Business Research Method

Compiler: Seetal Daas

BBA(Hons)-2k13 University of Sindh Laar Campus, Badin [email protected]

Business Research Method Prof.Makhdoom Tayyaba 1

CHAPTER 1

What is Research?

Research is a combination of two terms i-Re and ii-Search, it further explains as re:a

new, a fresh, return, back with, once again and search:looking up something thoroughly.

It is driven from French word “Recherche” which means to about seeking. “It a careful

or diligent search for producing information”.

Research: is an organized and systematic way of finding answers to questions.

Why Research is done?

1. For establishing or confirming facts.

2. For reaffirming previous results.

3. To solve new or existing problems.

4. To develop theories.

5. To extend knowledge.

Information Versus Knowledge

Information(RAM): is overall information in depth.

Knowledge(ROM): concise collection of information.

Elements of Research

1. Purpose: the purpose for which research is conducting should be clear in the

researcher’s mind, he/she should not have ambiguity on the objective for.

2. Testability: the research should be on test basis that can be tested by the you and

others, also can test the same research for proving.

3. Replicability: the research should like that same research can be done on various

way, population and fields etc.

4. Precision: the research taking the sample of any phenomenon; that will take one of

all of them.

5. Accuracy confidence level: the research’s sample should represent researcher’s

information.

6. Objectivity: the research represent the reality of the opinion depends upon others

and their fact that is.

7. Generalizability: the research’s result can be applied on every element on which

the research is conducted; the same can be applied on other places and region.




Methods/Ways of Knowing

1. Sensory Experience: in this method research come to know when five senses are

applied.

2. Sixth Sense: after the complete use of five senses; researcher uses his sixth sense to

know information; is said (that) when a human is born; all of us are shown a movie

of our whole life by Almighty Allah.

3. Tenacity: can be said it is persistent determination, in which researcher know the

information since a long time that is told by someone; but researcher do not

remember that.

4. Authority: this is the way in which researcher come to know the information from

those who qualified, they will give more information such as teacher, scholar,

researcher etcetera.

5. Priority/Logic/Rationalism: in this way researcher thinks about the arguments as it

is valid or invalid according to his/her knowledge. For example, person-a knows 36

languages but person-b cannot trust on him because nobody knows more than 6

languages.

6. Scientific Method: in this method researcher him/herself collect the information

regarding the topic.

Classification of Research

1-By Purpose/Goal

1.1-Exploratory/Formulation: exploring a new topic or issue it will help in designing

and executing next systematic study. It is less systematic, researcher cannot decide about

what to do, he/she only collecting the data.

1.2-Descriptive: it presents the picture of specific detail of a situation, social setting or

relationship describes population or phenomenon, answer to who, what, when and

where and why. In this research the area of research is clear and planned well, researcher

knows that what I do now and next, here hypotheses and questions developed.

1.3-Explanatory/Causal: when researcher encounter an issue that is already known and

have description of it, he/she try to know why, can be ex-post facto and experimental.

2-By Method

2.1-Historical: it is critical enquiry into past events and facts to produce accurate

description and interpretation of those events and facts. it is done through investigation

and analysis of documents.




2.2-Descriptive (Ex-post Facto): it involves collection of data in order to taste

hypothesis or answers the question related to current states or subject of the study. It

collected through survey, interview or observations.

2.3-Correlational (Ex-post Facto): it determines the strength of the relationship

between two or more variables.

2.4-Causal Comparative (Ex-post Facto): it attempts to determine cause or reason for

existing differences in behavior or condition, begin with identifies facts and see its

possible cause involves two or more causes. Comparing effects and allocating causes.

2.5-Experimental: the researcher manipulates at least one variable and observe the

effect on one or more depends variables. Bringing change from different results.

2.6-Meta Analysis: researcher research to find the average impact of several different

studies on hypothesis, it involves constrain and combine results of different studies.

Using secondary data and concluding the conclusion for producing innovative

information.

3-By Usefulness

3.1-Pure Research: it is pure, fundamental research for knowledge enhancement, it

does not have immediate commercial potential, it is done for human welfare, animal

welfare or plant kingdom not for inventing or creating something.

3.2-Applied Research: it is done for solving practical problem of modern world rather

acquiring for sack of knowledge, its goal is to improve condition. For example, how to

solve the energy crisis, how our demand can be satisfied etc.

