What is research?

Research is:• “The process of thoroughly studying and

analysing the situational factors surrounding a problem in order to seek out solutions to it”. (Cavana, Delahaye and Sekaran, 2001: 4)

• ‘.. a systematic, careful inquiry or examination to discover new information or relationships and to expand/verify existing knowledge for some specified purpose’ (Bennett, 1991: 68).

What is business research?

• “Undertaking systematic research to find out things about business and management” (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2003: 3)

• “An organised, systematic, data-based, critical, objective, scientific inquiry or investigation into a specific problem or issue with the purpose of finding solutions to it or clarifying it. (Cavana et al, 2001: 5)

Why Do We Do Research?(Babbie, 1995; Veal 2005)

• Exploration– Uncovering issues of concern– Increasing understanding of the problem

• Description– Finding out, describing what is– What is the situation? Where are we now?

Why Do We Do Research?(continued)

• Explanation– Explaining how or why things are as they are (and

using this to predict)– Answering questions, solving problems, testing

theories

• Evaluation research– evaluation of policies, strategies, programs and

practices dents

Basic versus applied business research

• Basic – to enhance the understanding of problems that commonly occur across a range of organisations

• Applied – done with the intention of applying results to specific problems in the business

The Research Process

A general approach:• Desire to do research• Formulating and clarifying the topic• Reviewing the literature• Choosing a research strategy• Collecting data• Analysing data• Reporting the findings (write-up)

Scientific Investigation

• The need for an honest, truthful, accurate and complete investigation

• Focused on the goals of problem-solving• Pursues a step-by-step, logical, organised and

rigorous method

The Hallmarks of Scientific Research

1. Purposiveness

2. Rigour

3. Testability

4. Replicability

5. Accuracy

6. Objectivity

7. Generalisability

8. Parsimony