3. Objectives
What is research?
Distinguish between applied and basic research
Explain what is meant by scientific investigation
Hallmarks of scientific research
Discuss the research process
4. definitions of research
“Systematic investigation towards increasing the sum of knowledge”
(Chambers 20th Century Dictionary)
“an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts etc. by the
scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation.”
(The Concise Oxford Dictionary)
5. What is research?
Research is:
“The process of thoroughly studying and analysing the
situational factors surrounding a problem in order to seek
out solutions to it”. (Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran, 2001: 4)
‘.. a systematic, careful inquiry or examination to discover
new information or relationships and to expand/verify
existing knowledge for some specified purpose’ (Bennett,
1991: 68).
8. 2. Reviewing the literature
Roles of the literature in research:
The entire basis of the research
A source of ideas on topics for research
A source of information on research already done by others
A source of methodological or theoretical ideas
A source of comparison between your research and that of
others
A source of information that is an integral or supportive part
of the research (for example, data on a local market)
11. Characteristics of scientific research :
Factors to evaluate research
Research must be conducted with:
◦Clear purpose
◦Relevance
◦Timely
◦Efficiency
◦Quality – Accurate, Reliable & Valid
◦Objectivity
◦Ethical
Limitations of scientific research in behavioural areas
12. Types of Business/Tourism
Research
Applied – done with the intention of
applying results to specific
problems in the business
Basic/Pure – to enhance the
understanding of problems that
commonly occur across a range of
organisations. Undertaken to
extend knowledge
13. Why study Business/Tourism
research
A tool that can be used in any discipline
Foundation of both business and academic best practice
If you are not a researcher in the future chances are that
you will be a user of research – allows use it in more
sophisticated and creative ways
Allows you to sift for reliable information
Allows you to evaluate other peoples research.
14. Philosophical bases of
research
Paradigm reflects a basic set of philosophical beliefs about
the nature of the world.
◦Give guidelines and principles in the way research is
conducted within a paradigm
◦Research methods and techniques should be in sympathy
with the paradigm
Research Paradigms – Positivist; Interpretative; Critical;
Feminist; Postmodern
15. Paradigm – a set of beliefs
Ontology – the nature of reality
Epistemology – relationship between researcher and the
subject/object/respondent
Methodology – set of guidelines for conducting research; tools for data
collection & analysis
16. Key Research Terms
Observations - perceptions of reality
◦Fact – universal truth; supported by measurable evidence
◦Opinion – person’s belief
•Concepts – general representations of ideas to be studied ie service
value; service quality
• Variables – concepts that are operationalised so it can be observed &
measured
17. Quantitative Res.
Reality is objective & singular;
apart from researcher
Researcher is independent of
that being researched
Concepts are in the form of
distinct variables
Measures are systematically
created before data collection &
are standardised
Reality is subjective & multiple,
as seen by participants
Researcher interacts with that
being researched
Concepts are in the form of
themes, generalisations
Measures are open ended
questions created for the specific
research setting
Qualitative
Res.
18. Key Research Terms
Secondary research – researcher uses previously collected
data
Primary research – collection of original data by researcher
Research Design- framework or blueprint for conducting the
research.
◦Exploratory
◦Descriptive
◦Causal (hypothesis testing)
Should note that researchers my use a singular, dual or multiple research
design
20. Research process
Step One
Problem definition
◦ Management problem
◦ Research problem (in the form of a question [s])
◦ Research objectives
◦ Estimate the value of the information
21. Research process
Step two
Research design – plan or blueprint for gathering the data
◦ Linked to next 2 steps in research process
◦ Techniques to be used
◦ Who will be involved - respondents
◦ How the data will be gathered
◦ How it will be analysed
22. Research process
Step three
Sampling / representation
◦ How will we group people, objects, things
◦ How will we select them
◦ Why will we select them
Note: even for qualitative research we need to identify the
participants/respondents and justify
23. Research process
Step Four
Data collection, Data Preparation/Processing and Analysis
◦ How data is collected
◦ How it is recorded
◦ How data is analysed
◦ Interpretation of findings to arrive at conclusions
24. Research process
Step five
Recommendations and reporting
◦ Analysing data is not enough, it is important to be able to interpret your
finding and include them in a report that the client can understand, interpret
and apply to the management problem
◦ Oral presentation of the research results to client
25. Report writing and presentation
Permanent record of the entire project
Quality of work is usually judged by the final report and
presentation
Should influence the action taken by management
Needed if you are doing the course - Research Project
26. Research Brief
A document provided by the client to the research
agency that describes the business decision
problem and the expectations of a research study
design to collect information to make the decision.
27. Includes:
Purpose, background, any previous research, need for
research, research objectives, target audience, level of
reporting, budget, timeline, expectations of
proposal/selection criteria, professional
membership/quality assurance information, contact
details
28. Scientific Misconduct
Research fraud - falsifies or distorts the
data or the methods of data collection;
Plagiarism - steals the ideas & writings of
others without citing the source.
Unethical but Legal - behaviour may be
unethical but not break the law
