The Scientific Research

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 What is Research?
z Systematized effort to gain new knowledge
Redman and Mory

z the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for

the purpose of generalizing to extend, correct or
verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in
construction of theory or in the practice of an art -
D.S. Lesinger and M.Stephenson

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 z Defining and redefining problems, formulating
hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organizing
and evaluating data; making deductions and reaching
conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions
to determine whether they fit the formulated hypothesis
Clifford Woody

Business research is an organized, systematic, data-

based, critical, objective, scientific inquiry or investigation
into a specific problem undertaken with the purpose of
finding solutions to it.
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 Importance of knowledge of Research
in business

z Business world is more complicated and complex

z Enables to identify critical issues, and implement the

right course of action

z Understand, predict and control the environment

z Identify problem situation before they get out of control

z To interact with the research consultants effectively and
to get the maximum benefit out of them
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 z Evaluate and discriminate the research findings
based on the soundness of methodology
z Understand the research reports prepared by
professionals so as to take intelligent, educated,
calculated risks
z Avoid making decisions on subjective or biased
manner

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 Hallmarks of Scientific Research

z Purposiveness
z Precision and Confidence
z Rigor
z Generalizability
z Replicability
z Parsimony
z Testability

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z Objectivity M.Raji
The Building Blocks of Science in Research

z Deduction
z Induction
z Hypothetico-deductive
z The Process
- Observing the phenomena
Identifying the problem
Constructing theory
Developing hypotheses
Developing the research design
Collecting data
Analyzing the data and
Interpreting the results
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 The Research Process

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 The Interrelated Phases:
(1) Defining the research problem
(2) Establishing Research Objectives
(3) Developing the research design
(4) Preparing a research proposal
(5) Data Collection
(6) Data Analysis and Interpretation and
(7) Research reporting

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 (1) Defining the research problem

Problem?
Any situation where a gap exists between the
actual and the desired states
The steps
(i) Identifying the broad problem area
Choice of purposes
Generation and evaluations of solutions
Trouble shooting
Information need

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 (ii) Literature review
Why?
Three steps
(i) Identifying the sources
(ii) Gathering relevant information
(iii) Writing up the Literature review.
(iii) Identifying the research question
(iv) Refining the research question
(v) Developing investigative questions
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 Identify ???

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 (2) Research objectives

Broad objective
Specific objective

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 (3) Research Design
specification o f methods an dproced ures
Includes
(1) Design technique
(2) Type of data
(3 ) Sampl ing methodology an proced
d ures
(4) Schedule and the budget

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 (4) Research proposal
Project purpose
Methodology
Time
Budget

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(5) Data Collection
Pilot testing
Primary & secondary
Data editing
Data coding
(6) Analysis & Interpretation
(7) Report writing

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 Theoretical Framework &
Development and Testing of
Hypothesis

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 Theoretical framework?

Conceptual model
Logical sense of the relationship
Identifying the network of
relationship among the variables

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 Features of theoretical framework:

The variables influencing the research problem to be clearly

identified, defined and discussed

Highlight the type of relationship for eg. Positive or negative

The reason for assuming the type of relationship should be

mentioned drawing on the previous research studies
identified through the literature review

A model showing the relationship among the variables can

be given so that the concepts can be visualized and
understood clearly by the reader

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 Why?

Background for understanding the

problem
To postulate hypothesis
To test the relationship

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 Variables?

Takes varied values

Values may be differ at varies time
for the same object or person
At the same time for different
objects or persons.

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 Types of variables
1.Dependent variable
2. Independent variables
Age Choice of product

3. Moderating variable
Age Choice of product

Price
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 4.Intervening variables

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 Hypothesis
Meaning
- Logically conjectured relationship between
two or more variables expressed in the
foRM - UNIT 1of a testable statement.
Statement of hypotheses
- As propositions / If-then statements
Types
- Directional and Non directional
- Null and alternative hypotheses
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 Statistical testing procedure
State the null hypothesis
Choose the statistical test
Select the desired level of significance
Compare the calculated difference
value
Obtain the critical test value
Interpret the test

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 Parametric and Nonparametric
test
Parametric test - Interval and ratio measurements

Assumption
- The observation must be independent
- Normally distributed populations
- The population should have equal variances
- The measurement scales should be at least interval so
that arithmetic operations can be used with them

Nonparametric tests - Nominal and ordinal data

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 Types of test
The criteria
- The samples involved viz., one sample,
two samples or k samples.
- In case of two samples it has to be
identified whether the individual cases
are independent or related.
- The type of scale used i.e.,nominal,
ordinal, interval or ratio

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 I. One-sample Tests
A single sample is taken and test is
undertaken to know whether the
sample come from a specified
population.
Parametric tests
- Z or t-test
Non-parametric tests
- Binomial
- Chi-square

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 II.Two-ind ependent sampl es tests
Parametric tests
- Z or t-test
Non-parametric tests
- Chi-square

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 III Two Related Samples Test
-test
McNemar

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 IV.K Independent Sam plesTests
The test is concerned with whether
the samples might come from the
same or identical populations.
Parametric Tests
- Analysis of Variance(ANOVA)

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 Research Design

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 What is it?
Blueprint of action
Questions ?
- What is the study about?
- Why is it being made?
- Where will it be conducted?
- What type of data is required?
- Where can the data be found?
- What period of time is needed?
- What will be the sample design?
- What are the techinques of data collection?
- How will the data be analysed?
- How the report is to be prepared?
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 The parts

The sampling design

- The observational design
- The statistical design
- The operational design

The essentials

- Statement of the problem

- Data collection method
- Population to be studied
- Method to analyse the data

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Need for research design
Plan the various activities
Provides an insight into the type of difficulties
It can be discussed with others and the flaws
and inadequacies can be tackled
Idea regarding the type of resources
Affects the reliability of the research findings
Smooth and efficient conduct of various
research operation
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Classification of Research Designs

Method of data collection

- Monitoring
- Interrogation/communication

Researchers control of variables

- Experimental
- Expost facto

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 The purpose of the study
- Descriptive
- Casual
Symmetrical
Reciprocal
Asymmetrical
The time dimension
- Cross sectional
- Longitudinal study

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 The topical scope
- Case study
- Statistical study
The research environment
- Field setting
- Laboratory research
- Simulation

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 Unit of analysis
- Single
- Dyad
- Group
- Organization/Nation
Extent of crystallization of Research
question
- Formal study
- Exploratory study
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 Exploratory study
Establish the major dimensions of the research
task
Defined a set of subsidiary investigative questions
that can be used a s guideline to a detailed
research design
Develop hypotheses about possible causes of the
problem
Learn the boundaries and scope of the proposed
research study
Decided that additional efforts or further research
is not feasible.
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 Techniques
In-depth interviewing
Participant observation
Films,photographs and videotapes
Projective techniques and psychological testing
Case studies
Street ethnography
Document analysis
Proxemics

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