Stages of Research Process

STAGES/STEPS OF RESEARCH PROCESS

 In planning a research study/project, it is necessary to anticipate all activities which must be undertaken.  Research activates are classified and grouped into various steps or stages.  In business research they are generally called steps; while is social sciences these are referred to as stages. Boyd and Brown have used the words steps while Bialy, the social scientist, has referred to the research process in terms of five stages. These research stages/steps are a part of research process which cannot be a mechanically contrived sequence of independent steps or stages. These consist of a number of interrelated or overlapping activates. Each step of research is dependent to some extent on the other.

The first step must be planned with the second, third, and so on, in mind.  The individual steps in the research process can be viewed, according to Boyd, Westfall and Starch, as consisting of the following seven steps:

• Formulating the study
• Preparing a list of the needed information
• Designing the data collection project
• Selecting a sample type
• Determining sample size
• Organizing the fieldwork
• Analyzing the collected data and reporting findings

According to Boyd, the four steps, purpose of the study, information needed, data collection form, and tabulation are highly interrelated.  The collection form is strongly related to information needed.  Not only does the tabulation follow logically from the data collection form, the tabulation also coincides strongly with the information needed.   

“The research design constitutes the outline for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data. It aids the scientist in the allocation of his limited resources by posing crucial choices.  It the outline to include experiments, interviews, observation, the analysis of records, simulation, or some combination of these? Are the methods of data collection and the research situation to be highly structured? Is an intensive study of a large sample more effective than a less intensive study of a large sample? Should the analysis be primarily quantitative or qualitative?”

“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.”

    These definitions differ in detail, but together they given the essentials of research design. First, the design is a plan for selecting the sources and types of information used to answer the research question. Second, it is a framework for specifying the relationships among the study’s variables. Third, it is blueprint that outlines each procedure from the hypotheses to the analysis of data.  The design provides answers for such questions as: What techniques will be used to gather data? What kind of sampling will be used? How will and time and cost constraints be dealt with?

       We can classify research design using at least eight different perspectives.

• The degree to which the research problem has been crystallized (the study may be either exploratory or formal)
• The method of data collection (studies may be observational or survey).
• The power of the researcher to produce effects in the variables under study ( the two major types of research are the experimental and the ex-post facto)
• The propose of the study (research studies may be descriptive or causal)
• The time dimension (research may be cross-sectional or longitudinal)
• The topical scope breadth and depth of the study (a case or statistical study)
• The research environment (most business research is conducted in a field setting, although laboratory research is not unusual; simulation is another category)
• The subject’s perceptions of the research (do they perceive deviations from their everyday routines)

• The brief discussion of these perspectives illustrates their nature and contributions to research.

Business Research:

Business research can be defined as 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 problems.

It can be described as a systematic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem encountered in the work setting, that needs a solution.

It comprises a series of steps designed and executed, with the goal of finding answers to the issues that are of concern to the managers in the work environment.

Research provides the needed information to guide the managers to make informed decisions to deal with problems successfully. The information provided could be the result of a care full analysis of data gathered firsthand or of data that are already available (in company, industry, archives, etc). Data can be collected through structured questionnaire or from interviews, public journals, Internet etc.

Types of Business Research

Research can be undertaken for two different purposes. Accordingly it has two main types:

v     Applied Research

v     Basic or Pure Research

First one is to solve a current problem faced by the manager in the work setting, demanding a timely solution. Such research is called applied research.

The other is to comprehend how certain problems that occur in organizations can be solved. This is called basic or pure research.

Process of Research

Research task is treated as sequential process involving clearly defined steps. The research process begins much like the suggests. A management question or decision triggers the need for information. In other situations, a controversy arises, a major commitment of resources is called for, or conditions in the environment signal the need for a decision. Such events cause managers to reconsider their purposes or objectives, define a problem for solution, or develop strategies for solutions of problems they have identified.

The problem, its origin, selection, statement, exploration, and refinement is the activity in the sequence of research process.

Whether the researcher is involved in basic or applied research, a thorough understanding of the problem is fundamental for the success of research.

Basically the research process is comprised of:

v     Exploration

v     Data collection

v     Analysis and interpretation

Exploration

Exploration typically begins with search of published data. In addition the researchers often seek out well-informed people on the topic, especially those who have clearly stated position on controversial aspects of the problem.

Data collection

The gathering of data may range from relatively simple observation at one location to a survey of multinational corporations at sites in different parts of the world. The method selected will largely determine how the data are collected. Questionnaires, standardized tests, observational forms, laboratory notes and instrument are among the devices used to record raw data.

