Research Methods

INE704
Dr. Le Nguyen Hoang
 RESEARCH METHODS

Module Code: INE704

Lecturer-in-charge: Dr. Le Nguyen Hoang (BEc, GDM, MBA, MSc, DBA, PGDE)

Key Components Sub Components Percentage

 Class
Participation
Process (10%) 30%
Assessment  Homework (20%)
Method of  In-class activities
Assessment (Bonus points)
Mid-term  Multiple-choice
quizzes (at home 20%
Assessment
via LMS)
 Multiple-choice
Final Assessment quizzes 50%
(Open book exam)
 CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Introduction to Research Methods
Chapter 2: Reviewing the literature
Chapter 3: Formulating a research problem
Chapter 4: Selecting a study design
Chapter 5: Selecting a data collection method (Midterm
Exam)
Chapter 6: Writing a research proposal
Chapter 7: Processing data
Chapter 8: Displaying data
1. Kumar, R. (2019). Research Methodology. A Step-by-Step Guide for
Beginners (5th ed.). Washington: SAGE Publications.
2. Trần Tiến Khai (2014). Phương pháp nghiên cứu kinh tế- Kiến thức cơ
bản. TP. HCM: Nhà xuất bản Lao động xã hội.
3. Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research
methods for business students (8th ed.). Harlow: Prentice Hall.
SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)
Widely used in the business field
Compatible with multiple databases (i.e. Excel)
To download SPSS, instructions, analytical data
files, and assignments:
https://hoangln1.wixsite.com/ppnckh
 Additional reading:

1/ Pallant, J. (2001). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data

analysis using SPSS for Windows (versions 10 and 11): SPSS student version
11.0 for Windows. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
​
2/ Hoàng, Trọng & Chu, Nguyễn Mộng Ngọc (2008) Phân tích dữ liệu
nghiên cứu với SPSS. TPHCM: NXB Hồng Đức.
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO
RESEARCH METHODS

Dr. Le Nguyen Hoang

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Explain the reasons for doing research;
Recognise different types of research
from the perspective of applications,
objectives and enquiry modes;
Understand the characteristics and
requirements of a research process;
Understand and adhere to ethical
standards in research.
Your business is changing.
l •
competition is changing.

..

Doing business without data is

like driving with your eyes
closed
 RESEARCH-AN INTEGRAL PART
OF YOUR PRACTICE

Why is research important?

Nguồn: www.frac.tl/work/marketing-research/why-startups-fail-study/
 RESEARCH-AN INTEGRAL PART
OF YOUR PRACTICE

Mistakes caused by lack of research

Parker Pen
Co.
introduced the
world's
inkless
ballpoint pen
in 1935
 RESEARCH-AN INTEGRAL PART
OF YOUR PRACTICE

Mistakes caused by lack of research

Coca-Cola
launched
"New Coke"
with new
packaging
and flavours
in 1985
 RESEARCH-AN INTEGRAL PART
OF YOUR PRACTICE

Mistakes caused by lack of research

Elon Musk
unveiled
Cybertruck in
2019 at Tesla
Design
Studio-Los
Angeles
 APPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH

Applications of research in practice

More than a set of skills, research is a way of

thinking:
 Examining critically various aspects of your daily
professional work;
 Understanding and formulating the guiding
principles; and
 Developing and testing new theories to enhance
your practice.
 APPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH

Applications of research in practice

Examples of how we think about real-world

problems:
 What are the cultural differences between the domestic
market and the target international market? (Parker Pen Co.);
 Is there a positive effect between the new packaging and
flavours on the consumer's choice? (Coca Cola);
 What is the percentage of defective products in the test
sample? Is there enough statistical evidence that this rate
adheres to "AQL 2.5" (Acceptable Quality Limit at 2.5%)?
(Cybertruck)
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Definitions of research

The word "research" is composed of two syllables,

"re" and "search". "re" as a prefix means "a new or
over gain" and "search" as a verb means "examine
closely and carefully";
In science, the roles of research are not only to solve
practical problems (applied research) but also to
develop new knowledge (pure research).
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Definitions of research

