Research

Research Tools
Tools &&
Techniques
Techniques
BBA
BBA
By
By

Dr.
Dr. Khuram
Khuram Shafi
Shafi
 Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the students
will be able to :

1.Know comprehensively about the subject of Research

Tools & Techniques.
2.Apply your knowledge to a research undertaking of their
own.
3.Write a research proposal and can apply to various
research programs offered within Pakistan and abroad.
4.Know how to work diligently in successful completion
of a reserch project.
5.Use your mind analytically and logically in any
business/research related situation.
WHAT IS
RESEARCH?

 Research, a somewhat scary term for

some, is simply the process of finding
solutions to a problem after a thorough
study and analysis of the situation
factors.

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BUSINESS
RESEARCH
Business research can be described
as a systematic and organized effort
to investigate a specific problem
encountered in the work setting,
which needs a solution.

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DEFINITION OF BUSINESS
RESEARCH

 We can define business research as an

organized, systematic, data-based,
critical, objective, scientific inquiry or
investigation into a specific problem,
undertaken with purpose of finding
answers or solutions to it.

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SOME COMMONLY RESEARCHED
AREAS IN BUSINESS

1.Employee behaviors such as

performance, absenteeism, and turnover
2.Employee attitudes such as job
satisfaction, loyalty, and organizational
commitment
3.Supervisory performance, managerial
leadership style, and performance
appraisal systems.

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TYPES OF BUSINESS RESEARCH:
APPLIED AND BASIC
1. Applied research
Research done with the intention of
applying the results of the findings to
solve specific problems currently being
experienced in an organization
1. Basic research “ fundamental – pure”
Research done chiefly to make a
contribution to existing knowledge

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THE HALLMARKS OF SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH 1-3
1. Purposiveness
Started the research with a definite aim or purpose
2. Rigor
Rigor connotes carefulness, scrupulousness, and the
degree of exactitude in research investigations
3. Testability
The manager or researcher develops certain
hypotheses on how employee commitment can be
enhanced, then these can be tested by applying
certain statistical tests to the data collected for the
purpose.

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THE HALLMARKS OF SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH 2-3
4. Replicability
The results of the tests of hypotheses should be
supported again and yet again when the same type of
research is repeated in other similar circumstances.
5. Precision and confidence
Design the research in a manner the ensures that our
findings are as close to reality
Precision: reflects the degree of accuracy or exactitude
of the results on the basis of the sample, to what really
exists in the universe.
Confidence: refer to the probability that our estimations
are correct, it is important that we can confidently
claim that 95% of the time our results will be true and
there is only a 5 % chance of our being wrong. 9
THE HALLMARKS OF SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH 3-3
6. Objectivity
The conclusion drawn through the interpretation of the
results of data analysis should be based on facts of
the findings derived from actual data, and not on our
own subjective or emotional values.
7. Generalizability
Refers to the scope of applicability of the research
findings in one organizational setting to other
settings
8. Parsimony
Simplicity in explaining the phenomena or problems that
occur, and in generating solutions for the problem,
And it can be introduced with a good understanding of
the problem and the important factors that influence 1
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 Research Process Step1-2:
The broad problem area and defining
the problem statement

The definition of problem is any situation

where a gap exists between the actual and
the desired ideal states.

Example: training program is not as

effective as anticipated

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1. BROAD PROBLEM
AREA :
After identification of the broad problem
area through the process of observation
and focusing on the situation we need to
be narrowed down to a specific problem
statement after some preliminary
information (interviews and literature
research) is gathered by the researcher.

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2. PRELIMINARY
INFORMATION GATHERING :
a) Data sources :
1.Primary data sources ( it is that
information’s that the researcher obtain it by
himself by , talking , observing, and
administrating questionnaires )
2.Secondary data sources ( it is that
information’s that already existed and the
researcher has no role in obtaining it but he
read it and take what he need from it )

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b) Data nature :
 Unstructured interviews, structured
interviews, and a review through existing
sources of information will help us to
narrow the broad problem area and to
define a specific problem statement.

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Collection of information’s about the following
factors to stand on the real issues instead of
working only on the surface symptoms
a) Contextual factors ( background
information of the organization )
b) Structural factors ( philosophy, policies, goals,
system structure, reward system )
c) Attitudinal factors ( information’s about believes
and reactions the members of organization about
certain subjects like , nature of the work, reward
system , opportunities )
d) Behavioral factors (actual work habits )

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3. LITERATURE
REVIEW :
  The literature review helps the researcher
to develop a good problem statement; it
ensures that no important variable is
overlooked in the process of defining the
problem
  Sometimes the investigator might spend
considerable time and effort in “discovering”
something that has already been thoroughly
researched. A Literature review would
prevent such a waste of resources in
reinventing the wheel.
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CONDUCTING THE LITERATURE
REVIEW
1- Data sources
( you will need to use a combination of
information resources the precise
combination of resources depend on the
nature and the objectives of your research
project ) this combination come from
information’s from text books, journals,
theses, conference proceedings,
unpublished manuscripts, reports,
newspapers, the internet.
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2- Searching for literature
 In past go through several bibliographical
indexes but now by computer online
systems (locating sources to locate and
printout the published information)
 Internet online searching directories
(subject, title, geographical location, trade
opportunities, industrial plants, foreign
traders, data bases)

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3- Evaluating the literature
Accessing the online system and
searching for literature in the area of
interest will provide a comprehensive
bibliography on the subject.
4- Documenting the literature review
Is important to convince the reader that
a)The researcher is knowledgeable about
the problem area and has done the
preliminary homework that is necessary to
conduct the research
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DEFINING THE PROBLEM
STATEMENT
  There are three key criteria to assess the

quality of the problem statement: it should

be relevant, feasible, and interesting.

 It
is very important that symptoms of
problems are not defined as the real
problem
  When you have defined the problem
statement you are ready to start your
research first however you need to
communicate the problem statement and
a number of other important frame and the
budget
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 Next topic
Research Process: Theoretical Framework

Thanks you