Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in
SRG Bangladesh Limited
Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limited
Submitted to
Professor Golam Mohammed ChowdhuryChairman Internship amp Placement Program
Supervised by
Dr M Z MamunProfessor and Director
Submitted byNoman Ahmed Khan
Roll No 16MBA 41 (D)
Internship Period 23rd March to 14th June
Institute Of Business Administration (IBA)University Of Dhaka
Date of Submission July 11 2009
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all I must thank Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director IBA for his insisting on the brevity of the
report He helped me determine the objective of the report and guided me through to get to the end He
made me grateful with his valuable suggestions from time to time during my internship I can never forget
his fatherly guidance and his utmost friendly and sincere attention toward me
The second person to acknowledge will surely be my supervisor at SRGB Mr M Saidul Haq Managing
Director of SRG Bangladesh Limited He has been a great support from the choice of the topic learning
of different part of research and understanding the difference between theory and practice
Special thank goes to Mr Ziauddin Kamal Senior Research Executive and Mr Emrul Kayes Manager
HR for providing me every kind of information related to my study
I really should thank every other employee of SRGB whom I found during different phases of my
internship Most of them have been very open and friendly with me and provided me with the answers I
needed from them
Lastly I would like to thank my classmates working in OrgQuest and the Nielsen Company Bangladesh
Limited for providing me with brief but useful information about the practices in their organization
iii
July 11 2009
Chairperson
Internship and Placement
Institute of Business Administration
University of Dhaka
Dhaka ndash 1000
Subject Submission of Internship report on Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limited
Dear Sir
As a part of the internship program I have prepared this report on the topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the
Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo The report contains a detailed study and
analysis on the qualitative and quantitative methodology used by SRG Bangladesh Limited I judged the
matter through the projects in which I had to work as an internee
I have tried my best to utilize the opportunity of working as an internee in an established marketing
research company like SRGB This report is based on information acquired from the project Awareness
and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh conducted by SRGB Here I have tried to compare
the methodology used in that study with the thery we have been taught in the classroom and probable
reason of difference with the theory if any I have maintained the internship learning as per the
instructions I have got from my supervisor Dr M Z Mamun
I enjoyed preparing this report because it provides an opportunity for me to increase my understanding of
the real life marketing research practices I thank you for such an opportunity I will be available for any
clarification at your convenience
Sincerely yours
Noman Ahemd Khan
Roll 16
Batch ndash 41(D)
iv
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYvii
10 INTRODUCTION1
11 Origin of the Report 112 Objective 113 Methodology 214 Scope 215 Limitations 2
20 Industry Overview3
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World3211 Market segments3212 Player groups 5
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh7221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)7222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd7223 The Nielsen Company8
30 Company Overview9
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited932 Organization Chart 1033 Services Offered 1134 Qualitative Research 1235 Quantitative Research 1236 Recent Projects 1337 Key Clients 1438 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited18
40 Jobs Performed During Internship20
41 Duties and Responsibilities2042 Completion of the Assignments20
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification20422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics21423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 921424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service21
43 Benefits of the Program 21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK
Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo22
51 Background of the study22511 Definition of the Business Problem22512 Research Objectives22
52 Methodology 23521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study23522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)25523 Criticism on FGD 26
v
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study2760 Conclusion and Recommendation28
Bibliography29
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)30
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)35
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limited
Submitted to
Professor Golam Mohammed ChowdhuryChairman Internship amp Placement Program
Supervised by
Dr M Z MamunProfessor and Director
Submitted byNoman Ahmed Khan
Roll No 16MBA 41 (D)
Internship Period 23rd March to 14th June
Institute Of Business Administration (IBA)University Of Dhaka
Date of Submission July 11 2009
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all I must thank Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director IBA for his insisting on the brevity of the
report He helped me determine the objective of the report and guided me through to get to the end He
made me grateful with his valuable suggestions from time to time during my internship I can never forget
his fatherly guidance and his utmost friendly and sincere attention toward me
The second person to acknowledge will surely be my supervisor at SRGB Mr M Saidul Haq Managing
Director of SRG Bangladesh Limited He has been a great support from the choice of the topic learning
of different part of research and understanding the difference between theory and practice
Special thank goes to Mr Ziauddin Kamal Senior Research Executive and Mr Emrul Kayes Manager
HR for providing me every kind of information related to my study
I really should thank every other employee of SRGB whom I found during different phases of my
internship Most of them have been very open and friendly with me and provided me with the answers I
needed from them
Lastly I would like to thank my classmates working in OrgQuest and the Nielsen Company Bangladesh
Limited for providing me with brief but useful information about the practices in their organization
iii
July 11 2009
Chairperson
Internship and Placement
Institute of Business Administration
University of Dhaka
Dhaka ndash 1000
Subject Submission of Internship report on Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limited
Dear Sir
As a part of the internship program I have prepared this report on the topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the
Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo The report contains a detailed study and
analysis on the qualitative and quantitative methodology used by SRG Bangladesh Limited I judged the
matter through the projects in which I had to work as an internee
I have tried my best to utilize the opportunity of working as an internee in an established marketing
research company like SRGB This report is based on information acquired from the project Awareness
and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh conducted by SRGB Here I have tried to compare
the methodology used in that study with the thery we have been taught in the classroom and probable
reason of difference with the theory if any I have maintained the internship learning as per the
instructions I have got from my supervisor Dr M Z Mamun
I enjoyed preparing this report because it provides an opportunity for me to increase my understanding of
the real life marketing research practices I thank you for such an opportunity I will be available for any
clarification at your convenience
Sincerely yours
Noman Ahemd Khan
Roll 16
Batch ndash 41(D)
iv
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYvii
10 INTRODUCTION1
11 Origin of the Report 112 Objective 113 Methodology 214 Scope 215 Limitations 2
20 Industry Overview3
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World3211 Market segments3212 Player groups 5
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh7221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)7222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd7223 The Nielsen Company8
30 Company Overview9
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited932 Organization Chart 1033 Services Offered 1134 Qualitative Research 1235 Quantitative Research 1236 Recent Projects 1337 Key Clients 1438 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited18
40 Jobs Performed During Internship20
41 Duties and Responsibilities2042 Completion of the Assignments20
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification20422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics21423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 921424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service21
43 Benefits of the Program 21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK
Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo22
51 Background of the study22511 Definition of the Business Problem22512 Research Objectives22
52 Methodology 23521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study23522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)25523 Criticism on FGD 26
v
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study2760 Conclusion and Recommendation28
Bibliography29
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)30
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)35
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Date of Submission July 11 2009
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all I must thank Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director IBA for his insisting on the brevity of the
report He helped me determine the objective of the report and guided me through to get to the end He
made me grateful with his valuable suggestions from time to time during my internship I can never forget
his fatherly guidance and his utmost friendly and sincere attention toward me
The second person to acknowledge will surely be my supervisor at SRGB Mr M Saidul Haq Managing
Director of SRG Bangladesh Limited He has been a great support from the choice of the topic learning
of different part of research and understanding the difference between theory and practice
Special thank goes to Mr Ziauddin Kamal Senior Research Executive and Mr Emrul Kayes Manager
HR for providing me every kind of information related to my study
I really should thank every other employee of SRGB whom I found during different phases of my
internship Most of them have been very open and friendly with me and provided me with the answers I
needed from them
Lastly I would like to thank my classmates working in OrgQuest and the Nielsen Company Bangladesh
Limited for providing me with brief but useful information about the practices in their organization
iii
July 11 2009
Chairperson
Internship and Placement
Institute of Business Administration
University of Dhaka
Dhaka ndash 1000
Subject Submission of Internship report on Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limited
Dear Sir
As a part of the internship program I have prepared this report on the topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the
Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo The report contains a detailed study and
analysis on the qualitative and quantitative methodology used by SRG Bangladesh Limited I judged the
matter through the projects in which I had to work as an internee
