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1 Chapter 2
Formulating and clarifying the research topic

2 Formulating and clarifying your research topic

The important steps

• Identifying the attributes of a good research topic

• Generating ideas that help you select a suitable topic

• Turning ideas into clear research questions and objectives

• Writing your research proposal

3 Attributes of a good research topic (1)
Capability: is it feasible?

• Are you fascinated by the topic?

• Do you have the necessary research skills?

• Can you complete the project in the time available?

• Will the research still be current when you finish?

• Do you have sufficient financial and other resources?

• Will you be able to gain access to data?

4 Attributes of a good research topic (2)
Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?

• Will the examining institute's standards be met?

• Does the the topic contain issues with clear links to theory?
• Are the research questions and objectives clearly stated?
• Will the proposed research provide fresh insights into the topic?
• Are the findings likely to be symmetrical? That is similar in value whatever is the
outcome.
• Does the research topic match your career goals?
5 Attributes of a good research topic (3)
And - (if relevant)

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And - (if relevant)

Does the topic relate clearly to an idea

you were given -

possibly by your organisation ?

•
6 Generating research ideas
Useful Techniques

1 Rational thinking
2 • Examining your own strength and interests
• Examining staff research interests
• Looking at past project titles
• Discussions
• Searching the literatures
• Canning the media
3 Creative thinking
4 • Keeping a notebook of your ideas
• Exploring personal preferences using past projects
• Exploring relevance to business using the literature
• Relevance tree
• brainstorming

7 Writing research questions

Write research questions that are

• Consistent with expected standards

• Able to produce clear conclusions

• At the right level ( not too difficult )

• Not too descriptive

• Use the ‘Goldilocks Test’ : too big, too small, too hot, just right

Clough and Nutbrown (2002)

8 Defining the Research Question
Imran was studying for a BA in Business Management and doing his placement year in
an advanced consumer electronics company. When he first joined the company he was
surprised to note that the company’s business strategy, which was announced in the

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an advanced consumer electronics company. When he first joined the company he was
surprised to note that the company’s business strategy, which was announced in the
company newsletter, seemed to be inconsistent with what Imran knew of the product
market.

Imran had become particularly interested in corporate strategy in his degree. He was
familiar with some of the literature that suggested that corporate strategy should be
linked to the general external environment in which the organisation operated. He
wanted to do some research on corporate strategy in his organization for his degree
dissertation.

9 Defining the Research Question

• ‘Why does [organisation’s name] corporate strategy not seem to reflect the major
factors in the external operating environment?’
•
10 Turning ideas into research projects (1)

11 Exercise
• The use of internet banking
• The use of aromas as marketing device
•
•
12 Writing a Research Question Based on Theory
Justine was a final-year marketing undergraduate who was interested in the theory of
cognitive dissonance (Festinger 1957). She wanted to apply this to the consumer
purchasing decision in the snack foods industry (e.g. potato crisps) in the light of the
adverse publicity that the consumption of such foods was having as a result of the
‘healthy eating’ campaign. Justine applied Festinger’s theory by arguing in her research
project proposal that a consumer who learns that snack over-eating is bad for her
health will experience dissonance, because the knowledge that snackover-eating is bad
for her health is dissonant with the cognition that she continues to over-eat snacks. She
can reduce the dissonance by changing her behaviour, i.e., she could stop over-eating.
(This would be consonant with the cognition that snack over-eating is bad for her
health.) Alternatively, she could reduce dissonance by changing her cognition about the
effect of snack over-eating on health and persuade herself that snack over -eating does
not have a harmful effect on health.
13 Writing a Research Question Based on Theory
She would look for positive effects of snack over-eating, for example by believing that
snack over-eating is an important source of enjoyment which outweighs any harmful
effects. Alternatively, she might persuade herself that the risk to health from snack
over-eating is negligible compared with the danger of car accidents (reducing the
importance of the dissonant cognition). Justine’s research question was ‘How does the
adverse “healthy eating” campaign publicity affect the consumer’s decision to purchase

