Elements of Research Elements of Research DesignDesign

Elements of Research DesignElements of Research Design Purpose of the studyPurpose of the study Types of investigationTypes of investigation Extent of researcher interferenceExtent of researcher interference Study settingStudy setting Unit of analysis (population to be Unit of analysis (population to be

studies)studies) Time horizonTime horizon

1) Purpose of the study1) Purpose of the study Exploratory studyExploratory study

Descriptive studyDescriptive study

Hypotheses testingHypotheses testing

Exploratory studyExploratory study An exploratory study is undertaken An exploratory study is undertaken

when not much is known about the when not much is known about the situation at hand.situation at hand.

OR: no information is available on OR: no information is available on how similar problems or research how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past.issues have been solved in the past.

Exploratory study(2)Exploratory study(2) Therefore, Therefore, Extensive preliminary work needs to Extensive preliminary work needs to

be done to gain familiarity with the be done to gain familiarity with the phenomena in the situation and to phenomena in the situation and to understand what is occurring before understand what is occurring before developing a model……..etcdeveloping a model……..etc

ExampleExample Interviewing managers to exploring Interviewing managers to exploring

the nature of managerial work….. the nature of managerial work….. Done by Mintizberg 1973.Done by Mintizberg 1973.

Based on the analysis of his Based on the analysis of his interview data, he formulated interview data, he formulated theories of managerial roles, the theories of managerial roles, the nature and types of managerial nature and types of managerial activities. activities.

ExampleExample

A service provider wants to know A service provider wants to know

why his customers are switching to why his customers are switching to

other service providers?other service providers?

Descriptive studyDescriptive study

A descriptive study is undertaken to A descriptive study is undertaken to be able to describe the be able to describe the characteristicscharacteristics of of the variablesthe variables of of interest in a situation.interest in a situation.

Descriptive studies are undertaken in Descriptive studies are undertaken in organizations to learn about and organizations to learn about and describe the describe the characteristics characteristics of a of a group of employeesgroup of employees

Descriptive studyDescriptive study

Descriptive studies are undertaken in Descriptive studies are undertaken in organizations to understand the organizations to understand the characteristicscharacteristics of of the the organizationsorganizations that follow certain that follow certain common practices.common practices.

ExamplesExamples

Descriptive in natureDescriptive in nature

A study of a class in terms of the A study of a class in terms of the percentage of members who are in percentage of members who are in their senior and junior years, gender their senior and junior years, gender composition, age grouping, number composition, age grouping, number of semesters left until graduation……of semesters left until graduation……

ExamplesExamples Describe the groupDescribe the group….….(The age, the educational level, job (The age, the educational level, job

status, ……….)status, ……….)

Describe the organizationDescribe the organization::Describe the characteristics of the Describe the characteristics of the

organization that implement flexible organization that implement flexible manufacturing systems…..manufacturing systems…..

ExampleExample A bank manager wants to have a profile of A bank manager wants to have a profile of

the individuals who have loan payments the individuals who have loan payments outstanding for 6 months and more. It outstanding for 6 months and more. It would include details of their average age, would include details of their average age, earnings, nature of occupation, earnings, nature of occupation, full-time/part-time employment status, full-time/part-time employment status, and the like. This might help him to elicit and the like. This might help him to elicit further information or decide right away further information or decide right away on the types of individuals who should be on the types of individuals who should be made ineligible for loans in the future. made ineligible for loans in the future.

Hypotheses testingHypotheses testing

Hypotheses testing study usually Hypotheses testing study usually explain the nature of certain explain the nature of certain relationshipsrelationships,,

oror establish the differencesestablish the differences among groupsamong groups

oror the the independence of two or independence of two or more factorsmore factors in a situation in a situation

ExamplesExamples The The relationships relationships that can be that can be

established between advertising and established between advertising and sales:sales:

If advertising is increased, then sales If advertising is increased, then sales will go up.will go up.

ExamplesExamples establish the differencesestablish the differences

There are some differences There are some differences between male and female in the between male and female in the managerial skills.managerial skills.