I have tried my best to utilize the opportunity of working as an internee in an established marketing
research company like SRGB This report is based on information acquired from the project Awareness
and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh conducted by SRGB Here I have tried to compare
the methodology used in that study with the thery we have been taught in the classroom and probable
reason of difference with the theory if any I have maintained the internship learning as per the
instructions I have got from my supervisor Dr M Z Mamun
I enjoyed preparing this report because it provides an opportunity for me to increase my understanding of
the real life marketing research practices I thank you for such an opportunity I will be available for any
clarification at your convenience
Sincerely yours
Noman Ahemd Khan
Roll 16
Batch ndash 41(D)
iv
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYvii
10 INTRODUCTION1
11 Origin of the Report 112 Objective 113 Methodology 214 Scope 215 Limitations 2
20 Industry Overview3
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World3211 Market segments3212 Player groups 5
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh7221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)7222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd7223 The Nielsen Company8
30 Company Overview9
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited932 Organization Chart 1033 Services Offered 1134 Qualitative Research 1235 Quantitative Research 1236 Recent Projects 1337 Key Clients 1438 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited18
40 Jobs Performed During Internship20
41 Duties and Responsibilities2042 Completion of the Assignments20
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification20422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics21423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 921424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service21
43 Benefits of the Program 21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK
Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo22
51 Background of the study22511 Definition of the Business Problem22512 Research Objectives22
52 Methodology 23521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study23522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)25523 Criticism on FGD 26
v
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study2760 Conclusion and Recommendation28
Bibliography29
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)30
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)35
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all I must thank Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director IBA for his insisting on the brevity of the
report He helped me determine the objective of the report and guided me through to get to the end He
made me grateful with his valuable suggestions from time to time during my internship I can never forget
his fatherly guidance and his utmost friendly and sincere attention toward me
The second person to acknowledge will surely be my supervisor at SRGB Mr M Saidul Haq Managing
Director of SRG Bangladesh Limited He has been a great support from the choice of the topic learning
of different part of research and understanding the difference between theory and practice
Special thank goes to Mr Ziauddin Kamal Senior Research Executive and Mr Emrul Kayes Manager
HR for providing me every kind of information related to my study
I really should thank every other employee of SRGB whom I found during different phases of my
internship Most of them have been very open and friendly with me and provided me with the answers I
needed from them
Lastly I would like to thank my classmates working in OrgQuest and the Nielsen Company Bangladesh
Limited for providing me with brief but useful information about the practices in their organization
iii
July 11 2009
Chairperson
Internship and Placement
Institute of Business Administration
University of Dhaka
Dhaka ndash 1000
Subject Submission of Internship report on Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limited
Dear Sir
As a part of the internship program I have prepared this report on the topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the
Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo The report contains a detailed study and
analysis on the qualitative and quantitative methodology used by SRG Bangladesh Limited I judged the
matter through the projects in which I had to work as an internee
I have tried my best to utilize the opportunity of working as an internee in an established marketing
research company like SRGB This report is based on information acquired from the project Awareness
and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh conducted by SRGB Here I have tried to compare
the methodology used in that study with the thery we have been taught in the classroom and probable
reason of difference with the theory if any I have maintained the internship learning as per the
instructions I have got from my supervisor Dr M Z Mamun
I enjoyed preparing this report because it provides an opportunity for me to increase my understanding of
the real life marketing research practices I thank you for such an opportunity I will be available for any
clarification at your convenience
Sincerely yours
Noman Ahemd Khan
Roll 16
Batch ndash 41(D)
iv
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYvii
10 INTRODUCTION1
11 Origin of the Report 112 Objective 113 Methodology 214 Scope 215 Limitations 2
20 Industry Overview3
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World3211 Market segments3212 Player groups 5
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh7221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)7222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd7223 The Nielsen Company8
30 Company Overview9
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited932 Organization Chart 1033 Services Offered 1134 Qualitative Research 1235 Quantitative Research 1236 Recent Projects 1337 Key Clients 1438 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited18
40 Jobs Performed During Internship20
41 Duties and Responsibilities2042 Completion of the Assignments20
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification20422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics21423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 921424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service21
43 Benefits of the Program 21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK
Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo22
51 Background of the study22511 Definition of the Business Problem22512 Research Objectives22
52 Methodology 23521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study23522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)25523 Criticism on FGD 26
v
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study2760 Conclusion and Recommendation28
Bibliography29
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)30
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)35
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
July 11 2009
Chairperson
Internship and Placement
Institute of Business Administration
University of Dhaka
Dhaka ndash 1000
Subject Submission of Internship report on Critical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limited
Dear Sir
As a part of the internship program I have prepared this report on the topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the
Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo The report contains a detailed study and
analysis on the qualitative and quantitative methodology used by SRG Bangladesh Limited I judged the
matter through the projects in which I had to work as an internee
I have tried my best to utilize the opportunity of working as an internee in an established marketing
research company like SRGB This report is based on information acquired from the project Awareness
and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh conducted by SRGB Here I have tried to compare
the methodology used in that study with the thery we have been taught in the classroom and probable
reason of difference with the theory if any I have maintained the internship learning as per the
instructions I have got from my supervisor Dr M Z Mamun
I enjoyed preparing this report because it provides an opportunity for me to increase my understanding of
the real life marketing research practices I thank you for such an opportunity I will be available for any
clarification at your convenience
Sincerely yours
Noman Ahemd Khan
Roll 16
Batch ndash 41(D)
iv
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYvii
10 INTRODUCTION1
11 Origin of the Report 112 Objective 113 Methodology 214 Scope 215 Limitations 2
20 Industry Overview3
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World3211 Market segments3212 Player groups 5
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh7221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)7222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd7223 The Nielsen Company8
30 Company Overview9
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited932 Organization Chart 1033 Services Offered 1134 Qualitative Research 1235 Quantitative Research 1236 Recent Projects 1337 Key Clients 1438 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited18
40 Jobs Performed During Internship20
41 Duties and Responsibilities2042 Completion of the Assignments20
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification20422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics21423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 921424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service21
43 Benefits of the Program 21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK
Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo22
51 Background of the study22511 Definition of the Business Problem22512 Research Objectives22
52 Methodology 23521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study23522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)25523 Criticism on FGD 26
v
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study2760 Conclusion and Recommendation28
Bibliography29
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)30
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)35
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYvii
10 INTRODUCTION1
11 Origin of the Report 112 Objective 113 Methodology 214 Scope 215 Limitations 2
20 Industry Overview3
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World3211 Market segments3212 Player groups 5
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh7221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)7222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd7223 The Nielsen Company8
30 Company Overview9
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited932 Organization Chart 1033 Services Offered 1134 Qualitative Research 1235 Quantitative Research 1236 Recent Projects 1337 Key Clients 1438 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited18
40 Jobs Performed During Internship20
41 Duties and Responsibilities2042 Completion of the Assignments20
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification20422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics21423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 921424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service21
43 Benefits of the Program 21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK
Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo22
51 Background of the study22511 Definition of the Business Problem22512 Research Objectives22
52 Methodology 23521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study23522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)25523 Criticism on FGD 26
