The Research Process

The Management Research Question hierarchy

Research Proposal Research Design Design strategy Data Collection Design Sampling Design

Questionnaire & Instrument Pilot Testing Instrument Revision

Data Collection and Preparation

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Research Reporting

Management Decision

The Management Research Question Hierarchy

Management Decision Measurement Questions Investigative Questions Research Question (s) Management Question Management Dilemma

Exploration

Exploration

Working with the Hierarchy

Management Dilemma The symptom of an actual problem Not difficult to identify a dilemma, however choosing one to focus on may be difficult

Working with the Hierarchy

Management Question Categories Choice of purposes or objective Generation and evaluation of solutions Troubleshooting or control situation

Working with the Hierarchy

Fine tune the research question

Examine concepts and constructs Break research questions into specific second-and-third-level questions Verify hypotheses with quality tests Determine what evidence answers the various questions and hypothesis Set the scope of your study

Working with the Hierarchy

Investigative Questions Questions the researcher must answer to satisfactorily arrive at a conclusion about the research question

Working with the Hierarchy

Measurement Questions The questions we actually ask or extract from respondents

Working with the Hierarchy

Exploration Recent developments Predictions by informed figures about the prospects of the technology Identification of those involved in the area Accounts of successful ventures and failures by others in the field

Research Process Problems

The Favored Technique Syndrome Company Database Strip-Mining Un-researchable Questions Ill-Defined Management Problems Politically Motivated Research