Introduction
The main aim of this study is to critically examine the impact of organizational structure on overall business performance in ten years, with the case company being Toyota, based in the United Kingdom. To achieve this aim, the study requires a research design that will be essential in the collection of data, sampling methods, tools used, and the methods used in the analysis of the data. Therefore, this chapter focuses on the methods used and the steps followed in getting the crucial findings. The chapter also looks at the validity and reliability that have been determined to have an impact on the results and outcomes of the study. Specifically, the chapter is crucial in presenting the steps and processes used in examining the impact of the organizational structure when determining business performance in ten years. A case study methodology is essential in understanding different activities in the process and methodology.
Research Design
In this study, the qualitative research design methodology has been used. The qualitative research design refers to the methodology that has a subjective collection of data from where the data is collected that reflects the feelings, opinions, and ideas of the people. A phenomenological qualitative research design has been used in this study (Groenewald, 2004). The phenomenological research design refers to a methodology from where information on how individuals perceive a phenomenon is looked at and this remains essential in understanding the key issues concerning the organizational structure. Phenomenology recognizes that there is always no objective reality and many people perceive things differently (Groenewald, 2004). Despite the differences in the points of view, the researchers can deduce some realities and formulate themes that are connected to the study. Therefore, this is a study that has used the phenomenological research design because of the need to understand the phenomenon and to come up with different activities that have an impact on the outcome. The research design that has been used focuses on the reflections of the employees and the performance of the companies over ten years. Toyota is one of the best-performing automobile companies in the world. Whereas many points have been attributed to the performance of the company while determining its success of the company. The organizational structure of the company has been crucial in understanding the cultures in the organization. Therefore, the phenomenological study that has been used in this study has been critical in understanding the direct activities and evaluating the performance based on the perception of the employees and the performance of the organization, as determined from the financial statements (Worthington, 2013). Therefore, this study has used the phenomenological research design as a means of understanding the critical steps that can be used in understanding different processes. The phenomenological design used in this study is an important step in understanding the organizational structure and the performance of the company.
Sources of Data
The main source of data that has been relied on in this study is the secondary sources of data. The secondary sources of data refer to those data that had previously been collected by other researchers. Some of the most important secondary sources of data include censuses, internal searches, journals, newspapers, and progress reports (Mohajan, 2018). These are sources of data that include the reports that have been relied on including those activities that can be analyzed to indicate the impact of the organizational structure and their impacts on the performance of these organizations. The periodicals and reports on the company have formed the basis of the sources of data that have been used in this study (Mohajan, 2018). These sources of data have been identified from online databases. Online databases have provided an understanding of the articles that have also remained important in providing the themes that are crucial in managing different aspects of the change. Online databases that have been used in this study include Applied Science and Business Retrospective, Business Source Complete, Financial Times, and JSTOR. These sources of data have been critical in handling different activities and coming up with ways of managing the data. Therefore, the secondary sources of data that have been relied on have been essential in understanding different activities in the organization. Online databases are also important in understanding the problems and setting out for secondary activities. Consequently, the secondary sources of data have been vital in evaluating the performance and determining the key aspects of the changes.
Collection of Data
The data has been collected from online databases using a search strategy designed to capture the articles. An inclusion criterion for the data collection included the articles that have been published between 2013 and 2023. The time for the publishing of the articles is 10 years which has been determined to have a direct impact on different activities and understanding of the organization structure. Advanced search terms have been used to identify the secondary materials and articles that are critical in the process. The search term that has been used include “organizational structure of Toyota” or “Performance of Toyota” and “structure and performance of Toyota.” The search strategy that has been used remains critical in understanding different activities and coming up with ways of identifying the articles. However, the financial reports from 2013 to 2022 have also been analyzed to understand the financial performance and profitability of the organization. Toyota Company has been releasing its financial performance yearly and this has been mapped to form the trend for the performance. Financial performance has been important in understanding the expansion and growth of the company. Toyota Company has been growing and working in different countries. Therefore, the search strategy with advance search terms has been identified to have an impact on the business. The strategy that is employed is that which identifies the peer-reviewed journals and works towards coming up with specific articles. A total of 15 articles have been identified and used in the study while the financial statements of the company have also been identified and used in this study.
