Ecommerce

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E-commerce

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Students Name

Date of Submission

Instructor

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E-commerce
Task 3
1. The research approach will be inductive since there is no theory in place but the study is
likely to come up with new ideas on the topic.
i.

Inductive research approach

The inductive approach begins when observations in the study are used to formulate theories
towards the end of the study. It involves the formulation of explanations for patterns found in
observations through search. This means that inductive approach to studies prohibits any theories
at the beginning of a research study, therefore, permitting the researcher to change the direction
of the study at any point even if the process of the research had commenced. Regularities,
resemblances, and patterns in experience may be observed to come up with conclusions or
deduce theories. In this approach, there is a perception that the researcher forms part of the
process of research. The type of data collected here is qualitative and the comprehension of the
attachment humans have to events are explored. The most important point, however, is that it is
not mandatory to generalize the findings of the research.
ii.

Deductive research

The deductive approach involves the exploration of some existing hypotheses. The principle of
this study are mainly based on science, and the movement starts from theory to the data collected
in the process. The type of data collected is primarily quantitative, and there is a need for the
explanation of the casual relationships that exists between variables. To ensure that the data

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collected is valid, control measure have to be put in place for comparison during the research
process. To ensure that definitions are clear, the researcher needs to operationalize concepts in
this research approach. There is little or no flexibility in this approach as the researcher cannot
change the direction of the study once it commences due to its highly structured nature.
2. The type of data collection to be used in this research study is a qualitative method. This is
because the researcher has employed the use of the inductive research approach meaning that the
use of quantitative collection method is out of the question. Qualitative is the most effective
since it involves having the opinions of the users of the ecommerce markets and using them to
form the process of the research study. Qualitative method is a primary method of data
collection, and it suits this process because there is no prior data collected in the topic meaning it
fits the objectives and aims of the research entirely as it helps in gathering information not
collected before. It does not involve numbers and, therefore, involves non-quantifiable elements
like sounds, emotions, feelings, and colors. The collection method, in this case, is the use of
questionnaires, but there are other options available like interviews, role-playing, observations,
case studies and focus groups.
3.

Ethical issues

i. Avoid any information that may be misleading and at the same time avoid biased
representation of primary data.
ii.

Confidentiality of the organizations and individuals participating in the study must be

maintained
iii.

Obtaining the full consent of the participant before the study.

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iv. All types of communication regarding the research should be handled with integrity and
honesty.
Task 4
Dear sir/ madam, this questionnaire has been created to help in the collection of valuable
information in a research process. The study is based on the e-commerce sector, and your
involvement will be greatly appreciated. Please take note that your contributions will be treated
with the highest level of confidentiality. Thank you for your cooperation.
Questionnaire:
1.

Do you purchase items from online markets?

2.

How often do you buy things from online platforms?

3. What kinds of items have you purchased from these platforms?

4. Which online platform are you most familiar with?

a. Alibaba.com
b. Taobao.com

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c. Amazon.com
d. Airbnb.com
5. What kinds of items do you purchase online?
a.

Clothing

b.

Kitchenware

c.

Electronics

d. Vehicle parts
6. Which online platform would you recommend to a new user?
a. Amazon.com
b. Taobao.com
c. Alibaba.com
d. Airbnb.com
7.

Please rate online markets on the following factors (tick in the circles)

a. Time saving OOOOOOOOOO Time wasting

b.

Cheap OOOOOOOOOO Costly

c.

High quality products OOOOOOOOOO low quality products

Task 5

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Critical thinking requires one to establish a deeper understanding of what a person means in an
argument. The key to this way of thinking is the development of an impersonal approach which
enables one to view facts and arguments and lays personal feelings and opinions aside. Academic
discourse is based on various principles.
i.

In debate, people argue from different points of view and air their differences in thinking to

come up with resolutions.

ii. Awareness of what has been written before is important in scholarship just like the correct
citation of the same literature.
iii. When creating an argument, it is important to use a logical sequence while developing
points and ensure they end in a conclusion.
iv. In critical thinking, criticism involves looking at both the weaknesses and the strengths
before one airs their opinion.
v. When making an analysis, it is important to take the argument apart and view it critically.
vi.

Every argument in critical thinking should be backed by valid evidence otherwise it would

be too lightweight to have an impact.

vii. Wen thinking critically, the writing should not be subjective at any point but rather
objective, that is, it should be unemotional and detached and have no direct appeal.
viii. Thinking critically means being precise and straight to the point therefore any extra
information that does not help understand the argument better should be struck out to lower
chances of ambiguity.

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Analytical and critical thinking should form all levels of academic study from selection of
information, writing and reading, listening and speaking. Of course, learning to critically read
and evaluate information remains the most important skill of the above mentioned and acquiring
it helps one to apply it to all the other areas.
Critical selection of information
The first and most important step of reading critically is the exercise of care in the use of
information and how trustworthy it is. When considering books, it is important to look at the
publisher and determine whether their reputation is good or not. At the same time, it is important
to establish if the book is part of a series and if it does then it would need an extra layer of
quality control from the editor of the series. Journal articles on the other hand requires the reader
to establish whether the article appears in any academic journal depending on the leading
academic journals in the specified field. For both the books and the journal articles, it is
important to establish information about the author of who he is and whether he comes from an
academic organization with a good reputation or not. Finally, it is essential to establish the date
of publication as well as whether the version you are using is the latest edition available.
When selecting information from the internet, it is important to consider the relevance of the
information but more importantly:
a. The source of the information whether an academic or commercial organization and if it is
an educational organization, it is important to select information from well-known organizations
with a good reputation.
b.

Is the information written with references and in an academic style? Many journal articles on

the internet have not undergone the peer checking process meaning their credibility is

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questionable and it is important to select only peer reviewed articles since their credibility has
been confirmed and approved by people of high regard.
c. The date of posting of the article is important so that one can know if its relevance has
elapsed as there could be newer versions of the same on the internet.
Reading critically
There are certain procedures that needs to be employed when reading academic texts. It is
essential to identify the argument that is the main line of reasoning of the author. After
identifying it, criticize and analyze the case. Are the reasons provided by the author sufficient
and do they resonate with the argument and if not, would it be possible to come up with a new
conclusion from the reasons provided by the author? The reader should establish whether the
author has developed the argument in a way that is both coherent and logical. That is, it has no
confusing breaks in between and is precise. The reader should find out if the logic of the author
is always valid or if he at times draws his arguments from false premises his reasoning is full of
flaws or he assumes casual connections where he cannot justify them and using too few samples
to generalize? All these needs to be considered when critically reading the argument. The style
employed by the author in delivering his argument should be critically reviewed as well that is if
he is objective, not subjective and he uses non-emotional language.
The evidence provided by the author is important as it makes the argument credible and when
analyzing them the reader should identify all kinds of evidence presented by the author before
critically examining them like the statistics, case studies, surveys e.t.c. The validity of these
pieces of evidence is the sole reason for analyzing them (Bean 2011).

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The conclusions presented by the author should be supported by the evidence listed as one may
provide what may appear as a flawless research, but if the evidence does not support the
conclusion, then it would all be in vain.
Finally, look at the alternatives available for the author by looking at his work from various
perspectives, this would help understand why he chose his conclusion and if he was right or
wrong about it. It helps the reader to establish if the author has a specific agenda in mind or a
hidden one at that. It also helps find out if the evidence provided lead to the conclusion drawn by
the author.

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Lists of References
Bean, J.C., 2011. Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking,
and active learning in the classroom. John Wiley & Sons.