Overview of the Research Process for Business Students

What is search? plenty undertake research in order to expose things out in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge (Jankowicz, 1995). Systematic suggests that research is based on logical relationships and not just beliefs (Ghauri and Gronhaug, 2010). To find things out suggests there are a multiplicity of possible purposes for your research (Becker, 1998). It is therefore an activity which has to be finished at nearly point to be of use.The results of research really are all most us in everyday liveness. Politicians oftentimes justify their policy decisions on the basis of research Newspapers tale the findings of research companies. Documentary programmes tell us about research findings and advertisers may highlight the results of research to aid consumers to buy a particular product or brand. The most difficult hurdle to overcome in doing research is not in learning the techniques or doing the actual work or even penning the report.The biggest obstacle, surp risingly, lies in figuring out what you want to know. Two fusss are very common choosing a bailiwick which is too broad or dressing up a field (Kane, 1987) Formulating and clarifying the research topic is the starting point of research (Ghauri and Gronhaug, 2010 Smith and Dainty 1991). Most research originates from a general line. Usually, the problem is broad enough that it could not be addressed in a single research study.Consequently, the problem is narrowed into a to a greater extent specific research question. A well-constructed research question is one set forth by Maylor and Blackmon (2005, p. 54) which identifies the scope of the research and guides the plan of the project. The research question is the central issue world addressed in the study and from this research objectives stomach be set. The table below sets out criteria to service devise useful research objectives. Criterion PurposeTransparency The meaning of the research objective is sink and unambiguous Spe cificity The purpose of the research objective is resolve and easily understood, as are the actions required to effectuate it Relevancy The research objectives link to the research question and wider research project is clear Interconnectivity Taken together as a set, the research objectives illustrate the steps in the research adjoin from its start to its conclusion, without leaving any gaps. In this way the research objectives form a coherent satisfying Answerability The intended outcome of the research objective is achievable.Where this relates to information, the nature of the data required willing be clear or at least implied Measurability The intended product of the research objective will be evident when it has been achieved Saunders (2012) look into Methods for championship Students, Table 2. 3 p. 44 Literature Review A publications review is a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic. Its ultimate goal is to b ring the reader up to date with current writings and forms the basis for another goal, such as justification for future research the area. Knowledge does not follow in a vacuum, and your work only has value in relation to other peoples (Jankowicz, 2005). It seeks to describe, summarise, evaluate, and clarify/ flux the content of previous researches and assists in limiting the scope of inquiry while conveying the importance of study a topic to readers. Literature sources open include Primary, Secondary and Tertiary. Primary data is original data that has been imperturbable from the original source with a purpose in mind.Secondary sources are the subsequent publication of radical literature and tertiary sources (search tools) are designed to all help locate primary and substitute(prenominal) literature or to introduce a topic. Tertiary Indexes Databases Catalogues Encyclopaedias Dictionaries Bibliographies Citation Indexes Secondary Journals Books Newspapers Government Publica tions Primary Reports Theses Emails Company Reports unpublished Manuscripts Some Government Publications Increasing time to publish Increasing level of detail Saunders (2012) search Methods for Business Students Table 3. 3, p82 Primary versus Secondary ResearchPrimary data has not been published and so is more reliable, authentic and objective. It has not been changed or altered by human beings therefore its validity is greater than secondary data however it is important to remember it can only be considered as reliable as the people who collect it. Gathering data in this way is time consuming, and incurs a high cost. More resources tend to be required and it can result in inaccurate feedback. Secondary data is less valid alone it is readily available and can be reused. It is cheaper and quicker to obtain in comparison to primary data.In some circumstances primary data does not exist and so one has to confine the research of secondary data. The Research Process Research is not n eutral, but reflects a range of the researchers ad hominem interests, values, abilities, assumptions aims and ambitions. The research philosophy depends on the way you think about the development of knowledge (Saunders et al. 2000, p. 84) Collis and Hussey (2003, p. 52) highlight twain main research philosophies and detail that there can be overlap between the two and some(prenominal) positions may be identifiable in any research project. They are the positivistic and phenomenological.Positivistic approaches are founded on the belief that the study of human behaviour should be conducted in the same way as studies conducted in the natural sciences. Therefore seeking to identify measure and evaluate any phenomena and to provide a rational number explanation for it. This approach attempts to establish casual links and relationships between the different elements (or variables) of the subject and relate them to a particular supposition or practice. Phenomenological approaches howev er, approach research from the perspective of understanding behaviour from the participants own infixed frames of reference.Research rules are chosen, therefore, to try and describe, translate and explain and interpret events from the perspectives of the people who are the subject of the research. The avocation plot describes the research functioning onion that supports the researcher to depict the issues underlying the preference of data collection methods (Saunders, 2012 Research Methods for Business Students, Fig 4. 1, p. 128) The layers of research represent the following aspects * Research philosophy * Research approach * Research strategy/methodology * Time horizons and * Data collection methods Research Approach Deductive or inducive? It is the theory that decides what can be observed Albert Einstein Bryan & Bell (2007) state that the researcher will either use 1) deductive in which a theory and hypothesis is developed and a strategy is designed to test the hypothesis, or 2) inductive approach will be used in which the data is collected and as the result of data analysis theory and hypothesis are developed. However, Mason (2001, p. 181) supports the use of more than one research approach, it is worth pointing out that most research strategies (approaches) in practice probably die hard on a combination of these (inductive or deductive) approaches.What is the difference between method and methodology? A method is a technique used for gathering evidence or the various shipway in which proceed in gathering information. Methodology is the underlying theory of how research does or should proceed, often influenced by discipline. Research Strategy The research strategy is of paramount important in setting the parameters and creating the credibility of any study. harmonize to Collis and Hussey (2003, p. 55) research methodology refers to the overall approaches and perspectives to the research process as a whole and is concerned with the following main issues Why you collected certain data * What data you collected * Where you collected it * How you collected it * How you analysed it The choice of research strategy is dependent on the research questions and objectives, the extent of existing knowledge, the amount of time and resources available and the philosophical foundations (Saunders et al. 2007). There are various research strategies proposed by different authors including experiment, survey, case study, action research, grounded theory and ethnography. Experiment is a classical form of research which allows studying the effect of change, an independent variable can bring in another dependent variable (Hakim, 2000) * Survey is a methodology which is usually associated with the deductive approach and is mostly used in the situations where there is a need to collect the data from a large population in an economical manner (Saunder et al, 2007) * Case Study is defined as a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence (Robson, 2000 178) * Action Research is focused on finding a way to bring about a change in a controlled environment * Grounded theory is often thought of as the best example of inductive approach as the hypothesis is developed from the data generated by a series of observations (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) * Ethnography is a research strategy which focuses on acquiring the loving knowledge in order to understand the observed patterns of human activity (Hussey & Hussey, 1997) Ethical Issues Ethical concerns may emerge at all stages of research. Saunders et al. (2007, p. 31) summarise the main issues to consider, although ethical issues surrounding these items are not of all time clear * The rights of privacy of individuals * Voluntary nature of participation and the rights of individuals to withdraw partially or completely from the process * Consent and possible decept ion of participants (Appendix ? ) * Maintenance of confidentiality of data provided by individuals or identifiable participants and their anonymity * Reactions of participants to the ways which researchers seek to collect data * Effects on participants of the way data is analysed and reported * Behaviour and objectiveness of the researcher Reliability and Validity