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Introduction to
Research Methods
for Business
Indrawati, PhD
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Indrawati
Indrawati (Iin)
Head of MM Program TEBS Telkom University
Teaching and Writing is my hobby, it is a tool for distributing
knowledge (by which people) benefit, thus it is equal to sadaqa
jariyah, InsyaAlloh.
Achieved Philosophy of Doctor (PhD) in Multimedia University,
Malaysia
Published more than 225 articles in newspaper, magazines,
proceedings, journals, chapters, and books.
Mobile : 081321922742 or 61717380
Wesitte: Indrawati02.wordpress.com
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
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Research is the process of finding solutions to a problem after
a thorough study and analysis of the situational factors (Sekaran
& Bougie, 2010:2) Business 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 to the problem (Sekaran &
Bougie, 2010:3)
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9 Characteristics of Scientific Research
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1. Purposiveness A research should be started with a definite
aim or purpose 2. Rigor Connotes carefulness, scrupulousness, and
the degree of exactitude in research. A good theoretical base and a
sound methodological design add rigor to a purposive study 3.
Testability Has certain hypotheses that can be tested by applying
certain statistical tests to the data collected for the purpose. 4.
Replicability The result of the tests of hypotheses should be
supported again and yet again when the same type of research is
repeated in other similar circumstances. 5. Precision The closeness
of the findings to reality based on sample.
Ex.: The estimated number of production days lost during the
year due to absenteeism at between 20 and 40, as against the actual
figure of 35, the precision of the estimation compares more
favorably than if the estimated number was somewhere between 20 and
50.
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9 Characteristics of Scientific Research
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6. Confidence The probability that the estimations are correct.
Ex.: The researchers can confidentsly claim that 95% of the time
their results will be
true and there is only 5% chance of their being wrong 7.
Objectivity The conclusions drawn through the interpretation of the
results of the data aalysis
should be objective, based on the facts of the findings derived
from actual data and not on subjective or emotional value.
8. Generalizability The scope of applicability of the research
findings in one organizational setting to
other settings. 9. Parsimony Simplicity in explaining the
phenomena or problems that occur, and in generating
solution for the problems. Ex.: If three variables in work
situation are identified, which when changed would
raise the organizational commitment of the employees by 45%,
that would be more useful and valuable to the manager than if it
were recommended that he should ten different variables to increase
organizational commitment by 48%.
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The Research Process
7. DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS,INTERPRETATION
8. DEDUCTION Hypothesis substantiated? Research question
answered?
9. Report Writing
No
Yes
10. Report Presentation
11. Managerial Decision Making
1.OBSERVATION Broad area of research interest identified
2. PRELIMINARY DATA GATHERING Interviewing Literature Survey
3. PROBLEM DEFINITION Research problem delineated
4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Variable clearly identified and
labeled
5. GENERATION OF HYPOTHESIS
6. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH DESIGN
(Sekaran, 2003; Sekaran & Bougie, 2010)
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Tips for Choosing Research Topic
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1. Manageable and Controllable :knowledge, cost, time, and
supervisor.
2. Obtainable Data: collecting data and availability of
data.
3. Significant: academic and business practice
4. Interesting
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Prevailing Knowledge on the Topic
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Our research should be structured on work already done and built
on the foundation of prevailing/existing knowledge. Literature
review is important to ensure that the research is structured on
work already done and that it builds on the foundation of
prevailing/existing knowledge (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010:38)
Preliminary interviews with the business people and prospected
users should help the researcher to identify and highlight the
important variables that probably exist in the real business
problem (Indrawati, 2012).
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Literature Review
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Literature review is a step-by-step process that involves the
identification of published and unpublished work from secondary
data sources on the topic of interest, the evaluation of this work
in relation to the problem, and documentation of this work (Sekaran
& Bougie, 2010:38).
The purpose of the literature review is to help the researcher
to develop a good problem statement (Sekaran & Bougie,
2010:43).
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A Good Literature Review ensures that:
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1. Important variables that are likely influence the problem
situation are not left out of the study.
2. A clearer idea emerges as to what variables will be most
important to consider (parsimony), why they are considered
important, and how they should be investigated to solve the
problem.
3. The problem statement can be made with precision and
clarity.
4. Testability and replicability of the findings of the current
research are enhanced.
5. One does not run the risk of reinventing the wheel that is,
wasting effort on trying to rediscover something that is already
known.
6. The problem investigated is perceived by the scientific
community as relevant and significant.
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Conducting the Literature Review
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1. Identification of various published and unpublished materials
that are available on the topic of interest, and gaining access to
these.
The quality of a literature review depends on a cautions
selection and reading of books, academic and professional journals,
reports, theses, conference proceedings, unpublished manuscripts,
and the like.
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Conducting the Literature Review
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2. A good literature review needs to include references to the
key studies in the field. For this reason, articles and books that
are often cited by others must be included in your literature
review, even if these articles and books were written thirty or
even forty years ago. More recent work should also be incorporated
in the literature review, since the recent work will build on a
broader and more up-to-date stream of literature than older
work.
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Conducting the Literature Review
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3. Documenting the literature is important to convince the
reader that (a) the researcher is knowledgeable about the problem
area and has done the preliminary homework that is necessary to
conduct the research, (b) the theoretical framework will be
structured on work already done and will add to the solid
foundation of existing knowledge, and (c) preventing from doing
plagiarism.
There are several accepted methods of referencing: a. The
publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association or APA style (2001) b. The Chicago Manual of style
(2003) c. Turabians Manual Writers (2007) d. Harvard style
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Problem Statement
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A problem statement is a clear, precise, and sufficient
statement of the specific issue that a researcher wishes to
investigate (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010:45). There are three key
criteria to assess the quality of the problem statement: relevant,
feasible, and interesting. Relevant, if the problem statement is
meaningful from a managerial perspective, an academic perspective,
or both. Feasible, the researcher is able to answer the problem
statement within the restrictions of the research project. A
frequent problem in term of feasibility is that the problem
statement is too broad in scope. Interesting, to researcher,
supervisors, and also to readers.
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What is a Problem ?
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A problem does not necessary mean that something is seriously
wrong with the current situation that needs to be rectified
immediately. A problem could simply indicate an interest in an
issue where finding the right answer might help to improve an
existing situation. A problem is any situation where a gap exists
between the actual and desired ideal states.
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Symptom is not a Real Problem
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Do not write symptom as a real problem statement.
One way of determining the problem, rather than the symptom is
being addressed is to ask the question. Is this factor I have
indentified an antecedent, the real problem, or the
consequence/symptom? Ex.: Symptom/consequence is Low productivity
Real problem is Motivation Antecedent/contribution factor is non
recognition of employees
'contribution
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Decision Problem Definition
Decision Maker
Researcher
Loss Of
Sales Low Traffic Decreased
Market Share
Unhappy Customers
Marginal Performance
Of Sales Force
Inappropriate Delivery System
Unethical Treatment of
Customers
Low Quality Products
Poor Image
Real Business/Decision Problem
Obvious Measurable Symptoms
The Iceberg Principle
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The General Link
Thesis Statement Problem Statement
Research Questions
Research Objectives
Research Concept
Research Concept Research Model
Research Constructs
Opertionalization Measurement
Hyphotesis
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