THE RESEARCH PROCESS:Broad Problem Area, Theoretical Framework

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Research Methods STA630

Lesson 12

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Research task is usually treated as a sequential process involving several clearly defined steps. No one

claims that research requires completion of each step before going to the next. Recycling,

circumventing, and skipping occur. Some steps are begun out of sequence, some are carried out

simultaneously, and some may be omitted. Despite these variations, the idea of sequence is useful for

developing a project and for keeping thee project orderly as it unfolds.

Various approaches suggest somewhat different steps ranging from five steps to eleven steps. The

variation may be due to purposes, and methods used by the researches, though some researchers may

combine some of the steps. Also some writers may portray the same steps in a linear way; others may

put them in a cyclical form. These steps can be:

1. Broad Problem Area

The process begins with a researcher selecting a topic a general area of study or issue such as divorce,

crime, aging, marketing, or powerful elites. A topic appears to be too broad for conducting research.

The specific issues that need to be researched within the situation may not be identified at this stage.

Such issues might pertain to (1) problem currently existing in an organizational setting that need to be

solved (sexual harassment), (2) areas that a manager believes need to be improved in the organization

(improving the existing policies), (3) a conceptual or theoretical issue that needs to tightened up for

basic researcher or to understand certain phenomenon (conceptual definition of harassment), and (4)

some research questions that a basic researcher wants to answer empirically (impact of harassment on

the performance of the workers).

2. Preliminary Data Collection

This step may be considered as part of the exploratory research. An exploration typically begins with a

search for published data and studies. Such sources can provide secondary data which becomes part of

the background information (about the organization, groups of people, context of the issue). Some

secondary sources of data are statistical bulletins, government publications, information published or

unpublished, case studies, online data, web sites, and the Internet. In addition, the researchers often

seek out people who are well informed on the topic, especially those who have clearly stated positions

on controversial aspects of the problem. Such persons can be the professional researchers, or the

informants to whom the issues relate. In certain situations it may be appropriate to have some focus

group discussions with the relevant people. Such discussions help in the identification of variables and

having clarification of the issue

3. Problem Definition

After having discussions with the professionals as well as with the persons to whom the issue relates,

and the review of literature, the researcher is in a position to narrow down from its original broad base

and define the issue clearly. Translate the broad issue into a research question. As part of the applied

research convert the management dilemma into a management question, and then on to research

question that fits the need to resolve the dilemma. The symptoms of a problem might help tracing the

real problem. For example a productivity decline of workers may be an issue. The management may

have tried to solve it by the provision of incentive but did not work. The researcher may have to dig

deep and find the possible factors like the morale and motivation of the workers having some other

antecedents. There could be similar other broad issues which have to be narrowed down to research

questions like:

1. To what extent has the new advertising campaign been successful in creating the high quality,

consumer-centered corporate image that it was intended to produce?

2. Has the new packaging affected the sale of the products?

Research Methods STA630

Will the day care centers affect the productivity of female workers?

Why the divorce rate is on the increase in Pakistan?

Why the family in Pakistan is changing?

What could be the impact of changing family patterns on the living of senior citizens?

4. Theoretical Framework

Consultations with the informants and professionals, and the review of literature should have helped in

the identification of different factors that are considered to be relevant to the topic. The researcher has

to make logical relationship among several factors identified earlier. This will help in the delineation of

the theoretical framework. The theoretical framework discusses the interrelationships among the

variables that are deemed to be integral to the dynamics of the situation being investigated. Developing

such a conceptual framework helps to postulate or hypothesize and test certain relationships.

We have already discussed the components of a theoretical framework.

5. Generation of Hypotheses

Once we have identified the important variables relevant to an issue and established the logical

reasoning in the theoretical framework, we are in a position to test whether the relationships that have

been theorized do in fact hold true. By testing these relationships scientifically, we are in a position to

obtain reliable information to determine the relationship among the variables. The results of these tests

offer us part of the answers to the formulated research questions, whether these relate basic research or

to applied research.

6. Research Design

Research design is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the

needed information. It is a framework or the blueprint that plans the action for research project. The

objectives of the study determined during the early stages of the research are included in thee design to

ensure that the information collected is appropriate for solving the problem. The researcher must

specify the sources of information, and the research method or technique (survey or experiment, for

example) to be followed in thee study.

Broadly there are six basic research methods for descriptive and causal research: surveys, experiments,

observation, communication analysis (content analysis), case study, focus group discussion. Use of

secondary data may be another method where the data may have been collected by using any of the six

basic methods listed earlier. The objectives of the research, the available data sources thee urgency of

the decision, and the cost of obtaining the data will determine the method to be is chosen.

Surveys: The most common method of generating primary data is through surveys. Survey is a

research technique in which information is gathered from a sample of people using a questionnaire. The

task of writing a list of questions and designing the exact format of the printed or written questionnaire

is an essential aspect of the development of survey research design.