4-By Data Collection Techniques or by Statistical Context

S.# 4.1-Qualitative 4.2-Quantitaive

1 Explore Phenomenon. Seek to confirm hypothesis about the

phenomenon.

2 Instrument are flexible not very much

structured—interviews, focus group.

Instrument are rigid highly

structured—survey, questionnaire,

structured interview.

3 Sample is not very large. Large number of respondents or sample

4 Describes the variables—textual

information.

Quantify variation—numerical

information.

5 Subjective. Objective.

6 More depth in few cases. Less depth in many cases.




7 Data collection & research questions

are adjusted according to what is

learnt.

Study design subject to statistical

assumption and condition.

8 Open ended. Closed ended.

9 Time & monitory expenditure, lighter

on planning & data collection but

heavier on data analysis.

Time & monitory expenditure, lighter

on analysis but heavier on planning &

data collection.

Attributes of A Good Research Topic

1-It Should Meet Authority or Examining Body’s Requirement: researcher’s

research should must fulfill the criteria of the institution such as if it is degree

requirement of any institution, should be approved by an authority or supervisor.

2-It Should Meet Your Capabilities: researcher should select their topic on the basis

of their skills and level of understanding; should not be difficult, on which cannot be

think about ideas for the topic, you cannot plan and cannot make strategies to complete

it, therefore you should select the an easy that can be completed.

3-Having Interest in Topic: researcher should select the topic on the basis of his/her

interest, it can be selected from text book of subjects. If you choose the topic in which

you have no interest, it will get you bore, therefore choose the topic which make you

happy, active and you can love that topic cannot make you tired and boring.

4-Meet the Time and Financial Resources: researcher cannot work without resources;

most precious resource is time, choose the topic you can cover within limited time like

two months, etc., topic can be for degree requirement as well as an organization

requirement where you are doing the job; choose that topic which can be completed in

funds are allotted to you; so do not choose the topic which needs more finance.

5-Accessibility to Data: it is little difficult to collect the data from various place and

populations. People cannot understand what research is; so they discourage you. In

Pakistan people are anti-academic; they are not pro-academic, even educated person

also discouraged you because they feel jealousy on you, have to convince carefully

because they will point out mistakes.

6-It can be linked to Theory: making your research’s objective, it should be gone

through literature review. Whatever, you choose the topic according to literature review;

do not choose any topic which is not already researched. By theory you can make easy

your research.




7-You can prepare Objective and Questions clearly: without objective research

cannot go in a proper direction, despite it needs objective, objective should not be vague,

it should be specific. It should not extensive, topic should be specific not general.

Research’s questions should be related to objectives; if it is not related to objective then

remove them, these not questionnaire’s questions but these are those questions for which

you are doing research, these questions further will divide for questionnaire’s questions.

8-It should give fresh Insight: researcher should do something new in the research

because if the same already done elsewhere, then it is frivolous (useless). For example,

previous research was done in 2009 and current you do in 2016.

9-It should meet Your Career Goals: researcher should choose research topic

according to your career, which facilitate you in future in any organization.

Steps in a Research Report or Paper/Article

Synopsis/Proposal: it is a plan, in which researcher plan for his/her research, it can

be used in an academic and organizational purpose too. Authority can be people,

government and official etcetera. It is prepared for taking permission for beginning

of research, it is also used for getting grants/funds from government. Proposal is

100% plan, in spite of synopsis is precise or conciseness of your research.

Research Paper/Article: both are same and interchangeable, can be said a small

research report published in journal or presented in a conference. It should be

arranged with statistical data is expressed in a meaningful way by which supervisor

or people can understand. It supports your career.

Research Report/Thesis/Dissertation: these are synonymous and interchangeable,

data is fully collected, it is designed properly. Thesis/Dissertation is academic, it

contains 300 pages, minimum 100 pages. It is more formal one, also composed as

booklet, consist of chapters, table of contents etcetera. At presentation researcher has

to defend his/her thesis/dissertation/research report.

Steps for designing (Thesis/Report/Dissertation/Paper/Article)

1-Abstract: it is added at first page but it is made at the end of the research. It is a

summary paragraph; it varies to organization; it is okay containing 150 to 300 words. It

is part of paper/article/thesis. It plays vital role, should be clearly written that represent

the whole research for sending authority (supervisor, organization, publisher), it is a

snapshot of whole research.

2-Keyword/Codes: these the words that are repeating in the research.

