Research process

S.S.T College of Arts & Commerce

Ulhasnagar-421004.

PROJECT REPORT

ON

TITLE OF PROJECT

Research methodology

MASTER OF COMMERCE

(M.COM-2)

Pooja Ashok Kadu

PREPARED BY

ROLL NO: 1662094

UNDER THE GUIDANCE

PROF. kiran chimnani

Sumitted

In partial fulfillment of the required

For the Award of the Degree of

Masters of commerce in Accounts.

 Research process

S.S.T College of Arts & Commerce

Ulhasnagar-421004

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Pooja Ashok Kadu

Of master of commerce M.Com-I (2016-17) has successfully

completed the project on Title of Subject Research

methodologyUnder the guidance of . kiran chimnani

Co.ordinator Internal Examination

External Examination
 Research process

Serial Index Sign.

No.

1 What is research process

2 Step involved in research process
3 1st step: establishing the needs for
research
4 2nd step: defining the problem
5 3rd step :formation and
development
6 4th step: determining research
design
7 5th step: identyfiying information
type
8 6th step:methods of assessing
dates
 Research process

9 7th :designing data collection

10 8th determining sample plan
11 9th data collection
12 10th:analyzing data
13 11th step: preparing and
presenting final researchreport
 Research process

The Research
Process
 Research process

What is research……….???

 Systematic search for knowledge through method of study,

observation, comparison & experiment.

 An answer to the question/ a solution to the problem.

 The art of scientific investigation.
 Research process

What is research process……???

 Series of various actions, which are necessary to effective
research work.
 Research process consists of a number of closely related
activities.
 Various steps involved in a research process are not
mutually exclusive nor they are separate & distint

 Steps involved in research process…..

1 ST STEP- Establishing the needs for research

ND
2 STEP- Defining the problem
RD
3 STEP- Formation and Development Working Hypothesis
TH
4 STEP- Determining research design
TH
5 STEP- Identifying information types and source

6 TH STEP- Determining methods of assessing data

7 TH STEP- Designing data collection form

 Research process

8 TH STEP- Determining sample plan and size

9 TH STEP- Data collection

10 TH STEP- Analyzing data

11 TH STEP- Preparing and presenting final research report

 Research process

STEP 1-Establishing the needs for market

research….
 This step involves identification of a few problems and selection of
one out of them, after evaluating the alternatives against ce rtain
selection criteria .
 Market research is not needed when:

 Required information is already available

 Decesion need to be made now
 Organisation can’t afford the research
 Cost outweight the value of research
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STEP 2-Defining the problem..

The most important step in the research process is defining the
problem.

PROCESS INVOLVED IN DEFINING THE PROBLEM

 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM IN A GENERAL WAY.

 UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE Of PROBLEM
 SURVEYING THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE
 DEVELOPING IDEAS THROUGH DISCUSSIONS
 REPHRASING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Modes of problem identification….

 There are 3 modes of problem identification:

 Extraction from a managers practical problem in a dialogue.
 Cognitive identification of an experienced researcher in the area of his
expertise.
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 A two step research process by a novice(scholar):literature search &

pilot study.

STEP 3- Formation and Development of

working hypothesis
 Assumptions are drawn to test its logical sequence.
 Hypothesis is guiding force of researcher.
 Outcome of researcher is deep thinking of research

 Preparation of Research design

 Outline or a conceptual structure

 Collecting relevant data.
 Methods for preparation of research design
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STEP 4-Determining research design….

o EXPLANATORY RESEARCH:
Collecting information in an unstructured & informal manner.
o DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH:
Refers to a set of methods & procedures describing research variables.
o CASUAL RESEARCH:
(Experiments & other approches):allows isolation of causes & effects
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STEP 5-Identifying information types &

source….
SECONDARY DATA :

Information that has been collected for some purpose other than the
research at hand.

PRIMARY DATA:

Information that has been gathered specially for the research

objectives at hand.

STEP 6-Determine methods of accessing

data…
SECONDARY DATA:

Accessing data through source such as the internet & library .

PRIMARY DATA:
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Collecting data from participants through methods such as

telephone,mail,online & face to face(quantitative)& observation
studies & focus groups(qualitative).

STEP 7-Design data collection forms..

The design of data collection form that is used to ask or observe
projects is critical to the success of the project.

It is easy to write a set of questions but very difficult to construct a

questionnaire.

General types “instruments”(forms)

& record information in research.

Questionnaires.
 Research process

STEP 8-Determine sample plan & size …..

SAMPLE PLAN AND ITS CHARACTIRISTICS

Refers to the process used to select units from the population to be

included in the sample.

6 Representativeness.
7 Adequate.
8 Independence.
9 Homogenous.
10 Lack of bias.
11 Accurate and complete.

SAMPLE SIZE AND ITS DETERMINATION

Refers to determining how many elements(units)of the population

should be include in the sample.

