Research Design and Methods: Data Collection, Justification, Ethics

This research methodology report provides a detailed account of the methods selected for carrying out research, including a justification for the choice of data collection methods. It outlines precautions taken to meet ethical requirements and the use of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary research approaches. The report covers model design, survey design, sampling design, and data analysis design, incorporating quantitative data collection methods and hypothesis testing. It also discusses research limitations and the time period of the study. The survey design includes close-ended questions and factor analysis techniques to investigate variable relationships, while the sampling design considers probability and non-probability methods. The data analysis design focuses on analyzing relationships with variances and correlations. This student contributed assignment is available on Desklib, along with many other study resources.

Research Methodology

Table of Contents
Research Methodology...............................................................................................................3
Introduction............................................................................................................................3
1. Model Design.........................................................................................................................3
Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................3
Research Approach................................................................................................................4
Data collection methods.........................................................................................................5
Quantitative data collection methods.....................................................................................6
2. Survey design.........................................................................................................................6
Qustioanrries design...............................................................................................................6
3. Sampling Design....................................................................................................................9
Sampling design.....................................................................................................................9
Research Ethics....................................................................................................................10
4 Data analysis design..............................................................................................................10
Data analysis methods..........................................................................................................10
Research limitation...............................................................................................................11
Time period..........................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................13

Research Methodology
Introduction
The research methodology portion mainly deals with the manner in which a research has been
undertaken by the researchers. A research can be conceived and categorised into various
types based on the research philosophy subscribed to by the researcher, the research strategy
utilised by the researcher and the research tools employed by the researcher to pursue their
goals (which in this case is the successful realisation of the research objectives). This
essentially helps the researcher to arrive at effective outcomes from their research (Kumar &
Phrommathed, 2005).
1. Model Design
Research Philosophy
The research philosophy is a significant component of any research which deals with the
approach employed by the researcher regarding collection of research data and arriving at
logical conclusions from analysing that data. Research philosophy can be considered to be a
belief or school of thought regarding how data and information regarding any phenomenon
should be collected and analysed. While dealing with research philosophy, researchers often
encounter two differ terms - epistemology (what is known to be true) and doxology (what is
believed to be true). Thus, the purpose of any research is to validate the process of
transforming things that we believe into things that we know (Vivilaki, 2008). There are two
main types of research philosophy as identified by Western scientific traditions and these are
categorised as positivism and interpretivism. Positivists are of the opinion that reality is stable
and it could be both viewed and explained from an objective viewpoint without interfering
with the event being examined. Positivism has a successful association with the physical and
natural sciences and this is why it has greater acceptance in the scientific community
(Mkansi, 2012). Interpretivists belong to a totally different school of thought and they oppose
and challenge the views of the positivists. The interpretivists are of the opinion that the reality
can be truly understood only through the process of subjective intervention and interaction
with the phenomenon that is being examined. The main aspect of an interpretivist philosophy
is the study of a phenomenon within their natural environment and it also acknowledges the

fact that while undertaking any research, the researchers unknowingly end up affecting the
phenomenon that they are studying, a fact that has been vehemently opposed by the
positivists (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009).
The researcher has utilised positivism philosophy in this present research and this has
allowed them to make use of scientific facts and findings along with common sense reasoning
in order to bring forth reliable and accurate findings from the research. By utilising the
positivist research philosophy, the researcher has been able to quality of the data collection
and data analysis process which are extremely crucial from the context of the research (Flick,
2015).
Research Approach
Research approach is a structured plan or procedure which outlines the outlines the different
assumptions that needs to be considered for ensuring a thorough and detailed data collection
and data analysis process. This eventually helps the researchers to obtain the desired results
and findings from their research while providing greater accuracy and reliability to their
findings. Research approach is mainly of three types – deductive, abductive and inductive.
Selection of the appropriate research approach inherently depends on the research topic that
is currently being examined by the researchers (Burney, 2008).
In a deductive approach, the assumption is that when the premises are true the conclusions
are bound to be true. The deductive research undertakes a generalised to specific reasoning
and this helps in bringing down the scope of the research by focusing on the research topic
that is being currently evaluated. In this process, data collection is mainly utilised to evaluate
the validity of the theories or hypothesis that exist regarding any particular event or
phenomenon that is presently being researched (Taylor, Bogdan & DeVault, 2015).
In an inductive approach, the premises are known while the conclusions are unknown and
their accuracy is put to the test. The inductive approach adopts a specific to general reasoning
process which helps researcher to broaden their scope of research by applying their findings
to a generalised context. In the inductive approach, the process of data collection is utilised as
a means to explore a new phenomenon and understanding the diverse themes and patterns
which emerge from the phenomenon. This helps in the creation of a conceptual framework
which is critical for the development of new theories and hypothesis about a research subject
(Marczyk DeMatteo, & Festinger, 2005).