v
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study2760 Conclusion and Recommendation28
Bibliography29
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)30
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)35
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study2760 Conclusion and Recommendation28
Bibliography29
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)30
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)35
vi
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
List of Figures
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services4
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin5
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses6
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report has been written with a focused ultimate goal of identifying the gaps between theory and
practice of research in SRG Bangladesh Limited It has been found that the effectiveness of a research
firm SRGB in preparing research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between
theory and practice is a very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily
that though the practice is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work
effectively to bring out the result which is the goal of all research works
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems generating
and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing process At
the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of helping
organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems
and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management consultants
for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice access to the
consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time project where the
hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a market research and
management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student to learn some most
important and effective skills
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can find
very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day The
total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost players
in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author completed his
internship
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management and
Industrial Consulting house Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and
Quantitative Research Services Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging
from broad based sectoral studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients
SRGB maintains a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are
recruited locally resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational
efficiency and accuracy in collecting relevant information In terms of organizational philosophy to
remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey research scenario and to benefit from the
viii
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB remains in constant touch with a number of
overseas firms engaged in research and consulting
Most of the assignments handled in SRGB were long-term projects that had already been started Some
were in the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of
continuous research with several waves The discussed research study that was used to prepare this report
is Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh It was an ongoing project It
therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing (taking interviews of different
types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to take interviews of different
people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews was assigned Some visits to a
private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational (Novartis Bangladesh Limited)
helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour to Chittagong was made to take
the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was successful with nice opportunities to
learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour to Rajshahi the land of heat and
mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge experiences Finally different top
management personnels from different organizations and universities like University of Dhaka
International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square Grameenphone Dhaka Bank
BMET UGC etc were interviewed
ix
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
10 INTRODUCTION
Market research and consultancy is an old art which is becoming more important in Bangladesh day by
day The activities of market research include defining marketing opportunities and problems
generating and evaluating marketing ideas monitoring performance and understanding the marketing
process At the same time management consultancy refers to both the industry of and the practice of
helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business
problems and development of plans for improvement Organizations hire the services of management
consultants for a number of reasons including gaining external (and presumably objective) advice
access to the consultants specialized expertise or simply as extra temporary help during a one-time
project where the hiring of more permanent employees is not required Internship opportunity in a
market research and management consultancy house can be considered a great opportunity for a student
to learn some most important and effective skills
11 Origin of the Report
As a compulsory part of Internship program this particular report is being prepared by the author on the
proposed topic ldquoCritical Assessment of the Research Methodology used in SRG Bangladesh Limitedrdquo
The intention was to give an opportunity to the students to gain some real world experience by working
in a practical environment The internship supervisor was Mr M Saidul Haq Managing Director SRG
Bangladesh Limited and the faculty advisor was Dr M Z Mamun Professor amp Director of Institute of
Business Administration
12 Objective
The Primary Objective of this report is
To measure the gap between theory and practice for the selection of the methodology
Secondary objectives are
To study the methodology used in the project under study in SRGB
To observe the implementation of the methods
To measure the gap between selection and implementation of the methods
Search for the justifications behind the gaps
13 Methodology
The research will be composed of literature review for theories and qualitative research mainly An
extensive study of the research methodology literature will be the base Then the practical experiences
1
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
and observations from the project worked for during internship will be compared with the literature
Finally qualitative in-depth interviews and key informant interviews will lead us to our answers
14 Scope
SRGB selects and follows different kinds of methodology for different projects It changes with the
change of projects Here only the study project in which the author worked- lsquoAwareness and
Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrsquo will come under consideration The author will try to
reveal the theoretical requirements to selection of methodology for this particular study project and the
practical happenings in this project only The other two studies which were taking place at SRGB at the
time of internship will not be considered though the author worked for those in some few instances
15 Limitations
Some limiting factors were faced while conducting the research and preparing the report These could
be summarized as follows
No secondary information was found such as any report or research papers on this particular issue
For finding out reasons behind gap between theory and practice enough number of projects could not be studied due to shortage of time and scope
Only internal specialists were interviewed
20 Industry Overview
2
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Before starting description of the main parts of the internship report some light on the industry of the
worked for company should be addressed A short story about the industry will help the reader
understand the situation with more depth
21 Research and Consultancy Industry around the World
The management consultancy industry shows a very fragmented picture with various segments and
player groups This first part of the industry analysis starts with an analysis of the market segments and
player groups Afterwards it will elaborate on the competitive situation The second part of this analysis
ndash Future Prospects - discusses driving forces and possible futures for the industry
Due to availability of data here the focus is on the German market for which it provides figures and
statistics All statements about trends competition drivers and possible future developments however
can easily be transferred to management consultancies in all major markets
211 Market segments
In Germany there are 14700 management consultancies and sole practitioners They employ 68000
consultants
The market for management consultancy in Germany has shown rapid growth throughout the last
years Total revenues rose from 164 bn DM in 1997 to 188 bn in 1998 213 bn in 1999 and 238 bn
DM in 2000 Although the annual growth rate declined from 146 in 1998 to 118 in 2000 it is still
significantly above the growth rate of the German GDP being below 3 However growth is not
equally spread across the market segments
Today management consultancy is much more than the traditional strategy consulting The
Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater eV (BDU Association of German Management
Consultants) distinguishes between consulting for strategy organisation IT and human resources
Analysis of these segments reveals their different contributions to overall revenue and growth
Figure 1 Revenues of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
3
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Figure 2 Growth Rate of Research and Consultancy Firms by Services
These figures indicate that IT- and organisational consulting fuelled growth in 1999 This was driven by
the current developments in the IT-sector The BDU names year 2000 solutions Euro-implementations
SAP implementations and e-business activities These changes in the customers environment change
their industries more or less and hence create enormous needs for consulting Without the impact of
Y2K and Euro-implementation the growth of IT consulting slowed down in 2000 However this sector
remains the most important field of consulting with 434 of total consulting revenues in 2000 The
BDU predicts that the proportion of consulting projects that include at least partly some e-commerce
consulting will grow from 38 in 2000 to about 50 in 2001
4
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
All in all the whole industry shows a dynamic growth Besides the influence of IT this is driven by
globalisation technological change and the deregulation of markets
212 Player groups
In recent years the industry has seen the entry of many non-traditional consultants into the market
Barriers to entry are considerably low with little investments into fixed assets needed In addition ndash on
the contrary to the auditing business ndash there are no legal regulations limiting the entry to this profession
Many former employees of large consultancy firms or senior managers from other businesses start up as
sole practitioners or small consulting firms On the other hand many companies from outside the
consulting industry enter this market These are mainly IT-companies as IBM or Cap Gemini but also
designers technologists marketing agencies employment agencies and others
Figure 3 Groups of Research and Consultancy Players by Size and Origin
Rassam (1998) distinguishes as follows
5
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
