research methodology for economics and business

TABLE OF CONTENT Chapter 1: Overview of research methodology Chapter 2: Research Philosophy and Ethics in Research Chapter 3: Clarifying the research topic and reviewing the literature

OVERVIEW

A TEXTBOOK

- Phương pháp nghiên cứu trong kinh doanh

- Qualitative and Quantitative Approach 7th edition

B COURSE ASSESSMENT

I Diligence (10%)

II Mid-term test (30%)

1 At 8 th -10 th lesson (after chapter 5)

2 Answer correctly all the MCQs

3 Answer clearly and completely all the short questions

4 Writing test (individual test)

III Final test (60%)

1 Form: Group report about research proposal

2 Criteria: Clearly and reasonably identify a feasible topic Conduct informative and critical literature review for the topic; Choose the appropriate research and

methodology; use appropriate data

C TABLE OF CONTENT

Chapter 1: Overview of research methodology

Chapter 2: Research Philosophy and Ethics in Research

Chapter 3: Clarifying the research topic and reviewing the literature

Chapter 4: Formulating the research design

Chapter 5: Data for Economics and Business Researches

Chapter 6: Analyzing Qualitative Data

Chapter 7: Analyzing Quantitative Data

Chapter 8: Writing and Presenting Research Report

CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A DEFINITION ABOUT RESEARCH

 “Issues that we systematically explore to increase and understanding.” (Sauders and colleagues, 2007, p5)

 “A careful study of a subject, especially in order to discover new facts or information about it”

 “A principle of finding information and investigating the unknown to solve a problem”

D SYSTEMATIC AND DISCOVERY

 Systematic: Research is basesd on logical relationships and certainly not just beliefs

 Discovery: Represents a multitude of purpose

E SUMMARY OF THE NATURE OF RESEARCH

 The goal of scientific research is to discover “objective, intrinsic, repetitive|

relationships between factors, things and phenomena

Not about builidng a set of solutions, solving practical problems

 “Scope” of a research depends on the novelty of the knowledge and information it

brings

 “Observing Phenomena” is the process of carrrying out research in which new laws

are formulated and verified in reality

F SOME MISCONCEPTIONS OF RESEARCH

 Research objective is to build a set of practical problem – solving solutions?

 “Scope” of a scientific research topic depends on the respective management level,

the size of the research sample

 False It depends on the level of contribution of the research to the reality

 Research method is the “dialectical materialism, historical materialism,…”

method

 Research method does not need to present thoroughly in the report.

Readers have no basis to assess the reliability of research outcomes

G RESEARCH IN ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS

I Research classification

There are two types of reseachs:

 Discover and verify new principles

 Heavy theoretically research and

theory development

 Highly integrated, often with review

from international scientists

 Often published in prestigious

international journals

 The goal is to convey new scientific discoveries and real life application

 In the field of economics and business, they are researches about policy, consulting…

(Ứng dụng lý thuyết để giải quyết vấn đề thực tiễn)

Comparison

BASIC RESEARCH APPLIED RESEARCH

GOAL Developing theory in economies

and business

Applying theory in practical analysis in units/ industries/ enterprises

RESEARCH

RESULTS

Theoretically heavy with the main result being a new model or theory

The work is both theoretical and highly applicable, directly into the specific research context

FEATURE OF

RESEARCH

ACTIVITY

Attach much importance to literature review and performance

of review outcome in space and time

Appreciate the relevance of research outcome to one/several specific contexts

SUITABLE

REVIEWERS

Experts and scientists from universities and research institutes

Theoretically experts, combined with practical activitists

PLACE OF

PUBLICATION

Pulished on specialized scientific journals (theoretically)

Published on journals specialized for publication of practical results

Example:

Demand Determinants for Urban Consolidation Center – A case of Korea

= Applied research

Developing a conceptual framework for the evaluation of urban freight distribution initatives

= Basic Research (typical model)

II Research process

1 Research Questions

2 Literature Review

3 Conceptual Framework

4 Research Design

5 Collecting and Analyzing Data

6 Presenting research results

Example:

III Basic components of a research

1 Research data:

 Finding research gaps

 “What?” “Why does it make sense theoretically/ practically

 Topic goal

2 Research Design

 Determining how evidence needs to be gathered and conducted to be convincing and feasible

 It is a combination and creative use of standard research methods to answer the research questions

3 Methods and tools

 Increasing the reliability of the evidence and scientists’ productivity

 Each methods has its own process and standards

SUMMARY

COMPONENT

S

IDEA

 What does the research find and why it is significant?

