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4 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

activity as they make decisions at the workplace. As is well known, sometimes
managers make good decisions and the problem gets solved, sometimes they
make poor decisions and the problem persists, and on occasions they make such
colossal blunders that the organization gets stuck in the mire. The difference
between making good decisions and committing blunders lies in how managers
go about the decision-making process. In other words, good decision making
fetches a “yes” answer to the following questions: Do managers identify where
exactly the problem lies, do they correctly recognize the relevant factors in the
situation needing investigation, do they know what types of information are to
be gathered and how, do they know how to make use of the information so col-
lected and draw appropriate conclusions to make the right decisions, and finally,
do they know how to implement the results of this process to solve the prob-
lem? This is the essence of research and to be a successful manager it is impor-
tant for you to know how to go about making the right decisions by being
knowledgeable about the various steps involved in finding solutions to prob-
lematic issues. This is what this book is all about.

The Excitement of Research and Why Managers Should Know
about Research
Modern technology has made research an exciting and a relatively smooth
process. Today a personal computer with a modem or any means to an Inter-
net connection places one within easy reach of knowledge of what is hap-
pening in the global markets and how the world economy is impacting on
business. Chapter 3 gives a broad idea of how technology has facilitated the
research process and decision making, and the later chapters describe the use
of technology in information gathering, data collection, data analysis, and data
presentation. By grasping the fundamentals of the research process and keep-
ing abreast of modern technology, such as computers with enormous capa-
bility to store and retrieve information, you as a manager can face the
competitive global market with its multitude of complex and confusing factors
with greater confidence.
Knowledge of research not only helps one to look at the available information
in sophisticated and creative ways in the fast-paced global environment that busi-
nesses face, but this knowledge also helps in other ways. For example, you can
interact more effectively with research consultants who work for you, you can
discriminate between good and bad studies published in professional journals,
and if so desired, you yourself can undertake research to solve problems. More-
over, knowledge in the business area is exploding and there is an overwhelm-
ing maze of information available through the Internet, which has to be sifted
through to determine its reliability. Identifying the critical issues, gathering rele-
vant information, analyzing the data in ways that would help decision making,
and implementing the right course of action, are all facilitated by understanding
business research. After all, decision making is merely a process of choosing
from among alternative solutions to resolve a problem and research helps to gen-
erate viable alternatives for effective decision making.