In Germany there are 14700 consulting businesses employing 68500 consultants The BDU
distinguishes small medium and large consultancies Not surprisingly the large consultancies being
smallest in numbers make nearly a third of the total industries revenues
Figure 4 Percentage of Market Share Depending on Size of Businesses
This is an ongoing trend By 2000 the market share of large consultancies has risen to 47 share of
medium sized firms fell to 36 and share of small firms fell to 17 This is because large firms show
by far the highest growth rates with an average of 18 in 2000 Medium and small firms grew by an
average of 9 and 25 only
With this small number of large dominant players the market can be characterised as an oligopoly
Competition is especially strong within the market segments and within the player groups Due to the
limited growth rates in some segments and the entry of new players there is also a rising competition
across the segments and player groups Smaller specialised consultants start to serve customers of all
sizes The large consultants discover small and start-up enterprises as customers seeing them as future
clients for further consulting and auditing activities
According to this competition consultancies have developed different strategies The large
consultancies establish themselves as generalist They offer their clients a one-stop-shop service for all
the consulting needs they might have Thus their focus is on long-lasting customer relationships and
cross-selling opportunities Many smaller and medium sized consultancies have specialised in certain
areas of expertise like IT HR or business recovery A number of them operate only in their home area
An important area of competition in consulting business is the supply-side Consultancies compete
heavily to attract highly qualified people Demand for these people is rising due to the growth
aspirations of the large consulting firms The German member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers created
more than 1000 additional jobs during its first year after the merger and still continues to grow at high
6
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
rates On the other hand many graduates from universities and business schools choose to join start-ups
in the new economy in 2000
22 Research and Consultancy Industry in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is comparatively new in Market Research and Management Consultancy sector We can
find very few big players and a number of small players here But the industry is expanding day by day
The total revenue is also increasing every year Mainly four companies can be considered the topmost
players in this industry One of them SRG Bangladesh Limited is the company where the author
completed his internship description of that company is coming latter Here we find short description
of other three firms
221 ORG-Quest Research Ltd (OrQuest)
ORG-QUEST RESEARCH LTD (OrQuest) is a joint venture company with ORG India (pvt) Ltd It
has been founded in 2003 though serving from 1994 Number of employees is 40 and interviewers is
300 We are a research amp consulting firm with strong survey research and analytical skills that bring to
bear a blend of insights and Pan-Asian experience of a highly competent team of professionals We
have been providing research services to our valued clients including MNCs UN agencies
development partners (World Bank ADB IFC-SEDF Swisscontact etc) local conglomerates
international research agencies etc in the country since 1994 using both quantitative and qualitative
techniques Our qualitative wing owns a viewing facility with one way mirror in Dhaka With a
dedicated team of researchers having client and agency side experience and multi country exposures
we offer high standard market social and opinion research services in the areas mentioned under the
fields of operation later
222 Sirius Marketing and Social Research Ltd
Sirius is a full service research organization and offers the entire spectrum of consumer and media
research social research syndicated Media and Panel research services and business-to-business
research conforming to international standards It has been founded in 1995 and it has 60 employees
and 350 interviewers presently The company is an associate of IMRB International and has full access
to IMRBs expertise
Today Sirius is one of the leading research agencies and the clientele includes multinationals based in
Bangladesh bilateral agencies and international companies The company has conducted large scale
national level studies (all Bangladesh) and has field offices in the 6 Divisional headquarters of
Bangladesh The company pioneered syndicated media research in the country that includes TV
7
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
audience measurement National Media Study (covering all media) TV Ad trackingand has in place a
national level household consumer panel since 2005
223 The Nielsen Company
The Nielsen Company offering services in over 100 countries is the worlds leading provider of market
research information and analysis By delivering unrivalled combinations of insights advanced
analytical tools and integrated marketing solutions Nielsen provides complete views of consumers and
their markets
Nielsen Consumer Research helps clients address the issues of brand health shopper loyalty and
behavior marketing mix management and consumer motivations By integrating proprietary research
applications with in-market understanding from our retail and consumer panel services we donrsquot
conduct consumer research in a vacuum and are uniquely positioned to deliver business solutions in
their market context
BASES a service of The Nielsen Company and a world leader in STMrsquos uses industry-leading
forecasting models rich databases and proprietary analytical techniques to consult on a range of
business issues including innovation strategy concept and marketing plan optimization and initiative
commercialization BASES is widely known for expertise in the CPG sector but tools have been
adapted to sectors such as pharmaceuticals alcohol quick-serve restaurants and more
8
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
30 Company Overview
The company selected for internship was Survey Research Group of Bangladesh (SRGB) It is one of
the leading Research and Consultancy firm of the country A short description of the company will
complement the story
31 Background and History of SRG Bangladesh Limited
The Survey Research Group of Bangladesh [SRGB] was initiated in October 1987 as a Management
and Industrial Consulting house Its professional integrity and service excellence rapidly gained a
lasting reputation for delivering result-oriented consultancy services Subsequently activities were
diversified to provide development consultancy continuing professional development programs data
processing amp analysis and event management services
Since the early 90s SRGB ventured into providing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Services
Since then SRGB has successfully conducted hundreds of studies ranging from broad based sectoral
studies to micro level case studies for domestic and international clients SRGBs studies are carried out
under the leadership of highly competent and experienced team members who are well acknowledged
experts in their respective fields appropriately drawn from SRGBs panel with their consent and total
commitment
Logistically SRGB is more than well equipped with all necessary and state of the art office facilities
including computers printers photocopier scanner continuous power generator etc A team of highly
experienced staff remains dedicated to carry out survey research activities Moreover SRGB maintains
a countrywide panel of more than 800 male and female Field Investigators who are recruited locally
resulting in substantial cost efficiency Moreover local investigators ensure operational efficiency and
accuracy in collecting relevant information
In terms of organizational philosophy to remain updated with the rapid changes in the global survey
research scenario and to benefit from the hard-earned experience of developed economies SRGB
remains in constant touch with a number of overseas firms engaged in research and consulting These
close associations have proved mutually rewarding and SRGB maintain an open-end policy in acquiring
further overseas strategic alliances Moreover SRGBs consultants are well practiced in looking
objectively at the challenges that a business or an intervention faces and developing appropriate
workable and cost effective solutions SRGBs role as a consultancy house is to provide expert
independent practical and pragmatic decisions With the truest partnership spirit SRGB works
alongside with the clients instead of working for them SRGBs approach is based on hard-earned
experience rather than on textbook solutions The hard-core professionalism undaunted integrity and
9
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
uncompromising excellence of service of SRGB have duly earned high level of customer satisfaction
and reliability
The total range of services from SRGB is delivered through three distinct operating divisions
Centre for Research amp Management ConsultingCentre for Continuing Professional DevelopmentCentre for Data Processing amp Analysis
All three centres have both intellectual and logistical resource-base that is unmatched in the country
Each of the centres is highly professional unparalleled in functional efficiency and strategically
organized to provide ample scope for future expandability and relentless enhancement of service
quality
The Centre for Research amp Management Consulting concentrates on providing consolidated business
management and development research solutions while the Centre for Continuing Professional
Development offers wide range of skill development programs for practicing and prospective business
professionals to enhance their experience and functional capability Finally the Centre for Data
Processing amp Analysis offer a spectrum of digitization services which covers almost every document
conversion process including data text PDF illustrator and XMLSGML conversion services
32 Organization Chart
The organization is headed by the CEO or President It has an organogram which is slim but
centralized Here a diagram of the organization chart has been shown in the next page
10
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
33 Services Offered
The services offered are modern and useful They are as follows
Social amp Environmental Research
Business Communication Service
Automotive Research
Agricultural Research
Business to Business Research
HR Management Service
Media Research
Mystery Shopping
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Retail Study
Healthcare Research
Sales Force Effectiveness Practice
11
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Among the available services here we only highlight the qualitative and quantitative research
34 Qualitative Research
SRGB has a specialist qualitative research division This division forms a core part of the overall
business This division has a team with an experience base of over 15 years Keeping in mind the need
to bring in different perspectives in understanding human behavior this team has been selected from
diverse backgrounds such as psychology sociology anthropology marketing economics and so on
The qualitative division also has its own specialized field structure that handles all aspects of the field
operations No fieldwork is sub-contracted In addition to our own team of highly experienced and
motivated researchers the qualitative division draws into the expertise of international consultants in
the fields of qualitative research and communication This allows us access to global perspective as
well
The qualitative division has handled hundreds of studies spanning categories as diverse as FMCG
