1. WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research is an often-misused term, its usage in everyday language very different
from the strict scientific meaning.
the field of science, it is important to move away from the looser meaning and use
it only in its proper context. Scientific research adheres to a set of strict protocols
and long established structures.
Often, we will talk about conducting internet research or say that we are
researching in the library. In everyday language, it is perfectly correct
grammatically, but in science, it gives a misleading impression. The correct and
most common term used in science is that we are conducting a literature review.
WHAT IS RESEARCH? - THE GUIDELINES
For a successful career in science, you must understand the methodology behind
any research and be aware of the correct protocols.
Science has developed these guidelines over many years as the benchmark for
measuring the validity of the results obtained.
Failure to follow the guidelines will prevent your findings from being accepted and
taken seriously. These protocols can vary slightly between scientific disciplines,
but all follow the same basic structure.

2. Types of process?
I. Pricing Studies
We help you determine the ideal pricing for your new product launches as well as
for existing products. We can also measure the market standards in pricing for that
product category vis-à-vis competitors. We capture data based on dynamic pricing,
i.e. we can calculate pricing based on different variables. We also create several
randomized choices for respondents which can be idealistic or realistic. We can
tailor make interfaces for your product shelving and design the look and feel of the
conjoint as per your specific requirements.
II. Package and Product Testing
We do product and package testing to estimate consumer and market response for a
new product going to market. On the basis of the data captured from this testing,
our clients can design more effective product launches taking into consideration
the various product attributes and market zones.
We can also test vis-à-vis competitors how the product will fare in terms of
product attributes.
III. Needs Assessment
Do you need to obtain specific information regarding your organization and areas
for best practice implementation? AbsolutData’s Best Practices Surveys can help
you measure your target audience’s opinions about their needs and aspirations. We
can help you assess the effectiveness of:

3. Sales Strategy and Customer Management - the impact of your strategy
formulation and communication process across your sales organization,
Sales Talent management - Effectiveness of your hiring processes and cultivation
of employees/manpower
Sales Process Design and Productivity – sales process and the support provided for
its execution
Metrics and Rewards – Monitor and measure performance as well as the rewards
system in place at your organization
These surveys consist of agree/ disagree types of radio button questions and are
ideal for Managers, Representatives or Operational Managers.)
IV. Employee Skill Assessment Studies
In order to accurately identify where the various organizations can target their skill
improvements, we program surveys for organizational Sales Skill Analysis. These
types of surveys are known as Upskilling Surveys.
These projects provide a valuable opportunity for the employees to tell the
organization what they must do in order to succeed.
Usually, a particular sales team is nominated by the manager(s) to participate in the
Assessment for the project. To gain an understanding of current capabilities, the
team members in the focus roles will first be asked to do a self-assessment of the
skill model. Then, the direct manager will perform an assessment, using team
members’ initial feedback as a starting point.

4. These surveys ask the team members to consider their capabilities across a broad
range of skills, some of which are core requirements of their current position, and
some of which will increase in importance as the business evolves.
Usually, the survey consists of agree/ disagree types of radio button questions.
They may be for the Managers, representatives or operational managers. Also,
these surveys require complex mapping. For example:
The login page may direct the manager to assess various employees using the link
inserted.
The manager can view the responses of their employees.
The manager can view the names of the employee etc.
V. Employee Productivity Surveys
Our main offering in Employee Productivity Surveys is Time and Productivity
Survey (TPA Surveys).
This type of survey is typically conducted for the sales processes. It offers the team
member the opportunity to provide confidential feedback directly to the leadership
on how the executive team can help them work more effectively.
Specifically, questions are asked about the amount of time for trade off between
selling versus administrative activities, the effectiveness of the various sales
tools/resources available, and the team member’s personal sales process.

