Research lecture 2

Prepared by : Mustahsan Elahi
Slide 2.1
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th
Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009
Chapter 2
Formulating and clarifying the research topic

Slide 2.2
Learning outcomes
• By the end of this chapter you should be able to:
• Generate ideas that will help in the choice of a
suitable research topic;
• Identify the attributes of a good research topic;
• Turn research ideas into a research project that
has clear research question (s) and objectives;
• Draft a research proposal

Slide 2.3
Formulating and clarifying your research
topic
The important steps
• Identifying the attributes of a good research topic
• Generating ideas that help you select a suitable
topic
• Turning ideas into clear research questions and
objectives
• Writing your research proposal

Slide 2.4
Attributes of a good research topic (1)
Capability: is it feasible?
• Are you fascinated/attracted by the topic?
• Do you have the necessary research skills?
• Can you complete the project in the time available?
• Will the research still be current when you finish?
• Do you have sufficient financial and other resources?
• Will you be able to gain access to data?

Slide 2.5
Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?
• Will the examining institute's standards be met?
• Does the the topic contain issues with clear links to
theory?
• Are the research questions and objectives clearly
stated?
• Will the proposed research provide fresh insights into
the topic?
• Are the findings likely to be symmetrical?
• Does the research topic match your career goals?

Slide 2.6
And - (if relevant)
Does the topic relate clearly to an idea
you were given -
possibly by your organisation ?

Slide 2.7
Generating research ideas; Useful
Techniques
Rational thinking
• Examining your own
strengths and interests
• Looking at past project
titles
• Searching the literature
• Scanning the media
• Discussion
Creative thinking
• Keeping a notebook of
ideas
• Exploring personal
preferences using past
projects
• Relevance trees
• Brainstorming

Slide 2.8
Rational thinking and creative
thinking
• These techniques will generate possible
project one of two outcomes:
• One or more possible project ideas that
you might undertake;
• Absolute panic because nothing in which
you are interested or which seems
suitable has come to mind.

Slide 2.9
Examining own strengths and
interests
• Having some academic knowledge
• Look at those assignments for which you
have received good grade.
• You may, as part of your reading, be able
to focus more precisely on the sort of
ideas about which you wish to conduct
your research
• There is a need to think about your future

Slide 2.10
Looking at past project title
• Dissertations;
• Theses.
Scan your university’s list of past project titles for
anything that captures your imagination
• Scanning actual research projects.
You need to beware. The fact that a project is in
your library is no guarantee of the quality of the
arguments and observations it contains.

Slide 2.11
Discussion
• Colleagues, friends, university tutors,
practitioner and professional groups

Slide 2.12
Searching the literature
• As part of your discussions, relevant literature
may also be suggested. Sharp et al, (2002)
discuss types of literature that are of particular
use for generating research ideas. These
include:
• Article in academic and professional journals;
• Reports;
• Books.

Slide 2.13
Scanning the media
• Keeping up to date with items in the news
can be a very rich source of ideas

Slide 2.14
Keeping a notebook of ideas
• One of the more creative techniques that
we all use is to keep a notebook of ideas.
All this involves is simply noting down any
interesting research ideas as you think of
them and, of equal importance, what
sparked off your thought. You can then
pursue the idea using more rational
thinking technique later.

Slide 2.15
Exploring personal preferences
using past project
1. Select six projects that you like
2. For each of these six projects, note down your
first thoughts in response to three questions(if
responses for different projects are the same
this does not matter);
What appeals to you about the project?
What is good about the project?
Why is the project good?

Slide 2.16
Exploring personal preferences
using past project
3. Select three projects you do not like.
4. For each of these three projects that you
do not like.
What do you dislike about the project?
What is bad about the project?
Why is the project bad?

Slide 2.17
Relevance tree
• You start with a broad concept from which you
generate further (usually more specific) topics.
Each of these topics forms a separate branch
from which you can generate further, more
detailed sub branches. As you proceed down the
sub branches more ideas are generated and
recorded. These can then be examined and a
number selected and combined to provide a
research idea

Slide 2.18
Cont..

Slide 2.19
Brainstorming
• Define your problem – that is, the sorts of ideas you are interested
in – as precisely as possible.
• Ask for suggestions, relating to the problem
• Record all suggestions, observing the following rules:
No suggestion should be criticized or evaluated in any way before all
ideas have been considered;
All suggestions, however wild, should be recorded and considered
As many suggestions as possible should be recorded.
• Review all the suggestions and explore what is meant by each.
• Analyze the list of suggestions and decide which appeal to to you
most as research ideas why.

Slide 2.20
Refining research ideas
• Using the Delphi Technique
• Conducting a preliminary study
• Integrating ideas
• Refining topics given to you by your
organisation

Slide 2.21
The Delphi technique
• This involves using a group of people who are either
involved or interested in the research idea to generate
and choose a more specific research idea. To use this
technique you need:
1. To brief the members of the group about the research
idea;
2. At the end of the briefing to encourage group members
to seek clarification and more information as
appropriate;
3. To ask each member of the group including the
originator of the research ideas based on the idea that
has been described (justification)

Slide 2.22
The Delphi technique
4- To collect the research ideas in unedited and non-
attributable form and to distribute them to all members
of the group;
5- A second cycle of the process (steps 2 to 4)in which
comment on the research ideas and revise their own
contributions in the light of what others have said;
6- Subsequence cycles of the process until a consensus is
reached . These either follow a similar pattern (steps 2
to 4)in or use discussion. Voting or some other method.

Slide 2.23
Conducting a Preliminary Study
• It is often necessary to refine your research
idea in order to turn it into a research question
and then into your research project. This
process is called the preliminary inquiry or
initial inquiry.
• This is likely to involve searching for and
evaluating relevant literature and informal
discussion with experts etc.