3-Acknowledge: in this research say thanks to those who helped and provided

resources. It is part of thesis/dissertation.




4-Table of Contents: researcher writes the table of contents of the chapters included,

page number etc. it is mandatory part of thesis/dissertation/research report.

5-Dedication: it is also important part of thesis/dissertation/research report, in which

researcher dedicate his/her whole research to someone.

6-Introduction: in this step researcher should write the about topic’s information which

is elementary, in which he/she introduce the audience about his/her research topic. It is

also mandatory part of thesis/dissertation/paper/article.

7-Obejctives of the Study: researcher should clearly write the objectives of the research

for which he/she is conducting the research, it can be written in one or two line, maybe

two or more than two objectives. Every statement of an objective should be begun with

“To”. It also mandatory part of thesis/dissertation/paper/article.

8-Significance of the Study: is also an important part in thesis/dissertation/report. In

which researcher tells what is new in this research, why this research/study is important

for academy, society and its benefits of study, each significance should be one or two

lines written.

9-Limitation of the Study: before the criticism of the audience, research should tell or

write about the weakness/limits, he/she should tell the limits for which he/she cannot

reach at various areas. It is important for thesis/dissertation/paper/article.

10-Literature Review: it plays vital role in research, researcher cannot understand the

research until he/she does review the literature of the topic, it facilitates the researcher

for collecting further information, by this researcher come to know the exact number of

sample should he/she select. It is mandatory for thesis/dissertation /paper/article.

11-Hypothesis: Hypothesis is assertion, it is prepared after literature review, there are

many ways of writing hypothesis, before writing it researcher should conduct an

interview, semi-interview publically at the area of study, it is written through: 1-

researcher make it by literature review, 2-pilot way (by interviews). It is claimed by

researcher, can be rejected or accepted by audience, in this assertive words are used to

defend your hypothesis. It can be one or more than one. It is mandatory part for

thesis/dissertation/paper/article.

12-Conceptual framework/theoretical framework: it is graphical representation of

the research through variables (independents and dependents), in this you show the

relation of the variables. Theoretical framework is what that is already given by other

scholar you put same here. It is important part of thesis/dissertation / paper/article.




13-Research Methodology: it is the most important step of the research which

researcher has to write carefully and properly. It is original words and work of you

because it helps other to understand your research. In which you write about the

population, instrument for data collection (interviews, questionnaires), sampling

method, sample size, data analyzing tools (mean, mode, frequency) etc., and secondary

data collection method.

Structural interview: according to researcher’s questions respondent responses.

Semi-structural interview: according to researcher’s questions and opinion of

the public.

Non-structured interview: researcher collect the data which respondents are

telling about the topic.

14-Findings/ Discussion /Data Analysis: in findings you tell what you found new and

you express the data in chart, table etc., format in which you tell majority

like/agree/disagree, and minority dislike/disagree etcetera. It is important part for paper/

thesis.

15-Conclusion: it is also most important part of the research in which researcher tells

about the result/outcome of the whole research regarding the area of study. It is

concerned with data analysis/findings/discussion.

16-Recommendation: it is important for synopsis/proposal/paper/thesis in which

researcher advises that these things should be and these things should not be.

17-Expected conclusion: what should be the expected conclusion, means what

researcher was guessing/estimating about that.

18-References: it is also mandatory part of the research in which research can reference

with various ways such as APA, Harvard, Chicago styles etc.

Variables

Definition: is an object, event, idea, feeling, time period, or any other type of category

you are trying to measure.

It is an entity that can be taken on different values.

A factor that is being analyzed, measured of evaluated.

Description:

Object can be: any kind of animal (bird, fish, tiger etc), or other things.

Event: bankrupt, rainfall, load shedding etc.

Idea: satisfaction, job performance, dissatisfaction etc.




Feeling: child working, leadership etc.

Time period: 10 years, from 2001 to 2015 etc.

Types of Variables

1-Dependent/Predictor/Outcome/Criterion: it is phenomenon that one is attempting

to explain or predict, is called dependent variable. The researchers are trying to

understand its main and primary interest, it is mostly starting point, its variation is

supposed to be dependent on independent variable. It can be one or more than one.

2-Independent/Treatment: in an organization research’s independent variable is one

which is manipulated; in non-experimental research independent is a factor to effect

explain to predict the dependable variable. Example, injection is independent variable

and disease is dependent variable.

