With the aim to emphasise the importance of research in the fast-paced digitalised world, the Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF) organised a talk titled “21st Century Research Process” on 4 December 2023 at UTAR Kampar Campus. The talk was conducted by a visiting scholar from Northwestern University (NWU), Philippines, Dr Eric Santos Parilla.

The talk also hoped to encourage more students and academic staff to actively engage in research activities, when Dr Eric explained the IMRAD format, which is a scientific research report writing style that is widely used by international refereed research journals. Participants learnt that the IMRAD format is much more concise in content and generally shorter in terms of the number of words or pages, as compared to the traditional thesis format.

He also guided participants to identify their research topics through a series of questions, such as ‘What do I know about the subject?, What should I know about the problem? and What do previous studies say about my chosen topic?’. He also advised participants to consider these bases when selecting a research topic, namely the research agenda of the institution, disciplines, professional associations, personal interests, and social values.

He emphasised, “The fundamental aim of a research title is to capture the attention of the readers and emphasise the research problem under investigation. The three important factors in research title formulation are key variables of the study, nature of the study, and research locale.”

Dr Eric then gave an example of a research outline and demonstrated the framework of the whole research, which included the Introduction, Research Framework and Hypothesis, Research Hypotheses, and Research Framework. He also shared some tips for writing the literature review and advised participants to use journals and textbooks for definition, and observe proper citation.

Apart from enlightening participants in his talk, the visit by Dr Eric also provided a meeting opportunity, led by FBF Dean Assoc Prof Dr Au Yong Hui Nee, that facilitated discussions on possible research collaborations on joint research projects and scholarly activities such as workshops and seminars. They also further discussed on entrepreneurship and supply chain management among faculty members. In addition to giving a guest lecture, he also provided guidance and mentorship to graduate students pursuing their research endeavours.

With interest towards community service/development, and social entrepreneurship projects, a meeting between Dr Eric and the Department of Soft Skills Competency (Kampar) DSSC was also held. In the discussion, Dr Eric was enlightened about USSDC and CARE programmes and their activities, as well as the examples of community projects that were conducted in the new villages, perkampungan Melayu, Orang Asli villages, and Indian settlements in the past. He also further understood the course MPU34012 Social Entrepreneurship Project, as DSSC explained some information on how students completed their assignments, the types of assignments they were assigned, and previous assignment projects. Dr Eric gained more insights into community projects when he joined DSSC for a mural painting community service at SJKC Bukit Pagar, and had the opportunity to meet with the school headmaster.

In a more leisurely setting, cultural exploration activities were prepared to give Dr Eric a glimpse into Malaysia’s rich culture, traditions, and heritage. His visit started from 21 November to 9 December 2023. He expressed that the diversity of the local community, coupled with the rich natural beauty of the region, presented an enriching environment for personal and professional growth. He was also eager to learn from the unique perspectives and experiences of our students and staff, which he believed have broadened his understanding of global business dynamics.

Dr Eric is the vice-president for Research, Community and Social Development at Northwestern University. He holds a doctoral degree in Business Management and has a proven track record of teaching, research, and academic leadership. Over the years, he had the privilege of teaching a wide range of courses in various domains of business, including research, operations, marketing, finance, strategy, and entrepreneurship. His research interests revolve around social entrepreneurship, business research, education and consumer behaviour and market trends in emerging economies, which align closely with the global market landscape and the challenges faced by businesses today.