A Balasubramanian

Dr. M. G Shankar

1.Relevance & Scope of Research in Management and Steps

involved in the Research Process.
2.Identification of Research Problem and Defining MR Problems.
3.Research Design

4.Data-Collection Methodology
Primary Data- Collection Methods
Measurement Techniques
Characteristics of Measurement Techniques- Reliability,
Validity etc.
Secondary Data Collection Methods
Library Research
References
Bibliography, Abstract, etc.
.

5.Primary and Secondary data Sources.

Data Collection instruments including in-depth interviews, projective
techniques and focus groups
6.Data Management Plan- Sampling & Measurement

7.Data Analysis- Tabulation, SPSS Application data base, testing for

Association.
8.Analysis Techniques
Qualitative and Quantities Analysis Techniques
Techniques of Testing Hypothesis- Chi-Square, T-test
Correlation & Regression Analysis
Analysis of Variance, etc.- Making Choice of an
Appropriate Analysis Technique.
9. Research Report Writing and Computer Aided research MethodologyUse of
SPSS Packages
10. Case Studies and Presentations.

Meaning and definition of Research

Research is a systematized effort to gain new

knowledge- Redman and Mory
Research is an organized enquiry designed and carried
out to provide information for solving a problem- Fred
Kerlinger

Research is a careful inquiry or examination to

discover new information or relationships and to
expand and to verify existing knowledge-Francis
Rummel

Research is essentially an investigation, a recording and

analysis of evidence for the purpose of gaining
knowledge- Robert Ross

Research extends knowledge

Research Unravels the mysteries of Nature
Research Establishes Generalizations and General LawsTheory of consumer behavior and motivation theories.
Research Verifies and Tests- Research performs four
functions- initiates, formulates, deflects and clarifies
theories.
Research Analyze inter-relationships between variables
and to drive casual explanations.
Applied Research Aims at Finding Solutions to Socioeconomic problems, social unrest, poverty.
It Aims to develop Tools Concepts for better
understanding of unknown phenomena
Research Aids in Planning and thus contributes to national
development plans and schemes.

Well Defined Problems

Systematic
Purposive
Scientific
Objective and logical
Based on Observable experience
Solution Seeking
Generalisability
Unbiased
Trans-disciplinary - A good research should always
include disciplines relating to environmental, cultural,
social, economic, political and many other
dimensions.

Clarity in Formulation-hypothesis to be
tested must be clearly formulated.
Testable- Must answer the research
questions and test the hypothesis.
Identifying Variables-Relevant variables must
be clearly identified and operationalised.
Serve the Validity needs- Research design
must be structured to fulfill the needs of
internal and external validity.

Making Future Forecast- To predict planned

marketing decisions.
Understanding Marketplace.
Understanding Perceived value of Goods.
Improving the Quality of Decision Making.
Solving Operational and Planning Problems
Expanding Existing Business
Exploring New Business
Broadening and Deepening Technological
Capabilities.

1.
-

Business Research: Objective is to provide solution to

current problem.
Accounting and Finance: Research is carried out in
following areas.
Practice and procedures of budget control system.
Inventory costing methods and practices.
Depreciation methods and practices.
Transfer price methods and their impact on earning.
Individual investment behavior.
Capital structure and capital budgeting decisions.
Mergers and acquisitions and their impact on
companies earnings.

2. Human Resource Development and

organizational Behavior: Research is carried

out in following areas.

Employee behaviors,
Employee attitudes,
Leadership traits,
Performance appraisal system,
Assessment centre and evolution.

3. Marketing Research: Research is carried out in

following areas.
Systematic collection
Compilation
Analysis
Interpretation of relevant data for marketing
decision.
Research tools are applied effectively for studies
involving:
- Demand forecasting
- Consumer buying behavior
- Measuring advertising effectiveness.
- Media selection for advertising
- Test marketing
- Product positioning
- Product Potential

4. Organizational Research:
It enables the managers to get exposed to a
number of theories and research findings
having relevance to organizations. If a
manager faces any issue in his dept. and has
a sound knowledge of research methods, he
can scientifically approach the problem and
avoid trial and error method.

5. Industrial Research: Research is carried out

in following areas.
To improve the quality of products
To develop new materials, processes or
devices for capturing new markets.
To develop new users for existing materials,
processes or devices
To effect savings in cost
To abate dangers
To assist in standardization
To improve customer and public relations

6. Production Research: Research is carried out

in following areas.
Investigations of new production methods
Investigations of methods of standardization
and control.
Specialized trouble shooting

1. On the Basis of Application

- Pure Research : It takes place to explore a particular concept, or
issue, without regards for a specific problem. For. E.g.
development of a model of a coaching behavior which adds to
intellectual inquiry, For e.g why society changes
- Applied Research: According to Horton and Hunt, this research is
an investigation for ways of using scientific knowledge to solve
practical problems.
It may investigate ways to:
. Improve agricultural crop production.
. Treat or cure a specific disease.
. Improve the energy efficiency of homes, offices, or modes of
transportation.