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importance of the dissonant cognition). Justine’s research question was ‘How does the
adverse “healthy eating” campaign publicity affect the consumer’s decision to purchase
snack foods?’
•
14 Writing a Research Question Based on Theory
• Cognitive Dissonance - inconsistency between the beliefs one holds or between one's
actions and one's beliefs
Example : cigarette smoking
alcohol drinking
snack food eating
15 Management Theories
• Scientific Theory by Frederick W. Taylor.
• Administrative Theory by Henri Fayol.
• Bureaucratic Theory by Max Weber.
• Human Relations Theory by Elton Mayo.
• X&Y Theory by Douglas McGregor.
•
16 Scientific Management
• Scientific management is a theory of management that analyzes and synthesizes
workflows. Its main objective is improving economic efficiency, especially labor
productivity. ... Scientific management is sometimes known as Taylorism after its
founder, Frederick Winslow Taylor.
17 The importance of theory
• Asking for opinions and gathering facts – 'what' questions (descriptive research)
•
• Using questions that go beyond description and require analysis – 'why' questions
Phillips and Pugh (2005)
In order to:

Explain phenomena Analyse relationships

Predict outcomes Compare and generalise

18 Turning ideas into research projects (3)
Writing clear research objectives

• Check your examining body’s preferences for stated objectives

•
• Use a general focus question to achieve precise objectives
•
Saunders et al. (2009)
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•
Saunders et al. (2009)
19 Team Briefing
• Brings managers together with their teams on a face-to-face basis so that
information can be delivered, questions asked and feedback collected.
• A team briefing system is an excellent way to enable communication upwards,
downwards and sideways throughout an organization.
20 Phrasing research questions as research objectives
1 1.Why have organizations introduced team briefing?

2. How can the effectiveness of team briefing be explained?

1.
1.
2 1. To identify organizations’ objectives for team briefing schemes
2a. To determine the factors associated with the effectiveness criteria for team briefing
be met
2b. To estimate whether some of those factors are more influential than other factors
1.

21 Phrasing research questions as research objectives

1. Has team briefing been effective?

1.
1.
22 Phrasing research questions as research objectives
• To describe the extent to which the
effectiveness criteria for team briefing have
been met.

1.
1.
23 Phrasing research questions as research objectives
2. How can the effectiveness of team briefing schemes be measured ?

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1.
1.
24 Phrasing research questions as research objectives
• To establish suitable effectiveness criteria for team briefing schemes
25 Turning ideas into research projects (4)
Include SMART Personal objectives

S pecific

M easurable

A chievable

R ealistic

T imely
26 Writing your research proposal
Purposes of the research proposal

• To organise your ideas

•
• To convince your audience
•
• To contract with your client (your tutor)
•
• To meet ethical requirements
27 Content of your research proposal (1)

• Title - likely to change during the process

•

• Background - context within the literature

•

• Research questions and objectives - what you seek to achieve

28 Content of your research proposal (2)

• Method - can be in two parts: research design and data collection

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• Method - can be in two parts: research design and data collection

• Timescale and Resources - (finance, data access, equipment)

• References - include some key literature sources

29 Evaluating research proposals

• How the components of the proposal fit together

•
•
• Viability of the proposal
•
•
• Absence of preconceived ideas
•

30 Summary: Chapter 2
The best research topics

• Formulate and clarify the topic

• Meet the requirements of the examining body

• Use a variety of techniques when generating research ideas

• Are focused on clear questions based on relevant literature

31 Summary: Chapter 2
The best research topics

• Are theory dependent

• Have a proposal containing organised ideas

Tell the reader:

• What will be done and why

• How it will be achieved

32 Sample of a Well-defined Problems

1. To what extent do the structure of the organization and type of information systems

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32 Sample of a Well-defined Problems

1. To what extent do the structure of the organization and type of information systems
installed account for the variance in the perceived effectiveness of managerial
decision making?
2.
2. To what extent has the new advertising campaign been successful in creating the
high-quality, customer-centered corporate image that it was intended to produce?
3.
3. How has the new packaging affected the sales of the product?
4.
4. Has the new advertising message resulted in enhanced recall?
33 Sample of a Well-defined Problems
6. How do price and quality rate on consumers‘ evaluation of products?
7. Is the effect of participative budgeting on performance moderated by control
systems?
8. Does better automation lead to greater asset investment per peso of output?
9. Does expansion of international operations result in an enhancement of the firm‘s
image and value?
10. What are the effects of downsizing on the long-range growth patterns of
companies?
34 Sample of a Well-defined Problems
10. Can cultural differences account for the differences in the nature of hierarchical
relationships between superiors and subordinates in Germany, India, Japan, Singapore,
and the United States?
11. What are the components of quality of life?
12. What are the specific factors to be considered in creating a data warehouse for a
manufacturing company?
13. What network system is best suited for Zuellig Pharmaceuticals?

