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Stages of the research process

Business Research Methods (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

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Stages of the research Process

Stage 1 Clarifying the research question

Every research starts with an actual problem within an organization for example. In order to
start a research properly, this dilemma needs to be identified. ‘Out of this dilemma a clear
research question must be formulated. Then try to develop other questions by progressively
breaking down the original question into more specific ones’ (Cooper & Schindler, 2014:77).
The answers of these more specific questions will each help to answer the research
question.

Stage 2 Proposing Research

The first step of this stage is budgeting. It is important to budget the research to limit the
costs of this research. ‘A guide might be that (1) project planning; (2) data gathering; and (3)
analysis, interpretation, and reporting each shares about equally in the budget’ (Cooper &
Schindler, 2014:80). Each of these budgets need to get equal attention before starting the
research process.

After the budgets are formed, the research must be valuated. ‘There is a great deal of
interplay between budgeting and value assessment in any management decision to conduct
research’ (Cooper & Schindler, 2014:81). The results of the research must be in line with the
costs that an organization will make in order to perform the research. The different methods
of evaluation are ex-post facto evaluation, prior/interim evaluation, option analysis and
decision theory (Cooper & Schindler, 2014:81).

When the preliminary steps are formed, the research proposal can be made. ‘The written
proposal ensures that the parties concur on the project’s purpose, the proposed methods of
investigation, the extent of analysis, and the timing of each phase as well as of delivery of
results’. (Cooper & Schindler, 2014:82). So this proposal is basically a sort op contract with
basic rules. In some cases an oral proposal is also sufficient. This may be the case, when
the research will be executed internally for instance.

Stage 3 Designing the research project

The research design is basically the shaping of the research. What information do you want
to gather? How will the information be gathered? (survey or experiment for example). How
will the information be administered? All these methods and operational decisions shape
your research design. ‘By creating a design using diverse methodologies, researchers are
able to achieve greater insight than if they followed the most frequently used method or the
method receiving the most media attention’ (Cooper & Schindler, 2014:83).

‘Another step in planning the research project is to identify the target population’ (Cooper &
Schindler, 2014:84). This population are the people, events or records that the research is
about. The sample is a part of this population. The sample represents the target population.
For instance, the target population is all the people from The Netherlands and the sample
are a selective group op dutch people. ‘A sample examines a portion of the target
population, and the portion must be carefully selected to represent that population’ (Cooper
& Schindler, 2014:84).

Stage 4 Data collection and preparation

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This is the actual execution of the data collection method, chosen in stage 3. ‘The method
selected will largely determine how the data are collected’ (Cooper and Schindler, 2014:85).

Stage 5 Data analysis and interpretation

‘Data analysis usually involves reducing accumulated data to a manageable size, developing
summaries, looking for patterns, and applying statistical techniques. This is important
because the output will produce an unworkable amount of raw data’ (Cooper & Schindler,
2014:86). The researcher needs the interpret these results. What do these results mean? He
needs to translate the data towards the answers of the research questions.

Stage 6 Reporting the Results

The last step is informing the results to the manager of the project. The researcher prepares
a report (adjusted to the style of the organization) with all the findings and recommendations
of the research (Cooper & Schindler, 2014:86). It is the manager’s job to make a decision
based on the findings of the research.

The six stages are exhibited in exhibit 1.

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Exhibit 1 che six stages of the research process

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