Research Research MethodologyMethodology

ByBy

Dr Joy MukhopadhyayDr Joy Mukhopadhyay

Introduction to Business Introduction to Business Research Research

Research in Business Research in Business Thinking Like a Researcher Thinking Like a Researcher The Research Process: An The Research Process: An

Overview Overview Business Research Requests and Business Research Requests and

ProposalsProposals Ethics in Business ResearchEthics in Business Research

Objectives of ResearchObjectives of Research

To obtain familiarity of a To obtain familiarity of a phenomenonphenomenon

To determine the association or To determine the association or independence of an activityindependence of an activity

To determine the characteristics of To determine the characteristics of an individual or a group of activities an individual or a group of activities and the frequency of occurrence and the frequency of occurrence

Features of Good Features of Good Research StudyResearch Study

ObjectivityObjectivity ControlControl GeneralisabilityGeneralisability Free from personal BiasFree from personal Bias SystematicSystematic ReproducibleReproducible

Points to be Points to be ConsideredConsidered Purpose clearly detailedPurpose clearly detailed Research Design thoroughly plannedResearch Design thoroughly planned High ethical standards appliedHigh ethical standards applied Limitations frankly revealedLimitations frankly revealed A complete and proper analysisA complete and proper analysis Findings presented unambiguouslyFindings presented unambiguously Decision based conclusionsDecision based conclusions

Types of Research Types of Research StudiesStudies Fundamental or Basic ResearchFundamental or Basic Research Applied ResearchApplied Research Descriptive ResearchDescriptive Research Historical ResearchHistorical Research Formulative or Exploratory ResearchFormulative or Exploratory Research Experimental ResearchExperimental Research Ex-Post-Facto ResearchEx-Post-Facto Research Case Study ApproachCase Study Approach

Importance of Research Importance of Research in Management Decisionsin Management Decisions

The manager’s increased need for The manager’s increased need for more and better informationmore and better information

The availability of improved The availability of improved techniques and tools to meet this techniques and tools to meet this needneed

The resulting information The resulting information overloadoverload

Role of Research in Role of Research in Industry and BusinessIndustry and Business Marketing ResearchMarketing Research Government Policies and Government Policies and

Economic SystemsEconomic Systems Solving Various Operational and Solving Various Operational and

Planning ProblemsPlanning Problems Social RelationshipsSocial Relationships

Marketing ResearchMarketing Research

Product ResearchProduct Research Market CharacteristicsMarket Characteristics Size of MarketSize of Market Competitive Position and TrendCompetitive Position and Trend SalesSales DistributionDistribution Advertising and PromotionAdvertising and Promotion

Limitations of Limitations of ResearchResearch

Steps in Defining a Steps in Defining a Research ProblemResearch Problem Statement of the problem in a general Statement of the problem in a general

wayway Understanding the nature of the Understanding the nature of the

problemproblem Surveying the available literatureSurveying the available literature Developing the idea through Developing the idea through

discussionsdiscussions Rephrasing the research problem into a Rephrasing the research problem into a

working propositionworking proposition

Concept of HypothesisConcept of Hypothesis

A Hypothesis is a proposition – a A Hypothesis is a proposition – a tentative assumption which a tentative assumption which a researcher wants to test for its logical researcher wants to test for its logical or empirical consequences.or empirical consequences.

A hypothesis is generally concerned A hypothesis is generally concerned with the causes of a certain with the causes of a certain phenomenon or a relationship phenomenon or a relationship between two or more variables under between two or more variables under investigation.investigation.

Hypothesis TestingHypothesis Testing

Formulate a HypothesisFormulate a Hypothesis Set up a suitable significance Set up a suitable significance

levellevel Choose a test criterionChoose a test criterion Compute the statisticsCompute the statistics Make decision Make decision

Formulate a Formulate a HypothesisHypothesis

Setting up Significance Setting up Significance Level Level Type I ErrorType I Error Type II ErrorType II Error

Choose a Test Choose a Test CriterionCriterion Normal distribution: Z – test Normal distribution: Z – test T – test T – test F – testF – test Chi Square – testChi Square – test

Types of Research Types of Research DesignDesign Exploratory researchExploratory research Descriptive ResearchDescriptive Research Causal ResearchCausal Research

Exploratory researchExploratory research

Sample size is smallSample size is small Non-probability sampling designsNon-probability sampling designs Data requirements are vagueData requirements are vague Objective is general not specificObjective is general not specific No definite recommendations are No definite recommendations are

made as a result of the analysismade as a result of the analysis

Descriptive ResearchDescriptive Research

Describes phenomena under studyDescribes phenomena under study Sample size is large Sample size is large Probability sampling designsProbability sampling designs Data may relate to demographic / Data may relate to demographic /

behavioural variables of the behavioural variables of the respondentsrespondents

Objective is specificObjective is specific Recommendations are definiteRecommendations are definite

