Master of Business Administration- MBA Semester 3 MB00 50 Research Methodology - 4 Credits (Book ID: B1206) Assignment Set - 1 (60

0 Marks)
Note: Assignment Set -1 must be written within 6-8 pages. Answer all questions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Q1. a. Explain the types of research. b. What is the significance of research in social and business sciences? 5 +5 = 10 marks (200 - 250 words each) Ans. Types of research : According to the intent the research may be classified as : i. Pure Research : It is undertaken for the search of knowledge without any intention to apply it in practise, e.g., Einstein's theory of relativity. ii. Applied Research : It is carried on to find the solution to the real-life problem requiring an action or policy decision. It is thus problem oriented and action directed. iii. Exploratory Research : It is preliminary study of an unfamiliar problem about which the researcher has little or no knowledge. iv. Descriptive Research : It is the fact finding investigation with adequate investigation. It is the simplest types of research and is more specific than exploratory research. v. Diagnostic Research : It is similar to descriptive study but with a different focus. It is directed towards discovering what is happening, why it is happening and what can be done about. vi. Evaluation Research : It is the type of applied research made for accessing the effectiveness of the social or economical programmes implemented or for accessing the impact of developmental projects on the development of the project area. vii. Action Research: It is the type of concurrent evaluation study of an action programme launched for solving a problem for improving an existing situation. According to the method of study research may be classified as : Experimental Research : It aims at determining whether and in what manner variables are related to each other. Analytical Research : It is a system of procedures and techniques of analysis applied to quantitative data. Historical Research : It is the study of the past records and other information sources with the view to reconstructing the origin or development of an institution or a movement if the system and discovering the trends in the past. Survey : It is the fact finding study. This involves the collection of data directly from a population or sample thereof at particular time.

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Significance of research in social and business life : According to the famous Hudson Maxim, "All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better than overconfidence , for it leads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to invention". It brings out the significance of research, increased amount of which make progress possible. Research encourages scientific and inductive thinking, besides promoting the development of the logical habits of thinking and organisation.

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The role of research in applied economics in the context of an economy or business is greatly increased in modern times. Research assumes significant role in the formulation of the economic policy, for both the government and the business. It provides the basis for almost all the government policies of an economic system. Research also facilitates the decision making of the policy makers, although in itself it is not the part of the research. In this process research also helps in proper allocation of the country's scare resources. Research is also necessary for collecting information on the social and the economical structure of an economy to understand the process of change occurring in the country. Thus ,research as a tool of government economic policy formulation involves three distinct stages of operation which are as follows ; i. ii. iii. Investigation of economic structure through continual compilation of facts. Diagnoses of events that are taking place and the analysis of the forces underlying them. The prognosis . i.e., the prediction of the future developments.

Research also assumes the significant role in solving various operational and planning problems associated with business and industry.

Q2. What is meant by validity? How does it differ from reliability and what are its types? 10 marks (300 - 350 words) Ans. Validity : A measurement scale may be considered to be valid if it effectively measures a specific property or characteristics that it intends to measure. Validity may be classified into different types as shown below : i. Content validity : This types of validity may be of two types a. Face validity : Face validity is determined through a subjective evaluation of the measuring scale. The limitation of this types of validation is that it is determined by opinions , rather than through a statistical method. b. Sampling validity : Sampling validity refers to how representative the content of the measuring instrument is. ii. Predictive validity : This types of validity refers to the extent to which one behaviour can be predicated based on another, based on the association of the results yielded by the measuring instrument and the eventual income. iii. Construct validity : A construct is the conceptual equation that is developed by the researcher based on theoretical reasoning. Various kinds of relationship may be perceived by the researcher between a variable under study and other variables. Reliability : This refers to the ability of the measuring scale to provide consistent and accurate result. To give a simple example ,a weighing machine can be said to be reliable if the same reading is given every time the same object is weighed. There are two dimensions of reliability. i. Stability and equivalence : Stability refers to the consistency of result with repeated measurements of the same objects , as in the weighing machine example. ii. Non variability : Non variability refers to the consistency at the given point in time among different investigators and the samples of items. Reliability can be improved in three ways : By reducing the external sources of variation. Page 2

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By making the measurement instrument more consistent internally, through an analysis of different items. By adding more number of items to the measuring instruments , in order to increase the probability of ore accurate measurement.

