RESEARCH METHODOLOGY WORKSHOP (Research Paper Sample)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY WORKSHOP. Student’s Name Course Code Professor’s Name Institution Date Introduction. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been the alternative taken by nations aiming at using their export powers as a tool to attract foreign investors and advancement in technology to the industrial sector. SEZs in return offer land, raw materials, and labor within a limited geographic area. One of the benefits of SEZs is that the policies of the host country do not apply to foreign investors thus have healthy business environments necessary for success (Naeem et al., 2020, 2). SEZs are not only beneficial to foreign investors but also the host country due to foreign direct investment (FDI), the creation of employment opportunities, and an increase in trading activities. Many people have the perception that SPZs promote industrial and economic growth in the countries within which they are successfully implemented. This paper will present a comparison of SEZs as applied in the People’s Republic of China and the Packaging Valley which is one of the popular industrial clusters in Italy. The People's Republic of China is one of the primary nations that has been reliant on special economic zones to integrate itself into the global economy necessary for economic development. The main objective for China in adopting SEZs was to attract foreign investors and advanced technology, utilization of important resources, creation of employment opportunities, and improve the formation of capital. The packaging valley in Italy carries about twenty percent of the world's producers of packaging machines. The valley accounts for a greater share of Italy's exports thus acts as a boost for the nation's economic development. Industries located in the packaging valley have had a reliance on internal workshops for machining parts rather than on external players. A common characteristic between SEZs and the packaging valley is that both promote the economic development of respective nations. Secondary Research. The introduction of special economic zones in the People's Republic of China caused a transition of the nation from a centrally planned scheme to a collective market economy. At first, China came up with five economic zones and the main reason for selecting the geographical areas was that they were separate from the political powers held in Beijing thus could receive minimal interference. Even though SEZs were aimed at enhancing economic growth for China it has contributed to the development of gaps between coastal and inland regions. SEZs are more concentrated in the coastal regions which contribute to the gaps experienced (Crane et al., 2017, 1). The Chinese government has come up with various policies to address the disparities but is yet to be effective. Therefore the coastal regions are more economically developed compared to others. Packaging valley is one of the most successful clusters in Italy located in Bologna with the highest concentration of industries specialized in the production of packaging machines. The industrial cluster accounts for more than eighty-five percent of the nation's exports making it rank to be the second exporting nation. High demand for packaging machines is one of the factors behind the growth of the cluster with the industries aiming to fulfill various customer needs. Another factor that led to the growth of the packaging valley is the ease of availability of technical expertise to carry out various duties in the industries (Boari, 2001, 6). Many of the firms operating in the packaging valley relied on integrating parts and operations developed by SMEs in the region for growth. Quantitative and Qualitative Indicators. One of the quantitative indicators to select the manufacturing clusters apt to benefit from the development of an EU SEZ in the way it was implemented in China is the contribution it has towards the economic development of their respective nations. A special economic zone had to be effective in enhancing the economy of its nation through exports and foreign direct investment. Another quantitative indicator towards the selection of the most appropriate manufacturing cluster is the availability of manual labor in the region of project initiation. For an economic zone to grow there must be the availability of labor to carry out various roles. Another quantitative indicator is the economic contribution towards individuals living close to such regions. SEZs do not only have to contribute to economic development but also have to enhance the standards of living of individuals living in the regions of the establishment. One of the primary qualitative indicators necessary to select manufacturing clusters apt to benefit from the development of an EU SEZ in a manner similar to it was implemented in China is whether it has a likelihood of contributing to industrialization. SEZs promote the opening up of new industries by foreign investors therefore a region selected for implementation must have adequate space for industrial expansion. Another qualitative indicator is policies associated with foreign investors. Many nations have policies that limit foreign investments due to high taxes and other regulations that lead to uneven competition between foreign and domestic investors. Another indicator necessary to select manufacturing clusters apt to benefit from the development of EU SEZ is the level of promotion of investment in individual nations. Rationale Explanation. The main reason behind the selection of economic development of respective nations as one of the quantitative indicators is that SEZs in China contribute to twenty-two percent of the nation's GDP, forty-five percent of FDIs, and also account for sixty percent of exports from the country (World Bank, n.d, 2). Also during the establishment of an economic zone, there has to be manual labor available to carry out various roles. In China, SEZs have contributed to the creation of thirty million jobs. Therefore the nation selected for implementation of the EU SEZ should have an influx of unemployed people to take up various employment opportunities. The rationale behind the selection of contributions towards the wellbeing of individuals living in the areas as a quantitative indicator is that SEZs in China has increased the income earned by farmers by thirty percent since they supply raw materials. The rationale behind the selection of whether SEZs are likely to contribute to industrialization is that many foreign investors aim at opening up industries to utilize available raw materials. Therefore it is necessary to ensure that the region selected for implementation of the EU SEZ has adequate space for industrial growth and expansion. The rationale behind the selection of policies associated with foreign investors as one of the qualitative indicators is that some nations have regulations that act as limits and barriers to foreign investment. One of the benefits of SEZs is that the policies of the host country do not apply for foreign investors thus have a healthy business environment necessary for success (Naeem et al., 2020, 2). The reason behind the selection of the level of promotion of investment as one of the qualitative indicators is that some nations might have regulations controlling investments thus can limit the effectiveness of SEZs. Research Design. The research question for this study is whether the EU should promote the development of industries through EU SEZs while following the strategy applied by China? Hypothesis. H1: European Union should follow the strategy applied by China in the implementation of SEZs to promote the growth of its industries through EU SEZs. H0: European Union should continue with its large-scale investment in Chinese manufacturing industries. To come up with findings to answer the research question it is advisable to apply the quantitative method to identify insights from various participants on whether the EU should follow the strategy applied by China's SEZs to promote industrial growth or not. To come up with accurate findings on the topic under study it would be necessary to carry out a survey on a selected number of participants to gain their insight. Results from the survey would then provide an indication of whether most of the participants support the EU promoting industrial growth in ...