Managing Research: Methods, Design, Sampling Strategy, and Ethics

This article discusses the methods, design, sampling strategy, and ethics involved in managing research. It covers mixed methods, focus groups, questionnaires, small sample size, and research ethics.

Running head: MANAGING RESEARCH
MANAGING RESEARCH
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Notes

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Answer to Question 2
The research in question uses the methods of mixed technique that is defined as the
use of both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques. The use of mixed methods
in the data analysis is one of major methods to make sure that the data analysis is done on
both the fronts of qualitative and quantitative methods. Mixed methods research design
methodology is defined as the method of collecting, analysing and integrating the data
collected from both the qualitative and quantitative methods of data. The characteristics of
such a research method are as follows namely
The analysis of both the data related to qualitative and quantitative analysis is done which is
important in the overall data analysis of the research. The collection of the data is done in
form of questions that are both open and close ended at the same time. The research questions
are there analysed on the basis of both qualitative and quantitative data so that the analysis is
done on the basis of both the questions (Maxwell 2012). The methods of analysis are
persuasive and rigorous in the methods for both qualitative and quantitative methods of data
analysis. The integration of the two data is done based on merging, connecting, and
embedding which is again one of the major aspects of analyse of data. The use of specific
mixed design methods make sure to involve concurrent or sequential integration methods of
analysis. This approach of research has a philosophical foundation that needs to be addressed
under all circumstances.
The research design is appropriate in this method as it can give scope to the researcher
to render the views and make sure to analyse the methods properly. The appropriateness of
the method is also useful in the technique that the method makes sure that the research is
done according to the terms and implications of the project and research. One of the method

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is appropriate when the method is able to surface all the needs of the people of the
organization.
The design was sufficient to suffice the research objectives as all the needs of the
research has been made possible in the process. The whole process was accustomed to make
the research methods more practically relevant and the use of both the qualitative and
quantitative data (Vogel 2013). The qualitative data made the analysis superior both in terms
of quality and content while the quantitative data made the whole research process eaiser and
more comprehensible with the use of better projection of practical data and analysis (Sgier
2012).
The appropriateness of the design is surely reflected in the whole research article as
the article makes the whole process of analysis easy to comprehend. The article uses the
methods of analysis that suffices all the requirements of the design making the process of
comprehension very easy and outright. There is no practical need for another design in the
comprehension of the research article as the mentioned design is appropriate for the analysis.
Answer to Question 3
The data collection methods used for the analysis of the research article is by using
data from leaders participating in a six-month coaching program and a control group. The
collection of data by the process of focus groups and questionnaires is one of the most
prominent ways to makes sure that all the criteria for the research is sufficiently satisfied.
Focus Group is defined as the small but a demographically large group of people that are
allocated the task for market research and whose decisions are taken into consideration while
conducting any market research or political research (Gibbs 2012). The focus group for any
research makes sure that the research is done on the group of people who are actively selected
for the group and are made sure that the research is done on the specific group of people who

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are in the arena of the research. The focus group method used for the process in the research
article also makes sure that the research and sampling is done on the people who are very
well accustomed to the whole matter and know what to answer and react when given such a
situation. The process of involving the focus group on a selected method instead of taking the
whole population as the sample is just because of the fact of convenience. If a small group of
people are taken as the focus group, then it becomes easier for the people who are conducting
the research to be assured of the fact that the research will be done without any biased
answers. Questionnaires can be defined as the set of questions given to the focus group to get
their opinions and answers on a particular matter within a stipulated amount of time (Patten
2016). The process of giving the questionnaires to the group of people to get their answers on
the matters make sure that the answers provided are of unbiased nature and serve to meet the
needs of the people in research.
In the research method, only these two methods of research analysis is conducted
which is sufficient though some other methods could have been implied also to make sure
that the research process is free from any kind of biased answers and information that has not
been stated or discussed. Though the two process – focus group and questionnaires have been
sufficiently stated and described for the same amount of convenience, there are certain
aspects of the same which can be made same or better with the better implementation of the
other methods of research.
The further information that is being required for the same is the different types of
answers given by the focus group of the people as that would help the research to get into a
better conclusion as without the answers provided by the people of the focus group in
question, it is impossible for any institution to be aware of the different kinds of objectives
given to them. The methods implied for the same make sure that the process and methods

