Research Methodology

Upendra Lele
January 2011

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 Unit 1: Introduction to RM

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 The Structure of Research

The "hourglass" notion of research

Begin with broad questions

narrow down, focus in.
Operationalize.
OBSERVE
Analyze data.
Reach conclusions.
Generalize back to questions.

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 Objectives of Research
 To gain familiarity with a phenomenon
• Exploratory or formulative research
► E.g. Will KFC sell in Gujarat?

 To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular

individual, situation or a group
• Descriptive research
► What is the market size of wafers in France (Balaji is interested)

 To determine the frequency with which something occurs or

with which it is associated with something else
• Diagnostic research
► Why is the share price of my company down? (what are the possible reasons?)

 To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables

• Hypothesis testing research
► Is spending on advertising helping my company in improving the sales?

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 Types of Research
 Descriptive versus Analytical
• Descriptive: state the existing conditions – uses surveys, opinion polls
• Analytical: critical evaluation of facts to derive a conclusion (diagnosis)

 Applied versus Fundamental

• Applied: finding a solution to an immediate problem in society/industry
• Fundamental: for generalization or formulating a theory

 Quantitative versus Qualitative

• Quantitative: based on analysis of measurable characteristics
• Qualitative: relating to quality or kind. E.g. Motivational Research
 Conceptual versus Empirical
• Conceptual: to develop new concepts or reinterpret existing ones
• Empirical: purely based on observations or experience

 Other types
• They are variations of the above
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 Research Methods versus Methodology
 Research Methods
• All the methods and techniques used for conducting research.
• E.g. Analysis of records, conducting surveys, interviews
 Research Methodology
• It is a way to systematically solve a research problem.
• It is not only methods and techniques but also the logic behind their usage
 What is Research?
• It is an inquiry into the nature of, the reasons for, and the consequences of
any particular set of circumstances, whether these circumstances are
experimentally controlled or recorded just as they occur.
• It uses scientific method
 Scientific method
• It is the pursuit of truth as determined by scientific considerations
• It relies on empirical evidence
• It is committed to only objective considerations
• It presupposes ethical neutrality (no conclusions about right or wrong).
• It aims at formulating most general axioms or theories

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 Research Process
 Formulating the research problem
• Identify the type of problem
► Problems related to States of Nature (whether KFC will sell in Gujarat)
► Problems concerning relationship between variables (advt <> sales)
• Understand the problem thoroughly
• Rephrase it into meaningful terms from an analytical point of view
• Prepare a brief summary of the problem

 Extensive literature survey

• Exploring journals, conference proceedings, government reports, books
• Thorough examination of previous work done on the research topic

 Development of working hypothesis

• It is a tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical
and empirical consequences.
• It also affects the manner in which tests must be conducted in the analysis
of data
• It should be very specific and limited to the piece of research in hand

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 Research Process – continued….
 Preparing the research design
• It is the conceptual structure within which research will be conducted
• It depends upon purposes of research:
► Exploration
► Description
► Diagnosis
► Experimentation

• Types of research design

► Experimental designs
– Completely randomized design
– Randomized block design
– Latin Square design
– Simple and Complex Factorial designs
► Non-experimental hypothesis testing

• Considerations for preparations of research design

► The means of obtaining the information
► The availability and skills of researcher and staff
► The way in which information will be organized
► The time available for research
► The cost/budget for research

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 Research Process – continued….
 Determining the sample design (Way of selecting the sample)
• Deliberate sampling (Purposive/Non-probability sampling)
► Convenience sampling – ease of access
► Judgment sampling – selection based on judgment
• Simple random sampling
► Every item in the population has equal chance of inclusion in the sample
• Systematic sampling
► Sampling frame is available in the form of a list; e.g. select every 15 th number
• Stratified sampling
► Used when the population is not homogeneous
► Samples are drawn from each of the strata (subgroups having similar characteristics)
• Quota sampling
► Quota assigned to each stratum, to reduce the cost of sampling
• Cluster sampling or Area sampling
► Grouping the population into clusters and then selecting them as samples, instead of
individual observations
• Multi-stage sampling
► Select smaller and smaller groups within the population till you reach individual items
► E.g. Randomly Select states, then districts, then towns and then families
• Sequential sampling
► The sample size is determined according to a mathematical decision on the basis of
information yielded as survey progresses. E.g. Double sampling plan in Acceptance
sampling

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 Research Process – continued….
 Data collection (Primary data)
• By observation
► Without interviewing the respondents
► Usually current events; no past behaviour or future intentions
• Personal Interview
► Rigid procedure; preconceived questions
• Telephonic interview
► Useful when there are time constraints
• Mailing Questionnaires
► First Pilot study is done to eliminate weaknesses
► Most popular method for economic and business surveys
• Through schedules
► Enumerators are provided with schedules which they fill during interaction with
respondents
► Success (Reliability of survey) depends upon skills and sincerity of the enumerators

 Execution of the project

• Should be monitored closely to collect meaningful and adequate data
 Analysis of data
• Coding
• Editing
• Tabulation
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 Research Process – continued….
 Hypothesis testing
 Generalizations and Interpretations
 Preparation of Report or Thesis
• Preliminary pages
► Title, date, acknowledgements, list of tables/graphs/charts
• Main text
► Introduction
► Summary of findings
► Main report
► Conclusion
• End matter
► Appendices, list of books, journals, references

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 Criteria for good Research
Good Research is:
 Systematic
• Well structured
• Well defined rules
 Logical
• Guided by induction – reasoning from part to the whole
• Guided by deduction – reasoning from specific case to generic cases
 Empirical
• Based on real situations and concrete data
 Replicable
• Can be verified by replicating the study

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