RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Q1) Define ‘Research’ states its Objective, Nature, Importance and Scope. Discuss
different types of research with their importance and limitations. With one example discuss
the steps of conducting research?

What is Research?
Research is a systematic investigative process employed to increase or revise current knowledge by discovering new facts. It can
be divided into two general categories: i.e Basic research, which is inquiry aimed at increasing scientific knowledge, and Applied
research, which is effort aimed at using basic research for solving problems or developing new processes, products, or
techniques.

Research is a process through which an individual or the researcher helps to search the definite or useful information from the
number of respondents to evaluate or solve the problem-related questions. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation or
technique.

Research is a process by which one acquires dependable and useful information about a phenomenon or a process. It may be
broadly defined “as a systematic inquiry towards understanding a complex social phenomenon or a process”. It follows the
scientific approach to gain knowledge.

In other words, some people say that research is a systematized effort to gain knowledge and it is a process of collecting,
evaluating, and interpreting information to answer questions.

• Research is the process of finding solutions to a problem after a thorough study and analysis of the situational factors.

• Research provides the needed information that guides managers to make informed decisions to successfully deal with
problems.

• The information provided could be the result of a careful analysis of data gathered firsthand or of data that are already
available (in the company)

• Research is an endeavor to discover answers to intellectual and practical problems through the application of scientific
method.

• Research is the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information (data) in order to increase our understanding
of the phenomenon about which we are concerned or interested.

Objectives of Research:

• The purpose of research is to discover answers through the application of scientific procedures.

• Research objectives help to identify the full purpose or attention of your research with the type of basic questions that
will be noted. Explaining your research objectives means explaining what do I need to investigate and evaluate.

The objectives are:

• To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it – Exploratory or Formulative Research.

• To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group – Descriptive Research.
 • To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated with something else –
Diagnostic Research.

• To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables – Hypothesis-Testing Research.

• To find out real facts –

As we know, every type of research has its own object but the basic aim of the research is always to find out or
obtained the information from the markets and societies and their number of respondents. A researcher evaluates or
finds the real or exact information for our problem-related questions.

• To achieve the new thoughts-

In this objective of the research, anybody can find new thoughts from the research. Research is the process of finding
the exact information through proper observation, optimization, and experiments.
These are the scientific methods to find out or evaluate the information which is very necessary for evaluating the
problem task.
• To evaluate the information-

The first aim of the research is to find out the information and then evaluate them in an appropriate or efficient manner
so that they can easily design the research problem and solve them also.
A researcher evaluates the information through various scientific approaches and methods, statistical analysis and
procedures, and another type of tables and graphs.

• To test a hypothesis-

In this objective of the research, the researcher does the causal relationship between the variables (it can also be said
that the hypothesis testing research studies). The hypothesis testing study represents the number of actions like these
terms:

(a) Making a formal statement,

(b) Selecting a significance level,
(c) Deciding the distribution use,
(d) Selecting a random sample and computing an appropriate value,
(e) Calculation of the probability,
(f) Comparing the probability.

• To design or implement the research-

After the collection of all information, the researcher prepares the structure of a research design for the company so that
they can easily describe or identify the structure of a particular research theme. The research designs can be
broadcasted into two forms such as experimental designs and non-experimental designs.
After the structure of the research design, the researcher implements them in a problem and find out the optimum factor
to solve them.

• To improve the understanding-

In thisobjective of the research, the researcher helps to improve the understanding of a particular topic by asking what
else needs to be evidenced before the research is purposeful, or what knowledge could be assembled from a more
focused investigation, or scrutiny of the existing findings.

