4249_operationalisation i(pgdm)

8/8/2019 4249_Operationalisation I(PGDM)

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Operationalisatiion - I

Conceptualization and operationalisation

Conceptualization is the refinement ofabstract ideas (variables, their behavior and

relationships) while operationalization is thedevelopment of specific research procedures(operations) that will result in empiricalobservation representing behavior and their

relationships in the realistic situations. It starts with a problem identification andpreparation of a Research Design.


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Problem Identification

Research Problem:

A Research Problem is an interrogative

sentence or statement that asks:

a) about the behavior of a variable/event

b) about the relationship between two or more

variables or events.

A researcher identifies a research problem ora researchable topic with a certain

procedure. HN 1


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Problem statement Leads to the formulation of

Hypothesis.

Hypothesis is a conjectural statement on the

behavior of a variable or relationship or

interrelationship between variables.

Hypothesis are in declarative sentence form

(usually in the null form i.e. H0)

A Priori Reasoning precedes the formulation of

Hypothesis. With the help of data we a) support or not

support a hypothesis or b) Reject or accept a

Hypothesis (with some significance levels)


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Problem Identification-Hypothesis and

Research Design

Research Activity starts with the research

problem.

The researcher need to prepare a Research

Design to address the research problem. What is a Research Design?

Authors have defined 'Research Design' in

various ways. However they try to answer the

following questions in the process.


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The questions which are asked by the

researcher to himself

What is the study about ?

Why is the study being made?

Where will the study be carried out?

What type of data are required?

Where the data could be found out?

What is the time period of the study?

What will be the experiment/sample design?

What techniques of data collection will be used?


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Contd.

What is the rationale of using the

technique?

How will the data be analyzed? In what style the report be prepared?

These questions helps in formulation of a

research design.


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Definition of a Research Design-With

special reference to Social Research

'Research Design' has been defined in

several ways by different authors. (HN 2)

The definitions are different in approach,but for social science the following may be

more relevant.

Research Design is a Plan, Structure and

Strategy of investigation conceived so as

to obtain answers to research questions

and to control variance.- by Kerlinger


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Plan, Structure and strategy in Research

Design.

Plan: The plan refers to the overall scheme or

program of research.

Structure refers to the out line of the operation of

variables where as strategy refers to the logic

inherent in gathering and analyzing the data.

For Example:

The logic and necessity of a sampling procedureand types of statistical techniques to be used in

analyzing the data.


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The Purpose of a Research Design.

The Research Design has two basic

purposes.

a) To provide answers to the ResearchQuestions/Problems

Since research problems can be and are

stated in the form of hypotheses, research

designs are carefully worked out to yield

dependable and valid answers to the

questions epitomized by the Hypotheses.


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b) Control of variance

By constructing an efficient research design the

researcher attempts to

Maximize experimental variance

Control variance due to extraneous variables.

Minimize error variance.

The above three variances are interrelated.

E.g. Maximization of experimental variance willlead to Minimization of error variance.


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Types of Research and Research Design

The foregoing discussion on research design

may suggest that the research design may

differ with respect to the type of research

such as disciplinary, subject matter andproblem solving on the one hand and

different descriptors with respect of the type

of study and modus operandi on the other.

Therefore, before going to formulate a

research design a researcher has to clearly

identify the type of study and the mode.


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Classification of Research Designs with

respect to different descriptors

Research Designs can be classified using

a few descriptors.

a) Research Question Crystallization. Exploratory and formal studies

Exploratory studies tend towards loose structure

with the objectives of discovering future research

task. Often refers to first stage of problem

identification. Formal study begins where

exploration leaves off.


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b) Method of Data collection

Monitoring and communicative study.

In monitoring study the researcher

inspects activities of a subject with outattempting to elicit response from any one.

It record the activities.

In communicative study the researcherquestions the subjects and collects their

responses with the help of a tool.


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c)Researchers' Control of

Variables In the experimental design the researcher

can control/ manipulate the variables

under study keeping the objectives in

view.

In the Ex Post Facto design the researcher

has no control over the variables in the

sense of being able to manipulate them.

The researcher can only report the

existing facts.


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d)The Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study may be

descriptive or causal.

If the research is concerned with findingout who, what, where, when or how - then

the study is descriptive.

But along with the above in addition to

'why' the study becomes causal where we

try to explain why there is a relationship

between variables.


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e)Time Dimension.

With respect to the time dimension the study

could be Cross-sectional(including bench

mark), Time- series or Longitudinal and

Panel type( mix of time series and crosssection data)

Cross sectional studies are carried out once

for one point of time.

Time-series studies are done to check the

changes/relationships overtime.

Panel study is a mix of both.


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F)Study on a Sample & a case

This relates to finding /testing relationships

in the sample and generalizing the

behavior or sample characteristics with

respect to the population with statistical

tests.

As contrast to this, case studies focus on

contextual analysis. They are less efficientin generalization of behaviour.


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g) Research Environment

Research design differs with respect to the

research environment such as field

condition and laboratory condition.

In the field condition the research is done

in the holistic approach. No control or little

control on extraneous variables is there.

In the laboratory condition explicability is

possible with utmost control over all the

variables.


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h) Participants Perception

Participants perception influences the

outcome of research through his/her

thought process on the study being made.

This is more so in the survey type of

research relating to marketing or any other

aspects.

Therefore, the research design has to be

so framed as to minimize the error.


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A concluding remark

The research design is not unique.

It may differ with respect to the type of

research,objectives and modus operandi.

However, in social research a common

procedure is adopted.

Theory/Literature -Research problem &

Hypotheses-T

est to validate the theory orrecast the theory-conclusion, policy

implication and recommendation.

4249_operationalisation i(pgdm)

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