BAEB601: REESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER 1:

Introduction To Research Methodology

© 2010 Cosmopoint

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This chapter aims to:

1.Define the importance of research as a management decision-making tool;2.Define research3.Differentiate between basic and applied research;4.Define meaning of theory5.Discuss the term concept, proposition, variables and hypothesis;6.Classify research as exploratory research, descriptive research and causal research.7.List the stages in the business research process

Chapter Aims

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Definition of Research.

• Research is defined as the systematic and objective process of generating information for aid in decisions. This research information should be:– Scientific into specific problem– Objective– Systematic– Organized

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Type of research

• There are 2 types of research;– Basic or pure research attempts to expand the

limits of knowledge

– Applied research is conducted when decision must be made about a specific real-life problem

– Both research employ the scientific method, the analysis and interpretation of empirical evidence (facts from observation or experimentation), to confirm or disprove prior conceptions.

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What are The Goals of Theory?

• Prediction and understanding are the two purposes of theory.

• Accomplishing the first goal allows the theorist to predict the behavior or characteristics of one phenomenon from the knowledge of another phenomenon’s characteristics.

• The ability to anticipate future condition in the environment or in an organization may be extremely valuable, yet prediction alone may not satisfy the scientific researcher’s goals.

• Understanding is desired.

• Prediction and understanding go hand in hand but to predict phenomena, we must explain why variables behave as they do.

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The Meaning of Theory?

• Theory is a coherent set of general propositions, used as principles of explanation of the apparent relationships of certain observed phenomena.

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What is Concept?

• A CONCEPT (or construct) is a generalized idea about a class of objects, occurrences or purposes.

• Concept abstract reality. Concepts are expressed in words that refer to various events or objects.

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What is hypothesis?

• A hypothesis is a proposition that is empirically testable.

• A tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation and/or experimentation; An assumption taken to be true for the purpose of argument or investigation; The antecedent of a conditional statement

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Steps in doing research

• There are components that you must have in writing your research:– Introduction chapter– Literature Review chapter– Research Methodology (Research Framework)

chapter– Finding and Analysis chapter (data collection, SPSS)– Recommendation and Conclusion chapter

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Chapter 1 Introduction of Research

• Overview of your topic• Problem Statement

– Identify the scenario, issues that lead to the formulation of the problem statement.

• Research objectives• Research questions• Scope of the study• Significance of the study• Limitations

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Overview of your Topic

• Understand well what you want to do.• Why do you want to do this research?• Identify the variables that you want to measures

or to study. • Variables can be 2 component: DEPENDENT

and INDEPENDENT variables.– E.g. “The study of Consumer Behavior on

PETRONAS brand in Malaysia”– What is the variables involve? E.g. The

independent variables are Brand Loyalty, Brand Trust, Brand Reliability. The dependent variable is Brand Equity.

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Problem Statement Definition

• A problem statement is a clear concise description of the issues that need to be addressed by a problem solving team and should be presented to them (or created by them) before they try to solve the problem. When bringing together a team to achieve a particular purpose provide them with a problem statement.

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Problem Statement

• A good problem statement should answer these questions:

• What is the problem? This should explain why the team is needed.

• Who has the problem or who is the client/customer? This should explain who needs the solution and who will decide the problem has been solved.

• What form can the resolution be? What is the scope and limitations (in time, money, resources, technologies) that can be used to solve the problem?

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Scope of Study

• You have to state the scope of your study. • What you can do in your research.• What do you want to focus on. Only one big

issue that you want to study (narrow down).• Good research must have relationship of

dependent and independent variables. The dependent must be one. Independent is various.

• Your sample size population to measure based on your study.– E.g. The Study of Consumer Behavior for

PETRONAS brand in Klang Valley.• Demographic of your research sample size.

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Significant of the Study

• Answer this kind of question in your report:– Why do you think that this study is important?– What motivate you to do this study/research?– Do you think it is a relevant study?– How do you think that this study can

contribute to society or academic?– Did your study is relating or supporting by

previous researcher?

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Limitation

• Your research must be narrowed down.• You have understand well about what you are going to

do.• List down the research questions that relate to your

problem statement created.• State the research objectives that answer your research

questions created.• Discuss the limitation of your project. E.g. what is your

study focus on. What are those things that is not measured/ covered in your study. – Example Study about Computer networking in a small intra

network. Your scope of study is only about the networking, and does not touch anything about the database or software. So you tell everything about the networking. Because it’s your focus.

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Discussion

Group discussion: In your own understanding, discuss what is research, provide with your own example. Hint: Pick any of research topic, identify the problem statement.