Research 101
What is the difference between a research question and a research objective?
A research question is the broad issue; a research objective is a clear consice statement which the study adresses.
Example:
Research Question:
How does remote work affect employee job satisfaction?
Research Objective:
To examine the relationship between the extent of remote work and employee job satisfaction using survey data from knowledge workers.
Your regression is significant, but R² is low. What does it mean?
Relationship exists, but explanatory power is limited.
Is interviewing 5 experts enough for a research paper?
Yes for qualitative depth; no for statistical generalisation.
Which theory explains why an employee’s intention to adopt a new system depends on attitude, social norms, and perceived control?
Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen)
A journal reviewer asks you to remove a variable that weakens your paper’s findings.
What is the ethical response?
Do not remove unless theoretically justified
Transparency is essential
Explain the role of the variable in response letter
Can a research question evolve during the study? Why or why not?
Yes, in exploratory or qualitative research; no in strictly confirmatory designs unless clearly justified.
Your qualitative interviews show contradictions. Is this a flaw?
No — it may indicate complexity, competing narratives, or institutional tensions.
Which method allows you to explore shared meanings, group dynamics, and collective sense-making around a management issue rather than individual opinions alone?
FGDs
Which theory explains why firms engage in CSR or sustainability reporting?
Stakeholder Theory
(Accept: Legitimacy Theory as a close alternative)
Your results contradict your hypothesis. What should you do?
Report honestly; revise theoretical interpretation.
Which comes first — theory or data? Defend your choice in one line.
Both but depends
example: 1. Theory comes first when research is deductive, as hypotheses and constructs must be specified a priori to guide data collection and testing. Kerlinger (1979)
2. Data comes first in inductive research, where theory emerges from systematic engagement with empirical observations rather than preceding them. Kerlinger (1979)
A study finds a statistically significant relationship, but the effect size is very small.
Question:
How should this result be interpreted?
Statistical significance does not imply practical significance
Context and sample size must be considered
Is word-frequency analysis sufficient for qualitative research?
No—word-frequency analysis alone is insufficient for most qualitative research, but it can be appropriate for descriptive or exploratory investigations when theoretically informed interpretation and contextual coding are not the primary goals.
A company introduces incentives, recognition, and career progression to improve employee performance.
Which theory best explains this approach?
Motivation Theory
(Expect: Maslow / Herzberg / Expectancy Theory)
You realise post-publication that a coding error slightly affects your results, but not the conclusions.
What should you do?
Inform the journal
Issue a corrigendum if required
“Several studies measure the impact of leadership style on performance, but most rely only on survey data.”
What gap does this indicate?
Methodological gap
(Lack of qualitative / mixed-method approaches)
Your independent variable changes direction when a control variable is added.
Question:
What does this suggest?
Possible omitted variable bias
Suppression effect
Multi-collinearity
Which method helps you examine how multiple factors together influence an outcome and estimate the strength of each factor’s effect?
Regression Analysis
Which theory explains why organisations often imitate the practices of successful firms, even without clear evidence of effectiveness?
Institutional Isomorphism (Institutional Theory)
You conducted interviews with senior executives under a confidentiality agreement. During analysis, you discover that several practices described by them could potentially be legally questionable. Publishing this would significantly strengthen your paper but could expose the organisation and possibly your respondents to reputational or legal risk.
What is the ethically appropriate course of action, and why?
Protect respondent anonymity beyond mere name removal
Consider whether findings can be reported in aggregate or paraphrased
Seek institutional ethics guidance rather than deciding unilaterally
Scenario:
“CSR studies often examine firm performance or reputation, but rarely examine how different stakeholder groups interpret CSR actions.”
What type of gap is this?
Theoretical gap
(Limited stakeholder-level or perception-based explanation)
Qualitative interviews show strong support for a technological innovation, but survey results show low acceptance.
Question:
How should a researcher interpret this contradiction?
Difference between expressed attitudes and actual behaviour
Social desirability bias
Methodological triangulation reveals layered realities
Not an error, but an analytical insight
What is common method bias?
a systematic error variance occurring when data for multiple variables, often both independent and dependent, are collected using the same method (e.g., a single self-report survey).
Which theory explains why individuals may support sustainability initiatives even when they involve personal cost, because it aligns with their values and identity?
Self-Determination Theory
You are conducting a longitudinal study funded by a large corporation. Midway through the project, your data begins to show that the company’s flagship policy, which it publicly promotes as “responsible and sustainable”, may actually be producing harmful outcomes for vulnerable stakeholders.
The company signals informally that continued funding, access to data, and future collaborations depend on you presenting the findings in a “constructive and balanced” way. You know that a fully transparent presentation may jeopardise funding for your research team and your institution, but softening the results could mislead policymakers and the public.
What is the ethically appropriate course of action, and what principles should guide your decision?
Research integrity over funding dependence
Duty to truth vs. duty to sponsor
Transparency about conflicts of interest
Separation between evidence and advocacy
Protection of vulnerable stakeholders
Possibility of publishing with contextual nuance rather than dilution of findings
Institutional ethics review rather than individual bargaining with the firm