BBS Fourth year

Content
 Meaning of Research;
 Scientific Research – Features;
 Types of Research: Applied and Basic Research;
 The Scientific Research process;
 Approaches to Research;
 Paradigm Shifts – Positivist vs. Interpretive philosophies;
 Management Research – concept, nature and value in
business decision making;
 Applying scientific thinking to management problems;
 Ethical concerns in research.
RESEARCH
 Meaning of Research

Methods of knowing
 Human beings are always inquisitive.
 They try to understand what happens? when?
how?
 Means to search again and again.
 Look into a problem from different perspectives, at
different places, at different points of time.
 Continuous improve the research process so that
the errors are minimized and the factors affecting
the problem are thoroughly understood.
 INTRODUCTION

Research (RE-SEARCH)

Re means ( Once more, A fresh, A new)

Or
(back; with return to a previous state)

Search means ( look through or go over

Thoroughly to look something)
Or
(examine to find anything concealed )
 The word ‘Research’ is consists of two words ‘Re’ and
‘Search’. ‘Re’ means repeat or again or frequent and ‘Search’
means an attempt to find or to seek or to explore or to
examine something.
 Defines as a systematic and diligent enquiry or careful
investigation or examination to seek or revise facts,
principles, theories, laws etc.
 Systematic attempt to find a logical conclusion of any
problem or to verify and expand the existing stock of
knowledge.
 It is the ‘Quest of knowledge’ and attempt to know
something new about the given issue.
 “Research is a systematic and organized efforts to
investigate a specific problem that needs a solution.”
Sekaran
 “A systematized effort to gain a new knowledge.”
Redman and Mory
 “Systematic method of discovering new facts or verifying old
facts; their sequences, interrelationships, casual
explanations and the natural laws which govern them”.
P.V. Young
 “A careful investigation or inquiry especially through search
for new facts in any branch of knowledge.”
Advanced Learners Dictionary
 Original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge for its
advancement, essentially an intellectual and creative activity.
 Pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison,
experiment and may help the creative problem solver to reach his
objectives more efficiently.
 Is an organized and systematic in-depth study on any specific issue.
 Involves systematic way of collection, processing, interpretation
and presentation of relevant data.
 Search for knowledge which provides an analytical framework to
any issue to be investigated.
 Establishes the logical cause and effect relationship between
dependent and independent variables.
 Research comprises "creative work undertaken on a
systematic basis in order to increase the stock of
knowledge, including knowledge of humans, culture and
society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise
new applications."It is used to establish or confirm facts,
reaffirm the results of previous work, solve new or existing
problems, support theorems, or develop new theories.
 A research project may also be an expansion on past work
in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures,
or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior
projects, or the project as a whole.
 The primary purposes of basic research (as opposed to
applied research)are documentation, discovery,
interpretation or the research and development (R&D) of
methods and systems for the advancement of human
knowledge. Approaches to research depend on
epistemologies, which vary considerably both within and
between humanities and sciences.
 There are several forms of research: scientific, humanities,
artistic, economic, social, business, marketing, practionner
research, life, technological aspects etc.
 Purpose of Research
 Exploration:
preliminary form, nature of a problem, qualitative
methods
 Description:
investigate more deeply, movement of the
variables that have caused a situation
 Explanation:
impact of certain variables on a problem, needs to
measure the cause and effect relationships
 Generalization:
Draw conclusions based on the study of different cases over diff
places at diff periods of time, finding on broader scale.
 Prediction:
Visualized the future based on the past and present conditions.
Difficult to fulfill this type 0f expectations from researches based
on the study of social phenomenon.
 Theory of building:
Contribute to the current body of knowledge through development
of a theory or a model. Single research will not sufficient for theory
building. model are built when the new theory is tested in actual
situation.
 Nature and Features of Research
 Objective:
A good research should be objective and it must answer the
research questions specifically not in subjective way.
Formulation of proper hypothesis, otherwise lack of congruence
between the RQ and hypothesis.
 Control:
should be done with in the restricted area.
 Generalizability:
it is undertaken considering to the sample. The findings found
from the research should be applicable in the large population
even though it is drawn from sample. Eg sample of bank
 Free from personal biases:
must be objectivity not on subjectivity, methodology should be
used, can not use own perceptions, manipulating the results
 Systematic:
should follow various well planed steps serially, being uniformity
 Reproducible:
able to get approximately the same results by using an identical methodology if
investigation is conducted on a population having characteristics similar to the
earlier study
 Directed towards solution of a problem:
it identifies the problems and investigates on every aspects through depth
study
 Logical:
interpret through various logics .Inductive and deductive studies are the eg
 Replicable:
conducting research using same methodology, previous theories should be
tested again to improve theories, can be easily generalized in the large no. of
organizations.
 Characteristics of Research

