Chapter – II
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
2:1. Research Methodologies
2:1:1. Pilot Study
2:1:2. Research Design
2:1:3. Universe of the study
2:1:4. Sampling Design of the Study
2:1:5. Scaling Techniue
2:1:6. Variables of the study
2:2. Analysis Tools and Techniqu es
2:2:1. Methods of Data Collection
2:2:2. Processing of Data
2:2:3. Analysis of Data
2:2:4. Period of the Study
2:1 Research Methodology
Research means search for knowledge through a scientific and systematic method of
finding resolutions to problems. It is an academic activity and as such the term should be
used in a technical sense. It aims at discovering the fact. According to Redman and Mory
define research as a “systemized effort to gain new knowledge.”1 D. Slesinger and M.
Stephenson define research as “the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the
purpose of generalizing to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge
aids in construction of theory or in the practice of art.”2 Research is thus a novel
contribution to the existing collection of knowledge making for its progression. It is
pursue of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment. The main
intention of research is to find out the truth which is hidden and which has not been
exposed so far. So the primary objective of research is to get true and cherished
knowledge of human society and its functioning, to know and understand the laws that
are operating behind various activities of man.
2:1:1 Pilot Study
The researcher applied Exploratory Research Design for gaining a better insight into a
problem. This exploratory research conducted on the basis of secondary data analysis and
expert surveys. For secondary data analysis the researcher utilized secondary data sources
like various publications of central, state, and local governments. The expert survey
conducted among the company experts who were working at government and private
sector concerns. Through this pilot study the researcher is able to evaluate the feasibility
of a research project, formulate a problem statement, provide theoretical basis to a
hypothesis, provide alternative approaches to a problem, and establish possibilities for
further research.
1
L.V. Redman, and A.V.H. Mory, (1923). The Romance of Research. p.10.
2
Edwin, R. A. Seligman, and Alvin Johnson, (1930, Sept.). The
Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences (Vol. II). New York: MacMillan Co.
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2:1:2 Research Design
The researcher utilizes Cross-Sectional Descriptive Research Design3. Here the study is
conducted at a single point of time but it generally includes sample units who belong to a
cross-section of the population like: different regions, sectors of employees, occupational
level, age group, experience level, gender, and education level. Through this research
design the researcher attempts to describe and explain conditions of the state of affairs as
it exist at present. The researcher is able to define clearly, what he wants to measure and
adequate methods for measuring it along with a clear cut definition of population he
wants to study.
2:1:3 Universe of the Study
The study was conducted among the employees who are working at the public and
private sector organizations in Kerala. In Kerala there are 704 private sector
establishments and 99 public sector establishments. The universe or population consists
of all employees who are working at these organizations and that are 1116696 (Source:
Directorate of Employment & Training (2009)). Since the population is large, the
researcher opt sampling method for his study.
2:1:4 Sampling Design of the Study
Here the researcher utilizes Multi-Stage Sampling for the collection of data. Through this
Multi-Stage Sampling Method the researcher selects number of items from each stage.
For this the State of Kerala was divided into three zones, South, Central and North. The
zone wise companies’ strength revealed in the following table:
3
Babbie, (1989). The Practice of Social Research (5th edition). Belmont
CA: Wadsworth.
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Table: 2:1
Sector South Kerala Central Kerala North Kerala Total
Pvt. 252 406 46 704
PSUs 66 29 4 99
Total 318 435 50 803
From these zones the researcher picked up proportionate number of establishments by
using lottery method. The number of establishments selected from each zone highlighted
in the following table:
Table: 2:2
Sector South Kerala Central Kerala North Kerala Total
Pvt. 17 27 4 48
PSUs 32 14 2 48
Total 49 41 6 96
From these selected establishments 10 employees each were selected by using quota
sampling method and altogether the researcher considered 960 representative characters
for his study. Here the quota formed mainly on the basis of different sectors of
employees, occupational level, age group, experience level, gender, and education level.