In an abductive approach, the premises are known and they are mainly utilised to generate
testable conclusions. The abductive reasoning takes place from the interaction between the
general and the specific and as a result it incorporates aspects of both generalised and specific
reasoning process. The aspect of data collection is mainly used to identify the different
themes and patters that emerge from the data while locating in within the conceptual
framework while testing it accuracy subsequently (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009).
In this particular research, the researcher has utilised a deductive approach and the researcher
has already considered the research hypothesis the validity and reliability of which that they
eventually want to put to the test. By utilising the deductive approach the researcher would be
able to evaluate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables that has
been selected for the hypothesis. The researcher would be able to verify the accuracy of the
theories and findings that have been obtained from past researches and this would eventually
help them to justify the purpose of their research (Gomm, 2008).
Data collection methods
A data collection method is an important aspect of this research study and aids to researcher
to find outcomes in more accurate manner. As studies conducted by Gomm, (2008), said that
inappropriate data collection methods can has a significant negative impact on research study
and lead to invalid outcomes. The present research study is adopted primary data collection
methods. Use of primary data collection methods helps the researcher to provide up to date
information. Moreover, primary data collection methods are reliable as the researcher can
replicate the methods to evaluate and analyze the outcomes, as they know the method and
how data was gathered and analyzed. Primary data is collected from the respondents, so that
researcher gain in-depth knowledge and information about the research study, which could
not be obtained from secondary data collection methods. In primary data collection methods
researcher uses survey questionnaire methods (Blessing & Chakrabarti, 2009).
Qustioanrries methods are adopted in this study as they are reliable and quick methods to
gather information from multiple respondents in timely and effective manner. In this methods
researcher use likert scale starting from 1 to 5, where 1 signifies that highly satisfied and 5
signifies that highly dissatisfied. Time methods are especially effective in this study, as the
study involves the large population with several complex objectives.

Quantitative data collection methods
Quantitative data collection methods emphasize research objective monuments and the
mathematical, statistical or numerical analysis of data collected through survey, Qustioanrries
or by manipulating pre-existing data through computational techniques. A quantitative data
collection method is focus on collecting numerical data and generalized it across the group of
respondents (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). As the main objective of this study is to find out
the impact of spiritual factors on work engagement and key organisational, spiritual and
personality impact on well being in ministers over time, therefore the study would adopt
quantitative data collection methods. The present research study is descriptive in nature;
therefore implementation of quantitiave data collection methods helps the researcher to
successful determine the relationship between dependent and independent variables.
Model design
Hypothesis Testing
H1 There is a significant positive relationship between spiritual factors on work engagement
H2 There is a significant positive relationship between job factors on work engagement
H3 There is a significant positive relationship between job demands on burnout

H4: There is a significant negative impact of spiritual factors on Burnout
H5: There is a significant negative impact on work engagement on turnover intentions
H6: There is a significant positive relationship of burnout on emotional ill health and turnover
intentions
2. Survey Design
The survey has been designed in such a manner so that it would enable the researcher to
obtain the primary quantitative data with relative ease. In the survey, all the respondents
would be provided with a survey questionnaire after their selection. The survey questionnaire
would comprise of close ended questions about the topic of research and the researcher has
tried to make sure that they are in simple English so that it would be easily understood by the
respondents. The researcher has been quite thorough while designing the survey
questionnaires and this has allowed him to gather in-depth perspectives about the diverse
views and opinions that exist among the general population regarding the topic of their
research.
In this study, factor analysis tools and techniques is implemented for investigating variable
relationship for complex concepts. In order to conduct factor analysis, Eigenvalue is
measured, which helps them to explain factors. Moreover, study also used regression path
analysis that mainly used to describe the dependencies between dependent to independent
variables. In regression path analysis, independent variable is known as exogenous and
dependent variable is known as endogenous variables. This method is standardized methods
because it is estimated from correlations (Beale, et al., 2010). In this research study path
analysis is performed between job demands to Burnout, spiritual resources to Burnout etc.
Path analysis always performed in unidirectional.
In given diagram job demands, job resources, Burnout, Work engagement, Emotional ill
health and turnover intentions represents latent variables. Whereas workload, interpersonal
conflicts, work home interference and role ambiguity are measured variables, manifest
variables and observed variables. In this example, job demands are measured by these
attributes.

