Chapter One: Research Methods: An introduction

1.1. Meanings of research

 Research is the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information

 It comprises:
 defining and redefining problems;

 formulating hypothesis;

 collecting, organizing and evaluating data;

 making conclusions; and

 carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the

formulating hypothesis.
 What is Business Research?
 Business Research is defined as the systematic and objective
process of gathering, recording and analyzing data for aid in making
business decisions

1.2 Types of research

The main different types of research can be classified according to:
A) The purpose of the research- the reason why are you conducting it

Based on the purpose, research is classified in to:

1) Exploratory 2) descriptive 3) Explanatory 4) Predictive

1) Exploratory research: Exploratory research is a type of research

done when the problem has not been clearly defined.
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2) Descriptive research: Descriptive research is a research which

describes phenomena as they exist.

 It is used to identify and obtain information on the characteristics of a

particular problem or issue.

• For example, descriptive research may answer such questions as:

• What is the absentee rate in office or manufacturing department?

• What is the turnover rate of X company?

• What are the qualifications of different groups of employees?

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(3) Analytical or explanatory research

 Analytical research aims to understand phenomena by discovering

and measuring causal relations among them

 The desire to know "why," to explain, is the purpose of explanatory

research.

 Explanatory research looks for causes and reasons.

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4) Predictive research: it aims to generalize from the analysis by

predicting certain phenomena on the basis of hypothesized, general
relationships.

Some examples of predictive research are:

 In which city would it be most profitable to open a new retail outlet?

 Will the introduction of an employee bonus scheme lead to higher

levels of productivity?

 How would an increase in interest rates affect our profit margins?

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B) Based on the Outcome of the research, research is classified in to:

1) Applied Research 2) Basic Or Fundamental research

 Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate

problem facing a society or an industrial/business organization

 The central aim of applied research is to discover a solution for some

pressing practical problem
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2) Basic or fundamental research

 Basic research is being conducted primarily to improve our

understanding of general issues

 It is not emphasized on immediate application

 Example: Does personal characteristics influence people’s career

choices.

 The principal aim of basic research is to make a contribution to

knowledge
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C) Based on the process of research, research is classified in to:
1) Quantitative 2) qualitative Research
1) Quantitative: Quantitative research is based on the measurement
of quantity

2) Qualitative Research: Qualitative research is concerned with

qualitative phenomenon, i.e., phenomena relating to or involving
quality or kind.

 Qualitative research is more subjective in nature and involves

examining and reflecting on perceptions
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 Based on the logic of the research, research is classified in to:
1) Deductive 2) Inductive research:
1) Deductive: it is a study in which a conceptual and theoretical
structure is developed and then tested by empirical observation

 Particular instances are deducted from general inferences

 For this reason, the deductive method is referred to as moving from

the general to the particular.

 For example, you may have read about theories of motivation and
wish to test them in your own workplace
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(2) Inductive research: it is a study in which theory is developed
from the observation of empirical reality

 General inferences are induced from particular instances

 It is referred to as moving from the specific to the general.

 For example, you may have observed from factory records in your
company that production levels go down after two hours of the shift
and you conclude that production levels vary with length of time
worked.
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Other types of researches

1) One-time research or longitudinal research

 From the point of view of time, we can think of research either as

one-time research or longitudinal research.

2) Field-setting research or laboratory research

 Research can be field-setting research or laboratory research

depending upon the environment in which it is to be carried out.
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1.3 Research process

Research Process: A business research can take many forms.

 The following order concerning various steps provides useful

procedural guidelines regarding the research process:

(1) Formulating the research problem;

(2) Extensive literature survey;
(3) Developing the hypothesis;
(4) The research design;
(5) Determining sample design;
(6) Collection of data;
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(7) Data processing and Analysis

Data processing: (Editing, coding, tabulation):

8) Hypothesis testing;

(9) Generalizations and interpretation, and

(10) Preparation of the report or presentation of the results

 1.4 Research Methods versus methodology

• Research methods refer to all those methods/techniques that are used for
conducting of research.

• They refer to the methods the researchers use in performing research

operations.

• All those methods which are used by the researcher during the course of
studying his research problem

• Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem.

• It is studying how research is done scientifically.

• It includes the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in

studying her research problem along with the logic behind them
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 In general the research methodology includes the follwings:
 how to develop certain tests

 how to calculate the mean, the mode, the median or the standard
deviation etc

 how to apply particular research techniques

 Which of these methods or techniques, are relevant and which are

not, and what would they mean and indicate and why.

 Criteria researcher uses to decide which techniques and procedures

will be applicable to certain problems.