Introduction Research Methodology

Just close your eyes for a minute and utter the word research to
yourself. What kinds of images does this word conjure up for you? Do
you visualize a lab with scientists at work Bunsen burners and test
tubes, or an Einstein-like character writing dissertations on some
complex subject, or someone collecting data to study the impact of a
newly introduced day-care system on the morale of employees? Most
certainly, all these image do represent different aspects of research.
Research is simply the process of finding solutions to a problem after a
thorough study and analysis of the situational factors. Managers in
organizations constantly engage themselves in studying and analyzing
issues and hence are involved in some form of research activity as they
make decisions at the workplace. As is well known, sometimes managers
make good decisions and the problem gets solved, sometimes they make
poor decisions and the problem persists, and on occasions they make
such colossal blunders that the organization gets stuck in the mire. The
difference between making good decision and committing blunders lies in
how managers go about the decision-making process. In other words,
good decision making fetches a “yes” answer to the following questions:
Do managers identify where exactly the problem lies, do they correctly
recognize the relevant factors in the situation needing investigation, do
they know what types of information are to be gathered and how, do they
know how to make use of the information so collected and draw
appropriate conclusions to make the right decisions, and finally, do they
know how to implement the results of this process to solve the problem?
2 This is the essence of research and to be a successful manager it is
important for you to know how to go about making the right decisions by
being knowledgeable about the various steps involved in finding solutions
to problematic issues. This is what this book is all abou