Research Methodology - Problem Identification & Formulation

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Research Methodology

Unit 2

Problem Identification & Formulation


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Measurement Issues

Error sources Four major error sources may contaminate the

results.

a. The Respondentb. Situational Factors

c. The Measurerd. The Instrument


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a. The Respondent

Opinion Differences of respondents Employee status, ethnicity,area of living

Respondents suffering from temporary factors fatigue, boredom,anxiety, hunger, impatience, or general variations of mood or otherdistractions (these limit the ability to respond accurately and fully)

The skilled researcher will anticipate many of these dimensions,adjusting the design to eliminate, neutralize or otherwise deal withthem.

b. Situational Factors

Any condition that places a strain on the interview or measurementsession can have serious effects


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c. The Measurer

Rewording, paraphrasing by the interviewer Stereotypes in appearance & action introduce bias

Conscious & unconscious prompting with Smiles, nods etc. mayencourage or discourage certain replies. Wrong response or failure to record full replies

In data analysis stage: Incorrect coding, careless tabulation and faulty statistical calculation


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d. The Instrument A defective instrument can cause distortion in 2 major ways

1. It can be too confusing or ambiguousThe use of complex words and syntax beyond participantscomprehensionLeading questions, mechanical defects (inadequate space for replies,poor printing and multiple questions

2. Poor selection from the universe of content itemsEg:- Working conditions


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What is Research Problem? It refers to some difficulty which a researcher

experiences in the context of either a theoretically orpractical situation and wants to obtain a solution for thesame.

Components:- There must be an individual or a group which has some

difficulty or the problem There must be some objectives to be attained,

Selecting the problem: Subject which is overdone should not be normally

chosen. Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided.


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Defining the Research Problem

A problem properly defined is half solved. It could be any ofthe following three areas:

Exploratory : gather preliminary information for defining theproblem and suggesting hypothesis.

Descriptive : describe things i.e. market potential, demography

and attitude of customer.

Casual: test hypothesis about cause and effect relationships.


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Formulation of the Problem

Steps involved in defining a problem are:

Statement of the problem in a general way Understanding the nature of the problem

Surveying the available literature

Developing the idea through discussion

Rephrasing the research problem into working proposition


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ILLUSTRATION :-

The profitability of commercial banks tends to decline year after year, even

though the volume of business deposits and deployment of funds ison the increase.

How will a researcher formulate a problem when he encounters thissituation?

1) Title of the research problem:An enquiry into the declining trend inthe profitability ofx commercial bank .

2) The objective of the study:-

a) To identify the major factor affecting the bank's profitabilityb) To determine the major causes of the declining trend in itsprofitabilityc) To develop a strategy for improving the banks profitability


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Hypothesis A hypothesis is a proposition a tentative assumption which

a researcher wants to test for its logical and empiricalconsequences.

Eg:-

- American cities are experiencing budget difficulties- Young women (under 35 years of age) purchase more unitsof P & G products than women who are 35 years of age or

older- An increase in the family income leads to an increase in thepercentage of income saved.


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Role of hypothesis

It guides the direction of the study It identifies facts that are relevant and those are not It suggests that which form of research design is

likely to be most appropriate It provides a framework for organizing the

conclusions that result


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Characteristics of a Good Hypothesis

Conceptual clarity Specificity Testability Theoretical Relevance Consistency Objectivity Simplicity


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Types of Hypothesis

Descriptive Hypothesis

Relational HypothesisCausal/ explanatory Hypothesis

Working Hypothesis


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Descriptive Hypothesis

These are proposition that describes the characteristics ( such assize, form or distribution) of a variable. The variable may be anobject, person, organization.

Eg:- The rate of unemployment among arts graduates is higherthan that of commerce graduate.

The educational system is not oriented to human resourceneeds of a country .


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Relational Hypothesis

These are propositions, which describe the relationshipbetween two variables. The relationship suggested may be

positive or negative correlation or causal relationship.

Eg:-Participative management promotes motivation amongexecutives.

The lower the rate of job turnover in a work group, thehigher the work productivity.


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Causal Hypothesis

States that the existence of, or a change in, onevariable causes or leads to an effect on anothervariable.

The first variable is called as independent variableand the later the dependent variable.

When dealing with causal relationships b/w variables the researcher must consider the directionin which such relationship flow, i.e., Which is causeand which is effect


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Working Hypothesis

While planning the study of a problem, hypothesis areformed. Initially they may not be very specific. In suchcases, they are referred to as Working Hypothesis

which are subject to modification as the investigationproceeds.


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Null Hypothesis (H0) Null Hypothesis (H0)

Statistical hypothesis which is started with a view of testingor verifying its validity

These are hypothetical statements denying what areexplicitly indicated in working hypotheses.

E.g. Even though there is a relationship between a family

income and expenditure on recreation, a null hypothesismay state: There is no relationship between families income

level and expenditure on recreation.


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Level of Significance ()

It is the probability of rejecting hypothesis when it is ought to beaccepted The most commonly used level of significance are 5% and 1%

When a decision is taken at 5% level of significance, then there are 5chances out of 100 that we would reject the hypothesis when it shouldbe accepted.

i.e., we are 95% confident that we made the right decision.

When a decision is taken at 1% level of significance, then there is only 1 chance out of 100 that we would reject the hypothesis when itshould be accepted.

i.e., we are 99% confident that we made the right decision.


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Hypothesis Testing Logic & importance

Testing the hypothesis It is a procedure to decide whether to accept the null hypothesis

or to reject it.

Steps involved in hypothesis testing are; Set up a hypothesis Set up a suitable significance level Suitable test statistics (computation) Compare the statistics with the table value @ fixed Decide upon the acceptance or rejection of H0


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Type I & Type II errors

Decision Ho: True H1: False

Accept Correct Decision Error

Reject Error Correct Decision

Type I error: Rejecting the null hypothesis, when it is trueType II error: Accepting the null hypothesis, when it is false


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The End of II unit

Thank you

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Research Methodology - Problem Identification & Formulation