MGT-491 QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FOR MANAGEMENT

1. Session 3 MGT-491QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FOR MANAGEMENT OSMAN BIN SAIF

2. Summary of yesterday’s Lecture • Place of literature review in research • Procedure for reviewing literature • Search for existing literature • Review the literature selected • Develop a theoretical framework • Develop a conceptual framework • Writing up the literature reviewed

3. Summary of yesterday’s Lecture (Contd.) • The Research Process;- An Eight step MODEL • Formulating a Research problem • Conceptualizing a research design • Constructing an instrument for data collection • Selecting a sample • Writing a research proposal • Collecting data • Processing data • Writing a research report

4. Defining a Research Question • If you have a specific idea for the basis of your inquiry, your research question is already defined. • But not every idea is researchable as not all problems lend themselves to research methodologies.

5. Defining a Research Question (Contd.) • Broadly speaking, any question that you want answered and any assumption or assertion that you want to challenge or investigate can become a research problem or a research topic for your study.

6. Defining a Research Question (Contd.) • However it is important to remember that not all questions can be transformed into research problems and some may prove to be extremely difficult to study.

7. Defining a Research Question (Contd.) • As a newcomer it might seem easy to formulate a problem but it requires a considerable knowledge of both the subject area and research methodology.

8. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem • The formation of a research problem is the first and most important step of the research process. • It is like the identification of a destination before undertaking a journey.

9. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem (Contd.) • As in the absence of a destination, it is impossible to identify the shortest – or indeed any – route, in the absence of a clear research problem, a clear economical plan is impossible.

10. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem (Contd.) • A research problem is like the foundation of a building. • The type and design of the building is dependent upon the foundation. • If the foundation is well designed and strong you can expect the building to be also.

11. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem (Contd.) • The way you formulate a problem determines almost every step that follows; • The type of study design • Sampling strategy that can be employed • Research instrument that can be developed • The type of analysis that can be undertaken.

12. Sources of Research Problem • Most research in humanities revolves around FOUR ‘P’.; • People • Problems • Programs • Phenomenon

13. Sources of Research Problem (Contd.) • Most research in humanities revolves around FOUR ‘P’s’.; • People • Lives • attitudes • Problems • issues • Programs • Interventions • Phenomenon • Existence of Regularity

14. Sources of Research Problem (Contd.)

15. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem These help to ensure that your study will be manageable and that you will remain motivated. • Interest; • A research endeavor is usually time consuming, and involves hard work and possibly unforeseen problems. • If you select a topic which does not greatly interest you, it could become extremely difficult to sustain the required motivation and hence its completion as well as the amount of time taken could be affected.

16. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.) • Magnitude; • It is extremely important to select a topic that you can manage within the time and resources at you disposal. • Even if you are undertaking a descriptive study, you need to carefully consider its magnitude.

17. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.) • Measurement of Concepts; • If you are using a concept in your study, make sure you are clear about its indicators and their measurement.

18. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.) • Level of Expertise; • Make sure you have an adequate level of expertise for the task you are proposing. • Also allow for the fact of learning during the study and help from supervisor. • But you need to do most of the work yourself.

19. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.) • Relevance; • Ensure that you study is relevant and adds to the existing body of knowledge, bridges current gaps or is useful for policy formulation.

20. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.) • Availability of data; • If your topic entails collection of information from secondary sources, before finalizing your topic, make sure that these data are available and in the format that you want.

21. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.) • Ethical issues; • How ethical issues can effect the study population and how ethical problems can be overcome should be thoroughly examined at the problem- formulation stage. • Example; • Adverse effects of direct or indirect information • Expectation to share sensitive or private information.

22. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem • 7 – STEP PROCESS; • Identify a broad field or subject area of interest to you • Dissect the broad area into subareas • Select what is of most interest to you • Raise research questions • Formulate Objectives • Assess your objectives • Double Check

23. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.) • Identify a broad field or subject area of interest to you • It is a good idea to think about the field in which you would like to work after graduation. • This will help you find an interesting topic and one which may be of use to you in the future. • It is imperative that you identify one of interest to you before undertaking your research journey.

24. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.) • Dissect the broad area into subareas • You will realize that all the broad areas have many aspects. • In preparing this list of subareas you should also consult others who have knowledge of the area and the literature in your subject area. • Once you have developed an exhaustive list of the subareas from various sources, you proceed to the next stage where you select what will become the basis of your inquiry.

25. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.) • Select what is of most interest to you; • It is neither advisable nor feasible to study all subareas. • Out of this list, select issues or subareas about which you are passionate. • One way to decide what interest you most is to start with the process of elimination.

26. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.) • Raise research questions • What is it that I want to find out about in this subarea? • List down questions and then choose the best one.

27. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.) • Formulate Objectives • Formulate your main objectives and sub objectives from your question. • The main difference between objectives and research questions is the way in which they are written. • To find out • To determine • To ascertain

28. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.) • Assess your objectives • Now examine your objectives to ascertain the feasibility of achieving them through your research endeavor.

29. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.) • Double Check • Go back and give final consideration to whether or not you are sufficiently interested in the study and have adequate resources to undertake it.

30. The Formulation of Objectives • Main Objectives; • The main objective is an overall statement of the thrust of your study. • It is also a statement of the main associations and relationships that you seek to discover or establish.

31. The Formulation of Objectives (Contd.) • Sub Objectives; • They are the specific aspects of the topic that you want to investigate within the main framework of your study. • They should be worded clearly and unambiguously using action oriented words.

32. Establishing Operational Definitions

33. Establishing Operational Definitions (Contd.) • They give an operational meaning to the study population and the concepts used. It is only through making your procedures explicit that you can validly describe, explain, verify and test. • It is important to remember that there are no rules for deciding if an operational defination is valid.

34. Establishing Operational Definitions (Contd.) • Your arguments must convince others about the appropriateness of your definitions.

35. Framing of HYPOTHESIS • Hypotheses primarily arise from a set of ‘hunches’ that are tested through a study. • The importance of hypothesis lies in their ability to bring; • Direction, • Specificity, • Focus.

36. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.) • They tell a researcher what specific information to collect, and thereby provide greater focus. • Hypothesis are based upon similar logic. • Your hunch may prove to be; • Right • Partially right • Wrong

37. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.) • Without the process of verification, you cannot conclude anything about the validity of your hypothesis. • Hence Hypothesis is; • An assumption • Hunch • Suspicion • Assertion

38. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.) • Hypothesis is; • An idea about a phenomenon • Relationship • Situation • Reality or truth Of which you don’t know.

39. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.) • According to Kerlinger; “ A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the relationship between two or more variables”.

40. Characteristics of Hypothesis • Main characteristics of Hypothesis are ; • It is a tentative proposition • Its validity is unknown • In most cases it specifies a relationship between two or more variables.

41. Cycle of a Hypothesis

42. Functions of a Hypothesis • Specifically it serves the following Functions; • Provides a study with focus • Tells what data to collect and what not to collect • It enhances objectivity in the study • Enables you to formulate theory.

43. Characteristics of Hypothesis • Main Characteristics: • Simple, Specific, Conceptually clear • Capable of verification • Related to the existing body of knowledge • Opertionalisable

44. Summary of today’s Lecture • Defining a research question • Formulating a research problem • Importance • Sources • Considerations while selection • Steps involved • Formulating an objective

45. Summary of today’s Lecture (Contd.) • Establishing operational definitions • Framing Hypothesis • Functions of Hypothesis • Characteristics of Hypothesis

46. Thanks