RESEARCH PROCESS
STEP 1 : 6
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
Steps 1 to 3 :
1. Observation-Broad Problem Area
2. Preliminary Data Gathering
3. Problem Definition/Research Questions
Clarifying the Research Question
Management-research question hierarchy process begins
by identifying the management dilemma
OBSERVATION : BROAD
PROBLEM AREA
BROAD PROBLEM AREA
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Problem Currently Existing
Situation Requiring Improvement
A Conceptual or Theoretical Issue that
Needs to be Tightened Up
Some Research Questions that a Basic
Researcher Wants to Answer Empirically
PRELIMINARY DATA
COLLECTION
PRELIMINARY DATA
COLLECTION
Nature of Data To Be Gathered :
1. Background Info of the Organization-that
is, the Contextual Factors
2. Managerial Philosophy, Company
Policies, and other Structural Aspects
3. Perception, Attitudes, and Behavioral
Responses of Organization Members and
Client Systems (as applicable)
BACKGROUN INFO OF THE
ORGANIZATION
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The Origin and History of the Company
Size in term of Employees, Assets, etc
Charter– Purpose and Ideology
Location—Regional, National, or Other
Resources– Human and Others
Interdependent Relationships with Other
Institution and the External Environment
Financial Position during the Previous 5 to 10
years, and Relevant Financial Data
INFORMATION ON
MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY
AND STRUCTURAL FACTORS
STRUCTURAL ASPECTS
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Roles and Position in the Organization and
Number of Employees at each Job Level
Extent of Specialization
Communication Channels
Control Systems
Coordination and Span of Control
Rewards Systems
Workflow Systems and the like
PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES,
AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES
Attitudinal Factors Comprise People’s Beliefs
About and Reaction to the Following:
1. Nature of Work
2. Workflow Interdependencies
3. Superiors in the Organization
4. Participation in Decision Making
5. Client Systems
6. Co-workers
7. Reward Provide by the Organization
Attitudinal,………………
8.
9.
10.
11.
Opportunities for Advancement in the
Organization
Organization Attitudes toward
Employees’ Family Responsibilities
Company Involvement with Community
Company Tolerance of Employees’
Taking time off from the Job
Behavioral Factors:
Include the following:
 Work habit such as industriousness, extent
of absenteeism, performance on the job,
etc.
LITERATURE SURVEY
A Good Literature Survey Ensures :
•
Important Variables are not left-out
•
A clear Idea Emerges
•
Problem Statement can be made with Precision and
Clarity
•
Testability and Replicability are Enhanced
•
No need to “ Reinvent the Wheel”
•
The Problem investigated is Perceived as Relevant and
Significant by Scientific Community
PROBLEM DEFINITION OR
PROBLEM STATEMENT
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A Problem Defined as:
Any Situation Where a Gap Exists
Between the Actual and the Desired
Ideal States
Symptoms of Problem VS Real Problem
Antecedent, Real Problem, or
Consequence ?
Clarifying the Research Question
Management-research question hierarchy process begins
by identifying the management dilemma
Research Process Problems to Avoid
•Ill-defined management
problem
•Unresearchable questions
•Politically-motivated
research
RESEARCH STEP 4
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
DEFINITION
Concept :
- is the basic building blocks of scientific
investigation. They are creations of the
human mind that are used in the
classification and communication of the
essence of some set of observations.
Concept can be defined as abstract ideas
generalized from particular facts
DEFINITION
Construct :
Is specific types of concepts that exist at
higher levels of abstraction and are
invented for some special theoretical
purpose. Generally, construct is not directly
tied to observation. Instead, they are
inferred by some indirect method, such as
paper and pencil questionnaires
DEFINITION
Theory :
Is a set of interrelated constructs
(concepts), definitions, and propositions
that present a systematic view of
phenomena by specifying relations among
variables, with the purpose of explaining
and predicting the phenomena
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
Topic Discussed :
 The Need for Theoretical Framework
 Type of Variables
 Theoretical Framework and Its Five Basic
Features
The Need For A Theoretical
Framework

