The Research Process

Chapter 3

The Research Process - The Broad Problem
Area and Defining the Problem Statement

© 2009 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 1
www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran

The Broad Problem Area
 Examples of broad problem areas that a manager could
observe at the workplace:
– Training programs are not as effective as anticipated.
– The sales volume of a product is not picking up.
– Minority group members are not advancing in their careers.
– The newly installed information system is not being used by
the managers for whom it was primarily designed.
– The introduction of flexible work hours has created more
problems than it has solved in many companies.


Preliminary Information Gathering

 Nature of information to be gathered:
– Background information of the organization.
– Prevailing knowledge on the topic.


Literature Review
 A good literature survey:
– Ensures that important variables are not left out of the study.
– Helps the development of the theoretical framework and
hypotheses for testing.
– Ensures that the problem statement is precise and clear.
– Enhances testability and replicability of the findings.
– Reduces the risk of “reinventing the wheel”.
– Confirms that the problem is perceived as relevant and
significant.


Data sources
 Textbooks
 Academic and professional journals
 Theses
 Conference proceedings
 Unpublished manuscripts
 Reports of government departments and corporations
 Newspapers
 The Internet

Searching for Literature
 Most libraries have the following electronic resources at
their disposal:
– Electronic journals
– Full-text databases
– Bibliographic databases
– Abstract databases


The Problem Statement
 Examples of Well-Defined Problem Statements
– To what extent do the structure of the organization and type of information
systems installed account for the variance in the perceived effectiveness
of managerial decision making?
– To what extent has the new advertising campaign been successful in
creating the high-quality, customer-centered corporate image that it was
intended to produce?
– How has the new packaging affected the sales of the product?
– What are the effects of downsizing on the long-range growth patterns of
companies?


The Research Proposal
 Key elements:
– Purpose of the study
– Specific problem to be investigated.
– Scope of the study
– Relevance of the study
– Research design:
• Sampling design
• Data collection methods
• Data analysis
– Time frame
– Budget
– Selected Bibliography


Additional & Supportive Material

Business
Research Methods

William G. Zikmund

Chapter 6:
Problem Definition and the
Research Proposal

Problem Discovery Problem Selection of
and Definition discovery exploratory research
technique
Sampling

Selection of
exploratory research
technique Probability Nonprobability

Secondary
Experience Pilot Case Collection of
(historical) Data
survey study study data
data Gathering
(fieldwork)

Data
Editing and
Problem definition Processing
and
coding
(statement of data
research objectives) Analysis

Data
Selection of processing
Research Design basic research
method Conclusions
Interpretation
and Report
of
findings
Experiment Survey
Secondary
Laboratory Field Interview Questionnaire Observation
Data Study Report

Uncertainty Influences the Type of
Research

CAUSAL OR COMPLETELY ABSOLUTE EXPLORATORY
DESCRIPTIVE CERTAIN AMBIGUITY

Problem Discovery and Definition
 First step
 Problem, opportunity, or monitor operations
 Discovery before definition
 Problem means management problem

“The formulation of the problem is
often more essential than its
solution.”

Albert Einstein

Problem Definition
 The indication of a specific business decision area that
will be clarified by answering some research questions.

Defining Problem Results in
Clear Cut Research Objectives
Symptom Detection

Analysis of
the Situation
Exploratory
Research
(Optional)
Problem Definition

Statement of
Research Objectives

The Process of
Problem Definition
Ascertain the Determine unit of
decision maker’s analysis
objectives

Understand Determine
background of relevant variables
the problem

Isolate/identify State research
the problem, not questions and
the symptoms objectives

Ascertain i.e. (Establish, Determine)
the Decision Maker’s Objectives

 Decision makers’ objectives
 Managerial goals expressed in measurable terms.

18

The Iceberg Principle

 The principle indicating that the dangerous part of many
business problems is neither visible to nor understood
by managers.

Example
 Apple’s iPod fueled the company’s success in recent
years, helping to increase sales from $5 billion in 2001 to
$32 billion in the fiscal year 2008. Growth for the music
player averaged more than 200% in 2006 and 2007,
before falling to 6% in 2008. Some analysts believe that
the number of iPods sold will drop 12% in 2009. “The
reality is there’s a limited group of people who want an
iPod or any other portable media player,” one analyst
says. “So the question becomes, what will Apple do
about it?”

Source: www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran 21
© 2009 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understand the Background of the
Problem
 Exercising judgment
 Situation analysis - The informal gathering of
background information to familiarize researchers or
managers with the decision area.

22

Isolate and Identify the Problems,
Not the Symptoms
 Symptoms can be confusing

23

Examples: Symptoms Can Be Confusing
Twenty-year-old neighborhood swimming association:
 Membership has been declining for years.
 New water park -residents prefer the expensive water
park????
 Demographic changes: Children have grown up

Example: Symptoms Can Be Confusing
(cont.)

Problem Definition
Organization Symptoms Based on Symptom True Problem

Twenty-year-old Membership has been Neighborhood Demographic changes:
neighborhood declining for years. residents prefer the Children in this 20-
swimming New water park with expensive water year-old neighborhood
association in a wave pool and water park and have have grown up. Older
major city. slides moved into negative image of residents no longer
town a few years ago. swimming pool. swim anywhere.

What Language Is Written on This
Stone Found by Archaeologists?

