RESEARCH AND

RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGEMENT:

Some Observations

Prof. Ranjan Kumar Bal

Utkal University
 DREAMS
 Dreams possess electromagnetic energy.
 Life is purposeless without dreams.

What we can dream, we can achieve.

“Aim big in life, acquire knowledge, work

hard, defeat the problems and
succeed.”
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
 CIPLA
RANBAXY
DRL
WHAT IS COMMON ?
 INCREDIBLE INDIA
 “I” stands for
INNOVATION
 Good in Applied Research
 Centre for research for many Fortune 500
Companies
Fortune 500 Companies
Indian Companies in China
Chinese Companies in India
 UNCERTAINTY
 CAN IT BE ELIMINATED ?
 CAN IT BE REDUCED ?

RESEARCH REDUCES UNCERTAINTY.

 RESEARCH
Research is a systematic search
for information.
 Research is a

purposeful investigation.

“Research is a fountain of knowledge to find hidden

truth and to discover answers to questions.”

All of us have done research knowingly or unknowingly !!

 SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
 Research leads to
invention.
 Helps in solving operational
problems.
 Provides the basis for govt.
policies.
 Helps in solving social
problems.
 Helps in taking decisions.
RESEARCH & COMMON SENSE
Systematic
Objective
Reproducible
Relevant

Research is not a fishing expedition.

 OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH

To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or

to achieve new insights into it .
(Exploratory Research Studies)
To find out / portray accurately the
characteristics of a particular individual,
situation or a group.
(Descriptive Research Studies)
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH……Cont.

To determine the frequency with which

something occurs or with which it is
associated with something else.
(Diagnostic Research Studies)

To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship

between variables.
(Hypothesis Testing Research Studies)
TYPES OF RESEARCH :
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH :
• The literature survey
• The experience survey
• The analysis of case studies

CONCLUSIVE RESEARCH :
• Descriptive research
• Experimental research
CLASSIFICATION OF RESEARCH :

Applied Vs. Fundamental research

Descriptive Vs. Analytical research
Quantitative Vs. Qualitative research
Conceptual Vs. Empirical research
ROLE OF RESEARCH
IN IMPORTANT AREAS
 MARKETING :

 Consumer buying behavior

 Demand forecasting
 Measuring advertising effectiveness
 Media selection
 Product positioning
 New product potential
PRODUCTION :
What to produce?
How much to produce?
Plant location
Production process
Quality process
Optimum inventory level
FINANCE :

o Investment decisions
o Financing decisions
o Working capital decisions
o Management of Financial Services
o International Finance
H.R.D:

▼Recruitment & Training

▼Incentives & Benefits
▼Employees Turnover
▼Performance Appraisal
 Methods of data collection
 Statistical methods for study of relationship
 Methods used to evaluate accuracy of the
results obtained
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
 A way/process to systematically
solve the research problem
 Cover various steps adopted by the
researcher
 Methodology will
be different from
problem to problem
 CRITERIA OF GOOD RESEARCH
 The purpose of the research should be
clearly defined.
 The design of research should be properly
planned.

 Validity and reliability

of data should be checked carefully.
Cont..
GOOD RESEARCH……

 Method of analysis should be appropriate.

 Conclusion should be confined to those

justified to data.

knowledge,
 Researcher should have
experience and integrity.
PROCESS OF RESEARCH
 RESEARCH PROJECT
Minor Research Project
Major Research Project
 RESEARCH PROJECT: PROPOSAL
 Descriptive title of the study

 Researcher & his/her background

 Nature of the study:

 Problem to be examined / Objectives

 Background information available

 Significance and need for the study

 Scope of the study

 To whom it will be useful

Cont..
 PROPOSAL: Cont..
 Hypothesis, if any, to be tested
 Data: Sources, Collection procedure,
Methodology
 Equipment and facilities required
 Schedule: Target dates for Literature Survey,
Data Collection, Tabulation and Analysis, First
Draft and Final Draft
 Cost estimates
 Bibliography
 RESEARCH PROJECT
DESIGN
 A blue print for the research study
 Covers various phases of research
 A comprehensive master plan
 Guiding framework for the research
study
 RESEARCH PROJECT DESIGN DECISIONS ARE:

 What is the study about ?

