1. MGT-491 QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FOR MANAGEMENT
Session 3
MGT-491 QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH FOR MANAGEMENT
OSMAN BIN SAIF

2. Summary of yesterday’s Lecture
Place of literature review in research
Procedure for reviewing literature
Search for existing literature
Review the literature selected
Develop a theoretical framework
Develop a conceptual framework
Writing up the literature reviewed

3. Summary of yesterday’s Lecture (Contd.)
The Research Process;- An Eight step MODEL
Formulating a Research problem
Conceptualizing a research design
Constructing an instrument for data collection
Selecting a sample
Writing a research proposal
Collecting data
Processing data
Writing a research report

4. Defining a Research Question
If you have a specific idea for the basis of your inquiry, your research question is already defined.
But not every idea is researchable as not all problems lend themselves to research methodologies.

5. Defining a Research Question (Contd.)
Broadly speaking, any question that you want answered and any assumption or assertion that you want to challenge or investigate can become a research problem or a research topic for your study.

6. Defining a Research Question (Contd.)
However it is important to remember that not all questions can be transformed into research problems and some may prove to be extremely difficult to study.

7. Defining a Research Question (Contd.)
As a newcomer it might seem easy to formulate a problem but it requires a considerable knowledge of both the subject area and research methodology.

8. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem
The formation of a research problem is the first and most important step of the research process.
It is like the identification of a destination before undertaking a journey.

9. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem (Contd.)
As in the absence of a destination, it is impossible to identify the shortest – or indeed any – route, in the absence of a clear research problem, a clear economical plan is impossible.

10. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem (Contd.)
A research problem is like the foundation of a building.
The type and design of the building is dependent upon the foundation.
If the foundation is well designed and strong you can expect the building to be also.

11. Importance of Formulating a Research Problem (Contd.)
The way you formulate a problem determines almost every step that follows;
The type of study design
Sampling strategy that can be employed
Research instrument that can be developed
The type of analysis that can be undertaken.

12. Sources of Research Problem
Most research in humanities revolves around FOUR ‘P’.;
People
Problems
Programs
Phenomenon

13. Sources of Research Problem (Contd.)
Most research in humanities revolves around FOUR ‘P’s’.;
People
Lives
attitudes
Problems
issues
Programs
Interventions
Phenomenon
Existence of Regularity

14. Sources of Research Problem (Contd.)
Aspects of a Study
About
Study of
Study Population
People
Individuals, Organizations, Groups, Communities
Subject Area
Problem
Issues, Situations, associations
Program
Contents, structure, outcomes
Phenomenon
Cause and effect relationships, study of phenomenon itself

15. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem
These help to ensure that your study will be manageable and that you will remain motivated.
Interest;
A research endeavor is usually time consuming, and involves hard work and possibly unforeseen problems.
If you select a topic which does not greatly interest you, it could become extremely difficult to sustain the required motivation and hence its completion as well as the amount of time taken could be affected.

16. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.)
Magnitude;
It is extremely important to select a topic that you can manage within the time and resources at you disposal.
Even if you are undertaking a descriptive study, you need to carefully consider its magnitude.

17. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.)
Measurement of Concepts;
If you are using a concept in your study, make sure you are clear about its indicators and their measurement.

18. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.)
Level of Expertise;
Make sure you have an adequate level of expertise for the task you are proposing.
Also allow for the fact of learning during the study and help from supervisor.
But you need to do most of the work yourself.

19. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.)
Relevance;
Ensure that you study is relevant and adds to the existing body of knowledge, bridges current gaps or is useful for policy formulation.

20. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.)
Availability of data;
If your topic entails collection of information from secondary sources, before finalizing your topic, make sure that these data are available and in the format that you want.

21. Considerations in selecting a Research Problem (Contd.)
Ethical issues;
How ethical issues can effect the study population and how ethical problems can be overcome should be thoroughly examined at the problem- formulation stage.
Example;
Adverse effects of direct or indirect information
Expectation to share sensitive or private information.

22. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem
7 – STEP PROCESS;
Identify a broad field or subject area of interest to you
Dissect the broad area into subareas
Select what is of most interest to you
Raise research questions
Formulate Objectives
Assess your objectives
Double Check

23. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.)
Identify a broad field or subject area of interest to you
It is a good idea to think about the field in which you would like to work after graduation.
This will help you find an interesting topic and one which may be of use to you in the future.
It is imperative that you identify one of interest to you before undertaking your research journey.

24. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.)
Dissect the broad area into subareas
You will realize that all the broad areas have many aspects.
In preparing this list of subareas you should also consult others who have knowledge of the area and the literature in your subject area.
Once you have developed an exhaustive list of the subareas from various sources, you proceed to the next stage where you select what will become the basis of your inquiry.

25. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.)
Select what is of most interest to you;
It is neither advisable nor feasible to study all subareas.
Out of this list, select issues or subareas about which you are passionate.
One way to decide what interest you most is to start with the process of elimination.

26. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.)
Raise research questions
What is it that I want to find out about in this subarea?
List down questions and then choose the best one.

27. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.)
Formulate Objectives
Formulate your main objectives and sub objectives from your question.
The main difference between objectives and research questions is the way in which they are written.
To find out
To determine
To ascertain

28. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.)
Assess your objectives
Now examine your objectives to ascertain the feasibility of achieving them through your research endeavor.

29. Steps in Formulation of Research Problem (Contd.)
Double Check
Go back and give final consideration to whether or not you are sufficiently interested in the study and have adequate resources to undertake it.

30. The Formulation of Objectives
Main Objectives;
The main objective is an overall statement of the thrust of your study.
It is also a statement of the main associations and relationships that you seek to discover or establish.

31. The Formulation of Objectives (Contd.)
Sub Objectives;
They are the specific aspects of the topic that you want to investigate within the main framework of your study.
They should be worded clearly and unambiguously using action oriented words.

32. Establishing Operational Definitions
Study
Concepts to be studied
Population to be studied
Concepts
Issues
Study Populations 1
Poverty Line
What constitutes it?
Children
Who would you consider a child? 2
Family Roles
Immigrants
Who would you consider a immigrant? 3
Effectiveness
The young
Who would you consider a young person?

33. Establishing Operational Definitions (Contd.)
They give an operational meaning to the study population and the concepts used. It is only through making your procedures explicit that you can validly describe, explain, verify and test.
It is important to remember that there are no rules for deciding if an operational defination is valid.

34. Establishing Operational Definitions (Contd.)
Your arguments must convince others about the appropriateness of your definitions.

35. Framing of HYPOTHESIS
Hypotheses primarily arise from a set of ‘hunches’ that are tested through a study.
The importance of hypothesis lies in their ability to bring;
Direction,
Specificity,
Focus.

36. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
They tell a researcher what specific information to collect, and thereby provide greater focus.
Hypothesis are based upon similar logic.
Your hunch may prove to be;
Right
Partially right
Wrong

37. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
Without the process of verification, you cannot conclude anything about the validity of your hypothesis.
Hence Hypothesis is;
An assumption
Hunch
Suspicion
Assertion

38. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
Hypothesis is;
An idea about a phenomenon
Relationship
Situation
Reality or truth
Of which you don’t know.

39. Framing of HYPOTHESIS (Contd.)
According to Kerlinger;
“ A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the relationship between two or more variables”.

40. Characteristics of Hypothesis
Main characteristics of Hypothesis are ;
It is a tentative proposition
Its validity is unknown
In most cases it specifies a relationship between two or more variables.

41. Cycle of a Hypothesis Phase I Phase II Phase III
Formulate your hunch or assumption
Phase I
Collect the required data
Phase II
Analyze data to draw conclusions about the hunch– true or false
Phase III

42. Functions of a Hypothesis
Specifically it serves the following Functions;
Provides a study with focus
Tells what data to collect and what not to collect
It enhances objectivity in the study
Enables you to formulate theory.

43. Characteristics of Hypothesis
Main Characteristics:
Simple, Specific, Conceptually clear
Capable of verification
Related to the existing body of knowledge
Opertionalisable

44. Summary of today’s Lecture
Defining a research question
Formulating a research problem
Importance
Sources
Considerations while selection
Steps involved
Formulating an objective

45. Summary of today’s Lecture (Contd.)
Establishing operational definitions
Framing Hypothesis
Functions of Hypothesis
Characteristics of Hypothesis

46. Thanks