TYPES AND PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

Research in general can be classified in many different ways. If we want to classify research
based on its goal or objective, then we think of two major types. These are fundamental or basic research and applied research.

Fundamental Research:

The main purpose of these types of research is to obtain empirical data which can be used to
formulate, expand or evaluate a theory. It is not actually directed in design or purpose towards the solution of practical problems. The main aim is to expand the frontiers of knowledge without the intention of having practical applications.

However, the results may be applied eventually to practical problems that have social values. Let us use hotel management as an example. You will see that all the advances made in this area are dependent upon basic researches in foods and nutrition, catering and hospitalities. In the same way, the progress made in business administration practices has been related to progress in the discovery of economics theories, administrative theories and management theories.

But you have to bear in mind that the primary concern of basic research is to create knowledge solely for the sake of knowledge. Its design is not in any way hampered by considerations of special usefulness of the findings.

Applied Research:

Unlike basic research, this type is directed towards the solution to an immediate, specific and
practical problem. It is the type of research which you can conduct in relation to actual problems and under the conditions in which they are found in practice. 

You can use the applied research to solve problems at the appropriate level of complexity. Take for instance in the area of business management, or administration or even your own area of specialization, you can depend on basic research for discovering the more general laws of management or administration, but you have to employ applied research to determine how these laws operate in the real situation if scientific changes are to be affected in our lives, this approach will continue to be very essential.

At this juncture, you have to note that there is no sharp line of demarcation between basic and
applied research. This is because applications of theory help in solving practical problems. You always apply the theories of administration or organization in your business management. On the other hand, basic research can also depend upon the findings of applied research to complete the theoretical formulations for example an organizational experiment could shed some light on a learning theory. At the same time, observations in a practical situation serve to test theories and may lead to the formulation of new theories.

When research is classified according to methodology, if can also be classified according to Creswell (1994) into two broad areas. These are quantitative and qualitative approaches. 

Quantitative and Qualitative Research:

According to Leedy (1995) Quantitative research is an inquiry into a social or human problem, based on testing a theory composed of variables measured with numbers or figures and analyzed with statistical procedures in order to determine whether the predictive generalizations of the theory hold true. He also defines Qualitative research is an enquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on building a complex, holistic picture formed with words reporting detailed views of information, and conducted in a natural setting. 

Whereas quantitative research, sometimes referred to as the traditional, the positivist, the experimental or the empiricist approach, is typically used to answer questions about the relationships among measured variables with the purpose of explaining, predicting and controlling phenomena; the qualitative research is used to an answer questions about the nature of phenomena with the purpose of describing and understanding the phenomena from the participants points of view. The qualitative research is sometimes referred to as the interpretative, the naturalistic, the constructivist or the postpositive approach.

Other Categorizations:

These are other classifications of research based mainly on their specific method and goals. The different types of research are:-

1. Action research: - A type of applied research that focuses on finding a solution to local 
2. problem in a local setting Case and field study research: - A type of qualitative research in which data are gathered directly from individual or social or community groups in their natural environment for the purpose of studying interactions, attitudes or characteristics of individuals or groups. 
3. Correlational research: - A statistical investigation of the relationship between one factor and one or more other factors. It looks at the surface relationship but does not necessarily probe for casual reasons underlying them 
4. Descriptive or Normative Survey: - A survey method used to describe the incidence, frequency and distribution of certain characteristics of a population. 
5. Ethnography: - A type of qualitative inquiry that involves an in-depth study of an intact cultural group in a natural setting. 
6. Expost facto or Evaluation research: - A type of research which observes existing causal comparative searches back research and through the data for plausible causal factors. 
7. Grounded theory research: - A type of qualitative research studies that aim at deriving theory through the use of multiple stages of data collection and interpretation. 
8. Historical research: - A type of research that attempts to solve certain problems arising out of historical context through gathering and examining of relevant data. 
9. Phenomenological research: - A type of qualitative research method that attempts to understand participants perspectives and views of social realities. 
10. Quasi-experimental research: - An experimental research that is not based on randomization and control. 
11. True-experimental research: - An experimental study based a random assignment of subjects to groups and the administration of possibly different treatments followed by observations or measurements to assess the effect of the treatments. (Leedy. 1995) 

PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

From what you have read so far in this unit you can simply say that the purpose of research is the development of theories by discovering broad generalizations or principles. It becomes evident therefore that a researcher deals with a wide range of  associations, from concrete day to day activities and problems to a philosophical level of search for truth. We can then capture in a hierarchical or taxonomic fashion the main

purpose of research as: - training, problem solving and search of truth or knowledge  generation.

