Brm Module 2 Cg

7/29/2019 Brm Module 2 Cg

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Business Research Methods

Module 2:Business Research: An overview - Research process, problemformulation, management problem v/s. research problem, Steps involved inpreparing business research plan/proposal

Steps in marketing research:The marketing research process is carried out according to a designated series ofsteps, which are required to be taken in a chronological order. The major stepsare as follows

Stages of the Research Process-an overview

Problem D iscovery

and Definition

ResearchDesign

Sampling

DataGathering

Data Processing

and Analysis

Conclusions and

Report

Discovery andDefinition of anew problem

and so on

Business Research Methods Module 2 - 1 -

Problem definition

Research design

Fieldwork

Data analysis and

interpretation

Report presentation


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Problem definition:

Problem definition allows a researcher to set the proper research objectives. Thefirst step in marketing research process is to define the problem chosen from

investigation. A problem well defined is half solved. If the problem is definedvaguely, then the research results may be completely useless for themanagement and research effort of the investigator is futile exercise.

The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution. AlbertEinstein. Generally managers concentrate in finding the right answer rather thanasking the right question.

Generally, it has been observed that poor definition of research problem is theresult of faulty assignment of problem by the top management of a company isinterested in investigating the reasons for declining sales, the marketing manger

may ask the marketing research executive to investigate everything regardingthe sales, marketing manager.

In order to define a problem properly, we should determine the nature ofresearch. After understanding the nature of the problem a preliminary analysismay be carried out for the following techniques,

Situation analysis and,

Informal investigation.

Situation analysis means the circumstances under which the research is beingconducted. Six categories of information can be used in preliminary investigation,the product, the company, industry and competition, the market, the channel ofdistribution, the sales of organization and, the advertising and sales promotionpolicies.

Informal investigation refers to the discussion with a few selected customers,dealer, top management personnel of the company, and other parties concernedwith the problem. The informal investigations may be designated as the pilotstudy. There are two purposes to carry out the informal investigation; to developand select the hypothesis to be used fro the final study, and to estimate the

complexity involved in market place problems.

Defining the research problem:

In research process, the first and foremost step is selecting and properly defininga research problem.A researcher must find the problem and formulate it so that it becomessusceptible (receptive) to research.To define a problem correctly, a researcher must know what a problem is?



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Research problem: Research problem refers to some difficulty, which aresearcher experiences in the context of either a theoretical or a practicalsituation and wants to obtain a solution for the same.Research problem exists if the following conditions are met with.

There must be an individual (or group or an organization) to whom theproblem can be attributed (I). This individual needs to occupy anenvironment, (N) which is defined by values of the uncontrolled variables.(Yj).

There must be at least two courses of action, C1 and C2 to be pursued. Acourse of action is defined by one or more values of the controlledvariables.

There must be at least two possible outcomes, O1 and O2, of the course ofaction of which one should be preferable to other. This means there mustbe at least one outcome that the researcher wants, i.e., an objective.

The course of action available must provide some chance of obtaining theobjective, but they cannot provide the same chance, otherwise the choicewould not matter. That the choices must have unequal efficiencies for thedesired outcomes.

The individual does not know what course of action is best, i.e., I must bein doubt about the solution.

Thus a research problem is one, which requires a researcher who has to findout the best solution for the given problem, i.e., to find out by which course ofaction the objective can be attained optimally in the context of a givenenvironment.

Selecting the problem:The research problem undertaken for study must be carefully selected. Aresearcher in selecting a research or a subject for research may observefollowing points:

Subject, which is overdone, should not be normally chosen, for it will bedifficult task to throw new light in such a case.

Controversial subject should not become the choice of an averageresearcher.

Too narrow and too vague problems should be avoided.

The subject selected for research should be familiar and feasible so that therelated research material or sources of research are within one reach.

The importance of the subject, the qualification and the training of aresearcher, the costs involves, the time factor are few other criteria that mustalso be considered in selecting the problem.

The researcher must ask the following questions:Whether he is well equipped in terms of his background to carry out thisresearch?



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Whether the study falls within the budget he can afford?Whether the necessary cooperation can be obtained form those who mustparticipate in research?

The selection of the problem must be preceded by a preliminary study. Thismay not be necessary when the problem requires the conduct of a research

closely similar to one that already been done. But if the field is new a brieffeasibility study must be done.

Defining the problem: the steps: the process of problem definition:

Statement of the problem in a general way: First of all the problem shouldbe stated in abroad general way, keeping in view either some practical concernor some scientific or intellectual interest. The researcher must immerse himthoroughly in the subject mater concerning which he wishes to pose a problem.In case of social research, it is considered advisable to do some sort ofpreliminary survey or what it is often called as Pilot Study.

Understanding the nature of the problem: the best way is to discuss itwith those who first raised it in order to find out how the problem originallycame about and with what objectives in view. He can enter into discussion withthose who have a good knowledge of the problem concerned or similar otherproblems.

Surveying the available literature: this means that the researcher mustbe well conversant with relevant theories in the field, reports and records asalso all other relevant literature. Knowing what data are available often servesto narrow the problem itself as well as the technique that might be used. Thisalso help the researcher to know if there are certain gaps in the theories, orwhether existing theories applicable to the problem under study areinconsistent with each other.