3-Mediator/Intervening: it links the independent variable to dependent variable, this a

construct through which an independent variable indirectly effects the dependent

variable. Without this relation cannot be made. Example, doctor give prescription to

patient that these dose will be taken with milk or on this time—time and milk both are

mediator variables.

4-Moderator: it effects the relationship of independent with dependent variable, it

influences the strength of their relationship. Without it relation can be made.

5-Extraneous/Nuisance: it is not usually effect primary interest but these the problem

or resistance that are faced and difficult to control. Example, weather, pollution,

restriction by boss during filling the questionnaire etc. it cannot be controlled.

6-Control: it is not measured in a particular study; it must be kept constant or

neutralized or balanced. It can be controlled. It is only experimental. Example, during

the disease doctor advise you not eating the rice, if you will eat the rice, disease will not

be controlled, if you do not eat it will be controlled. Therefore, you should control it,

not it controls you.

Hypothesis

Definition: it is a tool of quantitative studies and it is a tentative and formal prediction(s)

about two or more variables in a population being studied.

Description:

Hypothesis translates research questions into a prediction of expected outcomes. It

includes variables, population and relationship (strong, positive/negative and

satisfactory). It should be expressed and written clearly: not to use tough words, it




should be testable: it can be approved and you can collect the data, relation between

variables: it should create relation of independent and dependent variables, limited in

scope: one hypothesis should express one things not more than one.

Classification of Hypothesis

1-Simle Hypothesis: it tells about the relationship about two variables; one is

independent and another is dependent variable. Example, job security effects job

performance.

2-Complex Hypothesis: it tells the relation more than one variable. Example, job

security effects on job performance that decrease productivity.

3-Null Hypothesis: there is no relation between two variables (independent,

dependent). It is by default, is usually rejected, is denoted by Ho. Example, there is no

relation between job security and job performance.

4-Alternate Hypothesis: null is rejected automatically alternate hypothesis is approved.

Example, all hypothesis that is collected from other sources.

5-Directional Hypothesis (One tailed): it tells about one thing either positive or

negative. It can be simple, complex and alternate hypothesis. Example, i-there is a

positive strong correlation between job security and job performance. ii-Load shedding

has negative relationship with retail business growth.

6-Non-Directional Hypothesis (Two tailed): it tells about two ways or directions.

Example, i-there is a relationship between load shedding and retail business.

Sampling

Definition with Example: it is a subset, or part of larger population taken for inferring

or estimating something unknown or representative characteristics of target population.

Or Taking a group/portion of larger population; represents whole population. For

example, banking/public/students is/are population, questionnaires you collected 2000,

now 25,30 you select from them, it is sample.

Classification of Sampling

1-Probability Sampling: it is selected in a way to be representative of population in

which all are given adequate chance to be selected and having condition.

1.2-Simple Random Sampling: it is most reliable, have no condition and criteria.

Researcher can select anybody from the department which belong to population.




1.3-Systematic Sampling: selecting every second person from the population on the

basis of criteria, may does not belong to population.

1.4-Stratified Sampling: population is divided into different categories or strata

according to the categories proportion the sample is randomly selected. Example, boys

and girls of classes 1st, 2nd year are two categories by seeing the proportion of population

you select as from 100/1000, or 10/100.

1.5-Cluster Sampling: it is chosen from a very large population. Example, from

continent to country to province. Suppose, you select 1 country, in country you select

randomly 10 districts, in districts you select people randomly.

2-Non-Probability Sampling: it might not fulfill the condition of representative in a

true sense, because it does not give chance all to be selected and having no condition.

2.1-Quota Sampling: it has no proportion; anyone can represent the group from

population, minimum one person represents each group.

2.2-Convinient Sampling: those who are near to you and easy to take/collect sample

and data.

2.3-Purposive/Judgement Sampling: taking the sampling on the basis of skills,

education and experience etc. For example, an interviewer of GEO NEWS come in the

university so he asks from the professor about from whom he should take interview,

professor refers some talented student’s names and show him so he goes to them and

take the interview.

2.4-Snowball Sampling: sample is taking like collecting information from few, they

few tells about other few. For example, prostitute, unpopular poet/poetess, gangster etc.

2.5-Consecutive Sampling: type of sampling includes all from the population. For

example, any country’s sports team viz. cricket team, football team, hockey team.