Business Research

A way of thinking A way of examining your practice

Research
Difference between research and other ways of obtaining answers to questions Research is a process of working within a framework of a set of philosophies using procedures, methods that have been tested for validity and reliability is designed to be unbiased and objective.

Applications of research
Every profession uses research methods in varying

amounts in many areas. Professional use methods and procedures in order to increase understanding in their own profession and to advance the professional base. The Applications of research from the viewpoint of: Questions that can be raised about any profession can be considered from four different perspectives:

The service provider

How many people are using the product or

service? How effective is the service/product? How can the service/product be improved? What type of people use or do not use the service/product? What are the problems with the service/product? How satisfied or dissatisfied are the consumers of the service/product?

The service administrator, manager and/or planner

What are the needs of the community? How many service providers are needed? What are the training needs of the staff? How many cases can a worker handle in a

day? How can the effectiveness of each worker be evaluated? How can the service/product be made more popular?

The service consumer

Am I as a consumer getting value for money? How good are the service providers? What are the long term effects of the product I

am using?

The professional
Which is the most effective intervention for a

particular problem? What is the relationship between the variables selected? How valid is the particular theory in the present conditions? What is the best way of measuring attitudes? What is process through which people decide to adopt a program?

Definitions of Research
Re-again, anew Search-to examine closely and carefully, to test and try, or to probe. A careful, systematic study and investigation in some field of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles. A scientific investigation to find answers to a problem. Scientific research is a systematic, controlled empirical and critical investigation of propositions about the presumed relationships about various phenomena.

Characteristics of research
Research is a process for collecting, analyzing and interpreting information to answer questions. Controlled Rigorous Systematic Valid and verifiable Empirical Critical

Types of Research
Application of the research study Objectives in undertaking the research Inquiry mode employed

Application of the research study

Pure research- concerned with the development,

examination, verification and refinement of research methods, procedures, techniques and tools that form the body of research methodology. Is to generate a body of knowledge by trying to comprehend how certain problems that occur in organizations can be solved. The findings of such research contribute to the building of knowledge in the various functional areas of business. Developing a sampling technique, a methodology to assess the validity of a procedure, developing an instrument to measure stress level in people.

Application of the research study

Applied research- the research techniques,

procedures and methods that form the body of research methodology are applied to the collection of instrument about various aspects of a situation or phenomenon so that information gathered can be used in other wayssuch as for policy formulation, or enhancement of understanding of a phenomenon.

Objectives in undertaking the research

Type of Main theme research Descriptiv To describe e what is prevalent wrt the issue/ problem under study Correlatio To ascertain if nal there is a relationship b/w two or more aspects of a situation Aim Examples
To describe systematically: Attitudes of

A group of people A community A phenomenon A program To establish or explore: A relationship An association An interdependence

employees towards management Sale of a product The impact of an advertising campaign on the sale of a product Relationship b/w tech. & unemployment

Type of Main theme research

Aim

Examples

ExplanatorTo clarify why y & how the relationship is formed

To explain: Why a relationship, association or interdependence exists Why a particular event occurs

How tech. creates unemployment? Why do some people adopt/do not adopt the program

Explorator To explore To investigate the y areas about possibilities research which To determine its researcher has feasibility (pilot study) little or no To test measurement knowledge tools and procedures

A small scale study to decide if it is worth carrying out a detailed investigation

Inquiry mode employed

Quantitative-structured Research process (objectives, design, sample, questions) is predetermined. Appropriate to determine the extent or quantify the variation of a problem or phenomenon. Magnitude of variation is measured on ratio or interval scales Eg. How many people have a particular problem? Qualitative-unstructured Allows flexibility in all the aspects of the research process. Appropriate to describe a phenomenon or explore its nature or establish the variation in a situation. Variables measured on nominal or ordinal scales Eg. Description of the living conditions of a community

Use of statistics
To act as a test to confirm or contradict the

conclusions drawn on the basis of the analyzed data. Quantifies the magnitude of an association or relationship. Provide an indication of the confidence researcher can place in his findings. Helps to isolate the effect of different variables.

Importance of knowing how research is done

The study of RM gives the student the necessary

training in gathering and arranging material, participation in the field work, training in techniques for the collection of the data appropriate to particular problems, use of statistics, questionnaires, experimentation, sorting and interpretation. It enables us to make intelligent decisions. The knowledge of RM provides tools to look at things in life objectively Helps the consumer of research results to evaluate them and enables him to take rational decisions.

