research methodology lect 1

8/8/2019 Research Methodology Lect 1

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UNIT 1

(Lesson1: Fundamentals of Research)

1EKF, RMSP LECTURE 2


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Aftergoing throughthis lesson you will be ableto:

` (i) describe meaning and objectives ofresearch.

` (ii) differentiate between differenttypes ofresearch.

` (iii) describe scope and significance ofresearch.

EKF, RMSP LECTURE 2 2


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What is research?

` Research in common man's languagerefers to"searchforKnowledge".

` Research is an art ofscientific investigation.

` It is also a systematic design, collection, analysis

and reporting thefindings & solutions ofaparticularproblem, situation orproduct.



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Research is required because ofthefollowing

reasons:

` To identify and find solutions to the problems

` To help making decisions

` To develop new concepts

` To find alternate strategies



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To identify and find solutions to the problem:

` To understand the problem in depth,

Example:

"Why the demand forthat product is falling"?Why is the network not stable?

` By identifying the problem as above, it is easy to

collecttherelevant data to solvethe problem.



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To help making decisions:

` Example:

Should we maintain the advertising budget same

as last year?

Can wehave a network that is more stablethan

what is available now?

Research will answerthesequestions.



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To find alternative strategies:

` Should wefollow pull strategy orpush strategy to

promotethe product.

To develop new concepts:

` Example:

Should we use 3G or3.5G platform?

B2B orB2C marketing strategy?



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Decision-making tool:

Whenevera decision is to be made, marketing

research becomes necessary in the corporate

world.The degree ofdependence on research is based

on the cost ofdecisions.Ifthe cost ofdecision is

high, the dependence on research is high, and

vice versa.



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Facilitates large- scale production:

The MR helps large scaleenterprises in the areas

ofproduction to determine:

` (a)Whatto produce?

` (b) How muchto produce?

` (c)When to produce?



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To determine the pattern of consumption:

The consumption patterns vary from placetoplace and timeto time. The MR helps in identifyingthe consumption pattern and also the availabilityofconsumercredit in that particularplace.

MRhelps the marketer to identify:

` Consumption pattern

` Brand loyalty

` Consumerbehaviour

` Markettrends, etc.



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Complex market:

In a complex and dynamic environment, therole of

MR is very vital.

MR acts as a bridge between the consumerandthe purchaser.

This is because MR enables the managementto

know the need ofthe customer, the about demand

forthe product and helps the producertoanticipatethe changes in the market.



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Problem-solving:

The MR focuses on both shortrange and long

range decisions and helps in making decisionswithrespectto the 4ps ofmarketing, namely,

product, price, place and promotion.



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Sales promotion:

The MR helps in effective sales promotion.

Itenlightens the manufacturerwithregard to the

method ofsales promotion to be undertaken, suchas advertising, personal selling, publicity etc.

It also helps in understanding the 9 attitude ofthe

customers and helps how to design the

advertisement in line with prevailing attitudes.



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Distribution:

The MR helps the manufacturerto decide about

the channel, media, logistics planning so that itscustomers and distributors are benefited.

Based on the study ofMR, suitable distributors,

retailers, wholesalers and agents are selected by

the company fordistributing theirproducts.



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There are differenttypes ofresearch:

1. ExploratoryResearch

This type ofresearch is carried out atthe verybeginning when the problem is not clearor is

vague.

In exploratory research, all possiblereasons which

are very obvious areeliminated, thereby directingtheresearchto proceed furtherwith limited

options.



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Sales decline in a company may be due to:

(1) Inefficient service

(2) Improperprice

(3) Inefficient sales force(4) Ineffective promotion

(5) Improperquality



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Theresearchexecutives mustexamine such

questions to identify the most useful avenues for

furtherresearch.

Preliminary investigation ofthis type is calledexploratory research. Expert surveys, focus

groups, case studies and observation methods are

used to conducttheexploratory survey.



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` The main purpose ofdescriptiveresearch is todescribethe state ofview as itexists at present. (A

factfinding investigation)

` This type ofresearchtries to describethe

characteristics oftherespondent in relation to aparticularproduct orSituation.

` Descriptiveresearch deals with demographic

characteristics ofthe consumer.

Forexample: The trend of Mobile phone use withrespect to socio-economiccharacteristics such as

age, family, income, education level etc.



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` Anotherexample can bethe degree ofviewing TV

channels, its variation with age, income level,

profession ofrespondent as well as time of

viewing.` Hence, the degree ofuse ofTV to differenttypes

ofrespondents will be of importanceto the

researcher.