Training in Research.

By going through this course, you are subjecting yourself to be trained on how to conduct researches. Training takes different shapes. It depends on whether the project you are undertaking is for the award of degree of Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral in research methodology. Many of you who are taking this course or taking any Bachelors degree programme are not trained on how to conduct research. You may have been working in educational institutions or even out side the educational system, you may be working as a business consultant, a producer, a marketer, an advertiser, a tourism guide or an hotelier, you need to lave this training. If you want to conduct a research project in a scientific manner, you need training in research methods. This curse is meant to provide you with the theoretical background for year project.

It will help you to make the right choice of research designs, tools and techniques for your research. Therefore, training in research methodology is an integral purpose of research in this programme. But if you have had any training already in research, this course can still help to refine your skills.

Problem solving.

This involves diagnosing and solving the problems in the system. You know your own  system, banking and finance, tourism, Business management, hotel management among others. While we talk of problem solving, it is necessary you develop a more comprehensive view of it. It means a realistic understanding of a situation on the basis of data and statistics. Let us take the case of risk management in financial accounting. You may undertake to study the difference in the application of different aspects of risk management in the accounting system of the banks. These days most countries of the world invest considerable amount of money on the provision of electronic transactions-e- banking, e-payment, e-commerce, e-everything.

 You can take studies on the various aspects of the electronic business and utilization and show the differential out these using electronics and these who do not. What we are saying is that a series of studies can go into the diagnosis in order to develop better understanding of the practices in a system. You may also set out studies to actually get into experimenting with an innovative solution. You can device various methods of receiving customers and making their comfortable. The important thing to note here is that research can contribute to solving day-to-day problems.

 Search for Truth.

This is the biggest challenge in research. A research in search of truth is most of the times
classified as pure research. It is the ability to generalize and create knowledge. Such generalizations are derived from occurrences in repeated instances. Generalizations are drawn primarily on two bases. These are repeated observations in various possible situations and applications of statistical designs where the variables are statistically controlled.

Generalizations are drawn through tests of significance, level of confidence and such others types of analyses. Have you heard about statements like significant at 0.05 or 0.01 levels? These are typical research statements, which basically promise that such and such instance, will happen in 95% or 99% of the cases, and to that extent the phenomenon is generalizable.

Your project research which is the prime focus of this course is unlikely to achieve the sophisticated level of search for truth. But it is quite possible for you to undertake a study that could come close to generalization through application of statistical models and methodologies; such research will be based on quantitative techniques. However, whether you are using qualitative or quantitative method, the most important emphasis is on the use of scientific approach to research. This scientific approach has series of steps, which may vary from one author to another. These steps are:

· Certain phenomena are observed
· A problem situation which develops therein, is noted and clarified
· A more or less formal hypothesis is derived
· A design developed to test the hypothesis
· The hypothesis is verified or refuted and
· The results are subjected to farther tests and refinements.

The conclusions of a research are integrated into the existing knowledge of the subject. This  process involves such subsidiary steps as:

· Review of research of experiences
· Manipulation of factors
· Measurement of the quantities
· Defining of variable and
· Analysis and interpretation of data

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

1. Differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research. 
2. Explain the three purposes of research. 

CONCLUSION.

Research project is a normal part of year course work in the university. This course gives an understanding of the primary functions and structural steps of the entire research process. This is because if the research project is carefully designed, genuinely conducted and co-ordinate, you derive a lot of value from the entire activity. 

This process is much of an intensive academic exercise, which gives you the process of scientific thinking and way of doing things. This scientific way thinking is a conventionally acceptable and recommended way of approaching problems in true life situation and the goal is to search for dependable and data supported solutions to some problems in real life situation. The goal of the research process therefore is to give you or equip you with the knowledge, philosophy, attitude and skill of approaching problem solving in the scientific way.

SUMMARY

In this unit, you have learnt that research is a formal, systematic, intensive process of carrying
out the scientific method of analysis, involving a more systematic structure of investigation usually resulting in some sort of formal record of procedures and results or conclusion. You also learnt that the characteristics of research are objectivity, precision, design and verifiability. The types of research were discussed. Also discussed in this unit is the purpose of research which includes training, problem solving and search for truth.

Tutor Marked Assignment.

1. How can you define research in you own words? 
2. Explain the characteristics of research 
3. Describe the purposes of research