Scientific Investigation

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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 Scientific Investigation

Scientific research focuses on solving problems

and pursues a step by step logical, organized
and rigorous method to identify the
problems, gather data, analyze them and
draw valid conclusions from them.

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hallmarks of scientific research:
• Hallmarks or main distinguishing
characteristics of scientific research:
– Purposiveness
– Rigor
– Testability
– Replicability
– Precision and Confidence
– Objectivity
– Generalizability
– Parsimony

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hallmarks of scientific research
• Purposiveness: Customer complaints were
mounting, and letters of complaint regarding
the problems they experienced with the
residential telephones lines were constantly
pouring in at the Friendly Telephone
Company. The company wanted to pinpoint
the specific problems and take corrective
action. The research thus has a purposive
focus.
Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hallmarks of scientific research
• Rigor: A good theoretical base and a sound
methodological design add RIGOR to a
purposive study.
• Rigor connotes: Carefulness, scrupulousness
(properly and correctly) and the degree of
exactness in research investigations.
• Research will lack of rigor for the following
reasons:

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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 Hallmarks of scientific research
• The conclusions are incorrectly drawn
• The manner of framing and addressing the
questions which could have introduced bias.
• There might be many other important
influences. ( Small sample size)

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hallmarks of scientific research
• Testability: Scientific research thus lends itself to
testing logically developed hypotheses to see
whether or not the data support the educated
conjectures or hypotheses that are developed
after a careful study of the problem situation.
• Hypotheses are derived from theory, which is
based on the logical beliefs of the research and
on the result of previous, scientific research.

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hallmarks of scientific research
• Replicability: The results of the tests of
hypotheses should be supported again and
again when the same type of research is
repeated in other similar circumstances

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hallmarks of scientific research
• Precision: It refers to the closeness of the
findings to “reality” based on a sample.
• Confidence: It refers to the probability that our
estimations are correct.
• Objectivity: The conclusions drawn through the
interpretation of the results of data analysis
should be objective; that is they should be based
on the facts of the findings derived from actual
data and not on our subjective or emotional
values
Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hallmarks of scientific research
• Generalizability: it refers to the scope of
applicability of the research findings in on
organizational setting to other settings.
• Parsimony: Simplicity in explaining the
phenomena or problems that occur, and in
generating solutions for the problems, is
always preferred to complex research
frameworks that consider an unmanageable
number factors.
Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hypothetico-Deductive Research
• The hypothetico-deductive method of
research helps the researcher to deduce or
infer from the results of data analysis and
hence is the deductive process.

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hypothetico-Deductive Research
• For example, if as a result of analysis of data
collected, one infers that the problem of
turnover can be minimized by three
important factors: (i) flexible work hours; (ii)
recognition of superior performance of
workers through suitable merit pay raises; and
(iii) enriching certain types of jobs, this is the
deductive approach.

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Hypothetico-Deductive Research
• Induction is a process of drawing inferences from
observed phenomena which may subsequently
be put to the test through hypothetico-
deductive method of research.
• For instance, if a manager observes that people
residing at distances beyond 50 miles from the
workplace remain absent more frequently than
those he knows to reside close by, and infers
thereby that distance is a factor in absenteeism,
this is an inductive process.
Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran
 Deduction and Induction
• Deductive reasoning: application of a general
theory to a specific case.
– Hypothesis testing

• Inductive reasoning: a process where we

observe specific phenomena and on this basis
arrive at general conclusions.
– Counting white swans

• Both inductive and deductive processes are

often used in research.

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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 Hypothetico-Deductive Research
• The Seven-Step Process in the Hypothetico-
Deductive Method
– Identify a broad problem area
– Define the problem statement
– Develop hypotheses
– Determine measures
– Data collection
– Data analysis
– Interpretation of data

Research Methods © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

for Business www.wiley.com/college/sekaran