Chapter 3: Research Methodology

1 Introduction

3.1. Research Design

3.2. Target Population

3.3. Sampling methods and sampling techniques

3.3.1 Sampling frame

3.3.2 Sample size

3.3.3 Sample framework

3.4. Data sources

3.5 Research instruments

3.6. Data collection Procedure and administration

3.7. Validity and Reliability of findings

3.8. Data analysis and presentation tools

3.9 ethical consideration

Chapter summary

Chapter 4: Data Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of findings

2 Introduction

4.1. Response rate

4.2. Analysis of responses on aspect of the 1st objective

NB. Other subheadings will follow the order of research objectives or questions

Summary of findings

Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

3 Summary

5.1. Conclusions

5.2. Recommendations

Synopsis of the Dissertation

Introduction section
  Highlights the nature of the research, motivation of the study and briefly what is
contained in each section of the dissertation

 Generally, there is no standard format for an introduction but brief information about
the nature of the study and how it is going to be conducted would suffice.

 What is discussed should be briefly explored and explained

 Students need to be crafty in writing the introduction to draw or capture the interest of
the reader.

Background to the problem

 This is not necessarily the background of the company but the general information leading to
the problem

 Show evidence of the problem, when the company or industry started experiencing the
problem and how it started

 Show hw the problem has triggered the researcher’s interest

 Brief history of the company or industry dynamics must be provided i.e the nature of
business, the market conditions e.t.c

 If the research is based on declining profits, statistics of the declining trend and the source of
such statistics should be provided. E.g newspaper, company reports, journals or some other
identifiable sources.

 Also provide topic justification, which justifies why you have carried a research based on that
topic. Justification can be by way of showing developments in the field under study, for
example, if topic is based on SCM, somehow justify why SCM has become an issue either in
the industry in which the company is operating or, across industries or SCM developments in
companies or sectors across your national boundaries

Statement of the problem

 Clarifies what the researcher intends to do

 Should be clear, sharp and indispensable

 Problem can be started in a grammatical sentence or can be expressed in the form of a

 The most important issue is that the research problem must be stated so well that anyone
can read and understand it

 Avoid jargon and technical terms on the statement of the problem

 A vague research problem is subject to different interpretations

Conceptual framework
Provide model for your research

Research objectives

 Objectives must be linked to research problem/opportunity

 Objectives should be formulated in a way that helps provide solution to the problem or
opportunity under study

 Too many objectives may create problems on data collection

 Avoid repeating topic sentence when formulating objectives.

Research questions

 Main research question must state the research problem

 Sub questions must be closely related to the research objectives

 NB students should understand that the way a topic is formulated determines if research
questions or hypothesis can be used

 Where a topic is stated in such a way that it seeks to establish relationship between variables
then hypothesis should be used regardless of whether students have a phobia in statistics or
not

Hypothesis

 Refers to the suggested answer to a problem

 It also refers to an intelligent or educated guess

 Relational hypothesis is expressed in terms of :

Null hypothesis (H0) - no relationship exists between stated variables

and

Alternative hypothesis (H1) – A relationship exists between stated variables

Assumptions

 Assumption should be based on the general and specific problem. It should be stated in a
simple, brief and generally accepted state. E.g the economic environment will remain the
same during the research period; customers will remain loyal to a certain brand which is
under study.

 Assumption should be related to the research problem and factors that are likely to change
your results if changes do occur during the research period.
Research Justification / Significance of the study

 Justification of research should be made, consider stakeholders such as the organisation or

Delimitations

 Refers to the boundaries of the research. The following constitute research boundaries

(1). Geographic delimitation – specify regions, territories which will be covered by your research. For
example, research will consider respondents from Matebeleland region, three cities (Harare,
Bulawayo and Gweru), SADC region, Zimbabwe only)

(2). Theoretical boundary / delimitation – This includes the theoretical area or field which will be
covered by your research in terms of literature. Research objectives or research questions usually
limit the research to look for literature relating to the purpose of research. For example, if the
research topic is about industrial democracy, theoretical boundary will be as follows; this research
study focuses on employee empowerment, employee participation as well as quality control tools.

(3) Data period should also be indicated e.g in secondary sources, financial statements from
2006 to 2009 will be considered in the study.

(4) Study participants should also be indicated on delimitations

Limitations

 Refers challenges that research may encounter in the course of study. Factors that may
hinder or that hindered with the generalisation of the research findings

 Where researcher encountered constraints these must be spelt out and also briefly state the
means employed to overcome such limitations, failure of this can affect validity of findings.
Examples of limitations can be non co-operation of respondents, Desk research being the
only methodology e.t.c

Definition of Terms

 Most students have a problem on this section. Experience has shown that students define
words and terms that can be ordinarily found in dictionaries and text books. Words or terms
that should be defined are those whose meanings are restricted in your research only and
technical terms that can only be understood by practitioners in the field. Such terms or
words should be defined usually in the context in which they are used in the dissertation.

 Define terms or words that are peculiar, strange or those borrowed from other languages