Chapter 3: Research Methodology 01
Research Methodology
Research needs scrupulous arrangement and thorough study by the researcher. Further, Literature review chapter and objectives of the research. It is important to map out what apt route of research should be taken.
This chapter illustrates and appraise available options of research methodology and also elucidates underlying principle that should be utilized at the preliminary and juncture phase of the research methodology.
The stipulation of assortment of a species of research methodology is having clear understanding of the pertinent research area. Therefore, primary and secondary research prerequisite will be carried out in this research.
When research is conducted and opposed data is accumulated directly from respondents or research subjects for the purpose of project called empirical or primary research e.g. personal interviews where informants were interviewed about issues being studied. Secondary research arises when a project necessitates a summary or appraisal of compilation of data (Saunders et al, 2003). Secondary data can be collected from three mains sources e.g. published data, internal documentation, and feedback provided by industry experts or workers.
In fact, this methodology chapter depends profoundly on secondary data for the recognition of distinctive performance.
Existed research approaches
Further, literature review chapter theoretically now we have some clear understanding of ‘research objectives’ in many cases, but now need to explicate the methodology so reader can know ‘how’ and ‘why ‘as well. According to Yin (1994) the research questions should be formulated in terms of ‘how’ and ‘why’ rather than what, who or where.
Yin (1994) arguments proved that the methodological approach mainly explanatory rather than descriptive. There are two common research methods have been used: qualitative and quantitative each method has its own pros & cons. Any of them approach can be implemented to execute the research. Another famous and most used research approach is to combine both quantitative and qualitative to congregate aims and purpose of the research in a more inclusive way (Prasad, 2005).
Yin (1994) predicted that in future, most researches will have combine methods rather than one. Bringing both facts together qualitative and quantitative will be exceptional strength of the case study method (Yin, 1994).
Chapter 3: Research Methodology 02
Quantitative approach is delineated as the numerical representation and management of observations for the purpose of explicating the phenomena that observation reflects, and qualitative method defined as non numerical assessment and analysis of observations for the determination of underlying meaning and pattern of relationships (Denscombe, 2002).
Qualitative method is also called an �interpretivist” approach or �relativist” paradigm while quantitative describes as a �positivist” approach. interpretivist argued that data can be collected by an assortment of factors e.g. views of different people, like previous researches, etc While, positivist claimed that data can be assessed by scientifically like experiments, surveys, numerical estimation, assumption, etc (Hyde, 2000).
Further, Strauss & Corbin (1990) argued that qualitative and quantitative schools are linked with deductive and inductive approaches, respectively.
Deductive process refers to theory & tests it, and inductive approach refers to making observations in order to develop a new hypothesis. Deductive approach of qualitative research works from general to specific, usually it is also called ‘top down’ approach. In this approach arguments commence from the theory about selected topic and then narrow that down to more specific hypothesis in next stage that assumptions can be tested, and further collected observations address the hypothesis. This method leads researcher to test the hypothesis with specific data for authentication of original theory e.g. experiments. While, Inductive approach of quantitative works vice-versa in this approach arguments start from specific observation to broader overview and theory. It is also called ‘bottom up’ approach. In social research both approaches can be used together (jupp & Noris 1993).
Sampling
Sampling is the procedure of choosing of units e.g. people and organisations from the population of the interest, by doing this process it may help researcher to generalise his results back to the selected population. Commentators argued that the main reason behind this activity in terms of sampling is to recognize representativeness of paradigm rather than statistical representativeness (Hyde, 2000). Before selecting method of the sampling the question should keep in a first place that who do you want to generalize to? There are three types of sampling random, judgement, and convenient. Each method has its own procedure and differs in the approach subject to the units. Convenient approach is suitable when specific people have been chosen from population for observation; a judgement sample can be collected when some one is recognized with pertinent feature of the population and finally random sampling usually used in lottery and raffles, where a number of respondents selected randomly (Akingbola, 2004).<
Chapter 3: Research Methodology 03
In this research data will be collected by three primary traditional processes, including case study, questionnaire, and interviews. Employees and their management have been selected as a subject of sampling frame questionnaire will be distributed and telephonic interview will be taken conversant with the statistical data that is, the working condition at workplace and employee welfare data. Questionnaire and interview questions are designed to ascertain the views of the respondent. After receiving questionnaire and interview feedback, data will be arranged. All received data will be analysed and combine together in analysis chapter with graph and charts.
Selected research method
There is a need to acknowledge that both methods have an equally reputable place in business and management researches. This research falls in the category of qualitative research that requires critical analysis and elucidation. The apt research tools will be followed to collect data e.g. interviews, questionnaire, and academic journals will be used as an instrument to gather data.
The case study approach
The case study research approach will be implemented to identify problems at workplace in selected organisation. There is no valid definition of the case study.
Case study can be defined as a tool to collect the research knowledge of the practitioners and expanding theory from it. Most commentators argued that the case study analyse an observable fact in its natural setting, using multiple process of data collection to accumulate information from one or few entities i.e. organisation, people, and groups, it is useful here to contrast this method with others approaches ordinary adopted by management researchers (Benbasat et al, 1987).
According to Yin (1997) both research methods qualitative and quantitative have been confused within the title of the case study approach. Selecting one or another kind each one has different interpretation regarding the possible development over the decade time (Yin, 1997). Further, Yin (1997) claimed that firstly, the method relies on the use of and capability to integrate in converging fashion (data from multiple sources of evidence). The information may include from direct observation, archrivals, interviews, and documents. The evidence and conclusions for the case study can be built around the reliability of data from these sources, and further conclusion can be illustrated in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Secondly, the process of concluding the result of either type of case study depends on the development, testing, and replication of theoretical proposition rather than selection of numerical selections (Yin, 1997).
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
Flyvberg (2006) describes the importance of case study research that theoretical knowledge is more important than practical knowledge. He further, described more misunderstanding about case study research approach. Including that the result can not generalise from single case study, the case study is more helpful approach to generate hypothesis whereas, other approaches are more appropriate for testing hypothesis and theory building (Flyvberg, 2006).
Flyvberg (2006) research proved that the case study is a detailed appraisal of a single example and it gives reliable information about the topic or issues. Case study approach also can be used in initial stage of an investigation to make hypothesis. John Waltson (1992) similarly observed that case study is likely to create the best theory (Quoted in Flyvberg, 2006).
In order to determine suitable case studies will be analysed for this research. There are many types of method existed to collect date from case studies including interviews, archival records, documents, direct and participant observation. In this research appropriate method will be used to generate data e.g. interviews, and archival records and documents. Case study approach can be more useful, convincing, and accurate if data is collected from several different sources of information. The findings might not be entirely representative of thousands of factory workers due to the limited of time a numbers of employees will be interviewed and data will also be collected from company archival records, magazine, annual financial reports, and other documents.