9th Residential School and Project Workshop
October 26-27, 2013
Developing Research Topic & Research Questions
Which child can best describe
your Present Situation?
What is “Research”?
What is Research?
Research may be defined as a careful and systematic
process of inquiry to find answers to problems of
interest. (Willie Tan, Practical Research Methods, 2004,
p.3)
o
o
o
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problems of interest
find answers
process of inquiry (a sequence of steps)
careful and systematic
What is “Research”?
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Your sales has been declining by 30% for the past 1 month
(Problem Statement).
You would like address the above problem and find ways to
boost your sales (Research Aim/Objective).
You will ask: What are the reasons for the declining sales?
(Research Questions).
You want to find out the reasons – ask your customers/
distributors/ conduct a market research (Research).
Stages of the Research Process
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Research
Design
Discovery and
Definition
and so on
Conclusions and
Report
Sampling
Data
Gathering
Data Processing
and Analysis
What is Business Research?
Systematic and Objective Process of Gathering,
Recording and Analyzing Data for Aid in Making
Business Decisions. (Zikmund, Business Research
Methods, 2002, p. 6)
Systematicness and Objectivity are its distinguishing
features of Business Research. It is an important tool
for managers and decision-makers in corporate and
non-corporate organizations.
Why Business Research?
Business Research is an aid to improve the quality of managerial
decision making.
Why to conduct research in business:
• If there are no answers to a particular problem
• If there is a gap in the knowledge
• If there are answers to problems, but the answers not yet tested
• If a contradiction exist
• If there are insufficient solutions to a problem
Science and the Scientific Method
Science has been defined as “the methodological and systematic
approach to acquisition of new knowledge” (Geoffrey Marcyzk, David
DeMatteo, David Festinger, Essentials of Research Design and
Methodology, John Wiley & Sons, 2005, p. 4)
The scientific method, which has evolved since the 13th century,
concerns the set of tools, techniques and procedures used by basic and
applied researchers to analyze and understand phenomena and prove or
disprove prior conceptions
The Essence of the Scientific Method
Characteristics of the Scientific Method
Objectivity
Systematic Analysis
Logical Interpretation of Results
Applied
Research
General Laws
Scientific
Method
Basic
Research
Information or
Ideas for alternative
Courses of action
Elements of the
Scientific Method
Empirical Approach
Observations
Questions
Hypotheses
Experiments
Analysis
Conclusion
Replication
Value and Costs of Undertaking
Business Research
VALUE
COSTS
Decreased Uncertainty
Research Costs
Higher Likelihood of Correct
Decisions
Delay in Making Business
Decisions
Better Business performance
Higher Profits
Disclosure of Information to
Rivals
Better Reputation
Possibility of Error
Types Of Business Research
• Exploratory
• Descriptive
• Causal
Degree of Problem Definition
Exploratory Research
(Unaware of Problem)
“Our sales are declining and
we don’t know why.”
“Would people be interested
in our new product idea?”
Descriptive Research
(Aware of Problem)
Causal Research
(Problem Clearly Defined)
“What kind of people are buying “Will buyers purchase more of
our product? Who buys our
our products in a new package?
competitor’s product?”
“Which of two advertising
“What features do buyers prefer campaigns is more effective?”
in our product?”
Types of Research 1
a) Exploratory Research
Exploratory research is conducted during the early stages of
decision making when the decision situation is ambiguous
and management is very uncertain about the nature of
problem.
For example
• Absenteeism is increasing and we do not know why
• Would people be interested in our new product ideas?
• What factors influence the leadership in our organization?
Types of Research 2
b) Descriptive Research
Descriptive research is usually conducted when
management is aware of the problem, but not
completely knowledgeable about the situation.
For example
• What kind of people favour trade protectionism?
• Did last year’s product recall have an impact on our
company’s stock price?
Types of Research 3
c) Causal Research
Causal studies can only be conducted when a problem is
clearly understood.
For example
• Which of the two training programmes is more effective?
• Will buyers purchase more of our product in a new package?
Business Research Process
Identification of Research Problem
Setting Research
Objectives
Workshop Session 2
Break-up Session 1
Identification of Research
Questions
Developing Research Design
Theoretical Framework
Fieldwork and Data
Preparation
Workshop Session 3
Break-up Session 2
Workshop Session 5
Workshop Session 6
Data Analysis and
Interpretation
Reporting
Workshop Session 4
Problem Discovery And Definition
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First step
Problem, opportunity, or monitor operations
Discovery before definition
Problem means management problem
Problem Discovery And Definition
“The formulation of the problem is
often more essential than its
solution”
Albert Einstein
Problem Discovery And Definition
Think Inside and
Outside the BOX with
your Rational and
Emotional Mind.
