Minor Academic Orientation

Research Methods
Chapter 1 - Introduction to
research
Dr. Vera Hartog
v.hartog@fontys.nl
Eindhoven, September 2013

Course Format
Literature: Bryman, A. and Bell, E. (2011)
Business Research Methods (3rd ed.). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Lectures/workshops/assignments
Written examination (closed book),
minimum passing grade 5.5/10

Expectations

Attendance
Chapter preparation enabling knowledgable
active participation based on
critical thinking leading to
reasoned responses thus
building your research skills

Research

Is more than a set of skills

It is a way of thinking, a habit of questioning
Pushes borders of knowledge
Finds solutions to a problem, generating viable
alternatives for effective decision making
Research is undertaken in most professions
Research is not for Sissies
Research depends on critical thinking skills,
commitment and perseverance rather than GPA

Research definitions
A systematic and methodological process of
inquiry and investigation that increases
knowledge and/or solves a particular problem
(Sekaran, 1992)
A scientific method resulting in the description,
explanation or prediction of phenomena based
on data carefully collected for the purpose

Scientific research method

Scientific research is :

designed to be ethical, unbiased, and

objective

undertaken within a framework of paradigms,

approaches and philosphies

based on a scientific process it uses

procedures, methods and techniques that
have been tested for their validity and
reliability
6

Research design
Ethical research
Treat participants with respect and
dignity
Informed consent
Minimize pyschological and/or physical
risks
Maintain confidentiality
Relevance
Providing incentives prior to research is
unethical
7

Research design
Ethical researcher
Does not commit fraud
Safeguards against unintentional fraud
Avoiding bias
Using inappropriate research
methodology
Incorrect reporting
Inappropriate use of information
Incorrect referencing, plagiarism
8

Radioactive oatmeal
More than 100 boys living
in an orphanage were fed
Quaker Oats with
radioactive iron and
calcium in the 1950's.
The diet was part of an
experiment to prove that
the nutrients in Quaker
oatmeal travel throughout
the body.
A class action settlement
for $1.85 million was
reached in 1998

Ethics ppt
9
babylon.com

Outsourcing clinical trials

The price of bringing a
new drug to market is
about $1 million per
day
Much of that cost is
devoted to human
clinical trials
Western drug makers
are outsourcing safety
and efficacy studies to
developing countries,
a large proportion of
them to India and
Russia.
There are currently
some 400 clinical
trials underway in

Ethics ppt babylon.com

Film: The Constant
Gardener
10

Cloning Fraud
2005: South Korean
researcher, Woo Suk
Hwang, fabricated evidence
that he had successfully
cloned human embryos.
The journal Science,
retracted two studies he
had published.

Ethics ppt
babylon.com
11

Research design
Bias
Unbiased: a neutral point of view, fairly
representing all significant views that
have been published by reliable
sources.
Avoid stating opinions as facts
Avoid presenting uncontested assertions as
mere opinion
Indicate the relative prominence of opposing
views
Use a nonjudgmental tone and nonjudgmental
12
language

Research design
Objectivity
Results are not assumed based on partial
knowledge of the subject matter
Objective research is based on scientific fact
and proof, rather than a persons perception
of the results, personal feelings, or personal
prejudices
Results are based on verifiable data

13

BIAS

14

Scientific research method

Scientific research is
designed to be ethical, unbiased, and objective
undertaken within a framework of
paradigms/approaches/philosphies
based on a scientific process it uses
procedures, methods and techniques that have
been tested for their validity and reliability
15

Paradigm
a world view
a conceptual framework for seeing and making
sense of a social environment
stands for the entire constellation of beliefs,
values and techniques, and so on shared by the
members of a community (Kuhn, 1970)
research paradigms influence the research
process

16

Research framework
a set of paradigms
Basic/Fundamental/Pure
Research
Applied Research
Quantitat
ive
Qualitative
Exploratory
Descriptive
Predictive
Explanatory/Corelatio
nal

Positivist
Interpretive
Objective
Subjective
Deductiv
e
Inductive

17

Research paradigm

Burney,
2008

Deduction proceeds from the general to the

specific (top down) while inductive research
proceeds from the specific to the general
18
(bottom up)

Research paradigm
Quantitative approach
The quantitative approach is seen as
objective
Relating to phenomenon or conditions
independent of individual thought and
preceptible to all observers
It relies heavily on statistics and figures
19

Research wheel
quantitative approach

20

Research paradigm
Qualitative approach
The qualitative approach is seen as subjective,
relating to experience and knowledge
It requires the examination of perceptions in order
to gain an understanding of social and human
activities. It is conditioned by personal mental
characteristics or states
It prefers letters (language) to numbers
"any kind of research that produces findings not
arrived at by means of statistical procedures or
other means of quantification" (Strauss & Corbin,
21
1990).

