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AcFn3111 Ch01 2016-4st
AcFn3111 Ch01 2016-4st
I SEMESTER 2023/24 AY
4. Sampling Design
4.1 Sampling design
4.2 Census and sample survey
4.3 The need for sampling
4.4 Steps in sampling design
4.5 Criteria for selecting a sampling procedures
4.6 Types of sample design
4.7 Probability sampling design
4.8 Non probability sampling design
1. Meaning of Research
2. Characteristics of Research (what’s and what’s not)
3. Objectives of Research
4. Importance/Significance of Research
5. Motivation in Research
6. Managerial value of Research
7. Characteristics/Criteria of Good Research
8. Types of Research
9. The systematic process of research
While research is important in both business and academia, there is no consensus in the
literature on how it should be defined. The definitions are legion.
However, from the many definitions there appears to be conformity that research:
is a process of enquiry and investigation;
is systematic and methodical; and
increases knowledge.
The ‘process of enquiry and investigation’ suggests that research is all about having a
predetermined set of questions, and then aim to answer these questions through the
gathering of information and analysis.
“Systematic and methodical” implies that your research must be well organized and go
through a series of stages.
Thus, research means to observe the phenomena again and again from different
dimensions. It is the art of scientific investigation.
Research is a process of intellectual discovery, which has the potential to transform our
knowledge and understanding of the world around us.
Business research
is the application of the scientific method in searching for the truth about business phenomena (activities include defining
business opportunities and problems, generating and evaluating ideas, monitoring performance, and understanding the
business process).
is systematic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem encountered in the work setting that needs a solution.
the systematic inquiry that provides information to guide business/ managerial decisions.
What research is… (often called primary/original research) – The steps in formal research –
the researcher:
1. begins with a problem—an unanswered question;
2. clearly and specifically articulates the goal of the research endeavor;
3. often divides the principal problem into more manageable subproblems;
4. identifies hypotheses and assumptions that underlie the research effort (assumptions
are equivalent to axioms in geometry self evident truths, the sine qua non (prerequisite)
of research);
5. develops a specific plan/design for addressing the problem and its subproblems – in the
formative stages of a research project, much can be decided: e.g. data – existence,
access, analysis, etc;
6. collects, organizes, and analyzes data related to the problem and its subproblems; and
7. interprets the meaning of the data as they relate to the problem and its subproblems.
ACFN 3111 (Compiled by Andualem) 18
Introduction – The Meaning of Research…
The two important points related to the foregoing seven-step process are:
First, the process is iterative - A researcher sometimes needs to move back and
1. …
2. …
3. …
Research methods
the techniques and range of tools you use to do research are called.
provide the needed information that guide policy makers to make informed
With the right sort of methods you should be able to convince other people that
helps in solving various operational and planning problems of business and industry.
reduces uncertainty for policy makers, planners, business managers, and other
stakeholders by providing information that improves the decision-making process
Contributes to Policy/Practice/Literature
Categorize - involves forming a typology of objects, events or concepts and can be useful in
explaining which ‘things’ belong together and how.
Describe - attempts to examine situations in order to establish what is the norm- the what
question.
Explain - aims to move beyond ‘just getting the facts’ in order to make sense of the myriad other
elements involved – the why question.
Evaluate - involves making judgments about the quality of objects or events.
Compare - Two or more contrasting cases can be examined to highlight differences and similarities
between them, leading to a better understanding of phenomena.
Correlate - relationships between two phenomena are investigated to see whether they
move in the same direction.
Predictions- if there has been a strong relationship between characteristics or events in
the past, then similar circumstances should exist in the future, leading to predictable
outcomes.
Control- Once you understand an event or situation, you may be able to find ways to
control it. If the cause and effect relationships are identified you are able to exert control
over the vital ingredients.
to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e., concern over
practical problems initiates research
to get intellectual joy of doing some creative work
to be of service to society
Although research is important, it is not a panacea for all the problems that an
organization faces.
Therefore, an organization should decide upon the option of conducting research
after considering various factors.
time constraints,
availability of resources,
nature of information that the organization is expecting and the costs involved.
What is Knowledge?
information about or awareness of something, an issue, a fact;
an understanding of a matter, a fact, an issue.
Research is about generating knowledge - an awareness of something or an
understanding of a matter.
