RESEARCH METHODS
By
Abuzar Asra
References:
Utama: Research Methods for Business, 3rd edition by Uma Sekaran
Tambahan: Research Methods for Social Relations, by Selltiz, et al.
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SESSION 1A: INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH
I.
Nature of Research
II. What is Research
III. Functions of Research
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I. NATURE OF RESEARCH (1)
(Selltiz, et al., 1976)
- research:
 to search again, to take another, more careful look, to
find out more
-presumption:
 first look, and every other look, may be prone to error
-not just ‘finding out something you do not know’,
but ‘finding that you do not know something’
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I. NATURE OF RESEARCH (2)
-Just looking does not always yield valid conclusions
Ex. A Spanish ship set sail and thend disappeared below
horizon
Columbus: believed the world was round, the ship taking its
first curve around the world
King Ferdinand: was relatively flat, or at least hump-backed,
like a turtle, seeing it disappearing from view.
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I. NATURE OF RESEARCH (3)
- intelligence-gathering versus research:
Intelligence gathering: ‘what’ question, descriptive, is not
research
Research:
‘why’ question, analysis
(explanations,
relationships, comparisons, predictions, generalisations, and
theories)
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I. NATURE OF RESEARCH (4)
While very kind of human reaction is conceivable, not
everyone can conceive every kind of reaction. (Selltiz,
et al., 1976)
A riddle:
A man and his son are in a automobile accident. The man is
killed and the boy, seriously injured, is rushed to the hospital
for surgery. But the surgeon takes one look at him and says, “I
am sorry I can’t operate on this boy. He is my son”.
According to the riddle, the boy’s father is dead and
the surgeon is telling the truth. How can that be?
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I. NATURE OF RESEARCH (5)
Cyclical nature of scientific method:
facts
(INDUCTION)
(DEDUCTION)
theories
consequences
(VERIFICATION)
new facts
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I. NATURE OF RESEARCH (6)
Four ways of knowing:
Method of Tenacity
Truth is true because one believes it, even in front of contradicting evidence.
Superstition.

Method of Authority
Truth is true because an authority says so. Religion.

Method of Intuition
Truth is true because it is logical. Derived from reasoning but does not bear
empirical support. Philosophy.

Method of Science
Accounts for solvable problems that have empirical solutions based on
observable events

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II. WHAT IS RESEARCH
•
Research: the process of finding solutions to a
problem after a thorough study and analysis of the
situational factors
•
Business Research: an organized, systematic,
databased, critical, objective, scientific inquiry or
investigation into a specific problem, undertaken with
the purpose of finding answers or solutions to it
(Sekaran, 2000)
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III. FUNCTIONS OF (SOCIAL) RESEARCH (1)
(Selltiz, et al., 1976)
•
To develop and evaluate practices, concepts,
theories of (social) relations and to develop
and evaluate methodologies that test these
practices, concepts, theories.
•
To improve the quality of (social) life.
•
To develop measures of the quality of life,
such as social indicators
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III. FUNCTIONS OF (BUSINESS) RESEARCH (2)
•
To investigate a specific problem
encountered in the work setting, that
needs a solution
Process involved: inquiry, investigation,
examination, and experimentation
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IV. TYPES OF (BUSINESS) RESEARCH (1)
(Sekaran, 2000 and Johnston, 1986)
•
Basic/fundamental/pure research:
chiefly to enhance the understanding of certain
problems and seek methods of solving them (i.e
contribute to knowledge building in a certain area),
similar to
- Disciplinary research
to improve a discipline, such as economics
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IV. TYPES OF (BUSINESS) RESEARCH (2)
(Sekaran, 2000 and Johnston, 1986)
•Applied research:
applying the results of the findings to solve specific
problems currently being faced,
similar to,
- Subject-Matter:
 multidisciplinary research on a subject of interest to a set
of decision makers facing a set of practical problems
or
- Problem-solving
To solve a specific problem for a specific decision makers
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