TOTI
EMUL
ESTO

The Language Is English: To Tie
Mules To

TOTI
EMUL
ESTO

Determine the Unit of Analysis
 Individuals, households, organizations, etc.
 In many studies, the family rather than the individual is
the appropriate unit of analysis.

28

Determine the Relevant Variable
 Anything that may assume different numerical values

29

Types of Variables
 Categorical
 Continuous
 Dependent
 Independent

Examples of Continuous & Categorical
Variables
 Continuous variables -- A continuous variable has numeric values such as 1,
2, 3.14, -5, etc. The relative magnitude of the values is significant (e.g., a value
of 2 indicates twice the magnitude of 1). Examples of continuous variables are
blood pressure, height, weight, income, age, and probability of illness. Some
programs call continuous variables “ordered” or “monotonic” variables.

 Categorical variables -- A categorical variable has values that function as
labels rather than as numbers. Some programs call categorical variables
“nominal” variables. For example, a categorical variable for gender might use
the value 1 for male and 2 for female. The actual magnitude of the value is not
significant; coding male as 7 and female as 3 would work just as well. As
another example, marital status might be coded as 1 for single, 2 for married,
3 for divorced and 4 for widowed.

Source: http://www.dtreg.com/vartype.htm

Simplified example
(Dependent & Independent Variable)
 The independent variable is typically the variable representing the value being manipulated or changed and the
dependent variable is the observed result of the independent variable being manipulated.
– For example:
concerning nutrition, the independent variable of daily vitamin C intake (how
much vitamin C one consumes) can influence the dependent variable of life
expectancy (the average age one attains).
Over some period of time, scientists will control the vitamin C intake in a substantial group of people. One part
of the group will be given a daily high dose of vitamin C, and the remainder will be given a placebo pill (so that
they are unaware of not belonging to the first group) without vitamin C. The scientists will investigate if there is
any statistically significant difference in the life span of the people who took the high dose and those who took
the placebo (no dose). The goal is to see if the independent variable of high vitamin C dosage has a correlation
with the dependent variable of people's life span. The designation independent/dependent is clear in this case,
because if a correlation is found, it cannot be that life span has influenced vitamin C intake, but an influence in
the other direction is possible.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependent_and_independent_variables#Simplified_example

If you do not know where you are going,
any road will take you there.

Hypothesis
 An unproven proposition, A possible solution to a
problem, Guess.
 A hypothesis can be defined as a logically conjectured
relationship between two or more
 variables expressed in the form of a testable
statement.

Example: XYZ Corporation is a company that is focused on a stable workforce that
has very little turnover. XYZ has been in business for 50 years and has more than
10,000 employees. The company has always promoted the idea that its employees
stay with them for a very long time, and it has used the following line in its recruitment
brochures: "The average tenure of our employees is 20 years." Since XYZ isn't quite
sure if that statement is still true, a random sample of 100 employees is taken and the
average age turns out to be 19 years with a standard deviation of 2 years. Can XYZ
continue to make its claim, or does it need to make a change?

 State the hypotheses.
H 0 = 20 years
H 1 ≠ 20 years
Source: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Gr-Int/Hypothesis-Testing.html

Read more: Hypothesis Testing - levels, examples, definition, type, company, business, Hypothesis testing process http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Gr-
Int/Hypothesis-Testing.html#ixzz12KQAI0sR

State the research questions and
research objectives

36

Broad research Statement of Exploratory
objectives business problem research
(optional)

Specific Specific Specific
Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3

Research Design
Results

Research Proposal
 A written statement of the research design that includes
a statement explaining the purpose of the study
 Detailed outline of procedures associated with a
particular methodology

Basic Questions -
Problem Definition

 What is the purpose of the study?
 How much is already known?
 Is additional background information necessary?
 What is to be measured? How?
 Can the data be made available?
 Should research be conducted?
 Can a hypothesis be formulated?

Basic Questions -
Basic Research Design
 What types of questions need to be answered?
 Are descriptive or causal findings required?
 What is the source of the data?

Basic Questions -
Basic Research Design
 Can objective answers be obtained by asking people?
 How quickly is the information needed?
 How should survey questions be worded?
 How should experimental manipulations be made?

Basic Questions -
Selection of Sample
 Who or what is the source of the data?
 Can the target population be identified?
 Is a sample necessary?
 How accurate must the sample be?
 Is a probability sample necessary?
 Is a national sample necessary?
 How large a sample is necessary?
 How will the sample be selected?

Basic Questions -
Data Gathering
 Who will gather the data?
 How long will data gathering take?
 How much supervision is needed?
 What operational procedures need to be followed?

Basic Questions -
Data Analysis
 Will standardized editing and coding procedures be
used?
 How will the data be categorized?
 What statistical software will be used?
 What is the nature of the data?
 What questions need to be answered?
 How many variables are to be investigated
simultaneously?
 Performance criteria for evaluation?

Basic Questions -
Type of Report
 Who will read the report?
 Are managerial recommendations requested?
 How many presentations are required?
 What will be the format of the written report?

Basic Questions -
Overall Evaluation
 How much will the study cost?
 Is the time frame acceptable?
 Is outside help needed?
 Will this research design attain the stated research
objectives?
 When should the research be scheduled to begin?

Anticipating Outcomes
 Dummy tables
 Representations of the actual tables that will be in the
findings section of the final report; used to gain a better
understanding of what the actual outcomes of the
research will be.

The Research Process

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