 Systematic:
 Controlled
 Empirical (pure logic)
 Rigorous ( carefulness, thoroughness and degree
of meticulousness in research process).
 Critical
 Generalization
 Scientific Research
 Science is defined as the systematic organization of
knowledge. It has two purposes: improve quality of life and
development of theory.
 Scientific research is a step by step, logical, organized and
rigorous method to identify problems, gather data, analyze
and draw valid conclusion about the problem to fulfill
purposes of research.
 Not based on hunches, experience and intuition but is
purposive and rigorous.
 It enables all those who are interested in researching and
knowing about the same or similar issues to come up with
comparable findings when the data are analyzed.
 “Scientific research focuses on solving problems and
pursues a step by step logical, organized and rigourous
method to identify the problems, gather data, analyze them
and draw valid conclusions from them.”
Sekaran.
 “Scientific research is systematic, controlled, empirical and
critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the
presumed relations among natural phenomena”. Kerlinger
 “Scientific research is an investigation followed by
experimentation, observation and logical arguments from
accepted postulates and combination of three in varying
propositions”. Ostle and Mensing
 Is comprehensively sequential and rigorous
 Is relies on empirical evidences
 Consists commonality in process, method and
technique
 Adheres with objectivity and specificity
 Aims to formulate theory or improving existing theory
 Is characterized by systematic, objective and logical
 Features of Scientific Research
Scientific methods of research are based on objectivity, systematic and
appropriate use of right tools and techniques of research.
 Purposiveness
Contains a focus or a specific purpose with a definite aim, influence
researcher, reducing major errors to enhance
 Rigor
Involves a carefully through out methodology and good theory,
appropriate sample using no. of test
 Testability
Test the validity of findings by developing hypothesis, but do not meet
the criteria
 Replicability
Should be same time and again irrespective of the circumstances,
requires quality
 Precision and confidence
Reflects the degree of exactness of the results, closeness of the
findings to reality based on the sample, explain as the degree of
accuracy or exactitude
 Objectivity
Subjective values and beliefs facts accurately without any bias
 Generalizability
The results based on small part or few numbers (sample) should
be same as it is on the entire case or numbers (population)
 Parsimony
The research should consider less number of variables under
study so that they can be explained as efficiently as that can be
with more variables. In other words, the more variance will be
explained by fewer variables.
 The Scientific Research Process

