Business Research Process

1. RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
1
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi

2. Research
Process
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
2

3. • “Research process consist of a series of
actions or steps necessary to effectively carry
out research”.
• Research requires completion of each step
before going to next.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
3

4. Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
4

5. Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
5
1. Problem identification
2. Research proposal
3. Research design
4. Data collection and preparation
Instrument
pilot testing
Sampling
design
Instrument
revision
Data collection
design

6. 4. Data collection and preparation
5. Data analysis and interpretation
6. Research report
7. Management decision
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
6

7. Stage 1. Problem identification
“Management - research question hierarchy
state the basic dilemma that prompt the
research & then try to develop other question
by progressively breaking down the original
question in to more specific one”.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
7

8. Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
8
Management
dilemma
Management
question
Research
question
Investigative
questions
Measurement
questions

9. Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
9

10. Management Dilemma
• This is usually a symptom of actual problem.
– Rising cost
– Declining sales
– Increasing employee torn over
• Identifying mgt. dilemma on which to focus may be
difficult.
• Choosing incorrectly will kill valuable resources
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
10

11. Management questions
• The management question restate
management dilemma in to question form.
– What should be done to reduce cost?
– What should be done to increase profit?
– What should be done to reduce employees turn
over?
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
11

12. Research questions
• “A research question is the hypothesis of choice that
best states the objective of research study”.
• It may be just one question or more than one
question.
• Research questions are fact oriented and information
gathering question.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
12

13. Investigative questions
• Once the research questions have been
selected, researcher thinking moves to a more
specific level, that of investigative question.
• Investigative questions are the questions the
researcher must answer to satisfactorily arrive
at a conclusion about research question.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
13

14. • To formulate investigative questions,
researcher takes a general research question
and break it in to more specific questions
about which to gather data.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
14

15. Measurement questions
• Measurement questions are the questions we
actually ask to the respondents.
• Measurement questions appear on the
questionnaire.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
15

16. Srage 2. Research proposal
• Once the research is defined, the research must be
proposed in order to allocate resources to the
project.
• “Proposal tells what, why, how, where and to whom
the research will be done. It must also show the
benefits of doing the research”.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
16

17. • A written proposal is often required and is desirable
for establishing agreement on a number of issues.
• A research proposal may also be oral. This is more
likely when a manager directs his or her own
research.
• Proposal is also known as work plan, prospectus, out
line, statement of intent or draft plan.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
17

18. 3-18

19. 3-19
Content of Research Proposal
Delivery
Legally-
binding
contract
Obligations
Written
proposals
establish
Methods
Timing
Budgets
ExtentPurpose
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi

20. Stage 3. Research Design
• Research design is the blueprint for fulfilling
objectives and providing the insight to answer the
management dilemma. There are many methods,
techniques, procedures, and protocols possible.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
20

21. 3-21
Designing
the
Research
Project
Sampling
Design
Data collection
Design
Pilot Testing of
Instrument
Instrument
revision
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi

22. Stage 4. Data Collection
• It is necessary to collect the data that are
appropriate.
• Data may be-
• Secondary data
• Primary data
• Researcher need to determine which tool to be used
for collecting primary/secondary data.
3-22
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi

23. Stage 5. Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Managers need information, not raw data.
• Researcher generate information by analyzing
data after its collection.
• Further the researcher must interpret these
findings in light of client’s research question.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
23

24. 3-24
Reducing data to manageable size
© 2002 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Data analysis usually involves-
Developing summaries
Looking for patterns
Applying statistical techniques
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi

25. Pilot
Testing
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
25

26. • “Pilot testing involves conducting a preliminary test
of data collection tools and procedures to identify
and eliminate problems, allowing researchers to
make corrective changes or adjustments before
actually collecting data from the target population”.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
26

27. • A pilot test usually involves simulating the actual data
collection process on a small scale to get feedback on whether
or not the instruments are likely to work as expected in a "real
world" situation.
• A pilot test is a method used to test the design and/or
methods and/or instrument prior to carrying out the research.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
27

28. Objectives of Pilot testing
• Pilot testing gives researchers an opportunity-
– To make revisions to instruments and data collection
procedures
– To ensure that appropriate questions are being asked,
– To ensure that the right data will be collected, and
– To ensure that the data collection methods will work.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
28

29. Importance of Pilot testing
• Pilot testing provides an opportunity to detect and remedy a
wide range of potential problems with an instrument.
• Researchers that neglect pilot testing run the risk of collecting
useless data.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
29

30. • Pilot testing is done -
– To detect and remedy questions that respondents don't
understand.
– To detect and remedy ambiguous questions.
– To detect and remedy questions that combine two or more
issues in a single question (double-barreled questions)
– To detect and remedy questions that make respondents
uncomfortable.
– To identify ways to improve how an instrument is administered.
Dr. Amitabh Mishra, giBS Rohini,
New Delhi
30