Research Methodology

Although any topology of research is inevitability arbitrary, research may be classified crudely according to its
major intent of the methods. According to the intent, research may be classified as:

1. Pure research

2. Applied research

3. Exploratory research

4. Descriptive research

5. Diagnostic study

6. Evaluation study

7. Action research

1. Pure Research
Research carried out for the purpose of better understanding fundamental concepts within a scientific field,
rather than in search of a particular commercial goal. Pure research generally does not produce marketable
results,

but

may

be

used

for

later

research

into

more

specific

and profitable applications.

Also called fundamental research. It is Basic and original. It can also lead to the discovery of a new theory. It can
result in the development or refinement of a theory that already exists. Pure research helps in getting
knowledge without thinking formally of implementing it in practice based on the honesty, love and integrity of
the researcher for discovering the truth.

2. Applied Research
Applied research is a form of systematic inquiry involving the practical application of science. It
accesses and uses some part of the research communities' (the academia's) accumulated theories,
knowledge, methods, and techniques, for a specific, often state-, business-, or client-driven purpose.
Applied research is contrasted with pure research (basic research) in discussion about research ideals,
methodologies, programs, and projects.
Applied research deals with solving practical problems and generally employs empirical methodologies.
Because applied research resides in the messy real world, strict research protocols may need to be
relaxed. For example, it may be impossible to use a random sample. Thus, transparency in the
methodology is crucial. Implications for interpretation of results brought about by relaxing an
otherwise strict canon of methodology should also be considered.[citation needed] Since Applied
Research has a provisional close to the problem and close to the data orientation it may also use a
more provisional conceptual framework such as working hypothesis or pillar questions

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The OECD's Frascati Manual describes Applied Research as one of the three forms of research, along
with Basic research & Experimental Development.
Due to its practical focus, applied research information will be found in the literature associated with
individual disciplines.
The military is an organization that performs a lot of applied research. For example, they may want to
know about the efficacy of soldier training, how well recruitment practices work, how best to deal with
host nationals in times of war, how to use the internet to reduce home grown terrorists, and the
effectiveness of operational styles.

3. Exploratory Research
Exploratory research, as the name states, intends merely to explore the research questions and does
not intend to offer final and conclusive solutions to existing problems. Conducted in order to determine
the nature of the problem, exploratory research is not intended to provide conclusive evidence, but
helps us to have a better understanding of the problem. When conducting exploratory research, the
researcher ought to be willing to change his/her direction as a result of revelation of new data and new
insights.
Exploratory research design does not aim to provide the final and conclusive answers to the research
questions, but merely explores the research topic with varying levels of depth. Exploratory research
tends to tackle new problems on which little or no previous research has been done. Moreover, it has
to be noted that exploratory research is the initial research, which forms the basis of more conclusive
research. It can even help in determining the research design, sampling methodology and data
collection method.
Difference between exploratory and conclusive research is that in exploratory research will result in a
range of causes and alternative options for a solution of a specific problem, whereas, conclusive
research will identify the final information that is the only solution to an existing research problem.
On other words, the difference between exploratory and conclusive research designs is that
exploratory research design simply explores the research questions, living room for further researches,
whereas conclusive research design is aimed to provide final findings for the research.
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4. Descriptive Research
Descriptive research is conclusive in nature, as opposed to exploratory. This means that descriptive
research gathers quantifiable information that can be used for statistical inference on your target
audience through data analysis. As a consequence this type of research takes the form of closed-ended
questions, which limits its ability to provide unique insights. However, used properly it can help an
organization better define and measure the significance of something about a group of respondents
and the population they represent.
When it comes to online surveying, descriptive is by far the most commonly used form of research.
Most often, organizations will use it as a method to reveal and measure the strength of a target groups
opinion, attitude, or behaviour with regards to a given subject. But another common use of descriptive
research would be the surveying of demographical traits in a certain group (age, income, marital status,
gender, etc.). This information could then be studied at face value, measuring trends over time, or for
more advanced data analysis like drawing correlations, segmentation, benchmarking and other
statistical techniques.
5. Diagnostic study
A diagnostic study may be also be concerned with discovering and testing whether certain variables are
associated, e.g., are persons hailing from rural areas more suitable for manning the rural branches of
banks ? Do more villages than city-voters vote for particular party. The researcher must be able to
define clearly, what he wants to measure and must find adequate methods for measuring it along with
a clear cut definition of

Population

he wants to study.

6. Evaluation study
Evaluation studies examine the techniques and process of program evaluation and policy research
in addition to studying the social and political context within which evaluation occurs. Students gain
both qualitative and quantitative methods expertise and practical experiences in the conduct of
program evaluation and policy studies.

7. Action research
A succinct definition of action research appears in the workshop materials we use at the Institute for
the Study of Inquiry in Education. That definition states that action research is a disciplined process of

Research Methodology
inquiry conducted by and for those taking the action. The primary reason for engaging in action
research is to assist the actor in improving and/or refining his or her actions.
Practitioners who engage in action research inevitably find it to be an empowering experience. Action
research has this positive effect for many reasons. Obviously, the most important is that action
research is always relevant to the participants. Relevance is guaranteed because the focus of each
research project is determined by the researchers, who are also the primary consumers of the findings.

