Research Process

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Introduction – Overview of Research Process

• Introduction
• Types of Research
• Research Process
• Contemporary Issues in Public Admin Research
• Conclusion

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Types of Research
1. Descriptive vs. Analytical
2. Applied vs. Fundamental
3. Quantitative vs. Qualitative
4. Conceptual vs. Empirical
• Some others
– Action research
– Historical research
– Laboratory research

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Descriptive vs. Analytical

• Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-

finding enquiries of different kinds. The major
purpose of descriptive research is description
of the state of affairs as it exists at present.
• The main characteristic of this method is that
the researcher has no control over the
variables; he can only report what has
happened or what is happening.

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Descriptive vs. Analytical

• In analytical research, on the other hand, the

researcher has to use facts or information
already available, and analyze these to make a
critical evaluation of the material.

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Applied vs. Fundamental:
• Applied research aims at finding a solution for an
immediate problem facing a society or an
industrial/business organization. example marketing
research
• Fundamental research is mainly concerned with
generalizations and with the formulation of a theory.
research studies, concerning human behaviour
carried on with a view to make generalizations about
human behaviour, are also examples of fundamental
research.
03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD
 Quantitative vs. Qualitative
• Quantitative research is based on the
measurement of quantity or amount. It is
applicable to phenomena that can be
expressed in terms of quantity.
• Quantitative research generates statistics
through the use of large-scale survey research,
using methods such as questionnaires or
structured interviews.

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Quantitative vs. Qualitative

• Quantitative research involves the collection

of numerical data in order to explain, predict
and control phenomena of interest, data
analysis being mainly statistical. It involves
collecting data in order to test hypotheses or
answer questions concerning the current
status of the subject of the study.

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Quantitative vs. Qualitative

• Qualitative research explores attitudes, behavior

and experiences through such methods as
interviews or focus groups. It attempts to get an
in-depth opinion from participants.
• Qualitative research seeks to investigate deeply
in to the research setting in order to obtain
understandings about the ways things are, why
they are that way, and how the participants in
the context perceive them.
03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD
 Quantitative vs. Qualitative

• Qualitative research is not predetermined or

pre structured by hypotheses and procedures
that might limit its focus, scope and operation.
• Qualitative research is embedded in a process
of communication between researcher and
respondent. There is no attention to establish
independences of researcher from the
respondent.

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Conceptual vs. Empirical

• Conceptual research is that related to some

abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generally used by
philosophers and thinkers to develop new
concepts or to reinterpret existing ones.
• Empirical research relies on experience or
observation alone, often without due regard for
system and theory. It is data-based research,
coming up with conclusions which are capable
of being verified by observation or experiment.
03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD
 Some Other Types of Research
• All other types of research are variations of
one or more of the above stated approaches,
based on either the purpose of research, or
the time required to accomplish research, on
the environment in which research is done, or
on the basis of some other similar factor.

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Two Types of Empirical Research

• Theory testing empirical research

– Surveys (interview, mail, internet, phone)
– Experiments (university setting)
– Quasi experiments: that there is no random assignment of
participants to groups. (university or company)
– Secondary data (financial, operational, personnel)

• Theory building empirical research

– Qualitative research (interview, observation, text)
– Case methods (interviews, text, secondary data)

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Research Approaches
• Quantitative approach
– Inferential,
– experimental and
– Simulation (model)
• Qualitative approach

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Research Process
• Formulate and clarify your research topic (define research
problem)
• Critically review the literature
• Understand your philosophy and approach
• Formulate your research design
• Negotiate access and address ethical issues
• Plan your data collection
• Analyze your data
• Write your project report and prepare your presentation
• Submit your project report and give your presentation

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 A Simplified Scientific Research Process
and Types of Research

1. Research Deductive research

Question

Inductive research
4. The empirical 2. Literature
study review

Theoretical research

3. Theory and
Hypotheses Descriptive research

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD
Figure 1.2 The research process
Source: © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2006

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

Figure 1.2 The research process (Continued)
Source: © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2006

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD

 Contemporary Issues in Public Admin
Research
• Comparative public Administration issues
• Electoral studies and public opinion
• Federalism/ State and Local
• International Affairs/International relations
• Public Policy
• Feminism/ participation of women in politics
• Failure of state/ Corruption
• Post conflict economic recovery using public private
partnership
03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD
 Conclusion
• Do’s
– `Very careful when you decide which type of
research to choose
– Read more about the research types
• Don’t
– Developing a topic without considering problem
statement
– Not following the right research process

03/13/2021 Ali Yassin Sheikh, PhD