products financial products durables automobiles media telecommunication and so on It has
considerable experience in handling the following types of research studies
Usage and attitude studies
Brand equity studies
Segmentation studies
Positioning research
Communication development and evaluation
Packaging evaluation studies
New product development studies
The experience pool also includes studies among a wide variety of target groups ranging from
housewives chief wage earners children teenagers young adults different socio-economic groups
including high net worth individuals specialist groups such as corporate specific professions etc
The qualitative research division boasts of having a large number of specialized techniques such as
bull Conflict Groups bull Peer Interactions bull Triads bull Paired Interviews bull Slice of life bull Semiotics bull Extended
creativity groups bull Hybrid Approaches bull Benefit Inhibitor chains bull Thematic Apperception Tests bull Mind
Mapping bull Value Equation bull World views bull Bring your Homework etc
35 Quantitative Research
The quantitative research division is a specialized research with a combined experience of over 18 years
in handling quantitative research in a wide range of areas - such as FMCGs personal grooming
products automobiles durables telecom IT media pharmaceutical products cigarettes retail
financial products and web research The team of over 15 quantitative researchers is adept at handling
12
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
all aspects of the research right from problem definition to the analysis and data interpretation to
providing implementable solutions to the clients needs
The use of a wide array of tools and techniques such as multivariate techniques adds value and helps
provide meaningful insights to the client A team of experienced programmers ensure a quick and
efficient data summarization and interpretation which ensure a quicker turnaround time for the project
At any point of time there are 800+ investigators for collecting data and they are spread across the
country High quality in data collection is ensured through a systemized and stringent data collection
procedure-training sessions mock calls pilot interviews back-checks by the company staff ensure that
data collected adheres to the quality standards laid down by the company
Specialized teams of experts in various fields with in-depth knowledge of the global market add value
to the project We have consultants with a global experience of at least 20 years in the following areas
Customer satisfaction
Mystery shopping
Product testing
Retailing sector
Modeling and data mining
Insurance sector
Banking sector
36 Recent Projects
There were twelve ongoing projects during internship of the author Among them three were bigger and
more important The author worked in various jobs of four projects project number 4 5 6 and 7
Table 1 Recent Projects by SRGBSl No
Project Name Client Period of Study
1Monitoring and Evaluation ConsultingPublic Procurement Reform ProjectndashII(PPRP-II) [A World Bank funded Project]
CPTU IMEDMinistry of PlanningGovt of Bangladesh
June 2009 toJune 2013[Ongoing Study]
2Employee Preference Survey forBangladesh
British America Tobacco (through Engage HR Pakistan)
June to July 2009[Ongoing Study]
3Monitoring and Evaluation of Cross Border Communication ndash South Asia (Multi-country study involving Bangladesh Nepal amp India)
AED USA[USAID fundedAICOMM Project]
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
4Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green Wave 9
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) Washington USA
April toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
5 Grameen Kalyan Clinics Needs Assessment Pfizer Inc March to
13
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
USAOctober 2009[Ongoing Study]
6Market Research on Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications inBangladesh
British CouncilDhaka
January toJuly 2009[Ongoing Study]
7Mystery Shopping on Banking Productsand Services
HSBC BangladeshDhaka
August 2008 toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
8Social Impact AssessmentFor Bangladesh Railway DPL Project
The World BankDhaka Bangladesh
May 2008 toJune 2009[Ongoing Study]
9 Surrogate Value Research on Fish 2009
Grunfeld Desiderio LebowitzSilverman amp Klestadt LLPUSA
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
10Mystery Shopping on Cisco CertifiedExamination Centre Performance
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
11Mystery Shopping on GMAT Registration ampScheduling Procedures
Pearson VUEAQ ServicesInternational Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
12 Mystery Shopping - CompTIAPearson VUE throughAQ Services Singapore
January toDecember 2009[Ongoing Study]
13Police Perception Survey in ChittagongBandarban Rangamati and KhagrachhariDistricts
US EmbassyDhaka Bangladesh
October 2008 toMarch 2009
37 Key Clients
SRGB has a huge number of different category clients They have been listed below
A International Clients
Cisco USA
HSBC Hong Kong
Telenor Norway
Nokia Hong Kong
Microsoft USA
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Singapore
ARD Inc USA
14
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
BHP-Engineering Australia
BHP-Laysaght (SEA) Pte Ltd Singapore
Nomura Research Institute Japan
International Executive Service Corps (IESC) USA
Carana Corporation USA
International Trade Centre (ITC) Switzerland
SKF Distribution Asia Pte Ltd Singapore
ECI Telecom Inc USA
Dacom Corporation Korea
Korea Telecom Korea
Tata Steel India
Bare Associates International USA
Bharat Starch Industries Ltd India
Tessival SPA Italy
G P Group of Companies Thailand
Singer Worldwide USA
Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria (OPCV) Australia
Carana Corporation USA
TOTAL FINA ELF France
Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA) USA
Tianjin Machinery Import Export Group China
Quantum Market Research India
BAIGlobal Inc (A Market Facts Company) USA
Pew Research Centre USA
Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore
Kuraray Specialties Pte Ltd Singapore
Thai Wah Public Co Ltd Thailand
Horizon Research Singapore
Tashi Group of Companies Bhutan
Kalasha Woolen Industry (Pvt) Ltd Nepal
Ecotech Pty Ltd Australia
Habib Bank Ltd Pakistan
Asia Market Intelligence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Malaysia
Syngenta Hong Kong
Arthur D Little SingaporeMalaysia
Sungwon Corporation Korea
Kong Ma Engineering Co Ltd Taiwan
15
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Fullway Enterprises Co Ltd Taiwan
Quest International UK
Veraz Telecom USA
Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Rhone Poulence Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Australia
China Resources Ltd Hong Kong
BlueScope Steel Australia
International Business Linkages Inc (IBL) USA
WorldFish Centre Malaysia
Redma Consultants Ltd Canada
Acorn Marketing and Research Consultants Hong Kong
Synovate Hong Kong
Cairn Energy Bangladesh
AQ Services International Singapore
Access Markets International (AMI) Partners Inc USA
Columbia University USA
B International Development AgenciesNGOs Clients
The World Bank
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNICEF Bangladesh
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Commonwealth Secretariat UK
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
Ministry of Economy Trade amp Industry (METI) Japan
Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)
International Jute Organization (IJO)
CARE Bangladesh
SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF)
Swisscontact-Katalyst
World Vision of Bangladesh
JOBS [A USAID Project]
OXFAM Bangladesh
Concern Bangladesh
16
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) Bangladesh
DFID Bangladesh
C Domestic Clients
Unilever Bangladesh
British America Tobacco
Syngenta (Bangladesh) Ltd
Social Marketing Company (SMC)
Olympic Industries
Bengal Group of Industries
A K Khan Group
Bashundhara Group of Companies
Mutual Group
Baraka Group
SQ Group
Rangs Electronics Ltd
Alfa Tobacco Group
Micro Industries Development Assistance Society (MIDAS)
Sea Resources Group (Rangs Group)
Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS)
M M Ispahani Ltd (Ispahani Group)
Givenchy Group
Grameen Bank
Alfa Tobacco Group
Toka Ink (BD) Ltd (A Bangladesh Japan Joint Venture)
BASIC Bank Ltd
Grameen Uddog
Holycrescent Hospital Ltd
McDonald Bangladesh Ltd
Grameen Shamogree
Tripti Industries
Ministry of Health amp Family Welfare Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Jute Govt of Bangladesh
Industrial Development Leasing Company of Bangladesh Ltd (IDLC)
Brothers Group
Syngenta
Giant Group
17
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Bell Corporation
Anlima Group
Grameen Telecom
Grameen Phone
Pacific Telecom Ltd (City Cell)
Bangladesh Telegraph amp Telephone Board (BTTB)
Department of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Ministry of Environment Govt of Bangladesh
Modern Erection Dhaka
BRAC Bank Bangladesh
38 Key Person of SRG Bangladesh Limited
M Saidul Haq MBA CMC (Australia) FCIM (UK) FIMC is the Founder President of SRG Bangladesh
Limited [SRGB] He is an entrepreneurshipbusiness development specialist He did his MBA from
Institute of Business Administration University of Dhaka in its 14 th batch He has unparallel
combination of multivariate qualifications and achievements Some are highlighted below
CMC (Certified Management Consultant) from Institute of Management Consultants Australia
FCIM (Fellow Member) of The Chartered Institute of Marketing UK - the top marketing professionalsrsquo organization of the world
More than twenty(20) years experience in Management Consulting and MarketSocial
Research (qualitative and quantitative)
Conducted hundreds of research and consulting projects as Project DirectorTeam Leader
Organized and conducted hundreds of training programs workshop seminar technical
presentation on various management and business promotion issues
Extensive experience in trade amp business development promotions investment and joint venture match-making
Extensive experience in private sector and SME enterprises development entrepreneurship development
National Consultant International Trade Centre WTOUNCTAD Geneva
Retainer consultantadviser of about a dozen leading business houses in Bangladesh
Experience with many international organizations including World Bank ADB International Labor Organization (ILO) USAID CIDA UNDP UNIDO UNICEF UNEP SDC commonwealth Secretariat etc
Worked for about five years as the ConsultantNational Monitor for Industrial Commodity Program Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Canadian High Commission Dhaka
Registered Consultant of Asian Development Bank (ADB) The World Bank Commonwealth Secretariat International Labor Organization (ILO) UNICEF etc
18
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Served as Member of the Advisory Board of GERIAP United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific Bangkok Thailand
Founder President of the Institute of Management Consultants Bangladesh [IMCB] the
national forum for the consultants of Bangladesh
Trustee of The International Council of Management Consulting Institutes [ICMCI] the apex body of the consulting institutes worldwide
ICMCI representative to ECOSOC United Nations (UN) for GenevaVienna and Asia-Pacific region
Immediate past National Representative for Bangladesh and Member of European Society for Opinion and Market Research [ESOMAR]
Member of the American Marketing Association [AMA]
Widely traveled person and visited more than hundred countriescities of the world
19
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
40 Jobs Performed During Internship
While the work performed during this period was particularly glamorous and equally thrilling true is
