Quantitative Research:

Research Problems,
Hypotheses and Research Design
Riesanti Edie Wijaya

Referensi Utama: Sekaran (2016)

Milestones
Theoretical framework 03
and
hypothesis
development

Defining and refining the

problem
02
The critical literature
review

01

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 CH 3
Defining and refining the problem
Three first steps in the research process

Identification of the
Definition of the
broad management Preliminary research
research problem
problem
THE BROAD PROBLEM AREA

a problem as any situation where a gap exists

between an actual and a desired ideal state
Examples:
problems that the manager may encounter in the work setting.
Problems versus symptoms of problems

symptoms of problems  the real problem.

My best employees are

leaving the organization
Bringing clarity and focus to the problem
Minority group
are not
members in in their careers
advancing
organizations

Subject Verb Object

 PRELIMINARY RESEARCH

“What is the problem?

“Why does the problem exist?”

“Is the problem important?”

“What are the benefits of solving the problem?

PRELIMINARY RESEARCH: Nature of information to be gathered

Background information on the

organization

Information on the topic or subject area

Background information on the organization

useful in talking knowledgeably with managers and

other employees in the company and raising the
appropriate issues related to the problem

helpful in arriving at a precise problem formulation

Information on the topic or subject area

help you to think about and/or better understand the problem.

ensures that you have a thorough awareness and understanding

of current work and viewpoints on the subject area.

helps you to structure your research on work already done and to

develop the problem statement with precision and clarity.
DEFINING THE PROBLEM STATEMENT

What makes a good problem

statement?

Basic types of questions

What makes a good problem statement?

Research Objective(s) Research Question (s)

statements of achievements expressed
using action-oriented words

Different types of objectives lead to

take the form of questions
different types of research designs.

The research objectives comprise the

research question/s and the hypothesis
Basic types of questions

Exploratory questions

descriptive questions

Causal questions
Exploratory RQ Development

a) not much is known about a particular phenomenon;

b) existing research results are unclear or suffer from
serious limitations;
c) the topic is highly complex; or
d) there is not enough theory available to guide the
development of a theoretical framework
Descriptive research questions
 Descriptive studies are often designed to collect data that describe
characteristics of objects, events, or situations.
 Descriptive research is either quantitative or qualitative in nature.
 Correlational studies describe relationships between variables.

 Descriptive studies may help the researcher to:

 Understand the characteristics of a group in a given situation
 Think systematically about aspects in a given situation
 Offer ideas for further probing and research.
 Help make certain (simple) decisions
Causal research questions

The independent and the dependent variable should covary.

The independent variable (the presumed causal factor) should

precede the dependent variable.

No other factor should be a possible cause of the change in the

dependent variable.

A logical explanation (a theory) is needed and it must explain why the

independent variable affects the dependent variable
Nishishiba dkk (2013: 33)
Theory Building Approaches

Nishishiba dkk (2013: 35)

THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL
1. A working title.
2. Background of the study.
3. The problem statement:
a) The purpose of the study
b) Research questions.
4. The scope of the study.
5. The relevance of the study.
6. The research design, offering details on:
a) Type of study – exploratory and descriptive
b) Data collection methods
c) The sampling design
d) Data analysis.
7. Time frame of the study, including information on when the written report
will be handed over to the sponsors.
8. The budget, detailing the costs with reference to specific items of expenditure.
9. Selected bibliography.
 literature review ensures...
Research position to
You can look at a problem Avoid the risk of
existing knowledge and
from a specific angle “reinventing the wheel”
builds on this knowledge.

Introduce relevant
terminology and to define
key terms be contextualized in a
wider academic debate
obtain useful insights of
the research methods.
 HOW TO APPROACH THE LITERATURE REVIEW

Data Sources

Searching for literature

Evaluating the literature

Documenting the literature review

 DATA SOURCES

Conference
Textbooks Journals Theses
proceedings

Unpublished
Reports Newspapers The Internet
manuscripts
 Documenting the literature review

introduce the subject of study

identify the problem statement

build on previous research to offer the basis from which

to get to the next steps of the theoretical framework
and hypothesis development
 CH V
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND
HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT
 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

• an explanation of why you believe that these

variables are associated with each other
Theory

• how certain phenomena (or variables or

concepts) are related to each other
Model
The process of building a theoretical
framework

The concepts or variables in your model.

Developing a conceptual model

Coming up with a theory that provides an explanation for

relationships between the variables in your model.
FOUR MAIN TYPES OF VARIABLES

The dependent variable (the criterion variable).

The independent variable (the predictor variable).

The moderating variable.

The mediating variable.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

The independent and the dependent variable should covary

The independent variable (the presumed causal factor) should

precede the dependent variable

No other factor should be a possible cause of the change in the

dependent variable..

A logical explanation (a theory) is needed

 MODERATING VARIABLE

a strong contingent effect on the independent

variable–dependent variable relationship.

modifies the original relationship between the

independent and the dependent variables
AN INDEPENDENT VS MODERATING VARIABLE
A research study indicates that
the better the quality of the
training programs in an
organization and the greater the
growth needs of the employees
(i.e., where the need to develop
and grow on the job is strong), the
greater is their willingness to learn
new ways of doing things.
Another research study indicates
that the willingness of the
employees to learn new ways of
doing things is not influenced by
the quality of the training
programs offered by the
organizations to all people without
any distinction. Only those with
high growth needs seem to have
the yearning to learn to do new
things through specialized training.
Mediating variable / intervening variable
 one that surfaces between the time the independent
variables start operating to influence the dependent
variable and the time their impact is felt on it.
 The mediating variable surfaces as a function of the
independent variable(s) operating in any situation, and
helps to conceptualize and explain the influence of the
independent variable(s) on the dependent variable.
Three basic features that should be incorporated
in any theoretical framework

The variables considered relevant to the study

should be clearly defined.

A conceptual model that describes the relationships

between the variables in the model should be given.

There should be a clear explanation of why we

expect these relationships to exist.
Conceptual Model

helps you to structure your discussion of the literature

describes your ideas about how the concepts (variables) in your

model are related to each other

A schematic diagram of the conceptual model helps the reader to

visualize the theorized relationships

model is based on a sound theory.

 HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT

Definition of a hypothesis

Statement of hypotheses:
formats
Directional and nondirectional
hypotheses

Null and alternate hypotheses

HYPOTHESIS

a tentative, yet testable, statement, which predicts what you expect to

find in your empirical data.

derived from the theory on which your conceptual model is based and
are often relational in nature.

Hypotheses can be defined as logically conjectured relationships

between two or more variables expressed in the form of testable
statements.
Statement of hypotheses: formats

If–then statements
Directional and nondirectional hypotheses
nondirectional
directional hypotheses
hypotheses
• because the direction of • those that do postulate a
the relationship between relationship or
the variables difference, but offer no
(positive/negative) is indication of the
indicated direction of these
relationships or
differences
Null and alternate hypotheses

The alternate
A null hypothesis (H0)
hypothesis,
• a hypothesis set up to be • which is the opposite of
rejected in order to the null, is a statement
support an alternate expressing a relationship
hypothesis, between two variables
or indicating differences
between groups.
The steps to be followed in hypothesis
testing
State the null and the alternate hypotheses.

Choose the appropriate statistical test depending on whether the data collected are parametric or
nonparametric.

3Determine the level of significance desired (p = 0.05, or more, or less).

See if the output results from computer analysis indicate that the significance level is met.