Defining Problem Results in
Clear Cut Research Objectives
Symptom Detection
Analysis of
the Situation
Exploratory
Research
(Optional)
Problem Definition
Statement of
Research Objectives
Selection of Research Problem
• A research problem is an enigmatic, troubling area or topic which
needs an enquiry to get better understanding or ultimate solution.
• A research problem is an interrogative sentence or statement that asks
what relation exists between two or more variables.
• It could be a concept or a broad problem area that contain numerous
potential research problems.
• The answers to this question would provide the manager with the
desired information necessary to make a decision with respect to the
question.
Sources of Research Problem
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Personal experience
Existing problem in the work place
Technological and scientific advancements
Offshoots of other researchers
Suggestions from colleagues, administrators, teachers, etc
Professional journals, seminars, conferences, etc
Other sources such as competitors’ actions, market conditions, etc
Workable Research Problem
• It should be interesting to you
• It should have some practical value to you / your work /
your organisation / Community / Society
• It should not be over researched
• It should be with in your expertise / experience
• It can be finished with in the allotted time
• It should not carry legal or modal implications
Practical Research Problems in
Business
Sales and Marketing Research
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Market Potentials
Market Share
Market Segmentation
Market Characteristics
Distribution Channels
New Product Concepts
Test Markets
Advertising Research
Buyer Behaviour
Customer Satisfaction
Website Visitation Rates
Management and Organizational
Behaviour Research
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Total Quality Management
Morale and Job Satisfaction
Leadership Style
Employee Productivity
Organizational Effectiveness
Employee Motivation
Absenteeism and Turnover
Organizational Climate
Performance Management
Termination and Dismissals
Some Real-Life Business Research
Problems
1.
A firm wants to produce and market a new product but first
wants to ascertain if there is a potential consumer demand
for this product in markets x,y and z
2.
A multinational firm wants to establish a production facility
in another country after determining its technical and
economic feasibility
3.
A government agency wants to ascertain the satisfaction
level of its employees, the causes for any possible
discontent, and propose a scheme for enhancing this level
4.
The CEO of a firm wants to undertake a SWOT-Analysis as
part of his plan to redefine his organization’s priorities
Types of Research Questions
First Level: A question that asks for
a description of something and
exploratory in nature that usually
begin with ‘WHAT IS’
What is the impact of
TQM on the
productivity of the
organization?
Second Level: A question that asks for
the causes / reasons for an observed
phenomenon. Dependent and
independent variable required to
determine the extent of relationship
between variables under study. Question
usually begin with ‘WHY’
Third Level: A question that asks for
changing something or to do some
intervention to get a specific outcome.
Questions that assume relationship or
difference between variables and usually
begin with ‘HOW’
Why the impact of
TQM is different in
different production
units?
How to improve
effectiveness of
TQM across
production units?
Hypothesis
• A proposition formulated for empirical testing.
• A tentative descriptive statement that describes the
relationship between two or more variables
Process Illustrated
Research Problem
Research Objective
Research Questions
Impact of TQM on the productivity in the
organization
To study the impact of TQM on the job
satisfaction of the employees of the
employees at different levels in the
organization
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Does TQM has impact on productivity?
Does the impact differ by level in the
organization?
Does the impact differ in different
departments?
Why does impact differ by level in the
organization or by department?
Do employees resist TQM?
How to change employees resistance to
TQM?
Hypotheses Illustrated
Null Hypothesis
Research question 1
Ho: TQM has no impact on productivity.
Alternative Hypothesis
H1: TQM has positive impact on
productivity.
H2: TQM has negative impact on
productivity.
Research Question 2 / 3
Ho: There is no significant difference in the
impact of TQM on the productivity at
different levels / departments in the
organization.
H1: The impact of TQM on productivity
is significantly different at different
levels / departments of the
organization.
H2: The impact of TQM on productivity
is higher at the higher levels of the
organization.
Research Question 5
Ho: There is no employees’ resistance to
implementation of TQM.
No need to formulate hypotheses for
Research Questions 4 & 6
H1: Resistance to TQM is inversely related
with the levels in the organization
Any Questions?