Summary
Learning outcomes
The ability to understand and explain a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods and
to interpret and report on an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
Business research has been defined as: ‘the systematic and objective process of collecting, recording,
analysing and interpreting data for aid in solving managerial problems’ (Wilson, 2014: 3). Hence,
research is often about how (process) to solve real problems (content) (Gill and Johnson, 2002). It is
often not the task of the student/researcher to solve the problem, but to find out how the problem
can be solved.
Many naïve researchers are tempted to rush into the ‘collect information’ stage without first very
clearly defining the research topic, and its objectives. The results of this fuzziness only become
transparent later on, with the effect that the researcher has to cycle back to an earlier stage in the
research process, or to start again.
Examples of managerial problems:
- High churn rate
- Low productivity of workers
- Low sales
- Finding a new market to sell our products to
Often problems are identified when there is a change in the condition of a certain variable; e.g., an
increase in the turnover rate of employees.
,Research may have a very practical focus (applied research), with an emphasis on achieving measurable
outputs that are specific to a particular business or organization. The results of such research may be of
significance to a specific context, but difficult to generalize elsewhere. On the other hand, research may also be
concerned with clarifying, validating or building a theory (basic research). Its importance to society or to
organizations may be determined by the extent to which this theory is translatable into a specific context.
However, most organizations will only see research as valid if it is seen to lead to practical outcomes (Easterby-
Smith et al., 2002). Then there are forms of research comprising collaboration between the researcher and
professional practitioners (often an element of action research). Table 1.1 provides a summary illustrating a
continuum between basic and applied research.
Research topics should be formulated as questions!
Kerlinger and Lee (2000) argue that a good research question:
Expresses a relationship between variables (for example, company image and sales levels).
Is stated in unambiguous terms in a question format.
A theory has been defined as:
A set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions, and
propositions that
present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations
among variables,
with the purpose of explaining and predicting phenomena.
,We saw above that research often comprises an investigation into the relationship between two (or
more) variables. However, before we undertake a research study, we need to know more about these
variables and what studies, if any, have been conducted into their relationship. Hence, we undertake
a literature review (see Figure 1.1). In doing this, we will be interested in the literature on the
dependent variable (the variable that forms the focus of the research) and the independent variable
(the variable that acts on or predicts the dependent variable). So, for example, we might investigate
consumer attitudes to healthy eating (the dependent variable) following a firm’s marketing campaign
(independent variable). But there is a third source of literature we also need to investigate and that is
where studies have already been completed that have explored the relationships between healthy
eating and campaigns designed to improve eating patterns (see dependent/independent variable in
Figure 1.2). As we will see when looking at inductive and qualitative methods, this sequential,
literature-first approach, is not always followed, but it is typical of many studies.
The literature review has another important purpose. It helps to define the focus and scope of the
research project about to be undertaken. Above all, it leads to one or more research questions which
give direction and frame the study. As we will see later, research questions, providing they are written
accurately and concisely, provide an essential bridge between the literature review (the subject) and
methodology (how the subject is going to be investigated and researched). It is difficult to exaggerate
how important it is to formulate a set of clear research questions.
The figure shows the content of a research report. It does not show some of the steps such as data
collection, data preparation and data analysis that fall in between the methodology and
results/findings. Mind that in basic research researchers often set up hypotheses on the basis of
literature and test these hypotheses through statistical tests on the basis of (commonly) quantitative
data.
, Through the inductive approach, data are accumulated and analysed to see if relationships emerge
between variables. The deductive approach uses a theory to generate a working hypothesis
concerning relationships between variables. Not mutually exclusive to each other.
2 research approaches :
Deductive approach = concerned with developing a hypothesis (or hypothese) based on
existing theory, and then desining a research strategy to test the hypothesis.
Inductive approach = a theory-building process starting with observations of specific
instances, and seeking to establish generatization about the phenomenon under
investigatioin.
2 variables:
Dependent = you can find, directly depend on the variable. it is directly infecting the research
goal. It is replaceable. (gevolg)
Independent = indirect variable, main research (oorzaak)
The causes are called independent variables and the resulting effect dependent variables.
Independent variables may act upon dependent variables only indirectly via intervening variables.
There may be other factors at work that might influence changing outputs extraneous variables
(must be controlled for, cannot influence the calculations)
Methods to control the extraneous variables:
Elimination
Randomization
Example variables
Problem statement = what is the effect of work-life balance on job satisfaction?
Dependent = job satisfaction
Independent = work-life balance
Problem background / Problem statement
The introduction of the research process (and of the research report) indicates what the problem is
and why it is a problem (problem background) and to whom. In this subject, we see the problem
definition as a two-step process: the problem background describes what the ‘problem’ is and why it
is a problem and the problem statement states the main question that the research needs to answer.
The problem statement (here) is a question (that ends with a question mark) that indicates what the
problem is.
Mind that what we call problem here, might be called a symptom in some books. In fact, you could
say that symptoms are the dependent variables in research and the underlying problems could be
called independent variables. I think we do not need to discuss what symptoms are as that may be
confusing.
