02 - Introduction to Social Science Research

Basic/Pure Research

It refers to knowledge veneration or knowledge for knowledge’s sake

Applied Research

It refers to applying knowledge to a practical problem and direct and specific utility

Operations Research

The context of this type of research is organizational problems

Evaluation Research

The context of this type of research is performance of a program or project

Policy Research

The context of this type of research are policy problems

Academic or Pure Research

The context of this type of research is the need to understand a particular administrative or policy issue

Research Questions for Operations

• Studying an organizational problem

• Determine factors related to the problem

• Test an option to improve an operational process

Research Questions for Evaluation

• Ascertain performance/ potential performance

• Determine factors related to performance

Research Questions for Policy

• Validate a problem requiring policy intervention

• Determine the past/present policies

• Determine policy alternatives and their consequences

Research Questions for Academic/Pure

• Gain knowledge and to test/formulate theory

Internal components of the organization (i.e., inputs and processes)

The unit of analysis of operations

The unit of analysis of evaluation

program/ project management

Policy

The unit of analysis of policy

The unit of analysis of academic

Not as focused; may be broad or limited

The Purpose of Operation

To Help decision makers identify corrective measures

The purpose of evaluation

To Help decision-makers know how to deal with program/project success/failure by:

• Determining whether it merits continuity/termination/expansion

• Determining what corrective measures to apply to improve implementation

Purpose of Policy

To Assist policy makers in the determination of options that will help in forming/modifying a policy measure

Purpose of Academic/Pure

To Assist academics, researchers, and practitioners in developing concepts or theory

Empirical

A concern of the researcher of operations