Realizing a Problem

Problem Identification

Literature Review
Hypothesis Formulation

Research Design

Collection of Data
Data Analysis

Interpretation

Generalization
 Types of Research
Basic or Fundamental Research
o Also known as the pure research or theoretical research
o It is conducted to acquire depth knowledge on any issue or for the
development of theory
o to generate more knowledge and understanding of the issue and build
theories based on research results.
o bases for the further research in the same issue.
o professors, academia and students do
o It understands more about certain issues on organization and
individual
o “Gathering knowledge for knowledge’s sake is termed as pure or basic
research”. PV Young
1. Development fundamental principles
2. Principles developed by basic research can be generalized
3. Finds major factors of practical problems
4. Helps to understand the problems in depth
5. Develops various alternative solutions of various
problems
6. Focuses on past and present human, human society and
social activities.
7. Concentrates not only to generate new knowledge but
also to reform and reinterpretation of existing
knowledge.
 Characteristics of Basic Research
1. Quest of new knowledge:
Search of knowledge rather than finding immediate solution of the
particular problem, fulfill theoretical objectives on exploring knowledge of
past and present human society, attitudes, activities, experiences etc.
2. Positive Science:
Real picture of the phenomenon, deals with wh questions of society but does
not concern with the suggestions how they should functions.
3. Generates Fundamental Principles:
By identifying all the significant variables in a particular phenomenon and
then generates fundamental generalization or the fundamental principles.
4. Reform of Existing Knowledge
The researcher concentrates on the factors or laws behind social events and
finds a specific idea, able to establish new theoretical concept over the
existing social laws or believes.
5. Concentrates on Past and Present Human, Human Society and
Social Activities:
Knowledge enhancing process, focuses on what are the social events
or phenomenon, what happens in the society etc.
6. Does Not Solve the Immediate Problems:
Useful in generating new knowledge, reform, existing old concepts
and establishes such reformed knowledge.
7. Applied in Generalization and Expansion of New Knowledge:
Has no immediate and practical implications but advanced and
expand the knowledge from the generalization.
8. Base to Formulate New Policies:
Finds the current situations of any particular phenomenon or
problems but does not solve them, understand of such present
position
 Applied or Action Research
o Also called decisional research or practical research or
action research
o It is conducted to find out a solution for an immediate
problem faced by the society or business organization.
o Find out the solutions for some practical problems.
o Policy, programs, projects and procedure.
o Concerned with actual life.
o Alleviate social problems or solve business problems
o Task oriented study, can be exploratory also
 “Gathering knowledge that could aid in the betterment of
human destiny is termed applied or practical research”. PV
Young
1. It is related with solving real life problems
2. Conclusions of applied research can be implemented
immediately
3. Applied research helps to prove concepts
4. It helps to formulate new policies and programs
improving previous procedures and practices
5. Often it is descriptive and empirical.
6. Finding of the research has limited relevancy
Characteristics of Applied Research
1. Aims at Solving Real Life Problems:
Finds the immediate social problems and results out the
appropriate solution for such problems, instantly applied.
2. Relies on a Cyclical Process:
Dynamic in nature, may not match with any other
situations in the future, recognizes the variables
3. Helps to Generate New Knowledge:
Solve the real life social problem, can solve or improve old
situation
4. Immediate Implementable:
Immediate solve the problem so finds the new policies
and programs, establish social laws.
5. Helps to Formulate New Policy:
Focuses on techniques of behavioral science used in gathering
information in specific instances to solve a current specific problem.
6. Concentrates on to Identify Numerous Social Problems and to
Find Remedial Measures:
Finds the root of problems happening in the society.
contributes on to find and recommend the remedial measures to
control such social problems.
7. An Important Instrument for the Feasibility Study of a New
Project:
Used as an instrument or tool for any new project, analyze the cost
and benefits of the project
Accept reject opportunity can be evaluated
Difference Between Basic and Applied Research
 Main purpose is to establish  Main purpose is to develop
theory and technique of the applications to solve the
discipline. social setting problems.
 Positive in nature.  Normative in nature.
 Intended to find ultimate  Intended to find needed
fact i.e. universal truth. fact to solve immediate
problem.
 Does not leave any scope for  Always experts addition of
future research. new knowledge or ideas in
existing knowledge.
 Final reports are  Final reports are prepared
prepared in technical with describing the
language and constant. relationship between
desired variables.