12 Nature of Universe.
13 Number of classes proposed.
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14 Nature of study.
15 Type of sampling.
16 Standard of accuracy.
17 Availability of finance

STEP 9-Data collection…..

Sound data collection is very important because regardless of the data
analysis methods used,data analysis cannot “fix” bad data.

Non sampling errors may occur during data collection.They are related
to poor design &/or execution of the data gathering.

Sampling error may occur based purely on chance.

 Research process

STEP 10-Analyze data….

DATA ANALYSIS:

Involves entering data into computer files,inspecting data for errors

(data cleaning),running tabulations (frequencies), & conducting
various stastical tests.

STEP 11-Prepare & present the final research

report…
 Findings are presented,often by research objective in a clear & concise
way.
 The need for a good report cannot be overlased.It is the report,& for

its presentation,that properly communicates the results to the clients.

Report should consist

 Preliminary Pages
 Title page
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 Acknowledgement
 Foreword.
 Table Of Content
 List of Tables, Charts & Graphs.

 Main Test
 Introduction.
 Summary Of Findings
 Main Report
 Conclusion.
 3. At the end of the report Appendices & Bibliography Should be
mentioned.
o Avoid Vague language while writing report like “it seems”, “there
may be”, etc.
o Charts and illustrations should be mentioned only if they present clear
information.
 Research process

CASE STUDY:
o THE DEPARTMENT STORE
o PATRONAGE PROJECT
o A department store patronage project is used to illustrate concepts &
data analysis procedures.The purpose of this project was to access the
relative strengths & weaknesses of a major department store relative to
a group of direct & indirect competitors.This store will be referred as
Sears;the true identity of actual store has been disguised.The goal was
to formulate marketing programs designed to boost the declining sales
& profit of Sears.Ten major stores,including prestigious department
stores(eg.,Saks Fifth Avenue,Neiman-Marcus),national chains(eg.,J.C
Penney),discount stores(eg.,Kmart, Wal-Mart),& some regional chains
(eg.,Kohl’s) where considered in this study.A questionnaire was
designed & administered.using in-home personal interviews,to a
convenience sample of 271 households drawn from a major
metropolitan area.A six-point scale was used (subjects were asked to
check a number from 1 to 6) whenever ratings were obtained.
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The following information was solicited

1.Familiarity with the 10 department stores.

2.Frequency with which households members shopped at each of the

10 stores.

3.Relative importance attached to each of eight factors selected as the

choice criteria utilized in selecting a department store.These factors
were quality of merchandise,variety & assortment of
merchandise.returns & adjustment policy,service of store
personnel,prices,convenience of location,layout of store,& credit &
billing policies.

4.Evaluation of 10 stores on each of eight factors of choice criteria.

5.Preference ratings for each stores.

6. Rankings for 10 stores (from most preferred to least preferred).

7. Degree of agreement with 21 lifestyle statements.

8.Standard demographic characteristics(age,education,education.etc).

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9.Name, address, & telephone number.

The study helped the sponser to determine consumers perceptions of

& preferences for the department stores.Areas of weakness were
identified in terms of specific factors influencing the consumers
choice criteria & in terms of specific produc categories.Appropriate
marketing research programs were designed to overcome these
weaknesses.Finally,a positioning strategy was developed to attain a
desirable store image.

Questions:

1.What was the marketing opportunities & problem confronting

Sears?

2.What role can marketing research play in helping Sears? <

3.What type of marketing research would be needed to help Sears

decide whether it should aggressively expand in rural areas in the
United States?

MAJOR PROBLEMS……

 Declining sales & profit.

 No market research.
 Competetion.
 No positioning strategy.
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STEPS TAKEN BY THE ORGANISATION TO SOLVE

THE PROBLEM….

 Survey was conducted in 10 deparmental stores.

 Consumer preferences were kept in mind.
 Questionnaire was designed to see the consumers likings.
 Personal interviews were taken in 271 households drawn from a major
metropolitan area
 Ratings were done according to consumer preferences.
 Relative importance attached to each of eight factors selected as the
choice criteria utilized in selecting a department store.These factors
were quality of merchandise,variety & assortment of
merchandise.returns & adjustment policy,service of store
personnel,prices, convenience of location,layout of store,& credit &
billing policies

.
 Research process

FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM

Declining sales of the company due to improper research & due to

intesive competetion in the market.

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM….

 Market research should be done.

 Proper strategy should be adopted by the company
 Market survey.
 Consumer preferences.
 Research process

Visit www.sears.com for relevant information on case study.

Case study:

Marketing research-By: Naresh K.Malhotra

Books reffered:

Management research methodology -By: K.N Krishnaswamy

Appa Iyer Shivkumar

M.Mathirajan

Research Methodology-By: C.R Kothari