8/26/2022

Mission of MBA ITB

Introduction to MM6098

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY • To educate professional managers/entrepreneurs who have

competence in problems solving in business and management
contexts.
FOR BUSINESS • To educate graduates who have competence in improving effectivity
of company where the students work as managers or owners:
• to manage and grow business, especially in medium or large size company
• to manage and grow the new business.
Week #1 (AUGUST 26th 2022)
• Relevant research method:
Presented by: • Problem Solving at Local context: contextualization of theoriesto solve
problems in their companies.
PRI HERMAWAN • Having spirit of action research

THIS COURSE MATERIAL HANDOUT IS PREPARED FOR:

MBA PROGRAM YP65A, YP65B, YP65C 1 2

Contextualization Problem driven thesis

Problem-driven
Episteme (Concepts, Logic)
1. Problem description
2. Marginal contribution in
Field
Methods
models/methodologies
Techne (Theories, Models)
Re- 3. Application of the
Contextualization
models/methodologies
4. Implications/discussions from the
Phronesis (Practice,
Aesthetic sense)
analysis
5. Conclusions

3 4

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 1

 8/26/2022

Basic Spirit of Action Research outline Detail activities of AR (1)

(Ernest T. Stringer, 2007)
0. Setting the stage
• Look – Identifying stakeholders (“purposeful sampling” based on the extend to
• Gather relevant information (gather data) which a group or individual is affected by or has an effect on the problem or
• Build a picture: Describe the situation (Define and describe) issue of interest)
• Think
1. Look (Building the picture)
– To gather information to extend understanding of experience and
• Explore and analyze: What is happening here? (Analyze) perspective of the various stakeholders (qualitative in nature);
• Interpret and explain: How/Why are things as they are? (Theorize) – Tujuannya bukan untuk membuat hipotesis jawaban dari research
• Act questions, melainkan untuk:
• Seek to understand how and why things happen the way they do.
• Plan (Action Plan/Solution)
• To reveal the reality that makes up people’s day to day experience, bringing
• Implement (Implementation Plan, agreement from the problem customer) assumptions, views, and beliefs out in the open and making them available for
• Evaluate reflection.
– Primary data in AR:
• Interviews, Focus groups, Participant observation, questionnaires, documents,
records and reports, surveys, and the research literature
– Create joint perspective by meeting with all the stakeholders

5 6

Detail activities of AR (2)

2. Think (Interpreting and Analyzing)

– Analyzing data gathered from “look”.
– To clarify and understand the nature of the activities and events they are
investigating.
– To know what is happening and how it is happening
– Categorizing and coding, etc. Why Look?
3. ACT (Resolving Problems: Planning and Implementing Sustainable
solutions)
Create joint perspective by meeting with
– Participants work creatively to formulate actions that lead to a resolution of
the problem(s). all the stakeholders
a) Planning: Research facilitators meet with major stakeholders to devise actions
to be taken.
• Identify priorities of issues
• Develop action plans; etc
b) Implementing (di format thesis MBA juga ada tahap implementation, tapi hanya
berupa rencana implementation saja).
c) Check

7 8

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 2

 8/26/2022

Case of Mc Donald

A family

Students of
Problematic Situation: SBM ITB If the target market is the
Jakarta Disaster families, How should the
manager design a system
Two for them?
housewives

A man and
his girl
9 10

The Cynefin Framework to define problem Assessing Levels of Complexity: Cynefin

contexts Model
(David Snowden and Mary Boone) Problem
Contexts
Characteristics Approach
Practices
The leader’s job

Problematic Situation Simple

Cause Effect Sense: See what is
Use best
Sense, categorize, response
(KNOWN) happening Ensure that proper processes are in place;
Contexts: practices;
Repeating patterns and consistent Categorize: Figure out Delegate;
Use standard
The Domain events; how it fits predetermined
operating
Use best practice;
of Best Clear cause and effect; relationships categories Communicate in clear, direct way;
procedures
evident to every one; Respond: Decide what to Understand that extensive interactive
Practice Rights answer exists. do communication may not be necessary

Cause  Effect
(KNOWABLE) Sense: See what is
Complicate Expert diagnosis required; happening
Sense, analyze, response
d Contexts: Cause and effect relationships; Analyze: Bring Use good
Create panel of experts;
discoverable but not immediately knowledge and expertise to practices
The Domain apparent to everyone; bear on issue
Listen to conflicting advice
of Experts More than one right answer Respond: As determined
possible; by above
Fact-based management

