business research
1 Quantitative Research is the function that allows us to obtain information and data about activities, events and occurrences in order that we can identify, define, monitor and better understand issues, problems and processes, through quantitative evaluation. The research specifies the data required to address the issues, problems or processes, designates the information and data gathering design and methodology, provides interpretation of the results and presents arguments, discussion and critical evaluation of the findings.
2 Qualitative researches is taken to encompass techniques which are not statistically based, but are especially suited to small-scale analysis, and in which the researcher gets to know the social world being studied at first hand
3 Distinctions between the Natural and the Social Scientist
The natural scientist develops concepts and theories to describe and explain ‘nature’ from the outside.
The social scientist studies social phenomena; this requires an understanding of the social world, from the inside, a world which is constructed and reproduced by the actions of people. People who continually interpret and make sense of behaviour, situations, and activities. In other words the ‘social world is already interpreted before the social scientist arrives’ (Blakie, 1993:36)
4 Quantitative
n Questionnaires
n Observation
n Psychological tests
n Analysis of data
n Excel/SPSS
5 Deductivism is linked to empiricism; it can be seen to link active experimentation to abstract conceptualization it is concerned with rationality and instrumentalism, and testing theories through hypotheses. The views are Positivist (or Realist)
Intuitivism can be seen to be the reverse of deductive in that it seeks to construct explanations and theories about observations from an empirical world. The theory is the outcome of induction.
6 Data: Sources of Secondary Data
1. Internal Sources within Organizations/Groups
Sales, Product, Market Data
Archives
Intranet
2. External Sources Published for Commercial reasons
Libraries
Government
Private Sources
Internet
7 Primary Data Sources
Sourcing can occur in several ways:
Observing and recording (which include interviews, focus groups, action research)
Measurement
Surveys (Commonly used for Social Science, Behavioural and Market Research)
8 HARD QUANTITATIVE data is that type of data with which we are generally familiar. It lies within and parallels our number system. It encompasses RATIO and INTERVAL data types
10 Sampling
When we undertake a survey, to collect quantitative data, we are effectively sampling from a population. It is therefore necessary to define the population and the sampling method (of which there are many).
11 Methodology a general approach to studying a research topic that establishes how we go about researching a particular phenomenon, (such as positivist, or a qualitative methodology)
12 When Methods is:
The specific research techniques (such as interviewing, observation, or statistical analysis).
It is important to make a distinction between Methodology - which is a general approach to studying a research topic, that establishes how we go about researching a particular phenomenon, (such as positivist, or a qualitative methodology) and Methods which are the specific research techniques (such as interviewing, observation, or statistical analysis).
14 SOFT QUANTITATIVE data is that type of data which places people or objects into categories or rankings. It encompasses NOMINAL and ORDINAL data types
Methods and Methodologies
15-18
NOMINAL data which is non-numeric, for example gender, here a numeric code could be used (1 = male, 2 = female) e.g., pass/fail, single/married, and divided into a number of categories but the difference between the categories is not measurable in any real sense. This is the least sophisticated level of measurement.
ORDINAL data arranged in a meaningful order, but refers to rank only (1st, 2nd, 3rd) Ordinal items are usually categorical, in that they belong to a definable category, such as '1956 marathon runners’. You cannot do arithmetic with ordinal numbers -- they show sequence only.
Example, The first, third and fifth person in a race.
Pay bands in an organization, as denoted by A, B, C and D.
INTERVAL numbers where the differences between them has value (1-3 on a scale of agreement, 3 is definably stronger than 2) Ordinal items are usually categorical, in that they belong to a definable category, such as '1956 marathon runners'. This is often used in psychological experiments that measure attributes along an arbitrary scale between two extremes. Interval data cannot be multiplied or divided.Example, My level of happiness, rated from 1 to 10.Temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit.
RATIO data which has both a zero point and equal intervals of measurement (price, income) In a ratio scale, numbers can be compared as multiples of one another. Thus one person can be twice as tall as another person. Important also, the number zero has meaning. Thus the difference between a person of 35 and a person 38 is the same as the difference between people who are 12 and 15. A person can also have an age of zero. Ratio data can be multiplied and divided because not only is the difference between 1 and 2 the same as between 3 and 4, but also that 4 is twice as much as 2.Interval and ratio data measure quantities and hence are quantitative. Because they can be measured on a scale, they are also called scale data.Example
My level of happiness, rated from 1 to 10.
Temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit.
Population:
Literally means "all the people" and in research the term is most commonly used to refer to a specific group of people. However, in a research context, population refers to all the members or objects of any defined group which might be taken or about which information might be given.
A research population refers to the entire group to which the research results apply e.g., a relevant age group, or equipment group such as syringes.
Posted by seangkhun
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CASE STUDY
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