MZUMBE UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF COMMERCE
RESEARCH METHODS AND BASIC
COMPUTING

PUB 220

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

NAME: PATRICK H. WIHENGE

CLASS: BAF 2 B

REG NO: 7993/T. 08

DATE: 13TH APRIL 2010

Question

Madam Karudata decided to conduct a research project on violence at work and its effects on
staff stress levels. She considered different ways she would approach the work organization. In
the light of this problem, discuss how you would apply the available approaches.
CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

Definition of terms

2. MAIN BODY

Different approaches

3. CONCLUSION

4. REFERENCES
 1. INTRODUCTION

Definition of Terms

Research

Concise Oxford Dictionary 20th edition defines research as the systematic investigation into and
study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. Research is
the scientific and systematic search of knowledge concerning a certain topic. There are two
approaches that can be used when doing research. These are deduction approach and induction
approach.

Research Approaches

Research approach is the description of process, or may be expanded to include a philosophically

coherent collection of theories, concepts or ideas as they relate to a particular discipline or field
of inquiry. Research Approach refers to the approach that has been adopted to conduct the
research. It basically involves the selection of research questions, the conceptual framework that
has to be adopted, the selection of appropriate research method etc. the two approaches are:-

Deduction- this approach uses the development of a theory that is subjected to a rigorous test.
This approach to research is concerned with natural science, where laws provide the bases of
explanation and control. Deductive approach can be said to be the movement from known to
specific. Deductive reasoning works from the more general to the more specific.

Induction- this approach is concerned with collection of data and develops a theory after data
analysis. This is said to be the movement from unknown to known. This approach is concerned
with theory building.
Work place violence

Concise oxford dictionary 10th edition defines violence as behavior involving physical force
intended to hurt, damage, or kill. In practice violence in the workplace may include a wide range
of behaviour, often continuing and overlapping. Not all violence is physical. In recent years, new
evidence has emerged of the impact and harm caused by non-physical, psychological violence.
Such psychological violence includes bullying and mobbing. Workplace violence - be it physical
or psychological has effects on stress levels of employees

Stress

Stress is state of mental, emotional, or other strain.

2. MAIN BODY

In the given question where Madam Karudata is to conduct the research on violence at work and
its effects on staff stress levels, the approach she would choose will depend upon certain factors
such as time consumption of approach, cost effectiveness of the approach, easiness of data
collection, simplistic and precision of the approach selected. Despite of all this factors it can’t be
said one approach will be better than the other in the given problem, that is why rather than
selecting one approach Madam Karudata may choose to combine all the two approach and use
them altogether. Below are ways through which Madam Karudata would put into practice the
said approaches.

By using deductive approach

Through this approach Madam Karudata would start by developing a theory that would explain
the relationship that exists between violence and the staff stress level. From the theory developed
Madam Karudata would then formulate a hypothesis that will be basis and the starting point for
further investigation. Such hypothesis could be that, workplace violence can be attributed to
gender and women are likely victims of violence and resultant stress. Also this approach allows
the possibility of deducing more than one hypothesis. Example another possible hypothesis
would be that violence often occurs in workplaces concerned with provision of services to the
public. After developing the hypothesis Madam Karudata would have to decide the possible
population to work on .then she will have to do the actual research by administering questioners
so as to come up with extent of violence and its effect in stress levels. Then she will have to
examine the outcome of the data collected by relating to the theory. Lastly she will have to
modify her theory if the findings will be contradicting with her deduced hypothesis. This stages
she have to perform when using this approach were originally suggested by Robson (1993:19)

By using inductive approach

This approach is concerned with producing( building) a theory from scratch, Madam Karudata
will have to interview people who have experienced violence and asking them what effect those
violence acts have caused to their work and their stress work in general. Also interview with
supervisors will help to yield important data on occurrences of violence since all violence acts
will be reported to them. Also questioners could be used as to get many respondents at a time.
Through these interviews Madam Karudata would get a better understanding of causes of
violence, perpetrators of violence acts and those who are likely to face violence and the effects
the violence have on the stress level of staff. This approach will enable more forms of violence
experienced to be discovered. On the analysis of obtained data Madam Karudata would be able
to come up with possible causes of violence and effect on stress level of staff. At end of the
process Madam Karudata will form a theory that may explain the possible causes of violence at
workplace and effect violence has on the stress level of staff.

By using both deduction and induction approaches

By combining both approaches at the same time Madam Karudata can increase margin of
correctness of outcome of the research. Using both approaches will help to compensate the
weakness of each approach. This can be by starting with a theory as in the deductive approach
and then interviewing people at work place as in the inductive approach.

3. CONCLUSION

Therefore from those three approaches Madam Karudata will be able to conduct her research
project on violence at work and its effects on staff stress levels.
4. BIBLIOGRAPHY

5.

6. Ndunguru philbert c (2007) Research Methodology for Social Sciences

research information and publications departments Mzumbe university.

7.

8. Saunders mark (2003) Research methods for Business students, person

education limited.

9.

10.L.V Redman and A.V.H. Mory, (1993) The Romance of Research

11.

12.Kothari C.K (2004) Research Methodology Methods and Technique New Age
International Publishers.

13.

14.