Q:1

In general, business research refers to any type of researching done

when starting or running any kind of business. For example, starting any
type of business requires research into the target customer and the
competition to create a business plan. Conducting business market
research in existing businesses is helpful in keeping in touch with
consumer demand. Research for small businesses begins with
researching an idea and a name and continues with research based on
customer demand and other businesses offering similar products or
services. All business research is done to learn information that could
make the company more successful.

Research is an often-misused term, its usage in everyday language

very different from the strict scientific meaning.
In the field of science, it is important to move away from the looser
meaning and use it only in its proper context. Scientific research adheres
to a set of strict protocols and long established structures.
The Guidelines. Science has developed these guidelines over many
years as the benchmark for measuring the validity of the results
obtained.Failure to follow the guidelines will prevent your findings from
being accepted and taken seriously. These protocols can vary slightly
between scientific disciplines, but all follow the same basic structure.
Steps of the Scientific Process

1) Setting a Goal
Research in all disciplines and subjects, not just science, must begin with
a clearly defined goal. This usually, but not always, takes the form of
a hypothesis.
For example, an anthropological study may not have a specific
hypothesis or principle, but does have a specific goal, in studying the
culture of a certain people and trying to understand and interpret their
behavior.
2) Interpretation of the Results
Research does require some interpretation and extrapolationof results.
In scientific research, there is always some kind of connection between
data (information gathered) and why the scientist think that the data looks
as it does. Often the researcher looks at the data gathered, and then
comes to a conclusion of why the data looks like it does.
A history paper, for example, which just reorganizes facts and makes no
commentary on the results, is not research but areview.
If you think of it this way, somebody writing a school textbook is not
performing research and is offering no new insights. They are merely
documenting pre-existing data into a new format.
3) Replication and Gradual Accumulation

For any study, there must be a clear procedure so that the experiment
can be replicated and the results verified.Planning
and designing the experimental method, is an important part of the project
and should revolve around answering specific predictions and questions.
This will allow an exact duplication and verification by independent
researchers, ensuring that the results are accepted as real. The gradual
experimentation upon these individual pieces will allow the larger
questions to be approached and answered, breaking down a large and
seemingly insurmountable problem, into manageable chunks.
4) Conclusion
The term, research, is much stricter in science than in everyday life.It
revolves around using the scientific method to generate hypotheses and
provide analyzable results. All scientific research has a goal and
ultimate aim, repeated and refined experimentation gradually reaching an
answer.
Q:3
The Improvement Service was set up in 2005 to help improve the
efficiency, quality and accountability of local public services in Scotland by
providing advice, consultancy and programme support to councils and
their partners. Our purpose is to help councils and their partners to
improve the health, quality of life and opportunities of all people in
Scotland through community leadership, strong local governance and the
delivery of high quality, efficient local services.

We do this by:

Encouraging councils and their partners to work together and

helping them reap the extra benefits that come good partnership
working (collaborative gain)

Identifying and sharing best practice from the public, private and
voluntary sectors in the UK and internationally

Providing learning and development opportunities to elected

members, senior management and officers

Promoting the use of knowledge management within local

authorities to support knowledge sharing, learning and business
redesign
Our work covers the following areas:

Single outcome agreements

Performance management

Collaborative gain

Elected members development

Leadership and management development

Knowledge management

Shared Services

Customer First
Information on all our programmes is in our Core Programmessection.
The Improvement Service is a partnership between the Convention of
Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Society of Local Authority
Chief Executives (SOLACE). It is a Company limited by guarantee
Q3
RESEARCH DESIGN:
A research design is a set of logical procedures that (when followed)
enables one to obtain evidence to determine the degree to which a
theoretical hypothesis (or set of hypotheses) is/are correct.
The research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose to
integrate the different components of the study in a coherent and
logical way, thereby, ensuring you will effectively address
the researchproblem; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection,
measurement, and analysis of data.
A detailed outline of how an investigation will take place. A research
design will typically include how data is to be collected,

what instruments will be employed, how the instruments will be

used and the intended means for analyzing data collected.
In general, there are two main forms of research design:
exploratory research designand conclusive research design.
Conclusive research design is familiar known as
quantitative research approach, while exploratory is known as
qualitative research.

