Name: Kaushalya Sapkota

Roll No :3361

Unit I:
The Nature and Context of Social Research
Assignment Questions

1. What is research? What are the types of research?

Explain with examples.
Research is defined as problem solving and fact finding method after a careful
consideration of study regarding a particular concern or problem using scientific methods.
While doing research problems are identified, hypothesis formulation is done, observation,
data collection, analysis, and results are interpreted. Generally, research is an effort to
search new fact, knowledge, and principle in scientific ways.

Research is conducted with a purpose to understand:

 What do organizations or businesses really want to find out?

 What are the processes that need to be followed to chase the idea?
 What are the arguments that need to be built around a concept?
 What is the evidence that will be required for people to believe in the idea or
concept?

What are the types of research?

Following are the types of research methods:

Basic research: A basic research is known as fundamental research as well, is a search

for broad principles and synthesis without any immediate utilization of objectives. It is a data
collected to enhance knowledge. It is followed by researcher for the systematic
development over the area of their specialization and cannot be conducted immediately
whenever required. For example: an experiment to determine a simple fact.

Applied research: Applied research is also known as action research, is generally

associated with a specific project or problem. It is concerned to current activity or immediate
practical situations. It focuses on analyzing and solving real-life problems. Studies play an
important role in solving issues that impact the overall well-being of humans. For example:
finding a specific cure for a disease.
 Problem oriented research: As the name suggests, problem-oriented research is
conducted to understand the exact nature of a problem to find out relevant solutions. The
term “problem” refers to multiple choices or issues when analyzing a situation.

For example, revenue of a car company has decreased by 12% in the last year. The
following could be the probable causes: there is no optimum production, poor quality of a
product, no advertising, or economic conditions.

Problem solving research: This type of research is conducted by companies to

understand and resolve their own problems. The problem-solving method uses applied
research to find solutions to the existing problems.

Quantitative Research: It is applicable to the phenomena that can be expressed in terms of

quantity or amount. It is based on the measurement of quality like income, import, export
predication, expenditure etc.

Qualitative Research: It is generally concerned with qualitative phenomena relating to

quality or kind like attitude or opinion of people to a particular subject, law, policy etc.

2. What are the purposes of undertaking research?

Describe the main characteristics of research.

There are three purposes of research:

1. Exploratory: As the name suggests, exploratory research is conducted to explore a

group of questions. The answers and analytics may not offer a final conclusion to the
perceived problem. It is conducted to handle new problem areas which haven’t been
explored before. This exploratory process lays the foundation for more conclusive
research and data collection.
2. Descriptive: It focuses on expanding knowledge on current issues through a
process of data collection. The objective of research is the accumulation of facts.
Descriptive studies are used to describe the behavior of a sample population. In a
descriptive study, only one variable is required to conduct the study. The three main
purposes of descriptive research are describing, explaining, and validating the findings.
For example, a study conducted to know if top-level management leaders in the 21st
century possess the moral right to receive a huge sum of money from the company profit.
3. Explanatory: Explanatory research or causal research is conducted to understand
the impact of certain changes in existing standard procedures. Conducting experiments is
the most popular form of casual research. For example, a study conducted to understand
the effect of rebranding on customer loyalty.
 The main characteristics of research are:
a. The purpose of research should be clearly defined and common concepts are
used.
b. The research procedure used should explicility be described to permit other
researchers to repeat the research for further advancement and to keep the
continuity of what has been already attained.
c. Data should be checked for its reliability and validity.
d. The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its importance
and the method must be appropriate.
e. Conclusion should be clear, justified by data.
f. The research design must be planned carefully.

What is scientific research? Mention its

3.

characteristics with suitable examples. Describe

the major steps involved in scientific research
process.
Scientific research is a systematic and objective attempt to provide answers to certain question. The
main objective or purpose is to develop and discover organized body of knowledge. According to
Kerlinger: Scientific research is systematic, controlled, empirical and critical investigation of
hypothectical propositions about the presumed relations among nature phenomena”.

The main characteristics:

a) Purpose: It contains a focus or specific purpose which directs all the activities of the researchers.
b) Testability: The major aspect of scientific research is to test the validity of findings and is
attached with the application of hypothesis testing.
c) Reliability: Scientific research assumes to some extent of consistency or similarity by repeating
each stages of research works.
d) Objectivity: The researcher needs to start with some initial subjective values and beliefs by
avoiding the biasness in the sample selection procedures.
e) Rigor: It is a rigorous process, which involves a carefully thought-out methodology and good
theory.
f) Generalization: Every research result is not likely to be generalization but the results of applying
the research are.

The major steps involved in scientific process area:

 Sensing or realizing the problem first and foremost step which the researcher senses
about the problem and development merging the environment.
 Problem identification: Problems existing in the situations are identifies and chosen
for solution.
  Theoretical framework: It is developed to put all variables and their associations
together and focuses about the depth of subject matters study.
 Hypothesis formulation: It is based on theoretical framework, and is conjectured
relationship between two or more variables expressed in the form of testable
statements.
 Research design: It is the strategy for conducting research work, general form for
collection analyses and evaluation of identified data.
 Collection of data from field work using various methods.
 Data analysis where statistical analysis of collected edited coded data is tested.
 Interpretation and generalization: The final step of findings, to solve the identified
problem of the study.