11 12

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 3

 8/26/2022

Assessing Levels of Complexity: Cynefin

Model Problem Solving
Complexity
Characteristics Approach Practices The leader’s job
Contexts
Cause Effect
(UNKNOWABLE IN ADVANCE) Probe: Experiment (safe- Probe, sense, response
Complex Unpredictable; fail approach) Create environment and
Contexts: Patterns emerge over time; Sense: See what happens, experiments that allow
No right answer; watch for patterns Identify and use patterns to emerge
The Domain Emergent; emerging practices Increase level of interaction and
Respond: If experiment
of Many competing ideas; succeeds, amplify approach; if communication Transformation
Emergence A need creative and innovative experiment starts to fail, Use methods that can generate
approaches; dampen it ideas
Pattern-based management
Cause ≠ Effect
(UNKNOWABLE EVER) Present State
No pattern; Act: Do something, move Desired State
Chaotic Events move very quickly and there to stabilize situation Act, sense, response
Contexts: is no perceivable relationship Sense: What is needed to Look for what works instead of
between cause and effect; manage crisis Discover and use seeking right answers;
The Domain High turbulence; novel practice Take immediate action to
Respond: Many responses as
of Rapid
Response
No point in looking for right
answers;
required in the moment reestablish order;
Provide clear, direct communication Problem Solving:
Many decision to make and no time
to think; What to do and How to do
High tension

13 14

15 Challenges of What to do
Iceberg of Symptom and Real Problem
How to do
What to do • “A problem clearly defined is a half a problem solved”…….
Charles Kettering, GE
Present
Desired
What to Present Desired
state
state

do & state state Controlling

Reactive
(mindless)
How to Issues: Issues: Symptom
do Framing decision (Context) 1. Collect and analyze
1. What we want to information to set:
achieve? • What alternatives available?
2. What criteria of the • How to choose the best
desired state? alternative?
2. How to implement the best
alternative? Creative
3. Are there problems that (mindful) Real Problem
inhibit the objective?
16

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 4

 8/26/2022

Challenges of What to do Challenges of What to do

Downloading/Paradigm Paralysis The Blind Men and the Elephant
Downloading Jump to solution
Cause/Solution
patterns of the past

Comfort zone:
1. Old perspectives
2. Routine
3. Mindless
4. Ego

Decision making needs creativity

*Human tends to see only a partial views of reality

*Paradigm paralysis: the refusal or inability to think or see outside or beyond the current way of thinking or patterns.
17 18

A Frame
leaves
us with only
a partial view
What is your impression of the
problem
on the figure?

19 20

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 5

 8/26/2022

21 22

SA Example: Really Bad Day

23 24

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 6

 8/26/2022

Why Think?
Problem Timing Trend Impact Process To know what is happening and how it
(H, M, L) (H, M, L) (H, M, L)
is happening
Dog Bites H H H DA

Broken Car L L M PA

Firehouse H H H DA

Damaged briefcase M M H PPA

Tornado M H H DA/PPA

25

ELEVATOR The Situation: Shortly after the upper floors of a

What is Creative Problem Solving?
PROBLEM high rise hotel had been renovated to increase the Tools for facilitating decision makers to define the right
hotel's room capacity, the guests complained that problem
the elevators were too slow. The building manager
assembled his assistants. His instructions to solve
the perceived problem: "Find a way to speed up
the elevators." After calling the elevator company
and an independent expert on elevators, it was
determined that nothing could be done to speed
up the elevators. Next, the manager's directions
were "Find a location and design a shaft to install
another elevator. "An architectural firm was hired
to carry out this request. However, neither the
shaft nor the new elevator were installed because
shortly after the firm was hired the real problem
was uncovered. The real problem was to find a
way to take the guests' minds off their wait rather
than to install more elevators. The guests stopped
complaining when mirrors were installed on each
Why does the manager fail floor in front of the elevators.

to see the right problem? 28

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 7

 8/26/2022

Three tools for supporting decision makers

The Druncker Diagram Kepner-Tregoe

• Challenging a given solution Problem Analysis
to find a better solution (KTPA)
• Finding the right root cause
of a fault/deviation
The Druncker Diagram
Kepner-Tregoe
Potential Problem
Analysis (KTPPA)
• Defining potential problems
in the future

