Research Methodology
Ques 1 Research is a sequential method of enquiry, directed towards a clear implicit or explicit objective. Describe in detail the steps to be carried out in a typical research study.
Ans. Different scholars have interpreted the term ‘research’ in many ways. For instance, Fred Kerlinger (1986) stated that ‘Scientific research is a systematic, controlled and critical investigation of propositions about various phenomena.’ Grinnell (1993) has simplified the debate and stated ‘The word research is composed of two syllables, ‘re’ and ‘search’. The dictionary defines the former as a prefix meaning ‘again’, ‘anew’ or ‘over again’. Search is defined as a verb meaning ‘to examine closely and carefully’, ‘to test and try’, or ‘to probe’. Together, they form a noun describing a careful, systematic, patient study and investigation in some field of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles.’ Thus, drawing from the common threads of the above definitions, we derive that management research is an unbiased, structured, and sequential method of enquiry, directed towards a clear implicit or explicit business objective.
Steps in Research Study
The management dilemma
Any research starts with the need and desire to know more. This is essentially the management dilemma. It could be the researcher himself or herself or it could be a business manager who gets the study by done by a researcher. The need might be purely academic (basic or fundamental research) or there might be an immediate business decision that requires an effective and workable solution (applied research).
Defining the research problem
This is the first and the most critical step of the research journey. For example, a soft drink manufacturer who is making and selling aerated drinks now wants to expand his business. He wants to know whether moving into bottled water would be a better idea or he should look at fruit juice based drinks. Thus, a comprehensive and detailed