PAN African e-Network Project

MFM
Market Research and Report Preparation
Semester 2nd
Session-1

Dr Puja Singhal

Module 1: Research Methodology and

Research Methods

Objective,significanceandtypesofresearch
ResearchMethodsvis--visMethodology
ResearchProcessandcriterionforgood
research
EthicsinBusinessResearch

DefinitionofResearch
A broad definition of research is given by
Martyn Shuttleworth - "In the broadest
sense of the word, the definition of
research includes any gathering of data,
informationandfactsfortheadvancement
ofknowledge.

 Another definition of research is given by

Creswell who states that - "Research is a
process of steps used to collect and
analyze information to increase our
understanding of a topic or issue". It
consists of three steps: Pose a question,
collect data to answer the question, and
presentananswertothequestion

ObjectiveofResearch
The primary purposes of basic research
(as opposed to applied research) are
documentation,discovery,interpretationor
the research and development (R&D) of
methods
and
systems
for
the
advancementofhumanknowledge
The goal of the research process is to
produce new knowledge or deepen
understandingofatopicorissue.

TypesofResearch
Research can be classified in many
different ways on the basis of the
methodology of research. The knowledge
it creates, the user group, the research
problemitinvestigatesetc,.
Basic Research
Appliedresearch
QuantitativeResearch
QualitativeResearch

 BASIC RESEARCH
Theresearchwhichisdoneforknowledge
enhancement, the research which does
not have immediate commercial potential.
The research which is done for human
welfare,animalwelfareandplantkingdom
welfare.Itiscalledbasic,pure,fundamental
research.

 The main motivation is to expand man's

knowledge, not to create or invent
something. There is no obvious
commercial value to the discoveries that
resultfrombasicresearch.Basicresearch
lay down the foundation for the applied
research

 AppliedResearch
Applied research is designed to solve
practical problem of the modern world,
rather than to acquire knowledge for
knowledges sake. The goal of applied
research is to improve the human
condition.Itfocusonanalysisandsolving
socialandreallifeproblems.

 Thisresearchisgenerallyconductedon
largescalebasis,itisexpensive.Assuch,
itoftenconductedwiththesupportof
somefinancingagencylikegovernment,
publiccorporation,worldbank,UNICEF,
UGC,Etc,.

 According to hunt, applied research is an

investigation for ways of using scientific
knowledge to solve practical problems for
example:-
improve
agriculture
crop
production, treat or cure a specific disease,
improvetheenergyefficiencyhomes,offices,
how can communication among workers in
large companies be improved? Applied
researchcanbefurtherclassifiedasproblem
orientedandproblemsolvingresearch

 Problem oriented research:- research is

donebyindustryapexbodyforsortingout
problemsfacedbyallthecompanies.Eg:-
WTO does problem oriented research for
developing countries, in india agriculture
and processed food export development
authority (APEDA) conduct regular
researchforthebenefitofagri-industry.

 Problemsolving:-thistypeofresearchis
donebyanindividualcompanyforthe
problemfacedbyit.Marketingresearch
andmarketresearcharetheapplied
research.

 Foreg:-videoconinternationalconducts
researchtostudycustomersatisfaction
level,itwillbeproblemsolvingresearch.
Inshort,themainaimofappliedresearch
istodiscoversomesolutionforsome
pressingpracticalproblem.

 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Thisresearchisbasedonnumericfigures
or numbers. Quantitative research aim to
measure the quantity or amount and
comparesitwithpastrecordsandtriesto
projectforfutureperiod.

 In social sciences, quantitative research

refers to the systematic empirical
investigationofquantitativepropertiesand
phenomena and their relationships. The
objective of quantitative research is to
develop and employ mathematical
models, theories or hypothesis pertaining
tophenomena.

The process of measurement is central to

quantitative research because it provides
fundamental
connection
between
empirical observation and mathematical
expression of quantitative relationships.
Statistics is the most widely used branch
of mathematics in quantitative research.
Statistical methods are used extensively
with in fields such as economics and
commerce

 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Qualitative research presents non-quantitative
type of analysis. Qualitative research is
collecting, analyzing and interpreting data by
observing what people do and say. Qualitative
research refers to the meanings, definitions,
characteristics, symbols, metaphors, and
descriptionofthings.