Characteristics of Research:

• Research should be controlled-It should be controlled because of the relation between two or more variables are
affected by each other (whether it is internal or external). If the research is not controllable, then it will not be able to
design a particular research report.
 • Research should be rigorous-It should be rigorous because it helps to follow the procedures to find out the answers
related questions which are relevant and appropriate in nature. The research information consists of two types of
sciences such as physical and social sciences. These two sciences are also varied from each other.
• Research should be systematic-Research should be systematic because if a researcher wants to do a perfect research
design or process then it will have to evaluate or obtained the necessary information from the market in a systematic
manner. It takes various steps to do a perfect or systematic research process and all the steps of procedures are
interlinked to each other.
• Research should be valid-It means the information which is collected by the researcher can be the correct and verifiable
by you (i.e., researcher himself). If our collected information is fair or valid, then our research will also be ethical in
nature.
• Research should be empirical-
This means that any conclusion drawn is totally based upon ethical or hard evidence gathered information collected
from observations and real-life experiences.
• The foundation of knowledge-
Research is the foundation of knowledge for the purpose of knowledge and an important source for providing
guidelines or norms for solving different social, business, or governmental problems. It is a variety of formal training
which enables us to understand the new developments in one’s field in an efficient way.

Some others are:

• Research is directed towards the solution of a problem.

• Research is based upon observable experience or empirical evidence.
• Research demands accurate observation and description.
• Research involves gathering new data from primary sources or using existing data for a new purpose.
• Research activities are characterized by carefully designed procedures.
• Research requires expertise i.e., skill necessary to carryout investigation, search the related literature and to understand
and analyze the data gathered.
• Research is objective and logical – applying every possible test to validate the data collected and conclusions reached.
• Research involves the quest for answers to unsolved problems.
• Research requires courage.
• Research is characterized by patient and unhurried activity.
• Research is carefully recorded and reported
• Criteria of a Good Research-
• Purpose clearly defined.
• Research process detailed.
• Research design thoroughly planned.
• High ethical standards applied.
• Limitations frankly revealed.
• Adequate analysis for decision maker’s needs.
• Findings presented unambiguously.
• Conclusions justified.
• Researcher’s experience reflected

Qualities of a good research:

It should be

• Systematic
• Logical
• Empirical
• Replicable
• Creative
• Use of multiple methods
• Need for research
• Exploration
 • Describe
• Diagnose
• Hypothesis
• Inductions and deductions

Scope of Research:

• Research for decision making

• Throws light on risks and uncertainty
• Identify alternative courses of action
• Helps in economic use of resources
• Helps in project identification
• Solves investment problems
• Solves pricing problems
• Solves allocation problems
• Solves decision making issues in HR
• Solves various operational and planning problems of business and industry
• Provides the basis for all government policies in our economic system.
• Helps social scientists in studying social relationships and in seeking answers to various social problems.
• For students, research means a careerism or a way to attain a high position in the social structure.
• For professionals in research, it may mean a source of livelihood.
• For philosophers and thinkers, research means the outlet for new ideas and insights.
• For literary men and women, research means development of new styles and creative work.
• For analysts and intellectuals, research means generalizations of new theories

Limitations in Research:

• Not similar to science

• Uncontrollable variables
• Human tendencies
• Time and money
• Lack of computerization
• Lack of scientific training in the methodology of research
• Insufficient interaction between university research departments and business establishments
• Lack of confidence on the part of business units to give information
• Lack of code of conduct
• Difficulty of adequate and timely secretarial assistance
• Poor library management and functioning
• Difficulty of timely availability of published data.
• Ignorance
• Research for the sake of research-limited practical utility though they may use high sounding business jargon

Types of Research:

 Descriptive vs Analytical Research-

• Descriptive Research is a fact-finding investigation which is aimed at describing the characteristics of individual,
situation or a group (or) describing the state of affairs as it exists at present.
• Analytical Research is primarily concerned with testing hypothesisspecifying and interpreting relationships, by
analyzing the facts or information already available
 Applied vs Fundamental Research
• Applied Research or Action Research is carried out to find solution to a real-life problem requiring an action or policy
decision.
• Fundamental Research which is also known as basic or pure research is undertaken for the sake of knowledge without
any intention to apply it in practice.
• It is undertaken out of intellectual curiosity and is not necessarily problem-oriented
  Quantitative vs Qualitative Research
• Quantitative Research is employed for measuring the quantity or amount of a particular phenomenon by the use of
statistical analysis.
• Qualitative Research is a non-quantitative type of analysis which is aimed at finding out the quality of a particular
phenomenon

