Relevant Research Quality Issues - Saeidi - Article Example

CSR Article Critique and Summary Name Institution Article Summary and Critique Article summary and critique are two ways in which the reader is able to write a review on a scientific journal. In both types of writing, the reader is normally asked to read and understand the article from the primary literature of the topic. In general, a well-written summary should briefly but accurately state the key points of the article for a reader who has not read the original article (Schmidt & Hunter, 2014). On the other hand, the critique should begin by briefly summarizing the article and analyzing and evaluating the research. In essence, the relevance of a summary and critique of an article is that it helps the reader to not only learn, but also to synthesize information from different sources, thus providing a detailed understanding of the article in question. With respect to the importance of writing a summary and a critique of an article, this paper will focus on two key areas: describing the paradigm as well as the associated guiding assumptions that underpin the reported research in Saeidi, et al. (2015) article and critically evaluating the article with respect to the convincing nature of the author’s conclusions while putting into consideration the methodological approach that has been utilized to address the research questions or hypothesis. A. Article Summary In their findings, Saeidi, et al. (2015) establish that the link between organizational performance and CSR is a fully mediated relationship. Besides, the authors also establish that the positive effects of CSR on organizational performance comes as a result of the positive effect of CSR on customer satisfaction, reputation, as well as the competitive advantage. The study’s final findings establish that only competitive advantage and reputation mediate the relationship between organizational performance and CSR (Saeidi, et al., 2015). Combined, the study findings propose a role for corporate social responsibility in secondarily promoting organizational performance through the enhancement of competitive advantage as well as reputation while improving the customer satisfaction levels. 1. Paradigm Assumption: It is with no surprise that the significant paradigms assumptions raised in a specific research are interdependent and inter-related. At the core of any paradigm assumption of any research hypothesis or research question is what constitutes reality. In essence, the central question of a research should clearly set a framework for other research question. In the article, (Saeidi, et al., 2015) utilize specific inquiry paradigms from which they investigate the social world. These paradigms range from the constructivist perspective of symbolic interactionism to the positivist perspective. With respect to the current research question, there is the need to simplify the task without losing the significant aspect that will shape the study course. As far as the paradigm assumption utilized in this article is concerned, Saeidi, et al. (2015) have utilized an ontological assumption. In essence, reading from the research hypothesis, there exist a reality that can be apprehended. Essential, through the relevant aspects highlighted in the research paper, the readers are able to determine the way things are. As a result, the readers are able to discover the course effect relation behind the social reality. With the help of an ontological assumption, the readers are able to find a meaningful indicator of the study context as well as the reality that the research paper is set to investigate. 2. Summary of research approaches A Summary of the General Research problem: In their article, Schmidt and Hunter (2014) state that a well-written summary should briefly but accurately state the key points of the article for a reader who has not read the original article. Primarily, the researchers, Saeidi, et al. (2015) investigate the relationship that exist between organizational performance and corporate social responsibility. As the existing studies are not clear on the relationships, the authors of the study considered customer satisfaction, sustainable competitive advantage, and reputation to be the three most probable mediators in the relationship between organizational performance and CSR (Saeidi, et al., 2015). There three propositions have been made to address the research problem: CSR is positively associated with firm performance; CSR and firm performance is a mediated rather than direct relationship; and in the mediated relationship between CSR and firm performance, competitive advantage and reputation act as the mediating factors via improving customer satisfaction. Summary of the Employed Methods and Procedures: In their article, Schmidt and Hunter (2014) stated that then primary function of the methodology section is to provide clarity on how the study was carried out. The research methodology explains and provides justification of the epistemological commitments, the research design, methods of research, data analysis methods, and the setting of the research paper (Saeidi, et al., 2015). The authors of the article utilize an extensive literature review to provide answers to the research problem. In this paper, the literature review section, the authors have highlighted relevant literature that was used in the research. The literature review section in this study establish was able to establish a chain of evidences that provided significant support to the study rationale (Saeidi, et al., 2015). The literature review in this section was relevant in the sense that it assisted the