35 Variables
A variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values. The values can differ
at various times for the same object or person, or at the same time for different objects
or persons. Examples of variables are:
a. production units
b. absenteeism
c. motivation
36 Variables
A variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values. The values can differ
at various times for the same object or person, or at the same time for different objects
or persons. Examples of variables are:
a. production units
b. absenteeism

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a. production units
b. absenteeism
c. motivation

37 Example
• Production units: One worker in the manufacturing department may produce one
lampshade per minute, a second might produce two per minute, a third might
produce five per minute. It is also possible that the same member could produce one
lampshade the first minute, and five the next minute. In both cases, the number of
lampshades produced has taken on different values, and is therefore a variable.

38 Dependent Var. Example

• Absenteeism: Today three members in the sales department may be absent,
tomorrow six members may not show up for work; the day after, there may be no one
absent. The value can thus theoretically range from zero to all being absent, on the
absenteeism variable.

39 4 Main Types of Variables

1. The dependent variable (also known as the criterion variable).
2. The independent variable (also known as the predictor variable).
3. The moderating variable.
4. The intervening variable.

40 Dependent Variable
The dependent variable is the variable of primary interest to the researcher. The
researcher‘s goal is to understand and describe the dependent variable, or to explain its
variability, or predict it.
41 Example of Dependent Variable
A manager is concerned that the sales of a new product introduced after test marketing
it do not meet with his expectations. The dependent variable here is sales. Since the
sales of the product can vary—can be low, medium, or high—it is a variable; since sales
is the main focus of interest to the manager, it is the dependent variable.
42 Exercise 1
a. An applied researcher wants to increase the performance of organizational members
in a particular bank.

b. A marketing manager wonders why the recent advertisement strategy does not work.

43 Independent Variable
• An independent variable is one that influences the dependent variable in either a
positive or negative way.
•
•
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•
•
44 Independent Var. Example
• Research studies indicate that successful new product development has an influence
on the stock market price of the company. That is, the more successful the new
product turns out to be, the higher will be the stock market price of that firm.
Therefore, the success of the new product is the independent variable, and stock
market price the dependent variable.
•
45 Diagram

46 Exercise 2
a. A manager believes that good supervision and training would increase the
production level of the workers.
List the variables in this scenario, and label them as dependent or independent,
explaining why they are so labeled. Diagram the relationships.

47 Diagram

48 Moderating Variable
• The moderating variable is one that has a strong contingent effect on the inde-
pendent variable–dependent variable relationship. That is, the presence of a third
variable (the moderating variable) modifies the original relationship between the
independent and the dependent variables.

49 Moderating Var Example

• It has been found that there is a relationship between the availability of Reference
Manuals that manufacturing employees have access to, and the product rejects. That
is, when workers follow the procedures laid down in the manual, they are able to
manufacture products that are flawless.
50 Diagram

51 Exercise
• A prevalent theory is that the diversity of the workforce (comprising people of
different ethnic origins, races, and nationalities) contributes more to organizational
effectiveness because each group brings its own special expertise and skills to the
workplace.
• However, to harness the potential, managers must know how to encourage and
coordinate the talents of the various groups to make things work. If not, the synergy
will not be tapped. In other words, the effective utilization of different talents,
perspectives, and eclectic problem-solving capabilities for enhanced organizational
effectiveness is contingent on the skill of the managers in acting as catalysts.

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effectiveness is contingent on the skill of the managers in acting as catalysts.

