Advanced Research Methods

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: SAJIDA GUL
 Course Objectives

•Identify problem area •Collect data

•Conduct interviews •Analyse and interpret data
•Do library research •Discuss findings and
•Develop theoretical implications
framework •Discriminate between
•Formulate hypotheses good and bad research
•Make research design
decisions
 3
Pace of Knowledge Creation

• Over 90% of the relevant literature in many technical fields, such as

biotechnology, astronomy, computers and software, and environmental
sciences, has been produced since 1985.
• 1700 To 1950: Man’s Knowledge Doubled = 250 Years
• 1950 To 1965: Man’s Knowledge Doubled Again = 15 Years
• 1965 To 1975: Man’s Knowledge Doubled Again = 10 Years
• 1975 To 1980: Man’s Knowledge Doubled Again = 5 Years
 4
Operational Knowledge

 Imagine, your boss is planning to visit Paris…You have been

assigned to prepare a Guide for him…

 What will you do? ………

 You Develop a Research Plan

 5
You May Consider Questions Like:

 Is it worth to research?
 What is the purpose of your research?
 What would be your research questions?
 From whom you will collect information?
 From how many persons, you will collect information?
 6
You May Consider Some More Questions….

 How will you collect the information?

 How will you analyze information?
 How will you report the findings?
 What could be the kinds and sources of biases?
 How will you prove to then boss that the information contained in
the Guide is relevant and reliable?
 7

So you have to ask yourself this

Are you SURE that you are not

going to reinvent the wheel?
 8
What is Research?

 Research is one of the ways to find answers to your questions

 Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual

application in the investigation of matter.
 9
What is Research?...

 Research is defined as a systematic, self-critical enquiry. The

enquiry is aimed at understanding a phenomenon (a thing) or solving
a problem.

 Research is an art of scientific investigation.

What is Research?...

Research Definition:
 Research is an organized and systematic inquiry
(investigation) which provides information for solving a
problem or finding answers to a complex issue.
What is Business Research?

 Business Research can be described as a systematic and

organized effort to investigate a specific problem encountered in
the work setting that needs a solution.

 Itcomprises a series of steps designed and executed, with the

goal of finding answers to the issues that are of concern to the
manager in the work environment.
Business Problems for which Research
Needed
 In Business: Telecom, Pharmaceutical, Entertainment, Beverages
 In Sales/Marketing: Customer satisfaction, Branding, Relationship Management
 In Finance/Accounting: Financial statements, Portfolio management
 In Organizational Behavior: Employee motivation, Performance management
 In Human Resource Management: Performance management, selection
 Market Trends and Demands:
 Competition:
 13
Why Study Research?

 Researchprovides you with the knowledge and skills

needed for the fast-paced decision-making environment
 14
When Should Research be Undertaken?
Types of Business Research

 There are two types of business research:

 Basic research
and
 Applied research
Types of Business Research: Basic Research

 Basic Research is about generating scientific knowledge for future use.

 The main purpose of basic research is to generate knowledge by trying
to comprehend how certain problems that occur in organizations can be
solved.
 Basic research attempts to expand the limits of knowledge.
 Not directly involved in the solution to a pragmatic problem.
Examples of Basic Research

 Is executive success correlated with high need for achievement?

 Are members of highly cohesive work groups more satisfied than
members of less cohesive work groups?
 Is performance only the result of motivation.
Types of Business Research: Applied Research

 Applied research is conducted when a decision must be made about a

specific real-life problem.
 Applied Research - Undertaken to solve existing problems.
 Focus of the applied study is to solve the current problem of the
organization
Examples of Applied Research

 Should McDonalds add KFC add more localized food items to its
menu?
 Employee performance in Mobilink Company is not good from the
last one year.
 Sales of Warid Company is going down day by day .
 Should Procter & Gamble add a high-priced home teeth bleaching
kit to its product line?
Role of Research in Decision Making

 Decision-making is the process of selecting the best alternative from the available
set of alternatives.
• Good decision making need a “yes” to the following questions:
• Do Manager identify where exactly the problem lies
• Do they correctly recognize the relevant factors to be investigated
• Do they know what type of information are to be gathered and how
• Do they know how to use those information to reach on a conclusion and to make
decision
• Do they know how to implement the result
Role of Research in Decision Making…

 Management is chiefly concerned with all above decision-making and its

implementation.
 These decisions should be based on appropriate studies, evaluations and
observations.
 Research provides us with knowledge and skills needed to solve the
problems and to meet the challenges of a fast paced decision-making
environment.
 This is the essence of research and to be a successful manager it is
important to know how to go about making the right decision
Research Approaches (Methods)

 There are two approaches to research or (two broad methods of reasoning):

 Inductive Research Approach

and
 Deductive Research Approach
Research Approaches: Deductive Approach

 The logical process of deriving a conclusion from a known

premise (evidence, ground, basis) or something known to be true.
 For example:
 We know that all Professors in Abasyn are Pakistanis.
 If we also know that Waqar is Professor in Abasyn.
 Then we can deduce that Waqar is also a Pakistani.
 24
Deductive Reasoning

Theory Using deductive reasoning, one starts

with a given theory as the basis for
Hypotheses which we develop hypotheses and then
confirm these with specific data
acquired using observation or
Observation experimentation

(Is our theory valid or not?)

