Quantitative research in public management session 1

Major ObjectivesThis course seeks to: ◦ provide students with a good understanding of research in public management, and ◦ equip students with the practical tools and skills to conduct r

Course Introduction

Quantitative Research in Public Management

S c h o o l o f B u s i n e s s

I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y - V I E T N A M N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y H C M C

Major Objectives

This course seeks to:

◦ provide students with a good understanding of research in public management, and

◦ equip students with the practical tools and skills to conduct research in public management

◦ train students to think like a researcher

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

◦ conduct a completed research proposal as thesis requirements

◦ know how to review literature and write a research report

◦ understand types of research

◦ know how to use popular software for research

Major Text and Readings

Textbook:

◦ Any textbooks about public management in Vietnamese

◦ Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management 4th Edition, by David E McNabb, 2017

◦ Applied Research Methods in Public and Nonprofit Organizations, by Mitchell Brown and Kathleen Hale, 2014

◦ Multivariate Data Analysis, seventh edition, by Hair, Black, Babin, Anderson, Prentice Hall, 2010

Readings:

◦ Cooper, R.D & Schindler, S.P (2011) Business Research Methods 12nd Ed McGraw-Hill Irwin NY

◦ Saunders, M., Lewis, P and Thornhill, A (2009) Research Methods for Business Students Fifth edition, London: Financial Times/Prentice Hall

◦ Bryman, A and Bell, E (latest edition) Business Research Methods London: Oxford University Press

◦ Collis, J and Hussey, R (2009) Business Research, Fourth edition New York: PALGRAVE MACMILLAN

Introduction to Popular Research Models

Research Topic Identification

Class Schedule

Session 4

Descriptive Analysis

Reliability and Cronbach Alpha

Validity and EFA

SPSS Tutorial

Session 5

t-test and ANOVA

Regression

CFA and SEM

Tutorial: SPSS and AMOS

Session 6

Group Presentations

Group Presentations

◦ It is essential that students read the relevant chapters prior to each class It is also expected that students will read prescribed materials and

selected papers and prepare for class discussion as per the pre-determined schedule

◦ Connect the information received in the lecture with your proposal Do not hesitate to raise questions regarding your project

◦ Do not wait until the deadline to conduct the proposal/assignment

◦ Connect the concepts in the course with everyday life research news in Vietnam and all over the world

Suggested Study Methodology

Dr LÊ ĐÌNH MINH TRÍ

School of Business

International University – Vietnam National University

Office: Room O2.609

Meeting by appointment

Email: ldmtri@hcmiu.edu.vn

Contact Information

Questions?

Session 1 – Part 1

Research

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y - V I E T N A M N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y H C M C

Different descriptions based on its application

◦ Research different websites to find the best place for goods and services

◦ TV news channels conduct research in the form of viewer polls on topics of public interest

◦ Undergraduate students research the Internet to find information to complete their assignments

◦ Graduate research projects

◦ Collecting and analysing data for the project

◦ Businesses and consultants research different potential solutions to remedy organisational problems such as

◦ Supply chain bottlenecks

◦ Mining customer data

◦ Identify purchase patterns

Research

A process of determining, acquiring, analyzing, synthesizing, and disseminating relevant business data, information, and insights to decision makers in ways that mobilize the organization to take appropriate business actions that, in turn, maximize business performance

Simple keywords:

Researcher vs Observer

Researcher vs Writer

Researcher vs Inventor

• Applied research (Practical Research) - designed to apply its findings to solving a specific, existing problem

–Eg Will it be cost effective to outsource some of the IT applications in the organisation?

• Basic research (Academic Research) is designed to make a contribution to general knowledge and theoretical understanding, rather than solve a specific problem

–Eg How can business travellers be encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint?

Simple keywords:

◦ Applied business research:

◦ Academic research in business:

Categories of Research

• Theories are ‘explanations of how things function or why events occur’ (Black, 1993, p 25)

–Provide explanations of a certain phenomena

–Concepts, definitions and propositions

• Data are known facts or things used as a basis for inference or reckoning

–Empirical evidence is data based on observation or experience

–A hypothesis is a proposition that can be tested for association or causality against empirical evidence

–Eg countries with a greater telecommunication infrastructure penetration are likely to experience more rapid digital wireless phone diffusion

–A variable is a characteristic of a phenomenon that can be observed or measured – therefore items of data are collected about a variable

–Telecommunication infrastructure

Key Concepts

• Four main typologies based on

–Purpose - the reason why research is conducted

–Exploratory, descriptive, analytical

–Process – the way in which data were collected and analysed

–Quantitative or qualitative

–Logic – general to specific or vice versa

–Deductive, inductive

– Inductive – infer theoretical concepts and patterns from observed data (generalise from observations)

– Deductive – test concepts and patterns known from theory using empirical data (test hypothesis)

• Outcome – a solution to the problem or a contribution to knowledge

Classifying Research

• Exploratory research – used to gain an initial understanding where there is little or no existing knowledge (rarely provides conclusive answers but offers guidance for future research)

–Eg What is the value of social media in organisations? Does it add value to marketing or customer service How does it increase organisational productivity?

• Descriptiveresearch– used to describe phenomena as they exist Identify and obtain information on characteristics of the problem/issue

–Eg How often should the social media used for marketing be evaluated for performance and upgraded or replaced?

