Chapter 20

RECAP for Class

at start of 2 Week
nd
The Memory Curve for Newly Learned Info
 Validity and Reliability

Reliability = calibration of the scale - constancy

Validity = does it measure your full body weight or some other measurement
 Assignments/Group Presentation/Final Exam

1. Assignment 1: Journal Critique – 15 % (2 weeks)

2. Assignment 2: Research Proposal – 15 % (6 weeks)
3. Group Presentation: Qualitative/Quantitative Research – 20 % (2nd Sunday)
4. Final Exam : subjective questions (take home) – 40 % (4 weeks)
 Definition of Research

We all do research all the time –

but not systematic/scientific
NO RIGOR!
 Research is the systematic process of collecting and logically
analyzing data (i.e., evidence based) for some purpose"
(McMillan, J. & Schumacher, S., 2014, p. 16).
 Why do Research?

1. Solve problems systematically / scientifically / objectively.

2. Add to the body of knowledge.

If we don’t do research, we will be just following:

1. Personal experience and common sense.

2. Experts and authorities
3. Popular and media messages (WhatsApp truths!)
4. Ideological belief and values
 Decision Makers
need researchers
to carry out data
collection and
transform it into
useable
information

8
 Data versus Information
 Data — the raw facts — record measures
of certain phenomena which are
necessary to provide.

 Information — facts in a form suitable for

managers to base decisions on.
 Basic versus Applied Research

Basic Applied
Research Research

Generates a body of knowledge by Solve a current problem faced by the

trying to comprehend how certain manager in the work setting,
problems that occur in organizations demanding a timely solution.
can be solved.

Action Research

studies carried out in the course of an activity or

occupation, typically in the field to improve the
Slide 1-10
methods and approach of those involved.
 Internal versus External Researchers
INTERNAL  EXTERNAL
 Advantages:  Advantages
 Better acceptance from staff  Divergent and convergent thinking
 Knowledge about organization  Experience from several situations in
 Would be an integral part of different organizations
implementation and evaluation of the  Better technical training
research recommendations.
 Disadvantages
 Takes time to know and understand
 Disadvantages the organization
 Less fresh ideas  Rapport and cooperation from staff
 Power politics could prevail not easy
 Possibly not valued as “expert” by  Not available for evaluation and
staff implementation
 Costs
 Ethics in Research
Ethics applies to each step of the research process:
1. Data collection, data analysis, reporting and dissemination of report
over various media.
2. Treatment of respondents, confidentiality of information.
3. Responsibility to the organisation, respecting rights of the researcher,
respondent and all others involved (analyst).

Slide 1-12
 Hallmarks/Terminologies/Concepts
 8 Hallmarks of Scientific Research
 7-Steps the Hypothetico-Deductive Method
1. Identify a broad problem area
2. Define the problem statement
3. Develop hypotheses
4. Determine measures
5. Data collection
6. Data analysis
7. Interpretation of data
 Deductive versus Inductive

Slide 14-13
 8 Hallmarks of Scientific Research
1. Purposiveness – Solid aim or purpose
2. Rigor - Based on a solid theoretical base and sound methodological design
using appropriate instruments to meet the stated objectives
3. Testability - Developing a set of research questions or hypotheses that can be
scientifically tested
4. Replicability – Results can be supported again and again when the same type of
research is repeated
5. Accuracy – Precision and confidence
6. Objectivity - Conclusions drawn based on the interpretation of results and facts
based on findings derived from the results of analyzing actual data
7. Generalisability - Scope of applicability of research findings in one organizational
setting to another organisational setting
14
8. Parsimony - Simplicity explaining complex situations (using only a few variables
to explain a dependent variable).
 Terminologies/Concepts
 8 Hallmarks of Scientific Research
 7-Steps the Hypothetico-Deductive Method
1. Identify a broad problem area
2. Define the problem statement
3. Develop hypotheses
4. Determine measures
5. Data collection
6. Data analysis
7. Interpretation of data
 Deductive versus Inductive

Slide 14-15
 Alternative Approaches to Research

Critical
Positivism Constructionism
Realism

Pragmatism

Post -Positivism

Slide 2-17
 Level of Certainty Influences the
Nature of Research

COMPLETE ABSOLUTE
UNCERTAINTY
CERTAINTY UNCERTAINTY

NO RESEARCH CAUSAL DESCRIPTIVE EXPLORATORY

AT ALL RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH
 Drafting the Problem Statement
1. Talk to people of authority.
2. Read about the issue in newspapers, magazines, books.
3. Read other student’s thesis written recently.
4. Check out journal articles on the subject – check out the
suggestions for future research.
5. Initial Literature Review.

