Assessment 1: Business Research Design Essay
Benefits of Business Research for AI/Technology Consultant in Supply Chain Industry.
Business Research Design, BUSM4448
Eli Egglestone, S4159328
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Assessment 1: Business Research Design Essay
The increasing complexity of modern business environments, particularly within technologydriven industries, has elevated the importance of business research skills in enabling effective
decision-making and problem-solving. In roles such as artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and
enterprise technology consulting, professionals are required not only to understand advanced
technologies, but also to translate them into tangible and relevant business outcomes.
Business research can be understood as the systematic process of gathering, analysing, and
interpreting information to support more effective managerial decision-making. This essay
presents the argument that gaining business research skills is essential for career success in
this context, as it enables professionals to translate complex data into business value, design
evidence-based solutions to organisational challenges, and support strategic decision-making
through rigorous and adaptive research methodologies.
One of the most critical benefits of business research skills is the ability to translate complex
data into meaningful business insights. In technology and supply chain environments, large
volumes of data are generated through enterprise systems such as Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP) and supply chain planning platforms. However, without structured research
approaches, this data lacks actionable value. While organisations often invest heavily in data
infrastructure, data alone does not create competitive advantage. Instead, value is created
through the ability to convert data into insights and insights into action. This reflects the
concept of an “insights engine”, where organisations integrate multiple data sources and apply
analytical thinking to uncover customer needs, behavioural patterns, and operational
inefficiencies (Van den Driest, Sthanunathan, & Weed, 2016).
Business research skills provide the structure required to operationalise this process.
Descriptive and diagnostic research methods play a key role in analysing patterns, identifying
trends, and uncovering underlying causes of performance issues (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill,
2019). In practice, professionals working in AI and analytics roles must frequently interpret
outputs from machine learning models and communicate these insights to non-technical
stakeholders. This requires not only technical understanding, but also the ability to frame
insights within a business context. Research skills enable this by guiding how data is collected,
analysed, and interpreted in a way that is aligned with business objectives.
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Assessment 1: Business Research Design Essay
For example, in supply chain environments, descriptive research can be used to analyse
historical demand variability, while diagnostic research can help identify root causes of
inefficiencies, such as stockouts or excess inventory. However, beyond simply analysing past
performance, research-driven organisations increasingly adopt a customer-centric approach,
where insights are used to better understand customer needs and inform value creation. This
shift from internally focused, product-driven thinking towards externally focused, customerdriven research highlights the strategic importance of research skills. Without these
capabilities, there is a significant risk of misinterpreting data or failing to communicate its
relevance effectively. Therefore, business research skills are essential for bridging the gap
between technical data outputs and strategic business understanding, ultimately enabling
professionals to deliver meaningful and actionable insights.
A second key justification is that business research skills enable professionals to design
evidence-based solutions to complex organisational problems. In many industries, particularly
supply chain and enterprise technology, problems are often ambiguous, interconnected, and
constantly evolving. These types of challenges can be understood as “wicked problems”,
meaning they cannot be definitively solved but must instead be continuously managed and
adapted to (Camillus, 2008). Wicked problems are characterised by multiple stakeholders,
conflicting objectives, and high levels of uncertainty, making traditional linear problem-solving
approaches insufficient.
Business research provides the tools to navigate these complexities through structured inquiry
and iterative learning. Exploratory research allows practitioners to investigate new or poorly
defined problems, often using qualitative methods such as interviews, observations, and case
analysis (Bryman & Bell, 2015). This is particularly relevant in consulting and solution design
roles, where understanding client challenges is a prerequisite for proposing effective solutions.
For instance, when organisations experience inefficiencies in forecasting or production
planning, it is insufficient to immediately propose a technological solution. Instead, research
must first be conducted to determine whether the issue stems from poor data quality, process
misalignment, or external demand volatility.
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Assessment 1: Business Research Design Essay
In addition, modern research approaches emphasise hypothesis-driven thinking and
experimentation. The concept of planned opportunism highlights the importance of identifying
emerging trends or “weak signals”, developing hypotheses about potential opportunities or
risks, and testing these ideas through low-cost experiments. This approach reflects how
organisations can move from reactive problem-solving to proactive innovation. In practice, this
is highly relevant in AI implementation, where organisations must test models, validate
assumptions, and refine solutions before scaling them. Applied research plays a critical role in
this process by translating theoretical frameworks into practical, real-world solutions.
