Lecture Zero

•Research Methodology
•Course Code: F010401T

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About Myself
www.linkedin.com/in/deepaksrivastavaa
About the Course
Before we start...

• Let us talk a bit about the OBE or

the Outcome- based Education
 • As we know, education is a constantly
evolving field, and one of the significant
transformations it has undergone in recent
What is years is the shift towards outcome-based
OBE? education (OBE). OBE focuses on aligning
educational goals with desired outcomes,
emphasizing the acquisition of specific skills,
knowledge, and competencies.
Introduction
• Two prominent frameworks that have revolutionized education are
Bloom’s Taxonomy and Outcome-Based Education.
• Technology plays a crucial role in OBE implementation by facilitating
data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Let's investigate the relationship between Bloom’s Taxonomy and
Outcome-Based Education, highlighting their shared objectives and
practical implementation strategies with the support of technology.
 • Benjamin Bloom, a psychologist who focused on
education, headed a group of researchers
aiming to organize educational goals and
identify the mental processes involved in
learning. In 1956, they released the first version
of “Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The
Understandin Classification of Educational Goals.”
g Bloom’s • The taxonomy initially included three areas:
Taxonomy thinking and knowledge (cognitive), emotions
and attitudes (affective), and physical skills
(psychomotor). However, the cognitive domain
received the most focus and has since become
widely known as Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Revised:

• In the early 2000s, a team of scholars

led by Lorin Anderson, a former
student of Bloom, undertook a
comprehensive review of the original
taxonomy. The revised version, known
as Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy, was
published in 2001. This revision aimed
to align the taxonomy with
contemporary educational practices
and theories.
Course Outcome

• The objective of this paper is to give the basic

knowledge about the Research Methodology
 • Course objectives reflect specific
knowledge, skills, abilities, or
competencies that instructors
expect students to acquire from a
Course particular course.
Objectives • Course objectives are often very
specific and detailed statements
that describe the content or skills
that will be taught in the
classroom.
Course Objectives for
this course
• CO 1: Remembering
o Upon completion of this course, students should
be able to:
• Recall the meaning and significance of research.
• Identify and list the primary objectives of research.
• Memorize different types of research and their
characteristics.
• Recognize the sequential steps in the research process.
Course Objectives for
this course
• CO 2: Understanding
o By the end of the course, students should be able
to:
• Comprehend the features of a good research design.
• Explain the differences between various research
designs.
• Interpret the importance of accurate measurement in
research.
• Grasp the distinctions between different data types.
Course Objectives for
this course
• CO 3: Applying
o Upon successful completion of this course,
students should be able to:
• Apply the steps involved in sampling design.
• Implement various data analysis techniques.
• Utilize different probability and non-probability
sampling methods.
• Demonstrate the application of hypothesis testing
with Chi-square, Z-test, t-test, and F-test.
Course Objectives for
this course
• CO 4: Analyzing
o By the end of the course, students should be able
to:
• Analyze the sources of error in research.
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of different
research designs.
• Assess the appropriateness of specific analysis
techniques for different research scenarios.
• Critically examine and interpret research findings
presented in reports and presentations.
 • Research Methodology is a
foundational course designed to
Course Overview: equip students with the essential
Research skills and knowledge needed to
conduct meaningful and rigorous
Methodology research in various academic and
professional settings.
Lecture 2
Meaning and objectives of Research

Redman and Mory define research as a “systematized effort to gain new knowledge.” Some people
consider research as a movement, a movement from the known to the unknown.

It is actually a voyage of discovery.

We all possess the vital instinct of inquisitiveness for, when the unknown confronts us, we wonder,
and our inquisitiveness makes us probe and attain full and fuller understanding of the unknown.

This inquisitiveness is the mother of all knowledge and the method, which man employs for
obtaining the knowledge of whatever the unknown, can be termed as research.
Meaning and objectives of Research

According to Clifford Woody research comprises defining and redefining

problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organising
and evaluating data; making deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last,
carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating
hypothesis.

D. Selinger and M. Stephenson in the Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences define

research as “the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of
generalising to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids
in construction of theory or in the practice of an art.”
 Defining Research
Creswell and "Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a
topic or issue."
Creswell (2017):
Kothari (2004): "Research is a systematic and scientific search for pertinent information on a specific topic."