 Qualitative research is much more

subjective and uses very different methods
of collecting information, mainly individual,
in-depthinterviewsandfocusgroups.
The nature of this type of research is
exploratoryandopenended.Smallnumber
ofpeopleareinterviewedindepthandora
relativelysmallnumberoffocusgroupsare
conducted

 Qualitative research can be further classified in the

followingtype.
I. Ethnography:- this type of research focuses on
describing the culture of a group of people.Aculture is
the shared attributes, values, norms, practices,
language,andmaterialthingsofagroupofpeople.Eg:theresearchermightdecidetogoandlivewiththetribal
in Andaman island and study the culture and the
educationalpractices.
II. Case study:-is a form of qualitative research that is
focusedon providing a detailedaccountof one or more
cases. Eg:-we may study a classroom that was given a
newcurriculumfortechnologyuse.

 III.Groundedtheory:-itisaninductivetypeofresearch,
based or grounded in the observations of data from
whichitwasdeveloped;itusesavarietyofdatasources,
includingquantitativedata,reviewofrecords,interviews,
observationandsurveys
IV.Historicalresearch:-itallowsonetodiscusspastand
present events in the context of the present condition,
and allows one to reflect and provide possible answers
to current issues and problems. Eg:-the lending pattern
ofbusinessinthe19thcentury.

ResearchMethodology
The process used to collect information and data for the
purpose of making business decisions. The methodology
may include publication ,research, interviews, surveys and
other research techniques,and couldinclude both present
andhistoricalinformation
Methodology isthesystematic,theoreticalanalysisofthe
methods applied to a field of study. It comprises the
theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles
associated
with
a
branch
of
knowledge.

ResearchProcess
Research is a process that requires patience and
thought.Thereisnochecklisttomakecertainyouhave
exhausted every resource and found the best research.
Research is more of an art rather than a science.There
are steps you must take, however to thoughtfully go
throughthisprocess.
The research process is the step-by-step procedure of
developing one's research and research paper.
However, one can seldom progress in a step-by-step
fashion as such. Writing a research paper frequently
requires continuous, and sometimes extensive, reevaluationandrevisionofbothone'stopicandthewayit
ispresented.

 The research process involves identifying,

locating, assessing, analyzing, and then
developing and expressing your ideas. These
are the same skills that will be needed in the
post-university "real world" when you produce
reports, proposals, or other research for your
employer.Alloftheseactivitieswillbebasedon
primary and secondary sources from which
recommendationsorplansareformulated.

 Scientific research involves a systematic process that

focuses on being objective and gathering a multitude of
informationforanalysissothattheresearchercancome
toaconclusion.Thisprocessisusedinallresearchand
evaluation projects, regardless of the research
method .The process focuses on testing hunches or
ideas in a park and recreation setting through a
systematic process. In this process, the study is
documented in such a way that another individual can
conduct the same study again. This is referred to as
replicatingthestudy.

 Any research done without documenting the study so that

others can review the process and results is not an
investigation using the scientific research process. The
scientificresearchprocessisamultiple-stepprocesswhere
thestepsareinterlinkedwiththeotherstepsintheprocess.
If changes are made in one step of the process, the
researchermustreviewalltheotherstepstoensurethatthe
changes are reflected throughout the process. Parks and
recreation professionals are often involved in conducting
research or evaluation projects within the agency. These
professionals need to understand the eight steps of the
researchprocessastheyapplytoconductingastudy

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Thefirststepforanyresearchproject,whetheritisadissertation,a
grant proposal or research to find the best practice intervention is
formulate a question you want to answer. The research problem
may be something the agency identifies as a problem, some
knowledgeorinformationthatisneededbytheagency,orthedesire
to identify a recreation trendnationally Beingclearonthequestion
makesiteasiertoformulatearesearchstrategyforfindingthebest
informationaboutthisquestion.
Herearesomeexamplesofresearchquestions:
Is obesity in children a form of child abuse?
What are the best inteventions for preventing youth violence in
Asian
urban
communities?
How can social workers best meet the needs of children of
illegal
immigrants?
Are there proven ways to increase trust when urban
communities become polorized?