Formulating a research problem

"Well begun is half done" --Aristotle

The research problem

Identification of a destination before

undertaking a journey Input into a study

Sources of research problems

People Problems Programs Phenomena

Considerations in selecting a research problem

Interest Magnitude Measurement of concepts Level of expertise Relevance Availability of data Ethical issues

Steps in the formulation

Identify a broad field or subject area of

interest Dissect the broad area into sub areas Select what is most important to you Raise research questions Formulate objectives Assess your objectives Double-check

Ch-2

The Research Process

Research process: an eight step model

The path to finding answers to your research

questions constitutes research methodology. What research questions you want to find answers to? How to go about finding their answers? At each operational step in the research process, researcher choose from a multiplicity of methods, procedures and models of research methodology to achieve best objectives. The model developed is generic in nature and can be applied to number of disciplines in the social sciences. The choice of methods and procedures is influenced by quantitative/quantitative distinction.

Formulating a research design

Identifies the destination What you intend to do? Specific and clear Evaluate the research problem in the light of

financial resources, the time available, expertise and knowledge in the field of study.

Conceptualizing a research design

How to find answers to your research

questions? It should include the management procedures, the sampling strategy, the frame of analysis and the time frame. Crucial to arrive at valid findings, comparisons and conclusions.

Constructing an instrument for data collection

Collecting information for your study-research

tool or instrument.

Selecting a sample
the avoidance of bias in the selection of a

sample. The attainment of maximum precision for a given outlay of resources.

Writing a research proposal

Overall plan which includes in detail the

operational plan for obtaining answers to research questions and how researcher plans to investigate the problem. What you are proposing to do? How you plan to proceed? Why you selected the proposed strategy?

Research proposal
A statement of the objectives of the study A list of hypotheses, if testing any The study design, proposing to use The research instrument Information on sample size and sampling design Information data processing procedures An outline on proposed chapters for the report The studys problems and limitations The proposed time frame

Collecting and processing data

Collect and process the data to draw

inferences and conclusions for the study.

Writing a research report

Report informs the world what you have

discovered and what conclusions you have drawn from your findings.

Ch-3

Reviewing the literature

1 Introduction to Research
1.1What is research?

Research is the process of finding

solutions to a problem after a thorough study and analysis of the situational factors.
http://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit01/infoage01_03.phtml

http://www.google.co.th/search?hl=th&defl=en&q=define:research&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct =title

1.2.What is business research?

Research provides the needed

information that guides managers to make informed decisions to successfully deal with problems. The information provided could be the result of a careful analysis of data gathered firsthand or of data that are already available (in the company).

1.3.Types of Business research.

1.Applied research Is to solve a current problem faced by the

manager in the work setting,demanding a timely solution. 2.Basic research (fundamental, pure)

1.4. Why is it important for managers to know

about research?

Solve problems Decision making tool Competition Risk Investment Hire researchers and consultants more

effectively

2 Scientific Investigation

1 Observation 2 Identification of problem area 3 Theoretical framework 4 Hypotheses 5 Research design 6 Data collection 7 Data analysis 8 Data interpretation 9 Implementation

The seven-step process in the Hypothetico-Deductive method

1 Observation 2 Problem identification

preliminary information gathering 3 Theoretical framework theory formulation 4 Hypothesizing 5 Research design further scientific data collection 6 logical analysis 7 Deduction

The seven-step process

problem statement is a clear, precise, and succinct statement of the

question or issue that is to be investigated with the goal of finding an answer or solution. Theoretical framework is the foundation on which the entire research project is based.It is logically developed,described,and elaborated network of associations among the variables relevant to the problem situation. A hypothesis is a tentative statement that proposes a possible explanation to some phenomenon or event. A useful hypothesis is a testable statement which may include a prediction. A hypotheses should not be confused with a theory. Data analysis: the data gathered are statistically analyzed to see if the
hypotheses that were generated have been supported.

Measurement is the process observing and recording the observations

that are collected as part of a research effort.

meaning of the data analysis results.

Deduction is the process of arriving at conclusions by interpreting the

Problem Formulation
"Well begun is half done" --Aristotle,

quoting an old proverb

Where do research topics come from? The idea for a research project? one of the most common sources of research

ideas is the experience of practical problems in the field? The Literature Review

Levels of Measurement

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/design.php

The Research Cycle

The Research Cycle

http://questioning.org/rcycle.html

QUESTIONING PLANNING GATHERING SORTING & SIFTING SYNTHESIZING EVALUATING REPORTING*

http://questioning.org/module/cycle.html Research Project? http://www.ri.net/schools/East_Greenwich/research.html

Information needs in business

Almost every organization has to engage in

research at some level to stay competitive. Companies gather data both from within and outside the organization. The methods used to gather,analyze,and synthesize information from the external and internal environments are becoming increasingly sophisticated to the immense scope of computer technology.