4. Define management research. How does

management research contribute to solve business
problems? Explain the types of management
research.
Management research is also known as business research. The research that is a systematic inquiry
that assists in solving business problems and contributes to the management knowledge.
Types of management research are:
Policy research ( policy formulation)
Managerial research ( Capital budgeting and DM)
Action research( Operating problem solving)
Evaluation research(check and balance)

5.How do you define social science research? What

are the difficulties in conducting scientific
approach in social research? Explain with
examples
Social science research is focused on adding the knowledge of human beings about
the problems which face the society. Social science is the scientific analysis of the
 nature and trends of social phenomena of groups or human behaviors so as to
formulate broad concept. The main objectives are to develop knowledge in a
systematic study of social life, welfare of humanity. The difficulties in conducting
scientific approach in social research are listed as below:

1. Complexity of the subject matter: The subject matter of research in social science is too
complex and keeps on changing too. Due to this it is difficult to apply the natural science
techniques to experimentation.
2. Human Problems: Human attitudes, opinions cannot be measured accurately and varies
from person to person; hence human problems cannot be predictable as it is possible in
scientific research.
3. Influence of measurement process on result: It is more likely in social research that when
we tries to do research on human behaviors, the person whose activities are being noticed
by researchers might fill awkward and hence might posses opposite behavior than he
normally bears, making the result mislead and biased conclusion.

6. Differentiate quantitative and qualitative

research. Discuss the significance of applied
research in the field of business management.
Quantitative research is applicable to the phenomena that can be expressed in terms of
quantity or amount. In other words, it is based on the measurement of quality like income,
expenditures, import, export, age etc. the results of this research are purely numeric .

On the other hand, qualitative research is concerned with the qualitative phenomena relating
to quality or kind like attitude or opinion of people to a particular subject law, decision law.
This type of research aims to discovering the underlying motives and desires, using depth
interview for the purpose.

Research is crucial in every steps of business if the business wants to be successful, especially it is
considered to be important in the marketing as marketing companies use to market their products in
order to sell them and make familiar with the customers about their brand and products. Research has
played a huge role in various planning of business. In another word, without doing proper research
on any operational part of business, might lead business to suffer from losses in vice versa proper
research will proper process will support business in the growth and the expansion of outlets.
Research plays tremendous role in discovering changing trends in the market, know the potential
customers behaviors’, the competitive trend, where the company’s is standing ,which products need
to be focused to meet the specific needs of customers. Research will not only help to explore
information about the mentioned topics, also add on increasing the sales volume. .
Market research is for discovering what people want, need, or believe. It can also involve
discovering how they act. Once that research is completed, it can be used to determine how to
market our product. Based on using various types of research, the companies explore information on
customers frequently using their items for daily uses, or how influenced are the customers from their
advertisements campaigns, what needs to be improvised etc. Every aspects of marketing requires
research and it plays a phenomenal significance in the business especially in the marketing area.

7."Management research is the application of

scientific thinking to solve the business problem".
Discuss this statement in the light of scientific
research process.
The process of scientific research is as below:

 Sensing or realizing the problem first and foremost step which the researcher senses
about the problem and development merging the environment.
 Problem identification: Problems existing in the situations are identifies and chosen
for solution.
 Theoretical framework: It is developed to put all variables and their associations
together and focuses about the depth of subject matters study.
 Hypothesis formulation: It is based on theoretical framework, and is conjectured
relationship between two or more variables expressed in the form of testable
statements.
 Research design: It is the strategy for conducting research work, general form for
collection analyses and evaluation of identified data.
 Collection of data from field work using various methods.

 Data analysis where statistical analysis of collected edited coded data is tested.
 Interpretation and generalization: The final step of findings, to solve the identified
problem of the study.

Research in management is broadly systematic activity directed towards

investigating managerial problems and results in a discovery of management tools
for the problem solving a decision making. It gives a detailed investigation of the
existing problems, practices and processes. Managers often need to understand the
factors that affect their organization. The knowledge of research methods help
identify the problems and find out more about the situation before the problems get
out of control. Right decision making at right timing is desirable in any organization
and hence it is the responsibility of the manager to appropriately plan to sense the
 realization of problem first and follow the steps involves in the scientific research
mentioned above. By adopting the suitable process of scientific research, analyzing,
planning, executing, controlling, as decision making is involved at each stage of the
above process with its own research on every stage. Research is the very core of
managing a business economically. Research in management is broadly, a
systematic activity directed towards investigating managerial or business problems
and results in an invention of management tools for problem solving and decision
making.

8. Consider that you are a manager of a company

and have basic understanding of the business
research methodology. How this knowledge would
be beneficial to you to discharge your
Responsibility? Explain.
Research in management is broadly systematic activity directed towards
investigating managerial problems and results in a discovery of management tools
for the problem solving a decision making. It gives a detailed investigation of the
existing problems, practices and processes. Managers often need to understand the
factors that affect their organization. The knowledge of research methods help
identify the problems and find out more about the situation before the problems get
out of control. Right decision making at right timing is desirable in any organization
and hence it is the responsibility of the manager to appropriately plan to sense the
realization of problem first and follow the steps involves in the scientific research
mentioned above. By adopting the suitable process of scientific research, analyzing,
planning, executing, controlling, as decision making is involved at each stage of the
above process with its own research on every stage. Research is the very core of
managing a business economically. Research in management is broadly, a
systematic activity directed towards investigating managerial or business problems
and results in an invention of management tools for problem solving and decision
making. Since these days research has become a useful decision making tool for the
managers and having even basic knowledge helps manager get benefit of
identifying, formulation of problem and amount of risk in decision making etc.
Various stages in management process like analyzing, planning, execution, control
are being impacted by the proper research. Since the decision making is involved at
each of the stages and each stage has its own research needs, by nature, research
has an important role to play in all the stages. To sum up these methods provides a
mechanism for systematically and objectively exploring the causes or reasons for the
success or failure resulting from management actions.