 Step 2: Review the Literature

Nowthattheproblemhasbeenidentified,theresearcher
must learn more about the topic under investigation. To
dothis,theresearchermustreviewtheliteraturerelated
totheresearchproblem.Thisstepprovidesfoundational
knowledge about the problem area. The review of
literature also educates the researcher about what
studies have been conducted in the past, how these
studies were conducted, and the conclusions in the
problemarea.

 In the obesity study, the review of literature enables the

programmertodiscoverhorrifyingstatisticsrelatedtothe
long-term effectsof childhoodobesityintermsof health
issues, death rates, and projected medical costs. In
addition, the programmer finds several articles and
information from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention that describe the benefits of walking 10,000
stepsaday.Theinformationdiscoveredduringthisstep
helpstheprogrammerfullyunderstandthemagnitudeof
the problem, recognize the future consequences of
obesity, and identify a strategy to combat obesity (i.e.,
walking).

 Step 3: Clarify the Problem

Many times the initial problem identified in the first step
oftheprocessistoolargeorbroadinscope.Instep3of
the process, the researcher clarifies the problem and
narrows the scope of the study. This can only be done
after the literature has been reviewed. The knowledge
gained through the review of literature guides the
researcher in clarifying and narrowing the research
project. In the example, the programmer has identified
childhoodobesityastheproblemandthepurposeofthe
study.

 This topic is very broad and could be studied based on

genetics, family environment, diet, exercise, selfconfidence, leisure activities, or health issues. All of
these areas cannot be investigated in a single study;
therefore,theproblemandpurposeofthestudymustbe
moreclearlydefined.Theprogrammerhasdecidedthat
the purpose of the study is to determine if walking
10,000 steps a day for three days a week will improve
the individuals health. This purpose is more narrowly
focusedandresearchablethantheoriginalproblem.

 Step 4: Clearly Define Terms and Concepts

Termsandconceptsarewordsorphrasesused
in the purpose statement of the study or the
descriptionofthestudy.Theseitemsneedtobe
specifically defined as they apply to the study.
Terms or concepts often have different
definitions depending on who is reading the
study. To minimize confusion about what the
terms and phrases mean, the researcher must
specificallydefinethemforthestudy.

Intheobesitystudy,theconceptofindividualshealthcanbe
definedinhundredsofways,suchasphysical,mental,emotional,or
spiritualhealth.Forthisstudy,theindividualshealthisdefinedas
physicalhealth.Theconceptofphysicalhealthmayalsobedefined
andmeasuredinmanyways.Inthiscase,theprogrammerdecides
tomorenarrowlydefineindividualhealthtorefertotheareasof
weight,percentageofbodyfat,andcholesterol.Bydefiningthe
termsorconceptsmorenarrowly,thescopeofthestudyismore
manageablefortheprogrammer,makingiteasiertocollectthe
necessarydataforthestudy.Thisalsomakestheconceptsmore
understandabletothereader.

Step 5: Define the Population

Researchprojectscanfocusonaspecificgroupofpeople,facilities,
park development, employee evaluations, programs, financial
status, marketing efforts, or the integration of technology into the
operations.Forexample,ifaresearcherwantstoexamineaspecific
group of people in the community, the study could examine a
specific age group, males or females, people living in a specific
geographic area, or a specific ethnic group. Literally thousands of
options are available to the researcher to specifically identify the
grouptostudy.Theresearchproblemandthepurposeofthestudy
assisttheresearcherinidentifyingthegrouptoinvolveinthestudy.
Inresearchterms,thegrouptoinvolveinthestudyisalwayscalled
thepopulation.

Definingthepopulationassiststheresearcherinseveralways.
First,itnarrowsthescopeofthestudyfromaverylargepopulation
toonethatismanageable.
Second, the population identifies the group that the researchers
effortswillbefocusedonwithinthestudy.Thishelpsensurethatthe
researcherstaysontherightpathduringthestudy.
Finally, by defining the population, the researcher identifies the
groupthattheresultswillapplytoattheconclusionofthestudy.
Intheexample,theprogrammerhasidentifiedthepopulationofthe
study as children ages 10 to 12 years. This narrower population
makesthestudymoremanageableintermsoftimeandresources.