Exploratory Research Design

Exploratory research design is mainly aimed to explore or to
gain a new or deeper understanding about particular problem. It
is inappropriate to examine correlation between observed
variables, since the variables in exploratory research commonly
have not yet been defined. And, in exploratory researchers
usually use more flexible and using unstructured questions in
the measurement tools.
Conclusive Research Design
In contrast with exploratory research design,
conclusive research uses more formal and
structured questions to test the correlation between variables or
to test the truth from underpinning hypothesis. In
conclusive research design we will be required to use some
quantitative calculations.
. Causal Research
It is used to prove that there is a relationship between observed
variables. Commonly, there are two purposes of causal

research. First, it helps researcher to figure out the nature of

that relationship which factor becomes the cause and the
effect. Second, researcher can use this design to observe
respondents even they who have never experienced the
phenomena being researched by conducting an experiment. For
more understanding you can read illustration below.
Descriptive Research
Descriptive research is a type of research design which main
purpose is to describe phenomena. Basic assumption in
this research design is the researchers have already figured out
the problem, they are able to define the observed variables, and
they can classify the population being measured. A researcher
cannot describe Iphone based on the answers gained from a
survey on respondents who have never known the Iphone.
a.Cross-sectional research
It is a descriptive research design where data is taken only once
in a given time. Data can be taken from a group of respondents
(single cross-sectional design), and can also be taken from
several different groups of respondent (multiple cross-sectional
design).
b.Longitudinal research
In this design, data are captured during a certain time interval
from the same group of respondents. This research aims to see
whether there are changes in the behavior of the respondents
for a period of time. For example, researchers want to know
howconsumer of an airline will behave during the holiday season.
The major limitation of longitudinal research is it is difficult to
maintain the level of data consistency along the time interval
because some factors may affect the respondents such as
death, respondents were out of the deal, and the limited ability
of the company to provide research facilities for long periods of
time.
Q:5
The Procedures for Data Collection and Reporting provide
guidelines for the collection, processing, analysis, and reporting

of educational statistics in the Virginia Department of Education.

These procedures follow the principles set forth in the Standards
for Education Data Collection and Reporting (SEDCAR)
developed by the Cooperative Education Data Collection and
Reporting (CEDCAR) Standards Project Task Force under
contract to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S.
Department of Education.

Procedures for Data Collection and Reporting

1. Management of Data Collection and Reporting
1.1 Before initiating a new data collection, determine whether
data already available in the Department of Education can be
used to meet the emerging information need. Refer to the
Calendar of Reports and the Departments web site for sources
of data or contact Data Administration.
1.2 The Data Administration function of Management
Information Systems will maintain documentation of reports,
collection instruments, data definitions, and records of available
data.

1.3 Route all data collections and surveys for new or changed
information through Data Administration for review.
Designing the Data Collection Instrument
2.1 Provide clear and detailed instructions for completing the
data collection
instrument. Provide definitions and clarifying information for
individual items and terms.
2.2 Formulate questions that address the information needs. Do
not request information that is not needed.
2.3 When feasible, preprint information on the collection
instrument that is available in the Department of Education (i.e.,
school division name and code, school name and code, etc.).
3. Data Collection
3.1 Where feasible, provide multiple options for respondents to
submit data, which may include electronic submission. Make the
instrument downloadable from the Department of Educations
web site whenever possible.
3.2 Identify any special knowledge, experience, certification, or
training required for data collections. Reflect the complexity of
the project when selecting and designing training. Address
cultural, ethnic, and other population characteristics that may
affect the data collection when designing training sessions.
4. Data Preparation and Processing
4.1 Develop strategies to maximize the rate of return, e.g.,
telephone call, fax, or e-mail. Make an effort to get a 100
percent return rate, or decide what is an acceptable return rate
for the purpose of your analysis.
4.2 Develop and implement recordkeeping plans, including
maintaining a log noting return of forms or electronic media. If
multiple documents are submitted, provide a checklist for each
of the items to be submitted.
4.3 Implement procedures for notifying respondents when their
data are received.

5. Reporting and Dissemination of Data

5.1 Ensure that adequate resources are available for preparing
and disseminating the report.
5.2 Ensure that realistic timeframes are set for producing the
report.
5.3 Identify the appropriate media for presenting findings.