Research investigators may choose to contact the respondents in person, by telephone, by mail, or on the

internet. Each of these techniques has advantages and disadvantages. The researcher's task is to choose

the most appropriate one for collecting the information needed.

Experiments: Experiments hold the greatest potential for establishing cause-and-effect relationships.

The use of experimentation allows investigation of changes in one variable, such as productivity, while

manipulating one or more variables, perhaps social rewards or monetary rewards, under controlled

conditions. Ideally, experimental control provides a basis for isolating causal factors, because outside

(or exogenous) influences do not come into play.

Research Methods STA630

An experiment controls conditions so that one or more variables can be manipulated in order to test a

hypothesis. In the laboratory experiments, compared with the field experiment, it is possible to create

controlled conditions for the manipulation of one or more variables and see its effect on the dependent

variable by holding the extraneous factors constant.

Observation techniques: Observation can be non participant or participant. In many situations the

objective of a research project is merely to record what can be observed for example the number of

automobiles that pass the proposed site for a gas station. This can be mechanically recorded or observed

by any person. This is an unobtrusive study without a respondent's direct participation. In participant

observation studies, the researcher takes part in the day to day activities, interviews them, and makes

observations. Such a study generates qualitative data and lasts for a long duration.

Communication analysis: It is also called content analysis which means gathering and analyzing thee

content of the text. The content refers to words, meanings, pictures, symbols, ideas, themes, or any

message that can be communicated. The text is anything written, visual, or spoken that serves as a

medium of communication. It includes books, newspapers, advertisements, speeches, official

documents, films or videotapes, photographs, articles of clothing, or works of art.

Case study: It is an in-depth analysis of a unit which could be an individual person, a couple, a group,

or an organization. It is more like a clinical analysis in retrospect; starting from the effect and tracing

the reasons back in time. The researcher takes the history of the situation and makes use of any other

relevant information about the case to identify the factors leading to the present situation.

Focus group discussions: It is a discussion of an issue by 6-12 persons with a moderator for 1-2 hours.

The issue can be a public concern, a product, a television program, a political candidate, or a policy.

Focus groups are useful in exploratory research or to generate new ideas for hypotheses, and the

interpenetration of results. It produces qualitative information which may compliment the quantitative

data.

Researchers try to evaluate different research designs and select the most appropriate one that helps in

getting the relevant information. There is no one best research design for all situations.

7. Data Collection, Data Processing, and Analysis

Data collection is integral part of the research design, though we are dealing it separately. Data

collection is determined by the research technique selected for the project. Data can be collected in a

variety of ways, in different settings field or lab and from different sources. It could include

interviews face to face interviews, telephone interviews, computer-assisted interviews, and interviews

through electronic media; questionnaires that either personally administered, sent through mail, or

electronically administered; observation of individuals and events which could be participant or non

participant.

Once the fieldwork has been completed, the data must be converted into a format that will answer the

research questions and or help testing the hypotheses. Data processing generally begins with the editing

and coding of thee data. Editing involves checking the data collection forms for omissions, legibility,

and consistency in classification. The editing process corrects problems such as interviewer errors prior

to the data are transferred to a computer. Coding may be the assigning of numbers or symbols before it

goes to the computer. The computer can help in making tables and the application of different statistics.

Analysis is the application of reasoning to understand and interpret the data that have been collected.

The appropriate analytical technique is to be determined by the research design, and the nature of the

data collected.

Research Methods STA630

8. Testing the Hypotheses; Answering the Research Questions

The analysis and interpretation of the data shall be the means to testing the formulated hypotheses as

well as finding answers to the research questions. In case of applied research, the research should be

helpful in finding solutions to the problems of the organization or society. Making recommendations

may also be part of this process.

9. Report Writing

The research report should communicate the research findings effectively. All too often the report is a

complicated statement of the study's technical aspects and sophisticated research methods. If the study

has been conducted for a business management, often the management is not interested in detailed

reporting of the research design and statistical findings but wants only the summary of the findings.

Research is only as good as the applications made of it. Nevertheless, the research report becomes a

historical document, a record that may be referred to in later studies. In case of research for academic

purposes the research findings become part of the body of knowledge, and the research may producing

research papers for publication in professional journals.

The report has to be presented in the format as it may have been part of thee terms of reference if it is a

sponsored study. In case of a dissertation the Universities have some standardized styles which have to

be followed. Similarly the research papers have to be prepared in accordance with the format specified

by the professional journals.

The graphic presentation of the research process may be like this:

The Research Process

OBSERVATION

Broad area of

research interest

identified

DATA

COLLECTION

THEORETICAL

ANALYSIS AND

FRAMEWORK

Generation of

SCIENTIFIC

INTERPRETATION

hypothesis

PROBLEM

RESEARCH

DEFINITION

DESIGN

Variables clearly

Research problem

identified and labeled

delineated

DEDUCTION

Hypotheses

substantiated?

Research question

PRELIMINARY

answers?

DATA GATHERING

Yes

Interviewing Literature

survey

Report Writing

Report

Managerial

presentation

Decision

Making

Research Methods STA630

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