1

The Research Process

Sequence of steps in busieness research
Formulate Problem
Decision Problem
Research problem
Dermine Research Design
Explorative research
Descriptive research
Cusal research
Dermine data Collection Method
Secondary Data
Primary data
Design data Collection Forms
Quantitative Data
Qualitative Data
Design Sample and Collect data
Sample Frame and sample
Probability versus nonprobability sample
Analyze and Interpret Data
Editing/Quality assurance of data
Coding
Tabulation
Data Analysis
Prepare the Research Report (proposal)
Structure
Scientific Reqirements/Theory/Models
Literature

Confer Exhibit 3.1, page 50

Decision Problem and Research Problem

Drivers for problem formulation:
1.

Unaticipated change, basically in the environment of the

focal firm (suppliers,competitors, customers)

2.

Planned change (estimation, effects, outcome)

3.

Serendipity (random ideas or information)

Differetn Problem Levels:

1)

Individual orientation, PSYCHOLOGY

2)

Individual-individual, SOSIAL PSYCHOLOGY

3)

Individual and group, ORGANIZATION THEORY,

ORGANIZATION PSYCHOLOGY

4)

Group/department, ORGANIZATION SOCIOLOGY

5)

Inter-group, ORGANIZATION THEORY

6)

Group/department and organization, ECONOMIC

THEORY, PRINCIPAL-AGENT THEORY,
ORGANIZATION THEORY

7)

Organization/firm, ECONOMIC THEORY, BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION

8)

Firm-firm, ECONOMICS OF ORGANIZATION,

ECONOMIC THEORY, GAME THEORY

9)

Firm and environment

ECONOMIC THEORY, CONTRACT LAW,
INDUSTRIAL ECONOMICS
7)

Decision Problem:
The problem facing the decision maker (organization) for which
the research is intended to provide answers or information
Research Problem:
A statement of the decision problem into research terms

A practical example:
Introduction of a new product because sales are below the target
Revision of the target?
Withdraw the product?
Revise some elements in the marketing mix?

Further investigation:
Assumption about ineffective advertising
Lack of awareness among potential users?
Lack of interest among potential users?

The decision problem should focus on what needs to be done?

Bad performance in one specific supplier firm:
The ability/skills in the supplier firm?
The motivation in the supplier firm to carry out satisfactory
services for the purchasing organization
The research problem should aim at providing information
which enable the decision maker to take relevant decisions or
carry out relevant actions in order to solve the problem

Examples of failures:
Taste of food and drinks
Image of food and drinks
Instant coffee

How can you avoid to make wrong specification of the research

problem?
Wait until you have explored the decision problem sufficiently
before you state your research problem
The typical research failure is to start the research process by
making a proposal stating the methods which is to be used to
complete the research
A more fruitful way of doing research is to examine the decision
makers situation carefully in the first place with focus on:
1.

The decision maker (organization) and its environment

2.

Alternative courses of action

3.

The objective of the decision maker

4.

The consequences of alternative actions

Start by making a research request step:

1. Action: The actions that are contemplated on the basis of the
research
2. Origin: The events that led to a need for action give a deeper
understanding of the decision problem
3. Information: The questions which need to be answered in order
to take relevant decision
4. Use: The way each piece of information will be used to help
make the proper decisions
5. Target and subgroups: Localize the groups from whom relevant
information can be gathered
6. Economy: Estimate the time and money that are available for
Conducting the research

10

Example:
Decision problem:
Sales reductions for a specific product group
1.

Action:

Drop the product?

Improve marketing mix?
Improve distribution and logistics?

2.

Origin:

Increased competition?
Recession in the economy?
The product life cycle is in the ending stage?
Turn over and problems in the sales force of the company
Sales development over time?

11

3.

Information:

The information need is determined by the origin of the problem

which might narrow your research agenda when you look at the
correspondence between action and origin
Suppose that we know that the competitors are winning market
shares, that the market size is maintained for the product, and
that we are loosing sales volume in specific distribution channels
A marketing and/or logistic problem

12

4.

Use:

What kind of information is relevant now?

Our firm has to pay attention to the actors in a specific
distribution channel, e.g. industrial distributors in international
markets
Find sales figures for different distribution actors in this channel
Quality rating (bench marking) of the product
Sales promotion support
Prices and margin for the distribution actors
Currency development
Logistic performance, delivery time and lead time and order
costs
Integration or long term relationships between dominant actors
in the distribution channel

13

5:

Targets and subgroups

Relevant information and informants:

Within the firm:
Statistics providing sales development figures for product groups
and customers/distribution actors
Interviews or focus groups:
Top manager
Marketing manager
Sales manager
Logistic manager
Outside the firm:
Competitors/marketing intelligence
Interviews:
Distributors
Final customers
Consultancy firms

14

6.

Economy:

Start with most available data

Make priorities among the different information sources

15

Research Proposal:

1. Tentative project title

2. Statement of the research problem
Describe the general problem under consideration
Why is this problem of any relevance?
Literature, new papers, journals, statement from the case
firm/decision maker, some verification is necessary
3. Purpose and limits of the project
Focus and purpose of the project should be elaborated in more
details
Scope and limitations, what is left out and what is the main focus
Research questions or hypotheses
4. Outline
Tentative framework for the entire project
Literature review
Research model

16

5. Data sources and research methodology

Setting for the study
Primary/secondary data
Specification of informants
Data collection
6. Estimated time and scheduling
Time schedule for the different stages of the project
7. Cost estimates (research consulting firms)
Specification of costs for carrying out the project