Introduction to Research methods

an Assessment
 Understanding the concepts
What is research all about?

What are the possible methods or approaches?

What actions guarantee a good research?

A study on the manager and researcher relationship and the

conflicts between them.

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 Curiosity or inquisitiveness is a distinctive nature of
human beings.

Research simply means a search for facts, say answers to

questions, solutions to problems etc.,

It is a purposive investigation and an organized inquiry.

It seeks to find explanations to unexplained phenomenon

and to correct the misconceived facts.

The study of research methods provides you the

knowledge and skills required to solve the problems and
meet the challenges of a fast paced decision making
environment.
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 What is Research?
Simply it is the process of finding solutions to a
problem after a thorough study and analysis of the
situational factors.
Business research is a systematic inquiry whose
objective is to provide information to solve managerial
problems. It needs training in a disciplined process for
conducting an inquiry of a management dilemma, the
problem or opportunity that requires a management
decision.
The difference between making good decisions
and committing blunders lies in how managers go
about the decision- making process.
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 Why should we know about research?
Decision making is merely a process of
choosing from among alternative solutions to
resolve a problem and research helps to
generate viable alternatives for effective
decision making.

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 Definition of Research
as an organised, systematic, data-based, critical,
objective, scientific inquiry or investigation into a
specific problem, undertaken with the purpose of
finding answers or solutions to it.

in essence, research provides the needed

information that guides managers to make informed
decisions to successfully deal with problems.

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 Business research defined as
As a systematic inquiry whose objective is to provide
information to solve managerial problem.
The possible methods are:
Arbitrary method and Scientific method
Arbitrary method of seeking answers to questions is
based on imagination, opinion, blind belief or
impression.
Scientific method on the other hand is a systematic
rational approach to seeking facts. It is objective, precise
and arrives at conclusions on the basis of verifiable
evidences.
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Characteristics of Research
Systematic and critical investigation into a phenomenon.
It is not a mere complication process, but a purposive
investigation.
It aims at describing, interpreting and explaining a
phenomenon.
It always adopts scientific method.
It is based upon observable experience or empirical
evidence.
Directed towards finding answers to pertinent questions
and solutions to problems.

We need to understand that the purpose of research is

not to arrive at the answer, which in turn pleases the
researcher, but rather AJS/RMM/2016
will stand july/BBAup the test of criticism.
 Why study research?
and
Why managers need better information?

Research provides you with the knowledge and skills

needed for the fast-paced decision-making environment
Global and domestic competition is more vigorous
Organizations are increasingly practicing data mining
and data warehousing

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 Types of Studies Used to do Research

Reporting
Descriptive discover answers to the questions:
who, what, when, where and even sometimes
how?....
Explanatory theory created to answer why
and how questions?....
Predictive

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 Different Styles of Research

Applied Research
has a practical problem solving emphasis and is
conducted to reveal answers to specific questions related
to action, performance or policy related aspects
Pure Research/Basic Research
is problem solving based, but in a different sense. It
aims at solving problems of a theoretical nature that
have little direct impact on action, performance or policy
related aspects

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Difference between Applied research (AR)
and Business research (BR)

AR -intention to solve specific problem

pertaining to the organisation.

BR - research done chiefly to enhance the

understanding of certain problems that commonly
occur in organisational settings and seek methods of
solving them is BR or pure research.

In spite of the difference they follow the same

steps. AJS/RMM/2016 july/BBA
 Types of business research

Done for two purposes.

(1) to solve a current problem applied
research
Ex. Sales decline, poor credit management,
too much of workers absenteeism.
(2) to generate a body of knowledge to
understand a phenomenon of interest and to build
theories pure/basic research.
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 What is Good Research and its
characteristics?
Following the characteristics of the scientific
method:
Purpose clearly defined
Research process detailed
Research design thoroughly planned
Limitations frankly revealed
High ethical standards applied

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(Cont.)

Following the characteristics of the scientific method

(cont.)

Adequate analysis for decision-makers needs

Findings presented unambiguously
Conclusions justified
Researchers experience reflected

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 Scientific Research (Investigation)

not based on hunches, experience, and

intuition but is purposive and rigorous

it applies to both AR and BR

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The hallmarks or distinguishing characteristics of
scientific research are
(1) Purposiveness
(2) Rigor
(3) Testability
(4) Replicability
(5) Precision and Confidence
(6) Objectivity
(7) Generalizability
(8) Parsimony
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Purposiveness
To increase participation of the HH in
risky assets investments.
Rigor
involves a good theoretical base and a
carefully thought-out methodology.
Testability
researcher develops certain hypotheses
on factors influencing the ownership of risky
assets, then these can be tested by applying
certain statistical tests to the data collected for
the purpose. AJS/RMM/2016 july/BBA
 Replicability
the results of the tests of hypotheses should
be supported again and yet again when the same type of
research is repeated in other similar circumstances.