 Step 6: Develop the Instrumentation Plan

The plan for the study is referred to as the
instrumentationplan.Theinstrumentationplanservesas
the road map for the entire study, specifying who will
participate inthe study;how,when,andwhere data will
becollected;andthecontentoftheprogram.Thisplanis
composedofnumerousdecisionsandconsiderations.In
the obesity study, the researcher has decided to have
the children participate in a walking program for six
months.

The group of participants is called the sample, which is a smaller

groupselectedfromthepopulationspecifiedforthestudy.Thestudy
cannot possibly include every 10- to 12-year-old child in the
community,soasmallergroupisusedtorepresentthepopulation.
The researcher develops the plan for the walking program,
indicatingwhatdatawillbecollected,whenandhowthedatawillbe
collected, who will collect the data, and how the data will be
analyzed.Theinstrumentationplanspecifiesallthestepsthatmust
be completed for the study.This ensures that the programmer has
carefullythoughtthroughallthesedecisionsandthatsheprovidesa
step-by-stepplantobefollowedinthestudy

Step 7: Collect Data

Oncetheinstrumentationplaniscompleted,theactualstudybegins
withthecollectionofdata.Thecollectionofdataisacriticalstepin
providingtheinformationneededtoanswertheresearchquestion.
Everystudyincludesthecollectionofsometypeofdatawhetherit
isfromtheliteratureorfromsubjectstoanswertheresearch
question.Datacanbecollectedintheformofwordsonasurvey,
withaquestionnaire,throughobservations,orfromtheliterature.In
theobesitystudy,theprogrammerswillbecollectingdataonthe
definedvariables:weight,percentageofbodyfat,cholesterollevels,
andthenumberofdaysthepersonwalkedatotalof10,000steps
duringtheclass.

 Theresearchercollectsthesedataatthe
firstsessionandatthelastsessionofthe
program.Thesetwosetsofdataare
necessarytodeterminetheeffectofthe
walkingprogramonweight,bodyfat,and
cholesterollevel.Oncethedataare
collectedonthevariables,theresearcher
isreadytomovetothefinalstepofthe
process,whichisthedataanalysis.

 Step 8: Analyze the Data

Allthetime,effort,andresourcesdedicatedtosteps1
through7oftheresearchprocessculminateinthisfinal
step.Theresearcherfinallyhasdatatoanalyzesothat
theresearchquestioncanbeanswered.Inthe
instrumentationplan,theresearcherspecifiedhowthe
datawillbeanalyzed.Theresearchernowanalyzesthe
dataaccordingtotheplan.Theresultsofthisanalysis
arethenreviewedandsummarizedinamannerdirectly
relatedtotheresearchquestions..

 In the obesity study, the researcher compares

the measurements of weight, percentage of
body fat, and cholesterol that were taken at the
first meeting of the subjects to the
measurementsofthesamevariablesatthefinal
programsession.Thesetwosetsofdatawillbe
analyzed to determine if there was a difference
between the first measurement and the second
measurementforeachindividualintheprogram.

 Then, the data will be analyzed to

determineifthedifferencesarestatistically
significant. If the differences are
statistically significant, the study validates
thetheorythatwasthefocusofthestudy.
The results of the study also provide
valuableinformationaboutonestrategyto
combat childhood obesity in the
community.

What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important?