Single arrow represents from one latent variable to other depict hypothetical cause
relationship whereas double arrow represents correlation between independent variables
(latent exogenous variables) in present given example.
In order to obtain outcomes in successful manner, structural equation modelling techniques is
adopted that helps to analyze the structural relationship in a better manner. This techniques is
mainly involves the combination of multiple regression analysis and factors analysis and used
to evaluate the relationship between latent constructs and measured variables.
As studies conducted by Williams, Onsman, & Brown, (2010), said that confirmatory factor
analysis is multivariate statistical method that is mainly used to verify how well the measured
variables show the number of construct. With help of this methods, researcher can identify
the number of factors needed in the data and measured variable associated to the latent
variables. It is mainly used to reject or conforms the measurement theory. Covariance
variable used to find out the relationship between two variables and if both variables tend to
decrease or tend to increase then coefficient is positive otherwise coefficient is negative. It is
same to correlation but when covariance is computed then information or data is not
standardized.
Questionnaire Design
In appendix
3. Sampling Design
Sampling design
The quantity and quality of data has a great significant on research study. Sampling
techniques is done and sleeted on the basis of population of the respondents for the purpose
of survey. In research study, sampling methods is characterized as either non probability or
probability methods. In probability sampling techniques, each members of the respondents
has known non-zero probability of being chosen. Probabilistic sampling techniques include
systematic sampling, random sampling and stratified sampling. In non-probability sampling
techniques members are not selected from the respondents in a random manner (Creswell and

Creswell, 2017). A non-probability technique includes the convenience sampling and
snowball sampling techniques. Snowball sampling methods is commonly used in social
science when analyzing or investing hard to reach groups. This method is effective when a
sampling frame is not easy for researcher to identify. The present study has utilised both
convenience sampling and snowball sampling techniques which has enabled the researcher to
conduct the research in a smooth manner by helping them to collect the data with greater
ease. As convenience sampling techniques is utilised to whenever there is not a huge number
of respondents to consider. It provides greater convenience and ease to the researcher for the
identification and selection the respondents who would eventually participate in the research
study. On the other hand, it is an economy way of sampling methods. In order to find
outcomes in successful manner 150 workers are selected.
4 Data analysis design
Data analysis methods
Data analysis methods provide the researcher to an effective tools and techniques, which aids
them to evaluate and analyze the gathered information in successful manner. As the present
research study is descriptive in nature and finds outcomes through hypothesis techniques, so
that the researcher used SPSS tools and techniques. The present study also used graph, chart,
bar diagram, MS excel sheet and many more techniques in this study. The present study used
correlation, regression analysis through T-test and ANOVAs testing methods. Correlation
analysis techniques is computed the data including both dependent and independent variable
through Pearson Correlation techniques. In addition to this, regression analysis techniques
help the researcher to measure the relationship between independent and dependent variables
in successful manner. Statistical hypothesis testing methods is also adopted in this study,
which helps the researcher to make statistical decision using experimental data. In regression
analysis techniques, researcher analyzed the collected data through linear and multiple
regression analysis techniques by making utilize of all discrete variable (i.e. independent and
dependent variables) available in the database.

