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.

The Research Process

Observation Broad area of

research interest

identified

PreliminaryData Gathering 

Interviewing

Literature

Review

ProblemDefinition Research

Problem

delineated 

TheoreticalFramework Variables

clearly

identified

and labeled 

Generation

of

Hypotheses 

Scientific

Research

Design 

Data

Collection,

analysis,

and

Interpretation 

Deduction Hypotheses

substantiated?

Research

question

answered? 

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The Research Proposal

•  A written plan for conducting a research

study

• Outlines the problem

• Motivates the need for research• Outlines methods to be used to carry out

the research

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The Research Proposal

• Spells out in detail what the researcherintends to do

• Permits others to learn about the

intended research and to offersuggestions for improving the study

• Helps clarify what needs to be done and

helps avoid pitfalls or unnecessaryproblems

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The Research ProposalI. Background of the Study

Introduction Statement of the Problem 

Research questions 

Objectives of the Study  

Significance of the Study

Scope and Delimitations of the Study  

II. Review of Related LiteratureIII. Theoretical Framework

Conceptual Framework  

Operational Framework  

Hypotheses 

Operational Definition

IV. MethodologyResearch Design 

Data Collection 

Respondents 

Sampling procedures

Research instrument  

Methods of Data Analysis 

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• Read a lot of literature in your field of

concentration and be critical of what you

read

• Attend professional lectures

• Be observant of situations and happenings

around you

• Think out the possibility of research for

lessons taken in content courses

Topic Identification

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Topic Identification

• Conduct mini-researches and note the

obtained findings closely

• Compile research with special emphasis on

content and methodology

• Visit various libraries for possible discovery of

researchable topics

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Topic Identification

• Subscribe to journals in your field and in

research

• Build up a library of materials in your field.

Materials could be concept-centric or author-

centric

• Sources include journals, books, conference

and organizations

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Topic Selection

• Research is an original investigation

undertaken to gain knowledge and

understanding

• Choose a phenomena which you wish to

explain or predict

• Topic is of great interest to you.

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Topic Selection

• Topic is useful for the concerned people in a

particular field

• Topic is novel

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Topic Selection

• It is manageable in terms of expertise, skilled

manpower, money and time

• Data is available

• It can be completed in the allotted time

desired

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 Topic Selection

• It is well defined or specified

• It is measurable

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Topic Selection

• It does not carry ethical or moral

impediments

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 Researchable Problems

•  Addressing a gap in knowledge

• Testing the effectiveness of possible

solutions• Looking for possible and plausible

explanations

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 Problem Definition could pertain

to… 

• Existing business problems

•  Areas for improvement

•  Areas for conceptual clarification• Empirical support to theories

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 A PROBLEM is an undesirable

factor that must be dealt with

if the desired organizational resultsare to be achieved

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Problem Justification

• Timeliness• Pervasiveness

• Effect on particular groups

• Relationship with ongoing programs

• Relationship with broad social, economic

and health issues

•  A concern for other people as well

•Has direct, indirect, short-term and long-rangeimpact on the welfare of a group of people or the

society as a whole

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 Research Problem and Objectives

• Problems are the initiating reason for the

research

• Objectives are the intent or goals which

the researcher will attain through the study

• Logically connected

•Objectives are based or anchored on the

problem

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 OBJECTIVES

• Statements of purpose for which the

investigation is to be conducted

•Stipulate the aims or goals which are

expected at the end of the research

Process

•Evidence of the researcher’s clear

Sense of purpose and direction

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Research Question

1. Why have organizations

introduced team briefing?

2. How can the effectiveness

of team briefing schemes be

measured?

3. Has team briefing beeneffective?

Research Objective

1. To identify organisations’objectives for team

briefing schemes

2. To establish suitableeffectiveness criteria for

team briefing schemes

3. To describe the extent towhich the effectiveness criteria

for team briefing have beenmet

Research Question – Research

Objective

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 CATEGORIES OF OBJECTIVES

• GENERAL : broad statement of

purpose which uses abstract and

non-measurable concepts- usually a rephrase of the research

title

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 EXAMPLECATEGORIES OF OBJECTIVES

• SPECIFIC : is a statement of purpose

which uses well-defined and

measurable concepts- based on and logically flow from

the general objective

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Illustrative Example

• General: To determine the relationship of accounting

conservatism and quality of earnings with regard to the food,

beverage and tobacco sector for the five-year period of 1998

to 2002

• Specific:

1. To analyze the extent to which the principle of conservatism

is applied in the food, beverage and tobacco sector

2. To determine how accounting conservatism affects quality of

earnings for each firm in the food, beverage and tobacco

sector

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 EXAMPLEGOOD RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

• Simple ( language)/ Specific : Whatprecisely do you hope to achieve?

• Measurable (concepts): What

measures will you use to determinewhether you have achieved the

objectives?

• Attainable: Are they achievable

given all possible constraints?

• Result-oriented/ Realistic : Will you

have time and energy to complete it?

• Time-bound 

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 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

• Value of the study to individuals,

groups and sectors

INDIVIDUAL: researchers, students,

employees, managers, entrepreneurs

ORGANIZATION: firms, industry,

associations, schools, funding agencies

OTHERS: government, communities,

consumers, suppliers, investors

• Contributions of the study

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Areas of Possible Contribution

• Contribution to accumulation of knowledge, or to

filling up a knowledge gap; contribution to building,

validating or refining prevailing theories

• Contribution to a pressing need of a specific grouplike solving problems or improving certain conditions

• Contribution to refining concepts, improving

research instrumentation and methodologies

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 Scope and Limitation

• SCOPE defines the coverage or boundary

of the study in terms of :

(a) area or locality

(b) population or sample

(c) duration or period

(d) subjects

• LIMITATION is a phase or aspect of theinvestigation which may affect the result

adversely but over which the researcher has

no control

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Study coverage with concrete reference to:

• Variables

• Sources of data

• Methods to be employed in data collection andanalysis

• Time frame

• Constraints such as non-availability of data,

confidentiality of some relevant information,uncooperativeness or respondents, inability of

respondents to recall accurate responses

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 Literature

Collection of books and papers

that deal with the same issues

and that respond to each other inthe developing debates about a

topic

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Literature Review

• A review can involve a narrative or description of an

article or other piece of work

• A critical  review poses questions such as:

- What is the purpose of the study?

- What is the focus of the study?

- What types of data were collected?

- How were the data managed?- What analytical approach is used?

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A Critical Review should also include:

• An assessment of the strengths andweaknesses of some of the theories

• A clear understanding of the topic

• A citing of all the key studies in the subjectterritory

• A clear indication of how the review links to

your research questions

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A Critical Review should also include:

• A definition of the boundaries of your

research

• A selection and synthesis of existingarguments to form a new perspective

• Through gradual refinement, a clear

demarcation of the research problem

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• Identify the key works and materials in the

literature

• One should be aware of the breadth of

literature related to your topic or research

questions

Literature Review

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• Requires the skill of condensing large volumes

of literature so that the essential views or

arguments they contain can be presented in a

few words

Literature Review

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Literature Review

Schools of Thought

Compare & Contrast

Evaluate strengths

and

weaknesses

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•  Removes the need to rediscover knowledge

that has already been reported

-assesses the existing knowledge in the field

and point out which areas dominate the

discussion to date

Literature Review

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Literature Review

• Helps one to build upon the work that has

already been done in the field being

researched- reveals blank spots in the existing research,

thus offering a platform and directions for

future research