Slide 14-19
What makes a good problem statement?
 Three key criteria to assess the quality of a good
problem statement: It should be –
1. Relevant
2. Feasible, and
3. Interesting
1. Relevant
 A problem statement is relevant if it is meaningful from
managerial perspective, an academic perspective, or
both.

 Land rover maintenance and

repair in an Infantry Batallion
workshop – relevant?
 What Makes a Good Problem Statement?

 Good problem statement includes both:

1. Research objectives (must outline all the variables of the

study!)
 To determine the impact of waiting on customer satisfaction and
service evaluations.

2. Research questions
 What are the factors that affect the perceived waiting experience of
airline passengers?

Slide 3-22
 Ways/Approaches to write problem statement

Many different ways of stating/writing/formulating

problem statement.
1. The Gap Approach,
2. The Four-Step Method,
3. The Three-Statement Approach [ideal, reality,
consequence]
The GAP Approach:
• What are the issues that require a solution?
• What OTHER STUDIES related to your research has been
done GLOBALLY?
• What OTHER STUDIES related to your research has been
done NATIONALLY?
• What is (are) the GAP(s) (things missing) that you have
identified?
• Why is your research important?
 The Four-Step Method
Step Statements
1 Base statement: This statement is based John (2012) stated that excellent managers
on past research finding, theory, practice or a practiced a democratic leadership style (giving
situation concerning a current issue. workers the right to make their decisions on
their own)

2 Inconsistent statements: These
inconsistent or conflicting statements are
based on past research findings, theory or
practice. A problem still exists when there are determine their own decisions; the bosses have
inconsistent or conflicting statements with
the base statement
3 Speculations: These speculations
(thoughts/conjectures/guesses), based on
the inconsistent or conflicting statements,
need to be studied further.
4 Research objectives: State the research
objectives based on the speculations.
Howeever, Ali (2011) reported that there were
excellent managers who practice an autocratic
leadership style (the workers have no right to
the final decision in a making decision).
What is the leadership style of managers in my
target population? Autocratic or democratic
style?
The objective of this study is to examine the
leadership style of a group of managers in
selected organizations in Federal Territory.
Example of a Problem Statement
Brief Description of Research: A new diagnostic technique, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)/(MRI) may surpass the CAT
(computerized Axial Tomography) scan in accuracy and reduce the need to resort to the myelogram (special dye). It is proposed to
research the feasibility of establishing an NMR lab at USJ hospital. The research will investigate the accuracy, efficiency, and
safety of NMR as well as implementation issues.

STATEMENT 1 (Ideal Scenario)

In order to provide excellent patient care at a minimal cost, USJ Hospital
Description of the
needs diagnostic procedures that are safe, efficient, and accurate. In ideal scenario
addition, the procedures should not be overly painful for the patient.

STATEMENT 2 (The reality)

Right now, USJ Hospital's main diagnostic tools are CAT scans and myelograms (spinal
taps). The CAT scan, however, fails to make clear diagnoses 60% of the time. When The reality of the
the CAT scan fails, doctors must resort to the myelogram. While the myelograms are situation
accurate, this procedure is very painful and sometimes dangerous for the patient.

STATEMENT 3 (The consequences)

If USJ Hospital continues to do the two procedures, they will not only be
wasting time and money, which jeopardizes their overall efficiency and The consequences
earning potential. Also, undue suffering could lead patients to choose
another hospital with more advanced facilities.