researchers in demonstrating the context in which the study I situated, the current and existing state of knowledge with regards to the research knowledge, as well as provides most possible answers to the research problem being investigated. Basing on the relevance of adhering to the existing ethical practices, the researchers ensured that the research proposal was submitted to 10 executives for approval. As stated in the article, the relevance of the 10 executives’ approval was to ensure that the researchers were not only utilizing quality research literature, but were also utilizing quality and reliable research procedures in the current research. Basically, the researchers have utilized annual reports from Kinder, Lyndenberg and Domini (KLD) and Fortune’s Most Admired Companies’ ratings to select the study samples and measure CSR. The authors of the study considered these databases to be the most effective in answering the research question since it was suitable for gathering data when the secondary data was not available Saeidi, et al. (2015). The researchers filter the most relevant literatures by only including studies that primarily concern firms from consumer products as well as industrial manufacturing. In their article, Saeidi, et al. (2015) believed that the consumer products and industrial manufacturing are different sectors in product, market, and have significant influence in the society as well as the environment. In the study, the authors listed 1250 consumer and manufacturing products from the industry. Summary of the General Conclusions: Despite the fact that the conclusion is an optional section in a research paper, it was included in the current research paper. Essentially, the researchers provided answers to the study question. As argued by (), the conclusion section should be able to provide readers with the appropriate understanding of the investigated problem as outlined in the introduction. The authors of the current article provide a conclusion and thus offer a clear understanding of the main objective of the study results. Besides, Saeidi, et al. (2015) have provided relevant conclusion to their study since they have tried to answer all the research questions (Saeidi, et al., 2015). However, despite the relevance of the study, based on the current conclusion, the researchers have failed to effectively answer the research question. Primarily, the researchers ignore to address the issue of competitive advantage despite the fact that it is among the most significant section that should be addressed when answering the research question. B. Article Critique As argued by Schmidt and Hunter (2014), an article critique analyzes and evaluates the research article to provide a deeper understanding of the conducted research. While putting into consideration all the methodological approaches utilized in the research paper (i.e. the research design, the research instruments, procedures and actual conduct of the research, sampling, handling of ethical issues and the relevant research quality issues), it is important to determine whether the ontological assumption paradigm is employed in the article and if it satisfies relevant meta-criteria. A Critique of the Methodological Approaches Utilized in the Article The authors have effectively utilized literature review to answer the research paper. With the help of annual reports from Kinder, Lyndenberg and Domini (KLD) and Fortune’s Most Admired Companies’ ratings, the authors were able to effectively elect the study samples as well as measure the study’s corporate social responsibility CSR. The relevance of the study databases effectively answered the research question since it was suitable for gathering data when the secondary data was not available (Saeidi, et al., 2015). By limiting the scope of the literature review articles, the researchers managed to provide more accurate answers to the research questions. The authors of the article effectively utilized the methodology section in offering relevant information, which allowed the reader to judge the validity of study results and conclude as reported in the study. Besides, there is the need to note that Since the authors provide a clear description of the study methodology, they abide by the general standards of a research paper. Ethical Issues in the Current Research Although a literature review is the most effective approach in most effective way of looking into previous works, it is characterized by a broad range of ethical concerns. In the current article, the authors utilized the literature review to synthesize previous works from Kinder, Lyndenberg and Domini (KLD) and Fortune’s Most Admired Companies’ ratings to locate the relationship between organizational performance and CSR (Saeidi, et al., 2015). The establishment of this relationship (with the help of relevant literature) aimed at providing future direction of the research processes as well as the formulation of additional questions. The key ethical issues that concern literature review honesty with professional colleagues, adhering to the review body guidelines, protection of participants from harm, and the rights to privacy. Honesty with professional colleagues: The authors of the current article were able to report their study findings with complete honesty. Honesty in the current research was evident since the researchers cited the sources used appropriately (Saeidi, et al., 2015). Misrepresented was not evident in the current report since the researchers gave appropriate credit when they used other people’s work. The approval of the Research by Relevant Body: With respect to the relevance of the research approval