Research Means

 Systematic and objective investigation of

a subject or a problem in order to
discover relevant information.

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Investigation on a subject refers to …
 Establishing a conceptual, or theoretical
understanding about something to be promoted as
part of disciplinary studies.
 For example, development of a theory in public
health.
Investigation on a problem refers to …
 Assessing, diagnosing, exploring, or evaluating
various facets pertaining to a management problem.
 For example, what percentage of first time
Bhatbhateni Superstores visitors come back again to
this place for shopping?
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Discover y of a relevant informat ion refers
to …
 Establishing theoretical grounds for a
disciplinary study, or
 Deducting problem solution under a
defined situation.

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So, what does it mean byresearch in you
opinion?

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Why is a research conducted?

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 Types of Research

Basically, there are only two types of research

a.Fundamental Research
b.Applied Research

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 Fundamental Research
Known as basic or pure research; seeks to
expand the boundaries of knowledge in the given
area.

For example, development of research

methods, propagation of new theories,
conduction of academic research studies.

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 Applied Research
 Known as a decisional research
 Attempts to use existing knowledge for
resolving the current problem.
For example?
 What are the customer needs, expectations,
and problems associated to our offerings?
 How did the general public like the
prevailing governance system?

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 Lets repeat it again…

¤ A research may be considered as a

systematic and objective
investigation that involves
systematic design, collection,
preparat ion, interpret at ion
and
reporting of information
needed to
solve specific problems or promote
a domain of learning.

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1. Assessmen
t
2. Exploration
3. Evaluation
4. Examinati
on
5. Comparison
6. Estimation
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Le Nature of Objective description
v
els objective
Assessment To observe the situation and infer results
1.

2.
Exploration To uncover the reality facing a problem

3.
Evaluation To measure the level of existence

Examination To test the existence

4.

5. To compare and contrast between given

Comparison
variables
6.
Estimation To project probable level of happening

7.
Propagation To declare a concept, theory, system or model
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Step 1
Define the
problem and Step 2
research Design the
objectives research with
plan for Step 3
collecting Implement
data the
research
- collect, Step 4
prepare and Produce
analyze results,
the data interpret ,
deduce
inferences
and report
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 Specification
of methods and procedures
for obtaining the information needed
A plan or organizing framework for
conducting the study and collecting data
 Serves as the blueprint of the detailed
procedures and rationales of a research project
 An essential part of research methodology

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 What is the study all about?
 Why is the study being carried out?
 Where will the study be carried out?
 What tools and techniques of data collection
will be used?
 How will the issue of validity and reliability
be addressed?
 What type of data are required?

 How much time will the study require?

 What will be the sample design?

 What techniques of data collection will be

used ?
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 Serves as a foundation to formulate and
guide the research study
Supports in better planning & execution of
the research methodology
 Useful in the estimation of probable
research errors and handling strategies
 Maintains necessary control over the
contents of the study
 Makes the study more systematic, and
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 Determine the exploratory, descriptive, or causal
phases of the research
Determine the information needed
 Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
 Construct and pretest appropriate forms of
data collection
 Specify sampling process and sample size
 Develop a plan of data analysis and
presentation
 Develop a monitoring and control mechanism to
facilitate the overall research function
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On the basis of the study techniques
undertaken, research designs can primarily be
categorized into TWO forms:

1. Exploratory Research Designs

2. Conclusive Research Designs

a. Descriptive Research
Designs
b. Causal Research Designs
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Three Research
Approaches
Observational
Research Survey Research
Gathering data Asking Experimental
by observing individuals Research
people, actions about attitudes, Using
and situations preferences or groups of
( Exploratory behaviors people to
) ( Descriptive ) determine
cause and
effect
relationsh
ips
( Causal)

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 Gathers preliminary information to define
Explorator the problem and suggest hypotheses
yResearc Literature search, expert interviews, focus
h groups, case studies, company audits,
qualitative research

Describes things as the market potential of

Descriptiv a product, consumer demographics and
attitudes
eResearc Secondary data analysis, surveys,
h observations,
panels, simulations
Causal Test hypotheses about cause and effect
Researc relationships
X causes Y
h
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Step 1: Define the Research Problem
Step 2: Estimate the value of the information to be
provided by the research
Step 3: Select the Data Collection Method
Step 4: Select the Measurement Techniques
Step 5: Select the Sample
Step 6: Select the Analytical Approach
Step 7: Evaluate the Ethics of the Research
Step 8: Specify the Time and Financial
Cost
Step 9: Prepare the Research Proposal
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1. Problem Definition
2. Study Approach and Designs
3. Population and Sampling Strategies
4. Sources of Data
5. Instrumentation
6. Mechanism for Research Administration
7. Mechanism for Data Processing and
Analysis
8. Confirmation of the Expertise Involved
9. Timeframe of the Study
10. Cost of the Study
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Meaning
Known as a proper ty of proposition
being studied
Also known as the constructs of a
proposition

A symbol to which we assign numerals or

values

Numerical value assigned to a variable is

based on its proper ties
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Three General Examples of
Variables 1. DichotomousVariables
These variables are so called because
they have
TWO values, reflecting presence or absence of
a property.

