Data Issues

• Research data are data that are collected,

observed, or created, for purposes of analysis
to produce original. research results. Research
data can be generated for different. purposes
and through different processes, and can be
divided into
Data Issues
• Primary and secondary data.
Beware of the reliability of secondary data.
Be careful with source of data
• Self-reported and observed data
Primary and secondary
data
• Primary
– Data collected for the purposes of research in
hand
– Researcher is primary user
– Most business research uses primary data
• Secondary
– Data are already collected by other researchers
for other projects or for non-research (e.g.
administrative)
– Researcher is secondary user
Primary and secondary
data
• Exercise – 2

Explain with less than 50 words:

1. What data do you need?
2. Where is it coming from?
Primary and secondary
data
• Focus is on the use of primary data
• But many times a mix of primary and
secondary data is used in most researches
Deciding Research
Questions
 Alternative formats:
1. Research question – e.g. What is the relationship
between export trade and revenue for the port authority?
←can have more questions as much as you want
2. Research objective – e.g. The aim of the study is to
discover the relationship between trade statistics and
port authority revenue
3. Hypothesis e.g. - There is a positive association between
(a) volume of exports (b) value of exports and revenue
(True of False?) etc. Export destination moderates the
association between X and Y ← develops from literature
and therefore goes to Chapt. 2.
Research Questions
 The scope/scale of the resultant project should
be manageable within the time / resources
available
 Questions should be answerable.
 Questions may be grouped into primary and
subsidiary.
Research Proposals
 Self-generated - e.g. theses, academic research
 Responsive – e.g. consultancy – response to
briefs and tenders
 Content:
• What is to be done
• Why it is to be done (self generated)
• How it is to be done
• When it will be done
• What it will cost
• Who will do it
Self- generated Proposals
1. Background and justification for selection of
topic
2. (Preliminary) review of the literture
3. Conceptual/theoretical framework
4. Statement of research problems, questions
or hypotheses (for deductive research)
5. Outline of data requirements and overall
research strategy. Division of project into
elements, stages and tasks.
Self- generated Proposals
6. Details of information collection methods:
 types of information collection
 sample or subject selection methods-
measures to ensure data quality
 justification of sample size (where appropriate)
 data and information to be generated by each
method
 outline of any ethical issues and how they will
be addressed.
Self- generated Proposals
7. Details of data analysis methods.
8. Timetable (NB some tasks will be concurrent):
 preparatory work
 ethics approval if required
 fieldwork-data collection tasks
 analysis
 draft report or thesis
 feedback on draft (how long will it take, allocate
enough time)
 final report or thesis presentation
Self- generated Proposals
9. Budget, where applicable - costing of each
element, stage and task:
 project staff costs ( n days at ＄ x per day)
 permissible overheads
 fieldwork or data collection costs
 additional items - travel, printing, telephone,
postage, &c
10.Report or thesis chapter outline or indication
of no. & type of publications
Self- generated Proposals
 Resources, skills and experience available
(necessary when seeking funds):
 researchers’ curricula vitae, especially
experience relevant to the proposed project
 availability of computers, equipment, library
resources, &c.
Proposals – Presenting
program/timetable
Example of a research project timetable
Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Review Literature
Secondary data
analysis
Conduct survey
Focus groups
Meeting with ‫٭‬ ‫٭‬ ‫٭‬ ‫٭‬
clients
Write report