2.

7 RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
Ms.Jyothi P.T
Assistant Professor
 Course Objective
To understand the different aspects
of social and managerial research.
To understand the approach and
methods of managerial research.
 Module I
Meaning of researchnature and scope of
researchimportant applications of
managerial research in decision making
the research process and types of research
definition of research problemmethods
of problem formulation role literature
review in formulation of research problem
--research designuses and applications
types of research designs-exploratory,
descriptive, experimental research designs
administrative structure for management
research.
 Module II
Population survey and sample study
sampling theories- random sampling
and non random samplingdifferent
methods of random and non random
samplingsample size decisions
factors influencing sample size decision
optimum sample sizepilot survey.
 Module III

Methods and techniques of data

collection observation and survey
methods--tools of data collection
questionnaire and interview schedule
questionnaire preparation
attitude measurement-- scaling
techniquesdifferent types of scales
validity and reliability of scale
scale values.
 Module IV
Field work and data processing
classification and tabulation data
summarization analysis and interpretation
of dataunivariate analysis, bivariate
analysis, correlation and regression analysis
testing of hypothesisparametric and non
parametric tests multivariate analysis
factor analysis, discriminate analysis,
conjoint analysis, cluster analysisUse of
statistical software packages.
 Module V
Report writingtypes of reports
substance of reportsformat of
reportsexecutive summery
content of the report bibliography
references--presentation of reports
Compulsory case.
 References:
Ajai S. Gaur and Sanjaya S. Gaur:
Statistical methods for practice and
Research : Sage Publishers.
Bennet Roger: Management Research
Claire and Morton: Research methods in
social relations
Richard I. Levin: Statistics for management
Luck and Rubin: Marketing research
Neil J. Salkind: Exploring research
Scientific Research?
What is Methodology?
 Redman and Mory define research as
a systematized effort to gain new
knowledge.
A movement from known to
unknown. It is actually a voyage to
discovery
 According to Clifford Woody

Research comprises of defining and

redefining problems, formulating
hypothesis or suggested solutions;
making deductions and reaching
conclusions; and at last carefully
testing the conclusions to determine
whether they fit the formulating
hypothesis.
Research is a systematic approach to gather
information required for sound management
decisions
1.Enunciating the problem,
2 Formulating a hypothesis,
3 Collecting the fact or data,
4 Analyzing the facts and
5 Reaching certain conclusions either in
the form of solutions towards the
concerned problem or in certain
generals for some theoretical
formulation
 Characteristics of
Research
Systematic Approach
A planned and organized research saves your time and money.

Objectivity
Attempt to find an unbiased answer to the decision-making
problem

Reproducible
Precise information regarding samples-methods, collection etc.,
should be specified

Control
All the factors that we think may affect the study have to be
controlled and accounted for
 Relevancy
It avoids collection of irrelevant
information and saves time and
money
It compares the information to be
collected with researchers criteria
for action
It enables to see whether the
research is proceeding in the right
direction
 Importance of Research
in Management Decision
i. The managers increased need for
more and better information.
ii. The availability of improved
techniques and tools to meet this
need.
iii. The resulting information overload
 WHY.Research is
required?
To identify and find solutions to the
problems
To help making decisions
To develop new concepts
To find alternate strategies
To identify and find solutions to
the problem
"Why is that demand for a product is
falling"?
"Why is there a business fluctuation
once in three years"?
To help making decisions
Should we maintain the advertising
budget same as last year?
To find alternative strategies

Should we follow pull strategy or

push strategy to promote the
product.
To develop new concepts
CRM, Horizontal Marketing, MLM etc.
 SCOPE AND
SIGNIFICANCE
Decision-making tool
Facilitates large- scale production
To determine the pattern of
consumption
Consumption pattern
Brand loyalty
Consumer behaviour
Market trends ..
 Complex market
Problem-solving
Distribution
Sales promotion
Structure of Research
RESEARCH PROCESS
 And so
AND SO
on!
ON!
 VALUE OF INFORMATION
MAXIMUM PRICE ONE SHOULD PAY FOR
KNOWING THE ACTUAL VALUE FO AN
UNCERTAINTY BEFORE DECIDING ON
A COURSE OF ACTION
 MODULE II