52 Exercise 1
• In the above scenario, identify the dependent variable, independent variable and the
moderating variable. Draw a diagram to show the relationship.
53 Exercise 3
• Failure to follow accounting principles causes immense confusion, which in turn
creates a number of problems for the organization. Those with vast experience in
bookkeeping, however, are able to avert the problems by taking timely corrective
action. List and label the variables in the following situation, explain the relationships
among the variables, and diagram these.
•
•
54 Intervening Variable
• An intervening variable is one that surfaces between the time the independent
variables start operating to influence the dependent variable and the time their
impact is felt on it.

55 Diagram

56 Intervening Variable
• The intervening variable that surfaces as a function of the diversity in the workforce is
creative synergy. This creative synergy results from a multiethnic, multiracial, and
multi- national (i.e., diverse) workforce interacting and bringing together their multi-
faceted expertise in problem solving.
57 Theoretical Framework
• The foundation on which the entire research project is based.
• It is a logically developed, described, and elaborated network of associations among
the variables deemed relevant to the problem situation and
• Identified through such processes as interviews, observations, and literature survey
•
58 Delta Airlines
• With airline deregulation, there were price wars among the various airlines that cut
costs in different ways. According to reports, Delta Airlines faced charges of air -safety
violations when there were several near collisions in midair, and one accident that
resulted in 137 deaths in 1987. Four important factors that seem to have influenced
these are poor communication among the cockpit crew members themselves, poor
coordination between ground staff and cockpit crew, minimal training given to the
cockpit crew, and management philosophy that encouraged a decentralized
structure. It would be nice to know if these factors did indeed contribute to the safety
violations, and if so, to what extent.
59 Independent Variables
• (1) communication among crew members, (2) communication between ground

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59 Independent Variables
• (1) communication among crew members, (2) communication between ground
control and the cockpit crew,
• (3) training received by the cock- pit crew, and
• (4) decentralization.

60 Diagram

61 Delta Airlines
• Considering the previous scenario. It was also taken to account the lack of adequate
training makes the pilots nervous and hesitant, and this in turn explains why they are
not able to confidently handle situations in midair when many aircraft share the skies
62 Diagram

63 Exercise
• Develop a theoretical framework for the following situation after stating what the
problem definition of the researcher would be in this case.
•
64 Exercise
• A family counselor, engaged in counseling married couples who are both
professionals, is caught in a dilemma. He realizes that the focus of the counseling
sessions should be on both family satisfaction and job satisfaction; however, he is not
sure how they can be integrated in the dual-career family. Husbands, who are the
traditional breadwinners, seem to derive more job satisfaction as they get more
involved in their jobs and also spend more discretionary time on job -related activities.
This, however, does not seem to be true in the case of the wives, who perform the
dual role of career person and homemaker. However, both husbands and wives seem
to enjoy high levels of fam- ily satisfaction when they spend more time together at
home and help each other in planning family-oriented activities.
•
•

65 Hypothesis
• A hypothesis can be defined as a logically speculated relationship between two or
more variables expressed in the form of a testable statement.
• If the pilots are given adequate training to handle midair crowded situations, air-safety
violations will be reduced.
66 If-then statement format
• Employees who are more healthy will take sick leave less frequently;
• If employees are more healthy, then they will take sick leave less frequently.

67 Directional
• The greater the stress experienced in the job, the lower the job satisfaction of
employees.
• If, in stating the relationship between two variables or comparing two groups, terms

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employees.
• If, in stating the relationship between two variables or comparing two groups, terms
such as positive, negative, more than, less than, and the like are used, then these
hypotheses are directional
68 Non-Directional
• Women are more motivated than men.
•
• It may be estimated that there would be a significant relationship between two
variables, we may not be able to say whether the relationship would be positive or
negative
69 Null Hypothesis
• A type of hypothesis used in statistics that proposes that no statistical significance
exists in a set of given observations.
• Health is not a factor for employees’ frequent sick leave.
70 Exercise
• A production manager is concerned about the low output levels of his employees.
The articles that he read on job performance frequently mentioned four variables as
important to job performance: skill required for the job, rewards, motivation, and
satisfaction. In several of the articles it was also indicated that only if the rewards
were valent (attractive) to the recipients did motivation, satisfaction, and job
performance increase, not otherwise.
•

71 Exercise
• With the situation, do the following:
• 1. Define the problem.
• 2. Evolve a theoretical framework.
• 3. Develop at least six hypotheses.
•

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