2. On the basis of Objective

-

Exploratory Research/ Formulative Research: When

the purpose of research is to get familiarity with a
phenomenon or acquire new insights into it in order
to formulate a more precise problem or develop
hypothesis.
Descriptive Research/ Statistical Research: Describes
data and characteristics about the population or
phenomenon being studied. It answers questions like
what, where, when and how.
Casual/ Experimental Research:
Carried out for Physical Sciences, with the help of
hypothesis, may also be carried out in social science.
For e.g what is the effect of mineral content of water
on plant growth.

3. On the basis of Extent of Theory:

-

Theoretical Research- It uses the findings from

existing works to develop new ideas.

Empirical research- It is the way of gaining

knowledge by means of direct observation or
experience. Empirical means based upon
observation or measurement rather than theoretical
reasoning.
For e.g- A researcher who develops a theory of
sport Fan violence through visiting a library and
developing their own explanation through reading
existing work will be taking theoretical research, the
researcher who takes it a step further and collects
data to test their explanation will be taking empirical
research.

4. On the Basis of Time Dimension:

-

Cross Sectional Research

It provides a snapshot of the variables included in the
study, at one particular point in time. It generally use
survey techniques to gather date, e.g U.S survey
Longitudinal Research
It examines features of people or other units at more than
one time.

a) Time Series Research: It collects data on same variable at

regular intervals like week, months etc.
b) Panel Study: Researcher examines the same people,
group, organization across time periods.
c) Cohort Study: Same as Panel study but rather than
observing the exact same people, a category of people
who share similar life experience in a specified time period
is studied.

A useful procedural guideline regarding the research

process is given below.
-

Defining research problem

Extensive literature survey
Formulation of hypothesis
Preparing the research design
Determine sample design
Collecting the data
Execution of the project
Analysis of data
Testing of hypothesis
Generalizations and interpretation and
Preparation of the report or presentation of the results

Defining Research Problem

First step in research is defining a research
problem
-

A problem well defined is half- solved

Poorly defined problems cause confusion and

do not allow good research.
Next task is to formulate it precisely with
proper analytics.

Extensive literature survey

After problem formulation we need to write

down a brief summary
Refer to Journals, conference proceedings,
government reports, books etc.

Formulation of Hypotheses:

Working hypothesis is tentative assumption

made in order to draw out and test its logical
or empirical consequences.
Hypothesis should be very specific and
limited to the piece of research because it has
to be tested.

Preparing the Research Design

Research design is the conceptual structure

within which research should be conducted.
A research design specifies the methods and
procedures for conducting a particular study.
The function of Research design is to provide
for the collection of relevant evidence with
minimal expenditure of effort.

Determining Sample Design

A sample design is a definite plan determined

before any data is actually collected for
obtaining a sample from a given population.
With Probability samples each element has a
known probability of being included in the
sample.
Non-probability samples do not allow the
researcher to determine this probability.

Collecting the Data

Primary data- which are collected afresh and

for the first time and thus happen to be
original in character.

Secondary data- which have already been

collected by someone else and which have
already been passed through the statistical
process.

Execution of Project

Systematic Manner and on time.

If survey done through structured questionnaires,
data can be readily machine processed means
coded.
If data collected through interviews,
arrangements should be made for proper
selection and training of the interviewers.
Training may be given with the help of
Instruction manuals.

Analysis of Data

The analysis of data requires a number of

closely related operations such as
establishment of categories, the application
of these categories to raw data through
coding, tabulation and then drawing stastical
inferences.

Testing of Hypothesis

After Analyzing the data the researcher has to

test the hypothesis, various tests, such as
Chi-Square test, t-test, depending on the
nature of the research inquiry.

Generalization and interpretation

If a theory is tested and upheld several times,

it may be possible for the researcher to arrive
at Generalization, i.e to built a theory.
If the researcher had no hypothesis to start
with, he might seek to explain his findings on
the basis of some theory, it is known as
interpretation.

Preparation of the report or presentation

of the result

Although report writing needs some skill,

which can be developed with practice, the
researcher should follow the main principles
of writing a report.

Research helps in decision making and is not a

substitute of decision making. Some limitations
are as follows:
Research can provide a no. of facts but it doesn't
provide actionable results.
Some problems just cannot be researched. E.g a
precise estimate of sales directly attributable to
advertising.
It cannot provide answer to any problem but can
only provide a set of guidelines.
Managers rely more on intuition and judgment
rather than on research.