INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH Mursalim Nohong ([email protected]/ [email protected]) 081 354 546 818 / 081 252 126 688 Designer helps you get your point across After completing this session you should be able to: 1. Describe and define business research. 2. Distinguish between applied and basic research, giving examples, and discussing why they fall into one or the other of the two categories. 3. Explain why managers should know about research and discuss what managers should and should not do in order to interact effectively with researchers. 4. Identify and fully discuss specific situations in which a manager would be better off using an internal research team, and when an external research team would be more advisable, giving reasons for the decisions. 5. Discuss what research means to you and describe how you, as a manager, might apply the knowledge gained about research. 6. Demonstrate awareness of the role of ethics in business research. What is Research? • A systematic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem that needs a solution. • It is a series of steps designed and followed, with the goal of finding answers to the issues that are of concern to us in the work environment. Business Research In business, research is usually primarily conducted to resolve problematic issues in, or interrelated among, the areas of accounting, finance, management, and marketing. Types of Research • Applied research • Basic or fundamental research Managers and Research Being knowledgeable about research and research methods helps professional managers to: 1. Identify and solve small problems in the work setting. 2. Know how to discriminate good from bad research. 3. Appreciate and constantly remember the multiple influences and multiple effects of factors impinging on a situation. 4. Take calculated risks in decision making, knowing full well the probabilities attached to the different/possible outcomes. 5. Prevent possible vested interests from operating in a situation. 6. Relate to hired researchers and consultants more effectively. Scientific Investigation Scientific research has the focused goal of problem solving and pursues a step-by-step logical, organized, and rigorous method to identify problems, gather data, analyze the data, and draw valid conclusions therefrom. The Hallmarks of Scientific Research 1. Purposiveness 2. Rigor 3. Testability 4. Replicability 5. Precision and confidence 6. Objectivity 7. Generalizability 8. Parsimony The Building locks of Science in Research Identification Observation of problem area Theoretical framework Refinement of theory or (pure research) Network of association or Implementation (applied research) Hypotheses Interpretation of data Constructs Concepts Operational definition Analysis of data Research Data design Collection The Hypothetico-Deductive Method 1. Observation 2. Preliminary information gathering 3. Theory formulation 4. Hypothesizing 5. Further scientific data collection 6. Data analysis 7. Deduction Summary In this chapter we have examined what research is, considered the two types of research, tried to understand scientific investigation, what the hypothetico-deductive method or research involves, why a manager should know about research, and the advantages and disadvantages of hiring internal and external teams of researchers or consultants. We examine the research process in the next two chapters. CHAPTER 2 STEPS 1 TO 3: THE BROAD PROBLEM AREA PRELIMINARY DATA GATHERING PROBLEM DEFINITION The Research Process for Basic and Applied Research ① OBSERVATION Broad area of research interest identified ④ ⑦ THEORETICAL ③ DATA FRAMEWORK ⑤ PROBLEM ⑥ COLLECTION GENERATION DEFINITION SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS, OF Research RESEARCH AND Variables clearly HYPOTHESES problem DESIGN INTERPRETATION delineated identified and labeled ⑧ ② DEDUCTION PRELIMINARY Hypotheses DATA GATHERING substantiated? Interviewing Research question literature survey answered? Broad Problem Area The broad problem area refers to the entire situation where one sees a possible need for research and problem solving. The specific issues that need to be researched within this situation may not be identified at this stage. Such issues might pertain to: 1. Problems currently existing in an organizational setting that need to be solved. 2. Areas in the organization that a manager believes need to be improved. 3. A conceptual or theoretical issue that needs to be tightened up for the basic researcher to understand certain phenomena. 4. Some research questions that a basic researcher wants to answer empirically. Preliminary Data Collection Nature of data to be collected ▪ Background information on the organization ▪ Information on management philosophy and structural factors ▪ Perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral responses Literature survey ▪ Reasons for literature survey ▪ Conducting the literature survey • Identifying the relevant sources • Bibliographical indexes ▪ Extracting the relevant information ▪ Writing up the literature review Problem Definition A problem does not necessarily mean that something is seriously wrong with a current situation, which needs to be rectified immediately. A “problem” could simply indicate an interest in an issue where finding the right answers might help to improve an existing good situation. Thus, it is fruitful to define a problem as any situation where gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal state. Summary In this chapter, we learned about the first three steps in the research process: identification of the broad problem area to be researched, preliminary data gathering through interviews and literature survey, and problem definition. The appendix to this chapter offers information on on-line databases, bibliographical indexes, APA format for references, referencing previous studies and quoting original sources in the literature review section, and some of the most frequently cited business journals. In the next chapter we will examine the next two steps in the research process: theoretical framework and hypotheses. CHAPTER 3 THE RESEARCH PROCESS: STEPS 4 AND 5: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT The Research Process for Basic and Applied Research ① OBSERVATION Broad area of research interest identified ④ ⑦ THEORETICAL ③ DATA FRAMEWORK ⑤ PROBLEM ⑥ COLLECTION GENERATION DEFINITION SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS, OF Research RESEARCH AND Variables clearly HYPOTHESES problem DESIGN INTERPRETATION delineated identified and labeled ⑧ ② DEDUCTION PRELIMINARY Hypotheses DATA GATHERING substantiated? Interviewing Research question literature survey answered? The Need for a Theoretical Framework A theoretical framework is a conceptual model of how one theorizes the relationships among the several factors that have been identified as important to the problem. The theoretical framework discusses the interrelationships among the variables that are deemed to be integral to the dynamics of the situation being investigated. Developing such a conceptual framework helps us to postulate and test certain relationships so as to improve our understanding of the dynamics of the situation. Variables A variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values. The values can differ at various for the same object or person, or the values can differ at the same time for different objects or persons. Examples of variables are exam scores, absenteeism, and motivation. Types of variables: 1. The dependent variable (also known as the criterion variable). 2. The independent variable (also known as the predictor variable). 3. The moderating variable. 4. The intervening variable. Dependent variable The dependent variable is the variable of primary interest to the research. The researcher’s goal is to explain or predict the variability in the dependent variable. Independent variable An independent variable is one that influences the dependent variable in either a positive or a negative way. That is, when the independent variable is present, the dependent variable is also present, and with each unit of increase in the independent variable, there is an increase or decrease in the dependent variable also. New product Stock market success price Independent variable Dependent variable Managerial values Power distance Independent variable Dependent variable Moderating variable The moderating variable is one that has a strong contingent effect on the independent variable-dependent variable relationship. That is the presence of a third variable (the moderating variable) modifies the originally expected relationship between the independent and the dependent variables. Number of books Reading abilities Independent variable Dependent variable Number of books Reading abilities Independent variable Dependent variable Parents literacy Moderating variable Organizational Workforce diversity effectiveness Independent variable Dependent variable Managerial expertise Moderating variable Intervening variable An intervening variable is one that surfaces between the time the independent variables operate to influence the dependent variable and their impact on the dependent variable. There is thus a temporal quality or time dimension to the intervening variable. Willingness to to Willingnesslearn Training programs Growth needs Effects for those high in growth needs Effects for those low in growth needs Willingness to to learn Willingness Training programs Time: t1 t2 t3 Workforce diversity Creative Reading abilities synergy Independent variable Dependent variable Intervening variable Time: t1