RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• (Business Research Methods)

Week 3
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Decision-Making

• Decision-Making is the process of resolving a
• problem or choosing amongst alternative
• opportunities
• What is the problem or opportunity?
• How much Information is available?
• What Information is needed?

Absolute Ambiguity
Complete Certainty
Decision-Making Situation
Value of Research
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Certainty, Uncertainty, Ambiguity

• Certainty Decision-maker has all the requisite
  information concerning the business problem (or
  opportunity). Research may be unnecessary.
  Complete certainty about the future is rare in
  practice
• Uncertainty General nature of the business
  problem is clear but information about
  alternative courses of action is incomplete as
  are the events which may occur. Research may be a
  potentially valuable tool here
• Ambiguity Nature of the problem to be solved is
  unclear. Objectives are vague and alternatives
  difficult to define. Research may be a useful
  excercise

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Types of Research

• Exploratory Research
• undertaken with the aim of clarifying ambiguous
  problems
• general problems usually known but not
  sufficiently understood
• the purpose is to get more information, not to
  uncover specific courses of action (subsequent
  research)
• Determining a specific course of action to follow
  is not a
• purpose of exploratory research!
• Example Child-Care support programme for
  employees

5
Types of Research

• Descriptive Research
• undertaken with the aim of determining the
  characteristics of a population or phenomenon
• Previous knowledge of problem exists
• High degree of precision or accuracy required
• Examples
• Who are the main consumers of organic foods?
• How many students read the prescribed course
  literature?
• Where do most holiday-makers travelling overseas
  go?
• When do petrol stations tend to raise their
  prices?

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Types of Research

• Causal Research
• undertaken with the aim of identifying cause and
  effect relationships amongst variables
• are normally preceeded by exploratory and
  descriptive research studies
• Often difficult to determine because of the
  influence of other variables (concommitant
  Variation and the presence of other hidden
  variables)
• Example Higher ice-cream consumption causes more
  
• people to drown (indicative of a causal
  relationship (?))

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Stages in the Research Process
Define Problem
Planning a Research Design
Conclusions and Report
Planning a Sample
Processing and Analysing the Data
Gathering the Data
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Forward and Backward Linkages

• Forward Linkage The earlier stages of a
  research project determine the design at a later
  stage
• Example The goal of the research project will
  determine the selection of the sample and the way
  data is collected
• Backward Linkage The later stages of a research
  project determine how its earlier stages are
  conducted
• Example The company executives require certain
  specific information which the researcher
  anticipates and for which he or she plans the
  data collection and analysis steps accordingly

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Flowcharting the Research Process (1)
Problem Discovery
Selection of exploratory research technique
Secondary (historical) data Pilot
Study Experience Survey Case Study
Problem Definition (Statement of research
objectives)
Survey (Interview, Questionnaire) Experiment
(Laboratory, Field) Secondary Data
Study Observation
Selection of basic research method
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Flowcharting the Research Process (2)
Survey (Interview, Questionnaire) Experiment
(Laboratory, Field) Secondary Data
Study Observation
Collection of Data (Fieldwork)
Editing and Coding Data
Sample Design
Data Processing and Analysis
Interpretation of Findings
Probability Sampling
Non-Probability Sampling
Report
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Ethical Considerations in Business Research

• Ethics Morals
• Societal norms and values
• Divergent perceptions of what is considered
  ethical and unethical
• What is ethical in business research?
• Ethical Guidelines and professional associations

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Ethical Interfaces in Business Research
Clients Rights
Subjects Rights
Researchers Obligation
Researchers Obligation
Research Subject
Researcher
Research Sponsor
Researchers Rights
Researchers Rights
Clients Obligation
Subjects Obligation
Subjects Rights Clients Obligation
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Ethical Behavior ConsiderationsResearch Subjects

• Truthfulness in giving information to the
  researcher if a research subject or respondent
  gives his or her consent to participate in a
  research study
• Sustained cooperativeness with the researcher
  throughout the course of the research study
• Adhere to responsibility if informed consent is
  given to the researcher
• State any constraints or limitations in advance

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Ethical Behavior ConsiderationsResearchers

• No deception, be forthright and do not conceal
  the true purpose of the research
• Maintain objectivity, courtesy and high
  professional standards through scientific process
  
• No falsification, alteration or misrepresentation
  of data for political or other purposes
• Protect the confidentiality of the research
  subjects and research sponsors
• No faulty conclusions
• No inclusion or use of information or ideas
  contained in competing research proposals

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Ethical Behavior ConsiderationsResearch Sponsors

• No request for submission of competitive bids by
  researchers if selection of the researcher has
  already been made
• Avoid manipulation and influencing of the
  researcher with a view to discrediting
  individuals or organizations
• The conclusions drawn from research work should
  be consistent with the data and not influenced by
  other undesirable conditions or motives
• Observe the confidentiality of the research
  subjects and researcher
• Avoid Advocacy Research

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The Menace of Plagiarism

• Please read the CIIT Academic Honesty Policy
  compiled by Mr. Laeeq-ur-Rehman Khan which is
  distributed in this class as a separate sheet
• ZERO TOLERANCE (and ZERO MARKS) for cheating and
  plagiarism at COMSATS Institute of Information
  Technology!