Causal ResearchCausal Research

Resign design is used to provide a Resign design is used to provide a stronger basis for the existence of stronger basis for the existence of causal relationship between the causal relationship between the variablesvariables

Natural ExperimentsNatural Experiments

Simple Time-Series experimentSimple Time-Series experiment Recurrent Time-Series DesignRecurrent Time-Series Design Before-After with Control Group Before-After with Control Group

DesignDesign

Formal ExperimentsFormal Experiments

Completely Randomised DesignCompletely Randomised Design Randomised Block DesignRandomised Block Design Latin Square DesignLatin Square Design Factoral DesignFactoral Design

Conducting Conducting ExperimentExperiment Select relevant variablesSelect relevant variables Specify levels of treatmentSpecify levels of treatment Control experimental designControl experimental design Choos experimental designChoos experimental design Select and assign subjectsSelect and assign subjects Pilot-test, revise and testPilot-test, revise and test Analyse dataAnalyse data

AdvantagesAdvantages

Uncover causal relationshipUncover causal relationship Provision for controlling variablesProvision for controlling variables

Methods and Techniques Methods and Techniques of Data Collectionof Data Collection

Methods and Techniques of Data Methods and Techniques of Data CollectionCollection

Sampling and Sampling Sampling and Sampling DistributionDistribution

Attitude Measurement and ScalesAttitude Measurement and Scales

Types of DataTypes of Data

Primary dataPrimary data Secondary dataSecondary data

DistinctionDistinction

DescriptionDescription PrimaryPrimary SecondarySecondary

SourceSource OriginalOriginal SecondarySecondary

MethodMethod ObservationObservation

QuestionnaiQuestionnairere

PublishedPublished

Statistical Statistical ProcessProcess

Not done Not done DoneDone

UseUse SpecificSpecific Decision-Decision-makingmaking

MethodMethod GivenGiven Not givenNot given

DistinctionDistinction

DescriptionDescription PrimaryPrimary SecondarySecondary

Description of Description of sample sample selectionselection

GivenGiven Not givenNot given

TimeTime LongLong Shorter Shorter

CostCost Expensive Expensive Cheaper Cheaper

EffortsEfforts More More LessLess

Accuracy Accuracy More More Less Less

Personnel Personnel TrainedTrained Less trainedLess trained

Different Types of Different Types of SamplingSampling RandomRandom PurposivePurposive StratifiedStratified

Sampling ProcessSampling Process

Define the populationDefine the population Identify the Sampling FrameIdentify the Sampling Frame Specify the Sampling UnitSpecify the Sampling Unit Specify the Sampling MethodSpecify the Sampling Method Determine the Sample SizeDetermine the Sample Size Specify the Sampling PlanSpecify the Sampling Plan Select the SampleSelect the Sample

Types of SamplingTypes of Sampling

Probability Sampling MethodProbability Sampling Method Non-probability Sampling MethodNon-probability Sampling Method

Probability Sampling Probability Sampling MethodMethod

Simple Random SamplingSimple Random Sampling Systematic SamplingSystematic Sampling Stratified SamplingStratified Sampling Cluster SamplingCluster Sampling

Non-probability Sampling Non-probability Sampling MethodMethod

Convenience samplingConvenience sampling Judgement samplingJudgement sampling Quota SamplingQuota Sampling

Convenience samplingConvenience sampling

Judgement samplingJudgement sampling

Quota SamplingQuota Sampling

Good Sample DesignGood Sample Design

Goal OrientationGoal Orientation MeasurabilityMeasurability UsabilityUsability Cost FactorCost Factor

AttitudeAttitude

Attitude SurveyAttitude Survey

To compare results with other To compare results with other survey resultssurvey results

To measure the effect of change To measure the effect of change that occursthat occurs

To determine the nature and To determine the nature and extent of employee feelings extent of employee feelings regarding specific organisational regarding specific organisational issues and the organisation in issues and the organisation in generalgeneral

Data Presentation and Data Presentation and AnalysisAnalysis

Data Presentation and Preliminary Data Presentation and Preliminary AnalysisAnalysis

Statistical Analysis and Statistical Analysis and Interpretation of Data: Non-Interpretation of Data: Non-Parametric TestsParametric Tests

Multivariate Analysis of DataMultivariate Analysis of Data Model Building and Decision Model Building and Decision

MakingMaking

Report Writing and Report Writing and PresentationPresentation

Writing and Formatting of ReportsWriting and Formatting of Reports Additional Statistics in ResearchAdditional Statistics in Research Statistical Tests in Management Statistical Tests in Management

ResearchResearch