Whenmostpeoplethinkofethics(ormorals),theythink
ofrulesfordistinguishingbetweenrightandwrong,such
astheGoldenRule("Dountoothersasyouwouldhave
them do unto you"), a code of professional conduct like
the Hippocratic Oath ("First of all, do no harm"), a
religiouscreedliketheTenCommandments("ThouShalt
not kill..."), or a wise aphorisms like the sayings of
Confucius. This is the most common way of defining
"ethics":norms for conductthat distinguish between
acceptableandunacceptablebehavior

Another way of defining 'ethics' focuses on thedisciplines that

study standards of conduct, such as philosophy, theology, law,
psychology, or sociology. For example, a "medical ethicist" is
someonewhostudiesethicalstandardsinmedicine.Onemayalso
defineethicsasamethod, procedure, or perspectivefordeciding
how to act and for analyzing complex problems and issues. For
instance, in considering a complex issue like global warming, one
may take an economic, ecological, political, or ethical perspective
on the problem. While an economist might examine the cost and
benefits of various policies related to global warming, an
environmental ethicist could examine the ethical values and
principlesatstake.

 There are several reasons why it is

important to adhere to ethical norms in
research.
First, normspromote the aims of
research, such as knowledge, truth, and
avoidance of error. For example,
prohibitions against fabricating, falsifying,
or misrepresenting research data promote
thetruthandavoiderror.

 Second, since research often involves a great

deal of cooperation and coordination among
manydifferentpeopleindifferentdisciplinesand
institutions,
ethical
standards
promote
thevalues that are essential to collaborative
work, such as trust, accountability, mutual
respect,andfairness.

 For example, many ethical norms in research,

suchasguidelinesforauthorship,copyrightand
patenting policies, data sharing policies, and
confidentialityrulesinpeerreview,aredesigned
to protect intellectual property interests while
encouraging collaboration. Most researchers
wanttoreceivecreditfortheircontributionsand
do not want to have their ideas stolen or
disclosedprematurely.

 Third,manyoftheethicalnormshelptoensure
that researchers can be heldaccountable to
the public. For instance, federal policies on
research misconduct, conflicts of interest, the
human subjects protections, and animal care
and use are necessary in order to make sure
that researchers who are funded by public
moneycanbeheldaccountabletothepublic.

 Fourth,ethicalnormsinresearchalsohelp
tobuildpublic supportforresearch.
Peoplemorelikelytofundresearch
projectiftheycantrustthequalityand
integrityofresearch

 Finally,manyofthenormsofresearchpromoteavariety
of other importantmoral and social values, such as
social responsibility, human rights, animal welfare,
compliance with the law, and health and safety. Ethical
lapses in research can significantly harm human and
animal subjects, students, and the public..

 Forexample,aresearcherwhofabricates
datainaclinicaltrialmayharmorevenkill
patients,andaresearcherwhofailsto
abidebyregulationsandguidelines
relatingtoradiationorbiologicalsafety
mayjeopardizehishealthandsafetyor
thehealthandsafetyofstaffandstudents

 Thefollowingisaroughandgeneralsummaryof
some ethical principals that various codes
address*:
Honesty
Strive
for
honesty
in
all
scientific
communications. Honestly report data, results,
methodsandprocedures,andpublicationstatus.
Donotfabricate,falsify,ormisrepresentdata.Do
notdeceivecolleagues,grantingagencies,orthe
public.

 Objectivity
Strivetoavoidbiasinexperimentaldesign,data
analysis, data interpretation, peer review,
personnel decisions, grant writing, expert
testimony, and other aspects of research where
objectivity is expected or required. Avoid or
minimize bias or self-deception. Disclose
personal or financial interests that may affect
research

 Integrity
Keepyourpromisesandagreements;act
withsincerity;striveforconsistencyof
thoughtandaction.

 Carefulness
Avoidcarelesserrorsandnegligence;carefullyandcritically
examineyourownworkandtheworkofyourpeers.Keep
goodrecordsofresearchactivities,suchasdatacollection,
researchdesign,andcorrespondencewithagenciesor
journals.
Openness
Sharedata,results,ideas,tools,resources.Beopento
criticismandnewideas.

 Respect for Intellectual Property

Honor patents, copyrights, and other
forms of intellectual property. Do not use
unpublished data, methods, or results
without permission. Give credit where
credit
is
due.
Give
proper
acknowledgement or credit for all
contributionstoresearch.Neverplagiarize

 Confidentiality
Protectconfidentialcommunications,such
aspapersorgrantssubmittedfor
publication,personnelrecords,tradeor
militarysecrets,andpatientrecords.

