Session 3

Scientific Method of research

•Objective:

•To discuss the steps involved in scientific

research process
Stages in scientific research (Quantitative Research)
1- Identifying problem area
• Applied Research • Basic/pure Research

• A difference between • Gaps in the literature

the current condition • Which could be filled in by
and a more preferable the researcher
set of conditions in
any business area. • To provide a new application
of an already established
theory
• Areas in which
improvement is • New insights into a theory
required and practice.
 Sources of information for problem statement of
Applied Research

Applied Research Basic/Pure Research

• Information about • In next slides……..

organization/ industry

• Prevailing knowledge on
the topic

• Business Research journals

• Business magazines
• Other printed sources

1–4
 Key Elements
•Overview of the issue (5 W’s)

•Formulation of Research objective/s

•Formulation of Research question/s

•
 The 5 “Ws” of a good problem statement

• What - What is the problem? - What is the impact of the problem? 

• Who - Who does the problem affect?... Specific groups, organizations,

customers, employees, etc.

• When - When did the problem occur?

• Where - Where is the problem occurring? Only in certain locations,

departments, products, customers, employees, etc.
 
• Why - Why is it important that we fix the problem? - What impact does it have
on the business or customer?
 CP- Assess 5 W’s of a problem statement
• Sales managers are spending 20% of their time each week receiving and
compiling sales reports for upper management, reducing the number of
hours spent on mentoring sales staff, building customer’s interest, and
closing business. This is a productivity issue, and ignoring it results in
decreased sales and missed revenue targets over the past 3 months. XYZ
Company is committed to reducing the time spent compiling reports to no
more than 10% of the sales manager’s time in any week.

By examining the current sales report processes for duplicative and wasted
effort, XYZ Company can determine how to reduce the amount of time
sales managers spend on compiling reports which will lead to increased
productivity.
1–7
 Research Objective
Clearly identified in problem
statement (Introduction) of a pure/
applied research.
Research Question
A narrower question extracted from the objectives and focuses on the
relationship of study variables.
It pinpoints exactly what you want to find out and gives your work a clear
focus and guide our thinking and reading.
RQ-1 How does exposure to business education relates to EI in young
graduates?.

RQ-2 Are high unemployment rates related to EI?

It refers to a broader question a

study wants to investigate.

Exmple- What factors lead to the

entrepreneurial intentions of
young graduates of business
schools. /
1–9
1–10
 Summing up the Problem Statement of Applied
Research

• 5Ws

• state research objective/s

• and draft research question/s

1–11
A research proposal
•The research proposal is a written statement which
includes
•1- a problem statement

•2- Research methodology and details samples and

procedures that will be used during each stage of the
research process.
•3- A schedule of costs and deadlines.

•The research proposal becomes the primary

communication document between the researcher and the
research user. 1–12
1–14
 2-Definition of Problem Statement
(pure/academic research)

• 5 important components of a pure research problem

statement

• Background/context
• Objective
• Gap
• Should clearly indicate the variables of interest and
their proposed relationship
• Contribution/s
Sources of information required to form a problem
statement of pure research

Basic/Pure Research

• Available Information on the topic from

relevant literature.

• Books
• Research Journals…….
• Working Papers from reputed business
schools/ universities.
• Internet
• Other Sources (business magazines/ journals)
• PhD Thesis
• Google Scholar (research search engine)

1–16
 Group CP- Discussion in session -4

• Comment whether the problem statement (Introduction)

of the given research paper ”Employee communication
and job engagement” covers the 5 important ingredients
of a problem statement. The answer should not be more
than one and a half side of a page

• Ask one question from each group

•

1–17