RESEARCH

Researches are performed to solve the problems. That is when an organization or a

company faces a problem. There is a need to undertake the research in order to solve
the problem.
At the same time solutions or reasons for the particular problem is not known researches
will be undertaken.

Problem:

Deviation from the standards or the expectations are recognized as problems. For
example it is the standard that when employees are recruited they want to stay in the
organization for some time. As opposed to this rule if the employees are leaving the
organization within a short period of time after the recruitment it will be recognized as a
problem. In addition when there is no sufficient knowledge and understanding regarding
any particular management issue the organization will face a problem. For example it is
not clear weather marketing LCD televisions in Maldives hotels will be successful. This
knowledge is lacking then it can be identified as a problem.

Problem and symptoms:

Symptoms are used to identify the problems therefore symptoms cannot be considered
as problems. For example sales decrease cannot be recognized as the problem
because sales decrease can be a result of various reasons or problems such as poor
marketing mix, improper communication, improper branding, improper pricing, poor
employee satisfaction and irrelevant technology …etc. hence sales decrease will be
considers a symptom in this case.

CONCEPTUALIZATION
Research problem has to be converted into a conceptual framework. In that sense
conceptual framework will show cause and effect relationship of a problem. It will be
presented as given below.

CAUSE
(INDIPENDENT VARIABLE)
Drunk driving
Improper marketing mix
Miscommunication
Rewards
Improper prizing
Lack of skilled labor
EFFECT
(DEPENDENT VARIABLE)
Leads to accidents
Leads to market failure
Leads to divorce
Leads to Poor job satisfaction
Leads to diminishing sales
Production decreases
In this diagram effect will be identified as the problem. Factors leading to the problem will
be identified as the causes. Causes and effects in the conceptual framework can be re-
worded as independent and dependent variable. In that sense effect will be identified as
the dependent variable and cause will be identified as the independent variable thus
occurrence of dependent variable depends on the occurrence of independent variable.

When doing research there will be several causes contribution to one particular effect.
There fore conceptual framework will be developed as presented below.

Independent variable Dependent variable

Technology

Staff Assistance

Poor adaptation
Customer Perception Of
Internet banking

Awareness

Promotion

Conceptualization and literature review:

When a conceptualization is developed it has to be supported by literature. In that sense

independent and dependent variables have to be derived from existing literature.

Hints selecting topics:

There are different techniques used to select a topic.

1.) Breaking the major areas to minor areas of the research. We can divide the
major areas like marketing, human resource and strategic management. After
that each area had to be further broken down according to the interest. For
example marketing can be broken down into:
 • Customer behavior
• Branding
• Customer relationship management
• Promotion …etc.

After breaking into minor areas it had to be related to the industry and see
weather there are any problems relating to the minor area of the interest.

2.) In certain instances topics can be identified by looking at the problems directly.
After identifying the problem it can be related to the relevant minor and major
areas of the topics or subjects.
3.) Problems can be identified by discussing with industrial specialist and subject
specialist so they will unearth the problems.

METHODOLOGY

Methodology means now a researcher can study what he wants to study. This means
what method a researcher has to adopt for his research.

Quantitativ
Qualitative
e
Interviews
Field study
Focus
group
Observatio
Experiment Survey
n

Methodology can be broadly divided into two – quantitative and qualitative.

♦ Experiment:

Experiment is undertaken in the limited laboratory facilities. Here the connection with the
natural world will be less. For example experiments to introduce medicines.

♦ Survey:
Survey is carried out in the natural setups. Probably questions are used to collect data
for survey.
SAMPLING METHODS

Researchers cannot collect data from the entire population because of time limitation,
resource limitation….etc. because of this researchers adopt sampling methods to collect
data. There are different sampling methods suggested for use.

Sampling
methods

Simple random sampling

Systematic sampling
Stratified sampling
Cluster Sampling
Snowboard method
Purposive sampling
Convenience
sampling

♦ Simple random sampling:

Each item in the population should have an equal probability of selection in this method
of sampling.

♦ Systematic sampling:

This technique involves taking sample at regular intervals from the population.

♦ Stratified sampling:

This technique involves organizing a sampling frame into a number of strata, layers or
bands based on specific attributes.

♦ Cluster sampling:

This technique involves dividing the population into a number of convenient clusters and
randomly selecting a relative proportion of respondents from each cluster for research.
 ♦ Snowboard method:

In this method one respondent will help to identify the next respondent for instance to
identify HIV victims, female harassment cases, bribery cases…etc.

♦ Purposive sampling:

In this method people or otherwise items will be selected by a specific purpose which the
researcher has in mind. For example purchase behavior of sports man, meal practice of
elder couples in hotel, dress practices of singles…etc.

♦ Convenience sampling:

Convenience sampling involves constructing samples consisting of people or items that

you can access most easily.