Research: Meaning, Definition and 11 types. Applied research, Action research , Conceptual research ,Causal research , Descriptive research, Ex-Post-Facto research, Evaluation research, Exploratory research,Historical research, Library research, Pure research or fundamental research.

1. Research
Meaning
Business research is a systematic inquiry that
provides information to guide managerial
decision. More specifically, it is a process of
planning, acquiring, analysing, and
dissemination relevant data to decision makers
to take appropriate actions.
A variety of different types of research projects
are grouped under the label "business research".
Business research covers wide range of
phenomena. For manager, the purpose of
research is to provide knowledge regarding the
organisation, the market, the economy or
another area of uncertainty. A financial manager
may ask "Will the environment for long term
financing be better two years from now?" A
marketing manager may ask "How can i monitor
my retail sales and retail employee turnover?"
Each of these questions requires information
about how the employees, customers,
environment, or the economy will respond to
executive’s decisions.
RESEARCH is one of the principal tools for
answering these practical questions.

2. Definitions
"To know more and more about less and less"
According to Redman and Mory research is
defined as "Systematized effort to gain new
knowledge"
According to Clifford Woody research is defined
as "Research comprises defining and redefining
problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested
solutions, collecting, organizing and evaluating
data making deductions and reaching
conclusions, and at last carefully testing the
conclusions to determine whether they fit the
formulated hypothesis".
Types of research
Business research method can also be defined as
"a systematic and scientific procedure of data
collection, compilation, analysis, interpretation,
and implication pertaining to any business
problem" there are 11 types of research they
are:
1. Applied research
2. Action research
3. Conceptual research
4. Causal research

3. 5. Descriptive research
6. Ex-Post-Facto research
7. Evaluation research
8. Exploratory research
9. Historical research
10. Library research
11. Pure research or fundamental research
01. Applied research:
Applied research is a form of systematic inquiry
involving the practical application of science.
Applied research aims at finding a solution for
an immediate problem facing a society or an
industry or a business organisation
(everyday problems, cure illness or
develop innovation technology).
 Appliedresearch is also called as professional
research.
 In this research process, problems tend to be
more practical.
 Organizationally focused.
 Applied researchers may help to investigate
the ways to increase the production ability,
improve the modes of transportation etc.

4. 02. Action research:
Action research is the type of research which is
undertaken by direct action. It is conducted to
identify the problems, develop the solution,
implement the solution and analyse the results.
 In industry this method is most common as
there will be trial and error method of
product before regular usage of product.
 This method is also called as Participatory
research.
 It can bring organisational, professional,
personal development as well as
productivity improvement.
03. Conceptual research:
Conceptual research focuses on the concepts or
theory that describes the phenomenon being
studied. In this type of research the researcher
should collect the data to approve or disapprove
his hypothesis, the various ideologies or isms or
examples of conceptual research. What are the
causes for low production? What
procedure/process to be maintained for
betterment? The conceptual researchers sits
with pen in hand and tries to solve the problems
by thinking about them. There is no experiment

5. involved, since there is mass data he tries to
make sense of it. This generally use by
philosophers.
04. Casual research:
Casual research is conducted to determine the
cause and effect relationship between two
variables. By this method researcher can try to
explain what is going on. This type of research
helps in getting bottom of the issue such as why
the product returned? Or why can’t they meet
the expenses? They try to implement by
changing the one variable and checking out the
output. Bringing a product or service in the
target market with two different price. Casual
research is also known as Explanatory Research.
05. Descriptive research:
These is most widely used research method.
Research describes what exists and may help to
know new facts and meanings. The purpose of
research is to describe, observe, document,
aspects of the situation as it naturally
occurs. Instruments used in descriptive research
for the data collection are interviews,
questionnaire, observation etc. Descriptive study
describes the characteristics of population being

6. studied. Descriptive research gives a better and
deeper understanding of a phenomenon on the
basis of an in-depth study of the phenomenon.
06. Ex-Post-Factoresearch:
In this type of research an examination of
relationship that exists between independent
and dependent variables is studied we may call
the empirical research. Ex-Post-Facto literally
means "From what is done afterwards “or “after
the fact". It is a study in which the researcher has
independent variables that he cannot
manipulate during the study. The research is
important in verifying already made conclusions
on various researches. The main purpose of
using ex post facto is to determine the cause and
effect relationship between the dependent and
the independent variable.
07. Evaluation research:
Evaluation research undertaken to see whether
a program or activity is meeting or has met the
objectives set for it. This is an example of applied
research this research is conducted to find out
how well a panned program is implemented.
Evaluation research deals with evaluating the

7. performance or assignment of recording. For
example government yojana's.
08. Exploratory research:
Exploratory research is a type of research
conducted for the problems which has not been
clearly defined. Exploratory researcher takes
place when the problems are in
preliminary stage. It is used when the research
topic is new and data is difficult to collect.
09. Historical research:
Historical research is that which utilizes
historical sources like documents, remains,etc.to
study events or ideas of the past, including the
philosophy of persons and groups at any remote
point of time. It is a systematic and synthesis of
objective locations, evaluation and synthesis of
evidence in order to establish facts and draw
conclusion concerning past events.
10. Library research:
Library research involves step by step gathering
of information from secondary data or review of
the report already conducted. This is a

8. convenient method whereby both manpower
and time are saved.
11. Pure or fundamental research:
Gathering knowledge for knowledge's sake is
known as pure 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.