RESEARCH DESIGN
 Exploratory Research- carried out at
the very beginning when the problem
is not clear or is vague
Exploratory Research- Preliminary
investigation
Sales decline in a company may be
due to:
(1) Inefficient service
(2) Improper price
(3) Inefficient sales force
(4) Ineffective promotion
(5) Improper quality
Expert surveys, focus groups, case
studies and observation methods are
used to conduct the exploratory
survey
 Descriptive Research
Fact finding investigation is to describe the
state of view as it exists at present.
In descriptive research, definite conclusions
can be arrived at, but it does not establish
a cause and effect relationship.
Descriptive research deals with
demographic characteristics of the
consumer.
Degree of viewing TV channels, its
variation with age, income level, profession
of respondent as well as time of viewing
 Descriptive research deals with
specific predictions, for example,
sales of a companys product during
the next three years, i.e., forecasting.
Descriptive research is also used to
estimate the proportion of population
who behave in a certain way.
Example: Why do middle income
groups go to BIGBAZAAR to buy their
products?
 Applied Research
Aims at finding a solution for an
immediate problem faced by any
business organization. This research
deals with real life situations. Example:
Why have sales decreased during the
last quarter? Market research is an
example of applied research.
Applied research has a practical
problem-solving emphasis. It brings
out many new facts.
Examples:
1. Use of fibre glass body for cars
instead of metal.
2. To develop a new market for the
product.
Pure/Fundamental or Basic
Research
Gathering knowledge for knowledges
sake is known as basic research.
It is not directly involved with practical
problems. It does not have any
commercial potential. There is no
intention to apply this research in
practice.
Example: Theory of Relativity (by
Einstein)
 Conceptual Research
The researcher should collect the
data to prove or disapprove his
hypothesis. The various ideologies or
isms are examples of conceptual
research.
 Causal Research
Causal research is conducted to
determine the cause and effect
relationship between the two
variables.
Example: Effect of advertisement on
sale
 Historical Research
There is no direct observation. The
research has to depend on the conclusions
or inferences drawn in the past
To derive explanation and generalization
from the past trends in order to understand
the present and anticipate the future
Crime branch police/CBI officers study the
past records or the history of the criminals
and terrorists in order to arrive at some
conclusions
Ex-post Facto Research
In this type of research, an
examination of relationship that exists
between independent and dependent
variable is studied. We may call this as
empirical research. In this method, the
researcher has no control over an
independent variable. Ex-post facto
literally means from what is done
afterwards.
 In this research, a variable A is
observed. Thereafter, the researcher
tries to find a causal variable B
which caused A. It is quite possible
that B might not have been caused
A. In this type of analysis, there is
no scope for the researcher to
manipulate the variable. The
researcher can only report what has
happened and what is happening.
 Action Research
This type of research is undertaken
by direct action. Action research is
conducted to solve a problem.
Example: Test marketing a product is
an example of action research.
 A target sample is selected from
among the population. Samples are
distributed to selected samples and
feedback is obtained from the
respondent. This method is most
common for industrial products,
where a trial is a must before regular
usage of the product.
RESEARCH PROCESS OF
DESIGN
Research methodology is a method to
solve the research problem systematically.

It involves gathering data, use of

statistical techniques, interpretations, and
drawing conclusions about the research
data. It is a blue print, which is followed, to
complete the study. It is similar to builders
blue print to build a house.
1.What the study is about?
2. Why is the study made?
3. What is its scope?
4. What are the objectives of study?
5. What are the hypothesis / Proportions to be
tested?
6. What are the major concepts to be defined
operationally?
7. What type of literature to be reviewed?
 8. What is the area of the study?
9. What is reference period of the study?
10. What methodology is to be used?
11. What kinds of data are needed?
12. What are the sources of data?
13. What is the sampling boundary?
14. What are the sampling units?
15. What is the sample size?
16. What sampling techniques are to be used?
17. What data collection methods are to be used?
18. How the data are to be processed?
19. What are the statistical techniques are to be used for
analysis?
20. To which target group, the finding are meant for?
21. What is the type of report to be prepared?
22. What is the duration of time required, for each stage
of the research work?
23. What is the cost involved?
24. Who reads the report?
 Market Research Plan
l Problem formulation
l Evaluate the cost of research
l Preparing a list of needed information
l Research design decision and Data
collection
l Select the sample types
l Determine the sample size
l Organize the fieldwork
l Analyze the data and report preparation
 PROCESS AND LOGIC IN
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
1. Observation: The researcher wants to
observe, a set of important factors that is
related to his problem.
2. Formulates Hypothesis: The researcher
formulates hypothesis, which will explain
what he has observed
3. Future Prediction: The researcher draws
a logical conclusion
4. Testing the hypothesis: Is the conclusion
based on data
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Validity
Reliability
Validity is the ability of a measuring instrument to
measure what it is supposed to measure. A questionnaire
is administered to find the attitudes of the respondent
towards a movie. So long as the questionnaire serves this
purpose, we say that the instrument is valid.
In physical science, instrument used such as barometer,
thermometer or scale measures what it is intended to do.
Also measurement can be repeated any number of times
by different individuals, the result will be the same.
WHY MR CANNOT BE CONSIDERED
SCIENTIFIC

1. Different respondent interpret the same question in

different ways. So the reply of the respondent will be
different
2. Whether sample is a representative of the population or
not
3. Same questionnaire administered by different
interviewers will yield different results.
4. Measuring instrument namely questionnaire may not
state clearly what is being measured
5. Lab experiment is held under controlled condition. Such
as temperature, humidity etc. in marketing research, it
is not possible to control external environmental factors
surrounding the study. Due to this, researcher may not
be able to produce the same result.