 Researchers have no  Have immediate objective
objectives of of commercialization.
commercialization.
 Gives priority to verify the  Gives priority to the
truth. relevance of findings.
 Has no immediate  Has immediate
implication. implication.
 Continuous and time  Time bounded process as
consuming process. it has to solve the problem.
 Approaches to Research
Research Approach means how you deal with the phenomenon
to analyze and anatomize it.
 Quantitative Research
Based on the measurement of quantity or amount.
Using statistical or mathematical tools.
obtained from Secondary source, from the participants
responses that are coded, categorized and converted into
numbers for the further analysis.
Quantifiable, reliable data from the sample.
 Qualitative Research
Concerned with subjective phenomena.
Depth knowledge and explain the issue rather than finding the
solution or conclusion.
Explains the issues and make easier to understand.
Uses survey, interview.
Tools are: content analysis, comparative analysis,
discourse analysis, conversation analysis, grounded
theory.
Collects data from individual, organization, books,
written documents, environment, media and events.
(numerical evidence or particular event\phenomenon
happened)
Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative
Research
Qualitative Research
 Understand and analysis the
Issue.
 In depth Understanding and
develop theory.
 Sample is small.
 Researcher himself involves in
the research work.
 Data is collected through
unstructured questionnaires.
(without any reference)
 Collected data are analyzed
based on established theories.
Quantitative Research
 Explain and predict over any
issue.
 Explain and predict over any
subject and develop theory and
its testing.
 Sample size is large.
 Involvement of researcher
remains less in quantitative
research.
 Data is collected through
structured questionnaires.
 Collected data are analyzed
using various statistical tools.
 It’s a spear
 It’s a fan
 It’s a wall
 It’s a rope
 It’s a snake
 It’s a tree trunk
 Paradigms of Research/Paradigm Shift
 The word ‘paradigm’ refers to a ‘set of thoughts’ or ‘way of thinking’
or ‘philosophy’ to observe and view the natural world and real life
phenomenon.
 Paradigm means guiding principles or set of rules or set of
assumptions to be followed while conducting research.
 Deals with vital interrelationship between what the nature of reality
(ontological aspect), what can be known (Epistemological aspect)
and how a researcher can discover what he or she believes can be
known (methodological aspects).
 An interpretive framework as a basic set of beliefs that guides action
 Perspective that is based on the set of shared assumptions, values,
concepts and practices.
 Helps to select the right research methods.
 Are research philosophies regarding how the research to be
conducted.
 Positivist
 The view that social sciences including business can and should
use the methods of the natural sciences (physics and chemistry)
 Should use quantitative methods and aim to identify and
measure social structures.
 Based on the following assumptions
Reality
Hard facts and data
Value free (subject and judgment)
 Establish truth through structure hypothesis testing and also to
predict the future phenomenon.
 Research philosophy which holds only from affirmative theories
based on strict scientific research methodology
 Features of positivism
❖ Social science phenomenon's are studies from the same
research methodologies that the natural sciences uses
❖ Considers only the quantitative data
❖ Entire research process is free from subjective bias and
value judgment
❖ Facts can be tested empirically by employing quantitative
instruments
❖ Uses only precise and objective facts
❖ No manipulation is possible
❖ Based on structured hypothesis and therefore research
rigorous and inflexible
❖ Does not consider moral ethics norms and culture
 Interpretive
 Developed as a response to the objectivism and excessive
rationalization of the positivist approach.
 System of viewing the human world through subjective point of view.
 They take the view that since human beings think and reflect, scientific
method are inappropriate for the study of society.
 Human beings can change their behavior if they know they are being
observed and studied.
 If we want to understand social action, we have to deeply understand
the reasons and meanings which that action has for people.
 Qualitative in nature
 Individual subjects
 Research result that is obtained from interpretivism approach may not
have an absolute truth
 Features of Interpretivism
❖Social science phenomenon's are studies from the
subjective point of view
❖Considers only the qualitative data
❖Research process is influenced from subjective bias
and value judgment
❖Facts cannot be tested empirically by employing
quantitative instruments
❖Also considers moral ethics, norms and culture
❖May not have an absolute truth
❖Based on value judgment and moral ethical concerns
 Positivism
 Knowledge develops by
investigating the social reality
through observing the facts. i.e.
scientific nature
 Social world exists externally
and is viewed objectively.
 Be concerned with hypothesis
testing.
 Research is value free.
 Macro level.
 Large samples.
 Results to be generalized from
the sample to the problem.
 Produce Quantitative data .
 Structured questionnaire.
Interpretivism
