What is Research/ Meaning of Research?

Research refears to a search for knowledge. Research as a scientific and systmatic search for pertient information on a specific topic. Research as a careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge . Research is actually a voyage of discovery. Research is an academic activity and as such theterm should be used in a technical sense.

According to Clifford Woody:Research comparises defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organising and evaluating data; making deductions and researching conclusion; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis . According to D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson:The manupulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of generalising to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in construction of theory or in the practice of an art . The search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solution to problem is also research. Objective of Research 1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it. [Formulative] 2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular and individual situation. [Descriptive] 3. To determine the frequently with which something occurs or with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else. [Diagnostic] 4. To test a hypothesis of a casual relationship between variables. [Hypothesis Testing]

Motivation in Research 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Desire Desire Desire Desire Desire to to to to to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits. face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems. get intellectual joy of doing some creative work. be of service to security. get respectability.

Functional areas of Research 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Marketing. Human Resource Management. Production. Finance and Accounting. Information Technology. Material planning and Production control. Purchasing function. Advertising and Sales Promotion Function. Social service.

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Basic Research

Applied Research

( ( (

Expand knowledge of processes of ( Improve understanding of particular business and management. business or management problems. Results in universal principles relating to the process and its relationship to Outcomes.

( Results in solution to problem.

Findings of significance and value to ( Findings of practical relevance and society in general. value to managers in organizations.

Significance of Research All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is often better then over confidence, for it leads to inquiry and inquiry leads to invention . Research inculcates scientific and inductive thinking and it promotes the development of logical habits of thinking and organization. The role of research in several fields of applied economics, whether related to business or to the economy as a whole, has greatly increased in modern times. Research provides the basis for nearly all government policies in our economic system. Research has its special significance in solving various operational and planning problems of business and industry. Research is equally important for social scientists in studying social relationships and in seeking answers to various social problems. The significance of research can also be understood keeping in view the following points:1. To those students who are to write a master s or Ph.D thesis, research may mean a way to attain a high position in the social structure. 2. To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a source of livelihood. 3. To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new ideas and insights.

4. To literary men and women, research may mean the development of new styles and creative work. 5. To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the generalizations of new theories. Research Methods Vs Research Methodology Research Methods are the methods or techniques employed by researchers in conducting research operations. Research Methods can be put into the following three groups. Collection of data. For establishing relationships between the data and the unknowns by using statistical techniques. Evaluate the accuracy of the results.

Research Methodology is a scientific and systematic way to solve research problems. A researcher has to design his methodology. The methodology may differ from problem to problem. Thus, the scope of research methodology is wider then research methods. Scientific Method The application of valid and reliable research method is called scientific method. It has three distinct characteristics. i) Objectivity: - The Scientific method should enable us to classify facts accurately and carefully, without any bias. ii) Accuracy of Measurement: - A mere collection and classification of the facts may not be sufficient; one must be able to make observations of their correlation and sequence. iii) Self Criticism:- Scientist should critically examine their own research as they are a group of people who are never sure that they have can found the ultimate truth, thus their studies are continuing and exhaustive. If researchers are completely objective, their measurements are accurate and their studies are exhaustive, then their result will be valid and reliable.

Scientific method is the pursuit of truth as determined by logical considerations. Scientific method attempts to achieve this ideal by experimentation, observations, logical arguments from accepted postulates and a combination of these three in varying proportions .
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All this is done through experimentation and survey investigations which constitute the integral part of scientific method. The scientific method is based on certain basic postulates:  It relies on empirical evidence.  It utilizes relevant concepts.  It is committed to only objective considerations.  It presupposes ethical neutrality. [Adequate & correct statement]  It results into probabilistic predictions.  Its methodology is made known to all concerned for critical scrutiny is for use in testing the conclusions through replication.  It aims at formulating most general axioms or what can be termed as scientific method.

What is Research Problem? A research problem refers to some difficulty which a researcher experiences in the context of either a theoretical or practical situation and wants to obtain a solution for the same. The components of a research problem:  There must be an individual or a group which has some difficulty or the problem.  There must be some objective(s) to be attained. If one wants nothing, one cannot have a problem.  There must be alternative means (or the courses of action) for obtaining the objective(s) one wishes to attain. This means that there must be at least two means available to a researcher for if he has no choice of means, he cannot have a problem.  There must remain some doubt in the mind of researcher with regard to the selection of alternatives. This means that research must answer the question concerning the relative efficiency of the possible alternatives.  There must be some environment(s) to which the difficulty pertains. Based upon the objective, the research problem could be in three areas. Exploratory Defining the problem and suggest hypothesis. Discovery of ideas. Idea is to clarify. Extensive research Descriptive Casual To test hypothesis about cause and effect relationship.

Selecting the Problem (1) Subject which is overdone should not be normally chosen, for it will be a difficult task to throw a new light in such case. (2) Controversial subject should not become the choice of an average researcher. (3) Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided. (4) The subject selected for research should be familiar and feasible. (5) Subject, qualification, training, costs and time factor are important for selecting a problem. Before final selection of a problem is done, a researcher must ask himself the following questions: (a) Whether he is well equipped in terms of his background to carry out the research? (b) Whether the study falls within the budget he can offered? (c) Whether the necessary co-operation can be obtained from those who must participate in research as subject? (6) The selection of a problem must be preliminary study.

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One Tailed Test (Right)

Acceptance Zone Region (1- )

Rejection Region

One Tailed Test (Left)

Rejection Region

Acceptance Zone Region (1- )

Two Tailed Test:

Rejection Region ( Acceptance Zone Region (1- )

Rejection Region (

Signs in the Tails of a Test Two Tail Test = In both tails Left-Tail Test = or >= < In the left tail Right-Tail Test = or <= > In the right tail

1 2 3

The null hypothesis Alternative hypothesis Rejection Region

H0 H1