RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

MEANING OF RESEARCH

Research means search for knowledge in a scientific and systematic manner. It means
movement from known to unknown. It is investigation of significant information on a
specific subject. It is actually a voyage of discovery. Research is thus an original
contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its advancements. It is the
pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison, and experiment. In short
the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solution to a
problem is Research.

DEFINITIONS OF RESEARCH

“RESEARCH comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis or

suggested solutions; collecting organizing and evaluating data; making deductions and
reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they
fit the formulating hypothesis”.

In another words we can define,

“A systematic effort to gain new knowledge”

RESEARCH PROCESS

Research process consist of following stages

Research
design Data collection
And sampling

Data analysis
List review and
and
hypothesis
interpretation

Research
Problem
report
discovery
TYPES OF RESEARCH Preparation

 Descriptive research studies.

 Exploratory or Formulative research studies.
 Diagnostic research studies.
 Hypothesis testing research studies.
 Action research studies.
 Comparative research studies.
 Pure research studies.
 Applied research study.
 Operation or Quantitative research study.

RESEARCH METHOD USED

Descriptive research
Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquires of different kinds. The
major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at
present. The main characteristics of this method that the researcher has no control over the
variables, he can only report what has happened or what is happening.

RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
The research instrument used was the “Structured Questionnaire”.

The questionnaire basically consisted of a set of question that was presented to the
respondents for their answers. This was far the best method used for the collection of
Primary Data. In the preparation of the questionnaire, care was taken to see that the
wording of the question were as simple as possible and would not cause any strain to the
respondents in understanding or interpreting of the questions. Also the flow of the
questions has been kept in a logical order as much as possible.

RESEARCH DESIGNS

“A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data in a
manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in
procedure”.
SAMPLE

A sample is a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain
information about the whole (Webster, 1985). When dealing with people, it can be defined
as a set of respondents (people) selected from a larger population for the purpose of a
survey.

SAMPLING

Sampling is a process in small number of items is picked from a large number of items. The
sample will tend to posses almost the same characteristics as that of larger.

TYPES OF SAMPLING
There are three primary kinds of samples: the convenience, the judgement sample, and the
random sample. They differ in the manner in which the elementary units are chosen.

The convenient sample

A convenience sample results when the more convenient elementary units are chosen from a
population for observation.

The judgment sample

A judgment sample is obtained according to the discretion of someone who is familiar with
the relevant characteristics of the population.

The random sample

This may be the most important type of sample. A random sample allows a known
probability that each elementary unit will be chosen. For this reason, it is sometimes
referred to as a probability sample. This is the type of sampling that is used in lotteries and
raffles. For example, if you want to select 10 players randomly from a population of 100,
you can write their names, fold them up, mix them thoroughly then pick ten. In this case,
every name had any equal chance of being picked. Random numbers can also be used (see
Lapin page 81).

TYPES OF RANDOM SAMPLES

  simple random sample

 systematic random sample

 stratified sample

 cluster sample

A simple random sample

A simple random sample is obtained by choosing elementary units in search a way that each
unit in the population has an equal chance of being selected. A simple random sample is
free from sampling bias.

SAMPLING USED

NON- PROBABILITY SAMPLING,

Non- probability sampling, which involves purposive or deliberate selection of particular
units of the constituting a sample, which represent the universe.

SAMPLING SIZE
sample size was 100 respondents from Pune region.

DATA COLLECTION

PRIMARY DATA
Primary data are those data, which are collected afresh and for the first time, and thus
happen to be original in character. The primary data is collected during the course of
experiment in an experimental research. We can obtain the primary data either through
observation or through direct communication with respondents in one form or another or
through personal interview. The different methods of collecting data in the primary method
are:
 Observation method
 Personal interview
 Telephonic interview
 Questionnaires and Schedule

SECONDARY DATA
The secondary data on the other hand, are those which have already been collected by
someone else and which have already been passed through the statistical process. The
researcher must be very careful while using the secondary data; he must make a minute
scrutiny to segregate the suitable and the unsuitable data in context of the problem, which
the researcher wants to study. The secondary data may be published or unpublished.
The different methods for collecting the secondary data are:

 Case study
 Newspapers and Magazines
 Technical and trade journal

DATA COLLECTION METHODS USED

PRIMARY DATA:

The information has been collected by personal interview method by filling questionnaire.

SECONDARY DATA:

As a secondary data I used some information given by my sales manager and I used some
data from internet. I took the help of some marketing books also.

DATA COLLECTION: Primary Data, Secondary Data

PRIMARY DATA; Market Survey
SECONDRY DATA: Company records, News, Media, Websites
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT: Questionnaires
CONTACT METHOD: By making personal contacts within the
framed Questionnaires.
SAMPLE SIZE: 100