 Conceptual vs Empirical Research

• Conceptual Research is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing
ones.
• Empirical Research is a data-based research which depends on experience or observation alone. It is aimed at coming
up with conclusions without due regard for system and theory

Some other types of Research:

• One-time Research – Research confined to a single time period.

• Longitudinal Research – Research carried on over several time periods.
• Diagnostic Research – It is also called clinical research which aims at identifying the causes of a problem, frequency
with which it occur and the possible solutions for it.
• Exploratory Research – It is the preliminary study of an unfamiliar problem, about which the researcher has little or no
knowledge. It is aimed to gain familiarity with the problem, to generate new ideas or to make a precise formulation of
the problem. Hence it is also known as formulative research
• Experimental Research – It is designed to assess the effect of one particular variable on a phenomenon by keeping the
other variables constant or controlled.
• Historical Research – It is the study of past records and other information sources, with a view to find the origin and
development of a phenomenon and to discover the trends in the past, in order to understand the present and to
anticipate the future

Steps of Conducting Research:

• Step 1: Identify the Problem

The first step in the process is to identify a problem or develop a research question. The research problem may be
something the agency identifies as a problem, some knowledge or information that is needed by the agency or the
desire to identify a recreation trend nationally
• Step 2: Review the Literature
Now that the problem has been identified, the researcher must learn more about the topic under investigation. To do
this, the researcher must review the literature related to the research problem. This step provides foundational
knowledge about the problem area.
• Step 3: Clarify the Problem
Many times the initial problem identified in the first step of the process is too large or broad in scope. In step 3 of the
process, the researcher clarifies the problem and narrows the scope of the study. This can only be done after the
literature has been reviewed
• Step 4: Clearly Define Terms and Concepts
Terms and concepts are words or phrases used in the purpose statement of the study or the description of the study.
These items need to be specifically defined as they apply to the study. Terms or concepts often have different
definitions depending on who is reading the study
• Step 5: Define the Population
Research projects can focus on a specific group of people, facilities, park development, employee evaluations,
programs, financial status, marketing efforts, or the integration of technology into the operations.
• Step 6: Develop the Instrumentation Plan
The plan for the study is referred to as the instrumentation plan. The instrumentation plan serves as the road map for the
entire study, specifying who will participate in the study; how, when, and where data will be collected; and the content
of the program
• Step 7: Collect Data
Once the instrumentation plan is completed, the actual study begins with the collection of data. The collection of data is
a critical step in providing the information needed to answer the research question
• Step 8: Analyze the Data
All the time, effort, and resources dedicated to steps 1 through 7 of the research process culminate in this
final step. The researcher
Finally has data to analyze so that the research question can be answered.
Q2. Discuss the importance of the followings:-

A) Statement of the Problem:
A statement of the problem is used in research work as a claim that outlines the problem addressed by a study. A good research
problem should address an existing gap in knowledge in the field and lead to further research.

A problem statement is a concise description of an issue to be addressed or a condition to be improved upon, a difficulty to be
eliminated, or a troubling question that exists in scholarly literature, in theory, or within existing practice those points
to a need for meaningful understanding and deliberate investigation. It identifies the gap between the current (problem)
state and desired (goal) state of a process or product or any gaps between the two. A problem statement is concise description of
the problem or issues a project seeks to address.

A good problem statement that covers previous scholarship will not only validate why your research is pertinent but will also
capture your reader’s attention. Most people do not like to leave questions unanswered and they will continue reading to see how
you resolve the problem. In other words, not only is it a good methodological practice to present a problem statement but it also
happens to be a great literary technique as well.
The key elements of statement of problem 1. Ideal, 2. Reality, 3. Consequences, 4. Proposal .

