Session 3
MGT-491
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS AND
RESEARCH FOR MANAGEMENT
OSMAN BIN SAIF
Summary of yesterday’s Lecture
• Place of literature review in research
• Procedure for reviewing literature
– Search for existing literature
– Review the literature selected
– Develop a theoretical framework
– Develop a conceptual framework
– Writing up the literature reviewed
Summary of yesterday’s Lecture
(Contd.)
• The Research Process;- An Eight step MODEL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Formulating a Research problem
Conceptualizing a research design
Constructing an instrument for data collection
Selecting a sample
Writing a research proposal
Collecting data
Processing data
Writing a research report
Defining a Research Question
• If you have a specific idea for the basis of your
inquiry, your research question is already
defined.
• But not every idea is researchable as not all
problems lend themselves to research
methodologies.
Defining a Research Question (Contd.)
• Broadly speaking, any question that you want
answered and any assumption or assertion
that you want to challenge or investigate can
become a research problem or a research
topic for your study.
Defining a Research Question (Contd.)
• However it is important to remember that not
all questions can be transformed into research
problems and some may prove to be
extremely difficult to study.
Defining a Research Question (Contd.)
• As a newcomer it might seem easy to
formulate a problem but it requires a
considerable knowledge of both the subject
area and research methodology.
Importance of Formulating a Research
Problem
• The formation of a research problem is the
first and most important step of the research
process.
• It is like the identification of a destination
before undertaking a journey.
Importance of Formulating a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• As in the absence of a destination, it is
impossible to identify the shortest – or indeed
any – route, in the absence of a clear research
problem, a clear economical plan is
impossible.
Importance of Formulating a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• A research problem is like the foundation of a
building.
• The type and design of the building is
dependent upon the foundation.
• If the foundation is well designed and strong
you can expect the building to be also.
Importance of Formulating a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• The way you formulate a problem determines
almost every step that follows;
– The type of study design
– Sampling strategy that can be employed
– Research instrument that can be developed
– The type of analysis that can be undertaken.
Sources of Research Problem
• Most research in humanities revolves around
FOUR ‘P’.;
1.
2.
3.
4.
People
Problems
Programs
Phenomenon
Sources of Research Problem (Contd.)
• Most research in humanities revolves around
FOUR ‘P’s’.;
1. People
1.
2.
Lives
attitudes
2. Problems
1.
issues
3. Programs
1.
Interventions
4. Phenomenon
1.
Existence of Regularity
Sources of Research Problem (Contd.)
Aspects of a Study
About
Study of
Study Population
People
Individuals, Organizations,
Groups, Communities
Problem
Issues, Situations,
associations
Program
Contents, structure,
outcomes
Phenomenon
Cause and effect
relationships, study of
phenomenon itself
Subject Area
Considerations in selecting a Research
Problem
These help to ensure that your study will be
manageable and that you will remain motivated.
• Interest;
– A research endeavor is usually time consuming, and
involves hard work and possibly unforeseen problems.
– If you select a topic which does not greatly interest
you, it could become extremely difficult to sustain the
required motivation and hence its completion as well
as the amount of time taken could be affected.
Considerations in selecting a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• Magnitude;
– It is extremely important to select a topic that you
can manage within the time and resources at you
disposal.
– Even if you are undertaking a descriptive study,
you need to carefully consider its magnitude.
Considerations in selecting a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• Measurement of Concepts;
– If you are using a concept in your study, make sure
you are clear about its indicators and their
measurement.
Considerations in selecting a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• Level of Expertise;
– Make sure you have an adequate level of
expertise for the task you are proposing.
– Also allow for the fact of learning during the study
and help from supervisor.
– But you need to do most of the work yourself.
Considerations in selecting a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• Relevance;
– Ensure that you study is relevant and adds to the
existing body of knowledge, bridges current gaps
or is useful for policy formulation.
Considerations in selecting a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• Availability of data;
– If your topic entails collection of information from
secondary sources, before finalizing your topic,
make sure that these data are available and in the
format that you want.
Considerations in selecting a Research
Problem (Contd.)
• Ethical issues;
– How ethical issues can effect the study population
and how ethical problems can be overcome
should be thoroughly examined at the problemformulation stage.
– Example;
• Adverse effects of direct or indirect information
• Expectation to share sensitive or private information.
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem
• 7 – STEP PROCESS;
1. Identify a broad field or subject area of interest
to you
2. Dissect the broad area into subareas
3. Select what is of most interest to you
4. Raise research questions
5. Formulate Objectives
6. Assess your objectives
7. Double Check
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem (Contd.)
