Scientific Investigation 1

Scientific Investigation
Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
Hallmarks of scientific research:
• Hallmarks or main distinguishing
characteristics of scientific research:
– Purposiveness
– Rigor
– Testability
– Replicability
– Precision and Conﬁdence
– Objectivity
– Generalizability
– Parsimony
Research Methods
© 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. www.wiley.c
for Business om/college/sekaran
Hallmarks of scientific research
• Purposiveness: Customer complaints were
mounting, and letters of complaint regarding
the problems they experienced with the
residential telephones lines were constantly
pouring in at the Friendly Telephone Company.
The company wanted to pinpoint the specific
problems and take corrective action. The
research thus has a purposive focus.
Research Methods
• Rigor: A good theoretical base and a sound
methodological design add RIGOR to a
purposive study.
• Rigor connotes: Carefulness, scrupulousness
and the degree of exactness in research
investigations.
• Research will lack of rigor for the following
reasons
Research Methods
• The conclusions are incorrectly drawn
• The manner of framing and addressing the
questions which could have introduced bias.
• There might be many other important
influences.
Research Methods
• Testability: Scientific research thus lends itself
to testing logically developed hypotheses to
see whether or not the data support the
educated conjectures or hypotheses that are
developed after a careful study of the
problem situation.
Research Methods
• Replicability: The results of the tests of
hypotheses should be supported again and
again when the same type of research is
repeated in other similar circumstances
Research Methods
• Precision: It refers to the closeness of the findings
to “reality” based on a sample.
• Confidence: It refers to the probability that our
estimations are correct.
• Objectivity: The conclusions 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 actual
data and not on our subjective or emotional
values
Research Methods
• Generalizability: it refers to the scope of
applicability of the research findings in on
organizational setting to other settings.
• Parsimony: Simplicity in explaining the
phenomena or problems that occur, and in
generating solutions for the problems, is
always preferred to complex research
frameworks that consider an unmanageable
number factors.
Research Methods
Hypothetico-Deductive Research
• The hypothetico-deductive method of
research helps the researcher to deduce or
infer from the results of data analysis and
hence is the deductive process.
Research Methods
• For example, if as a result of analysis of data
collected, one infers that the problem of
turnover can be minimized by three
important factors: (i) flexible work hours; (ii)
recognition of superior performance of
workers through suitable merit pay raises; and
(iii) enriching certain types of jobs, this is the
deductive approach.
Research Methods
• Induction is a process of drawing inferences from
observed phenomena which may subsequently be
put to the test through hypothetico-deductive
method of research.
• For instance, if a manager observes that people
residing at distances beyond 50 miles from the
workplace remain absent more frequently than
those he knows to reside close by, and infers
thereby that distance is a factor in absenteeism,
this is an inductive process.
Research Methods
Deduction and Induction
• Deductive reasoning: application of a general
theory to a specific case.
– Hypothesis testing
• Inductive reasoning: a process where we

observe specific phenomena and on this basis
arrive at general conclusions.
– Counting white swans
• Both inductive and deductive processes are

often used in research.
Research Methods
• The Seven-Step Process in the Hypothetico-
Deductive Method
– Identify a broad problem area
– Define the problem statement
– Develop hypotheses
– Determine measures
– Data collection
– Data analysis
– Interpretation of data
Research Methods

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Scientific Investigation

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

• Inductive reasoning: a process where we

• Both inductive and deductive processes are

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