Leedy and "Research is a systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information—data—that
logically leads to an understanding of a phenomenon."
Ormrod (2015):
Cooper and "Research is an organized, systematic, data-based, critical, objective, scientific inquiry or investigation
into a specific problem, undertaken with the purpose of finding answers or solutions."
Schindler (2014):
Bryman and Bell "Research is the process of finding solutions to a problem after a thorough study and analysis of the
situational factors."
(2015):
Strauss and "Research is a structured inquiry that utilizes acceptable scientific methodology to solve problems and
create new knowledge."
Corbin (1998):
 • Though each research study has its own specific
purpose, we may think of research objectives as falling
into a number of following broad groupings:
1. To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to
achieve new insights into it (studies with this object
in view are termed as exploratory or formulative
research studies);

Objectives 2. To portray accurately the characteristics of a

particular individual, situation or a group (studies

of Research
with this object in view are known as descriptive
research studies);
3. To determine the frequency with which something
occurs or with which it is associated with something
else (studies with this object in view are known as
diagnostic research studies);
4. To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between
variables (such studies are known as hypothesis-
testing research studies).
Characteristics of Research
Objectivity: Research is supposed to be free from any personal and other sorts of biases, which will make the
research error-free as well.

Reliability: Reliability is a characteristic of research that is expected to generate the same results repeatedly, making it
consistent. The higher the level of consistency, the higher the reliability of the study.

Validity: Validity means that the research should be measuring and following the processes which it is expected to do.
There are several types of fact, such as Internal Validity, External Validity, Face Validity, Content Validity, Criterion
Validity, and Construct Validity.
Accuracy: Accuracy means the methods and tools of measurement should be ideal.

Credibility: The data and techniques used should be the best and most cost-effective.
Characteristics of Research
Generalizability: This means that the research outcome should apply to a much larger population.

Empirical Research: This means that research should be based on real-life experiences.

Systematic and Logical: Research should follow systematic steps and techniques based on certain
logic.
Controlled Factors: In every research, certain factors affect the study, but they need to be held while
doing research.
Cyclical: Research should be such that it should start with a problem, and there should always be
further scope for working on it.
Replicable: This means that the same research should give the same results if done by anyone else.
Types of Research
Descriptive vs. Analytical

Applied vs. Fundamental

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Conceptual vs. Empirical

Some Other Types of Research

• one-time research or longitudinal research.

• field-setting research or laboratory research or simulation research
• clinical or diagnostic research
• Historical research
• Causal research
Other Classifications

Research can also be classified as conclusion-oriented and decision-oriented.

While doing conclusion- oriented research, a researcher is free to pick up a problem, redesign the
enquiry as he proceeds and is prepared to conceptualize as he wishes.

Decision-oriented research is always for the need
of a decision maker and the researcher in this case
is not free to embark upon research according to
his own inclination.
Operations research is an example of decision-oriented
research since it is a scientific method of providing executive
departments with a quantitative basis for decisions
regarding operations under their control.
Summary
Research originates in a decision process.

Usually, a research is said to begin with a question or a problem.

In research process, management problem is converted into a research problem which is the major objective of the
study.

Research question is further subdivided, covering various facets of the problem that need to be solved.

The role and scope of research has greatly increased in the field of business and economy as a whole.

The study of research methods provides you with knowledge and skills you need to solve the problems and meet the
challenges of today is modern pace of development.
Importance/
Significance of
Research

• “All progress is born of inquiry. Doubt is

often better than overconfidence, for it
leads to inquiry, and inquiry leads to
invention” - a famous Hudson Maxim
• Research inculcates scientific and inductive
thinking, and it promotes the development
of logical habits of thinking and
organisation.
• The role of research in several fields of
applied economics, whether related to
business or to the economy as a whole, has
greatly increased in modern times.
Importance/ Significance of Research
• Research has its special significance in solving various operational and planning problems of
business and industry.
• Research is equally important for social scientists in studying social relationships and in seeking
answers to various social problems.
• Others
1. To those students who are to write a master’s or Ph.D. thesis, research may mean a careerism
or a way to attain a high position in the social structure;
2. To professionals in research methodology, research may mean a source of livelihood;
3. To philosophers and thinkers, research may mean the outlet for new ideas and insights;
4. Toliterarymenandwomen,researchmaymeanthedevelopmentofnewstylesandcreative work;
5. To analysts and intellectuals, research may mean the generalisations of new theories.
Research Process
Research Process
However, the following order concerning various steps provides a useful procedural
guideline regarding the research process:
• formulating the research problem;
• extensive literature survey;
• developing the hypothesis;
• preparing the research design;
• determining sample design;
• collecting the data;
• execution of the project;
• analysis of data;
• hypothesis testing;
• generalisations and interpretation, and
• preparation of the report or presentation of the results, i.e., formal write-up of conclusions reached.
Research Problem formulation

Research problem is a condition that causes a researcher to feel anxious, uneasy

and confused. It involves the complete analysis of the problem area involving
who, what, where, when and why of the problem situation.

