Here are a few key points regarding Nisha Sabarwal's dilemma: - She is facing quality issues, production delays, and frequent product recalls which are damaging the company's reputation. - To address this, she made changes to manufacturing processes, quality control, worker efficiency, etc. but the problems persist. - A reactive approach of developing a reassuring website and making surface level changes has not solved the root causes. - A deeper diagnostic research may be needed to understand why earlier changes did not work and identify the real issues hampering quality and production. - Factors like worker motivation, outdated equipment, improper training, flawed processes etc. need to be systematically studied through primary and secondary research.

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2. Where? Why?
How? Avoided?

4. BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
‘You see things and you say “Why” but I dream
things that never were and I say “Why Not?”’
~ George Bernard Shaw

5. Causal research

6. Exploratory research

7. Pure research

8. Descriptive research

9. Fundamental research

10. Contents
1.Introduction to Research
• Overview of Research Methodology
• Meaning and definition of Research
• Relevance and Significance of Research in business
• Types of Research
• Research problems
• Evolution of Research
2.Research Process
• Introduction
• Theoretical Framework
• Research Hypotheses
3.Research Design
• Introduction
• Nature of and Classification of design
• Developing an appropriate research design
• Experimental Research Design

11. Contents
4. Randomized Design, Latin Square Design, Factorial Design
• Basic principles, types of experimental design
• Validity - external and internal
5. Scales and Measurements
• Types of measurements
• Scales and comparison between different scales
• Characteristics – Validity
• Different Methods of measurement
• Developing Scales – Classification of scales
• Rating Scales, Attitude Scales, Thurston scale
• Likert scale, Semantic Differential scale
• Types of Errors in measurement
• Test of Reliability
• Measures of Stability
• Threats to Reliability

12. Contents
6.Survey Research
• Introduction and Purpose
• Methods of data collection - Interviews, observation,
schedule, Questionnaire - other methods of data collection
• Panel research, warranty cards,
• Pantry audit and consumer panel
• Mechanical Devices
• Projective Techniques
• Sociometry
7.Overview of data sources and computer research
• Data Type
• Primary data- Sources of Primary data
• Secondary data - Sources of Secondary data
• Uses of Primary and secondary data,
• Evaluation of primary and secondary data
• Sampling Methods
• Computer and internet application

13. Contents
8. Multivariate Analysis and use of statistical packages
• Introduction
• Nature and techniques of Multivariate Analysis
8a. Analysis of dependence - Multiple Regression
8b. Discriminant Analysis
8c. Analysis of interdependence - Factor analysis
8d. Cluster analysis
• Application of Major software packages (SPSS etc.)
9. Report writing
• Types of reports
• Planning and organizing a research project,
• Harvard system of referencing
• Bibliography, footnotes, checklist
• Evaluation of report

14. Any trouble? Problem(s)? Explore Possibilities
What is the study about?
Why is the study being made?
Where will the study be carried out?
What time frame will the study cover?
β, µ
Problem translated into scientific ?
language
What will be the research design?

15. What data?
Cost of Value of Information
Information
?
Where can the data be found?
What technique(s) of data collection?
How will the data be
SPSS analysed? 1 +1 = 3
Interpretation of results, report
preparation and presentation
Implementation

16. Meaning and Definition of Research
• Research deals with the problems of life
• These problems are manifest in the social realm,
family and personal life, travel, leisure, purchases,
services rendered and demanded etc.
• NOT all problems can be solved by research
• Some problems can be solved without the aid of
formal research tools.
But our day to day life is sufficiently complex - that
thorough understanding of research methodology
facilitates and enhances reaching sound decisions.

17. The purpose of research is to search and develop knowledge.
In brief, research can be defined as
• a systematic investigation of a certain situation
• based on relevant and pertinent information and
principles
• procured from suitable sources – animate and / or
inanimate

18. EXAMPLES - Symptom(s) of Business Problem(s)
Declining Sales
?
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Productivity Gradually Increasing
?
? ?
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN

19. Survey is
• observational or descriptive
• study in which
• individuals are systematically examined or critically inspected
• without detailed verification
• for the absence or presence (or degree of presence) of
characteristics of interest.
Survey is a component and form the basis for the majority
of business research that is conducted.

