Data Analysis in Business

Lecture 2
 Research Design
• After the identification of the variables in a
problem situation and the development of the
theoretical framework, the next step is to
design the research:
 In a way that the requisite (required) data can
be gathered, and;
 Can be analyzed to arrive at a solution
 The Research Process
Observation
Broad
Area

Generation Scientific
Problem Theoretical Data
Definition Framework
Of Research Collection,
Hypotheses Design

Preliminary Deduction
Data gathering
 Issues in Research Design
1. Purpose of the Study:
a. Exploration purpose
b. Description
c. Hypothesis testing
d. Case Studies
e. Pilot Studies
2. The study setting or the location of the study:
a. Contrived
 Issues in Research Design
b. Non- Contrived
c. Field Studies
d. Laboratory Studies
3. Type of Investigation:
a. Causal relationship: i.e.; the cause and effect
relationship
b. Correlational Study: i.e.; the study conducted to
identify the important factors associated with the
variables of interest
 Issues in Research Design
c. Group differences/ Ranks: i.e.; to tap preferences
between two or more objects or items
d. Extent of researcher interference (manipulation or
artificial change)
4. The time dimension/ horizon/ temporal aspects:
a. Cross-sectional Research: Carried out once and
represent a snapshot of one point in time
 Issues in Research Design
b. Longitudinal Studies: That are repeated over an
extended period
5. Unit of Analysis ( population to be studied):
a. Individuals
b. Dyads: i.e.; groups, male female etc.
c. Groups
d. Organizations
e. Cultures
 Issues in Research Design
6. Sampling Design:
a. Probability/ Non- Probability
b. Sample design
7. Data Collection Methods:
a. Observation
b. Interviews
c. Questionnaires
d. Unobtrusive
e. Physical Measurements
 Issues in Research Design
8. Measurements:
a. Operational definition
b. Items
c. Scaling
d. Categorizing
e. Coding
f. Data Analysis
i. Feel of data
ii. Goodness of data
iii. Hypothesis testing
 Important points
1. Each component of research design contain several
critical choice/ points. The extent of scientific rigor in a
research study depends on how carefully the researcher
chooses the appropriate design, taking into consideration
to specific purpose.
2. The more sophisticated and rigorous. The research
design, the greater the time the more the cost and other
resources expended on it will be
3. Ask at every choice point, whether the benefits that
result from a more sophisticated design to ensure
accuracy, confidence, generalizability or commensurate
with the larger investment of resources
 The Research Design
MEASUREMENT
DATA
DETAILS OFSTUDY ANALYSIS

Feel
Purpose Types of Extent of Study Measurement for
of study investigation researcher’s setting and measures data
interference
STATEMENT
PROBLEM

Good-
ness
of data

Units of Sampling Time Data Hypo-

analysis design horizon collection thesis
method testing
 I. The Purpose of the Study
1. Exploratory
2. Descriptive
3. Hypothesis Testing
4. Case Study Analysis
Nature of the study whether it is exploratory,
descriptive or hypothesis testing depends on the
stage to which knowledge about the research
topic has advanced.
Case study is an examination of studies in other
similar organizational situations
 a. Exploratory Research Design
Exploratory Research Design: Undertaken when
– Not much is known about the situation at hand, or
– No information on how similar problems or research
issues have been solved in the past.
– It is also necessary when some facts are known but
more information is needed for developing a
theoretical framework
 Steps in Exploratory Study
1. Extensive preliminary work need to be done
2. Develop a model
3. Setup a design for comprehensive investigation
(preliminary/ secondary data collection)
4. Extensive interviews
5. Develop questionnaires
6. Interview individuals through focus groups (selected
group of people for some specific purpose)
7. Exploratory studies can be done through internet, video
conferencing etc.
 b. Descriptive Studies
Descriptive studies: Help to:
• Understand the characteristics of a group in a given
situation
• Think systematically about various aspects in a given
situation
• Offer ideas for further investigation/ research
• Helps to make simple decisions
Undertaken in order to ascertain and able to describe the
characteristics of variables or interest in a situation. For
example: study of a class i.e.; age, gender, junior, no. of
students no. of courses etc.
 c. Hypothesis Testing
Hypothesis Testing: It is undertaken to explain the
variance in the dependant variable or to predict
organizational outcomes. Studies that engage in
hypothesis testing usually explain:
i. Nature of certain relationships
ii. To establish the differences among groups
iii. To indicate the interdependence/ independence of two
or more factors in a given situation
 d. Case Study Analysis
Case Studies: It involves in-depth analysis of
matters relating to similar situations in other
organizations. They are useful in:
i. Applying solutions to current problems based on
past experiences
ii. In understanding a certain phenomena
iii. Generating further theories for empirical testing
 e. Pilot Studies:
Pilot studies: These are on a small scale and collect
information from a limited number of occurrences
 II. Type of Investigation
• If the researcher wants to know the cause of one
or more problems it is known as causal study.
When the researcher is interested in knowing the
important variables associated with the problem,
this type of study is called a correlational study
• Whether a study is causal or correlational depends
on the type of research question
• How the problem is defined?
 Causal/ Correlational Study Question

a. Does smoking cause cancer?

b. Are smoking and cancer related?
A manager/ researcher determine whether it
is a causal or correlational study. When it is
necessary to establish a definite cause and
effect relationship.
 III. Extent of Research Interferences:

The extent of interference by the researcher

with the normal flow of work. The researcher
tries to manipulate variables so as to study its
effects on dependant variables. It is a deliberate
attempt to change certain variable and
interfering with the events. There could be
difference of degree of interferences.
 Extent of Interferences
• Minimal: Where the study is conducted in the natural
environment of the organization with minimum
interference by the researcher with the normal flow of
work.
• Moderate: In studies conducted to establish cause- and-
effect relationships, the researcher tries to manipulate
certain variables so as to study the effects of such
manipulation on the dependant variable of interest.
• Excessive: In such cases the researcher might want to
create an altogether new artificial setting where the cause
and effect relationships can be studied by manipulating
certain variables and tightly controlling others, as in a
laboratory.
 IV. Study Setting
• Contrived
• Non- Contrived
Where the organizational research is done in
natural environment where work proceeds
normally i.e.; in a non- contrived setting. The
artificial setting is the contrived setting.
Correlational studies are usually conducted in non-
contrived setting whereas causal studies are done
in contrived lab setting.
 Study Setting
• Lab Experiments: Where the subjects are chosen to
respond to manipulation. There require creation of artificial
contrived environment in which the extraneous factors are
strictly controlled
• Field Experiments: Where the cause and effect
relationships are studied with interference but in a natural
setting where work continues in a normal fashion
• Field Studies: Where various factors/ variables are
examined in natural setting, in which daily activities go on
as normal with minimal researcher interference. The choice
of such setting depends upon the research design.
 V. Unit of Analysis
• It refers to the level of aggregation of the data
collected during the subsequent data analysis
stage.
• Categories:
1. Individuals
2. Dyads
3. Groups
4. Organizations
5. Cultures
6. Countries
 VI. Time Horizon
1. Cross Sectional Studies:
In the cross sectional studies a study is conducted where the
data is gathered once, perhaps over a period of days or weeks
or months, in order to answer a research question.
2. Longitudinal Studies:
When the researcher want to study people, events, items,
phenomenon at more than one point in time i.e.; studies
across the period of time
The researcher take appropriate decision in the finalization of the
study design based on problem definition, the research objectives,
the time and cost consideration