29 30

The Situation: Flowmeters, such as the

A STUDENT AND HIS ones at the gasoline pumps to measure the

PROFESSOR LEAKING number of gallons of gas delivered to your

gas tank, are commonplace in industry. A
A student and his professor are backpacking in FLOWMETER flowmeter was installed in a chemical plant
Alaska when a grizzly bear starts to chase them from to measure the flow rate of a corrosive fluid.
a distance. They both start running, but it's clear A few months after installation, the
that eventually the bear will catch up with them. The corrosive fluid had eaten through the
student takes off his backpack, gets his running flowmeter and began to leak onto the plant
shoes out, and starts putting them on. His professor floor. The instructions given to solve the
says, "You can't outrun the bear, even in running perceived problem: "Find material from
shoes!" The student replies, don't need to outrun
which to make a flowmeter that will not
the bear; only need to outran you!"
corrode and cause leakage of the dangerous
fluid." An extensive, time consuming search
was carried out to find such a material and a
company that would construct a cost
effective flowmeter. None was found.
However, the real problem was to prevent
What is the different the flowmeter from leaking. The solution
between the instruction and was to institute a program of simply
the real problem? replacing the existing flowmeter on a
What is the different between the student’s regular basis before corrosion caused a
failure.
and Professor’s problem definition?

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 8

 8/26/2022

The Situation: A local merchant on Main Street BARGAIN PRICES

in Ann Arbor was having difficulty selling a health
food mix from the rain forest called Rain Forest
Crunch, which was a hot selling item in other
stores. Part of the attractiveness of Rain Forest
Crunch was that it was indeed from the Brazilian
rain forest and part of the proceeds of the sale
went to protect the rain forest. The instructions
given by the store manager: "Lower the price of
the item to increase sales." Rain Forest Crunch still
did not sell. The manager lowered the price
Discussion:
further. Still no sales. After lowering the price two
more times to a level that was well below the What are the lessons learned form
competitors', the item still did not sell. Finally, the
manager walked around the store, and studied the the examples?
display of Rain Forest Crunch. Then the real
problem was uncovered. The problem was not the
high cost of the item; the real problem was that it
was not in a prominent position in the store to be
easily seen by the customers. Once the item was
made more visible, sales began to soar.

EXAMPLE DRUNCKER DIAGRAM:

DEFINING THE RIGHT PROBLEM: KindergartenCop
Use the Druncker Diagram Linda Chen, who has been teaching elementary school for 25 years, has just finished a six-month leave of
Challenge the desired state by absence and is scheduled to return to teaching in February. She is dreading returning to teaching because the last few
using the opposite framing/angle! years have been extremely stressful and difficult, and she feels burned out teaching kindergarten. Students seem
Instruction
harder to control, Linda doesn't like the materials she is required to use in the classroom, and the parents don't seem
to take much interest in their children's education. She also enjoyed the time she had to herself during her six month
Achieve OK Not to
leave and strongly feels she must continue to have more time to herself as she nears retirement which will be in five
Desired General Achieve Desired years if she is to receive full benefits. Consequently, Linda's present state is returning to teaching, and her desired state
State Solution State is not to return to teaching. Prepare a Duncker Diagram to analyze this situation.
Possible Path to The Possible Path to Make
Desired State Present State OK To …, then Teaching is becoming increasingly more
Problem
you should… difficult
Quit Make it OK
Path 1 Path 2 Path 3 Functional Path 1 Path 2 Path 3 General Solution Teaching NOT to quit
Solution
Solutions to Implement
Solutions to Implement
Path to the Desired State
Paths to Make Present State Find a More Leisure Lower Stress
OK Functional Solutions Retire
new job Time Level

Specific Stronger
Solution 1 Solution 2 Solution 3 Solution 1 Solution 2 Solution 3 Officer Substitute Teach every Teach Teach a Change
Solution How? Specific Solutions say in
manager teach other term half days different schools
(job share) grade choosing
You have more creative
teaching
solutions
material

Recap: Upon analyzing her situation using a Duncker Diagram, Linda discovered the real problem was the
high stress level brought on by the unruly classes she had the year before her six-month leave.
Consequently, with the aid of a Duncker Diagram, she arrived at the conclusion that the real problem was
she should find ways to lower her stress level at her workplace.

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 9

 8/26/2022

The Bank in Hawthorne (1)

The Fault/Deviation

A major bank in California has a number of branches in

Kepner-Tregoe Problem the Los Angeles area. The operating results of all branches are

Analysis (KTPA) reviewed monthly by the Executive Committee. At a July review,

the Hawthorne branch showed a volume of transactions slightly
below plan. All the other branches were right on target or
above.