Research Purpose is stated immediately

Critical Literature Review
 Follow examples from others.
1. the relevance of the issue that are addressed in the article or book,
2. the importance of a book or article in terms of citations,
3. the overall quality of the article or book, and
4. the year of publication of book or article.
5. Ensure you avoid common mistakes in LR!
a) Old or secondary references
b) Very few references
c) Fail to discuss critically
d) Fail to “get into the debate”
e) Not appropriate language (laras bahasa).
 What should you write?
1. The accepted facts in the area
2. The popular opinion
3. The main variables
4. The relationship between concepts and variables
5. Shortcomings in the existing findings
6. Limitations in the methods used in the existing findings
LITERATURE REVIEW for PhD/MSc/MBA

History Introduction Current Date of

State Submission 90 % of effective LR found in
5 years backward. At least
50+ articles for PhD/MSc/MBA

Some topics such as

TERRORISM – you will
probably have enough articles
within the last THREE years as
since so much research in this
hot topic

2010 2015 - 2017 2018-19 2020

 Literature Sources
https://login.libproxy.upnm.edu.my/menu

https://www.academia.edu/people/search?utf8=%E2%9
C%93&q=supply+chain+AND+leadership

Use Boolean Search Operators

 Using BOOLEAN Search Operators

 A quotation mark around the exact phrase you want to find, and the
word and, or, and not can help you narrow the search and zero in
on the article that will be of greatest interest to you.
1. And : use AND to find articles that include both of the terms that it
links.
2. Or : use or to find articles that include one term or the other.
3. Not : use not / and not to exclude a term from your search.
4. ( ) : use parentheses to prioritise [(talent or HR) or Recruitment)].
5. “ ” use quotation marks to group two words [‘military culture”]
https://www.socialtalent.com/blog/recruitment/the-beginners-guide-to-boolean-search-terms
 Mediating Variable
 Mediating variable
 surfaces between the time the independent variables start
operating to influence the dependent variable and the time
their impact is felt on it.
t1 t2 t3

Workforce Creative Organisational

Diversity Synergy Effectiveness

HA : The relationship between Workforce Diversity and Organisational Effectiveness is

mediated by Creative Synergy

Slide 5-36
 Moderators
 Moderating variable
 Moderator is qualitative (e.g., gender, race, class) or quantitative (e.g., level
of reward) variable that affects the direction and/or strength of relation
between independent and dependent variable.

Workforce Organisational
Diversity Effectiveness

Managerial
Expertise

HA : Managerial Expertise moderates the relationship between

Workforce Diversity and Organisational Effectiveness
 Moderators
 Moderating variable
 Moderator is qualitative (e.g., gender, race, class) or quantitative (e.g., level
of reward) variable that affects the direction and/or strength of relation
between independent and dependent variable.

Workforce Organisational
Diversity Effectiveness

Discriminatory Negative effect/reduce the

strength of relationship
policies

HA : Managerial Expertise moderates the relationship between

Workforce Diversity and Organisational Effectiveness
 Moderators

Rumah Anak-anak
banyak boleh membaca
buku

Ibu-bapa rajin
baca

HA : Parental reading habits moderates the relationship between

availability of books at home and ability of children to read
 Operationalisation of Concepts/Constructs

Slide 14-40
 RESEARCH DESIGN
1. Purpose of study (exploratory, descriptive, causal)
2. Research strategy (experiment, survey, grounded, case, action, etc.)
3. Time horizon (cross sectional or longitudinal)
4. Data collection method (survey: interview, telephone, questionnaire)
5. Questionnaire design.
6. Population and Unit of Analysis
7. Sampling techniques.
8. Variables, Operationalisation of Constructs/Concepts.
 Sample Size for a Given Population Size

Slide 13-42
 Calculating Sample Size (surveymonkey)

Slide 14-43
 Other concepts
1. “Don’t re-invent the wheel”

2. Hawthorne Studies (Elton Mayo, 1920s)

1. lighting effect.
2. biases of selected participants don’t behave as they would always do.
3. unconcealed observation causes increased productivity.

3. Questionnaire / Instrument

Slide 14-44
 Operationalising Abstract Concepts
Service Quality CONCEPT

Reliability Assurance Tangibles Empathy Responsiveness DIMENSION

ITEMS (Questions)
Each dimension would have 5- 8 items to measure the dimension. An example is:
1. Reliability : I have not faced banking transactions problems with XYZ bank
2. Assurance : The behaviour of employees in the XYZ bank instils confidence in you.
3. Tangibles : XYZ bank has modern looking equipment
4. Empathy : XYZ bank has convenient operating hours
5. Responsiveness: XYZ bank employees are never too busy to help you
Thank You
FOR LISTENING