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a. Why literature survey is important in research? b. What are the criteria of good research problem? 5 +5 = 10 marks (200 - 250 words each) Ans. Research really begins when the researcher experiences some difficulty. Frequently , an exploratory study is concerned with an area of subject matter in which explicit hypothesis have not yet been formulated. The researcher's task is to review the available materials with an eyes on the possibilities of developing an hypothesis from it. In some areas of the subject matter, hypothesis may have been stated by previous research workers . The researcher has to take stock of these various hypothesis with the view to evaluate their usefulness for further research and to consider whether they suggest any new hypothesis. Sociological journal ,economic reviews, the bulletin of abstracts of current social sciences research , directory of doctoral dissertation accepted by the universities etc afford a rich store of valuable clues. In addition to these general sources , some governmental agencies and voluntary organisations publish listing of summaries of research in their special filed of services .Professional organisations ,research groups and voluntary organisations are a constant sources of information about unpublished works in their special filed The criteria of good research problem are discussed below: Horton and Hunt have given following characteristics of scientific research: i. ii. Verifiable Evidence : This is the factual observations which other observers can see and check. Accuracy : That is describing what really exists. It means truth or correctness of a statement or describing things exactly as they are and avoiding jumping to unwanted conclusions either by exaggeration or fantasizing. Precision : That is making as exact as necessary, or giving exact number of measurement. This avoid colorful literature and vague meaning. Systematization : This is attempting to find all the relevant data, or collecting data in the systematic and organized ways so that the conclusion drawn are reliable . Objectivity : This is free being all biases and vested interest. Recording : this is jotting down complete details as quickly as possible. Since human memory is fallible , all data collected are recorded. Controlling conditions : This is controlling all variable s except one and then attempting to examine what happened when that variable is varied. Training investigators : This is imparting necessary knowledge to investigators to make them understand what to look for , how to interpret in and avoid inaccurate data collection. Explain the procedure for Testing Hypothesis. 10 marks (300 - 350 words) The procedure of testing hypothesis are given below: Making a formal statement : The step consist of making a formal statement of the null hypothesis(Ho) and also of the alternative hypothesis(Ha).The formulation of an hypothesis is Page 3

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an important steps which must be accomplished with due care in accordance with object and nature of the problem under consideration. Selecting a significant level : The hypothesis is tested on a pre-determined level of significance and such the same should be specified. Generally in practise, either 5% level or 1% level is adopted for the purpose. Deciding the distribution to use : After deciding the level of significance , the next step of hypothesis is to determine the appropriate sampling distribution. The choice generally remains between distribution and the t distribution. The rules for selecting the correct distribution are similar to those which we have stated either in the context of the estimation. Selecting a random sample & computing an appropriate value : Another step is to select the random sample(S) and compute an appropriate value from the sample data concerning the test statistic utilizing the relevant distribution. Calculation of the probability : One has than to calculate the the sample result would diverse as widely as is has from expectation ,if the null hypothesis were in fact true. Comparing the probability : Yet another step consist of calculating the probability with the specified value of , the significant level. If the calculated probability is less than the value as in case of one tailed test( /2 as in case of two tailed test) then reject the null hypothesis , but if the probability is greater than accept the null hypothesis. In case we reject H0 we run a risk of committing an error of type I, but if we accept H0 than we run some risk of committing error type II.

