CONCEPTUALIZING A RESEARCH DESIGN

CONCEPTUALIZING A RESEARCH DESIGN By the end of this chapter, students should be able to: 1. Apply the different types of research design for any given research.

2. Develop an appropriate design for any research.

3.0 Conceptualizing a Research Design 3.1 The Research Design 3.2 Selecting a Study Design

3.1 The Research Design

• There are 6 elements of research design:  Purpose of the study  Types of investigation  Extent of researcher interference  Study setting  Unit of analysis  Time horizon

3.2 Selecting a Study Design 3.2.1 Purpose of The Study

3.2.1.1 Exploratory Studies This is an initial investigation to understand the background of a problem and obtain the clearest clarification pertaining to the problem.

These are conducted with the expectation that subsequent research will be required to provide conclusive evidence.

Suitable for: •Situation when not much know about particular area at hand, or no information is available on how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past

3.2.1.2 Descriptive Study • This describes the characteristics of a population or phenomenon. • Undertaken in order to ascertain and be able to describe the characteristics of the variables of interest in a situation, describe the characteristic of events, phenomena, object or subject matter

suitable for: It determines the answers to whom, what, when and how question.

3.2.1.3 Causal Research or Hypothesis Testing •The main goal is to identify the cause-andeffect relationship between variables. •Usually explain the nature of certain relationships or establish the differences among groups or the independence of two factors in the situation.

Suitable : To explain the variance in the dependent variable or to predict organizational outcomes Techniques: univariate, bivariate, multivariate analysis.

3.2.1.4 Case Study Analysis • The case studies can involve contextual analyses of similar situations in other organizations, in which the nature of the problem and the problem definition happen to be the same as the one experienced in the current situation.

3.2.1.5 Action Research • Action research is known by many other names, including participatory research, collaborative inquiry, emancipatory research, action learning, and contextual action research, but all are variations on a theme. Put simply, action research is “learning by doing” - a group of people identify a problem, do something to resolve it, see how successful their efforts were, and if not satisfied, try again.

• Most experimental research that takes place within social organisations and not laboratories can be thought of as action research.

3.2.1.6

Operational Research

• It involves the application of the mathematical techniques and principles to organisational problems. • The orgaisation researcher tries to understand organisational problems. After understanding what is going on, the next stage is to construct a model of the organisation that can be used to explore the different outcomes that would result from variations in the elements that makes up the organisation

3.2.2. Types of Investigation • 3.2.2.1 Clarification • A clarification investigation the researcher is trying to gain a clearer understanding of the concepts involved in the research problem.

3.2.2.2 Correlational •A correlational relationship indicates that at least two concepts or variables move simultaneously. •Researcher wants to identify the interrelationship between important variables that give impact to the problem.

3.2.2.3 Causal •A causal relationship indicates that one concept or variable causes a movement in another concept and variable. •Causal: causal-and-effect relationship. Study in which researcher want to delineate the cause of one or more problems.

3.2.3 Extent of Research Interference The extent to which the researcher interferes with the normal flow of work in the workplace has a direct bearing of any research decision.

There are three of researches varying degrees of interference – minimal, moderate and excessive.

3.2.4 Study Setting 1. Contrived: natural environment example: field experiment 2. Noncontrived : artificial setting example : lab experiment

Purpose of Study

Study Type

Study Setting

Research Interference

Exploratory and Descriptive

Field study

Non-contrived setting

Minimal interference

Correlation and Causal

Field experiment

Non-contrived setting

Moderate interference

Causal

Lab experiment

Contrived setting

Excessive interference

3.2.5 Unit of Analysis Refer to the level of aggregation of the data collected during the subsequent data analysis stage. Example: 1. Individual 2. Dyads : several two-person group 3. Groups 4.Division 5. Industry 6. Countries

3.2.6 Time Horizon 1. Cross-sectional studies One shot study. A study can be done in which data are gathered just once, perhaps over a period of days or weeks or months in order answer a research question.

2. Longitudinal studies Study people or phenomena at more than one point of time in order to answer the research question.

References • Sekaran. U (2004) Research Methodology for Business: A Skill Building Approach 4th Edition, Southern Illinois University, John Wiley & Son, Inc • Sundram, V.P.K., Chandran VGR., Atikah S.B., Krishnasamy T., Rohani M., Nazura M.S., Othman A.A., (2016) Research Methodology: Tools, Methods and Techniques, MLSCA, Selangor.

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