 Responsible Publication
Publishinordertoadvanceresearchand
scholarship,nottoadvancejustyourown
career.Avoidwastefulandduplicative
publication.

 Responsible Mentoring
Helptoeducate,mentor,andadvisestudents.Promote
theirwelfareandallowthemtomaketheirown
decisions.
Respect for colleagues
Respectyourcolleaguesandtreatthemfairly.

 Social Responsibility
Strivetopromotesocialgoodandprevent
ormitigatesocialharmsthroughresearch,
publiceducationandadvocacy.

 Non-Discrimination
Avoiddiscriminationagainstcolleaguesor
studentsonthebasisofsex,race,
ethnicity,orotherfactorsthatarenot
relatedtotheirscientificcompetenceand
integrity.

 Competence
Maintainandimproveyourown
professionalcompetenceandexpertise
throughlifelongeducationandlearning;
takestepstopromotecompetencein
scienceasawhole.

 Legality
Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and
governmentalpolicies.

Animal Care
Show proper respect and care for animals when
usingtheminresearch.Donotconductunnecessary
orpoorlydesignedanimalexperiments.

Human Subjects Protection

When conducting research on human
subjects, minimize harms and risks and
maximizebenefits;respecthumandignity,
privacy, and autonomy; take special
precautions with vulnerable populations;
and strive to distribute the benefits and
burdensofresearchfairly.

Q1Whatisthepurposeofdoing
research?
a.Toidentifyproblem
b.Tofindthesolution
c.Bothaandb
d.Noneofthese

 Q2Whichmethodcanbeapplicablefor
collectingqualitativedata?
a.Artifacts(Visual)
b.People
c.Mediaproducts(Textual,Visualand
sensory)
d.Allofthese

Q3Whenplanningtodosocialresearch,itis
betterto:
a) Approachthetopicwithanopenmind
b) Doapilotstudybeforegettingstuckintoit
c) Befamiliarwiththeliteratureonthetopic
d) Forgetabouttheorybecausethisisavery
practicalundertaking

Q4Whichcomesfirst,theoryorresearch?
a) Theory,becauseotherwiseyouare
workinginthedark
b) Research,becausethat'stheonlyway
youcandevelopatheory
c) Itdependsonyourpointofview
d) Thequestionismeaningless,because
youcan'thaveonewithouttheother

Q5Wereviewtherelevantliteraturetoknow:
a) Whatisalreadyknownaboutthetopic
b) Whatconceptsandtheorieshavebeenapplied
tothetopic
c) Whoarethekeycontributorstothetopic
d) Alloftheabove

Q6Whichofthefollowingis notatypeof
researchquestion?
a) Predictinganoutcome
b) Evaluatingaphenomenon
c) Developinggoodpractice
d) Ahypothesis

Q7Whatdoes'samplingcases'mean?
a) Samplingusingasamplingframe
b) Identifyingpeoplewhoaresuitablefor
research
c) Literally,theresearcher'sbrief-case
d) Samplingpeople,newspapers,television
programmesetc.

Q8Whichofthefollowingisnotadata-collection
method?
a) Researchquestions
b) Unstructuredinterviewing
c) Postalsurveyquestionnaires
d) Participantobservation

Q9Whyisdataanalysisconcernedwithdata
reduction?
a) Becausefartoomuchdataiscollectedthanis
required
b) Becauseweneedtomakesenseofthedata
c) Becauseoftherepetitionsinanswersto
questionnaires
d) Becausethesamplesizehasbeenexceeded

Q10Thecoreingredientsofadissertationare:
a) Introduction;Datacollection;Dataanalysis;
Conclusionsandrecommendations.
b) Executivesummary;Literaturereview;Data
gathered;Conclusions;Bibliography.
c) Researchplan;Researchdata;Analysis;
References.
d) Introduction;Literaturereview;Research
methods;Results;Discussion;Conclusion

KEY
1-c
2-d
3-c
4-c
5-d
6-d
7-d
8-a
9-b
10-d

ThankYou
Pleaseforwardyourquery

To:psinghal@amity.edu
CC: manoj.amity@panafnet.com