Research Methodology

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Research methodology

• RESEARCH is a way of examining your practice
• Research is undertaken within most professions.
  Its more than a set of skills, it is a way of
• thinking examining critically the various
  aspects of your professional work.
• It is also a habit of questioning what you do,
  with a systematic examination of the observed
• information in a logical way to find out answers
  to your questions

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• DEFINITION OF RESEARCH
• What is a Research?
• The word research is composed of two syllables,
  re- and search.
• - re is a prefix that means again, anew or over
  again,
• - search is a verb meaning to examine closely,
  carefully, to test or try, or to probe.
• Together they form a noun describing a careful,
  systematic study to investigate some fields of
• knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or
  principles.
• Research is a structured investigation that
  utilizes acceptable scientific methodologies to
• solve problems and create new knowledge that is
  generally applicable.
• A research usually begins with question/s that a
  researcher would like to answer. For
• example, you may want to know whether owning
  certain types of ship increases the profits of a
• shipping company, or whether there is a relation
  between the increase of exports and the
• development of certain industries in a given
  country, or to measure the employees
  satisfaction in a
• company, or you would like to know what sections
  of newspaper do people read most often?, or
• which types of advertising are most effective in
  selling specific products? etc.
• In every case, you may have a feeling about the
  answers to your questions. However, in an
• academic research, you are required to justify
  and defend your answers. To do this, you will
  have to
• search for answers in a systematic way. Research
  is then defined as a systematic approach to find
• out an answer to question/s to obtain/ confirm
  knowledge.

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• Scientific methods consist of systematic
  observation, classification (analysis) and
• interpretation of data. To some extend, we may
  engage in such process in our daily life.
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• The researchers task, then, is to ask
  appropriate questions, to select the best and
  optimally
• the shortest way to find out answers, and to
  interpret the findings in a scientific way.
• For any undertaken research study, you are
  implying that research process
• 1. is being undertaken within a framework of a
  set of philosophies (approaches)
• 2. uses methods and techniques that have been
  tested for their validity and reliability
• 3. is designed to be unbiased and objective.

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Philosophies means approaches e.g. qualitative,
quantitative and the academic discipline in which
you have been trained. Validity means that
correct procedures have been applied to find
answers to a question, and Reliability refers to
the quality of measurement procedure that
provides repeatability and a accuracy.
Unbiased and objective means that you have taken
each step in an unbiased manner and drawn each
conclusion to the best of your ability and
without introducing your own vested interest.
(Bias is a deliberate attempt to either conceal
or highlight something). The degree to which the
above mentioned criteria are expected to be
fulfilled varies from discipline to discipline.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH Research is a
process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting
information to answer questions. But to qualify
as research, the process must have certain
characteristics, as far as possible, be
controlled, rigorous, systematic, valid and
verifiable, empirical and critical- Controlled-
in real life there are many factors that affect
an outcome. The concept of control implies that,
in exploring causality in relation to two
variables (factors), you set up your study in a
way that minimizes the effects of other factors
affecting the relationship. This can be achieved
in the physical sciences, as most of the research
is done in a laboratory. However, in the social
sciences, it is extremely difficult as research
is carried out on issues related to human beings
living in society, where such controls are not
possible, because you cannot control external
factors. - Rigorous- you must be clear and
sharp in ensuring that the procedures followed to
find answers to questions are relevant,
appropriate and justified. Again, the degree of
rigor varies markedly between the physical and
social sciences and even within the social
sciences.
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Systematic- this implies that the procedure
adopted to undertake an investigation follow a
certain logical sequence. The different steps
cannot be taken in a haphazard way. Some
procedures must follow others. - Valid and
verifiable- this concept implies that whatever
you conclude on the basis of your findings is
correct and can be verified by you and others. -
Empirical- this means that any conclusion drawn
are based upon hard evidence gathered from
information collected from real life experiences
or observations. - Critical- critical review of
the procedures used and the methods employed is
crucial to a research enquiry. The process of
investigation must be foolproof and free from
drawbacks. The process adopted and the procedures
used must be able to withstand critical
consideration. For a process to be called
research, it is essential that it has the above
characteristics, this implies that research
isnt information gathering nor transporting of
facts. This is because Gathering information
from resources such as books or journals isnt
research by itself because its just a literature
Review. Why?. Because there is no contribution to
new knowledge. Also, Transporting facts from
one resource to another doesnt constitute
research, since no contribution to new knowledge
although this might make existing knowledge more
accessible.
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RESEARCH PROCESS STEPSThe research process is
similar to undertaking a journey. For a research
journey, there are two important decisions to
make1) What you want to find out about or what
research questions (problems) you want to find
answers to 2) How to go about finding their
answers. There are practical steps through which
you must pass in your research journey in order
to find answers to your research questions. The
path to finding answers to your research
questions constitutes research methodology. At
each operational step in the research process you
are required to choose from a multiplicity of
methods, procedures and models of research
methodology which will help you to best achieve
your objectives. This is where your knowledge
base of research methodology plays a crucial role
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Steps in Research Process 1. Formulating the
Research Problem 2. Extensive Literature Review
3. Developing the objectives 4. Preparing the
Research Design including Sample Design 5.
Collecting the Data 6. Analysis of Data 7.
Generalization and Interpretation 8. Preparation
of the Report or Presentation of Results, Formal
write ups of conclusions reached.
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Some Commonly researchable areas in Business
Employee behaviors as performance,
absenteeism, and turnover. Employee attitudes
such as job satisfaction, loyalty, . .
Managerial leadership style, supervisory
performance. Human resource management choices
and organizational strategy. Organizational
outcomes such as outcomes as increased sales,
market share, profits, growth, and effectiveness.