Research wheel
qualitative approach

22

Quantitative v. Qualitative
Research
Point of
Comparisons

Quantitative
Research

Qualitative Research

1) Focus of research Quantity (how

Quality (nature,
much, how many) essence)
numbers
meanings
2) Philosophical
roots

Positivism, logical
empiricism

Phenomenology,
symbolic interaction

3) Associated
phrases

Experimental,
Fieldwork,
empirical, statistical ethnographic,
naturalistic,
grounded

4) Goal of
investigation

Prediction, control, Understanding,

description,
description,
confirmation,
discovery,
hypothesis
testing
hypothesis
Merriam, S.B. (1988). Case study
generating
research in education:

5) Design
characteristics

A qualitative approach. San Francisco:

Predetermined,
Flexible, evolving,
Jossey-Bass, p. 18.
structured
emergent

Quantitative v. Qualitative
Research
Point of
Comparisons

Quantitative
Research

Qualitative
Research

6) Setting

Unfamiliar, artificial

Natural, familiar

7) Sample &
sampling

Large, random,
representative

Small, purposeful,
theoretical

8) Data collection

Inanimate
instruments (scales,
tests, surveys,
questionnaires,
computers)

Researcher as
primary instrument
(interviews,
observations)

9) Mode of analysis

Deductive (by
Inductive (by
statistical methods) researcher)

10) Findings

Precise, narrow,
reductionist

Comprehensive,
holistic, expansive

Merriam, S.B. (1988). Case study research

in education:
A qualitative approach. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, p. 18.

Why managers should know

about research
Being knowledgeable about research and research
methods
helps professional managers to:
Identify and effectively solve minor problems in
the work setting
Know how to discriminate good from bad research
Appreciate the multiple influences and effects of
factors impinging on a situation
Take calculated risks in decision making
Prevent possible vested interests from exercising
their influence in a situation
Relate to hired researchers and consultants more
effectively.
Combine experience with scientific
knowledge
2009 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran 25
while making decisions

In-company researchers
Advantages:
Better acceptance from staff
Knowledge about organization
Would be an integral part of
implementation and evaluation of the
research recommendations.
Disadvantages
Less fresh ideas
Power politics could prevail
Possibly not valued as expert
byLtd.staff
2009 John Wiley & Sons

www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran 26

External researchers
Advantages
Divergent and convergent thinking
Experience from several situations in
different organizations
Better technical training, usually
Disadvantages
Takes time to know and understand the
organization
Rapport and cooperation from staff not
easy
Not available for evaluation
and
2009 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
www.wileyeurope.com/college/sekaran 27
implementation

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Your research project

the problem
Focus on international business and
management program emphasis:
Marketing/e-marketing/new business
Business process reengineering/change
Personal leadership
Orientation:
Internal to organization
External to organization

Problems in applied research

Any situation where a gap exists between the actual
and the desired state
Problem analyzing: knowledge & understanding
of
organizational culture; new market opportunity.
Diagnostic: how to deal with
departmental conflict; negative corporate
image.
Design-oriented: developing
new performance assessment scheme; new
product.
Intervention-oriented: damage control of
labor union relations, legal repercussion.
30
Evaluation: assessing the effectiveness
of

Your research design

strategy, process & activities

http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/researchcource/
31

Research skills
Competences
Problem definition:

Literature search and literature review

Formulate research questions & develop conceptual
framework
Design & plan research project
Write research proposal

Data collection:

Source secondary data

Make observations
Ask questions

Analysis:

Validate & analyze data

Interpret results
Present results

Drawing conclusion:
Make recommendation / give advice
Dr. 32
Noi Kwanjai (2013)

Feedback in research
peer review
Do not confuse feedback with
criticism:

Criticism: focus on disapproval of perceived

faults or mistakes negative and emphasizing
judgment.
Feedback: focused on what can be improved or
changed constructive and emphasizing
change.

Feedback content can be either

positive or negative, but its delivery
should always be constructive and
helpful to the receiver.
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For lesson 2
Prepare by studying Part 1 of text book (Bryman
& Bell, 2011)
Acquaint yourself with the online resource of the
text book via the link http
://global.oup.com/uk/orc/busecon/business/brymanbrm3e/

Find three research articles for the research

problem How effective is Gamification for
introducing new products?
Answer the following Five Critical Synopsis
Questions for each article (for class discussion)

1. Why am I reading this?

2. What are the authors trying to do in writing this?
3. What are the authors saying that is relevant to what I
want to find out?
4. How convincing is what the authors are saying?
5. In conclusion, what use can I make of this?

. Learn how to use the referencing feature in

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Thank you for your attention