Uma Sekaran+Chapter+2

CHAPTER 2
The Scientific Approach

and
Alternative Approaches to
Investigation
2-1
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
1. Explain what is meant by scientific investigation,

giving examples of both scientific and
nonscientific investigations.
2. Discuss the seven steps of the hypothetico-

deductive method, using an example of your own.
3. Discuss alternative perspectives on what makes

good research.
2-2
2
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
“Scientific research focuses on solving problems and

pursues a step‐by‐step logical, organized, and
rigorous method to identify the problems, gather
data, analyze them, and draw valid conclusions from
them.”
2-3
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
 Scientificresearch is not based on hunches,
experience, and intuition but is purposive and
rigorous.
 Helps researchers to state their findings with
accuracy and confidence.
 Helps managers to highlight the most critical
factors - so as to avoid, minimize, or solve
problems.
 Scientific investigation - more objective
 Scientific research - both basic and applied
research.
2-4
4
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
 Do researchers always take a scientific approach

to research?
2-5
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Characteristics of Scientific Research
1. Purposiveness.
“A manager who is interested in
2. Rigor. investigating how employees’
3. Testability. commitment to the organization
4. Replicability. can be increased.”
5. Precision and confidence.

6. Objectivity.
7. Generalizability.
8. Parsimony.
2-6
6
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
The Hypothetico - Deductive Method
The hypothetico‐deductive method provides a useful,
systematic approach for generating knowledge to
solve basic and managerial problems.
The seven-step process;
1. Identify a broad problem area.
2. Define the problem statement.
3. Develop hypotheses.
4. Determine measures.
5. Data collection.
6. Data analysis.
7. Interpretation of data.
2-7
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
The Hypothetico - Deductive Method
DEDUCTIVE Reasoning to test a theory about a topic
of interest.
 From the more general to the more specific.
INDUCTIVE Reasoning works in the opposite direction
where specific phenomena is observed first and on
this basis general conclusions are derived.
 From the more specific to the more general.
 It
is not possible to “Prove” a hypothesis by
means of induction (swans famous example)
 Theory Generation
2-8
8
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
EXAMPLE: Inductive-Deductive Methods
A manager may notice that frequent price promotions of a
product have a negative effect on product sales. Based on this
observation, the manager may wonder why price promotions
have a negative – instead of a positive – effect on sales.
Interviews with customers indicate that frequent price
promotions have a negative effect on sales because frequent
price promotions negatively affect the reputation or image of
the product.
Based on these interviews, the manager develops a new theory
about why price promotions have a negative effect on sales –
because frequent price promotions have a negative effect on
the reputation of the product! Accordingly, the manager
hypothesizes that frequent price promotions negatively affect
the reputation of the product and hence product sales. The
manager may verify this hypothesis by means of deduction.
2-9
Some Obstacles to Conducting

Scientific Research in the Management
Not always possible to conduct investigations that
are 100% scientific due to
 Difficulties
likely to be faced in the measurement
and collection of data in the subjective areas of
feelings, emotions, attitudes, and perceptions
 Attempt to measure abstract and subjective
constructs.
 Inobtaining a representative sample, restricting the
generalizability of the findings
2-10
10
Alternative Approaches to Research
Positivism
Key approach of positivist researchers is the experiment, which
allows them to test cause‐and‐effect relationships –
Quantitative/use deductive reasoning
Constructionism
Constructionists are often more concerned with understanding a
specific case than with the generalization of their findings –
Qualitative
Critical realism
Need to use Triangulation across multiple flawed and erroneous
methods, observations, and researchers to get a better idea of
what is happening around us -
Pragmatism
Theory is derived from practice and then applied back to practice
to achieve intelligent practice.
2-11
11

Positivism
 Scientific research is the way to get to the truth
 Rigour and replicability, reliability, and

generalizability
 Key approach of positivist researchers is the

experiment, which allows them to test
cause‐and‐effect relationships
 Quantitative
 use deductive reasoning
2-12
12
Constructionism
 The world as we know it is fundamentally mental
 Aim to understand the rules people use to make

sense of the world
 Constructionists are often more concerned with

understanding a specific case than with the
generalization of their findings
 Qualitative
2-13
13

Critical realism
 There is an external reality but we cannot always
objectively measure this external reality
 Need to use Triangulation across multiple flawed

and erroneous methods, observations, and
researchers to get a better idea of what is
happening around us
2-14
14
Pragmatism
 Do not take a particular position on what makes
good research
 Research on both objective and subjective

phenomena can produce useful knowledge
 Relationship between theory and practice
 Purpose of theory is to inform practice
 Theory is derived from practice and then applied

back to practice to achieve intelligent practice.
2-15
15
Critique the following research done in a service industry as to

the extent to which it meets the hallmarks of scientific
investigation:
The Mobile Phone Company
The Mobile Phone Company has been named as the most
complained‐about mobile phone company, narrowly beating 3G, which
has shot to the top of the table as the worst landline provider. According
to the latest figures from the regulator, Ofcom, the Mobile Phone
Company was the most complained‐about mobile provider – with 0.15
complaints per 1,000 – in the last three months of 2014. It saw its
complaint figures rise substantially in the last quarter of 2014. The
company wanted to pinpoint the specific problems and take corrective
action. Researchers were called in, and they spoke to a number of
customers, noting the nature of the specific problems they faced.
Because the problem had to be attended to very quickly, they
developed a theoretical base, collected relevant detailed information
from a sample of 100 customers, and analyzed the data. The results
promise to be fairly accurate with at least an 85% chance of success in
problem solving. The researchers will make recommendations to the
company based on the results of data analysis.
2-16
16

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CHAPTER 2

The Scientific Approach

1. Explain what is meant by scientific investigation,

2. Discuss the seven steps of the hypothetico-

3. Discuss alternative perspectives on what makes

“Scientific research focuses on solving problems and

 Do researchers always take a scientific approach

4. Replicability. can be increased.”

5. Precision and confidence.

Some Obstacles to Conducting

Alternative Approaches to Research

 Rigour and replicability, reliability, and

 Key approach of positivist researchers is the

 use deductive reasoning

 Aim to understand the rules people use to make

 Constructionists are often more concerned with

Alternative Approaches to Research

 Need to use Triangulation across multiple flawed

 Research on both objective and subjective

 Relationship between theory and practice

 Purpose of theory is to inform practice

 Theory is derived from practice and then applied

Critique the following research done in a service industry as to

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