For example: pass or fail, exists or does not

exist, employed - unemployed, male - female,
yes - no.

The dichotomous variables can be assigned with

a numerical value of ‘0’ or ‘1’ for analysis 23
2. Discrete Variables
These are categorical variables.
For example, the demographic variables race
or religion are the examples of discrete
variables.
Religion: Hindu, Islam, Buddhism, and Jain
can be assigned numerical values of 1, 2, 3,
and 4 respectively.
The numerical values assigned to these
variables will be of absolute nature; not like 3.5,
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3. Continuous Variables
These variables take on values with a given
range or, in some cases, an infinite set.

For example, test scores may range from 0 -

100, age may be 2.5 years, present income of a
person could be Rs. 15000, you may disclose
your property worth more than Rs.
500,000,000.

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 Sample vs. Population
Population = collection of ALL possible
observations

Sample = subset of a population

Random Sample
representative of a population

all observations have equal chance of

being selected 27
 Cost
Time
 Inaccessibility of the population
 Accuracy
 Destruction of the observations

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 Step 7: Execute Step 2: Choose
Operational Sampling Data Collection
Plan Method

Step 1: Define the Step 3: Choose

Step 6: Develop and Population of Sampling Frames
Specify Interest
Operational Plan

Step 5: Determine Step 4: Select a

Sample Size Sampling Method

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 Probability vs. Nonprobability
 Probability
 members in the population have a known
chance (probability) of being selected into the
 sample
Nonprobability
 the probability of selecting members from
the population is not known

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Define Population

Determine Sampling Frame

Determine Sampling Procedure

Probability Sampling Non-Probability Sampling

Simple Random Sampling Convenience
Systematic Random Sampling Judgmental
Stratified Sampling Quota
Cluster Sampling Snow-ball

Determine Appropriate Sample Size

Execute Sampling Design 31

 Sampling

Methods

Probability Non-
Samples probability

Systematic Stratified Convenience Snowball

Simple
Cluster Judgment Quota
Random

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Meaning
Data are the units, or, numbers, or facts that
are generated through observation.

Data can be qualitative as well as quantitative.

Considered as the backbone for the evidence

of every findings and decision alternatives in
the research.

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Data Objectives
Data objectives are derived from the research
objectives and comprise of what we have observed
to be lacking in the example.

Their determination mainly rests on the researcher,

to translate what the decision maker wants into a
specific description of the needed data.

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General Qualities Required
1.The measurement should be relevant and adequate to
the problem faced to provide key guidance in decision
making.
2. The data must be accurate in both --

i. Validity: Measure what they are supposed to,

and
ii. Reliability: On repeating
the same method,
should
give the same results.
3. Data should be obtained quickly enough at
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Nature of Data
1. Facts:
 Include the measurements of anything
that actually exists or has existed.
 Facts, generally describe tangible things,
they also can be intangibles.
 They generally originate as the demographic,
sociological, psychographic, or behavioral
types.

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2. Knowledge:
 That is what people know.

 The information true or false, exists or does not

exist, etc.
Example
Consumers awareness about a product or a brand.
3. Opinion
 How people perceive something.

 What they believe about attitudes.

The mental sets or predisposition to act in some manner.

Example
Consumer perception regarding good or bad.
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4. Intentions:
 The acts that people have in mind to do.

 The expectations of their behavior

Example: Consumer interest upon a certain retailer.

5. Motives:
 Internal forces that cause people to behave as
they do.
 Motives may be instrumental ideas for identifying
the subjects about which the people will speak
freely.
Example: A certain consumer never liking wine.
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Functions of Data
1. Causation Y = f(X)
2. Pay off ‘X’ Causes ‘Y’

Here, ‘X’ is the causation and ‘Y’ is the pay off.

3. Description: Determination of causal variables
in the sample. E.g.: How many of them are ‘X’.
4. Identification: Identification of the particular
source.
e.g.: The name of person who took an interview, or
made an observation, name, address, and
locations of subjects, etc.