The importance of a problem statement is to :

 Introduce the reader to the importance of the topic being studied. The reader is oriented to the significance of the
study.
 Anchors the research questions, hypotheses, or assumptions to follow. It  offers a concise statement about the
purpose of your paper.
 Place the topic into a particular context that defines the parameters of what is to be investigated.
 Provide the framework for reporting the results and indicates what is probably necessary to conduct the study and
explain how the findings will present this information.
 To clearly and narrowly define your problem in a way where your finding/solution can be supported directly with data. It
also helps people identify if they want to read your paper, and builds your credibility. Papers are narrow in scope. One
paper won’t solve world hunger and if it claims to - it’s bogus. A purpose statement like “To study E. Coli” is terrible. It’s
too broad, doesn’t tell people what you studied, what methods you used, and so no one will read it (it’ll also get rejected for
“claim not supported directly by data”)
 Problem statements are widely used by most businesses and organizations to execute process  improvement projects. A
simple and well-defined problem statement will be used by the project team to understand the problem and work toward
developing a solution. It will also provide management with specific insights into the problem so that they can make
appropriate project-approving decisions. As such, it is crucial for the problem statement to be clear and unambiguous
 The ultimate goal of a statement of the problem is to transform a generalized problem (something that bothers you; a
perceived lack) into a targeted, well-defined problem; one that can be resolved through focused research and careful
decision-making.
 Writing a statement of the problem should help you clearly identify the purpose of the research project you will propose.
Often, the statement of the problem will also serve as the basis for the introductory section of your final proposal, directing
your reader’s attention quickly to the issues that your proposed project will address and providing the reader with a concise
statement of the proposed project itself.

B) Objectives of the Study:

Objectives ease the understanding of the research by the target audience. All research goes in vain if the target audience i.e. the
beneficiaries of the research fail to understand it. The objectives help the target audience to clearly understand the  purpose of a
particular research and it therefore eases understanding. The objective of statement helps the subject assess the importance of
the study relative to individual values. The statement should include not only the immediate purpose of the study, but also any
larger, eventual purpose.
Objectives are the mileposts to guide you and your employees on the way to building the
business. Objectives are important because they convert visions into clear-cut measurable targets. Employees are very clear as
to what they are expected to achieve and when.

Some examples of objectives for market research purposes could include:

Brand awareness, brand image, consumer perception, consumer attitudes, buyer behavior, product satisfaction, consumer
experience (good and bad), and intent to purchase behavior . 

 Importance of objective of the study:

 Providing focus and direction-Carrying out research without setting objectives is like going on a journey with no
knowledge of the destination or how to get there. You need to know where you are headed, and a map to get you there.
Having clear objectives will set you on a path to achieving your main aim and help you get the most useful insight
possible. Most research projects that go wrong lead back to objectives not being clearly defined or understood. Unclear
or cursory objectives can lead to irrelevant data, or insights that lack depth.
 Informing survey and discussion guide design-Without objectives, how will you know what to ask your audience?
Objectives provide you with clear direction for writing your survey or discussion guide.  Think about the topics you
need to cover and specific questions you need to ask that will allow you to meet your objectives.

 Helping to engage and align stakeholders-Getting sign off to conduct research can be a hard task. Costs and a lack of

understanding of the need for research can be potential barriers for your CFO or other senior team members. You will

need to convince them that it’s worthwhile. Having well-defined objectives that clearly illuminate what you are going

to learn from the research, and how it will be useful to the business, will help you get them onboard.

 Ensuring Impartiality-You may have pre-conceived ideas of what the research will show, based on previous experience

or personal beliefs. Or you could have a vested interest for the results to turn out a certain way; for instance, if you are

testing appeal of two new product ideas and one is more financially viable. Your objectives need to be clearly defined

at the outset of the project and kept top of mind at every stage; from survey design, through to analysis and outputs.