• Analytical/explanatory research - goes beyond description to establish relationships that explain how and why

–Eg Is there a positive association between allowing employees to access social media during business hours and the impact of social media on productivity level?

Research classified according to purpose

• Quantitativeapproach – focus is on measuring phenomena and analysing quantitative research data using statistical methods to gain understanding

–Eg What is the impact of aligning IT to business strategy on organisational performance?

• Qualitativeapproach–focus is on examining phenomena and analysing qualitative research data using subjective interpretive methods

–Eg How do employees react when they are given a new technology to use?

Research classifications …

• Deductive research - a theoretical framework is developed and then tested by empirical observation

–From the general to the particular

–Literature is used to help identify theories and ideas that are tested using data

–Eg Premise One – all regular employees can be trusted not to steal

–Premise Two – John is a regular employee

–Conclusion – John can be trusted not to steal

• Inductive research - theory is developed from the observation of empirical reality

–To induce is to draw a conclusion from one or more particular facts or pieces of evidence

–The conclusion explains the facts and the facts support the conclusion

– With data in hand a researcher draws a theory

Research classifications …

The cycle of research

Tri D Le 21

What’s Changing in Business that Influences Research

Critical Scrutiny of Business

Computing Power &

Shifting Global Economics

Computing Power and Speed

Real-time Access

Lower-cost Data Collection

Integration of Data

Factors

Decision

support systems

Data management

Can It Pass These Tests?

◦ Can information be applied to a critical decision?

◦ Will the information improve managerial decision making?

◦ Are sufficient resources available?

• A research project is an opportunity to select an issue and investigate it independently and the research report is called a report,

Characteristics of Good Research

Clearly defined purpose

Detailed research process Thoroughly planned design

High ethical standards

Limitations addressed

Adequate analysis Unambiguous presentation

Conclusions justified

Session 1 – Part 2

Business Research Process

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y - V I E T N A M N AT I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y H C M C

Research Process

• A research paradigm ‘is a framework that guides how research should be conducted (Collis and Hussey, 2009, p 55)

–Philosophy is ‘the use of reason and argument in seeking truth and knowledge, especially of ultimate reality or of general causes and principles’ (Oxford Compact Dictionary and Thesaurus, 1997, p 557)

• Paradigm is a term used in social sciences

–A way of examining social phenomena from which particular understandings of this phenomena can be gained and explanations attempted

Research Paradigms

• With the advent of industrialisation and capitalism, attention turned to the social world

• Theorists who advocated social scientists should take the same approach as natural scientists

– were known as realists (eg Compte, Mill and Durkheim)

–They argued that the empiricist approach of observation and experiment established by physicists (eg Newton) was also appropriate

in the social sciences

• Their beliefs were based on positivism

–Reality exists independently of us, so it can be measured objectively

–Therefore, the researcher uses quantitative methods leading to the discovery of laws/theory

Birth of the social sciences

• Theorists who challenged the positivist paradigm can be labelled loosely as idealists

–They argued that social science is the study of ourselves

• The more recent paradigm called interpretivism is based on their beliefs

–Reality exists within us, so the researcher is inseparable from that being researched

–Therefore, the researcher uses subjective, qualitative methods leading to interpretive understanding (eg behavioural psychology)

Challengers

• Scientific method

–A formally expressed statement – the theory

–A deduction that if the theory is true a relationship between two variables A and B can be found – hypothesis

–A careful definition of what you need to measure – operational definition

–The observations – measurement

–Drawing conclusions about the hypothesis – testing

–Drawing implications back to theory – verification

Positivist Approach

• Unstructured environment

• Think in terms of issues, not variables, discovering them through a period of detailed familiarisation

• What is the significance and context of what has been said and which theories apply

• What evidence is there for the judgement

• Theory interpreted?

Interpretive Approach

Positivism tends to

– Use large samples

– Have an artificial location

– Focus on hypothesis testing

– Produce precise, objective, quantitative data

– Allow results to be generalized from the sample

to the population

Number-crunchers?

Interpretivism tends to

– Use small sample

– Have a natural location

– Focus on generating theories

– Produce rich, subjective, qualitative data

– Allow results to be generalized from one setting to a similar setting

Story-tellers?

Comparison

• Once you have identified your research paradigm, you need to choose a methodology and methods

• Some researchers use the terms interchangeably, but you need to distinguish between them

technique for collecting and/or analysing data’ (Collis and Hussey, 2009, p 73)

A methodology for research

Stage 1: Clarifying the Research Question

Management-research question hierarchy process begins by identifying the

The Research Proposal

Written proposals establish

Methods

Timing Extent Purpose

Tri D Le 39

Stage 3: Designing the Research

Stage 3: Designing the Research (cont.)

The Research Project

The Research Project

Research Design

Research Design

Sampling Design

Sampling Design

Pilot Testing

Tri D Le 41

Stage 4: Data Collection

Stage 5: Data Analysis & Interpretation

Reduce data to manageable size

Develop summaries

Look for patterns

Apply statistical techniques

Tri D Le 43

Stage 6: Reporting the Results

Parts of the Research Report

Research Report (Practical)

Research Report (Practical)

Executive Summary

Executive Summary

Research Overview

Research Overview

Technical Appendix

Technical Appendix

Implementation Strategies

Implementation Strategies

Tri D Le 45

The Research Report Overview

Problem’s background

Summary of exploratory findings

Research design and procedures

Conclusions

Thanks you for your attention!