Precision and Confidence

precision refers to the closeness of the
findings to reality based on a sample.
confidence refers to the probability of our
estimations are correct.
in social science 95% confidence level is
conventional
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 Objectivity
the conclusion drawn through the
interpretation of the results of data analysis should
be objective.
it should not be on our own subjective
or emotional values.
Generalizability
it refers to the applicability of the
research findings from one setting to another
setting
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Parsimony
simplicity in explaining the phenomenon or
problems that occur, and in generating solutions for the
problems, is always preferred to complex research
frameworks that consider an unimaginable number of
factors.
simplicity could be introduced with a good
understanding of the problem and the important factors
that influence it.

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Why scientific approach is necessary for
investigation?

the results will be less prone to errors and more

confidence can be placed in the findings because of
the greater rigor in application of the design details.
This also increases the replicability and
generalizability of the findings.

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 The Building Blocks of Science in Research

One of the primary method of scientific investigation is the

hypothetico - deductive method.
Deduction process by which we arrive at a reasoned
conclusion by logical generalization of a known fact.

Ex. All high performers are highly proficient in their jobs.

Raj is a high performer.
We conclude he is highly proficient in his job.
Example:
Major premise : all men and women are mortal
Minor premise : A is a man and B is a woman
Conclusion : A is mortal and B is mortal
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 Induction a process where we observe certain phenomena and
on this basis arrive at conclusions. One of the methods of logical
reasoning process.
for instance, we see that production processes are the prime
features of factories or manufacturing plants.
We therefore conclude that factories exists for production
purposes.
Essential conditions are:
Observation must be correctly performed and recorded, data
collected should be accurate.
Observations must cover representative cases drawn form a
specific universe.
Observations must cover an adequate number of cases
Conclusion must be confined to inferences drawn from the
findings. AJS/RMM/2016 july/BBA
 Other types of Research

Case studies involve in-depth, contextual analyses

of similar situations in other organisations, where the
nature and definition of the problem happen to be the
same as experienced in the current situation.

as a problem-solving technique, is not often

undertaken in organisations because such studies
dealing with problems similar to the one experienced
by a particular organisation of a particular size and in a
particular type of setting are difficult to come by.

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Action Research
is sometimes undertaken by the consultants
who want to initiate changes in organisations.
here the researcher begins with the problem
which is identified already, gathers relevant data
to provide a tentative problem solution.
it is a constantly evolving project.

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 Concept
There needs a common ground to understand and communicate
information about objects and events. Concepts serve this
purpose.
A Concept is a generally accepted collection of meanings or
characteristics associated with certain events, objects,
conditions, situations and behaviours.

Classifying and categorising objects or events that have common

characteristics beyond single observation create concepts.
<

Example: We see a cricket game and identify that he is batting,

bowling, running, hitting, jumping etc., and all these movements
represents concepts.
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 Construct

A Construct is an image or idea specifically

invented for a given research and or theory
building purpose.

We build constructs by combining the simpler

concepts, especially when the idea or image we
intend to convey is not directly subject to
observation.
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 Variable
The term Variable is used as a synonym for construct or
the property being studied.
A Variable is defined as anything that varies or changes
in value. Because a variable represents a quality that can
exhibit differences in value, usually in magnitude or
strength, it may be said that a variable generally is
anything that may assume different numerical or
categorical values.
Categorical and Continuous variables:
any variable that has a limited number of distinct values.
any variable that has an infinite number of possible
values.
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 Types of Variables
Dependent Variable
Independent Variable
Moderating Variable
Intervening Variable

Dependent variable the variable of primary interest to

researcher.
researchers goal is to understand and describe it, or
to explain its variability, or predict it.
Ex. Sales managers concern of new product sales
after test marketing.
DV is sales.
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Cause and effect

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Independent Variable is one that influences the
dependent variable in a positive or negative way.
the variance in the dependent variable is
accounted for by the independent variable.

Ex. Research studies successful new product

development influence on stock market price.

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Moderating Variable is one that has a strong contingent effect
on the IV-DV relationship. It is a second independent variable
that is included because it is believed to have a significant
contributory or contingent effect on the originally stated IV-DV
relationship
E.g.. The introduction of the five day workweek will lead to
higher productivity, especially among young workers.

i.e., the presence of third variable (moderating variable)

modifies the original relationship between the IV and DV.
Ex.
Workforce Organisational
diversity effectiveness

Managerial
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expertise
An intervening variable is a conceptual mechanism
through which the IV and MV might affect the DV. The
intervening variable (IVV) may be defined as that factor
which theoretically affects the observed phenomenon but
cannot be seen, measured or manipulated; its effect must
be inferred from the effects of the independent and
moderator variables on the observed phenomenon.

Example: The introduction of five day workweek will

lead to higher productivity by increasing job satisfaction
among young workers.
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Example to understand the effectiveness

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