Question no 1: Explain what is meant by scientific investigation, giving

examples of both scientific and non-scientific investigations?

Scientific investigation is defined as the solving problem and follow a step-by-step

logical, organized and rigorous method to identify the problem, gather the data
about a particular topic, analyze them and draw the conclusion is the concept of
scientific method.
Scientific means based on logic, it is not based on personal experiences, intuition
or any biasedness. Scientific research is done in rigorous way, scientific
investigation enables them to get the answer of the questions, problems which
others also want to know. Scientific research is done with confidence and
accuracy, which means there is less chance of human error. Because it is done
again and again with same conditions as it is done in 1st time.
Scientific research is more objective than subjective. It helps the managers in the
workplace to solve the problems which they are facing in any department. For
example: 1) if a cricket team is not winning the matches and you as a coach
wanted to find the solution of loses then what will you do? At first, you noticed
that team is not winning its matches so this step is called observation. First of all
you define a purpose that you want to know why team is not winning. Then you
question that why is it happening? Then you make possible guesses about why is
it happening (so you changed the captain, increase the practice session of team or
changed the criteria of fitness) it is known as hypothesis. Then review the data, is
team start winning or not? Next step is to draw conclusion that if there is
exclusive answer to your question? At last prepare the result of your findings?
Non-scientific research is defined as the acquiring of knowledge about the world
using techniques without having any logical study and evidence, which is based on
intuition is termed as non-scientific research. In non-scientific research,
observations are casual and uncontrolled, based on biased and subjective
reporting, inaccurate and untestable hypothesis. For example: 1) if someone says
“people with colored eyes are not loyal” So, it is not scientifically proven, it is
something which is said by someone on his personal experience.
2) This cast always lies so it is also based on personal experiences and is not
scientifically proved.
Question no 2: Explain the hallmarks of scientific research?

1) Purposiveness: Every scientific research should have a specific purpose.

Without goal or purpose, research is useless. It’s like travelling without
having a destination. So, before starting a research, it should have a
purpose what you are going to discover. For research to be considered
scientific, this is the first requirement and characteristic of research. For
example: How to make employees sincere to their work? To make
employees sincere to their work demands good salary package, make them
understand their worth and importance in the company, low work load on
them.

2) Rigor: Rigor is the state of being accurate, strict and very careful. To
achieve accurate scientific research, theoretical base and methodological
design would be rigor. While doing scientific investigation, carefulness is
very important. So, a research that lacks good theoretical framework and
methodological sophistications would be unscientific. So, if manager asks
from 20 out of 200 employees and makes decisions according to that then
the scientific research would not be scientific (lacks of methodological
sophistications). The way how he address the employees could be biased.

3) Testability: The first thing in testability is that the question asked by the
researcher must be testable or relevant, or the study becomes impossible
to answer that particular question. It refers not only the method used for
the research but also the constraints of the researcher.

4) Replicable: if the result of the test of hypothesis is repeated again, we will

automatically gain confidence in our research. It is important to conduct
research again in similar circumstances and by using same procedure than
it would be called a scientific research.
5) Precision and confidence: Precision means the degree of accuracy and
exactitude of the result based on the sample. The research should be in a
manner that is close to the reality so that we can get precision and
confidence in our scientific research. Confidence means the percentage of
surety that our estimations are correct. It is important that we should
confidently say that our findings are 95% correct and there is only 5% of
change of being wrong. So the greater precision and confidence are, there
is more likely chance that our research is true and scientific.

6) Objectivity: The result should be according to the facts of finding not on

our own subjective or emotional values. Result should be objective
according the facts of analysis not on what we want, or what is true
according to you.

7) Generalizability: It refers to the scope of applicability of the findings in one

organization setting to the other. It should be applicable in the
organization. Do results from study apply to the real world? If its answer is
yes! Then there is more chance of research to be scientific. Concluding, the
finding of research should not be out of the world’s settings.

8) Parsimony: Parsimony means the simplicity of result and findings in

understanding, explaining it to others and generating solutions for the
problems. For example: If 2, 3 variables in the work situation are identified
which can increase employee’s sincerity towards work that would be more
useful than it would be recommended to change 10 different variables.