Unit Two

Literature Searching and

Theoretical Framework
 Concept of Literature Review
The books, articles, research report etc. which are
related to current research issues are considered as
literature.
Study of previous literature with the purpose of
knowing the research issues in detail and find out
appropriate methodology is known as literature
review.
Literature review is an essential part of all research.
It is a way to discover what other research has
uncovered.
A critical review of the literature helps to develop a
thorough understanding into the previous research works.
It is also a way to avoid investigating problems that have
already been definitely answered.
Therefore, it is a process of locating, obtaining, reading
and evaluating the research literature in the area of
researcher’s interest.
• Literature review is necessary for scientific research
because:
It is an important part of the research process.
It gives a brief overview of any topic’s theoretical background.
It helps to identify the gaps in the existing knowledge and to
set the context for their further research studies.
It can enable a student to demonstrate what he has learned
about a topic and construct their own connecting ideas within
that topic.
Purpose and Need for Literature Review
Scientific research is primarily based on past
knowledge.
It should be backed by previous studies because
they provide fundamental ideas to the
researcher to proceed further the present
research work.
Therefore, there should be continuity in
research.
Main purposes of literature review are as
follows.
1. To know the research conducted in the chosen
fields
2. To identify the research gap
3. To develop theoretical framework
4. To develop research design
5. To update theoretical framework
6. To know the method of data analysis
7. To know research design
8. To assess the success of various research design
 Steps of Literature Review

Identifying the Area of research

Review the Discipline Style

Search the Literature

Steps of Literature
Manage Your Reference
Review
Critically Analyze and Evaluate

Synthesize

Write Literature Review

 Literature Search through Internet
Now a days, most of the literature survey are based on
internet.
But it was rarely used until a decade ago.
Researcher should be able to identify reliable source of
literature considering to author, publisher and so on.
Due to low cost, less time, easy excess and no time limitation,
searching literature through internet is widely used by the
researcher.
Followings are widely used sites in the internet.
1. www.cup.cam.ac.uk (Cambridge University Press)
2. www.pearsoned.co.uk (Pearson Education Limited)
3. www.emeraldinsight.com (Emerald)
4. www.oup.co.uk (Oxford University Press)
5. www.sageup.co.uk (Sage)
6. www.openup.co.uk (Open University Press)
7. www.scholar.google.com (Google Scholar)
8. www.hotbot.co.uk
9. www.go.com
10. www.excite.com
11. www.altavista.com
12. www.researchgate.net
 Relation of Literature to Research
Review of literature is an integral part of any research.
It is a core component of any scientific research.
So, literature review is the base of the research.
The relation of literature survey and research
can be presented as follows.
1. Know the concept
2. Select the topics
3. Identify the variables
4. Make conceptual framework
5. Decide research design
6. Select instruments for data collection
7. Select tools for data analysis
 Theoretical Framework
It is a foundation on which the entire research is
based.
It is a logically developed, described and
elaborated network of variables that have been
identified through interview, observation and
literature survey.
It is a conceptual model that shows the
relationship among the several variables which
are identified.
• Theoretical Framework

Demand Price

Productivity Training and Development

Basic needs

Safety need
Motivation
Social need

Esteem need

Self actualization need

Contd.
It presents the relationship between dependent and
independent variables that helps to develop
hypothesis.
It manages the variables in a logical way that helps
to test the problem or theories.
In the theoretical framework, following components
should be incorporated.
a. The variables considered relevant to the study should
be clearly identified.
b. The discussions should state how two or more
variables are related to each other.
c. If the nature and direction of the relationship can be
theorized on the basis of finding from previous
research, then there should be an indication in the
discussion to whether the relationships would be
positive or negative.
d. There should be a clear explanation of why would
expect these relationship to exist.
e. A systematic diagram of the theoretical framework
should be given so that the reader can visualize the
theoretical relationship.
Need for Theoretical Framework for Research