By leveraging business research skills, professionals can ensure that proposed solutions are
grounded in evidence rather than assumptions. This is particularly important in the context of
AI technology implementation, where poorly defined problems often lead to unsuccessful
projects (Shellshear & Gray, 2025). Furthermore, research-driven approaches encourage
continuous learning, allowing organisations to adapt solutions as new information emerges.
Consequently, business research skills are essential for ensuring that solutions are not only
innovative, but also relevant, feasible, and aligned with organisational needs in complex and
uncertain environments.
Finally, business research skills are critical for supporting strategic decision-making through the
use of causal research and evidence-based analysis. In modern organisations, decision-makers
are increasingly expected to justify investments and strategic initiatives using data-driven
insights. This is particularly relevant in enterprise technology environments, where
investments in AI, ERP, or supply chain systems can involve significant cost and risk. As a result,
decisions cannot rely solely on intuition or past experience, but must be supported by rigorous
analysis.
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Assessment 1: Business Research Design Essay
Causal research, which focuses on identifying cause-and-effect relationships, is particularly
valuable in this context (Hair et al., 2019). For example, when evaluating the potential
implementation of AI-driven forecasting systems, organisations must assess whether such
solutions will lead to measurable improvements in forecast accuracy, cost reduction, or service
levels. This requires the formulation and testing of hypotheses, as well as the ability to isolate
variables and measure their impact. Business research skills provide the methodological
foundation for conducting such analyses, enabling professionals to move beyond intuition and
base decisions on empirical evidence.
In addition, research skills support improved forecasting and judgement. Research into
forecasting demonstrates that decision-making accuracy can be significantly improved through
structured approaches, including probability-based thinking, the use of data, and continuous
feedback. In uncertain environments, such as supply chain planning or market demand
forecasting, the ability to refine predictions over time provides a significant competitive
advantage. This reinforces the importance of research as not only a tool for understanding the
present, but also for anticipating and shaping future outcomes.
Furthermore, strategic decision-making requires the ability to quantify value. Many
organisations fail to effectively communicate their value propositions because they rely on
unsubstantiated claims rather than measurable outcomes. Business research enables
professionals to quantify value through methods such as value equations, case studies, and
pilot programs, allowing organisations to demonstrate tangible benefits before and after
implementation. This is particularly relevant in enterprise solution consulting, where
professionals must justify return on investment and secure stakeholder buy-in. Without
rigorous research methods, it becomes difficult to justify large-scale investments or to
influence strategic decision-makers. Therefore, business research skills not only enhance
analytical capabilities, but also strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of strategic
recommendations.
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Assessment 1: Business Research Design Essay
In conclusion, business research skills are essential for success in modern technology-driven
roles, particularly within supply chain and enterprise solution environments. As demonstrated,
these skills enable professionals to translate complex data into actionable insights, design
evidence-based solutions to complex organisational challenges, and support strategic decisionmaking through rigorous analysis and forecasting. In an increasingly data-driven and uncertain
business landscape, the ability to apply structured and adaptive research methodologies is not
only advantageous, but necessary for delivering meaningful and sustainable business
outcomes.
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Assessment 1: Business Research Design Essay
References
Camillus, J. (2008). Strategy as a Wicked ProblemLinks to an external site., Harvard Business
Review, May, pp. 99–106.
Van den Driest, F., Sthanunathan, S. and Weed, K. (2016). 'Building an Insights Engine: How
Unilever got to know its customers', Harvard Business Review, September 2016, pp. 64–74.
Bryman, A & Bell, E 2015, Business research methods, 4th edn, Oxford University Press,
Oxford.
Hair, JF, Black, WC, Babin, BJ & Anderson, RE 2019, Multivariate data analysis, 8th edn,
Cengage Learning, Boston.
Saunders, M, Lewis, P & Thornhill, A 2019, Research methods for business students, 8th edn,
Pearson, Harlow.
Shellshear, E & Gray, A 2025, Applied artificial intelligence in business: Strategy,
implementation and value creation, Springer, Cham.
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