 Objectives give direction to the paper-The objectives in a study provide a clear direction. As soon as the

researcher defines the objectives, the scope is defined. On the basis of the objectives, further processes are

carried out including primary and secondary data collection, data analysis, drawing interpretation and conclusion

of the research. All these research processes are dependent on the objectives and are carried out in accordance to

it.
 Objectives help to avoid any diversion from the topic-Once the researcher starts gathering data for the research,
especially the secondary data, he/she comes across abundant data related to the research subject. The researcher
often gets blinded by the wide amount of data available on variety of sources and frequently diverts from the core
subject. The abundance of data brings in confusion as to which data to be utilized for present research and which
data should be discarded. The objectives help the researcher to stick to the current research and avoid any
diversion from the research topic.
 Research objectives minimize wastage of resources-By preventing the researcher to deviate from the research
topic, objectives minimize the wastage of researcher’s time, money and energy. Objectives help the researcher to
concentrate on the current research. Wastage of the research resources is reduced with clearly-defined objectives
and hence, efficiency of the study is enhanced.
 Objectives ease the understanding of the research by the target audience-All research go in vain if the target
audience i.e. the beneficiaries of the research fail to understand it. The objectives help the target audience to
clearly understand the purpose of a particular research and it therefore eases understanding. Thus, objectives also
make a research meaningful for the target audience.
 C). Collection of Data:

Data, data, data – we hear so much about it, but do we really understand the importance of data collection? At its most basic, data is simply a
collection of different facts, including numbers, measurements, and observations. This might sound easy, but data is effectively changing the
world we live in and the way that we work. If you own a business and are looking to grow, you likely have some notion that data is crucial in
helping you take the next step. Collecting data allows you to store and analyze important information about your existing and
potential customers. Collecting this information can also save your company money by building a database of customers for
future marketing and retargeting efforts.

 Here is a breakdown to explain the importance of data collection:

 Data empowers you to make informed decisions
 Data helps you to identify problems
 Data allows you to develop accurate theories
 Data will back up your arguments
 Data Makes your approach strategic
 Data helps you get your hands-on funding
 Data tells you what you’re doing well
 Data saves your time
 Data increases your return on assets
 Data improves quality of life

D.) Use of Data Collection Instruments:

Data collection is an important step in the research process. The instrument you choose to collect the data will depend on the type
of data you plan on collecting (qualitative or quantitative) and how you plan to collect it.

A number of common data-collecting instruments are used in construction research:

 Questionnaires

 Interviews

 Observations

 Archival documents and government sources

 Laboratory experiments

 Quasi experiment

 Scales (measuring and weighing tapes)

 Let’s look at three of the most used data-collecting instruments

Questionnaires
The questionnaire is a tool designed for the collection of quantitative data, and is widely used in construction research as it is a
good research instrument for collecting standardized data and making generalizations. Questionnaires can provide quick
responses but adequate care must be taken when developing questionnaires, to ensure you don’t influence the response you
receive. The design of your questionnaire should reflect your research aims and objectives.

Interviews
Interviews are a tool mainly for the collection of qualitative data and are popular as a data-collection tool because of their
flexibility.

According to Silverman (1997: 98), interviews are:

Active interactions between two or more people leading to a negotiated contextually based result.

These interactions can come in a structured or semi-structured form to generate insights and concepts.

When planning and considering an interview, the following factors are taken into consideration:

 Completeness

 Tact

 Precision

 Accuracy

 Confidentiality

Interviews require specialized skills from the interviewer, who will need to negotiate a good partnership with the respondent to
ensure a highly detailed and valid set of qualitative data is collected and transcribed effectively.

Jones (1985: 46) explains the reason behind conducting an interview:

In order to understand other persons’ constructions of reality, we would do well to ask them […] and to ask them in such a way
that they can tell us in their terms […] and in a depth which addresses the rich context that is the substance of their meanings.

