Chapter 1

Introduction to Research

By Rajendra Lamsal HOD Finance & Marketing Department Lumbini Banijya Campus
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What is research?
a. the systematic investigation into and study of materials, sources, etc, in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. b. an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts etc by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation. [Oxford Concise Dictionary]
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What is Research?
Research is the systematic process of collecting and analysing information (data) in order to increase our understanding of the phenomenon with which we are concerned or interested.
Research is the systematic collection, analysis & interpretation of data to answer a certain question or solve a problem.

Research involves three main stages:

planning data collection analysis.

What is research?
Research is what we do when we have a question or a problem we want to resolve We may already think we know the answer to our question already We may think the answer is obvious, common sense even But until we have subjected our problem to rigorous scientific scrutiny, our 'knowledge' remains little more than guesswork or at best, intuition.
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Basic VS Applied Research

Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view

Applied research is also original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective .

Comparisons:
Basic Research Applied Research

Domain- driven intended to lead theoretical dvpt Justified in terms of gaining knowledge for its sake they focus on making things better and creating a more humane society The main motivation is to expand man's knowledge

Demand-driven intended to lead to soln of specific problems Designed to solve practical problems of the modern world

Can take the research basic research further based on the results, where applicable

Comparisons
Basic Research Done for the intellectual pleasure of learning Mainly concerned with generalizations and with the formulation of a theory Applied Research Done to test theories in the field to achieve better validity. Aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem facing a society

Comparisons
Basic Applied Directed towards The central aim is to finding information discover a solution for that has broad base some pressing of applications practical problem No commercial There is commercial value attached to value, e.g. research the discoveries that to improve agricultural result from basic crop production research.

Comparisons
Basic Analytic Involves a search for enduring or general truths Exploration curious rather than mundane events Applied Synthetic Entails a search for pragmatics solutions to particular problems Entirely a pursuit of social concerns

Nature of Research
Systematic plan, identify, design, collect data, evaluate Logical examine procedures to evaluate conclusions Empirical decisions are based on data (observation) Reductive general relationships are established from data Replicable actions are recorded
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Purpose of Research
1. Generation of new knowledge

The subject of study is relatively new and unstudied. 2. Validation of theory Testing, modifying and expanding theories. (A theory is an idea that attempts to explain reality). 3. Solving problems An investigation is commissioned into a issue with a view to remedying the situation based on the research findings. This is referred to as applied research.

Scientific Research
Science is the study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world in systematic manner specially through observation and experiment.
Results of science are developed from Observation and experiments They have the relationship of Cause and effect. Able to tested and retested Universally true principle

Scientific Research
So the result of Scientific Research
Rigid Empirically testable Clearly defined variables Facilitates Direct observation and Correction Have fixed answer (Objectivity) Replicability (Can be tested again and again) Scientific research is focused goal of problem solving.It follows certain scientific steps, methods and it has the nature of replicability.

Research Process
Realizing Problem identification Theoretical framework Hypothesis formulation Research design Collection of data Data analysis and interpretation and Generalization of data

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Characteristics/ Hallmarks of scientific research

Successful managerial decisions are seldom made on hunches or on trail and error method. The sound and effective decisions are always made on the basis of scientific research. Scientific research focuses on solving problems in a step _by _step logical, organized and rigorous manner in each step of research viz., identifying problem, gathering data, analyzing it and in arriving at a valid conclusion. Organizations may not always be involved in the scientific research due to various reasons like - simple problems which can solved with previous experience, time contingency, lack of knowledge, resource constraints etc.,

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However the scientific research performed in a rigorous and systematic way leads to repeatable and comparable research findings. It also enables the researchers to arrive at accurate, dependable and subjective findings. The hallmarks or distinguishing characteristic features of scientific research are as follows:
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1. Purposiveness :
SR must have a focus or a specific purpose. Research without purpose leads ambiguity. Clear purpose affect whole research process.

Failure to mention the purpose clearly will raise doubts in the minds of stakeholders of the research as to whether the researcher has sufficient understanding of the problem.
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2. Rigor
Rigor means carefulness, scrupulousness and the degree of exactness in research investigation. In order to make a meaningful and worthwhile contribution to the field of knowledge, research must be carried out rigorously. Conducting a rigorous research requires a good theoretical knowledge and a clearly laid out methodology. This will eliminate the bias; facilitate proper data collection and analysis, which in turn would lead to sound and reliable research findings. Example:
A manager asks 10-12 employees how to increase the level of commitment. If solely on the basis of their responses the manager reaches several conclusions on how employee commitment can be increases, the whole approach to the investigation would be unscientific. It would lack rigor for the following reasons:

Based on few employees Bias and incorrectness There might be other influences on commitment which are ignored and are important for a researcher to know Thus, Rigorous involves good theoretical base and thought out methodology. These factors enable the researcher to collect the right kind of information from an appropriate sample with the minimum degree of bias and facilitate suitable analysis of the data gathered.
1. 2. 3.

