As a researcher with a keen interest in the disruptive impact of digital technologies on business and society, you seek to

unpack current AI$-$related intentions of South African businesses for competitive advantage. Accordingly, you are

proposing a study with the aim of investigating the strategic intentions of JSE$-$listed technology companies to

leverage artificial intelligence for competitive advantage.

With a positivist paradigm in mind, your study will seek to answer the following research questions:

$1.$ What are the levels of investment or intended investment by JSE$-$listed technology companies in the underlying

computational infrastructure that makes artificial intelligence possible?

$2.$ What roles and functions currently performed by humans are likely to be replaced with artificial intelligence by JSE$-$listed

technology companies in the coming years?

$3.$ What actions are being developed by JSE$-$listed technology companies to mitigate emerging risks in current and near$-$

term AI development?

$4.$ What recommendations can be made to the management of JSE$-$listed technology companies on how best to benefit

from advances in AI while protecting society from its harms?

REQUIRED:

Please outline how you would go about conducting the proposed study by answering the following questions.

$1\mathrm{.}1.$Based on the aim prescribed for the proposed study, formulate a suitable title for the study. $(4$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}2.$Formulate a clear and well$-$articulated problem statement for the proposed study. The problem statement should be

approximately $100150$ words. $(5$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}3.$Formulate the FOUR $(4)$ research objectives that the proposed study seeks to achieve. $(4$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}4.$Based on the phrase: $$With a positivist paradigm in mind....$,$ propose and discuss an appropriate research design for

the proposed study. As part of your discussion, please provide a rationale for proposing this particular research design.

$(5$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}5.$ Based on your proposed design, discuss the methodology you would follow by answering the following questions:

$1\mathrm{.}5\mathrm{.}1.$Sampling Methodology:

$1\mathrm{.}5\mathrm{.}1\mathrm{.}1.$Identify the target population for the study and briefly discuss whether you would use a probability or nonprobability

sampling approach. $(4$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}5\mathrm{.}1\mathrm{.}2.$ Elaborate on the method$($s$)$ of sampling that you would use in the study, justifying its propriety for the study.

$(5$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}5\mathrm{.}2.$Method of Data Collection

$1\mathrm{.}5\mathrm{.}2\mathrm{.}1.$Propose a data collection instrument$($s$)$ and or method$($s$)$ for the study and provide a rationale for proposing the data

collection method. $(5$ marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}5\mathrm{.}3.$Method of Data Analysis

$1\mathrm{.}5\mathrm{.}3\mathrm{.}1.$Briefly discuss the method$($s$)$ of data analysis you would use in this study $($note: please specify and justify the

method$($s$)$ of analysis you would employ for the research questions formulated in $1\mathrm{.}3).(8$ marks$)$