from the relevant institutional review board, the researchers ensured the current research adhered to this procedure (Saeidi, et al., 2015). As stated in the article, the “10 executives who were not included in the sample helped in carrying out the assessment of content validity. The relevance of a review body is to protect the welfare, safety and right of all the study participants by ensuring all the appropriate ethical practices and standards are followed. It was necessary for the researchers to ensure that prior to the research project, the researchers to provide a detailed project proposal to the relevant review body, which were supposed to ensure that met high standards (Saeidi, et al., 2015). Besides, the review body guides and monitors the research conduct as well as design and ensure it is compliant with the standards set by HIPAA as well as both the state and federal regulations. Right to Privacy: In the current study, it was important for the researchers to ensure the participants rights to privacy was maintained (Saeidi, et al., 2015). Throughout the research, the quality as well as the nature of the study participants was strictly kept confidential. Critique of Data Analysis There are a broad range of approached are used by researchers to conduct a data analysis. In the current research, the researchers utilized the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) through SPSS software in evaluating the various constructs' psychometric properties. Also referred to as Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, SPSS is among the most preferred research instrument used by researchers to present data in a study (Saeidi, et al., 2015). The presentation of data was one on the crucial steps in the current research. The relevance of utilizing the SPSS approach in the current research is that it helped the researchers to analyze the data and help the users to also understand the same data. In the current study, the SPSS helped the researchers to make the study results more reliable and scientific. Besides, the SPSS also provided the researchers a useful purpose of graphical presentation of the raw data. With the help of SPSS, the researchers were able to draw different conclusions basing on then complex data presented in the research findings. The researchers used SPSS to interpret data retrieved from various methods (Saeidi, et al., 2015). Besides, the SPSS data analysis approach helped the researchers to reduce both the efforts and time the researchers could have employed in drawing graphs basing on the presented data. With respect to the highlighted data analysis approach, the researchers were able to effectively interpret data collected from the study. Relevant Research Quality Issues It is important for researchers to ensure that their studies adhere to the relevant research quality issues. Quality issues range from the appropriate study methodology to adhering to the appropriate ethical concerns. As far as the relevant quality issues in the current research is concerned, the researches have keenly ensured that all the relevant issues are addressed in a holistic manner to meet the desired criteria of a quality research paper. To begin with, the researchers have ensured that articles for the literature review are sampled from reliable sources such as the FTSE KLD 400 Social Index and Fortune’s Most Admired Companies statistics (Saeidi, et al., 2015). The relevance of the named sources is that they help in enhancing relevance and quality of the current research. In essence, these sources have helped in promoting the quality of the current research. Secondly, the literature review articles were approved by 10 executives. The review of these executives on the study literature helped in affirming the quality of the overall research. With their knowledge, the executives determined the most appropriate data to be used in the study. Thirdly, with the help of effectively sampled literatures, the researchers were able to demonstrate knowledge in the field, thus justifying the reason for conducting the research (Saeidi, et al., 2015). Besides, with the help of the current literature, the authors were able to provide substantial support to methodological focuses as well as the theoretical framework that was used in the study. Lastly, the researchers utilized the SPSS application for data analysis (Saeidi, et al., 2015). The relevance of using this tool us that it helped in ensuring the researchers in providing quality results. In conclusion, there is the need to not the fact that a well-written research paper is basically a means of communicating study results to the broad community of scientists in a straightforward and understandable manner (Saeidi, et al., 2015). With respect to this view, there is the need for all research papers to follow acceptable format, that effectively address all key areas of a research paper. In essence, a research paper that adheres to acceptable research guidelines helps readers to competently understand and interpret study findings (Saeidi, et al., 2015). With respect to this view, this paper has offered a summary as well as a critical analysis on the extent to which the researchers abide to the appropriate as well as accepted academic research guidelines. Reference Saeidi, S. P., Sofian, S., Saeidi, P., Saeidi, S. P., & Saaeidi, S. A. (2015). How does corporate social responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction. Journal of Business Research, 68(2), 341-350. Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (2014). Methods of meta-analysis: Correcting error and bias in research findings. Sage publications. Read More