Research limitation
Budget and time period are considered the main research limitation of this study. Any
research study needs to substantial capital to be spending on successfully satisfying all
aspects on research study (Jones, 2009). Financial constrain plays the vital role in
undermining the overall realbiltiy and effectiveness of research study. Time was also
considered the main factors which undermining the accuracy of the research objective.
Time period
Criteria 1st
Month
2nd
Month
3rd
Month
4th
Month
5th
Month
6th
Month
Introduction
Constitute the
aims and
objective of the
research
Data Collection
Completion
time for the
literature
review
Time taken for
research
methodology
development
Data Collection
Data analysis
and developing
the
interpretation

The
development
period of
recommendatio
n and
conclusion

References
Blessing, L. T., & Chakrabarti, A. (2009). DRM, a design research methodology. Springer
Science & Business Media.
Burney, A. (2008). Inductive and deductive research approach. Retrieved, 12, 2013.
Flick, U. (2015). Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project. Sage.
Gomm, R. (2008). Social research methodology: A critical introduction. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Koul, L. (2009). Methodology Of Educational Research, 4Enew E. Vikas publishing house
PVT Ltd.
Kumar, S., & Phrommathed, P. (2005). Research methodology (pp. 43-50). Springer US.
Marczyk, G., DeMatteo, D., & Festinger, D. (2005). Essentials of research design and
methodology. John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Mkansi, M. (2012). Research philosophy debates and classifications: students' dilemma.
Resnik, D. B. (2011). What is ethics in research & why is it important. National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences, 1-10.
Savin-Baden, M., & Major, C. H. (2013). Qualitative research: The essential guide to theory
and practice.
Taylor, S. J., Bogdan, R., & DeVault, M. (2015). Introduction to qualitative research
methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley & Sons.
Vivilaki, V. (2008). Research philosophy and Socrates: rediscovering the birth of
phenomenology. Nurse researcher, 16(1).
Creswell, J. W., and Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and
mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.
Harris, R., Holmes, H. M., and Mertens, D. M. (2009). Research ethics in sign language
communities. Sign Language Studies, 9(2), 104-131.

Jones, J. W. (2009). Selection of Grounded Theory as an Appropriate Research Methodology
for a Dissertation: One Student's Perspective. Grounded Theory Review, 8(2).
Williams, B., Onsman, A., & Brown, T. (2010). Exploratory factor analysis: A five-step
guide for novices. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine, 8(3).
Beale, C. M., Lennon, J. J., Yearsley, J. M., Brewer, M. J., & Elston, D. A. (2010).
Regression analysis of spatial data. Ecology letters, 13(2), 246-264.
Appendix
Questionnaire design
Demographic questions
1. What is your gender?
Male
Female
2. What is your age group?
Between 18 to 24yrs
Between 25 to 31 yrs
Between 32 to 39 yrs
Above 40 yrs
3. What is your highest level educational qualification?
Undergraduate
Graduate
Master degree
Others

4. How long you are working for organization?
Less than one year
Between 1 – 3 years
More than 3 years
5. How important for you in the following element when working in the
organization?( rate 1 for highly satisfied and 5 for highly dissatisfied)
Attributes Highly
S
a
ti
s
fi
e
d
Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly
Diss
atisf
ied
Job demands
Spiritual resources
Job resources
Work engagement
Burnout
6. Please indicate whether you are satisfied or dissatisfied with the following
statements?
KEY: 1= Highly satisfied, 2= Satisfied, 3= Neutral, 4= Dissatisfied, 5= Highly
dissatisfied

Attributes 1 2 3 4 5
Implementation of high motivation techniques at workplace
improve your job performance
High motivation techniques motivate you towards
organization goals and objective
High workload at workplace increases burnout at workplace
Role ambiguity and interpersonal conflicts has impact on
burnout
Job resources at workplace increase the work engagement
and organization performance
7. Excessive workload at the workplace creates additional mental stress and anxiety
among the workers.
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
8. Interpersonal conflicts invariably reduce the morale of the employees at their
workplace.
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
9. Ambiguity regarding the job roles and responsibilities often contributes to
greater confusion among the employees and this often leads to greater anxiety
and depression among the employees.
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
10. Absence of Spiritual Resources would invariably lead to greater cynicism among
the employees which would make the employees unhappy about their jobs.
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
11. Employees who are suffering instances of Burnout at the workplace are more
likely to suffer from emotional ill-health

a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
12. Spiritual Resources at the workplace can play a vital role in improving the levels
of work engagement and commitment among the employees.
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
13. Lack of Work Engagement would invariably have a negative impact on the
workplace productivity and this would increase the attrition rate at the
workplace.
a) Strongly Agree b) Agree c) Neutral d) Disagree e) Strongly Disagree
14. What are the techniques organizations needs to implement to increase work
engagement and emotional ill health?
Offer higher level of training and development class
Offer positive work environments
Use better communication approach
Reduce workload and role ambiguity