 Social world cannot be understood
by applying research principles
adopted. i.e. humanistic nature
 Social world is viewed subjectively.
 Be concerned with generating
theories.
 Research is driven by interest.
 Micro level.
 Small samples.
 Results to be generalized from one
setting to another similar setting.
 Produce Qualitative data.
 Unstructured questionnaire.
Management Research
 Management Research
Concept
 Research explains unknown facts, applications of theory from
which we build knowledge and theory and decides about its
applications.
 It refers to the act of study of various dimensions of
organizational problems and finding out the managerial tools
and techniques so that problems can be solved.
 Studies minutely, objectively and scientifically on the problems
and suggest the management to improve in managerial
procedure.
 Research in financial management, production, administrative
management, marketing.
 Systematic development and acquisition of knowledge.
 “It is the systematic and objective process of gathering,
recording and analyzing data for aid in making business
decision.” Zimkund
 It is a systematic and organized investigation conducted to
resolve problematic issues in, or interrelated among, the
different areas of management.
 Globalization has increased the level of complexities in
business(work force diversity, technology, customs).
 Make rationale and substantive decisions.
 Nature of Management Research
 Business research can include financial data analysis,
customer feedback, product research and competitive
analysis.
 Position to hold and how to improve in the market.
o Transdisciplinary:
MR draws knowledge combining the information of
various subjects. Should consider varied nature of
information and data from large area of subjects like
strategy structure and environment.
o Commercial advantages:
MR is conducted to solve particular problems of
individual organization. It focuses in commercial
advantages of business organization.
o Practical:
The findings found from the MR must respond to the issue
or problem of the business organizations. Thus it must be
practically applicable.
o Double Hurdle:
MR has problem of theory and practice. Knowledge
creation is made by academia and research is governed by
the world of practice. Thus, there is always hurdle of
balancing them.
Value of Management Research in Business
Decision Making
 Identifying problems:
MR helps to determine the nature of situations or identify the
existence of problems in the organization. MR is used as a
scanning activity to provide information about what is occurring
within an organization .
Scan the environment , change in socio- economic situation
 Diagnosing and assessing problems and opportunities:
Diagnose situation , should gain insight about the underlying
factors. If opportunities is found, they need to explore, clarify
and refine the nature of opportunity or multiple opportunity.
 Selecting course of action:
Use of various performance criteria , objective information
generated by research to forecast environment occurrences may
be the foundation for selecting a particular course of action.
 Implementing a course of action:
Best plan may also fail, find out the tactics, can prepare
various subsidiary plans to implement.
 Evaluating the course of action:
Refers to the formal and objective measurement and
appraisal of the extent to which a given activity, project
program has achieve its objective. Research serves as a tool
to inform managers whether planned activities are properly
executed and achieved the results as expected.
It reduces uncertainty by providing information that
improves the decision making process. Above dimensions
provides support.
 Applying Scientific Thinking in
Management Problems
 Scientific thinking refers to the goal focused problem
solving and step by step logical, organized and rigorous
method that helps to identify problems, gather data,
analyze the data and draw conclusions.
 It helps to give more accurate results. Scientific
investigation tends to be more objective than subjective. In
work place needs special attention.
 Mainly four major sources of knowledge are used:
➢ Intuitive knowledge (based on a persons feelings rather
than hard facts. Though they use to make decision).
➢ Authoritative knowledge (based on information
received from people, books or supreme powerful
person/institution eg Christianity and Islamic growth).
➢ Logical knowledge (based on logic which is based on the
process of reasoning. Hindus knowledge five thousand years
ago.)
➢ Empirical knowledge (based on the scientific process of
reaching the truth, facts reached through the method of
observation and experiment).
Steps of the scientific method
❖ Make an observation or observations
❖ Ask questions about the observations and gather information.
❖ Form a hypothesis, a tentative description of what’s been
observed and make predictions based on that hypothesis.
❖ Test the hypothesis and predictions in an experiment
or observation that can be reproduced.
❖ Analyze the data and draw conclusions; accept or
reject the hypothesis or modify the hypothesis if
necessary.
❖ Reproduce the experiment until there are no
discrepancies between observations and theory.
❖ No reproducibility no science.
Some key underpinnings to the scientific method are:
 The hypothesis must be testable and falsifiable.