that this internship period exposed the author to experiences which have significantly altered the
perception of marketing research and management related issues towards a more real and global holistic
model
41 Duties and Responsibilities
The internship program was started on 23rd March 2009 The internship was to last for twelve (12)
weeks to three (3) months and as a result my internship came to an end on 14th June 2009
In somewhat more concrete terms SRGB provides the country and the world with timely scientifically
credible policy-relevant research answers for decision-making and action planning for development
While with SRGB it was involved in a range of different tasks and smaller explorations that
extensively helped learning of the methods of marketing research The central themes around which
most of the works at SRGB was organized is presented here
42 Completion of the Assignments
Most of the assignments handled were long-term projects that had already been started Some were in
the beginning phase and some were in their final stages Some of them are also a type of continuous
research with several waves The four research studies that were been participated are described here
421 Awareness and acceptance of UK Qualification
It was an ongoing project It therefore made sense to continue doing what the rest of the team was doing
(taking interviews of different types and writing those down) It required all three interns from IBA to
take interviews of different people At the very beginning tough job of taking face to face interviews
was assigned Some visits to a private university (BRAC University for this author) and a multinational
(Novartis Bangladesh Limited) helped the job done Then the qualitative part commenced A 7 day tour
to Chittagong was made to take the KII of a number of Deans and department heads The tour was
successful with nice opportunities to learn interview and communication skills Then again a 5 day tour
to Rajshahi the land of heat and mango It was also a very successful tour with acquiring of huge
experiences Finally different top management personnels from different organizations and universities
like University of Dhaka International Islamic University Chittagong Dhaka Campus Square
Grameenphone Dhaka Bank BMET UGC etc were interviewed
20
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
422 Assessment of Grameen Kalyan Clinics
This was a new project altogether The preparation and translating of questionnaires were taking place
Tough job of doing most effective translation to Bangla of the English questionnaires were done
effectively
423 Global Opinion Poll on Social Economic and Political Issues 2009 Project Green
Wave 9
This is a regular project taken by SRGB every year The author participated in a three day internal
training session to see how the field coordinators trained and assigned their jobs It is a survey that takes
place throughout Bangladesh The real world way of survey was learned here
424 Mystery Shopping on Banking Products and Service
It was done for HSBC Bank The author visited GEC and Agrabad branch in Chittagong where he
observed the customer care quality of the branches and wrote a report with assigning points
43 Benefits of the Program
Benefit from the internship programme was more than what was expected in a number of ways
1048707Having a rare opportunity to use the knowledge and skills that had been acquired back at the institute
to provide critical real world research method information
1048707Career-wise the internship programme undoubtedly enriched my curriculum vitae (CV) Also
having gotten a chance to interact with most staff it gave an insight on how to shape the career towards
a research job in the near future
1048707The internship programme gave me a chance not only to work with SRGB but also a chance to learn
from the research experts and consultants
1048707Working with people from different parts of the world was a rare chance that you canrsquot easily get
from any other organization in Kenya Therefore to me this was another opportunity to make friends
and share ideas
1048707To conclude the internship at SRGB was a rewarding experience and provided with some new
perspectives that was not came across during studies back at the institute
21
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
50 Critical Assessment of the Methodology of the Project ldquoAwareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladeshrdquo
This is the main focus of this report Methodology is one of the most important part of any research
study Literally methodology is the way in which the data are collected for the research project
Methodology can be defined as
the analysis of the principles of methods rules and postulates employed by a discipline
the systematic study of methods that are can be or have been applied within a discipline or
a particular procedure or set of procedures
Selection of methodology mainly depends on the objective of the research but in real life the objective
comes with different factors and dimensions unlike pure independent research Here it will be shown
what the methodology for this project was probable mistakes both in crafting and executing of the
methodology and finally the justification for it
51 Background of the study
This study was taken for British Council the United Kingdomrsquos cultural relationrsquos organization Here
some important parts of the research will be shown These will help us understand the requirements and
the goal of this study
511 Definition of the Business Problem
The business was defined as ndash ldquoAlthough UK qualifications are popular and growing recognition and
acceptance by employers government and higher education providers is variable
We need to be able to
1 Identify where recognition and acceptance are weak but critical
2 Identify new sectors for growth
3 Review our product portfolio so that it meets market requirements
512 Research Objectives
To ascertain the current level of awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications (school levels and professional) among the leading Bangladeshi private and public sector employers and the higher education institutions (both public and private)
To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and acceptance
Assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government
In order to achieve this we would require research to be carried out with
22
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
1 Top 6 public universities
2 Top 5 private universities
3 Professional associations
4 Government
5 Private sector
Suggested areas of research
Which foreign qualifications are known
Which foreign qualifications are accepted
Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
Reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance
Number of students from English medium schools applying for places- at private universities (plus which ones) at public universities and overseas
Profile of students following professionalvocational exams ndash school medium attended (EnglishBangla) reason for doing this rather university course
52 Methodology
After turning the idea into a research question and reviewing any necessary literature the method of
research must be considered The methodology selected should be the one that will be the most
effective to collect the data needed to answer the research question or to test the hypothesis Research
studies may be either quantitative or qualitative although it is possible to use both approaches in the
same research project and this has been used in this project on UK qualifications
The choice of research design must be appropriate to the subject under investigation (Patton 1987) So
it should be investigated that whether a research on education really admits the opportunity of blending
two methodologies
521 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Quantitative Study
In quantitative research the data collected takes the form of measurements or counts which can be
statistically analysed The process of quantitative research follows standard procedures methods forms
of analysis and reporting the results of the research undertaken This standardisation maximises
objectivity
Quantitative methods can be used for comparison of subgroups and analysis is generally conducted
through statistics The method is based on meanings derived from numbers and results are numerical
and standardised data
Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics General sequence is as follows
23
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
1 Observepresent questionnaireask questions with fixed answers
2 Tabulate
3 Summarise data
4 Analyse data
5 Draw conclusions
Quantitative research designs are characterised by the assumption that human behaviour can be
explained by what may be termed social facts which can be investigated by methodologies that
utilise the deductive logic of the natural sciences (Horna 1994 p 121) Quantitative investigations
look for distinguishing characteristics elemental properties and empirical boundaries (p 121) and
tend to measure how much or how often (Nau 1995) They are appropriate to examine the
behavioural component such as attendance at class
So it can be seen that quantitative methodologies do have strengths for becoming appropriate for
educational research like this project on UK qualifications These may be summarised as follows
Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviour
They are also strong in measuring descriptive aspects such as the composition of the students
Quantitative methodologies allow comparison and replication
Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than qualitative techniques
These strengths however are not the sole prerogative of quantitative designs Indeed many of the
arguments for the use of quantitative research especially in an academic climate where resources are
limited have pragmatic origins in terms of allowing large scale data collection and analysis at
reasonable cost and effort as well as providing statistical proof So this problem of large scale data
collection could also be proved unwise in this situation So this shows a negative opinion about the
choice of quantitative methodology for this study
A further weakness of quantitative approaches lies in their tendencies to take a snapshot of a
situation that is to measure variables at a specific moment in time Acceptance of UK may be affected
by temporal changes such as the current image of the country or the quality of opposition (like USA
Australia) which cannot always be identified within a single quantitative study
According to Colon Taylor and Willis (2000) qualitative research emphasizes ldquoparticipant
observationrdquo whereas quantitative methods rely on the ldquoresearch instrument through which
measurements are maderdquo (p 2) Weiler (2001) adds that if teachers want ldquodeeper understandings of
their students and their learningrdquo they will not be able to achieve this through quantitative research--
they will need to be ldquointimately involvedrdquo in the process (p 415) Qualitative research would provide
this opportunity As Labuschagne (2003) says ldquoqualitative data provide depth and detail through direct
quotation and careful description of situations events interactions and observed behavioursrdquo (p 1) or
what Jones (1997) describes as ldquoempathetic understandingrdquo (p 3) Winter (2000) concurs that while
24
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
ldquoquantitative research limits itself to what can be measured or quantifiedrdquo qualitative research
ldquoattempts to lsquopick up the piecesrsquo of the unquantifiable personal in depth descriptive and social aspects
of the worldrdquo (p 8) So now it looks like the decision for this project should be more inclined toward
qualitative approach
522 Criticism on Selection and Implementation of Qualitative Study (KII and IDI)
