Business Research

Session 3
Variables

• Independent Variable
• Dependent Variable
• Control Variable
Research Process

Problem Literature Hypothesis Research

Identification Review Formulation Design

Data
Results and Data Collection
Data analysis preparation
Conclusion
Research Design
Definitions of research design

• Research design constitutes the blueprint for the collection,

measurement, and analysis of data
• Research design aids the researcher in the allocation of limited
resources by posing crucial choices in methodology
• Research design is the plan and structure of investigation so
conceived as to obtain answers to research questions.
• The plan is the overall scheme or program of the research.
• It includes an outline of what the investigator will do from writing hypotheses
and their operational implications to the final analysis of data
Features of a Good research design

• Efficient
• Adequate
• Effective
• Minimum error and maximum benefit
• Be able to serve the purpose
• Minimize the scope of biases and errors
Classification of Designs

• Early in any research study, one faces the task of selecting the specific
design to use.
• A number of different design dimensions exist, but, unfortunately, no
simple classification system defines all the variations that must be
considered
Designs vary by

• Type of Research
• The degree to which the research question has been crystallized
• The method of data collection
• The power of the researcher to produce effects in the variables under
study
• The time dimension
• Scope of study
• The research environment
• The participants’ perceptions of research activity
Type of Research

• I) Exploratory Research
• II) Descriptive Research
• III) Causal Research
I) Exploratory Research Design

• Researched does not have clear idea of the problem being

researched
• Purpose is to develop hypothesis or questions for further research
• Loosely structured research
• Mostly Qualitative in nature
• It helps in developing clarity of concepts, develop definitions, identify
variables, formulate hypothesis and improve research design
• Techniques for exploratory research are-
• Focused Groups
• In-Depth Interviews
• Analysis of secondary data
Focused Groups

• Small group of respondents

• Moderated by a trained research personnel called moderator
• Focused group discussion-most commonly used technique
• Recorded on audio and video with prior permission
• Risk- They won’t be real self but its important for analysis later
• Pre-determined questions
• Unstructured
In-Depth Interviews

• Pre-determined questions
• Unstructured
• One-to-one (Individual basis)
• No group pressure
• Good in case of Social norms, sensitive topics, confidential
information
• Deep insights, more privacy , much easier to schedule
• Interviewer has to be very knowledgeable about the topic
Analysis of Secondary data

• Economical
• Quick source of information
• Secondary data- data collected for some other research problem
• Suitability of database-
• Content of data
• Purpose of study
• Time
• Reliability
• Accuracy
• Data Sources can be Internal or External
II) Descriptive Research Design

• Descriptive research are more formal, pre-planned and structured

research
• Problem is clearly defined , hypothesis is formulated
• Carried on large sample of population which represent characteristic
of population to be studied
• Cross sectional Vs Longitudinal
• Techniques for descriptive research are-
• Surveys- Structured, self-administered, phone survey
• In-Depth Interviews
• Observation
• Time Series
III) Experimental Research Design

• Experimental research are carried out to establish cause and effect

relationship
• Problem is clearly defined , hypothesis is formulated
• Carried on large sample of population which represent characteristic
of population to be studied
• Techniques for experimental research are-
• Experimental and Control group studies
• Pre-test and Post-test
• Quasi experimental design/Semi experimental design/time series
design
 Types of Research

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

In a study of crime, a Descriptive research on In a causal-explanatory study, we
exploratory study employee theft would measure try to explain relationships among
might tally the the types of theft committed variables—for instance, why the
number of employee (clothing vs. electronics vs. crime rate is higher in mall A than
thefts that take place housewares), how often, when in mall B or why male employees
in shopping malls (time of year, time of day, day steal more than female employees
versus retail outlet on of week), where (receiving
a street. dock, stockroom, sales floor),
and by whom (gender, age, Researchers using a causal-
years of service, departmental predictive study might be
assignment). interested in whether installation
of video surveillance cameras on
the receiving dock and in
stockrooms would reduce
employee theft in mall stores.
Degree of Research Question Crystallization

• Exploratory studies tend toward loose structures with the objective

of discovering future research tasks.
• The immediate purpose of exploration is usually to develop hypotheses or
questions for further research
• The formal study begins where the exploration leaves off—it begins
with a hypothesis or research question and involves precise
procedures and data source specifications.
• The goal of a formal research design is to test the hypotheses or answer the
research questions posed.
Method of Data Collection

• Monitoring includes studies in which the researcher inspects the

activities of a subject or the nature of some material without
attempting to elicit responses from anyone.
• Examples-Traffic counts at an intersection, license plates recorded in
a restaurant parking lot, a search of the library collection, an
observation of the actions of a group of decision makers, the State
Farm Dangerous Intersection Study
Method of Data Collection