(possible negative answers to the hypothesis)
 Must involve deductive reasoning (using true premises to
reach a logical true conclusion) and inductive reasoning
(takes the opposite approach).
 Should include a dependent variable (which does not
change) and independent variable (which does change).
 Should include an experiment group and a control group.
Difficulties in Applying Scientific Methods
in Solving Business problems
 Investigators:
objectivity, honesty and integrity of the investigators are
highly essential, application depends, eager to please the
client.
 Measuring devices:
Researchers work very hard to develop more accurate
measuring and set appropriate interview timings and env.
 Measurement processes:
Measuring a human response is far more difficult than
measuring a chemical reaction or physical change.
Wear a face mask answers in affirmative.
 Time pressure:
Intense time pressure, lack of exhaustive study, take short
cut method, that may limit the use of scientific method to
business research.
 Experimentation:
Often based on experimental research design.
Testing a new package, testing of an advertising copy or
testing a new product requires some form of
experimentation conducted with potential consumers.
Very difficult to control the effects of many factors.
 Complexity of subjects:
Based on opinions and attitudes of individuals who are
influenced by many psychological and social complexities .
Influenced by different degree by other peoples opinion.
Variations may affect to a stimulus used in the research.
The isolation of psychological and social influences from
the expression of the responders opinion is very difficult
task in marketing research.
 PR JOSHI
1. Untested opinion
2. Self evident truth
3. Method of authority
4. Literary style
5. Scientific method
6. Postulation style
There is no single best perspective to view reality like
science. The range of available styles of thinking offers many
frameworks to confront the diverse problems of business.
 Decision Making
 Mgmt is concerned with decision making and decision
implementation. Each decision has an implementation
aspect and each decision implementation consists of a no.
of subsidiary decisions.
 It is associated with all the managerial functions.
 It is the process of resolving a problem or choosing best
opportunity among different alternatives .
 Three types of decision environment:
▪ Certainty:
Complete certainty means that the decision maker has all
information that needs.
▪ Uncertainty:
Means the manager grasp the general nature of the
objectives they wish to active, but the information about
alternatives is incomplete.
▪ Ambiguity:
Means the nature of the problem to be solved is unclear.
The objectives are range and the alternatives are difficult to
define.
Thus the decision making plays a pivotal or value in
the system of management. The whole decision making
process get its support from analytical framework which is
the bottom line of research.
 Ethical Concerns in Research
 Ethics refers to those assumptions based on which a
person decide anything as right or wrong.
 Ethic also incorporates the procedures of analyzing
complex problems.
 Researcher should decide which is wrong or right.
Ethical issues are determined by the behavior
presented by the researcher and concern over the
rights of the affected party while undertaking research
work.
 Should think about ethical issues before initiating
research work due to unethical behavior.
Researcher Committed the Following Ethics
 Ethics to the participants in the research/Ethical treatment
of participants:
i. Study benefits (the researcher must explain the research
purpose and its benefits before collecting information from
the respondents),
ii. Explain full truth (tell respondents about the risks involved
in participating in the research process, esp medical research).
iii. Seek informed consent (seek approval from the respondents
for their free and frank opinion. Many countries require their
information to sign a document that they have expressed their
opinion freely).
iv. Privacy of the information provided (must commit to
maintain confidentiality and privacy).
 Ethics to the sponsor:
1. Confidentiality (the researcher must maintain a high
level of secrecy and confidentiality of the findings of the
research).
2. Quality (the researcher must provide a high quality
standard of research process and outputs by following
scientific method very tight with a very tight quality
control system. The quality is maintain by following the
principles of objectivity, systematization and careful
planning and implementation of the research process).
 Ethics to the team members
The research mostly is a team efforts and the researcher is
committed to maintain ethical behavior toward the other
team member. In this respect, the researcher should be
careful about the safety of the team members. The field
workers should not be sent to unsafe area and every efforts
must be made to maintain a high level of physical
economic and psychological safety of the co workers.
Ethical Concern in Business Research

Not putting
pressure for getting Not deception of Not fabricating the
information to participants data
participants

Not presenting
No manipulation
dishonesty
 Respect for
No
No illegal work intellectual
discrimination
property

Respect to social Protection of

and culture, participants
norms and value rights