Slide 2.24
Integrating ideas
• Integrating ideas to have a clear direction and
prevent a mismatch between objectives and final
project report.
• Jankowicz (2005):“Working up and narrowing
down”
• Classify idea into its subject area (Accounting),
then its field (Financial Accounting), and focus
precise aspect (activity-based costing) in which
you are interested.

Slide 2.25
Refining topics given to you by your
organisation
• How to do two things out of one? (see
book)

Slide 2.26
Turning Research Ideas Into Research
Projects
• Writing research questions
• Writing research objectives
• Importance of theory in writing research
questions & objectives

Slide 2.27
Cont..
Research Question:
• A clear question around which you center your research.
• State the purpose of your research project
• Guides you through the process of research
• Reflects the aim/objective of the study
• Consistent with expected standards
• Able to produce clear conclusions
• Not too descriptive
• Use the ‘Goldilocks Test’
Steps in selecting research questions:
1. Research Area
2. Select aspect of research area
3. Various research questions
4. Select research questions

Slide 2.28
Cont..
Descriptive: A question that commences with
‘What’, ‘When’, ‘Where’, ‘Who’ or ‘How’
will lead to an answer that will be at least
partly descriptive. These seek to describe the
characteristics of the variables or phenomena
of interest
Explanatory: Questions that seek explanations
will either commence with ‘Why’ or contain
this word within the question.

Slide 2.29
Goldilocks test
• Clough and Nutbrown use what they call the Goldilocks test to
decide if research questions are either too big too small too hot too
difficult too easy or just right/
• Research questions should not be too easy. (E.g.) what is the
proportion of graduates entering civil service who attended public
universities? (Far easier to answer and may not be theory based).
• Research questions should not be too difficult. (E.g.) Why are
graduates from public universities more likely to enter the civil
service than graduates from private universities?
• Too big need significant funding
• Too small are likely to be insufficient substance
• Too hot maybe so because sensitivities that may be aroused as a
result of doing the research . This may be because of the timing of
the research or the many other reasons that may be upset key
people who have a role to play.
• Just right are those just right for investigation at this time by this
research in this setting

Slide 2.30
Cont..
Writing research questions Wording: -
• Why do companies examine the level of satisfaction of
their customers?
• What factors influence customer satisfaction?
• How can customer satisfaction be measured?
• How does customer satisfaction influence repeat
purchase behavior?
• How does customer satisfaction influence the financial
results of companies?
• Can satisfied customers be transformed into loyal
customers?
• Can the explanations be generalized?

Slide 2.31
Turning ideas into research projects (1)
Examples of research ideas
and their derived focus questions
Table 2.2 Examples of research ideas and their derived focus research
questions

Slide 2.32
Useful techniques
• Start with a general focus question
• Discuss areas of interest with your tutor

Slide 2.33
Writing clear research objectives
• Check your examining body’s preferences for
stated objectives
• Use a general focus question to achieve precise
objectives
Saunders et al. (2009)

Slide 2.34
Include SMART Personal objectives
Specific: What precisely do you hope to achieve from undertaking the
research?
Measurable: What measures will you use to determine whether you
have achieved your objectives? (Secured a career-level first job in
software design)
Achievable: Are the targets you have set for yourself achievable given
all the possible constraints?
Realistic: Given all other demands upon your time, will you have the
time and energy to complete the research on time?
Timely: Will you have time to accomplish all your objectives?

Slide 2.35
The importance of theory
• Asking for opinions and gathering facts – 'what' questions
(descriptive research)
• Using questions that go beyond description and require
analysis – 'why' questions
Phillips and Pugh (2005)
In order to:
Explain phenomena Analyse relationships
Predict outcomes Compare and generalise

Slide 2.36
Theory
• “ A formulation regarding the cause and
effect relationship between two or more
variables, which may or may not have
been tested”

Slide 2.37
Threefold typology of theories
Grand, middle range and substantive theories
Creswell (2002)
Figure 2.1 Grand, middle-range and substantive theories

Slide 2.38
Threefold typology of theories
• Grand theories: Usually thought to be province of natural
scientists . (that will lead to a whole new way of thinking
about management)
• Middle range theories: which lack the capacity to change
the way in which we think about the world but are
nonetheless of significance . (some of the theories of
human motivation well known to manager would be in
this category.
• Substantive theories : that are restricted to a particular
time, research setting, group or population or problem

Slide 2.39
Deductive approach and
inductive approach
• This discussion of theory dose assume that a clear
theoretical position is developed prior to the collection of
data (the deductive approach).
• This will not always be the case. It may be that your
study is based on the principle of developing theory after
data have been collected (the inductive approach)

Slide 2.40
Writing your research proposal
Purposes of the research proposal
• To organise your ideas
• To convince your audience
• To contract with your client (your tutor)
• To meet ethical requirements

Slide 2.41
Content of your research proposal (1)
• Title - likely to change during the process
• Background - context within the literature
• Research questions and objectives - what you seek
to achieve

Slide 2.42
Content of your research proposal (2)
• Method - can be in two parts: research design and
data collection
• Timescale and Resources - (finance, data access,
equipment)
• References - include some key literature sources

Slide 2.43
Evaluating research proposals
• How the components of the proposal fit together
• Viability of the proposal
• Absence of preconceived ideas

Slide 2.44
Summary: Chapter 2
The best research topics
• Formulate and clarify the topic
• Meet the requirements of the examining body
• Use a variety of techniques when generating
research ideas
• Are focused on clear questions based on relevant
literature

Slide 2.45
Summary: Chapter 2
The best research topics
• Are theory dependent
• Have a proposal containing organised ideas
Tell the reader:
• What will be done and why
• How it will be achieved

Research lecture 2

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