A Theoretical Framework is a Conceptual
Model of how one Theorizes or Makes
Logical Sense of the Relationships among
the Several factors that have been
Identified as Important to the Problem
Type of Variables
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Dependent Variable
Independent Variable
Moderating Variable
Intervening Variable
Dependent Variable
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Is the Variable of Primary interest to the
Researcher
The Researcher’s goal is to understand and
describe the Dependent Variable, or to
explain its variability, or to predict it
Independent Variable

Is One that Influences the dependent
variable in either a positive or a
negative way
New Product
Success
IV
Managerial
Values
IV
Number of Books
IV
Stock Market
Price
DV
Power Distance
DV
Reading Abilities
DV
Moderating Variable

Is one that has a strong Contingent effect
on the Independent variable– dependent
variable relationship. That is , the presence
of a third variable ( the moderating
variable) modifies the original relationship
between the independent variable and the
independent variable.
Reading Abilities
Number of Books
DV
IV
Parents’
literacy
MV
Organizational
effectiveness
Workforce diversity
DV
IV
Managerial
expertise
MV
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.5a
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.5b
Intervening Variable
In one that surfaces between the time the
independent variables operate to
influence the dependent variable and
their impact on the dependent variable
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.6
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.7
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.8
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.9
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.10
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
FIGURE 5.11
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ANSWERS TO EXERCISES (PAGES 113-120 OF MANUAL)
5D
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ANSWERS TO EXERCISES (PAGES 113-120 OF MANUAL)
5E
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ANSWERS TO EXERCISES (PAGES 113-120 OF MANUAL)
5F
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ANSWERS TO EXERCISES (PAGES 113-120 OF MANUAL)
5H
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ANSWERS TO EXERCISES (PAGES 113-120 OF MANUAL)
5J
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sekaran/RESEARCH 4E
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ANSWERS TO EXERCISES (PAGES 113-120 OF MANUAL)
5K
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
FIVE BASIC FEATURES OF
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
1.
2.
The variables considered relevant to the
study should be clearly identified and
labeled in the discussion
The discussion should state how two or
more variables are related to one another.
This should be done for the important
relationships that are theorized to exist
among the variables
FIVE BASIC……….
3.
4.
If the nature and direction of the relationships
can be theorized on the basis of the findings
from previous research, then there should be an
indication in the discussions as to whether the
relationships would be positive or negative
There should be a clear explanation of why we
would expect these relationships to exist. The
arguments could be drawn from the previous
research finding
FIVE BASIC……..
5.
A schematic diagram of the theoretical
framework should be given so that the
reader can see and easily comprehend the
theorized relationships
STEP 5: HYPOTHESES
DEVELOPMENT
DEFINITION
Proposition :
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A statement about concepts that may be
judged as true or false if it refers to
observable phenomena
When proposition is formulated for
empirical testing, we call it a Hypothesis
DEFENITION OF HYPOTESIS

A hypothesis can be defined as a logical
conjectured relationship between two or
more variables expressed in the form of a
testable statement.
HYPOTHESES
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Formats (If-Then Statement or Propositions)
Directional and Nondirectional Hypotheses
Null and Alternate Hypotheses
HYPOTHESES : FORMATS
 Proposition
Example
: employees who are more healthy will
takes sick leave less frequently
 If-then
If employee are more healthy, then they will
take leave less frequently
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Non-Directional Hypotheses
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There is a relationship between age and job
satisfaction
There is a difference between the work
ethic values of American and Asian
Directional Hypotheses
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The greater the stress experienced in the
job, the lower the job satisfaction of
employees
Women are more motivated than men
Null and Alternate Hypotheses

For Group Differences :
Null Hypotheses : H0 : μM = μW
or
H0 : μM – μW = 0
Alternate Hypotheses: HA : μM < μW
( Directional)
or HA : μW > μM
Alternate Hypotheses: HA : μM ≠ μW
( Nondirectional)

For the Relation Between Two Variables
Null Hypotheses: H0 : ρ = 0
Alternate Hypotheses: HA: ρ < 0 (Directional)
HA: ρ ≠ 0 (Nondirectional)