Learning outcomes
The ability to understand and explain a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods and
to interpret and report on an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
Business research has been defined as: ‘the systematic and objective process of collecting, recording,
analysing and interpreting data for aid in solving managerial problems’ (Wilson, 2014: 3). Hence,
research is often about how (process) to solve real problems (content) (Gill and Johnson, 2002). It is
often not the task of the student/researcher to solve the problem, but to find out how the problem
can be solved.
Many naïve researchers are tempted to rush into the ‘collect information’ stage without first very
clearly defining the research topic, and its objectives. The results of this fuzziness only become
transparent later on, with the effect that the researcher has to cycle back to an earlier stage in the
research process, or to start again.
Examples of managerial problems:
- High churn rate
- Low productivity of workers
- Low sales
- Finding a new market to sell our products to
Often problems are identified when there is a change in the condition of a certain variable; e.g., an
increase in the turnover rate of employees.
,Research may have a very practical focus (applied research), with an emphasis on achieving measurable
outputs that are specific to a particular business or organization. The results of such research may be of
significance to a specific context, but difficult to generalize elsewhere. On the other hand, research may also be
concerned with clarifying, validating or building a theory (basic research). Its importance to society or to
organizations may be determined by the extent to which this theory is translatable into a specific context.
However, most organizations will only see research as valid if it is seen to lead to practical outcomes (Easterby-
Smith et al., 2002). Then there are forms of research comprising collaboration between the researcher and
professional practitioners (often an element of action research). Table 1.1 provides a summary illustrating a
continuum between basic and applied research.
Research topics should be formulated as questions!
Kerlinger and Lee (2000) argue that a good research question:
Expresses a relationship between variables (for example, company image and sales levels).
Is stated in unambiguous terms in a question format.
A theory has been defined as:
A set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions, and
propositions that
present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations
among variables,
with the purpose of explaining and predicting phenomena.
,We saw above that research often comprises an investigation into the relationship between two (or
more) variables. However, before we undertake a research study, we need to know more about these
variables and what studies, if any, have been conducted into their relationship. Hence, we undertake
a literature review (see Figure 1.1). In doing this, we will be interested in the literature on the
dependent variable (the variable that forms the focus of the research) and the independent variable
(the variable that acts on or predicts the dependent variable). So, for example, we might investigate
consumer attitudes to healthy eating (the dependent variable) following a firm’s marketing campaign
(independent variable). But there is a third source of literature we also need to investigate and that is
where studies have already been completed that have explored the relationships between healthy
eating and campaigns designed to improve eating patterns (see dependent/independent variable in
Figure 1.2). As we will see when looking at inductive and qualitative methods, this sequential,
literature-first approach, is not always followed, but it is typical of many studies.
The literature review has another important purpose. It helps to define the focus and scope of the
research project about to be undertaken. Above all, it leads to one or more research questions which
give direction and frame the study. As we will see later, research questions, providing they are written
accurately and concisely, provide an essential bridge between the literature review (the subject) and
methodology (how the subject is going to be investigated and researched). It is difficult to exaggerate
how important it is to formulate a set of clear research questions.
The figure shows the content of a research report. It does not show some of the steps such as data
collection, data preparation and data analysis that fall in between the methodology and
results/findings. Mind that in basic research researchers often set up hypotheses on the basis of
literature and test these hypotheses through statistical tests on the basis of (commonly) quantitative
data.
, Through the inductive approach, data are accumulated and analysed to see if relationships emerge
between variables. The deductive approach uses a theory to generate a working hypothesis
concerning relationships between variables. Not mutually exclusive to each other.
2 research approaches :
Deductive approach = concerned with developing a hypothesis (or hypothese) based on
existing theory, and then desining a research strategy to test the hypothesis.
Inductive approach = a theory-building process starting with observations of specific
instances, and seeking to establish generatization about the phenomenon under
investigatioin.
2 variables:
Dependent = you can find, directly depend on the variable. it is directly infecting the research
goal. It is replaceable. (gevolg)
Independent = indirect variable, main research (oorzaak)
The causes are called independent variables and the resulting effect dependent variables.
Independent variables may act upon dependent variables only indirectly via intervening variables.
There may be other factors at work that might influence changing outputs extraneous variables
(must be controlled for, cannot influence the calculations)
Methods to control the extraneous variables:
Elimination
Randomization
Example variables
Problem statement = what is the effect of work-life balance on job satisfaction?
Dependent = job satisfaction
Independent = work-life balance
Problem background / Problem statement
The introduction of the research process (and of the research report) indicates what the problem is
and why it is a problem (problem background) and to whom. In this subject, we see the problem
definition as a two-step process: the problem background describes what the ‘problem’ is and why it
is a problem and the problem statement states the main question that the research needs to answer.
The problem statement (here) is a question (that ends with a question mark) that indicates what the
problem is.
Mind that what we call problem here, might be called a symptom in some books. In fact, you could
say that symptoms are the dependent variables in research and the underlying problems could be
called independent variables. I think we do not need to discuss what symptoms are as that may be
confusing.