There are different types of interview:

 Individual, face-to-face verbal interchange

 Face-to-face group interviews (focus groups)

 Telephone surveys

Interviews can be:

 Conducted as a one-time occurrence

 Conducted as multiple, longer sessions

 Structured, semi-structured, unstructured

Observation
Observation is a systematic data-collecting technique that involves watching individuals in their natural environment or in a
naturally occurring situation.

The processes under observation are normal and not contrived. They can range from individual cases, through to groups and
whole communities. They provide highly detailed information about natural processes. The data collection is laborious and time-
consuming and may have to be repeated to ensure reliability. However, observation schedules based on a set of expectations can
make data collection easier.

The level of observer participation can vary from wholly participant to non-participant. The non-participant observer has limited
interaction with the people being observed.

Observers can collect data through field notes, video or audio recording, which can be analysed using qualitative analytical tools.
If you code your observations to exact numerical data, it can be analysed using a quantitative approach.

One of the main benefits of using a wholly or partial participant observation is that the level of immersion and prolonged
involvement with participants can lead to a good rapport, thereby encouraging participants to speak up freely. This helps with the
rich details of the collected data.

E) Computer Software:

The most emerging tool in the research process is computer. Computer is an essential tool for research, whether for academic
purpose or for commercial purpose. Computers play a major role today in every field of scientific research from genetic
engineering to astrophysics research. It led the way to a globalized information portal that is the World Wide Web. Using WWW,
researcher can conduct research on massive scale. Various programs and applications have eased our way into computing our
research process. In this paper, various software applications and tools are discussed with respect to research activities like data
collection, analysis, etc. Key words: WWW, portal, research process, applications, tools.

There are many reasons why computers are so important in research and here are some of the main reasons:

SPEED: computer can process numbers and information in a very short time. So, researcher can process and analyze data
quickly. By saving time researcher can conduct further research .

ACCURACY: Computer is incredibly accurate. Accuracy is very much important in scientific research. Wrong calculation could
result an entire research or project being filled with incorrect information.

ORGANIZATION: We can store millions of pages of information by using simple folders, word processors & computer
programs. Computer is more productive & safer than using a paper filing system in which anything can be easily misplaced.

CONSISTENCY: computer cannot make mistakes through “tiredness” or lack of concentration like human being. This
characteristic makes it exceptionally important in scientific research.

There are five major phases of the research process using computer software:

1. Conceptual Phase

2. Design and planning phase

3. Data collection phase

4. Data analysis phase and

5. Research publication phase

F.) Tools of Data Analysis:

Data Analysis tools help in formatting the values into layouts which are consistent, based on local and industry standards. As
more and more enterprises realize the unique strategic importance of data quality, a new class of data analysis tools has emerged.
Like all processes, to achieve the highest level of data quality excellence, the order of operations matters. Properly putting things
first means that the first thing that must be done, even before planning, is to analyze.

 Tools of Data Analysis-

1. Statistical Analysis Tool: SPSS

SPSS stands for Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The latest version of SPSS is IBM SPSS
STATISSTICS20 by IBM.
 Provides Data view & variable view
 Measures of central tendency & Dispersion
 Statistical inference
 Correlation & Regression analysis
 Analysis of variance
 Non parametric test
 Hypothesis tests: T- test, chi-square, z-test, ANOVA etc.
 Multivariate Analysis
 Frequency distribution
 Data exposition by using various graphs like line, scatter, bar, histogram, pie chart.

2. Data analysis Tool: Spreadsheet Packages

Ex- Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3 Quattro Pro. Javelin Plus, Multiplan, Visicale, Supercalc etc.

3. Other Statistical Tools

Ex-SAS, S-PLUS, LISREL, iview etc.

4. Word Processor Packages

Ex-Microsoft word, WordStar, Word perfect etc.

5. Presentation Software

6. Database Management Packages (Dbms)

7. Browsers

8. Tools through Internet.

NAME-ABHINANDAN SAHOO

ROLL NO-19MBA (FM)-040

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