Qualitative research offers insights and understandings of participants which is unobtainable by
quantitative research but is more than just non-numerical research It aims to study the subject in their
natural surroundings and to collect naturally occurring non-biased data It describes in words rather
than numbers the qualities of the subject through observation Methods of qualitative research include
structured and unstructured interviews group interviews and focus groups
Qualitative methods can highlight key themes or patterns emerging in the project are used to
comprehend and manage data and used to develop and test hypotheses
Qualitative methods use descriptions and categories General sequence here is as follows
1 Observeask questions with open-ended answers
2 Record what is said andor done
3 Interpret
4 Return to observeask more questions
5 (recurring cycles of 2-4 iteration)
6 Theorising
7 Draw conclusions
Qualitative research designs are associated with interpretative approaches from the informants emic
point of view rather than etically measuring discrete observable behaviour Qualitative methodologies
are strong in those areas that have been identified as potential weaknesses within the quantitative
approach eg the use of interviews and observations to provide a deep rather than broad set of
knowledge about a particular phenomenon and the appropriateness to investigate cognitive and
affective aspects of students This depth allows the researcher to achieve Verstehen or empathetic
understanding The concept of Verstehen is the basis for a critique of quantitative research designs
and their empiricist emphasis The argument used is that quantitative methods measure human
behaviour from outside without accessing the meanings that individuals give to their measurable
behaviour If as many authors have suggested behavior of students contains psychological as well as
sociological dimensions then the emphasis should rather be upon gaining an understanding of how the
subjects themselves view their own particular situations A qualitative research design allows these
understandings to be investigated from the informantrsquos point of view So the choice of qualitative
research is very appropriate here Both KII and IDI seem appropriate The only problem that could be
marked is the number of qualitative interviews for this particular study it is about around 200 which is
25
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
practically most difficult to make possible with effectiveness Again accumulating such a high number
of interview results to make a summary is also so difficult But answer could be found on the real world
practice to satisfy customer needs
523 Criticism on FGD
By focus group discussions we refer to a group of 4-12 people brought together to participate in the
discussion of an area of interest Trained moderators run the discussions and records are made of the
course of the discussions
Focus groups of course are a popular (some even think too popular) method in marketing research
(Nancarrow Vir amp Barker 2005) but they have had a role in serious social science research since the
seminal work of R K Merton and P Lazarsfeld (Hollander 2004 Morgan 1988) During the past
decades they have established their role in sociology and communications research In recent years
they have also become increasingly popular in applied fields such as nursing research urban and
community studies development studies and educational research (eg Barbour amp Kitzinger 2001
Gibbs 1997)
A distinctive feature of focus groups is that they create research data by generating social interaction
This is done by assembling a group of participants to discuss a specific topic and then observe how the
ensuing discussion evolves (Boddy 2005) The underlying assumption is that meaning is created in
social interaction (eg Wilkinson 2001) Organized and focused group discussions provide a context
for participants to articulate the meaning of their experiences and elaborate on them in a collective
sensemaking process Of course focus groups are also used to obtain individual viewpoints it is typical
to instruct discussants that the aim is not to reach consensus but to explore the different viewpoints that
emerge The method is popular in marketing research because it is a quick and easy way to gain a
wealth of perspectives on a novel or relatively unexplored topic (Threlfall 1999) By observing
recording and analyzing the interaction in the group researchers can also gain an understanding of how
the participants approach the topic and what kind of language they use to frame the issues Interaction
also allows participants to pose questions to each other and to redefine their own views as the
discussion evolves
The result of FGD depends sometimes largely on the skill of the moderator which is a variable thing
In this study on awareness and acceptance of UK qualifications it may suffer to this problem due to
time and budget constraints
524 A Mixed-Methodology Approach to the Study
26
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Although the use of a single methodology has been advocated by a number of authors many of the
supporting arguments are decidedly pragmatic such as time constraints the need to limit the scope of a
study and the difficulty of publishing the findings (Creswell 1994) Here in this study only time
constraint is the factor which could have been considered for a single methodology approach
Denzin and Lincoln (1994) write that objective reality can never be captured (p 2) To assume that
even with binocular vision one can have all the information or even know what is true is a
dangerous positivistic position The rub between the two methodologies comes when we analyze the
assumptions behind each one These are clearly spelled out in detail by Denzin and Lincoln (1994 pp
4-6) and can be summarized as follows The differences between quantitative and qualitative research is
that the first is positivist limiting unable to capture the subjects perspective abstract and based on flat
descriptions Qualitative research the critics claim tends to be unscientific and based on slipshod
methodologies Its proponents claim that it offers a postmodern and post-positivist view more in
keeping with prevailing social attitudes They also claim that such a research method is able to capture
the voices of many and provide what Geertz (1973) called a thick description of everyday life
The crucial aspect in justifying a mixed methodology research design is that both single methodology
approaches (qualitative only and quantitative only) have strengths and weaknesses The combination of
methodologies on the other hand can focus on their relevant strengths The researcher should aim to
achieve the situation where blending qualitative and quantitative methods of research can produce a
final product which can highlight the significant contributions of both (Nau 1995 p 1) where
qualitative data can support and explicate the meaning of quantitative research (Jayaratne 1993 p
117) By adopting the following assumptions the researcher should ensure that the final product
maximises the strengths of a mixed methods approach So the research team of SRGB should be given
credit for mixing nicely qualitative and quantitative to get the most out of it if we look over the
difficulty of implementation and greater sample size for its qualitative part
27
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
60 Conclusion and Recommendation
It can be concluded by raising the voice to show the effectiveness of a research firm SRGB in preparing
research works fairly supported by theory practitioners Difference between theory and practice is a
very old phenomenon which we can see here too But it can be concluded easily that though the practice
is not perfectly similar with the suggestions from theory the practice will work effectively to bring out
the result which is the goal of all research works
So it is seen that the period of attachment with SRGB has given the author an utmost opportunity to
understand situations and practical requirements in real life which would have never been possible
without this exposure It also provide many small and detailed experiences and understandings which is
tough to express in an internship report
So one should first of all recommend for the necessity of a tough internship program as it was in
SRGB for the students to complete the institutional learning process more effectively Secondly the
internship provider should always try to give important practical tips and shares from practical
experiences It was available in SRGB but could have become more
An orientation program for the internees to make them better understand the practices in real
organizations should be a must everywhere They may design a training program on this issue
Otherwise always small mistakes were required to understand and learn which could have been
minimized with a training program
A rare combination of specialists in the institution and at the organization is not a matter of
recommendation it is a favor of luck which became very helpful for an interne like the author The
helpful attitude that was available both from the institutional adviser and organizational supervisor
should be a must part of internship program Choosing an organizational supervisor from the pool of
alumni of the same institution may had given some extra benefits
SRGB is a steadily growing company which should now try to make their infrastructure more modern
human resources more committed research works more allied with theoretical developments and a
better system to make the implementation of the methodology more effective Change itself is a power
A successful style may not work when days have changed The corporate world in Bangladesh is
becoming bigger so as the intensity of competition and so as the importance of research So in the
coming days competition among research firms will become fiercer SRGB should start taking the
preparation and building it as a strong local brand
28
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Bibliography
Barbour R S amp Kitzinger J (Eds) (2001) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice London Sage
Colon B Taylor K A amp Willis J (2000) Constructivist instructional design Creating a multimedia package for teaching critical qualitative research The Qualitative Report 5(1-2) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR5-1colonhtml
Creswell J (1994) Research design Qualitative and quantitative approaches London Sage
Denzin N K amp Lincoln Y S (1994) Introduction Entering the field of qualitative research In N K Denzin and Y S Lincoln (Eds) Handbook of qualitative research (pp 1-17) Thousand Oaks CA Sage
Geertz C (1973) The interpretation of cultures New York Basic Books
Hollander J (2004) The social context of focus groups Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 33(5) 602-637
Horna J (1994) The study of leisure Oxford Oxford University Press
Jayaratne T (1993) Quantitative methodology and feminist research In M Hammersley (Ed) Social research Philosophy politics and practice (pp 109-123) London Sage
Jones I (1997) Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods in sports fan research The Qualitative Report 3(4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR3- 4joneshtml
Labuschagne A (2003) Qualitative research ndash airy fairy or fundamental The Qualitative Report 8(1) 100-103 Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR8-1labuschagnepdf
Nancarrow C Vir J amp Barker A (2005) Ritzeracutes McDonaldisation and applied qualitative marketing research Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 296-311
Nau D (1995 December) Mixing Methodologies Can Bimodal Research be a Viable Post-Positivist Tool The Qualitative Report [On-line serial] 2 (3) Available httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR2-3nauhtml