While doing research, defining the problem is very important because "problem
clearly stated is half-solved". This shows how important it is to "define the
problem correctly".

While defining the problem, it should be noted that definition should be

unambiguous. If the problem defining is ambiguous, then the researcher will not
know "what data is to be collected" or "what technique is to be used" etc.
Research Problem formulation
Example of an ambiguous definition: Why is the productivity in
Korea much higher than that in India"?

Example of an unambiguous definition: On the contrary, a problem

will be as follows:

"What are the factors responsible for increased labour productivity

in Korean textile manufacturing industries during 1996-07 relative
to Indian textile industries?"
 • Like a medical doctor, a researcher
must examine all the symptoms
(presented to him or observed by him)
concerning a problem before he can
diagnose correctly.
• Inevitably, selecting a problem is

Selection somewhat arbitrary, idiosyncratic,

and personal. Avoid selecting the first
problem that you encounter. Try to

of the select the most interesting and

personally satisfying choice from
among two or three possibilities. The
Problem problem selection should matter to
you. You should be eager and
enthusiastic.
• A good topic should be small enough
for a conclusive investigation and
large enough to yield interesting
results.
Selection Criteria

1. Your genuine enthusiasm for the problem.

2. Controversial subject should not become the choice of an average researcher.
3. The degree to which research on this problem benefits the profession and society.
4. The degree to which research on this problem will assist your professional goals and
career objectives.
5. Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided.
6. The degree to which this research will interest superiors and other leaders in the field.
7. The degree to which the research builds on your experience and knowledge.
8. Ease of access to the population to be studied and the likelihood that they will be
cooperative Affordability.
Selection Criteria

9. Likelihood of publication.
10. Relationship to theories or accepted generalizations in the field.
11. Degree to which ethical problems are involved.
12. Degree to which research is unique or fills a notable gap in the literature.
13. Degree to which the research builds on and extends existing knowledge before the final
selection of a problem is done, a researcher must ask himself the following questions:
9. Whether he is well equipped in terms of his background to carry out the research?
10. Whether the study falls within the budget he can afford?
11. Whether the necessary cooperation can be obtained from those who must participate
in research as subjects?
Understanding the
Problem
• Marketing problem which needs research can be
classified into two categories:
1. Difficulty related problems
2. Opportunity related problems, while the first
category produces negative results such as,
decline in market share or sales, the second
category provides benefits.
• While formulating the problem, clearly define:
1. Who is the focus?
2. What is the subject-matter of research?
3. To which geographical territory/area the
problem refers to?
4. To which period does the study pertains to?
Example
• "Why does the upper-middle class of Bangalore shop at Life-style during the
Diwali season"?
• Here all the above four aspects are covered. We may be interested in a number of
variables due to which shopping is done at a particular place. The characteristic
of interest to the researcher may be
• (1) Variety offered at life-style
• (2) Discount offered by way of promotion
• (3) Ambience at the life-style and
• (4) Personalised service offered.
• In some cases, the cause of the problem is obvious whereas in others the cause is
not so obvious. The obvious causes are the products being on the decline. Not so
obvious causes could be a bad first experience for the customer.
What are the sources of problem identification?
Research students can adopt the following ways to identify the problems

1. Research reports already published may be referred to define a specific

problem.
2. Assistance of any research organisation, which handles a number of projects of
the companies, can be sought to identify the problem.
3. Professors working in reputed academic institution can act as guides in problem
identification.
4. Company employees and competitors can assist in identifying the problems.
5. Cultural and technological changes can act as a source for research problem
identification.
6. Seminars/symposiums/focus groups can act as a useful source.
Self Questioning by Researcher while
Defining the Problem
Is the research problem correctly defined?

Is the research problem solvable?

Can relevant data be gathered through the process of marketing research?

Is the research problem significant?

Can the research be conducted within the available resources?

Is the time given to complete the project sufficient?

What exactly will be the difficulties in conducting the study, and hurdles to be overcome?

Am I competent, to carry the study out?

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