Computer Technology and Business

ICT
Information Communication Technology

http://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_what_is_ict.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ict/implications/0moralandsocialissuesrev1.shtml

The research process

1 Observation 2 Data gathering 3 Problem definition 4 Theoretical framework (variables identified) 5 Hypotheses 6 Research design 7 Data collection, analysis, interpretation 8 Deduction 9 Report writing 10 Report presentation 11 Managerial decision making

Research design
Purpose of the study:

Exploratory study

Is undertaken when no information is available on how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past Is to able to describe the characteristics of the variables of interest in a situation. Is undertaken to explain the variance in the dependent variable or to predict organizational outcomes.

Descriptive study

Hypotheses testing

Case studies

Research design can be thought of as the structure of research -- it is the "glue" that holds all of the elements in a research project together

Measurement
The rating scale

Have several response catagories Likert scale is designed o exermine how strongly subject agree or disagree with statements on a 5-point scale

Ranking scale

Are used to tap preferences between two or more objects or items

Goodness of measure : reliability,validity

Data collection methods

Data can be collected in a variety ways ,data

sources can be primary or secondary. Data collection methods such as: interview(face-to-face,telephone,computerassisted interviews), Questionaires Observation Motivational techniques

Sampling
A sample is a subset of the population. Sample is the process of selecting a sufficient number

of elements from the population. Studying a sample rather the entire population is sometimes to lead to more reliable results, mostly because fatigue is reduced,resulting in fewer errors on collection data. (time, cost,human resources) Surveys are useful and powerful in finding answers to research question but if data are not collected from the people or objects that can provide the correct answers to solve the problem, the survey will be in vain.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

The data analysis involves three major steps, done in

roughly this order:

Cleaning and organizing the data for analysis (Data

Preparation) Describing the data (Descriptive Statistics) http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statdesc.php

Testing Hypotheses and Models (Inferential Statistics)

Descriptive Statistics
Descriptive statistics

provide simple summaries about the sample and the measures. Central Tendency. The central tendency of a distribution is an estimate of the "center" of a distribution of values. There are three major types of estimates of central tendency:

Mean is the most common-used measure of data tendency.=average. Median is the middle value , when the data is arranged in numerical order. Mode is the value ( number) that appears the most. Dispersion (Range, Standard Diviation)refers to the spread of the values around the central tendency

Inferential statistics

t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), regression analysis, Correlation is a measure of the relation between two or more variables. we use inferential statistics to make judgments of the probability that an observed difference between groups. Thus, we use inferential statistics to make inferences from our data to more general conditions; we use descriptive statistics simply to describe what's going on in our data.

Statistics methods
Central tendency

Exercise

http://www.quia.com/rr/51667.html
http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/Math/mean/Pmeasure.htm
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/grizzly/432/Research.htm http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statdesc.php

The Research Report

Researh proposal Research report Research presentation

Research report articles vary in how they are organized, :

Abstract - Brief summary of the contents of the article Introduction - A explanation of the purpose of the study, a statement of the

research question(s) the study intends to address Literature review - A critical assessment of the work done so far on this topic, to show how the current study relates to what has already been done Methods - How the study was carried out (e.g. instruments or equipment, procedures, methods to gather and analyze data) Results - What was found in the course of the study Discussion - What do the results mean Conclusion - State the conclusions and implications of the results, and discuss how it relates to the work reviewed in the literature review; also, point to directions for further work in the area http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/tut/litrev/thelitrev.html

Research Proposal

Title Page Abstract (on a separate single page) The Body (no page breaks between sections in the body)

Introduction (2-3 pages) Methods (7-10 pages) Sample (1 page) Measures (2-3 pages) Design (2-3 pages) Procedures (2-3 pages) Results (2-3 pages) Conclusions (1-2 pages)

References Tables (one to a page) Figures (one to a page) Appendices Sample Paper http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/sampaper.php http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/guideelements.php Formatting http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/formatting.php

Student Presentation
http://blog.spu.ac.th/readmore/2008/04/22/entry-2

http://blog.spu.ac.th/readmore/gallery/394
http://dekkid.blogspot.com/search?q=business+research

Question?
How can you solve business problem? Why do you need to know how to write the research

proposal? Do you understand the research process? Do you know why do you have to identify problem statement clearly before doing research? Do you know why sampling and statistics are important to the research result? Why do you have to identify the limitation of your study? Why the research report and presentation are important? Do you know how to apply the steps of the research process ?

Questions
1.If you want to set up a coffee shop near

the university and school, what is your research topic? 2.Identify the problem statement. 3.Identify the objectives 4.The hypotheses 5. The research methodology. 6. The examples of the questionaire