• In the communication study, the researcher questions the subjects

and collects their responses by personal or impersonal means
• The collected data may result from (1) interview or telephone
conversations, (2) self-administered or self-reported instruments sent
through the mail, left in convenient locations, or transmitted
electronically or by other means, or (3) instruments presented before
and/or after a treatment or stimulus condition in an experiment
Researcher’s Control of Variables

• In terms of the researcher’s ability to manipulate variables, we

differentiate between experimental and descriptive designs
• In an experiment, the researcher attempts to control and/or
manipulate the variables in the study.
• Experimental design is appropriate when one wishes to discover
whether certain variables produce effects in other variables.
Researcher Control of Variables

• With a descriptive design, investigators have no control over the

variables in the sense of being able to manipulate them
• They can only report what has happened or what is happening. It is
important that the researchers using this design not influence the
variables; doing so introduces researcher bias
• Uses data already collected
• Example- to determine why one town in the mid west has a higher
incident of cancer than its neighboring towns
• If an investigation reveals that the majority of homes in this town
have wood burning stoves and fireplaces, the investigator could
hypothesize that exposure to wood smoke is a factor in the increase
incidence of cancer
The Time Dimension

• Cross-sectional studies are carried out once and represent a

snapshot of one point in time.
• Longitudinal studies are repeated over an extended period.
• The advantage of a longitudinal study is that it can track changes over
time
Scope of Study

• Statistical studies are designed for breadth rather than depth. They
attempt to capture a population’s characteristics by making
inferences from a sample’s characteristics
• Hypotheses are tested quantitatively. Generalizations about findings
are presented based on the representativeness of the sample and the
validity of the design
Scope of Study

• Case studies place more emphasis on a full contextual analysis of

fewer events or conditions and their interrelations.
• Although hypotheses are often used, the reliance on qualitative data
makes support or rejection more difficult.
• An emphasis on detail provides valuable insight for problem solving,
evaluation, and strategy
The Research Environment

• Designs also differ as to whether they occur under actual

environmental conditions (field conditions) or under staged or
manipulated conditions (laboratory conditions).
• To simulate is to replicate the essence of a system or process.
Simulations are increasingly used in research, especially in operations
research.
• The major characteristics of various conditions and relationships in actual
situations are often represented in mathematical models.
• Role-playing and other behavioral activities may also be viewed as
simulations.
Participants’ Perceptual Awareness

• The usefulness of a design may be reduced due to a participant’s

perceptual awareness when people in a disguised study perceive that
research is being conducted.
• Although there is no widespread evidence of attempts by participants
or respondents to please researchers through successful hypothesis
guessing or evidence of the prevalence of sabotage, when
participants believe that something out of the ordinary is happening,
they may behave less naturally.
Class Activity - 1

• You are the administrative assistant for a division chief in a large

holding company that owns several hotels and theme parks.
• You and the division chief have just come from the CEO’s office,
where you were informed that the guest complaints related to
housekeeping and employee attitude are increasing.
• Your on-site managers have mentioned some tension among the
workers but have not considered it unusual. The CEO and your
division chief instruct you to investigate.
• Suggest at least three different types of research that might be
appropriate in this situation.
Class Activity 2

• P&G recently moved its IAMS pet food division from Vandalia (OH) to
Mason (OH). The move affected 240 workers, who were offered
positions to join the 2,000 workers already occupying the pet food
division headquarters in Mason.
• A company statement indicated, “We’re doing this to increase
productivity, collaboration, and access to P&G’s resources/expertise.”
• P&G also told employees that it was beginning a separate, multi-
month study on how to increase collaboration and efficiencies with
the 250 employees still working in its pet food research and
development complex located in Lewisburg (OH).
• What research might be included in the multimonth study to
determine the future of the Lewisburg R&D facility and its
employees?
Sampling

• Population: the universe of the units from which the sample is to be

selected.
• Sample: the segment of the population that is selected for
investigation. It is a subset of the population. The method of selection
may be based on a probability or a non-probability approach
• Sampling frame: the listing of all units in the population from which
the sample will be selected
• Representative sample: a sample that reflects the population
accurately
• Sampling bias: a distortion in the representatives of the sample that
arises when some members of the population (or more precisely the
sampling frame) stand little or no chance of being selected for
inclusion in the sample
Sampling

• Sampling error: error in the findings deriving from research due to the
difference between a sample and the population from which it is selected.
This may occur even though a probability sample has been employed
• Non-probability error: error in the findings deriving from research due to the
differences between the population and the sample that arise either from
deficiencies in the sampling frame or non-response or from such problems as
poor question wording, poor interviewing or flawed processing data.
• Non-response: a source of non-sampling error that is particularly likely to
happen when individuals are being sampled. It occurs whenever some
members of the sample refuse to cooperate, cannot be contacted, or for
some reason cannot supply the required data (for example, because of
mental incapacity).
• Census: the enumeration of entire population. Thus, if data are collected in
relation to all units in a population, rather than in relation to a sample of units
of that population, the data are treated as census data.