CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION TO
RESEARCH

1–1

WELCOME & CONGRATULATION FOR

choosing this course...
>>> Research Methods<<<

Who is he?

What is going to
discuss?
?
??????
???

Z.ZZ ZZZ Z

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 About this lecturer...

Name: Mr. Lim Hock-Eam

Qualification: BEc.(HONS)(UUM)
MSc.(UCL,London)(UK)
Ph.D(Monash)(Australia)
Teaching exp: Lecturer in UUM since 1997…
Selected research/publication...
:
1. Lim, H.E. & Yip, C.Y. (2016). How accurate is TNB’s electricity demand forecast?
Malaysian Journal of Mathematical Sciences, 10(S), 79-90.

Book/Chapter in book/Monograph :

2. Lim, H.E., Russayani, I. & Yusnidah, I. (2014). The implications of graduate labor
market performance in designing a student loan scheme for Malaysia. Chapman, B.,
Timothy, H. & Stigliz, J.E. (Ed.). Income contingent loans: theory, practice and
prospects. USA: Palgrave Macmillan.

Research Defined
• Research is the application of the scientific
method in searching for the truth about a
phenomena.
• The process includes:
idea and theory development
problem definition
searching for and collecting information
analyzing data
communicating the findings and their implications

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website, in whole or in part. 1–4

2
 Research Defined
• Sciences: knowledge obtained systematically,
objectively, logically– can be tested empirically.
• This definition suggests that research
information is:
not intuitive or haphazardly gathered
accurate and objective
relevant to all aspects of the phenomena
limited by one’s definition of phenomena

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scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible
website, in whole or in part. 1–5

Applied and Basic Research

• Applied research
conducted to address a specific decision for a specific
firm or organization.
Example:
Should McDonald’s add Italian pasta dinners to its menu?
Which health insurance plan should a business provide for its
employees?

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scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible
website, in whole or in part. 1–6

3
 Applied and Basic Business Research
• Basic research (also called pure research)
conducted without a specific decision in mind that
usually does not address the needs of a specific
organization.
Attempts to expand the limits of knowledge in general.
Not aimed at solving a pragmatic problem.
Example:
Do consumers experience cognitive dissonance in low-
involvement situations?
Does employee tenure with a company influence
productivity?

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scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible
website, in whole or in part. 1–7

The Scientific Method

• Scientific Method
The way researchers go about using knowledge and
evidence to reach objective conclusions about the
real world.
The analysis and interpretation of empirical evidence
(facts from observation or experimentation) to confirm
or disprove prior conceptions

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website, in whole or in part. 1–8

4
 EXHIBIT 1.1 A Summary of the Scientific Method

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scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible
website, in whole or in part. 1–9

Approaches to Research

Quantitative research
Qualitative research
Deduction
Induction

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 Kolb’s learning cycle:

Concrete Experiences

Testing Implications Observations &

of concepts in new Reflection
situation

Formation of Abstract
concepts & Generalisations

Experim. Survey Ethnog.

• • • • •
Quasi experim. Action

DEDUCTION INDUCTION

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scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publically accessible
website, in whole or in part. 1–11

Quantitative research Qualitative research

• Reality is objective and singular, • Reality is subjective and multiple,
and apart from the researcher as seen by participants in a study
• Researcher is independent of that • Researcher interacts with that being
being researched researched
• Research is assumed to be value- • Research is value-laden and biased,
free and unbiased with values generally made explicit
• Theory is largely causal and • Theory can be causal or non-causal,
deductive and if often inductive
• Hypotheses that the researcher • Meaning is captured and discovered
begins with are tested once the researcher becomes
immersed in the data
• Concepts are in the form of • Concepts are in the form of themes,
distinct variables motifs, generalisations, taxonomies
• Measures are systematically • Measures are created in an ad hoc
created before data collection and manner and are often specific to the
are standardised individual setting or researcher

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Quantitative research (cont.)
• Data are in the form of numbers
from precise measurement
• There are generally many cases
or subjects
• Procedures are standard, and
replication is assumed
• Analysis proceeds by using
statistics, tables or charts, and
discussing how what they show
relates to hypotheses
Sources: Cresswell (1994:5); Neuman (1997:14, 329).
Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
in Business Research
Qualitative research
• Data are in the form of words
from documents, observations
and transcripts
• There are generally few cases or
subjects
• Research procedures are
particular, and replication is rare
• Analysis proceeds by extracting
themes or generalisations from
evidence and organising data to
present a coherent, consistent
picture.
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 Theory Building
• Deductive Reasoning
The logical process of deriving a conclusion about a
specific instance based on a known general premise
or something known to be true.
• Inductive Reasoning
The logical process of establishing a general
proposition on the basis of observation of particular
facts.

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