` There arethreetypes ofplayers who will decidethe usage ofTV



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` Television manufacturers

` Broadcasting agency ofthe programme

` Viewers

Therefore, research pertaining to any one ofthefollowing can be conducted:

The manufacturercan come out withfacilities which

will makethetelevision more userfriendly.

(a) Remote control (b) Child lock(c) Different models fordifferent income groups,



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` (d) Internet compatibility etc.

` (e)Wall mounting etc.

` (f) Games etc.

Similarly, broadcasting agencies can come out withprogrammes, which can suit different age groups

and income.

` Descriptiveresearch deals with specific

predictions (forecasting)



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` Descriptiveresearch is also used to estimatetheproportion ofpopulation who behave in a certain

way.

Example:

Why do middle income groups go to shopping

mall to buy theirproducts?

A study can be commissioned by a manufacturingcompany to find out various facilities that can be

provided in television sets based on the above

discussion.



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` Applied research aims atfinding a solution foran

immediate problem faced by any business

organization.

` This research deals withreal life situations.Example:

Why is the power not stable after 4pm?

Applied researchhas a practical problem-solving

emphasis.It brings out many new facts.



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Examples:

` 1. Use offibre glass body forcars instead of

metal.

` 2. To develop a new marketforthe product.



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Gathering knowledgeforknowledges sake is

known as basic research.

It is not directly involved with practical problems.It

does nothave any commercial potential.

There is no intention to apply this research in

practice.



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This is generally used by philosophers.

It is related to some abstract idea ortheory.

In this type ofresearch, theresearchershould

collectthe data to prove ordisapprovehishypothesis.

The various ideologies or isms areexamples of

conceptual research.



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Causal research is conducted to determinethe

cause and effectrelationship between thetwo

variables.

Example:

Effect of advertisement on sales.



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The name itself indicates the meaning ofthe

research.

Historical study is a study ofpastrecords and data

in orderto understand thefuturetrends anddevelopment ofthe organisation ormarket.

There is no direct observation. Theresearchhas

to depend on the conclusions or inferences drawn

in the past.



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For example:

Investors in the share market study the past

records or prices of shares whichhe/she intends

to buy.Studying the share prices ofa particularcompany

enables the investorto take decision whetherto

invest in the shares ofa company.



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Example: 2

Crime branch police/CBI officers study the past

records orthehistory ofthe criminals and

terrorists in orderto arrive at some conclusions.The main objective ofthis study is to derive

explanation and generalization from the past

trends in orderto understand the present and

anticipatethefuture.



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There arehowever, certain shortcomings of

Historical Research:

1. Reliability and adequacy information is

subjective and open to question2. Accuracy ofmeasurement ofevents is doubtful.

3. Verification ofrecords are difficult.



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Ex-postfacto literally means:

from what is done afterwards

In this type ofresearch, an examination of

relationship thatexists between independent and

dependent variable is studied.

We may call this empirical research.

` In this research, a variableA is observed.

Thereafter, theresearchertries to find a causalvariableB which caused A.



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` In this type ofanalysis, there is no scopeforthe

researcherto manipulatethe variable. The

researchercan only reportwhathas happened

and what is happening.



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This type ofresearch is undertaken by direct action

Action research is conducted to solve a problem.

Example:

Test marketing a product is an example of actionresearch.

Initially, the geographical location is identified.



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Atarget sample is selected from among the

population.

Samples are distributed to selected samples and

feedback is obtained from therespondent. Thismethod is most common for industrial products,

where a trial is a must beforeregularusage ofthe

product.



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This is an example ofapplied research. This

research is conducted to find outhow well a

planned programme is implemented.

Therefore, evaluation research deals withevaluating the performance orassessment ofa

project.

Example:RuralEmploymentProgramme Evaluation

School feeding Programme Evaluation



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This is doneto gathersecondary data. This

includes notes from the past data orreview ofthe

reports already conducted. This is a convenient

method whereby both manpowerand time aresaved.



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1. Research originates in a decision process.2. In research process, management problem is

converted into a research problem,Which is the

majorobjective ofthe study.

3. Researchquestion is furthersubdivided,covering various facets ofthe problem that need

to be solved.

4. Therole and scope ofresearchhas greatly

increased in thefield ofbusiness and economyas a whole.



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` The study ofresearch methods provides you with

knowledge and skills you need to solvethe

problems and meetthe challenges oftodays

modern pace ofdevelopment



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1.What arethe importance ofresearch?

2.W

hat arethetypes ofresearch?3.What arethe criteria ofgood research?

4.What is a research problem?


research methodology lect 1

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