Confirmation

24
Research Approaches: Inductive Approach

 Thelogical process of establishing a general proposition on the

basis of observation of particular facts. E.g.
 All managers that have ever been seen are human beings;
 Therefore, all managers are human beings.
 26
Inductive Reasoning

Observation

Using inductive reasoning, one

Pattern starts with a specific observation
as the basis for which we develop
a general pattern and tentative
Tentative Hypothesis hypothesis as the foundation
of a theory
Theory

26
 27
Deduction / Induction

 Inference (Interpretation):
 from a general principle or law to individual instances (deduction):
 (General) If something is red, it is a Tomato.
 Your car is red (General)
 (Particular) Your car is also a Tomato
 from several instances to a law (induction)
 (Specific) My apple is red
 Your apple is red
 (General) All apples are red
Hallmarks of Research

 Purposiveness
 Rigor
 Testability
 Replicability
 Precision and Confidence
 Objectivity
 Generalizability
 Parsimony
Hallmarks (Attributes) of Research

 The main distinguishing characteristics of research can be listed

as follows:
1. Purposiveness:
There must be a specific purpose of study or research. E.g. Investigating
employees commitment to the organization.
2. Rigor:
It means the degree of exactitude (accuracy) in research investigation.
E.g. Sample selection problems.
 Hallmarks (Attributes) of Research…

3. Testability:
Hypothesis developed for study can be tested by applying certain
statistical tests to the data collected for the study. E.g. Correlation
coefficient etc.
4. Replicability:
The results of the tests of hypothesis should be supported again and yet
again when the same type of research is repeated in other similar
circumstances
kalim khan
 Hallmarks (Attributes) of Research…

5. Precision and Confidence :

5.1. Precision: Refers to the closeness of the findings to “reality” based on
a sample, or the degree of accuracy or exactitude of the results on the
basis of the sample. E.g. production days lost due to absenteeism was
somewhere between 30 & 40 compared to 20 & 50.
5.2. Confidence: Confidence refers to the probability that our estimations
are correct that is to claim confidently that 95% of the time our results
would be true and there is only 5% chance of it being not true(confidence
interval).
kalim khan
 Hallmarks (Attributes)of Research…

6. Objectivity: The conclusion drawn through the interpretation of the

results of data analysis should be objective, that is, they should be based
on the facts of the findings derived from the actual data and not on our
own subjective or emotional values.
 Hallmarks (Attributes) of Research…

7. Generalizability: It refers to the scope of applicability of the research

findings in one organizational setting to other settings. The more
generalizable the research, the greater its usefulness and value.

8. Parsimony: Economy in research models is achieved when we can

build into our research framework a lesser number of variables that
would explain the variance more efficiently than a complex set of
variables .

kalim khan
Hypothetico-Deductive Method

Seven steps of hypothetico-deductive method:

 Observation
 Preliminary Data Gathering
 Theory Formulation
 Hypothesis Development
 New Information Gathering
 Data Analysis
 Deduction
 Whether hypothesis substantiated?
 Whether research questions answered?
Hypothetico-Deductive Method

Hypothetico–Deductive Research mean to narrow down from broad through

scientific process. (From broad to narrow down)
1. Observation - what is happening, why should we know more about it?
2. Preliminary information gathering
 Literature survey - what have others found out?

3. Theory formulation - What can I find out that varies from the reported
research (available research)?
Hypothetico-Deductive Method

4. Hypotheses development - question

5. New information gathering.
6. Data Analysis
7. Deduction: a-Whether Hypothesis substantiated?
b- Whether Research question answered?
Example

 A sales manager might observe that customers are perhaps not as pleased as
they used to be. The manager may not be certain that this is really the case
but may experience anxiety and some uneasiness that customer satisfaction
is on the decline.
 This process of observation or sensing of the phenomena around us is what
gets most of the research—whether applied or basic—started.
Example…

 The next step for the manager is to determine whether there is a real
problem, and if so, how serious it is.
 This problem identification calls for some preliminary data gathering. The
manager might talk casually to a few customers to find out how they feel
about the products and customer service.
 During the course of these conversations the manager might find that the
customers like the products but are upset because many of the items they
need are frequently out of stock, and they perceive the salespersons as not
being helpful.
Example…

 From discussions with some of the salespersons, the manager might discover
that the factory does not supply the goods on time and promises new delivery
dates that it fails on occasions to keep. Salespersons might also indicate that
they try to please and retain the customers by communicating the delivery
dates given to them by the factory.
 Integration of the information obtained through the informal and formal
interviewing process has helped the manager to determine that a problem
does exist.
Example…

 It also helps the manager to formulate a conceptual model or theoretical

framework of all the factors contributing to the problem.
 In this case, there is a network of connections among the following factors
(variables): delays by the factory in delivering goods, the notification of later
delivery dates that are not kept, the promises of the salespersons to the
customers (in hopes of retaining them) that cannot be fulfilled, all of which
contribute to customer dissatisfaction.
Example…

 From the theoretical framework, which is a meaningful integration of all the

information gathered, several hypotheses can be generated and tested to
determine if the data support them.
 Concepts are then operationally defined so that they can be measured.
 A research design is set up to decide on, among other issues, how to collect
further data, analyze and interpret them, and finally, to provide an answer to
the problem.
Example…

 The process of drawing from logical (reasonable) analysis an inference

(conclusion) that signifies to be conclusive is called deduction.
 Thus, the building blocks of science provide the beginning for the
hypothetico-deductive method of scientific research.
The Research Process