ExamplesExamples independence of two or more independence of two or more

factorsfactors in a situation in a situation Working the night shifts is related to Working the night shifts is related to

whether or not one is married.whether or not one is married. A marketing manager wants to know A marketing manager wants to know

if the sales of the company will if the sales of the company will increase if he doubles the advertising increase if he doubles the advertising dollars. dollars.

Types of investigationTypes of investigation

Causal study:Causal study: When the researcher When the researcher wants to determine the cause of one wants to determine the cause of one or more problems. or more problems.

Correlatioanl study:Correlatioanl study: When the When the researcher wants to determine the researcher wants to determine the important variables associated with important variables associated with the problemthe problem

ExamplesExamples Causal study:Causal study:

Does smoking cause cancer?Does smoking cause cancer?

Correlatioanl study:Correlatioanl study:

Are smoking and cancer related?Are smoking and cancer related?

Extent of researcher interferenceExtent of researcher interference

A A correlational studycorrelational study is conducted is conducted in the nature environment of the in the nature environment of the organization with organization with minimum minimum interferenceinterference by the researcher with by the researcher with the normal flow of work.the normal flow of work.

An ExampleAn Example if a researcher wants to study the if a researcher wants to study the

factors influencing training factors influencing training effectiveness…… effectiveness……

so so he will collect relevant data, he will collect relevant data, analyze them to come up with the analyze them to come up with the findings.findings.

Extent of researcher interferenceExtent of researcher interference(2)(2)

A cause and effect relationshipsA cause and effect relationships:: A researcher wants to study the A researcher wants to study the

influence of lighting on workers’ influence of lighting on workers’ performance, and manipulates the performance, and manipulates the lighting in the work situation……lighting in the work situation……

So the researcher interferences with So the researcher interferences with the natural and normal setting. the natural and normal setting.

Study settingStudy setting

A correlational studies are conducted A correlational studies are conducted in noncontrived settings ( natural)in noncontrived settings ( natural)

A cause and effect studies are A cause and effect studies are conducted in contrived lab settings conducted in contrived lab settings (Artificial setting). (Artificial setting).

Field studiesField studies

where various factors are where various factors are examined in the natural setting examined in the natural setting in which daily activities go on as in which daily activities go on as normal with minimal researcher normal with minimal researcher interferenceinterference

Field experimentsField experiments

Where cause and effect relationships Where cause and effect relationships are studied with some amount of are studied with some amount of researcher interference, but still in researcher interference, but still in the natural setting where work the natural setting where work continues in the normal fashion.continues in the normal fashion.

Example: Cause and effect of training Example: Cause and effect of training on employees after a week, a month, on employees after a week, a month, a 3 months ……a 3 months ……

Lab experimentsLab experiments

Where the researcher explores cause Where the researcher explores cause and effect relationships not only and effect relationships not only exercising a high degree of control exercising a high degree of control but also in an artificial created but also in an artificial created setting.setting.

Example: Students’ sample.Example: Students’ sample.

Unit of analysis (population to be Unit of analysis (population to be studiesstudies))

IndividualIndividual as a unit of analysis as a unit of analysis Groups Groups as a unit of analysisas a unit of analysis OrganizationOrganization as a unit of analysis as a unit of analysis IndustryIndustry as a unit of analysis as a unit of analysis CountryCountry as a unit of analysis as a unit of analysis

Time horizonTime horizon Cross-sectional studiesCross-sectional studies ( one shot) ( one shot)

A study can be done in which data A study can be done in which data are gathered are gathered just oncejust once, over a , over a period of days or weeks or months.period of days or weeks or months.

Time horizon (2)Time horizon (2) Longitudinal studies:Longitudinal studies: When the researcher would like to study When the researcher would like to study

people or phenomena at people or phenomena at more than one more than one point in timepoint in time in order to answer the in order to answer the researcher question.researcher question.

Example:Example: Employees’ behavior before and after Employees’ behavior before and after

changes in the top management to know changes in the top management to know what effects the change accomplished. what effects the change accomplished.