5. This survey contain following major sections:
• Sales Activity Section - This section focuses on how they spend their time.
• Sales Process & Strategy Section - This section will focus on the various
processes and strategies they employ in the role.
• Sales Resources Section - This section will focus on the sales resources and tools
that are available for them in their role.
• Other section – this section asks the demography etc.
These surveys are for both Managers and representatives.
VI. Customer Satisfaction
This type of survey is used for organizations to identify skills that are critical for
meeting the needs of their customers. Once these skills are identified the
organization intends to dedicate training and development resources to these key
focus areas.
As part of this survey, we target a select group of customers whose feedback is
strongly valued by the organization. The type of questions asked is mixed,
including:
Background and history of the customer relationship
Customer rating for the organization’s skills
VII. Ad/Copy Testing
This type of survey is done to track the audience mindset about the client’s
product. Estimate if they are well informed about your product or not, if the ad is
working or not, if the ad is converting into sales. We can also make product
attribute matrixes based on client requirements to test where the ad fits on the
matrix.

6. VIII. Competitor Research and Analysis
Estimate how competitors are faring on similar products. Estimate market share,
calculate and compare market standing vis-à-vis competition.
IX. Tracking and Market Performance
We can conduct a time based analysis over different periods of time, to understand:
Customer churn out over a period of time and emergence of new customers
Product performance in market
The benchmarking of your product/services against the overall market, comparable
business models, and other competitive models by geographical region. These
contribute significantly in validating existing business initiatives and developing
more effective business strategies.
X. Brand and Corporate Image Research
Across multiple countries, multi lingual, maxdiff conjoint is used to analyze the
brand image and how consumers align to the concepts of the brand. We also assess
whether consumers prefer personal use or corporate use of the product/brand. This
type of surveys is specifically relevant in cases where sales are based on the
brand’s image and not the product in particular. We measure the product’s brand
equity in the market as well as the brand perception vis-à-vis competition.

7. Process of research?
Problem Recognition & Definition
All research begins with a question. Intellectual curiosity is often the foundation
for scholarly inquiry. Some questions are not testable. The classic philosophical
example is to ask, "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" While the
question might elicit profound and thoughtful revelations, it clearly cannot be
tested with an empirical experiment. Prior to Descartes, this is precisely the kind of
question that would engage the minds of learned men. Their answers came from
within. The modern scientific method precludes asking questions that cannot be
empirically tested. If the angels cannot be observed or detected, the question is
considered inappropriate for scholarly research.
A paradigm is maintained as much by the process of formulating questions as it is
by the answers to those questions. By excluding certain types of questions, we
limit the scope of our thinking. It is interesting to note, however, that modern
physicists have began to ask the same kinds of questions posed by the Eastern
philosophers. "Does a tree falling in the forest make a sound if nobody is there to
hear it?" This seemingly trivial question is at the heart of the observer/observed
dichotomy. In fact, quantum mechanics predicts that this kind of question cannot
be answered with complete certainty. It is the beginning of a new paradigm.
Defining the goals and objectives of a research project is one of the most important
steps in the research process. Clearly stated goals keep a research project focused.
The process of goal definition usually begins by writing down the broad and
general goals of the study. As the process continues, the goals become more clearly
defined and the research issues are narrowed.
Exploratory research (e.g., literature reviews, talking to people, and focus groups)
goes hand-in-hand with the goal clarification process. The literature review is
especially important because it obviates the need to reinvent the wheel for every
new research question. More importantly, it gives researchers the opportunity to
build on each others work.

