The Research Process

Source Book - Cooper

From- Jayant
Pratyush
Satish
Ashish
Nikhil
IPM 1
 Research Process
 Research originates in the decision
process. A manager needs specific
information for setting objectives defining
tasks, finding the best strategy to carry out
the task , or judging how well the strategy
is being implemented.

IPM 2
 Discover the
management
dilemma
exploration

Define management
Define the question
exploration
research
question

Refine the
exploration research
question

Questions Answered
Budget and
value Research Budget
Value proposal
assessment exceeds Approval rejected
cost
e
v alu
ds IPM stop 3
ee
Stop t exc Approved
cos
 Approved

Research design

Design Strategy
(type, purpose, time frame, scope, environment)
Data collection Design Sampling design

Investigative Sample Unit

Question Selection

Sample Type
Selection
Measurement
Question

Questions Answered
Pilot Draw
testing Instrument Design Sample

Data Collection
Instrument
Revision

IPM 4
 Data Preparation

Questions Answered
Data Analysis and Interpretation

Research Reporting

Legends for research phase

Research planning
Data Gathering
Analysis, interpretation
& Reporting
IPM 5
 Discover the Management
Dilemma

 Identify the problem.

 Symptom of an actual problem.
 For ex: rising cost , decreasing sales.
 Identifying the problem is rarely difficult.
 Its need a correct decision-making.

IPM 6
 MANAGEMENT- RESEARCH
QUESTION HIERARCHY

What should be asked or

Measurement Questions observed to obtain the information
Level 5 the manager needs?

What does the manager need to know

Investigative Questions to choose the best alternative from
Level 4 the available courses of action?

What are the plausible courses of action available

Research Questions to management to correct the problem or take
Level 3 advantage of the opportunity, and which should
be considered?
Management How can management eliminate negative
Level 2 symptoms? How can management fully
Questions capitalize on an opportunity?

Management What symptoms cause management concern?

Dilemma What environmental stimuli raise management interest?

Level 1

IPM 7
 2. Exploration
1. Discover the
management Stage 3 : After Austin
dilemma Stage 1:Before Austin
Brainstorming and
1. PC magazines: Annual company letters
survey of “service, 1. Possible problems
repair, and tech
support” a) Employee shortage
An increasing number
of letters and phone b) Tech-line operator
2. Published customer training
complaints about satisfaction
comparisons. c) Uneven courier
post-purchase performance
service. Stage 2 : Austin Meeting d) Parts shortages
1. Production : 5000/mo. e) Inconsistent repair
servicing
2. Distribution through
computer superstores f) Product damage
during repair
and independent mail-
order company. g) Product damage
during shipping
3. Complete Care process h) Packaging and
handling problems

RESEARCH PROCESS FOR IPM 8

MINDWRITER
 4. Exploration
5. Define the 3. Define the
Research Interviews with : Management
Question Service manager Question
Call centre managers
Independent package
Company account executive

• Should the technical representative be What should be done to

given more intensive training, or not? improve the
CompleteCare program
• Should ABC Courier Service be replaced for MindWriter product
by an overnight air transport service, or repairs and servicing?
not?
• Should the repair diagnostic and repair
sequencing operations be modified, or not?
• Should the return packaging be modified
to include pre-molded rigid foam inserts,
conforming-expandable foam protection, or
neither?
• Should metropolitan repair centers be
established to complement or replace
in-factory repair facilities, or not? IPM 9
Define The Management Question
 Choice of purpose or objectives.
 Ex: what do we want to achieve?
 Generation and evaluation of solutions.
 Ex: how we can achieve our goal?
 Control the situation.
 Ex: how well is our program meeting its
goals?

IPM 10
 The Research Question
 Once the researcher has a clear
statement of the management question,
he and manager must translate into
research question.
 It should be a fact-oriented , information
gathering.
 Only reasonable alternatives should be
considered.
IPM 11
 Refining Research Question
 It needs a skillful researcher .
 At this point, a clearer picture of the
management and research questions
begins to emerge.
 It is apparent the question has been
answered and the process is finished.
 A question different from the original.

IPM 12
 Budget and Value Assessment
 Management has to play a great role
between budgeting and value assessment.
 Budget required for data gathering, project
planning and analysis, interpretation and
reporting.
 Appropriate research study can help
managers to avoid losses and increase
profits.

IPM 13
 Research Proposal
 Where all aspects of the research are
discussed.
 It should be in written form or in oral.

IPM 14
 Budget approval
 In absence of it many research are
terminated.
 Types of budget :
 Rule of thumb budgeting
 Departmental or functional area budgeting
 Task budgeting.

IPM 15
 Research design & strategy
 It is a blueprint for fulfilling objectives and
answering questions.
 It may be complicated by the availability of
a large variety of methods, techniques,
procedures.

IPM 16
 Data collection design
 1. Investigative question: to formulate
them , the researcher takes a general
search question and breaks it into more
specific questions.
 2. Measurement question: These question
is generally asked by respondents.
 In it, researcher records each
observations and subject studied.
IPM 17
 Sampling design

A sample is a part of target population.

 Researcher must determine how many

people to interview and who they will be,
what and how many events to observe or
how many records to inspect.

IPM 18
 Pilot testing

 It is conducted to detect weaknesses in

design and instrumentation and provide
proxy data for selection of a sample.
 If the study is a survey to be executed by
mail, the pilot questionnaire should be
mailed.

IPM 19
 Data
Collection and Preparation
 Data should be presented to the
researcher from the study environment .
 It is characterized by abstractness,
verifiability, elusiveness, and closeness to
the phenomenon.

IPM 20
Data Analysis and Interpretation
 Itusually involves reducing accumulated data to
a manageable size developing summaries
looking for patterns and applying statistical
techniques.

 Scaled responses on questionnaires and

experimental instruments often require the
analyst to derive various functions, and
relationships among variables are frequently
explored after that.

IPM 21
 Reporting The Results
 Itis necessary to prepare a report and
transmit the findings and recommendations
to the manager for the intended purpose of
decision- making.
 Reports should be developed from client’s
perspective.

IPM 22
IPM 23