Patton M (1987) How to use qualitative methods in evaluation London Sage Publications Boddy C (2005) A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but ldquogroup discussionrdquo is not another name for a ldquofocus grouprdquo nor should it be Qualitative Market Research An International Journal 8(3) 248-255
Threlfall K D (1999) Using focus groups as a consumer research tool Journal of Marketing Practice 5(4) 102-105
Wilkinson S (2001) How useful are focus groups in feminist research In R S Barbour amp J Kitzinger (Eds) Developing focus group research Politics theory and practice (pp 64-78) London Sage
Winter G (2000) A comparative discussion of the notion of ldquovalidityrdquo in qualitative and quantitative research The Qualitative Report 4(3-4) Retrieved from httpwwwnovaedussssQRQR4-3winterhtml
29
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure I Questionnaire of Key Informant Interview (KII)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1111 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
Key Informant Interview (KII) - Top Management [UniversityAssociationsGovernment]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the InstitutionCompany ______________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department________________________
MobileTelephone _______________________ Email ______________________________
InstitutionCompany Address _______________________________________________________
InstitutionCompany Public Unversity Private University Association
Government Multinational Local
Gender Male Female
30
srgbb
1 2 3
654
1 2
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Iterviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
31
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Issues to be Discussed
Objective1 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh2 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications3 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization or member organizations
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh What are their acceptance levels in general
What are the subject level variations of the acceptance
What are their acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessed
What are their relative importance or weight levels
Do you test level of English of your prospective employees If yes How
Do you provide training to improve level of English of your current employees
If yes how do you provide the training
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the recruitment policies of your company in terms of Education Universities Degree or subject Others
What are the reasons behind those polices
32
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
What are numbers of professionals having degrees from following categories of universities are working at your company
Localo Privateo Public
USA Australia Canada UK Others
What are company policies regarding professional development of their staff in long term as well as short term
What are the areas your organization provides trainings to employees How are they delivered
Are their variations in policies of professional development for staff members having different categories of degrees
Would you please comment on the variations in salarybenefitpromotion based on categories of degrees at your industry level
Local university degreeso Privateo Public
Foreign degrees and professional qualifications UK degrees and professional qualifications
What are their variations at your own company
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
7 What are the profiles of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
How many students could be interested for UK universities
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or
33
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12
What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are relative weights of these constraints
What are quality levels of private educationWhy are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
34
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
35
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Division CodeRajshahi 1Khulna 2Dhaka 3Chittagong
4
Barisal 5Sylhet 6
Annexure II Questionnaire for In-Depth Interview (IDI)
Centre For Research ampManagement Consulting
SRG Bangladesh Limited1112 House 45 Road 7 Block F Banani Dhaka 1213 Bangladesh Tel 9871839 9871927 Fax 9871436
E-mail srgbangladeshgmailcom srgbbtclnetbd Web Site httpwwwsrgborg
Awareness and Acceptance of UK Qualifications in Bangladesh
In-depth Interview (IDI) ndash Teachers [PublicPrivate Universities]
I am____________________________ from SRG Bangladesh Limited (SRGB) SRGB is an inde-pendent and impartial social amp marketing research and management consulting firm of Bangladesh Currently SRGB is conducting a market research on awareness and accep-tance of UK qualification in Bangladesh In this perspective we have randomly selected you for an interview We will research on the opinions provided by you and others The in-formation that you give shall be kept strictly confidential
Respondents Name ___________________________________________________________
Name of the University ___________________________________________________________
Designation __________________________________ Department_________________________
MobileTelephone ____________________ Email __________________________________
Type of University Public Private
Gender Male Female
36
2
srgbbb
1 2
1
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Interviewerrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Supervisorrsquos Name ____________________________________________________________
Quality Controllarrsquos Name ___________________________________________________________ Date of Interview _____________________________________________________________
37
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
Issues to be Discussed
Objective4 To know about acceptance and recognition of UK education in Bangladesh5 To identify the main reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of
UK qualifications6 To assess the impact of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of
privatizing of state run assets by the government
Note Private and public universities mean private and public universities of Bangladesh only
Sl Questions1 Which foreign qualifications are known in Bangladesh
Which UK qualifications are known in Bangladesh
2 Which foreign qualifications are accepted
What are their relative acceptance levels in different categories of organizations such as private universities public universities GoB multinational companies national large private companies etc
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
3 Which UK universities are known in Bangladesh
What are their acceptance levels in general
What are their relative acceptance levels at your organization
4 Apart from subject knowledge what skills are essential and how are they currently assessedWhat are their relative importance or weight levels
5 What are reasons for acceptancenon-acceptance of foreign qualifications in general and UK qualifications in particular
Are their priorities and preferences regarding to local and foreign degrees in different organizations in Bangladesh
What are the areas employers provide trainings to their employees How do they deliver these trainings
6 In general what are the ratios between students coming from Bangla and English medium schools applying for private and public universities of Bangladesh and universities of overseas countries
How is English tested in the admission test by different categories of universities
7 What are the profile of students following professionalvocational exams-school medium attended (EnglishBangla)
Why are they doing this rather than university course
8 What are the emerging areas of growth for university education
How many students will be willing of pursuing studies in these areas in public private and foreign universities
38
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
How many students could be interested for UK universities
What are the trends of students studying for foreign qualifications by distance learning
9 Would the market accept vocational award which are tested through locally marked practical but moderated overseas
Would these have the same level of acceptance as qualifications tested through formal exams
10
How are following factors shaping the demand of education provided by top private UK and other foreign universities and professional bodies
accessibility availability variety of degrees price competitiveness quality lead time name or brand recognition Recognition of by prospective employers Getting immigration Others
11
What are the sectors where recognition and acceptance of UK education is weak but market opportunities are high and UK universities are capable to serve them
Why are recognition and acceptance weak
How should UK universities address them
What is the attractiveness of UKforeign education through local study or couching centers
What could be likely public policies shaping delivery of UKforeign university education through local study or couching centers
12 What are the areas of opportunities where UK education and service providers
could be competitive
13
At what level awareness and acceptance are affecting the UK education in Bangladesh
What are the main sources of knowledge to know about UK education
14
What are the key reasons for the variable levels of awareness and recognition of UK education in different subject areas
15
What are the opportunities and constraints faced by the private sector education to grow in Bangladesh
What are policy constraints to improve capacity quality and diversity of degrees
What are quality levels of private education
Why are the areas the quality is suffering in private universities
How is public policy framework forcing private universities to improve quality of education
39
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
What is the role of competition among private universities to improve the quality of education
Is the revenue earned by private universities enough to improve quality education to a satisfactory level
Is their any development to deal with access to finance issue to make private education more affordable among top grade students
What is the acceptance level of qualifications provided by private universities among
Local private companies Multinationals Government organizations Foreign job markets Foreign universities Immigration authorities of USA UK Canada Australia etc
Why are the limitations of private universities to improve the quality of education
How much progress private universities are making to improve the quality of education
What are the strengths and weaknesses of graduates of top five private universities of Bangladesh
How is acceptance level of private university education changing in Bangladesh
How far is it becoming a substitute to foreign university education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
What are the impacts of the growth of the private sector and the continued policy of privatizing of state run assets by the government on UK education
16
What are the opportunities of addressing potential market failures (ie imbalance between supply and demand) in providing quality education in the private sector
How far the imbalance between supply and demand of quality education provided by private universities
How far private university management and governance committed to address quality issues of private university education How far universities can mobilize resources to address constraints to quality education
Is willingness to pay of the society for quality education good enough to finance the delivery of such education
How far the public policy can play conducive role to improve the quality
40
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