Question

Mr. Edward, the owner of several restaurants in New York, is concerned about the wide differences in profit margins of the various restaurants. He would like to try some incentive plans for increasing the efficiency levels of these restaurants that are lagging behind. But before he introduces this, he would like to be sure that the idea would work. He sets up a meeting with all the managers and senior staff of each restaurant and asks you, as a researcher, to help him plan a research design using a triangulated approach (9)

Many thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Background

According to the owner of several restaurants in New York, United States of America, Mr. Edward is concerned about the differences in profit margins of various restaurants and like to offer incentive plans to the employees for increasing the efficiency levels of these restaurants which are lagging behind in profits. Before introducing the plan, the owner wants to check the stability of the idea with the managers and senior staff of each restaurant and as a researcher, I have to draft the plan or research design using the triangulated approach.

Research Design for the Analysis

In the triangulation approach, the research help to validate data resources through cross-verification and analysis from two or more sources using different instruments to increase the chance to maintain control over the threats or influences on the results. The method helps to check the consistency of the findings by using different data collection methods for the same situation. The methods may be all qualitative in nature, like structure or unstructured interviews, questionnaires, surveys, observations, and records. This triangulation approach is enriching, refuting, confirming, and explaining.

In the scenario, the data of employees have to be collected to find whether they are interested or motivated in incentive plans and if it is beneficial to increase the overall profit margin of the restaurants in New York. The triangulation approach suggests to get the proper validation of the research using a variety of methods to collect the samples of the same topic, Is the incentive plans helps the employee to increase the profit margin of the restaurants?

Ensure to cross-check the multiple data sources and collection procedures to take the samples with a valid approach and free from bias. This helps to contain the right reasons, and identify whether the incentive motivates the staff to work more to perform better for making profits to the restaurants. The two major types of approaches using in the research are (i) data triangulation, and (ii) investigator triangulation.

Below are the model interview questions, surveys, and investigator questionnaire for collecting the responses with the same intention:

Interview Questions

How much salary and benefits increase the satisfaction level in the work?

Is it training and development is adequate to derive better management skills?

How much safety and career development applicable in this role?

Is incentive on extra time motivate to work more on the management?

How much the interpersonal relationship with colleagues affect the work?

Questionnaire (Survey Questions)

Is the current salary increase the satisfaction level? (Yes or No)

Is the current benefits of the restaurant increase the satisfaction? (Yes or No)

Are you receiving adequate training in the restaurant? (Yes or No)

Is your job role demand safety in the workplace? (Yes or No)

Incentive of $10 dollar per hour motivates your work management? (Yes or No)

Is a vacation or holiday with colleagues increase the productivity? (Yes or No)

Record the discussion (Explain the question to the investigator)

How much salary makes you satisfied with your work and why?

Is it relevant to give training in your field of work?

How a benefit and overtime incentive make changes in your work style?

Is any colleague help you with financial support during the bad times?

Conclusion

Mr. Edward can take adequate decisions after the evaluation of the interviews, questionnaires, and record the discussions with the same employees with three different approaches within the restaurant. The researcher can gain adequate information about whether the incentive motivates the employee to achieve more revenue and profits to the organization. Based on the analysis, the owner can decide the level of incentives to the employees.