Knowledge of our social world comes from a range of different sources: through
reasoning, through intuition, or through the use of appropriate methods.
But, not all roads to knowledge are equally useful/reliable.
Non-Scientific Method
gaining knowledge through physical senses - seeing, sound/hear, touch, taste, and
smell - and experience, e.g. when one gets too close to a fire and gets burned, he or
she gains the knowledge that it is dangerous to be too close to the fire.
Science Is Public: Scientists only recognize research as valid or useful when they
can scrutinize it.
Generally, we accept research as valid if it has undergone a peer review process.
Harm to participants
Invasion of privacy
Deception
Plagiarism
is the unauthorized use of someone else's thoughts or wording either by
incorrect documentation, failing to cite your sources altogether, or
simply by relying too heavily on external resources.
includes copied data/information, falsification, fabrication or omission of significant results.
includes informal published material such as the "buying" of a paper from another student.
undermines your academic integrity and betrays your own responsibilities.
is considered as an academic crime with punishment because it is intellectual theft.
can easily be detected through peer reviews
Minimize harms and risks and maximize benefits; respect human dignity, privacy, and
autonomy; take special precautions with vulnerable populations.
So, there needs to be a procedure that assures that researchers will consider relevant ethical issues
in formulating research plans.
Formulating an Institutional Review Board (IRB)
A panel of persons will review proposals with respect to ethical implications and decide whether
additional actions need to be taken to assure the safety and rights of participants.
Ethics committees
have a duty to consider all possible sources of harm.
play an important part in ensuring that no badly designed or harmful research is permitted.
make sure that the researcher has thought through all the relevant issues prior to granting
permission to proceed
By reviewing proposals for research, IRBs help to protect both
the organization, and the researcher against potential legal implications of neglecting to
address important ethical issues of participants.
In sum some important shared values for the responsible conduct of business research
include:
honesty — conveying information truthfully and honoring commitments,
accuracy — reporting findings precisely and taking care to avoid errors,
efficiency — using resources wisely and avoiding waste, and
objectivity — letting the facts speak for themselves and avoiding improper bias.
social responsibility-strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social
harms through research.
2.What are our sales in the UK compared to France over the last five years?
6.Is it possible to identify the factors that reduce the sale of illegal copies of our products?
Quantitative approach
focus is on measuring phenomena and analysing quantitative research data using
objective, statistical methods to gain understanding
is based on the measurement of quantitative figure or quantity or amount.
E.g. What is the absentee rate among a particular group of employees (in
offices)/students (in schools)?
Qualitative approach
is concerned with subjective assessment of attitudes, opinions, and behavior.
Words, pictures, and narrative can be used to add meaning to numbers. Numbers
can be used to add precision to words, pictures, and narrative.
E.g. What are the feelings of employees faced with redundancy?
research and the contribution that qualitative research can make to policy
Basic/Pure/Fundamental research
is designed to make a contribution to general knowledge and theoretical understanding,
rather than solve a specific problem
is mainly concerned with generalizations and with the formulation of a theory.
It is primarily concerned with the understanding of the fundamental nature of social
reality.
It is the source of most scientific ideas and ways of thinking about the world.
It is mostly exploratory in nature.
E.g. How can business travellers be encouraged to reduce their carbon footprints?
E.g. Does motivation theory explain productivity levels among a particular group of
employees?
Inductive research - theory is developed from the observation of empirical reality
E.g. Productivity levels are lower in the afternoon than the morning, so you
conclude they vary with the number of hours worked
ACFN 3111 (Compiled by Andualem) 96
Introduction – Classification of Research – Logic
Deductive Reasoning
Introduction – Classification of Research – Logic
Inductive Reasoning
Introduction – Classification of Research – Logic
The combination of experience with deductive and inductive reasoning is the foundation
of modern scientific research.
Most social scientific research involves both inductive and deductive reasoning as the
scientist shifts endlessly back and forth between theory and empirical observations –
research cycle.
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Introduction – Classification of Research – Logic
Longitudinal research
examines features of people or other units more than one time.
usually more complex and costly than cross sectional research but is also more
powerful especially with respect to social changes.
Time series research
this is longitudinal study on a group of people or other units across multiple
periods (e.g. time series data on inflation, stock price).
a time series data set consists of observations of one or more variables over time.