Business Research Proposal BX2174: Research & Decision-Making for Business 1. Background to the Business Problem/Context for the Research This paper presents a research proposal on methods in which factors contributing to drinking of alcohol can be determined. This involves identification of a number of theories related to drinking of alcohol and the impacts of economic, psychological and social factors in contributing to alcoholism among the population of Australia. Other issues that are investigated include biological factors where the main areas of focus include the contribution resulting from genetic factors, the explanations provided by the disease theory, the explanation of psychological theory and harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption. The main economic factors influencing alcohol consumption that are investigated include price and the level of taxation, marketing and promotion, accessibility and availability. The aim of conducting a study on these factors is because it has been found that they are the main contributing factors to excessive consumption of alcohol in Australia. This is because the government of Australia had observed that there was increased consumption of alcohol which impacted on the population in terms of the health of the people and allocation of resources in the areas of fighting over-consumption of alcohol (Acton, 2013). Consequently, an investigation is carried out on the impacts of alcohol consumption on health of the population of Australia. The main impacts that are targeted include physical impacts such as emergence of diseases, economic impacts such as overspending and psychological impacts such as inability to live peacefully among the Australia population. The results of the study of these impacts will be significant in establishing methods of controlling the effects of diseases, financial loss and lack of co-existence among the population of Australia. The knowledge required to complete this report includes figures showing current alcohol consumption rates in Australia such as the amount of alcohol consumed, the brands of alcohol consumed by the population and the driving factors towards consumption of alcohol (Blaxter, Hughes & Tight, 2001). This enables identification of methods that can be used to control the rate at which alcohol is consumed by controlling the driving factors. This is followed by provision of a number of recommendations aimed at controlling excessive consumption of Alcohol and thus reducing impacts on health, economic status and social welfare of the population of Australia. These recommendations are intended to be used by the government of Australia as the basis on which excessive consumption will be controlled within its population (Grinyer 2002). In addition, this paper provides a number of challenges experienced by the government of Australia in the process of controlling consumption of alcohol or controlling the distribution of alcohol in the country. This information will be significant in determining ways in which these challenges can be controlled so that success is achieved in the process of controlling alcohol consumption among the population of Australia. 1.1. Research questions This research proposal aims at finding answers to the following research questions: I. Which factors contribute to excessive alcohol consumption in Australia? II. Which steps have been taken to control excessive alcohol consumption in Australia? III. Which demographic groups are most affected by alcohol consumption in Australia? IV. What are the challenges experienced by the government of Australia in the effort to control excessive alcohol consumption? 2. Overview and Background to the Proposed Method The proposed research method will be the use of secondary method of data collection to obtain information regarding current trends in consumption of alcohol in Australia. These will include collection of information from books, magazines, journals and publications about alcohol consumption in Australia. The main secondary source of data will be the Australian Bureau of statistics that will facilitate obtaining information such as the availability of alcohol in Australia, the total quantity of alcohol consumed by the population in Australia as well as the impacts resulting from consumption of alcohol in Australia. Furthermore, this study will involve the use of both quantitative and qualitative research designs. Qualitative research designs will enable collection of views regarding the contributing factors to consumption of alcohol and the consequences that result into excessive consumption of alcohol in Australia (McDonald, 2012). Quantitative research design will be used to obtain data such as the amount of alcohol consumed in a year and the number of people affected by consumption of alcohol in that year. It will also involve estimation of the number of consumers of alcohol on the basis of age, sex, occupational level and geographical location. In addition, primary data collection method will be used to collect data regarding the views of Australians towards alcohol consumption. For instance, it will involve determination of the views regarding the contributing factors to excessive consumption of alcohol and the role that the government of Australia is playing to control the situation. Both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected during the primary research. This research method will ensure unbiased data and information 9s obtained regarding the current state of alcohol consumption in Australia. The research strategy will be collection of data from a variety of secondary sources and establishing validity and reliability of data towards accomplishment of research objectives and answering research questions. This will be followed by collection of data relating to the research questions. Descriptive statistics will be computed and the results analyzed using analytical techniques such as charts and graphs. The data will be interpreted and discussed to come to the final position regarding the research questions and research objectives. Finally, conclusions and recommendations for future studies will be made. 3. Sample Requirements & Sampling Options During this process, the target population will be people in urban areas in Australia such as youths and middle aged individuals. This section of population will be selected for study because according to literature review, they are the most affected by excessive consumption of alcohol. They are also relevant for this study because they are likely to demonstrate effects of excessive consumption of alcohol such as in the manner of their behaviors. The population will be described in terms of age, sex, educational qualification, and area of residence, types of alcohol consumed and the quantity of alcohol consumed within a particular period by an individual. Data regarding the effects of alcohol on the population will also be obtained ad compared (National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA, 2012). These details will enable answering the research