37 38

The Bank in Hawthorne (2)

The decline in transactions of the Hawthorne branch Kepner Tregoe Problem Analysis
In August the Hawthorne branch slipped a little further, in September even
more. In October the news was worse yet. Members of the Executive Committee began
an investigation. One vice president suggested exploration of the subject of change,
Useful for troubleshooting, where cause of problem is
saying he had already given it some thought and pointing out that when the decline in not known.
transactions was observed the new branch manager had been in his position for about
two months. "Look, he represents a change all right. He came in just before the branch
started to slip. I thought we were making a mistake then and I'm sure of it now."
The cause of the problem or fault or deviation
August October happened in the past.
Target transaction Other Branches

Guide the decision makers to ask the right questions

New branch manager
What is the right root that will penetrate to the heart of the problem and to
cause?
of Hawthorne Branch interview as many people as necessary who might
have useful information about the problem.
July September
39 40

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 10

 8/26/2022

Trouble shooting to find the root cause

• What is the problem and what is
Table: Kepner Tregoe Problem Analysis
not the problem?
• Where did the problem occur?
Where is everything OK?
• When did the problem first occur?
When was everything OK?
Unknown change • What is the magnitude (extent) of
performance
Change the problem?
Planned performance

Unfavourable deviation

What do we see, hear, feel,

taste, or smell that tells us
there is a deviation?

time
Past
Now
41

41 42

Example KT Problem Analysis:

Fear of Flying

43 44

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 11

 8/26/2022

Problem analysis table:

Fear of Flying

Kepner-Tregoe Potential
Problem Analysis (KTPPA)
We now look at all the distinctions and see that:
• something contacting the arms and face could be causing the rash,
• the rash occurs only on flights over water, and that the use of life vests are demonstrated
on flights over water, and
• the life vests on the new plane are made of new materials or of a different brand of
materials and that usually three flight attendants demonstrated the use of the life vests. 45
The new life preservers had some material in or on them that was the rash-causing agent!
45 46

DAM THE TORPEDOES OR

TORPEDO THE DAM The Arcadian government wanted to increase KEPNER TREGOE POTENTIAL PROBLEM ANALYSIS
agricultural production by finding ways to grow crops on
waste lands. It was decided to cultivate land in the Pantoon
Why can’t the region of southeastern Arcadia, which is very arid. Some wild
problem in future be plants could be seen growing in the soil from time to time, but Kepner Tregoe The K.T.
The PPA Table
delineates the
there was insufficient moisture to grow crops. It was believed
anticipated? that the land could be irrigated and that agricultural food
Potential
Problem
We need to look
into the future to
Potential
Problem
potential
problems and
Analysis Having learn what could Analysis (PPA) suggests
crops could be grown. The Orecha River, which flows naturally made our go wrong and approach can possible
from the mountains to the sea, passes through the region. The decision, we make plans to decrease the causes,
solution chosen by the Arcadian government was: "Design and want to plan to avoid these possibility of a preventive
ensure its pitfalls. disastrous actions, and
build a dam to divert the river water inland to irrigate the land. success. outcome. contingent
"A multimillion dollar dam was built and the water diverted. actions.
Unfortunately, when the irrigation was achieved, absolutely
no new vegetation grew, and even the vegetation that had To anticipate
previously grown on some of the land died. It was then K.T. Potential Problem Analysis the problem
determined that the infertility of the soil occurred because the
diverted water dissolved abnormally high concentrations of Potential Problem Possible Causes Preventive Action Contingent Actions
salts present in the soil, which then entered the plant roots.
A. 1.
Little of the vegetation could tolerate the salts at such high
concentrations and as a result the vegetation died. A Potential 2.
Problem Analysis might have prevented this costly If the problem
experiment. Currently efforts are underway to deal with this happens, what
B. 1.
will you do?
salinity problem ranging from desalination to the construction
of salt ponds. 2.

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 12

 8/26/2022

KT Potential Problem Analysis:

Buying Car

Problem Possible Cause Preventive Action Contingency Plan

Improper alignment Car in accident Check alignment Don't buy
Car in accident;
Inspect body for rust Offer lower price
Body rusted out
Body condition
Car in flood
Check for mold/ Offer lower price Why Plan?
hidden rust
Suspension Hard use, poor To devise actions to be taken:
Check tires Require fixes • Identify priorities of issues
problems maintenance
Leaking fluids Poor maintenance Inspect Require fixes • Develop action plans; etc
Look for signs, check
Odometer incorrect Tempering/broken Offer lower price
title
Car ready to fall
Poor maintenance Look for signs Don't buy
apart

49

Example: Buying house (1) Example: Buying house (2)