Research Methodology
Q2. Explain the application of statistics in the business research.
Analytical studies or Statistical Stuides
Analytical studies are done in order to find out if an outcome is related to exposure. They can take the
form of observational (we dont influence the population), as well as interventional/experimental (we
influence the population, e.g.: clinical trials; we give drugs).
In any statistical study the ultimate aim is to provide a rational basis for action. Enumerative and analytic
studies differ by where the action is taken. Deming summarized the distinction between enumerative and
analytic studies as follows:
Enumerative study: A statistical study in which action will be taken on the material in the frame being
studied.
Analytic study: A statistical study in which action will be taken on the process or cause-system that
produced the frame being studied. The aim is being to improve practice in the future.
(In a statistical study, the frame is the set from which the Sample (statistics) is taken.)
These terms were introduced in Some Theory of Sampling (1950, Chapter 7) by W. Edwards Deming.
In other words, an enumerative study is a statistical study in which the focus is on judgment of results, and
an analytic study is one in which the focus is on improvement of the process or system which created the
results being evaluated and which will continue creating results in the future. A statistical study can be
enumerative or analytic, but it cannot be both.
This distinction between enumerative and analytic studies is the theory behind the Fourteen Points for
Management. Dr. Deming's philosophy is that management should be analytic instead of enumerative. In
other words, management should focus on improvement of processes for the future instead of on
judgment of current results.
"Use of data requires knowledge about the different sources of uncertainty.
Measurement is a process. Is the system of measurement stable or unstable? Use of data requires also
understanding of the distinction between enumerative studies and analytic problems."

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"The interpretation of results of a test or experiment is something else. It is prediction that a specific
change in a process or procedure will be a wise choice, or that no change would be better. Either way the
choice is prediction. This is known as an analytic problem, or a problem of inference, prediction.
In analytical studies, the standard error of a statistic does not address the most important source of
uncertainty, namely, the change in study conditions in the future. Although analytical studies need to
take into account the uncertainty due to sampling, as in enumerative studies, the attributes of the
study design and analysis of the data primarily deal with the uncertainty resulting from extrapolation to
the future (generalisation to the conditions in future time periods). The methods used in analytical
studies encourage the exploration of mechanisms through multifactor designs, contextual variables
introduced through blocking and replication over time.
There are four main types of analytical studies:
Ecological
The average exposure of a population is compared with the rate of the outcome for that population.
The data is obtained for several populations and the data are examined for the evidence of an
association between outcome and exposure. The measure of association is usually the correlation
coefficient. The unit of analysis is the population, rather than the individual, therefore the only
conclusions we can draw relate to the population. There is no possibility to make conclusions about
the association between exposure and outcome at the individual level.
Cross-sectional
They measure:
1. Prevalence of exposure together with
2. Prevalence of disease
Information on exposures and disease status are obtained at the same point in time, therefore these
studies involve data collection at a defined time. These studies are easy to be conducted and are quick
and relatively cheap. They are often used where there is no registry of disease, for example studies of
respiratory disease or national health surveys. Cross-sectional studies measure prevalence, not
incidence of disease. Temporal sequence of exposure and effect maybe difficult or even impossible to

Research Methodology
determine. They differ from case-control studies in that they aim to provide data on the entire
population under study, whereas case-control studies typically include only individuals with a specific
characteristic, with a sample, often a tiny minority, of the rest of the population. Unlike case-control
studies, they can be used to describe absolute risks and not only relative risks.

Cohort
Cohort studies start with a group of exposed and a group of unexposed individuals. These groups are
then followed up over time and assessed to see who develops the disease. The incidence rate of
disease in the exposed group is then compared to that in the unexposed group, therefore
measuring relative risk (RR). Since we only select subjects by exposure, we can study several health
outcomes at the same time. By properly selecting groups of exposed people we can study relatively
rare exposures. Detailed information on confounding factors can be collected allowing control for them
either in the analysis or design. The disadvantage of cohort studies is that they can take long time and
generally are expensive. For rare diseases, the number of subjects that need to be studied is often so
large (since there is a huge majority likely not show the disease), as to make cohort study impractical or
unfeasible.
Case-Control
Case-control studies are very useful for rare disease (or other rare health events) where cohort studies
would be either difficult or impossible (too large) in order to collect enough events. Case-control
studies compare exposures in disease cases vs. healthy controls from the same population. Researchers
start with outcome (event/disease) and measure prior exposure in cases and in controls (comparison
group). These studies can be used to evaluate many different exposures and are relatively quick to be
conducted. The main weakness is that they can look at only one outcome. The reliability of the study
depends on the choice of controls. Data are collected retrospectively, therefore they are relatively
unreliable. The results are the odds ratio.