3. Testability
After random selection manager and researcher develops certain hypothesis on how manager employee commitment can be enhanced, then these can be tested by applying certain statistical tests to the data collected for the purpose.
Test of hypothesis, is therefore, characteristics of scientific research. an important

The researcher might hypothesize that those employees who perceive greater opportunities for participation in decision making would have a higher level of commitment.

4. Replicability
It means that it can be used again if similar circumstances prevails. In other words, by using similar method and procedures of data collection and analysis as followed by the previous study, the other research studies must also come with similar results, Replicability, It also eliminates the doubt that the hypotheses are supported by chance and ensures that the findings reflect the true state of affairs.

5. Precision

and Confidence

Precision refers to the closeness of the findings to reality based on a sample. It reflects the degree of accuracy and exactitude of the results of the sample. Confidence refers to the probability that our estimations are correct. That is, it is not merely enough to be precise, but it is also important that we can confidently claim that 95% of the time our results would be true and there is only a 5% chance of our being wrong. This is also known as confidence level.

If the precision and confidence levels of the research findings are higher then the findings of the research study would be more scientific and useful. Precision and confidence can be attained through appropriate scientific sampling design.

6. Objectivity
The conclusions drawn through the interpretation of the results of data analysis should be objective; that is, they should be based on the facts of the findings derived from actual data, and not on our subjective or emotional values. Business organizations will suffer a greater extent of damage if a non-data-based or misleading conclusion drawn from the research is implemented. Scientific approach ensures objectivity of research.

Example: If we had a hypothesis that stated that greater participation in decision making will increase organizational commitment and this was not supported by the results, it makes no sense if the researcher continues to argue that increased opportunities for employee participation would still help!

7. Generalizability
It refers to the scope of applying the research findings of one organizational setting to other settings of almost similar nature. The research will be more useful if the solutions are applicable to a wider range. The more generlizable the research, the greater will be its usefulness and value. However it is not always possible to generalize the research findings to all other settings, situations or organizations. For achieving genaralizability the sampling design has to be logically developed and data collection method needs to be very sound. This may increase the cost of conducting the research. In most of the cases though the research findings would be based on scientific methods it is applicable only to a particular organization, settings

Social science Research

The application of scientific logic and methods to social phenomena. Social science seeks to understand social behavior through (a) the measurement of social phenomena, (b) the discovery of social regularities, and (c) the creation of social theories. Feelings, emotions, attitudes, and perceptions cant not be tested in laboratory as done in natural and physical sciences.

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Difficulty of applying Scientific Methods in Social science Research

1. Complexity of Subject Matter:

Many variables, acting independently and in interaction, must be considered in any attempt to understand complex human behavior. Each individual is unique in the way he or she develops, in mental ability, in social and emotional behavior, and in total personality. The behavior of humans in groups and the influence of the behavior of group members on an individual must also be dealt with by social scientists.
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2. Difficulties in Observation:
more frequently involves interpretation on the part of the observers. Motives, values, and attitudes are not open to inspection. Social scientists own values and attitudes may influence both what they choose to observe and their assessment of the findings on which they base their conclusions.
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3. Difficulties in Replication: much more difficult to achieve. Social phenomena are singular events and cannot be repeated for purposes of observations. 4. Interaction of Observer and Subjects: mere observation of social phenomena may produce changes that might not have occurred otherwise. Researchers may think that X cause Y when in fact it may be their observation of X causes Y.
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5. Difficulties in Control: the range of possibilities for controlled experiments on human subjects is much more limited than in the natural sciences. The complexity involved in research on human subjects presents problems in control that are unparalleled in the natural sciences. Researchers try to identify and control as many variables as possible.

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6. Problems of Measurement: Tools for measurement in the social sciences are much less perfect and precise than the tools of the natural sciences. Multivariate statistical devices for analyzing data in the social sciences take care of relatively few of the factors that obviously are interacting. Social science is complicated by the complexity and difficulty of observation, replication, and measurement.
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Definition of business(Management) research An organized,systematic,databased, critical,objective, scientific inquiry or investigation into a specific problem, undertaken with the propose of finding answers or solutions to it.

Definition of 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).