Analysis of Data
In this study, thematic analysis has been used in establishing the patterns, analyzing, and interpreting these patterns to form themes that are always crucial in understanding the connection between organizational structure and financial performance. Thematic Analysis that has been used in this study has followed five main steps (Braun & Clarke, 2012). The initial step was familiarization. Familiarization is the step that involved looking at the broader themes. In this step, the decision on what to code has been important and was determined in the process. A reflexivity diary was also used at this stage to help in keeping track of all the journals and for the selection of the articles that are required in the study (Braun & Clarke, 2012). The use of a reflexivity diary helps with consistency and increases the dependability of the data.
The second step was mining the themes from the codes that had been identified in the first step. Alternative codes were assigned to help in extracting the themes. Once the themes were determined, subthemes were also uncovered to ensure that different perceptions were captured from the materials (Clarke, Braun & Hayfield, 2015). The reflexivity diary that had been proposed is critical in establishing how the themes were extracted and their importance in the study. Integration of the codes to produce major themes was also vital in the process and this was determined to have an impact on the study. Identification of these themes helps in the findings of the study and in coming up with different ideas that are critical in the process. The third step involved reviewing the themes and sub-themes to establish the relevance of the topics (Clarke, Braun & Hayfield, 2015). A review of the topics was done to determine whether all the themes identified were matching the topic and to establish the critical aspects of the themes. The third step also looked at the relevance of some of the themes concerning the codes that had been extracted from the reflexivity diary.
The fourth step involved finalizing the themes from where there had been reviews of the themes, refining, labeling, and finishing the themes. The step was directly followed to ensure that there is consistency and relevance in the study. Relevance and consistency have always been crucial in managing the steps and coming up with the best ways of handling different aspects of the change. Report writing has also been a critical step that involves penning down the ideas and coming up with different steps that are critical in handling the changes in the thematic analysis. Thematic Analysis has been used to extract the themes and to express the changes that have been occurring in the organizational structure and performance of Toyota Company. Therefore, the study has followed the relevant steps in identifying the codes and themes from the secondary materials that have been relied on in the study.
Reliability and Validity
Validity defines the appropriateness of the value, tools, and processes in the research study. The validity refers to the soundness of the research methodology and results that are vital in understanding the themes. Since this is a qualitative study, the overarching guidelines have also remained important in understanding the processes and the guidelines. The validity of this study remains important in understanding the steps and accuracy of the results. One of the ways through which validity has been ensured in this study is through the use of peer-reviewed journals. Peer-reviewed journals have been crucial in understanding organizational structure and this can have an impact on the outcomes and ensuring that different activities are realized. The validity of this study has also been ensured by relying on the articles published over the last 10 years. Triangulation has also been used in the validity of the study. Triangulation has been vital in understanding the research topic and the study from different perspectives. Triangulation has offered an understanding of the study and the key factors that have been important in understanding different aspects. Therefore, the validity of this study was maintained using different steps that had been critical.
Reliability in this research study followed continuous testing and comparison of data that had been critical and remain essential in understanding the functioning of the organizational structure. Comparative data analysis has been determined to present the important standards and this can have a direct bearing on reliability. Tables have also been used to compare the data that can enable the comparison and establishment of the most important steps and the establishment of the critical steps. Other reliability measures include refutational analysis whose main objective was also to support the claim for reliability. Triangulation has also been determined to have a direct impact on the reliability and the processes that can be followed and ensure consistency with other secondary materials. The study has ensured both the reliability and validity of the study which can be critical in managing the systems. Consequently, reliability and validity have been vital in understanding the process and coming up with the results that are important in the themes.
Conclusion
The main aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of organizational structure on the financial performance of the organization over ten years using the case of Toyota Company. The research design that has been used in this study is the phenomenological research design. The reason for the use of this research design is because of the need to capture the ideas of the people and come up with different perspectives that allow for the contribution and handling of the themes. A search strategy has been used and has employed the advanced search terms from where different activities have been presented and this has been crucial in understanding different steps and handling the changes in the process. Thematic Analysis has been used that has identified specific themes from the codes which were presented. In this qualitative methodology, the items that have been used are those that are obtained from online databases that focus on businesses while ensuring there is an understanding of different aspects of the organizational structure.
Reference
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2012). Thematic analysis. American Psychological Association.
Clarke, V., Braun, V., & Hayfield, N. (2015). Thematic analysis. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods, 3, 222-248.
Groenewald, T. (2004). A phenomenological research design is illustrated. International Journal of qualitative methods, 3(1), 42-55.
Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of economic development, environment, and people, 7(1), 23-48.
Worthington, M. (2013). Differences between phenomenological research and a basic qualitative research design.
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