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Consumer satisfaction, complaints, customer
loyalty. Delivering and performing service.
Product positioning, product modification, new
product development. Risk assessment, exchange
rate fluctuations, and foreign investment.
Advanced manufacturing technologies and
information systems. Cultural differences and
the dynamics of managing a multinational firm.
Differences in leadership positions, salaries,
and leadership styles.
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THE RESEARCH PROCESS Steps in Research
Process 1. Formulating the Research Problem
2. Extensive Literature Review 3. Developing
the objectives 4. Preparing the Research Design
including Sample Design 5. Collecting the Data
6. Analysis of Data 7. Generalization and
Interpretation 8. Preparation of the Report or
Presentation of Results-Formal write ups of
conclusions reached.
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FORMULATING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM It is the
first and most crucial step in the research
process - Main function is to decide what you
want to find out about. - The way you formulate
a problem determines almost every step that
follows. You can formulate the research
problem in either a form of questions or as a
statement ? For example, if a possible research
question is Is there a relationship
between owning certain types of ships and
increasing profits of a shipping company?
? You could write it in the form of a statement,
e.g., This research aims at investigating
whether there is a relation between owning
certain types of ships and increasing the profits
of a shipping company. (2-1-1) Sources of
research problems ? Reading ? Academic
Experience ? Daily Experience
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Exposure to Field Situations? Consultations?
Brainstorming? Research? Intuition
(insight)Research in social sciences revolves
around four Ps1. People- a group of
individuals2. Problems-examine the existence of
certain issues or problems relating to their
lives to ascertain attitude of a group of people
towards an issue3. Programs- to evaluate the
effectiveness of an intervention4. Phenomena- to
establish the existence of a regularity.In
practice, most research studies are based upon at
least a combination of two Ps.Every research
study has two aspects
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1. Study population- People individuals,
organizations, groups, communities(they provide
you with the information or you collect
information about them)2. Subject area-
Problems issues, situations, associations,
needs, profiles Program content, structure,
outcomes, attributes, satisfactions,
consumers,Service providers, etc. Phenomenon
cause-and-effect relationships, the study of a
phenomenon itself(Information that you need to
collect to find answers to your research
questions)You can examine the professional field
of your choice in the context of the four Ps
inorder to identify anything that looks
interesting.
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Procedure of formulation of a research
problemWorking through these steps presupposes
a reasonable level of knowledge in the
broadsubject area within which the study is to
be undertaken. Without such knowledge it
isdifficult to clearly and adequately dissect
a subject area.1. Identify a broad field or
subject area of interest to you.2. Divide the
broad area into sub areas.3. Select what is of
most interest to you.4. Raise research
questions.5. Formulate objectives.6. Assess
your objectives and describe study importance.7.
Double check.So far we have focused on the basis
of your study, the research problem. But every
studyin social sciences has a second element,
the study population from whom the
requiredinformation to find answers to your
research questions is obtained.
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As you narrow the research problem, similarly you
need to decide very specifically whoconstitutes
your study population, in order to select the
appropriate respondents.Therefore, there are
three basic types of questions that research
projects can address1. Descriptive When a
study is designed primarily to describe what is
going on or what exists. Public opinion polls
that seek only to describe the proportion of
people who hold various opinions are primarily
descriptive in nature. For instance, if we want
to know what percent of the population would vote
for a Democratic or a Republican in the next
presidential election, we are simply interested
in describing something.2. Relational When a
study is designed to look at the relationships
between two or more variables. A public opinion
poll that compares what proportion of males and
females say they would vote for a Democratic or a
Republican candidate in the next presidential
election is essentially studying the relationship
between gender and voting preference.3. Causal
(Explanatory) When a study is designed to
determine whether one or more variables (e.g., a
program or treatment variable) causes or affects
one or more outcome variables. If we did a public
opinion poll to try to determine whether a recent
political advertising campaign changed voter
preferences, we would essentially be studying
whether the campaign (cause) changed the
proportion of voters who would vote Democratic or
Republican (effect).The three question types can
be viewed as cumulative. That is, a relational
study assumes that you can first describe (by
measuring or observing) each of the variables you
are trying to relate. And, a causal study assumes
that you can describe both the cause and effect
variables and that you can show that they are
related to each other. Causal studies are
probably the most demanding of the three.
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Use the six honest serving-question words to
reformulate your ideas their names areWhat,
When, Where, Who, Why, and How.(they taught us
everything). Notice that What, When, Where,
Who, and How are descriptive or distributive
statements (often first stage in explanation),
and Why is explanatory.
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REVIEWING THE LITERATUREA literature review
isthe selection of available documents (both
published and unpublished) on the topic, which
contain information, ideas, data and evidence
written from a particular standpoint to fulfill
certain aims or express certain views on the
nature of the topic and how it is to be
investigated, and the effective evaluation of
these documents in relation to the research being
proposed (Hart, 1998, p. 13).- Literature
review is an essential preliminary task, and an
integral part of entireresearch process and
makes valuable contribution to every operational
step.- Reviewing literature can be
time-consuming and frustrating, but is also
rewarding.
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Functions of reviewing the literatureFunctions
area. Bring clarity and focus to your research
problemb. Improve your methodologyc. Broaden
your knowledged. Explain your findings in
connection with others work.
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Thank you