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1. Primary Vs. Secondary
Primary Data
That originate from primary sources and are based
on observation or investigation or direct
questioning.
* Observation Method
* Interview Method
* Questionnaires
* Projective Techniques
* Content Analysis

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1. Primary Vs. Secondary
Secondary Data
That originate from secondary sources.
Data already available, collected and analyzed
by someone else.
* Publications
* Books
* Journals
* Magazines and Newspapers
* Reports
* Collateral Materials
* PR Messages

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2. Qualitative Vs. Quantitati ve Can be primary/secondary
Qualitative Data: Psychological, perceptual, or conceptual
data that is not counted in numbers, rather coded as ‘good
or bad’, ‘interesting or boring’ etc.
Quantitative Data: based facts and
Number Frequency of figures.
occurrence. Always primary
3. Personal
Data based onReporting
individual observation and
reporting.

Can be qualitative as well as quantitative.

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1. Internal
Data developed or gathered, maintained,
preserved
and by the organization Primary
itself.
MIS is the best source for internal records.
MIS comprises of FOUR major components;
Management Research Systems (MRS), Internal
Database Systems (IDS), Management Intelligence
Systems (MIS), and Analytical Information Systems
(AIS).
Annual reports, collateral materials, press releases
etc.

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2. External
* Data generated from the published reports
of various bureaus, and public surveys.
Secondary
Example
:EDIFY International conducting a salt
consumption behavior research study in Nepal,
and the same report findings to be used in other
related future researches.

Use of CBS - Nepal reports for various

research purposes.
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1. Literature Reviews
* A secondary method of data collection.
* Facts gathered in the basis of reviews of
various publications, articles, journals, books,
collateral materials, reports, etc.
* Useful in providing the evidence to the results
of the primary observation.
* Mostly used in understanding the
theoretical phenomenon.
* Very essential in qualitative studies.

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2. Census
* Census represents the study of universe.

* Mostly conducted by the governments in

long periodical basis.
* Each and every component of the population
is the subject of the study.
* Most costly approach of data collection.

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3. Survey
* An alternative to census.

* Sample based study; study/observation

through population representation.

* Mostly used by the researchers.

* A primary method of data collection.

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4. Focus Group Observation
Can be direct or
* A approach of group observation. indirect, structured
or unstructured
* A source for primary data
collection.
** Useful in perceptual studies.
The groups may comprise of 6 to 10 people.
* The issues are discussed by cross
questioning and sharing their views.
* Suitable in case of new product launch
and testing.

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5. Experiments
* A primary method of data collection.
* Can be field or lab experiment based.
* Mostly conducted by using the control groups.
* Most useful in new product testing.
* May be very costly incase of wrong selection
of control groups.
* Sometimes conducted by the help of various
physical tests; eye movements, pupil
movements, skin stimuli etc.

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6. Interviews
* A popular method of primary data collection.
* Data collected in the basis of personal
interaction with the respondents.
* Can be well-structured or less-structured.
* Useful when small size of observation is
enough for data collection.
* The individuals/subjects are the source of
study.

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 Dat a Reduct ion and
Analysis Data Reduction Process
Step I: Establishing field controls Step II: Editing of
data
Step III: Coding the data
Step IV:
Transcribing
Step V: Creating new variables
Step VI: Calculating
and
summarizing statistics
Data Analysis
Descriptive analysis
Bivariate
analy 51
Presentation of a Report
I. Prefatory Part
Title Page
Signatory Page
Copy Rights
Acknowledgements
Executive
Summary Table of
Contents
List of Tables and Graphs
List of Abbreviations

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II. Main Body
Introduction
Review of Literature
Research
Methodology
Data Reduction, Presentation, and
Analysis Summary of Key Findings
Recommendations and Conclusions

III. Supplementary Part

Bibliography or References
Annextures
Appendixes 52
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 Nature and Content of Ethical Issues
Participant Treatment Researcher Treatment
Issues Client Treatment
Issues Issues
* Purpose shouldn't be
* Should not disseminate
to sell merchandise * Methods used and conclusions that are
* Anonymity must be results should be
accurately reported inconsistent with data
protected * Should not solicit
-------------------------
Ultraviolet ink --- designs and deliver to
Hidden tape recorders another for
One-way mirrors Confidentiality execution
Fake long distance calls ----------------------------
Fake research firm Unqualified researcher Excessive requests
Right to safety
Right to be informed Proprietary information Reneging on promises
Right to privacy
Right to choice Unnecessary research Availability of funds

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