 Finding research gaps in both theory and practice

 Research question

 Forming ideas about new points and contributions of the topic

 Researcher’s knowledge

of the specialized field

 Overview document

 Experience with specific context

DESIGN

 What evidence is needed to answer the research question?

 How to collect evidence?

 Overall approach and design

 Specific processes, methods, tools

 Action plan and resource and data requirements

 The level of meeting the requirements of a scientific research

 Riskes and limitations of the study

 Understanding the research objectives and framework

 Identifying research hypotheses

 Understanding the methods and tools you can use

METHODS

AND TOOLS

 How is data collection and analysis performed?

 Data collection methods

 Data analysis methods and tools

 Understanding the research question and framework

 Understanding the process and technique of each method

CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS IN RESEARCH

This chapter focuses on the two outermost layers of the research “onion”: philosohy and approach to

 Lớp ngoài cùng là triết lý nghiên cứu, mỗi người có một cái riêng

 Lớp tiếp theo là cách tiếp cận như thế nào

 Thuyết thực chứng và thuyết diễn giải luận

I Research philosophy

 Research philosophy refers to the system of beliefs and assumptions of the

development and the nature of knowledge

 Thân cây hệ hình nghiên cứu

 Ontology

 Epistemology

 Methodology

Important question: What are the steps in the research processes? What is the language of research?

 Role: Directing the process of finding, selecting, applying methods, orienting, suggesting by giving viewpoints and guiding principles

 Practical example: The researcher focuses on specific before implementing

generalizations, gives a thorough description of this specific research context

 Five approaches: chủ nghĩa thực chứng, diễn giải luận, hậu hiện đại

Interpretivism

IV Approaches to theory

 Deduction: Verifying theory

 Induction: Building theory

V Research ethics

1 Definition

Research ethics is a part of social ethics, which are rules and norms aimed at regulating voluntary behaviour of scientists in scientific research activities

Idea => Research object => Literature Review => Conceptual Framework => Research Design

2 Some issues in research ethics

Accuracy

 Fabricating, intentionally falsifying and modifying data

 Ignoring results

Participant’s rights

 Right to put out or withdraw from the research at any time

 The right to fully informed about the research objectives/ processes

 Right to privacy

 Right to keep personal information anonymous and confidential

 Right to receive compensation/ care for the consequences arising from participating in research

Intellectual property rìghts

 Copyright infringement

 Helping in disallowed condition

 Plagiarism

 Using other research results without permission

CHAPTER 3 CLARIFYING THE RESEARCH TOPIC AND REVIEWING

THE LITERATURE REVIEW

I What is a good research topic?

3 Appropriateness

 Does the research topic fit the specifications and meet the standards set by the examining institution?

 Does the research topic contain issues that have a clear link to theory?

 Are you able to state your research questions, aim and objectives clearly?

 Will the proproses research be able to provide fresh insights into this topic?

 Are the findings for this research topic likely to be symmetrical: that is, of similar value whatever the outcome?

4 Capability

 Do you have or can you develop withing the project time frame, the necessary research skills to undertake the research topic?

 Is the research topic achievable within the available time?

 Is the research topic achievable within the financial resources that are likely to be available?

 Are you reasonably certain of being able to gain access to data you are likely to require for this research topic?

 Is it possible to collect the necessary information and data to conduct the research?

 Human

 Material resources

5 Fulfillment

 Does the research topic really interest and motivate you?

 Will the research topic help towards the achievement of your future aspirations or career goals?

VI Generating and refining research topic ideas

1 Useful techniques

a Rational thinking

 Examining your own strengths and interests

 Examining academic staff research interests

 Looking at past project titles

 Dicussion

 Searching existing literature

 Scanning the media

b Creative thinking

 Keeping a notebook of your ideas

 Exploring personal preferences using past projects

 Exploring relevance to business using the literature

 Relevance trees

 Brainstorming

c 5 WHY method

d Mind Mapping

2 Refine research ideas

 Using Delphi technique

 Do a preliminary research

 Constantly testing ideas

 Integrating ideas

 Refining topics given by your employing organizations

3 How to name a research topic?

 Rà soát nội dung và tìm hiểu câu trả lời cho các câu hỏi cơ bản như mục tiêu, câu hỏi nghiên cứu phương pháp, kết quả nghiên cứu?

 Xác định và liệt kê các từ khóa và cụm từ

 Viết câu dài với những từ khóa này

 Tạo tiêu đề

 Xóa tất cả các từ và cụm từ thừa, đặt từ khóa ở đầu và cuối

Ví dụ: Trả lời một số câu hỏi cơ bản về nghiên cứu của bạn

 Nghiên cứu của tôi là về cái gì?