Objective: Buy a House (choose from several alternatives) Analysis of Musts
Alternative: • House A  price= IDR 350 million (OK) ; number of bedrooms= 4 (OK) GO
• House A, the price is IDR 350 million, the number of bedrooms is 4, the • House B  price =IDR 650 million (No OK) ; number of bedrooms = 5 (OK) NO GO
location is near the office but a bit far from school. • House C  price = IDR 450 million (OK) ; number of bedrooms = 3 (OK) GO
• House B, the price is IDR 650 million, the number of bedrooms is 5 pieces,
the location is close to the school and close to the office.
• House C, the price is IDR 450 million, the number of bedrooms is 3, the Analysis of Wants
location is near the school but a bit far from the office.
Criteria: • Close to the office
• House A  Close to the office : 10
• Musts:
• House C  the location is a bit far from the office : 6
• Price <= IDR 500 million
• Close to the school
• The number of bedrooms >= 3
• Wants: • House A  far from the school: 3
• Close to the office • House C  the location is quite close to the school : 8
• Close to the school
51 52

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 13

 8/26/2022

Example:
Example: Buying house (3) Buying Car
Criteria House A House C

Musts

≤ IDR 500 million IDR 350 million IDR 450 million

Weight x Weight x
Wants Weight Score Score
Score Score
Close to
10 10 100 6 60
office
Close to
5 3 15 8 40
school
Total Weight x Score 115 100

Importance can be understood as a Satisfaction score, meaning desirable but not essential.
Criteria rating is related to want criteria and every car property

53 54

Tools
Look Think Plan
LOOK
Brainstorming Focus Group Discussion MCDM

Semi-structure interview Cause-effect mapping Scenario planning

Stakeholder Analysis

Methods
Statistical Data Collection/Analysis Rich picture Interlevel dynamics Statistical modeling
mapping
Brainstorming
Mind mapping Modeling and simulation
Semi-Structure interview
Appreciative inquiry
Rich Picture T Cooperative inquiry
A Mind mapping H
IMPLEMENTING EXPLORING
C I
T DECIDING ANALYZING Cause-effect mapping N
PESTEL analysis SWOT analysis
Frameworks

MCDM
Root cause analysis K 5 Forces of Porter Strategic position
and action
SWOT Analysis Porter’s value chain evaluation
Statistical Modeling (SPACE) matrix
PESTEL Analysis Stakeholder analysis
Modeling and simulation
Porter Analysis
References

Scenario Planning • Reason, P. and Bradbury, H., 2008. Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice. Sage.
• Coghlan, D., 2019. Doing action research in your own organization. Sage.
• David, F.R., David, F.R. and David, M.E., 2017. Strategic management: concepts and cases: A competitive
advantage approach (p. 127). Pearson.
PLAN 55 56

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 14

 8/26/2022

Session Schedule (1st Half) Session Schedule (2nd Half)

# Title Session Detail # Title Session Detail

1 Introduction to Business Research Method Introduction (Look, Think, Plan, Act) 7 Think: Root-cause Identification The tools (5W, Fishbone, etc.)
(BRM)
Foundation & Process for BRM When & Why to Use the Tools

2 Look: The Introduction What is Look? The 1st Step of BRM 8 Think: Environmental Analysis Internal Analysis Tools

How to Observe Bus. Environment External Analysis Tools

3 Look: The Tools (Part One) Brainstorming and Rich Picture 9 Plan: How to Solve Problem Multi-criteria Decision Making

Semi-structured Interview Statistical Modeling

4 Look: The Tools (Part Two) Cause-effect Mapping 10 Plan: Declaration of the Method Modeling and Simulation

Mind Mapping Scenario Planning

5 Look: Case Exposure Case Example 11 Case Exposure: Think & Plan Integrated Case Exposure for Think and Plan Part

Case Analysis and Discussion 12 Final-term Examination Full-loop of the self-determined case (Look +
Think + Plan)
6 Mid-term Examination Look phase of a self-determined case (to be
developed until Final Exam)

Mapping of Framework to MBA Thesis Template Detail for Each Part

• Introduction
1. Introduction • Business issue/Phenomenon:
• What, When, Where, What extend?
2. Business Issue Exploration LOOK THINK • Research Question
• Business Issue Exploration
3. Methodology & Issue Analysis THINK PLAN •
•
(1) Declare framework to business issue exploration
(1) Define the context of the business issue
• (2) Define the stakeholders involved
4. Business Solution Development PLAN ACT •
•
(3) Map the issue from all stakeholders
(4) Define the purpose of the research (to repair, to improve, or to design)
5. Conclusion • Methodology
• (1) Select existing methodology and tool selection
• (2) Critics existing methology reffered to your contextual problem
• (3) Highlight the marginal contribution/modification by using the selected research methodology
(proposed methology)
• Business Solution Development
• (1) Conduct analysis
• (2) Offer alternatives of solution and select solution
• (3) Lay out implementation plan
• (4) Confirm to the stakeholder on the implementation plan

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 15

 8/26/2022

Thank you

Prepared for MBA Program YP65 (A+B+C) 16