an Empirical Research
Dr. M. V. Anuradha
PGPM
What is research?
Formalized curiosity
Systematic study of materials and sources in
order to establish facts and reach new conclusions
Why Research?
Understand more about particular issues and
problems
Find workable solutions/Work towards the solution
Key in informed decision making
Evaluate success
May
June
July
Groundwork
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Lit. Review
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Method
Aug
Data
Collection
Sep
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Oct
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Report due
Jan
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Data
Analysis
Final Draft
Dec
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Progress
First Draft
Nov
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Research
Process
Reality, Documented
Knowledge(Science)
Existing Knowledge on a Topic (Topic Choice,
Literature Review)
Research
Question
Theory Building and Hypothesis
Specification
Measurement Scale
Development/Adoption
Research
Design
Research Proposal
Preparation
Personal experiences/Interests
Observations
Current trend- Hot topics
Literature
Autocracy
Sector
Democracy
Economic
growth
indicators in
host country
Governm
ent
FDI
Competitors
Global
Economic
Environment
State of
technol
ogy
Policy
Makers
Corrupt
ion
Example
Topic: Meaning ; Context: Work; Goal: to describe the
various meanings that people assign to their work?
Question: What does work mean to people?
Topic: Meaning; Context: Work; Goal: To understand
the characteristics essential for work to be called
meaningful Question: When do people consider their
work to be
meaningful?
Topic: Meaning; Context: Work; Goal: To explore why
some people find meaning in work while others do not
find meaning in the same work?
Question: How does meaning get created?
Research Question
Set boundaries, provide direction & act as a reference
for your work
Helps:
Define the topic
Define nature of the research-explore, describe,
compare, explain
Define questions: What? Why? How? When?
Define constructs and variables
Define relationships- correlated, causal, increase,
decrease etc.
Example
Topic: Foreign Direct investments in India
Research Questions:
Does the existence of corruption in the host
country lead to low foreign direct investments in the
retail sector?
Can technology lead to reduced level of corruption
in a country eventually affecting foreign direct
investments in the retail sector?
Theorist-Pragmatist-Activist-Reflector?
Give evidence