Theoretical framework identifies the variables,

states the relationship of two or more variables and
reasons of expecting such relationship.
For the following reasons, theoretical framework is
essential for research.
• It helps the researcher to see clearly the variables of the
study.
• It provides a general framework for data collection.
 Theory and Research
Research is closely related to theory.
Research and theory are inseparable supplementary
components of scientific investigation.
A theory is a statement concerning the relationship
between or among concepts.
It usually consists of a set of interrelated concepts
and propositions that specify how variables relate to
phenomenon to be explained.
The purpose of theory is to define, establish and explain
the relationship between concepts. For eg. Law of
demand
Theory consists different components like proposition,
concept, construct, operational definition, variable,
hypothesis, model etc.
These all components are equally applicable in
research.
Research can contribute to the improvement of theory.
Similarly, research helps to improve the existing theory
or develop new theory.
Therefore, they are interrelated to each other.
Theory can be expressed as follows.
• It is a logically connected set of general propositions that
establishes a connection within at least one or two variables.
• It is an explanation of a specific social phenomenon that
identifies a set of causally relevant factors or conditions.
• It provides insights into a real meaning of social phenomenon
by offering an illuminating interpretation and by telling us
‘what is it all about’.
• A theory is what famous social thinkers really mean.
• A theory is an entire worldview or a way of seeing,
interpreting and understanding events in the world.
• It is a criticism based on a political moral view point.
• It is a philosophical commentary on key questions or issues.
Research Approaches
 Deductive (Testing Theory)
• It is a process of drawing conclusion about a phenomenon
based on theoretical or logical reasons and an initial set of
premises.
• Under this approach, research work moves from general
information to the specific information.
• It as also known as top-down approach.
• In this approach, research starts at the top with a very broad
spectrum of information and draws the specific conclusion.
• It is based on the following chain.
Theory → Hypothesis → Observation → Test → Conclusion
 Inductive (Building Theory)
• It is opposite to deduction.
• It is a process of drawing conclusion on the basis of
observation.
• It moves from specific observations to broader generalization
and theories.
• It is also known as the bottom-up approach.
• In this approach, research begins with specific observation,
detects patterns, formulate some tentative hypothesis and
finally ends up with some theory. That is,
Observation → Trend → Hypothesis →Theory
 Research Problem
• Problem is a description of an issue currently existing which
needs to be addressed.
• It is difference between actual and desired value or
outcome or situation.
• It provides the context for the research study and generates
the questions which the researcher aims to answer.
• It is an interest in an issue where the finding of right
answers might help to improve the existing situation.
• “A problem is an interrogative sentence or statement that
asks: What relation exists between two or more variables”.
- F.N. Kerlinger
• Research problem refers to
a. Existing business problems where a manager is looking for a solution.
b. Situation that is not putting any problem at present but manager thinks
that there should be improvement.
c. Area where some conceptual clarity is needed for better theory
building.
d. Situation for which researcher is trying to answer.
• It is a crucial step in the research process.
• Its main function is to decide what a researcher wants to find out
about.
• For example,
a. Is the problem of declining sales faced by the company?
b. Are the declining sales merely a symptom of the real problem?
Identification of Research Problem in Business
• Research problems are such issues that are going to be
considered while conducting research.
• Some research problems are developed from the
contradiction in the existing theory.
• Some research problems may reflect the real problems of
organization.
• Therefore, research problems must be defined carefully to
ensure the correct research questions and their answer.
• Research problem can be identified in the following ways.
Identify a broad field of subject area of interest
Dissect the broad area into sub area
Select the most interesting for research
Raise research questions
Formulate the objectives
Assess the objectives
Double check
 Criteria for Good Research Problem
• If the research problems are clearly identified and defined, then
the study will be manageable and researcher remains motivated.
• Therefore, following criteria should be considered for a good
research problems.
1. Interest
2. Magnitude
3. Measurement of Concepts
4. Level of Expertise
5. Relevance
6. Availability of Data
7. Ethical Issues
Research Question: Concept
and Types
 Concept of Research Question
• Statement of research that identifies the factors to be stated.
• Clearly tells about the factors that are attempted to study.
• Objectives of research must match with the research question.
• All the stated questions should be answered in research.
• To develop the research question, it is necessary to identify
the area of interest, conduct the literature review and find out
the variables and their relationship.
• Basically, it serves
a. to focus the researcher to a particular area from entire
contextual framework.
b. to guide the researcher in methodology and validity.
c. to guide the report preparation.
• A question well stated is a question half answered.