Analysis and interpretation

Collected data need to be analyzed it. Data analysis usually involves reducing accumulated data to a manageable size, developing summaries, looking for patterns, and applying statistical techniques. Scaled responses on questionnaires and experimental instruments often require the analyst to derive various functions, and relationships among variables. Further we must interpret these findings in the light of the client’s questions or, with theory building research enables to determine if the results are consistent with our hypothesis and theories.

However, in detail the research process for basic and applied research can be divided in the steps exhibited in the following model:

Despite the fact that research model is depicted and discussed here as if it were a step by step linear process but it should bear in mind that it is not actually so in practice. For instance, though the literature search and interviews might have been conducted before formulating the theoretical framework, one may have to go back and conduct more interviews and seek additional information from the literature for a clearer understanding, so as to refine the theory. The research site, sample, measurement of variables and other design issues may also have to be simultaneously considered as one identifies the problem, formulate the theory and generates the hypotheses.

Steps for designing a research project for business:

a.               OBSERVATION (broad area of research interest identified)

Observation and focusing on the situation is the process through which broad problem area is identified. Broad problem is referring 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. Here the researcher might become aware of the problem as whole (not in depth) but not be able to pinpoint what exactly it is.

b.                PRELIMINARY DATA COLLECTION (interviewing Literature survey)

Data may be of two types:

v     Primary data

v     Secondary data

The nature of information and data needed by the researcher for the purpose could be broadly classified under the following three head:

v     Background information of the organization:

It is important for the researcher to be well acquainted with the background of the company or organization studied. Such details of the company can be obtained from available published records, the websites of the company, its archives, organization’s records and other sources.

v     Managerial philosophy, company policies and other structural aspects

Such information gathering would be particularly useful when newly installed systems, processes, and procedures don’t produce the described results. Information on the company policies, structures, workflow, management philosophy and the like can be obtained by asking direct questions of the management. 

v     Perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral responses

Employees perceptions of the work and work environment and their attitudinal and behavioral responses can be tapped by talking to them, observing them and seeking their responses through questionnaires, structured and unstructured interviews.

3.       PROBLEM DEFINATION (Research problem delineated)

A problem is a situation where a gap exists between the actual and desired ideal states. One should know what exactly the issue is, for which he seek answers. A problem does not necessarily mean that some thing is seriously wrong with a current situation that 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 situation.

After the interviews and the literature review, the researcher is in a position to narrow down the problem from its original broad base and define the issues of concern more clearly. No research can find the good solutions to the problems until the researcher is not clear about the situation exactly. When the researcher is clear about the actual problem, he will in better position to think and give the remedies of this.

4.       THEORATICAL FRAMEWORK (Variables clearly identified and labeled)

After conducting the interviews, completing a literature survey and defining the problem. One is ready to develop a theoretical framework. A theoretical framework is conceptual model of how one theorizes or makes logical sense of the relationships among the several factors that have been identified as important to the problem. This theory flows logically form the documentation of previous research in the problem area. Integrating one’s logical beliefs with published research, taking into consideration the boundaries and constraints governing the situation, is pivotal in developing a scientific basis for investigating the research problem.

The theoretical framework discusses the interrelationships among variables that are deemed to be integral to the dynamics of the situation being investigated. Developing such a conceptual framework helps us to postulate or hypothesize and test certain relationships and thus to improve our understanding of the dynamics of situation. A variable is anything that can take differing or varying values.

5.     GENERATION OF HYPOTHESES

A hypothesis can be defined as a logically conjectured relationship between two or more variables expressed in the form of a testable statement. Relationship is conjectured on the basis of the network of associations established in the theoretical framework formulated for the research study.  By testing the hypotheses and conforming the conjectured relationships, it is expected that solutions can be found to correct the problem encountered.

Once we have identified the important variables in a situation and established the relationships among them through logical reasoning in the theoretical framework we are in position to test whether the relationships that have been theorized do in fact hold true.  The results of hypotheses tests offer us some clues as to what could be changed in the situation to solve the problem. Formulating such testable statements is called hypotheses development.

 

BUSINESS RESEARCH

                        Managers need information in order to introduce products and services that create value in the mind of the customer. But the perception of value is a subjective one, and what customers value this year may be quite different from what they value next year.  As such, the attributes that create value cannot simply be deduced from common knowledge. Rather, data must be collected and analyzed. The goal of marketing research is to provide the facts and direction that managers need to make their more important marketing decisions. To maximize the benefit of marketing research, those who use it need to understand the research process and its limitations. 

THE VALUE OF INFORMATION

Information can be useful, but what determines its real value to the organization? In general, the value of information is determined by:

a.      The ability and willingness to act on the information.

b.      The accuracy of the information.

c.      The level of indecisiveness that would exist without the information.

d.      The amount of variation in the possible results.

e.      The level of risk aversion.

f.        The reaction of competitors to any decision improved by the information.

g.      The cost of the information in terms of time and money.