 Why is the study being made?
 Where will the study be carried out?
 What type of data required ?
 Where the required data is found?
 What periods of time will the study
include?
Cont..
RESEARCH PROJECT DESIGN DECISIONS ARE:……Cont.

 What will be the sample design?

 What techniques of data collection will be
used?
 How will be the data analyzed?
 In what style will the report are prepared?
 RESEARCH DESIGN FOR
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH STUDIES

 Survey of Literature
 Experience Survey
 Analysis of Selected Cases

 Flexible Design
 No Structured Questions
 Convenience Sampling
 RESEARCH DESIGN FOR
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH STUDIES

 Panel Research Design : Periodic information

collection from a sample of respondents.
 Cross Sectional Design : Picture of a situation
at a give point of time.
 Focus Groups for free flowing discussions.

FMCG Co.: HUL, DABUR, P&G, GODREJ.

 DATA COLLECTION
STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE
 Questions & answers are specified.
 Comments in the respondent’s own words
are held to a minimum.
 Usually has fixed alternative answers to
each question.
 Simple to administer &
to analyze.
 Considered inappropriate
for study on attitude & feelings.
 UNSTRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE

 Useful for in-depth interview

 More open-ended questions
 Employed in pre-testing and for constructing
structured
Questionnaire.
DESIGNING A QUESTIONNAIRE
 Covering Letter: For mailing
- Short and Simple
 Question Sequence:
Arrange Logically


Personal Questions: Ask towards the

end
Difficult Questions: Strain on

memory and intellect: Ask towards the

end.
 QUESTIONNAIRE…….
 The question wording: an art

Should be simple and easy to understood

Ambiguous questions should be avoided
 Type of questions:
 Multiple choice / Y/N /
Open-ended
 REPORT OF
RESEARCH PROJECT
 Cover and the title page
 Introductory pages:
 Forward / Certificate
 Preface

 Acknowledgement

 Contents

 List of tables and charts

 Abstract

Cont..
 REPORT…..Cont.

Text:
Four Parts
 Introduction
 Conceptual Study
 Analysis of Data
 Conclusion

Footnotes/References, Tables
 REPORT……Cont.
 Reference Section
 Appendices
 Bibliography
 Glossary (if required)
 PRESENTATION
OF RESEARCH PROJECT REPORTS
Presentation skill is the ability to mix in the right
proportion various elements of:

 Communication dimension
 Presentation package

 Use of Audio-Visual aids

 COMMUNICATION DIMENSION
 Purpose

Audience
 Media

Message
 Time

Place
 Presentation package:
 Pre-presentation handout
 Post-presentation handout

 Use of audio-visual aids

 Synopsis
A STUDY ON AWARENESS, PERCEPTION AND ATTITUDE OF
THE PRESENT AND POTENTIAL BANK CUSTOMERS
IN ODISHA
 Literature Survey
 Objectives
 Hypothesis
 Research Methodology
 Relevance of the Study
 Chapter Plan
 References
 Accounting Research Projects
 Fair Value Accounting
 Forensic & Investigative Accounting
 Accounting for Services Sector
 Accounting for MSME Sector & NGOs
 Accounting for Financial Instruments
 International Accounting - IFRS
 Accounting Information System-AIS
 Governance Reforms & Reporting
 Behavioral Accounting
 “We must introduce radical
changes in education.”
Dr. Sam Pitroda

‘Change’ is the only constant in today’s world.

 Our Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh is worried
about the “divorce” between
Research and Teaching.

Need a Research Culture

 A thousand miles journey begins with the
first step.
 The journey begins today.

(Tomorrow never comes.)

CREDO: Kal Kare so Aaj Kar, Aaj Kare so Ab.

-Kabir

 Never Never Never Give Up.

-Winston Churchill
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep.
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”
Robert Frost

Thanks to my colleague Dr. SABAT for his help.