Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques

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Table of Contents

Methodology
Research design
Population
Data collection
Samples and sampling designs
The questionnaire
The interview technique
Reference List

Methodology

During the study there is there is a process which involves the preparation of the report which includes data collection, analysis and inference. This section of the research proposal will show us the methods to be used in the study.

The section is important as it would guide the reader on the methods used to come up with the report. The areas to be covered under this research entail the research design, definition of the population to be used for the study, the sampling techniques and then the data collection and analysis methods.

Research design

The study will rotate around evaluating the role of stakeholders in the cosmetic industry both in the retail trade and the direct trade or network marketing and compare them as well as seeing how they influence each other (Shepard, 1999).

In addition, the research will also be shaped and designed to help in the achievement of the objectives set out by the researcher under the research objectives.

Population

The population to be used in the study is diverse and it ranges from performers in the same industry, competitors of the same industry and those in the retail industry. Therefore exploratory research is to be used in this case since there is less information at hand and there is no recorded data about the same that can be used as reference.

Data collection

For the sole purpose of this research, and also in order to achieve the objectives data will be collected using both the primary and secondary data collection methods. The secondary data collected will help us for a backing and strong grounds for our introductory remarks which are both vital and needed also by the researcher in order to build on the project positively.

The reader to the research will also be assisted by the secondary data to comprehend more thoroughly the outcomes of the research and even be able to analyze the interpretations of the outcomes.

Primary data on the other hand shall be collected using two approaches or ways. The first way will require that a questionnaire survey is constructed and used to question the stakeholders in the cosmetics industry.

Then secondly, interviews will also be carried, the forms of interviews may be face to face for respondents who are highly reachable and accessible while telephone interviews will also be done to those who cannot be reached easily.

This is due to the wide nature of the cosmetics industry. The respondents in this case will be competitors in the industry who are both internal and external. Relevant authority will also be questioned and interviewed.

Samples and sampling designs

For the purpose of generalization and fair outcome it would have been highly acceptable if all the elements of the population would be studied, but this is not possible due to the large number (Dawson, Catherine, 2002).

The impossibility of this compels the researcher to resort to the use of just a sample or a portion of the population to be used for the study. A sample in this case is a portion of the elements taken from a population, and it is considered or taken to be representative of the entire population under study.

As noted earlier primary data will be collected using the questionnaire technique where questionnaires shall be prepared and distributed to the target respondents for responses.

The sampling method to be adopted in this case is the random probability sampling method since the sample selected of 150 elements of the population is within the normally required limit of if above 30 then below 500 elements (Kothari, 1985).

This is the appropriate sample in this case; therefore 150 questionnaires will be prepared to be distributed for responses. Also, the interview technique will be used alongside the questionnaires; the interview exercise will be conducted across the board within the industry.

The questionnaire

A questionnaire is a tool that is normally used to collect or gather information that is of interest to the study that is normally undertaken. In this research closed ended questions will be constructed, this is due to the need to narrow down the exercise (Kumar, and Ranjit, 2005).

The exercise is narrowed down in the sense that respondents are able to strictly choose on from a fixed set of responses. In this case the analysis and interpretation is also made easier since statistical analysis can then be employed.

The only demerit with the questionnaires is that they are likely to create bias in case the right responses are not among the choices.

The interview technique

An interview schedule may or may not be prepared depending on the type of audience to be interviewed as well as the nature. Personal interviews may require the schedules since they are always conducted so as to help in the achievement of data collection (Benslaben, 1992).

Telephone interviews are only done in instances where the respondents had to be collected from as a matter of fact and they themselves cannot be reached at face value.

Reference List

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. Research Methods for Business Students (4th ed.) Harlow, England: FT Prentice Hall, 2007.

Blumberg, B., Cooper, D.R., and Schindler, P.S. Business Research Methods, Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill, 2005.

Dawson, Catherine, Practical Research Methods, New Delhi, UBS Publishers’ Distributors, 2002.

Kothari, C.R., Research Methodology- Methods and Techniques, New Delhi, Wiley Eastern Limited, 1985.

Kumar, Ranjit, Research Methodology-A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners, (2nd.ed.), Singapore, Pearson Education, 2005.

Benslaben, J. Predictive Modeling. In E. Nash (Ed.). The Direct Marketing Handbook. London: London Bookstores, 1992.

Shepard, D. The New Direct Marketing, 3d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999.

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