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a. Explain the components of a research design. b. Briefly explain the different types of research designs. 5 +5 = 10 marks (200 - 250 words each) Ans. Components of research diagram : The various components of research diagram are explained below: i. Dependent and independent variables : A magnitude that varies is known as variables. When changes in one variable depends on the change in one or more other variables , it is known as dependent or endogenous variables. The variable that causes the changes in the dependent variables are known as independent variables or explanatory variable or exogenous variables. ii. Extraneous variable : The independent variable which are not directly related to the purpose of the study but effect the dependent variable is known as extraneous variable iii. Control : One of the most important features of a good research design is to minimize the effect of extraneous variable. The term control is used in the experimental research to reflect the restrain in the experimental conditions. iv. Confounded relationship : The relationship between dependent and independent variable are known as confounded variables by an extraneous variable, when the dependent variable is not free from its effect. It is again subcategorised as a. Research hypothesis : When the prediction or the hypothesized relationship is tested by adopting scientific methods, it is known as research hypothesis. b. Experimental and control group : When a group is exposed to the usual condition in an experimental hypothesis testing then it is called the control group. When the group is exposed to certain new or special condition than it is known as experimental group. c. Treatments : Treatments are referred to the different conditions to which the experimental and the control group are subject to. d. Experiments : An experiment refers to the process of verifying the truth of the statistical hypothesis relating to the given research problem. e. Experiment unit : Experimental units refers to as the pre-determined plots, characteristics or the block to which different treatments are applied. Different types of research design : The various research design are discussed below: i. Research design in case of exploratory research studies :Exploratory research design are also termed as formulative research studies. Generally , the following three methods in the context of research design for such studies are talked about. a. The survey of concerning literature : happens to be the most simple and the fruitful method of formulating precisely the research problem or the developing hypothesis. b. Experience survey : means the survey of people who have had practical experience with the problem to be studied. c. Analyses of insight stimulating : examples are also fruitful method for suggesting hypothesis for result. ii. Research design in case of descriptive and diagnostic research studies : Descriptive research studies are those studies which are concern with describing the characteristic of a particular individual or of a group where as diagnostic research Susanto Paul Page 5

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studies determines the frequencies with which something occurs or its association with something else. Research design in case of hypothesis-testing research studies : Hypothesis-testing research studies are those where the researcher test the hypothesis of casual relationship between variables. Such studies requires procedures that will not only reduce bias and increase reliability , but will permit drawing inference about causality.

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a. What are the assumptions of Case Study Method? b. Explain the Sampling process. 5 +5 = 10 marks (200 - 250 words each) The assumptions of Case Study Method : are discussed below: Case study would depend upon wit ,commonsense and imagination of the person doing the case study. The investigator makes up his procedure as he goes along. I f the life history has been written in the first person, it must be as complete and coherent as possible. Life histories should have been written for knowledgeable person. It is advisable to supplement the case data by observational, statistical and historical data since these data provides standards for accessing the reliability and consistency of the case materials. Efforts should be made to ascertain the reliability of the life history data through examining the internal consistency of the materials . A judicious combination of techniques of data collection is the prerequisite for securing data that are culturally meaningful and scientifically significant.

Sampling Process : The decision process of sampling is the complicated one The researcher has to first identify the limiting factor and factors and must judiciously balance the conflicting factors. The various criteria governing the choice of sampling process are discussed below: i. Purpose of the survey : What does the researcher aims at? ii. Measurability : The application of statistical inference theory requires computation of the sampling error from the sample itself. Probability sample only allows such computation. Hence, where the research objective requires statistical inference , the sampling should be drawn by applying simple random sampling method or stratified random sampling methods depending on whether the population is homogenous or heterogeneous. iii. Degree of precision : Should the result of the survey be very precise ,or even though result could serve the purpose? iv. Information about population : How much information is available about the population to be studied? v. The nature of the population :In terms of the variables to be studied, is the nature homogenous or heterogeneous? vi. Geographical area of the study and size of the population : If area covered by the survey is very large and the size of the population is quite large, multistage cluster sampling would be appropriate .But if area and size of the population are very small, single stage probability sampling methods could be used.

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Financial resources : If the available finance is limited ,it may become necessary to choose a less costly sampling plan like multistage sampling or even quota sampling as a compromise. Time limitation : The time limit within which the research project should be completed restricts the choice of a sampling methods. Economy : It should be the another criterion for choosing the sampling method. It means achieving the desired level of precision at minimum cost.

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