1. Identify a broad field or subject area of
interest to you
– It is a good idea to think about the field in which
you would like to work after graduation.
– This will help you find an interesting topic and one
which may be of use to you in the future.
– It is imperative that you identify one of interest to
you before undertaking your research journey.
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem (Contd.)
2. Dissect the broad area into subareas
– You will realize that all the broad areas have many
aspects.
– In preparing this list of subareas you should also
consult others who have knowledge of the area
and the literature in your subject area.
– Once you have developed an exhaustive list of the
subareas from various sources, you proceed to the
next stage where you select what will become the
basis of your inquiry.
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem (Contd.)
3.
Select what is of most interest to you;
– It is neither advisable nor feasible to study all
subareas.
– Out of this list, select issues or subareas about
which you are passionate.
– One way to decide what interest you most is to
start with the process of elimination.
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem (Contd.)
4. Raise research questions
– What is it that I want to find out about in this
subarea?
– List down questions and then choose the best
one.
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem (Contd.)
5. Formulate Objectives
– Formulate your main objectives and sub
objectives from your question.
– The main difference between objectives and
research questions is the way in which they are
written.
• To find out
• To determine
• To ascertain
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem (Contd.)
6. Assess your objectives
– Now examine your objectives to ascertain the
feasibility of achieving them through your
research endeavor.
Steps in Formulation of Research
Problem (Contd.)
7. Double Check
– Go back and give final consideration to whether or
not you are sufficiently interested in the study and
have adequate resources to undertake it.
The Formulation of Objectives
• Main Objectives;
– The main objective is an overall statement of the
thrust of your study.
– It is also a statement of the main associations and
relationships that you seek to discover or
establish.
The Formulation of Objectives (Contd.)
• Sub Objectives;
– They are the specific aspects of the topic that you
want to investigate within the main framework of
your study.
– They should be worded clearly and
unambiguously using action oriented words.
Establishing Operational Definitions
Study
Concepts to be studied
Population to be studied
Concepts
Issues
Study
Populations
Issues
1
Poverty Line
What
constitutes it?
Children
Who would
you consider a
child?
2
Family Roles
What
constitutes it?
Immigrants
Who would
you consider a
immigrant?
3
Effectiveness
What
constitutes it?
The young
Who would
you consider a
young person?
Establishing Operational Definitions
(Contd.)
• They give an operational meaning to the study
population and the concepts used. It is only
through making your procedures explicit that
you can validly describe, explain, verify and
test.
• It is important to remember that there are no
rules for deciding if an operational defination
is valid.
Establishing Operational Definitions
(Contd.)
• Your arguments must convince others about
the appropriateness of your definitions.
Framing of HYPOTHESIS
• Hypotheses primarily arise from a set of
‘hunches’ that are tested through a study.
• The importance of hypothesis lies in their
ability to bring;
– Direction,
– Specificity,
– Focus.
Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
• They tell a researcher what specific
information to collect, and thereby provide
greater focus.
• Hypothesis are based upon similar logic.
• Your hunch may prove to be;
– Right
– Partially right
– Wrong
Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
• Without the process of verification, you
cannot conclude anything about the validity of
your hypothesis.
• Hence Hypothesis is;
– An assumption
– Hunch
– Suspicion
– Assertion
Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
• Hypothesis is;
– An idea about a phenomenon
– Relationship
– Situation
– Reality or truth
Of which you don’t know.
Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
• According to Kerlinger;
“ A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the
relationship between two or more variables”.
Characteristics of Hypothesis
• Main characteristics of Hypothesis are ;
1. It is a tentative proposition
2. Its validity is unknown
3. In most cases it specifies a relationship between
two or more variables.
Cycle of a Hypothesis
• Formulate your
hunch or
assumption
Phase I
Phase II
• Collect the
required data
• Analyze data to
draw conclusions
about the hunch–
true or false
Phase III
Functions of a Hypothesis
• Specifically it serves the following Functions;
– Provides a study with focus
– Tells what data to collect and what not to collect
– It enhances objectivity in the study
– Enables you to formulate theory.
Characteristics of Hypothesis
• Main Characteristics:
– Simple, Specific, Conceptually clear
– Capable of verification
– Related to the existing body of knowledge
– Opertionalisable
Summary of today’s Lecture
• Defining a research question
• Formulating a research problem
– Importance
– Sources
– Considerations while selection
– Steps involved
• Formulating an objective
Summary of today’s Lecture (Contd.)
•
•
•
•
Establishing operational definitions
Framing Hypothesis
Functions of Hypothesis
Characteristics of Hypothesis
Thanks