ACC802: Applied Research

Prof Dr Normah Omar

normah645@salam.uitm.edu.my

dr.normah@accountant.com

0193371583/0122167882

603 5544 4924 (office)

Class ScheduleMeeting Item/Topic Deliverables

1

16/01/10

Introduction & Overview

2

30/01/10

Presentation 1: Introduction & background, problem statement, research objective, research questions, chapter organization

Slides + 3-5 page softcopy of draft write up

3

13/02/10

Presentation 2: Background of organization, definitions of variables, best or current practices, conceptual framework

Slides + 8-10 page softcopy of related write ups

4

27/02/10

Presentation 3: Methodology , research design and instrumentation

Slides + 8-10 page softcopy of related write ups

5

27/03/10

Presentation 4: Findings, Proposed report writing & managerial implications

Slides + 5-8page softcopy of related write ups

24/04/09 Submission of edited dissertation 60-page write ups; spiral-bound & CD

Evaluation

• 20% presentation and short write ups

• 80% final dissertation

• Final grade assigned upon receipt of camera-ready dissertation

Two types of Business Research:

• Basic or pure research

• Applied research

Basic or pure research

• Attempts to expand the limits/boundaries of knowledge

• Conducted to verify the acceptability of a given theory

• Not directly involved in the solution to a pragmatic problem

• Findings cannot be immediately implemented

Examples of Basic Research

• Is executive success correlated with high need for achievement?

• Are members of highly cohesive work groups more satisfied than members of less cohesive work groups?

Applied Research

• Conducted when a decision must be made about a specific real-life problem

• Research undertaken to answer questions about specific problems or to make decision about a particular course of action or policy

What is applied research?

Could cover any of the following:

• Research designed for the purpose of producing results that may be applied to real world situations.

• Any research which is used to answer a specific question, determine why something failed or succeeded, solve a specific, pragmatic problem, or to gain better understanding.

What is applied research?

• Research which studies the relationship and/or applicability of theories or principles to the solution of a problem

• The kind of research usually performed by consultants or HR professionals. Typically motivated by the need to solve a specific problem in a particular organization

What is applied research?

• Systematic procedures to answer pressing questions

• applied research means the implementation of the results of industrial research for the creation of commercial applications. Applied Research is done to solve specific, practical questions related to product development up to the first prototype.

Applied Research Examples:

• An organization contemplating a paperless office and a networking system for the company’s computers may conduct research to learn the amount of time its employees spend at personal computers in an average week

Applied Research Examples

• Should McDonalds add Italian pasta dinners to its menu?

• Applied research told McDonalds it should not

The Research Basics are the same:

• Start by identifying research problem• List down possible related questions to ask• What is your research objective?• What is your contribution? Can you solve

the problem• How can you collect information that would

facilitate you achieving research objectives?• Scale and measurement• Your timeline

The Research Basics are the same:

• Who are your target respondents?

• How are you to analyse your data?

• Think of possible Tables and Charts that you can use to present your findings

• You still need to provide a discussion as to why people behave the way they do?

• Think of possible managerial implications

• Can the objectives be achieved?

The Research Basics are the same:

• What is your conclusions?

• What would you recommend?

• Based on your own experience, what and how would you recommend others to conduct similar research as this one?

• Provide some references (10-15 references)

Start by examining your own organisation

• Government organisation?

• Private organisation?

• Non-profit organisation?

• NGO?, Cooperatives?

• Big organisation?

• Small organisation?

Then ask some basic questions:

• Can you get access to the organisation data?

• Can you get cooperation from the organisation?

• Can you do this project within 1 semester?• Would there be any legal or management

implication?• Is there any non-disclosure issue?• Do you need to embargo the dissertation

Scientific Method

• The procedures and techniques employed by basic and applied researchers do not differ substantially

• Both employ the “scientific method” to answer questions at hand

Scientific Method

• The scientific method refers to techniques and procedures that help the researcher to know and understand business phenomena

Scientific Method

• Scientific method is a systematic analysis and interpretation of empirical evidence (facts from observation or experimentation) to confirm or disprove prior conceptions

Discuss Possible Applied Research Topics

• Forensic accounting

• Risk management

• Financial criminology

• Financial integrity

• Tax audit

• Corporate governance

• Financial reporting

Discuss Possible Applied Research Topics

• Financial fraud investigation competency

• Whistle blowing

• Fraud prevention

• CPD training programs for enforcement officers

• Fraud surveillance

Timeline

July August September October

Act

iviti

es

• Propose topic

• Identify problems

• Identify variables

• Data accessibility

• Instrumentation

• Data collection

• Follow ups

• Transcription

• Data Entry

• Data Mining

• Proposed Tables and Charts

Write up 1which will

form chapters1 & 2

Write up 2which will

form chapters2 & 3

• Data analysis

(descriptive)

• Gauge findings

with objectives

• Make sure Tables & Charts are used to support discussions

• Discussions

• Managerial implications

Write up 3which will

form chapters4 & some 5

• Develop conclusions

• Make recommendations

• Propose future research

• At least 15 references

• Content editing

• English editing

• Submission of dissertation to supervisor

Write up 4which will

form chapter5

FO

CU

S F

OC

US