Research is "a structured inquiry that utilises

acceptable scientific methodology to solve
problems and creates new knowledge that is
generally applicable" (Grinnell, 1993: 4);
In brief, research is "a systematic investigation
to find answers to a problem" (Burns, 1997: 2)
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Definitions of research

From these definitions it is clear that research is a

process for collecting, analysing and interpreting
information to answer questions. These imply that
research:
 is undertaken within a framework of a set of
philosophies;
 uses procedures, methods and techniques that
have been tested for their validity and reliability;
 is designed to be unbiased and objective.
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Characteristics of research

But to qualify as research, the process must have

certain characteristics: it must, as far as possible, be:
Controlled
Rigorous
Systematic
Valid & Verifiable
Empirical
Critical
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Characteristics of research
 Controlled
 In real life there are many factors that affect an outcome.
 A particular event is seldom the result of a one-to-one relationship.
 Some relationships are more complex than others.
 Most outcomes are a sequel to the interplay of a multiplicity of relationships and
interacting factors.
 In a study of cause-and-effect relationships it is important to be able to link the
effect(s) with the cause(s) and vice versa.
 In the study of causation, the establishment of this linkage is essential; however,
in practice, particularly in the social sciences, it is extremely difficult – and often
impossible – to make the link.
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Characteristics of research
 Rigorous
 You must be scrupulous in ensuring that the procedures followed to
find answers to questions are relevant, appropriate and justified.
 Again, the degree of rigour varies markedly between the physical
and the social sciences and within the social sciences.
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Characteristics of research
 Systematic
 Some procedures must follow others.
 This implies that the procedures adopted to undertake an
investigation follow a certain logical sequence.
 The different steps cannot be taken in a haphazard way.
 Valid & Verifiable
 This concept implies that whatever you conclude on the basis of
your findings is correct and can be verified by you and others.
 RESEARCH: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

Characteristics of research
 Empirical
 This means that any conclusions drawn are based upon hard
evidence gathered from information collected from real-life
experiences or observations.

 Critical
 Critical scrutiny of the procedures used and the methods employed
is crucial to a research enquiry.
 The process of investigation must be foolproof and free from any
drawbacks.
TYPES OF RESEARCH
 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Application perspective

 Pure research involves developing and testing theories and

hypothesis that are intellectually challenging but may or may
not have application at the present time.
 Pure research is also concerned with the development,
examination, verification and refinement of research
methods, procedures, techniques and tools.
 Examples are developing a sampling technique that can be
applied to a particular situation; developing a strategy to
asses the validity of a procedure; developing an instrument
to measure a stress level in human beings; and finding the
best way of measuring the people’s attitude.
 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Application perspective

 Applied research, on the other hand, deals with the

application of existing research techniques, procedures and
methods for the purpose of collection of information about
various aspects of a situation, issue, problem or
phenomenon
 The information gathered can be used in other way, for:
 Policy formulation
 Administration, and

 Enhancement of understanding of a phenomenon

 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Objectives perspective
 Descriptive research attempts to describe information about,
say, the living conditions of the community, or describes
attitude of the community towards a particular issue.
 For example, it may attempt to describe:
 the types of service provided by an organization
 the administrative structure of an organization
 the living conditions of the people residing in flood areas
 the needs of a community
 the attitude of employees towards management
 how a child feels living in a house with domestic violence.
 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Objectives perspective
 Correlational research is to identify or establish the existence of a
relationship between two or more aspects of a situation, for example:
 What is the impact of advertisement campaign on the sale of the product?
 What is the relationship between stressful living and the incidence of heart attack?
 What is the relationship between fertility and mortality?
 What is the relationship between technology and unemployment?
 What is the effect of home environment on educational achievements?
 What is relationship between consumption and income?
 What is relationship between investment and rate of interest or investment and income
or investment and saving?
 What is relationship between the use of sophisticated technology and unemployment?
 What is relationship between growth income and skilled labor force?
 What is relationship between education and consumption behaviors?
 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Objectives perspective