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implied are up to the mark and also so that the answers and conclusions obtained from them
matches the whole concept.
Answer to Question 4
The sampling strategy used for the research analysis method is the use of small
sample with the limited amount of people so that the answers and conclusions obtained from
them can be unbiased and to the point. The sampling strategy is defined as the strategy
applied for the sampling methods of the research analysis and is termed as one of the most
important ways to make sure that the research sample applied for the same is unbiased and
fully to the point at all cost (Csikszentmihalyi and Larson 2014). The sampling strategy for
the organization is one of the pivotal as this makes sure that the organization is maintained
and is the focus group is taken into consideration while making the selection for the same.
The sampling strategy for the research analysis is done in such a way that in the initial days
there were 34 participants one week before the coaching started. Then the coaching made
sure that the number of participants reduce to 24 just before the day of the coaching so that
accurate sampling can be done in the same method. The sampling strategy for the same
makes sure that the results obtained for the research is really prompt and accurate to the
point. The sampling method obtained for the research is one of the easiest methods to get the
accurate answers as the number of respondents is really small making ample scope for the
people to extract accurate answers for the time of the analysis.
The respondent selection of the research analysis project is one of the main focus of
the analysis as with the respondent selection methods, it is important for the respondents to
know the methods of selection and what they are aiming to do in the research analysis.
Respondents are defined as the group of people who give specific answers to the questions
assigned to them in the research analysis procedures. The respondents of the research analysis

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are one of the major factors that decide the outcome of the research as based on their answers
for the specific research topic assigned to them. The respondent selection is to be done in a
specific way so that the answers obtained by them is one of the basic factors that can
influence the type of research results. The selection is to be in a wide scale following a
typical methods of analysis and the answers obtained should be unbiased and also to make
sure that the answers for the methods are the ones that meet the requirements of the research
analysis procedure. The selection of the respondents make sure that the things are done
according to the planning of the researcher and the respondent rate is to be mentioned as per
the requirements for the analysis of the process of selection. The respondent rate is one of the
major means to accurately determine the level of accuracy the thing has for the research
analysis.
Answer to Question 6
Research ethics are defined as the set of certain ethical rules and conditions that are
implied in the form of any analysis or any project (Miller et al. 2012). The research ethics are
set so that is it easier for the researcher to make sure the certain set of responsibilities
assigned to them and also to make sure that the respondents know that they are not being
manipulated or forced for certain set of answers that will be asked to them. The research
ethics make sure that the research is done according to fair means and also to make sure that
the people involved in the research analysis are given accurate information about the whole
research and also about the different kinds of set rules that will be assigned to them when
they will require any more assistance in this regard. Some of the basic rules and regulations
that are set in the research ethics section applicable for each of the respondent and the
researcher is to make sure that all the questions asked to the respondents should be valid to
the topic of research and also nobody will be forced to give answer to any particular question
if that person is not willing to do so. Moreover, the research ethics also make sure that the

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respondents are also actively participating in the research process and are given enough space
and requirements for the same and should also be made understood the different clauses and
conditions implied in the research analysis procedure. The people of the research process are
also entitled to certain ethical issues that should be made clear to both the parties. In the
stated case, the respondents are assigned certain ethical codes of conduct that should be
maintained by both the parties of the organization and should be given ample amount of
respect. The leaders assigned for the research analysis are made sure that the research is done
according to the fair means and their answers to particular questions are not manipulated or
disguised in the face of something else. All the answers assigned to them should be made
according to the fair means of research and all the responses to the questionnaires and
questions should be made anonymous to the other people of the research. Secrecy is another
big aspect of the analysis and when the research is done on the leadership qualities then the
amount of secrecy should be kept at the highest level, as the answers can be deceptive in
various forms if not given the proper way to conduct. The management of research is to be
done according to the needs of the research so that the people engaged in the analysis is given
ample scope for the same. The people involved in the research analysis should be kept in
mind that ethical analysis should be made to feel the utter necessity of keeping the research
intact and also to make sure that the research has played a vital role in the overall procedure
of the same. The research ethical analysis is therefore one of the best means to make the
whole process very fair and to the point.

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References
Sgier, L., 2012. Qualitative data analysis. An Initiat. Gebert Ruf Stift, pp.19-21.
Vogel, A.I., 2013. A Text-Book Of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis-Theory And Practice.
Longmans, Green And Co.; London; New York; Toronto.
Maxwell, J.A., 2012. Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (Vol. 41). Sage
publications.
Gibbs, A., 2012. Focus groups and group interviews. Research methods and methodologies
in education, pp.186-192.
Patten, M.L., 2016. Questionnaire research: A practical guide. Routledge.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. and Larson, R., 2014. Validity and reliability of the experience-
sampling method. In Flow and the foundations of positive psychology (pp. 35-54). Springer
Netherlands.
Miller, T., Birch, M., Mauthner, M. and Jessop, J. eds., 2012. Ethics in qualitative research.
Sage.