2:1:5 Scaling Technique
Here the researcher utilizes Summated Scales (or Likert-type Scales)4. In this scale, the
respondent is asked to respond to each of the statements in terms of five degrees of
4
R. Likert, (1932), “A Technique for the Measurement of Attitudes,”
Archives of Psychology, 22(140), 1-55.
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agreement or disagreement. Each response is given a numerical score, indicating its
favourableness or unfavourableness, and the scores are totaled to measure the
respondent’s attitude.
2:1:6 Variables of the Study
Employees’ Attitude towards Privatization on the basis of Socio-Demographic
Characteristics like: age of employees, gender of employees, experience of employees,
education of employees, job position of employees, and sector of employees are assessed
on the basis of ANOVA test.
Analysis of mutual interdependence among various HR functions like: Personnel Policies
& Quality of Work Life, Personnel Policies & Compensation, Personnel Policies &
Stress, Personnel Policies & Motivation, Quality of Work Life & Motivation, and
Compensation & Motivation are conducted on the basis of coefficient correlation.
Analysis of significant difference among government and private sector establishments
related with HR functions are conducted on the basis of Weighted Mean and Z-Test
methods. Here the main HR areas like: personnel policies & procedures, quality of work
life, compensation management, sources of stress, and motivation are considered. The
personnel policies & procedures assessed on the basis of following independent variables
like: procurement function, training & development, compensation, performance
appraisal, promotion, rules & regulations, praise & recognition, and participative
management. The quality of work life assessed on the basis of following independent
variables like: employee welfare, health & medical services, safety measures, job
freedom & autonomy, leadership styles, use of employees’ abilities & skills, rules &
regulations, role clarity, physical setup, machinery & tools, and competitive spirit among
workers. The compensation management assessed on the basis of following independent
variables like: basic pay, HRA, DA, LTA, & TA, incentive scheme, retirement benefits,
and bonus. The sources of stress assessed on the basis of following independent variables
like: job security, flexible work schedule, rules & regulations, role clarity, and job stress.
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And finally the motivation assessed on the basis of following independent variables like:
basic pay, job security, retirement benefits, competitive spirit among workers, leadership,
impressive job title, job freedom & autonomy, incentive scheme, praise & recognition,
challenging job, promotion, participative management, and to reach the peak of one’s
potential.
2:2 Analysis Tools and Techniques
2:2:1 Methods of Data Collection
The researcher utilized both the secondary and primary data for his study. The secondary
data is collected from secondary data sources like various publications of central, state,
and local governments; journals, books, magazines, websites and newspapers; reports and
publications of concerned organizations; reports prepared by research scholars and
universities; public records and statistics, historical documents and other sources of
published information. The primary data is collected through questionnaire, interview and
observation. The questionnaire method is applied for collecting relevant information from
employees. An interview is conducted with the selected companies’ officials for getting
awareness about the human resource practices in their respective concerns. The
researcher also utilized observation method in this study for getting clarity with the actual
practices existing in the human resource management of respective concerns.
2:2:2 Processing of Data
The data processing conducted in this study is by editing, coding, classification and
tabulation. In the first step – editing, the researcher carefully scrutinizes the completed
schedules and through this he ensure that the data are accurate, consistent with other facts
gathered, uniformly entered and have been well arranged to facilitate coding and
tabulation. In the next step – coding, the researcher assigned numerals to answers so that
responses can be put into a limited number of categories or classes. In the third step –
classification, he arranged data in groups or classes on the basis of common
characteristics. In the final step – tabulation, the researcher arranged the data in the form
of statistical tables for further analysis.
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2:2:3 Analysis of Data
The collected data analyzed by utilizing statistical/inferential analysis tools like ANOVA
Test, Weighted Mean, Correlation and Z Test. The ANOVA test utilized for analyzing
the employees’ attitude towards privatization on the basis of socio-demographic
characteristics. Weighted Mean and Z Test utilized for analyzing the significant
difference among government and private sector establishments related with HR
functions. And the Correlation method utilized for analyzing the mutual interdependence
among various HR practices.
2:2:4 Period of the Study
The data utilized for this study were collected in between April 2007 to June 2012.
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