22nd November 2025

Research Methodology in ICT for Business

This lesson is crucial because a research methodology is the master blueprint that connects your
research problem to your final findings. Choosing the correct strategy ensures your conclusions are
valid, reliable, and actionable for the business.

1. Methodology vs. Methods: The crucial distinction

Though used interchangeably, the two terms represent two different levels of a research plan.
Concept Definition Example (Business context)
The overarching strategy or philosophical
approach that guides your entire research
Experimental Design (strategy for
Methodology project. It answers the question: “What is the
testing cause and effect)
overall approach to finding the solution?” -
topic 1
The specific tools, techniques, and procedures
Survey (tool for primary data), A/B
used to collect and analyze data. They answer
Methods Testing (tool for experimentation),
the question: “How will I gather and process
Chi-Square Test (analysis tool)
the data?” -topic 2
In research, the term “Methods” encompasses both the tools (instruments) and the detailed procedures
(steps) you follow.
Analogy: Research Design vs. Execution
The distinction is about the level of detail and philosophical intent:
Research Component Analogy Component Explanation
The Architectural Blueprint and
This sets the high-level rules and goals. It
1. Methodology (The Construction Philosophy (e.g.,
explains why you chose this approach
Strategy / Why ) "Build a low-cost, rapidly
(e.g., to prove cost-efficiency) -topic 1
deployable modular structure").
This is the step-by-step technique or
The Work Breakdown Structure
2. Research Methods technique family. It dictates how the
(WBS) or Detailed Steps (e.g., "Use
(The Procedure / structure will be physically constructed
prefabricated wall panels and
How ) (e.g., Survey Research, Case Study) -topic
monolithic concrete pouring").
2.
These are the specific instruments or data
3. Research Tools The Specific Instruments (e.g.,
sources used to execute the procedure
(The Instrument / Crane, Concrete Mixer, Steel
(e.g., A Structured Questionnaire, a
What ) Rebar).
Python Script, a Focus Group Guide).
Example:
In the context of a research proposal:
• Methodology is choosing to use survey research because you need to generalize results to the
whole market.
• Methods include the detailed steps you mentioned:
 • "We will distribute the survey electronically." (The procedure)
• "We will use a Likert scale questionnaire." (The tool/instrument)
• "We will analyze the responses using the Chi-Square Test." (The analysis method) .
2. Common Methodologies for Business Information Technology (BBIT)
BBIT research typically focuses on practical solutions and measurable outcomes, leading to four
common empirical methodologies.
A. Experimental Design (A/B Testing)
• Goal: To establish causality—proving that a specific change (Cause) directly leads to a specific
outcome (Effect).
• Application: Ideal for optimizing business processes, testing features, or comparing systems
where you can control the environment. It is the core methodology behind A/B Testing.
• Key concepts:
• Independent variable (iv): the single element you manipulate (the cause/treatment).
Example: the colour of a 'buy now' button.
• Dependent variable (dv): the outcome you measure (the effect). Example: the conversion
rate.
• Control group: receives the existing version (e.g., the current website). Serves as the
baseline.
• Experimental group: receives the new treatment (e.g., the website with the new button
colour). Application example: a safaricom digital marketing team wants to know if
offering a m-pesa buy goods option first on a payment page increases sales. They use an
a/b test where the control group sees the standard page, and the experimental group sees
the page with the m-pesa option prioritized. The dv is the percentage increase in sales.
B. Survey Research
• Goal: to systematically collect standardized, quantitative data from a large, representative
sample of a population to measure attitudes, intentions, or behaviors.
• Application: essential for understanding user adoption rates, customer satisfaction (CSAT), and
market trends. It focuses on quantitative measurement of "what" and "how much". See topic 2.
• Methods: questionnaires administered via digital tools (e.g., Google forms, surveymonkey),
structured interviews.
• Strength: excellent for generalizability (if sampling is correct) and efficient for large
populations.
• Limitation: prone to bias (e.g., social desirability) and cannot explain causality (it only shows
correlation).
• Application example: a fintech startup wants to launch a new mobile loan product. They use a
survey to collect data on the risk tolerance and digital literacy of 500 potential customers in
various Nyeri estates to forecast adoption rates.
C. Case Study
• Goal: To conduct an in-depth, contextual analysis of a complex phenomenon within a single,
real-life, bounded setting (e.g., one company, one project, one decision).
 • Application: Ideal when the boundaries between the phenomenon and the context are not clear.
It is typically a qualitative methodology, seeking to understand the "why" and "how". See topic
2
• Methods: Multiple sources of evidence are used: extensive interviews, document analysis
(internal reports, meeting minutes), observation, and archival records.
• Strength: Provides a rich, holistic view and deep understanding of unique circumstances.
• Limitation: Findings are often not generalizable to other organizations or industries.
• Application example: Investigating the organizational factors that led to the successful adoption
of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system specifically within the Kenya Revenue
Authority (KRA). This requires interviewing various KRA departments, analyzing
implementation reports, and observing the change process.
D. Observational Research
• Goal: To collect objective data by watching and recording behavior in a natural or controlled
setting, often without the subject's awareness of what is being measured.
• Application: Critical for usability testing, network monitoring, and system performance
analysis. It avoids the unreliability of self-reported data.
• Methods: System logs (clicks, timestamps, errors), Eye-tracking software, network packet
sniffers, video recording of user sessions.
• Strength: Captures actual behaviour (e.g., a user’s true path through an app) rather than stated
intentions.
• Limitation: Does not reveal the reason behind the behaviour (the "why")—only that it occurred.
• Application example: An e-commerce business tracks the click-through rate and time-on-page
via their web server logs to objectively measure how long users spend viewing product
descriptions after a promotional email is sent out.
3. Selecting the right approach: a decision framework
Choosing a methodology is not random; it must be justified by your research questions and objectives.
Research Question Type Best Methodology Rationale
Experiment / A/B Best for establishing cause-and-
Causality & Optimisation: Does X affect Y?
Test effect.
Attitudes & Scale: What is the satisfaction Best for quantifying opinions across
Survey Research
level of X among the population? a large population.
Holistic Understanding: How and why did a
Best for deep contextual insight
complex event/implementation succeed or Case Study
where variables cannot be isolated.
fail?
System Performance: What is the average
Observational Best for objective, non-intrusive
latency/error rate/time taken to complete a
Research measurement of system metrics.
task?

Activity: Methodology Justification and Experimental Design

This activity directly prepares the first key sections of your research proposal.
1. Methodology Justification: Based on your own research question (developed in Week 2), write a
short memo (1-2 pages) justifying which research methodology (Experiment, Survey, Case
 Study, or Observational) is most appropriate for your project and why. Explain why other
methodologies are less suitable.
2. Experimental Design: Design a simple A/B test for your business problem, identifying the
control and experimental groups, and the key metrics to track on paper.
Component Task Detail
IV (Treatment) What specific, singular change are you testing?
DV (Measurement) What is the measurable outcome you expect to be affected?
Control Group What is the baseline/existing version?
Experimental Group What is the group that receives the IV?
The quantitative data you will collect (e.g., Conversion Rate, Time in Seconds,
Key Metric
Error Count).