questions because it will be possible to know the distribution of alcohol consumption in Australia. It will also be possible to know factors contributing to excessive alcohol consumption in Australia and the effects of excessive alcohol consumption on the welfare of the population such as deaths and illnesses related to alcohol consumption. The sampling method that will be used is a random sampling where secondary materials will be used to find answers to research questions and research objectives based on their relevant towards answering the research questions and research objectives. The sample size to be used in this study will be 120 participants. This is because, the larger the sample size, the closer the results are towards the right answer to the research questions. In addition, it will be possible to get accurate descriptive statistics such as effects of gender, age and employment status on consumption of alcohol in Australia. Data relating to alcohol available for consumption will be collected in terms of the brand of alcohol used. For instance, the total amounts will be obtained for beer, wine, spirits and cider. The data will be used to determine the brand of alcohol that is highly consumed compared to the rest. 4. Data Collection Details Data collection methods will involve the use of both primary and secondary methods. During primary data collection process, the main primary data collection method that will be used is survey. This is where a team of experts will be assigned the role of seeking to find the views of Australians concerning the research questions such as the factors that contribute to alcohol consumption. Respondents will be allowed to provide open-ended answers to the research questions. In addition, they will be asked effects of excessive consumption of alcohol on their health and social well-being. Furthermore, they will be asked to explain efforts that government of Australia has put to ensure excessive consumption of alcoho0l is controlled. The responses will be recorded in terms of demographic characteristics such as age, gender, occupational level and period in which the respondent has been involved in heavy drinking. Finally, they will be asked to explain the challenges experienced by the government of Australia while trying to control excessive consumption of alcohol. The main secondary method that will be used include the use of data provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) such as the quantity of alcohol available for consumption in the form of beer, wine, spirits and Ready to Drink (pre-mixed) beverages in addition to volume of beer available each year for consumption. In addition, reports from ABS regarding factors that have contributed to excessive consumption of alcohol will be obtained and compiled (Government of Western Australia, 2013). The impacts of alcohol consumption on the population of Australia as a result of alcohol consumption will be sought and compiled and the strategies that the government of Australia is putting in place to control alcohol consumption will be sought and reported. During the entire process of data collection, reports pertaining to alcohol consumption will be made in terms of demographic characteristics such as age, sex, occupational level and period of having been involved in excessive drinking of alcohol. Furthermore, challenges experienced by the government of Australia in the effort to control excessive alcohol consumption will be sought and reported and the general effects of alcohol consumption on the population of various demographic groups will also be reported. This involves the effects of alcohol based on age, gender, employment status, educational level and area of residence. 5. Ethical Issues During this research process, there are a number of ethical issues that will have to be observed. This is because, this research is associated with a number of risks that need to be addressed such as the risks of obtaining confidential data from Australian Bureau of statistics documents and the risk of obtaining confidential information from respondents during surveys. Another risk is that there is the possibility of seeking to enter into private life of participants while there is also the need to obtain such information to enable answering of the research questions and achieving research objectives (Blaxter, Hughes & Tight 2001). Consequently, the risks of getting private information from participants will be controlled by assuring the participants that the researcher will maintain the information confidential and will only use it for the purpose of the research, the data obtained from Australian Bureau of Statistics will not be disclosed to the public and will only be used to compile answers to the research questions and objectives. In the primary study, a prior consent of the respondents will be sought by informing them about the date of the survey and seeking their approval to participate in the research. Those who respond willingness to participate will be contacted during the research day while those who decline will be left out during the day of the survey (Grinyer 2002). Furthermore, both the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the relevant authorities responsible for ownership of data to be used during the research will be approached to seek their approval to obtain data to be used for the research. In addition, respondents during the survey will also be approached and allowed to participate in the research based on their volition. The answers provided by the participants will be based on their willingness to answer the survey questions. In addition, during presentation of the results of the research, anonymity will be ensured by not disclosing the names of respondents who provided the information. However, the information will be classified based on age, sex, and period spent as an alcoholic drinker. Another ethical consideration of the research is that the results of the survey and secondary data collection processes will be used for the purpose of the research and not used for any other purpose apart from achieving the research objectives and answering the research questions. 7. References Acton, Q (2013). Issues in Addiction and Eating Disorders: 2013 Edition. Scholarly Editions. Blaxter L., Hughes C., & Tight M. (2001) 2nd edition. How to research. Chapter 6: 153-191. Buckingham: Open University Press. Grinyer A. (2002) The Anonymity of Research Participants: Assumptions, Ethics and Practicalities. Social Research Update: Issue 36. University of Surrey.  Government of Western Australia (2012/2013).Drug and Alcohol Office Annual Report 2012/2013.Retrieved 24th August 2014. McDonald, D (2012). The Extent and Nature of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use, and Related Harms in the Australian Capital Territory, Edition 4. Wamboin: Social Research &Evaluation Pty Ltd. Retrieved 21st August 2014. National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA, 2012).Reducing Harm from Alcohol: Creating a Healthier Australia. Retrieved 21st August 2014. Read More