Developing the ideas through discussions: discussion concerning aproblem often produces useful information. Various new ideas can bedeveloped through such an exercise. This is often known as experiencesurvey. People with rich experience are in position to enlighten theresearcher on different aspects of his proposed study and their advice andcomments are usually invaluable to the researcher.

Rephrasing the research problem: Finally the researcher must sit torephrase the research problem into a working proposition. Once the nature ofthe problem is clearly understood, the environment has been defined,discussions have been taking place, and the literature is being surveyed,rephrasing the problem into analytical and operational terms is not a difficulttask.



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Example: General way: Why is productivity in Japan is so much higher then inIndia?

Rethinking and discussions may result in narrowing down the question to: What factors are responsible for the higher labor productivity of Japans

manufacturing industries during the decade 1971 to 1980 relative to Indiasmanufacturing industries?

Factors adversely affecting the problem definition are:

The environment may change affecting the efficiencies of the course of actionor the values of the outcomes,

The number of alternative courses of action may be very large,

Persons not involved in making the decision may be affected by it and react toit favorably or unfavorably etc.

Research design:

The next step is to develop a research design. Research design is the framework,which provides guidelines for the rest of the research process. It is map ofblueprint according to which the research is to be conducted. The researchdesign specifies the methods for data collection and data analysis. Theresearcher specifically pinpoints that to carry out research properly. Researchdesign includes the following:

Data collection methods

Research instruments

Sampling plan

Data collection methods:

There are two types of data: secondary and primary. The secondary datarefer to those data, which are gathered for some other purpose and arealready available in the firms internal records and commercial, trade orgovernment publications. On the other hand, primary data do not exist

already in records and publications. The researcher has to gather primary dataafresh for the specific study undertaken by him.

It is always good that the researcher attempts to look into the sources ofsecondary data before starting to collect primary data. It has often beingobserved that firms had wasted a lot of time and money on collection ofprimary data, while the secondary data were already available.



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Of course, it is essential to collect primary data if the secondary data is notsufficient. The primary data can be collected by three methods.

Observation,

Experimentation, and, Survey.

In observation, we observe the actions of the respondents, either directly orindirectly.

The experimentation method involves the creation of controlledenvironment where some variables are allowed to vary and cause and effectrelationship is studied.

Survey method involves gathering of a wide range of valuable information onovert behavior of the consumer viz, attitudes, motive, and opinions.

Research instruments: The researcher while collecting the information islooking for a good research design and suitable research instruments. Whenobservation method fro data collection is used, the researcher may make use ofinstruments, viz, camera, tape recorders, VCRs, tally sheets etc. Inexperimentation method also same instruments can be used.

Whereas, in survey method, questionnaire is the instrument most frequently

used and yields the most satisfactory results.

Sampling plan: The first step in sampling plan is to decide the universe orpopulation. (The whole collection of items to be studied by the researcher)

The researcher must answer the following questions.

What sampling unit should be studied?

What should be the sample size?

What sampling procedure should be used? What contact method should be used?

Fieldwork: once the researcher has finished the problem definition andresearch design, he must conduct the actual data collection operation. This siscalled fieldwork. This stage is most expensive and most prone to errors. The mostcommon problems faced during fieldwork are, respondents not at homes, refusalto cooperate, respondent bias, interviewer bias etc.



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Data analysis: in order to extract meaningful information from data collectedthe data analysis and interpretation is carried out. The data are first edited,coded, and tabulated for the purpose of analyzing them.

The analysis is aimed at giving inferences of association or differencesbetween the variables present in the research. The analysis can be conductedby using simple averages and measures of dispersion. Alternatively, thecollected data may be analyzed by using diagrams, graphs, charts, andpictures. Data may be cross-tabulated to provide useful relationships amongthe variables involved. To conduct more sophisticated analysis, correlation orregression analysis may be applied. Furthermore, various statistical tests, like,t, F, Z, X2 etc, may be applied. The most complicated and sophisticatedanalysis is to attempt multivariate analysis on the available data usingadvanced statistical tools viz, multiple regression analysis, multiple correlationanalysis, discriminant analysis, factor analysis, canonical analysis, and clusteranalysis.

Finally, meaning of the data may be extracted from the analysis thusconducted.

Report preparation:

After the collected data is analyzed and interpreted, the job of marketingresearcher is to present research results in the form of systematically typed

printed report. A scientifically designed format must be used for researchreport presentation and result presentation.

The report format might be in the following sequence.

Title page, table of contents, preface, foreword (introduction) and need for thestudy with review of literature, statement of objectives and hypotheses,research methodology, containing - research design, data collectioninstruments used, sampling design, data collection methods, sampling plan,field work, scheme of analysis and interpretation of data, limitation and scopeof the study actual analysis and interpretation of data, findings, conclusions

can recommendation and appendices containing - copies of questionnaire,details of sample and validation, data tables not directly related to the studyetc. - and bibliography.


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Brm Module 2 Cg