Các yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến quyết định tiếp tục mua sắm online của thế hệ gen Z và gen

Y ở HN

 Phương pháp/ kỹ thuật nghiên cứu sử dụng?

Bằng câu hỏi tự quản lý để thu nhập dữ liệu trên toàn quốc

 Đối tượng nghiên cứu?

Nghiên cứu phản hồi của 1500 người tiêu dùng ở độ tuổi từ 18-65 trong Covid-19 tại VN

 Kết quả?

Sự khác biệt giữa các mặt bằng thiết yếu được dự trữ bởi các hộ gia đình khác nhau

 Viết câu dài:

Nghiên cứu này khảo sát 1500 người tiêu dùng VN từ 18-65 để tìm hiểu xem Covid 19 ảnh hưởng như thế nào đến việc tích trữ hoặc mua hàng hoảng loạn của họ; kết quả cho thấy mối tương quan thuận giữa trình độ học vấn và quy mô hộ gia đình và mối tương quan nghịch khi nguồn thông tin được đưa ra chính thống và chính thức.

 Tạo tiêu đề:

Khảo sát 1500 người tiêu dùng VN trong độ tuổi 18-65 nghiên cứu tác động của Covid 19 đối với việc tích trữ trong gia đình và mua hàng hoảng loạn để chỉ ra những tác động tiêu cực khi nguồn thông tin là chính thức và chính thống

Phân tích thực nghiệm về dự trữ của các hộ gia đình Việt Nam trong đại dịch Covid

19: Vai trò của thông tin chính thức Với nội dung nghiên cứu đã tiến hành nên đặt tên cho chủ đề nghiên cứu đo như thế  nào?

Dự trữ trong gia đình để ứng phó với đại dịch Covid 19: Bằng chứng thực nghiệm từ

Việt Nam

4 Write clear research objectives

 Criteria: SMART

 Briefly state what we hope to achieve through this research

Research objectives must be written in a specific, clear and logical manner with the topic title and research content

 Should start with a verb (Ex: Analyze, Evaluate, ) followed by object (who, what) and adverb (time, phase)

 Research objectives must reflect the topic title as well as be related to the content of the subsequent research

Research objectives must be measurable, estimable

 Research objectives must be shown through measurable indicators

Research objectives must be reasonable

 There is a legal basis

 Ethics in research is also a criterion to pay attention to

Research objectives should have a specific time range

5 Formulate research questions

Clearly turn research topics into research questions

 What is the issue that you would like to study in depth?

 What would you like to find out? Explain the problem? Answer what?

Determining the research questions is not easy

 A descriptive questions Ex: What percentage of FTU graduates work for

multinational companies? => easy to answer

 Why are FTU students more likely to be recruited to work in multinational

coroprations

Any research questions you ask can begin with or include What, When, Where, Who, Why

or How?

Example: Researching employee engagement with the organization?

 Objectives: To study the influence of organizational factors on employee engagement

 Research questions:

 How do the characteristics of the Vision, Mission of the organization affect employee engagement?

 How does the leadership style of immediate supervisors affect employee engagement?

 How does the fit between personal values and organizational values?

 How do relationships with colleagues affect employee engagement?

Some mistakes when asking research questions

 Confusing research questions with practical questions

Example:

 How to improve the organizational and management apparattus of Enterprise A?

 What solutions to increase business efficiency of Enterprise B in the period of

2021 – 2025?

 How to manage risk at bank C?

 The “universal” questions

Example:

 What is the current state of the research problem?

 The cause of the restrictions

 Ssolutions to help improve the situation?

 Unfounded research question

 The question is not based on a research review

 The question is not based on theory

 The question is not based on specific contract

VII Literature review

1 What is a literature review?

 A literature review is a complate synthesis of relevant documents (information, data, concepts, theories, results, conslusions) about the issue of interest

 The literature review also helps the researcher to assess the strengths and weaknesses

in the previous research methods to select his research method

2 Objectives of the literature review

 Identify gaps in research

 State a need for your research, generate or form an idea

 To conduct a preliminary search existing relevant documents.of

 To identify other (similar) studies being conducted, avoid duplication of studies

 Look for opposing points of view

 Phân tích và làm rõ được những nội dung cập nhật mới nhất về chủ đề

 Xác định khoảng trống nghiên cứu

 Hoàn thiện thêm các câu hỏi nghiên cứu và mục tiêu nghiên cứu

 Đề xuất mô hình và giả thiết nghiên cứu