 Explanatory research attempts to clarify why or how there is a

relationship between two aspects of a situation or phenomenon. This type
of research attempts to explain, for example:
 How effective advertisement campaign promotes the sale of the product
 Why stressful living results in heart attack
 Why decline in mortality followed by fertility decline
 How technology affects the unemployment?
 How the home environment affects children’s level of academic achievements?
 How income affects consumption?
 How rate of interest determines the level of investment?
 How savings affect the level of investment?
 How technology affects the rate of employment?
 How skilled labor force contributes toward the growth?
 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Objectives perspective
 Exploratory research is one when a study is undertaken
with the objective either to explore an area where little is
known or to investigate the possibilities of undertaking a
particular research study.
 When a study is carried out to determine its feasibility it is
also called feasibility study or a pilot study.
 It is usually carried out when a researcher wants to explore
area about which s/he has little or no knowledge.
 In short it is a small-scale study which is undertaken to
decide if it is worth carrying out a detailed study.
 Exploratory studies are also carried out to develop, refine
and/or test measurement tools and procedures.
 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Inquiry perspective

 Quantitative research attempts to quantify the variation in a

phenomenon, problem, event, or issue. Examples of
quantitative aspects of research study are:
 How many people have a particular problem?
 How many people hold a particular attitude?
 How female labor force participation is affected by
various socio-economic factors?
 How residential statuses of the inhabitants affect the
consumption behaviors?
 TYPES OF RESEARCH

Inquiry perspective

 Qualitative research is more appropriate to determine the

nature of a problem, issue, or phenomenon. The study will be
qualititative if the purpose is to:
 Describe a situation, phenomenon, problem, or event;
 If the analysis is done to establish the variation in the
situation, phenomenon, problem, or event without
quantifying it; and
 The description of an observed situation, the historical
enumeration of events, an account of the different
opinions people have about the issue, and a description of
the living conditions of a community are examples of
qualitative research.
 RESEARCH PROCESS

Definition

The research process is:

a sequence of actions taking place in sequence and
associated with the knowledge base as well as logical
thinking steps;
to demonstrate a series of steps in thinking and
applying knowledge of research methods and
specialised knowledge;
a sequence of actions starting from identifying the
research problem to the last step of finding the answer
to the problem posed.
 RESEARCH PROCESS

Research process

S1 • Formulating a research problem

S2 • Conceptualising a research design
S3 • Constructing an instrument
S4 • Selecting a sample
S5 • Writing a research proposal
S6 • Collecting data
S7 • Processing data
S8 • Writing a research report
 RESEARCH PROCESS

Research Process
Phase Giai
Giai đoạn II
đoạn II
Phase Phase II Phase III

Deciding Planning Conducting

Main task What to How to

research? conduct? What are the
(What is the (What is an conclusions?
research appropriate (The required
problem?) research design?) information)

Operational 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Steps
RESEARCH PROCESS
ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

Research Research
information information
providers users

Respondents
 ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

Research information providers

Unethical pricing
Unnecessary or unwarranted research services;
Client confidentiality issues;
Use of “black-box” methodologies (EX: Do not provide
information about how the methodology works).
 ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

IS IT SEEN AS ETHICAL PRACTICE IN RESEARCH?

ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

RESPECT RIGHTS OF RESPONDENTS

 ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

AVOID USING SENSITIVE QUESTIONS

 ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

Research information users

Requesting proposals without intent to purchase;
Deceptively promising future business;
Overstating or understating research findings.
 ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

Respondents

Providing dishonest answers or faking

behaviour (EX: provide biased feedback; avoid
offending others by understating any
dissatisfaction; tendency to over- or under-
report...)
ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

BIASED FEEDBACK
ETHICS IN
RESEARCH PRACTICES

OVER-REPORT
 HOMEWORK

Excercise 1
Give 3 examples of each of the followings (do not use
sample examples):
1/ Descriptive research (EX: To describe age
characteristics of customers using Coca Cola; To
describe average spending per month on mobile
phones);
2/ Causal research (EX: Working part-time has a
negative effect on school results; Age of customers has
a negative effect on the number of carbonated soft
drinks consumed)