20. Relevance and Significance of Research in business
Y
PH
• Empower people to create a better world
SO
• Uncovering and going beyond surface illusions
ILO
PH
• Uncover myths and hidden meanings
• Guides the communication within and outside (current
and potential customers) the walls of the organisation
AL
• Helps you identify opportunities in the marketplace
TIC
• Minimizes the risk of doing business
AC
PR
• Uncovers and identifies potential problems
• Creates benchmarks and helps track progress
• Helps evaluate success

21. Hallmarks
1. Purposiveness
2. Rigor
3. Testability
4. Replicability
5. Precision & Confidence
6. Objectivity
7. Generalizability
8. Parsimony

22. Exercise
Assess the hallmarks

23. The friendly telephone company
Customers complaints were mounting, and the letters of
complaints detailing the problems they experienced with
the residential telephone lines were constantly pouring in
at the friendly telephone company. The company wanted
to pinpoint the specific problems and take corrective
action.
Researchers were called in, and they spoke to a
number of customers, nothing the nature of the specific
problems they faced. Because the problem had to be
attended to very quickly, they developed a theoretical
base, collected relevant detailed information from a
sample of 100 customers, and analyzed the data. The
results promised to be fairly accurate with at least 85 %
chance of success in problem solving. The researchers
will make recommendations to the company based on
the results of data analysis.

24. Induction & Deduction

25. Hypothetico-deductive Method
• Observation : A sales manager
experiences dissatisfaction among the
customers, perhaps they are not pleased
with the product Customers
• Problem Identification Salespersons
• Theory formulation
• Hypothesizing
• Research design
• Deduction

26. Types of Research

27. Exercise
• ABC Ltd. Saw trouble brewing. It was in
distress experiencing computer problems.
Turnover among programmers was
unusually high and processing of a claims
becomes a big nightmare. Clients were
canceling their policies, claims for bypass
surgery and such were sure way up, and
premiums paid out relative to clients’
medical expenses, on a percentage basis,
was close to 85%.

28. Types of Research
Basic or Fundamental Research Applied or Decisional Research
(Theoretical or Pure Research) • Proceeds with a specific problem
• Aims at expanding frontiers of • Specifies alternative solutions and
knowledge, with NO necessary their outcomes
application to existing problems. • Prompted by commercial
• Does NOT always involve considerations
pragmatic (realistic, practical) E.g., 1) A certain home appliance
problems manufacturer wants to predict what
• Answers more fundamental consumers’ life-style would be five
questions years hence, thus starting the
planning and development cycle of
• Usually does NOT answer the new products.
queries dealing with immediate
commercial potential 2) A Financial company is
interested in identifying the profile
E.g., what people would look like of potential investors
in future.

29. Quantitative Research Qualitative Research
• Assess market share • “Motivational Research”(in-depth
interviews) finds as to WHY people do,
• Predict sales
think and behave in certain ways.
• Allocation of budget
• Sentence completion tests,
• Census comprehension tests, other projective
techniques.
• Planning policies
• How different situations influence
the thoughts, behaviour and actions of
people

30. Conceptual Research Empirical Research
• Related to abstract ideas • Relies on experience or
or theories observation alone, often without
due regard to theory or system
• Generally used by
philosophers, thinkers and • Comes up with conclusions
pioneers of knowledge which are capable of being
verified by observation or
• Used to develop new ideas
experiment only
and concepts or to re-
interpret existing ones • 1) The researcher first and
foremost MUST provide himself
with a working hypothesis
2) He then works to get enough
and appropriate information to
prove or disprove this
hypothesis, using research tools
and techniques

31. Some other types of research
• One-time Research or Longitudinal Research
• Field Research or Laboratory Research or Simulation Research
• Clinical (Diagnostic) Research
~ follows case-study methods or in-depth approaches to reach
basic causal relationships
~ uses very small samples and deep-probing data gathering devices
• Exploratory Research or Formalised Research
• Conclusion-oriented Research or Decision-oriented Research

32. Exploratory research
• when there are few or no earlier studies to which references
can be made for information
• aim is to look for patterns, ideas or hypotheses rather than
testing or confirming a hypothesis
• the focus is on gaining insights and familiarity with the
subject area for more rigorous investigation later.
Descriptive Research
• description of state of affairs as it exists
• researcher has NO control over the variables
• reports what has happened or what is happening

33. Q&A’s
One hears the word research being mentioned by
several groups such as research organizations,
college and university professors, doctoral
students, graduate assistants working for faculty,
graduate and undergraduate students doing
their term papers, research departments in the
industry, newspaper reporters, journalists,
lawyers, doctors, and many other professionals
and non- professionals.
Which among the aforementioned groups are
involved in the areas of basic or applied
research? Why?

34. Dilemmas of Nisha Sabarwal
Nisha Sabarwal, Chief production Manager, was on top of the world
just two years ago. In her non traditional job, she was cited to e a
real backbone of the company, and a performance was in no small
measure responsible fr the mergers the institution was
contemplating with other well known global cooperations.
Of late though , the products of the company had to be recalled several
times owing to safety concerns . Quality glitches and production
delays also plagued the company.
To project a good image to customers, Sabarwal developed a very
reassuring website and made sweeping changes in the
manufacturing process to enhance the guilty of he product, minimize
defects and enhance the efficiency of the workers. A year after all
these changes the company continues to recall defective products!!!

35. Any doubts?
Thank you