CONFIDENTAL QUESTION 4 (20 MARKS] Research Paper: Supplier selection and relationship for SME In chapter 3 will provide a discussion of the outline of the methodology that was used in this study. It focusses on research design, semi-structured interview, population and sample study, data collection method, data processing and analysis. The study employed descriptive semi-structured interview. The design is used to gather information on a population at a single point in time. This study was about the establishing the type and intensity of relationship between small and medium enterprise and supplier. Besides that, the research study was about the supplier selection and purchasing activities that perform by small and medium enterprise. In this type of research study, either thereof is selected and from these individual and data collected to help answer research question of interest (Robson, 2002). Semi-structured interview is conducted with a fairly open framework which focused, conversation and two way communications. This technique is used to collect the data by setting up a situation that allows a respondent have the time and range to c communicate about their opinion on a particular subject. The focus of the interview is decided by research and there be scope the research is interested in exploring. As mentioned before, this research is using semi-structured interview strategy, which makes it necessary to collect data. According to Bryan & Bell (2007) research, several methods can be used in this research such as observation, focus group, analysis document and qualitative interview. However, this empirical study of this research is based on interview, hence several important point about the method of interviewing will be disused. Purchasing Procedure In this section, the research is analyses about the normal purchasing procedure that perform by the company. In this research, there are three companies that perform their purchasing procedure based on the purchasing requirement. "The purchasing procedure that GHT Engineering San Bhd. Performs is based on the drawing and type of the product that procedure by their company. After the company confirms the product and drawing, they will get the quotation and sample of the raw materials from different supplies. After them getting the sample and quotation from supplier, they will make discussion. They will take the raw materials from the supplier that given good quality and low price for them". (Source: interviewer by Mr. Tang).Limitation of research Page 5 of 6 CONFIDENTAL Besides that, the research paper also has their limitation which the study provides little information regarding the purchasing process within SMEs. Second, the relationship between supplier and SMEs also less of information for the research, it was difficult to understand the long term relationship between small and medium enterprise and their supplier. Another limitation of this study was fact that uses primary data as a basis for investigations, much of which was in excess of 4 manufacturing company was chosen for this research. Less of company will difficulty to generalize the similarity and different between the manufacturing company. To improve the accuracy, future research may decide to increase the number of respondent. Due to time constraint, just purchasing staff from some manufacturing industry were selected as the respondents for this research paper. a) This research paper is regarding the supplier selection and purchasing relationship. i) Discuss the suitable method of collecting data that used at the research 2 Marks paper. ii) Describe the TWO (2) advantages and TWO (2) disadvantages based 6 Marks on the method that use to collecting data. b) The research paper also shows the limitation that faced by researcher, provide 6 Marks suggestion how the researcher can overcome this limitation of the study. The above research paper shows that interview more suitable, discuss the 6 Marks reasons why researcher using interview rather than questionnaire