Meaning of Research

Research is composed of two syllables a prefix Re and a

verb Search.

Re means again, a new, over again.

Search means to examine closely and carefully, to test and try, to

probe.
In another words Research is a purposeful, precise and systematic
search for new knowledge, skills, attitudes and values, or for the
reinterpretation of existing knowledge, skills, attitude and values.

Countinue

It is organized systematic data based scientific

inquiry, or investigation into a specific problem
undertaken with the purpose of finding answers
or solutions to it

Objectives of Research
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH ARE DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT
INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS

To seek insight into a observed phenomena and explain its

logic and reasoning of happening e.g Declining Profitability

To help the mankind in solving the problems faced from

time to time for making life more comfortable and
entertaining e.g Telecommunication and e ticketing

To explore the possibility and methodologies of

doing things which have not been done so far but
are useful for the mankind

To continuously improve the effectiveness of

present systems and procedure in any field eg
compensation, recruitment and retention policies

Count:

Test or challenge existing beliefs, notions etc which have not

been empirically proved so far with flux of time and need to be
tested again for relevance in the changed context eg
relationship between intelligence and creativity

Explore in to new areas that might have been become relevant.

Analyze the past data of discovering trends ,patterns and

relationship

Types of Research
From the view
point of

Applications

Objectives

Inquiry mode

Applications
Pure

Research
Applied Research

Pure Research
Pure

research involves developing

and testing theories and hypotheses
that are intellectually challenging to
the researcher but may or may not
have practical applications at thee
present time or in the future. Thus
such work often involves the testing
of hypotheses containing very
abstract and specialized concepts.

Examples
Examples

of pure include:

Developing a sampling technique that

can be applied to a particular situation;
Developing a methodology to assess the
validity of a procedure;
Developing an instrument, say, to
measure the stress level in people;
Finding the best way of measuring the
peoples attitudes.

Applied Research

The research techniques, procedures and

methods that form the body of research
methodology are applied to the collection of
information about various aspects of a
situation, issue, problem or phenomenon so
that information gathered can be used in
other ways- such as for policy formulation,
administration and the enhancement of
understanding of a phenomenon.

Objectives
Descriptive

Research
Correlational Research
Explanatory Research
Exploratory Research

Descriptive Research

Descriptive research attempts to describe systematically

a situation, problem, phenomenon, service or program,
or provides information about, say, the living conditions
of the community or describe the attitudes towards an
issue.

Descriptive Research is said to answer the questions

WHO (OR WHICH),WHAT,WHERE,WHEN and HOW

BUT IT DOES NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION WHY

Examples

It may attempt to describe:

The types of services provided by an organization
The administrative structure of an organization
Attitude of employees towards management

Correlational Research
Correlational

Research study is
to discover or establish the
existence of relationship /
association / interdependence
between two or more aspects of
a situation.

Examples
What is the impact of an advertising
campaign on the sale of a product?
What is the relationship between stressful
living and the incidence of heart attack?
What is the relationship between fertality
and mortality?
What is the relationship between
technology and unemployment?

Explanatory Research
Explanatory

Research
attempts to clarify why and
how there is a relationship
between two aspects of a
situation or phenomenon.

Examples
Why

stressful living results in

heart attacks?
How the home environment
affect children level of
academic achievement?

Exploratory Research
Exploratory

Research is when a study

is undertaken with the objective
either to explore an area where little
is known or to investigate the
possibilities of undertaking a
particular research study. Exploratory
studies are also conducted to
develop, refine and/or test
measurement tools and procedures.

 When

a study is carried out to

determine its feasibility, it is also
called a feasibility study or pilot
study. It is usually carried out when a
researcher wants to explore areas
about which he has little or no
knowledge.

Inquiry mode
Quantitative

Research
Qualitative Research

Inquiry mode
There

are two approaches to

inquiry:
Structured approach
Unstructured approach

 Structured

approach to inquiry is
usually classified as quantitative
research and unstructured as
qualitative research.

Quantitative Research
The study is classified as a quantitative
study if you want to quantify the variation in
a phenomenon, situation, problem or issue;
if information is gathered using
predominantly quantitative variables; and if
the analysis is geared to ascertain the
magnitude of the variation. Examples of
quantitative aspects of a research study
are:
How many people have a particular
problem?
How many people hold a particular attitude?

Qualitative Resarch
The study is classified as qualitative if the
purpose of the study is primarily to describe
a situation, phenomenon, problem or event;
The information is gathered through the
variables measured on nominal or ordinal
scales (qualitative measurement scales);
and if analysis is done to establish the
variation in the situation, phenomenon or
problem without quantifying it.

Examples
Description

of an observed situation,
the historical enumeration of events,
an account of different opinions
people have about an issue, and a
description of the living conditions of
a community are examples of
qualitative research.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative

Research
Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Objective

To gain a qualitative
understanding of the
underlying reasons and
motivations

To quantify the data and

generalize the results from
the sample to the population
of interest

Sample

Small number of nonrepresentative cases

Large number of
representative cases

Data Collection

Unstructured

Structured

Data Analysis

Non-statistical

Statistical

Outcome

Develop an initial
understanding

Recommend a final course of

action

Empirical Research

Empirical Research relies on experience or observation

alone often without due regard for system and theory. It
is observed data based research. It is necessary to get
facts at firsthand, at their source. Empirical research is
appropriate when proof is sought that certain variable
can affect other variables in some way .

Historical Research

The Process of systematically examining past

events to give an account, may involve
interpretations to recapture the nuances,
personalities and ideas that influenced these
events; to communicate an understanding past
events.

Business Research

Research relating to problems or issues relating to business

entities or business environment or a group of business
entities.

It is the process of Planning, analyzing and disseminating

relevant data

Objective of Business research is to get most useful information

for decision Making in the most cost effective but in realistic
manner

Causal Research

Concerned with finding the root cause of a symptom

e.g. If the sale of a product is declining, or if customers
prefer a product over other similar product(s),one may like
to know the reason or causes for the same
This type of study encompasses situations where we study
the impact or influence of one factor (Cause)on some other
factor (Effect). The influencing factor can be one or more
than one

Causal Research
Examples
Factors influencing buying behavior of
customers
Factors influencing the motivation of an
employee

Normative Research

Usually conducted while developing a new

product, service or system to assure whether
desired objective/standard has been achieved.

e.g. Waiting time for customers at counters to be

reduced to the desired level

Conceptual Research
Conceptual

research is that related

to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It
is generally used by philosophers
and thinkers to develop new
concepts or interpret existing ones.