• That is, correct formulation of research question solves fifty
percent of research problem.
Consideration while setting the research question.
1. It should be stated in question form.
2. It should state relationship between two or more variable.
3. It should be empirically answerable.
4. It should be stated clearly and unambiguously.
5. It should be socially useful, operationally viable and
economically worthy.
 Types of Research Question
A. Descriptive Question
• Intended to describe the phenomenon existing around the
study.
• Subject matters are: what is happening, what is going on, what is
the natural setting, what are the existing situation, etc.
• Designed to conduct the research for describing reality or
situation around the study concern.
• For example,
• What is the level of job stress of employees?
• What is liquidity position of Nepalese Commercial Banks?
• What is the current situation of poverty? etc.
B. Relational Question
• Questions that are designed to know the relationship between
two or more variables under the study.
• The relationship between dependent and independent variables
is established.
• For example,
• What is the relationship between the level of job stress and
productivity of employees?
• What is the relationship between the rate of interest and liquidity
position of commercial banks?
• What is the relationship between poverty and level of employment?
C. Causal Question (Cause and Effect)
• Questions that are designed to examine the effect of one
variable on the other.
• Establish the cause and effect relationship between the
variables.
• May be one or more causes of one variable.
• For example,
• Does the level of job stress affect the productivity of employees.
D. Research Question Seeking Difference
• Questions are designed to find out the difference between or
among the groups.
• Applicable for comparing two or more components.
• For example,
• Is there any difference in the perception of employees towards the
policy of the organization.
 Hypothesis
• Every research has to be started with assumptions and
presumptions through which subsequent study might prove or
disprove.
• It is a hypothesis around which entire research process
revolves.
• A hypothesis is a statement about the relationship between
two or more variables which needs to be investigated for its
truth.
• It basically a working assumption.
• It is a logical conjecture about the nature of relationship
between two or more variables expressed in the form of
testable statement.
• Hypothesis is considered as an intelligent guess or
prediction, that gives directional to the researcher to
answer the research question.
• Hypothesis or Hypotheses are defined as the formal
statement of the tentative or expected prediction or
explanation of the relationship between two or more
variables in a specified population.
• A hypothesis is a formal tentative statement of the
expected relationship between two or more variables
under study.
Role of Hypothesis in Research
a. Select the Required Fact
b. Conform Theories
c. Determine the Types of Data Needed
d. Direction of Research
e. Suggest More Appropriate Tools for Analysis
f. Provide Framework for Drawing Conclusion
g. Acts as a Bridge
 Hypothesis Formulation
Hypothesis can be formulated in two ways:
A. One way is the observation of the events which events
are linked with the various logic.
B. Second way is through literature survey.
 For hypothesis formulation, following approaches can
be used.
a. Discussion
b. Through Internal Data
c. Literature Review
d. Interview
 Types of Hypothesis
On the basis of estimated relationship between the variables,
hypothesis is formulated.
As the nature of relationship between the variables is different, the
format of hypothesis differs.
Therefore, the hypothesis can be classified as follows.
a) Descriptive Hypothesis
 Descriptive hypothesis contains only one variable.
 Therefore, it presents existence, type, size and distribution of
variable.
But it does not represent the relationship between the variables.
Generally, it describes the situation.
For example, employees’ turnover is high.
b) Relational Hypothesis
• Relational hypothesis explains the relationship between two or
more than two variables.
• It is divided into two groups: correlation hypothesis and
explanatory or causal hypothesis.
• Correlation hypothesis states that the variables occur together
in some specified manner without implying that one causes
another.
• Causal hypothesis is formulated in such a way that change in
one variable (independent variable) causes to change another
variable (dependent variable).
c) Directional and Non-directional Hypothesis
• Directional Hypothesis predicts the direction of the relationship
between the independent and dependent variable.
• Example- women employees are more loyal towards organization than
male workers.
• Another example, girls’ ability of learning moral science is better than
boys.
• Non -directional Hypothesis predicts the relationship between the
independent variable and the dependent variable but does not specify
the direction of the relationship.
• Example- teacher student relationship influence student’s learning.
• There is no significant difference between 9th class boys and girls
abilities of learning moral values.
d) Null and Alternative Hypothesis
• Hypothesis stipulating that there is no significant difference
between situation, groups, outcomes, variables etc. is known as
null hypothesis.
• It is generally expressed as no relationship between two variables
or no difference between two groups.
• It is denoted by H0.
• The alternative hypothesis is the statement expressing the
relationship between two variables or indicating the differences
between groups.
• It is exactly opposite to null hypothesis.
• It is denoted by H1.