8. Creating the Research Design
Defining a research problem provides a format for further investigation. A well-
defined problem points to a method of investigation. There is no one best method
of research for all situations. Rather, there are a wide variety of techniques for the
researcher to choose from. Often, the selection of a technique involves a series of
trade-offs. For example, there is often a trade-off between cost and the quality of
information obtained. Time constraints sometimes force a trade-off with the overall
research design. Budget and time constraints must always be considered as part of
the design process (Walonick, 1993).
Many authors have categorized research design as either descriptive or causal.
Descriptive studies are meant to answer the questions of who, what, where, when
and how. Causal studies are undertaken to determine how one variable affects
another. McDaniel and Gates (1991) state that the two characteristics that define
causality are temporal sequence and concomitant variation.
The word causal may be a misnomer. The mere existence of a temporal
relationship between two variables does not prove or even imply that A causes B.
It is never possible to provecausality. At best, we can theorize about causality
based on the relationship between two or more variables, however, this is prone to
misinterpretation. Personal bias can lead to totally erroneous statements. For
example, Blacks often score lower on I.Q. scores than their White counterparts. It
would be irresponsible to conclude that ethnicity causes high or low I.Q. scores. In
social science research, making false assumptions about causality can delude the
researcher into ignoring other (more important) variables.
Sampling
It is incumbent on the researcher to clearly define the target population. There are
no strict rules to follow, and the researcher must rely on logic and judgment. The
population is defined in keeping with the objectives of the study.
Sometimes, the entire population will be sufficiently small, and the researcher can
include the entire population in the study. This type of research is called
a census study because data is gathered on every member of the population.

9. Usually, the population is too large for the researcher to attempt to survey all of its
members. A small, but carefully chosen sample can be used to represent the
population. The sample reflects the characteristics of the population from which it
is drawn.
Data Collection
There are very few hard and fast rules to define the task of data collection. Each
research project uses a data collection technique appropriate to the particular
research methodology. The two primary goals for both quantitative and qualitative
studies are to maximize response and maximize accuracy.
When using an outside data collection service, researchers often validate the data
collection process by contacting a percentage of the respondents to verify that they
were actually interviewed. Data editing and cleaning involves the process of
checking for inadvertent errors in the data. This usually entails using a computer to
check for out-of-bounds data.
Feature of reaserch?
To stay abreast of trends in research and development at home and abroad, the
Office of Research and Development was established on August 1, 2000. Currently
there are three divisions–Academic Development Evaluation, Research and
Management, and Industry-Academic Cooperation–which function as the hub to
enhance research productivity and to increase the R & D competitive edge of the
university.

10. To encourage interdisciplinary cooperation and academic excellence, the R & D
Office:
Conducts surveys related to research and publications at regular intervals
Encourages applications for research grants from government agencies as well as
the private sector
Implements policies to encourage and assist faculty to apply for research grants
Awards publications in SCI/SSCI journals to put Fu Jen among the leaders in
research in Taiwan
Establishs interdisciplinary academic clusters and supports them with research
grants to form unique features of the university
Research Focus:
To respond to the need of the society by providing a theoretical ground, the R & D
Office:
Integrates research related to the Church and faith, ethics, and religious studies
by constructing a theoretical backbone, the Fu Jen School, so that the Catholic
identity of Fu Jen can be manifested through its research
Strengthens the productivity of research centers, including: Institute of Scholastic
Philosophy, John Paul II Peace Institute, Monumenta Serica Sinological
Research Center, Center for the Study of Science and Religion, Catholic History
Research Center, Pre-Qin and Han Dynasties Research Center, Center for
Corporate Governance and Business Ethics, Faculty Development Center for
Medical Educators, Chinese Textiles and Clothing Culture Center,
Organizational Renovation Studies Center, Innovation and Incubation Center,
Human Ecology Area Studies Center, Marketing Research Center, Survey &
Statistical Analysis Research and Consultancy Center.

11. University Development:
To prepare a comprehensive groundwork for solid future development, the R & D:
Charts the mid and long-term development of the university; examines the scale
and recruitment quota of academic departments in order to readjust priorities in
university development
Investigates possibilities for the merging of departments according to
accreditation results
Industrial-Academic Cooperation:
To motivate research and enhance corporate value, the R & D Office:
Administers and facilitates faculty research projects which link academic
research to the industrial sector in order to boost the value of research, create
financial feedback to the university, and at the same time form a mutually
beneficial relationship
Assists in the publication of industrial-academic cooperative research and
application for patents
Coordinates related policies and encourages faculty and research teams to
participate in joint projects