Introduction about Research

Research
• Research can be defined as a process that
people undertake in a systematic way in order
to find out things, thereby increasing their
knowledge.
• Purposes of the research may include
describing, explaining, understanding,
criticising and analysing (Ghauri and Grønhaug
2010).
 Approaches to Research
• Quantitative research is characterized by deductive
approaches to the research process aimed at
proving, disproving, or lending credence to existing
theories.
• Qualitative research is generally characterized by
inductive approaches to knowledge building aimed at
generating meaning (Leavy, 2014).
• Mixed methods research (MMR) involves collecting,
analyzing, and in some way integrating both
quantitative and qualitative data in a single project.
 Importance of Research
Research is
1. A Tool for Building Knowledge and for Facilitating
Learning
2. Means to Understand Various Issues and Increase Public
Awareness
3. An Aid to Business Success
4. A Way to Prove Lies and to Support Truths
5. Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
6. A Seed to Love Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing
Valuable Information
7. Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind
 Social Research
• There are considerable limitations with sources
of “knowledge.”
• Research is needed in order to challenge and
overcome the biases and limitations inherent in
“learning” from experts, culture, and personal
experiences.
• Social research produces knowledge and helps
people come to understand the social world
and respective roles in the world.
 Purposes of Social Research
• Exploration
• Description
• Explanation
• Community Change or Action
• Evaluation
• Evoke, Provoke, or Unsettle
 Academic Research
• By academic research is meant the research
work carried out in academic institution under
the guidance of supervisors(s) and leading to
the award of a research degree.
• Restrictive in the sense that the student is
confined to work within the rules and
regulations to be followed and the work has to
be completed within a definite time frame.
 Industrial research
• Industrial research is based on
– A need to innovate depend of the real time problems faced by
the industry.
– Sustaining the industry may be difficult without innovation due
to stiff competition.
• Very often an industrial research is in the form of a
project to be completed within a limited period.
• The contributions in an industrial research belongs to a
group of individuals or team of scientists with the credit
going to the team rather than a few individuals as in
academic research
 Types of academic research
• Research leading to totally new theory: Theory of relatively,
gravitational forces, Newton’s laws etc.
• A new interpretation or explanation of a physical or natural
phenomenon : origin of the universe, theory of black holes,
invention of the wheel etc.
• Extension/ modification/ counter proof for existing theory or
explanation.
• Verification by simulation and validation of a proposed theory or
explanation.
• Collection of extensive data on a phenomenon by experiments
and interpretation of the pattern for improving the quality of life
on planet earth.
Basic research and Applied research
Genres/Designs and Research
Methods/Practices
 Research Process
Formulate and
Wish to do clarity research
research topic

Critically review
the literature

Understand
Formulate
philosophy and
approach research design

Negotiate access
Research Process (Cont.)
 References
• https://owlcation.com/academia/Why-Researc
h-is-Important-Within-and-Beyond-the-Academ
e
• Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2016)
Research Methods for Business
Learners. Harlow: Prentice Hall
• Patricia Leavy, (2017) Research Design:
Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Arts-
Based, and Community-Based Participatory
Research Approaches: The Guilford Press