UMN Consulting, Jakarta – What comes to your brain when you hear the word “Research”? Is it related to laboratory experiments or survey? Both of them are correct, but in different disciplines.
So, what is it? There is a famous quote by Neil Armstrong: “Research is creating new knowledge”. This quote is supported by Navindhra Naidoo – an expert from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. “It is a diligent systematic enquiry to validate and refine existing knowledge and generate new knowledge,” said Naidoo.
When doing one, some elements need to be considered:
Element | Description |
Abstract | Summary of the whole study. It is recommended to be less than 300 words. |
Introduction | Background, problems, and relevant literature review |
Methods | Instrumentation and data analyzing technique |
Results | Restate the question and report the findings |
Discussion | Discuss the findings, relate them to the previous literature, and suggest further study |
Conclusion | Restate and summarize the results and main points |
Why Should We Conduct A Research?
The main goal of conducting research is to gather information or theories and contribute to knowledge development in a particular field of study. Here are some reasons why it is essential:
1. Research Can Build Knowledge and Facilitate Learning
Research is for everyone, not only for students, academicians, or professionals but also for non-professionals and laymen. For non-professionals and laymen, research is a mean to gain new skills and knowledge about the world. On the other hand, professionals and academicians do research because they find some topics interesting and they want to learn what the public may want to know.
2. To Support a Business’s Success
Research is indeed helping business to gain success. By investing in Research & Development (R&D), a business can get every information they need, from market to consumer profile, to create a business decision.
R&D also contributes in securing an advantage over competitors and creating a differentiation to increase the company’s market value. In short, it’s not too much to say that R&D is responsible for the creation and development of company’s products, services, and policies.
For example, to have effective marketing communication, a company need to understand their customers first, from where, when, to how they do communication.
3. To Prove and Support Truths and Disprove Lies
Researchers need to test the validity and reliability of their findings or others scientists’ because their integrity is reflected in the quality of their research. Therefore, peer-reviewed is needed to check the common biases, statistical errors, and the methodology used before the result is published.
4. Research Able to Identify, Assess, and Seize Opportunities
It helps people to unleash their potential and achieve their goals by seizing various opportunities. Some examples include a student looking for scholarships, a man looking for job opportunities, or a business securing project funding. With a few studies, they might get more beneficial information that differentiates them from other candidates.
5. To Boost Confidence in Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Information
Two literacy skills are needed in research: Reading and Writing. Those main skills are important to maintain critical thinking and comprehension during the study process. The absence of them, obviously, will lead to a harder process.
There is a quote by Lynn Butler, “Reading is a window to the world”. It means the more you read, the more you understand the world. As well as writing. You can express your perspective and thoughts, then transform them into an idea that others can also understand.
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Even though doing a research is indeed beneficial, we can understand if some of you find it difficult to do. Things that we often heard are companies cannot decide what they should study and what kind of research they should do. UMN Consulting can help you overcome those problems. We provide various kind of research from Product Innovation, Market Knowledge, and Brand Creative Development. In addition, you can also check our content for latest insights about the current market situation.
Source:
A quote by Lynn Butler. Goodreads.com. (2022).
Martin, C. 31 Inspiring Market Research Quotes. Blog.flexmr.net.
Fisher, S. (2021). 17 Research Quotes to Inspire and Amuse You – Qualtrics. Qualtrics.
Naidoo, N. (2011). What is research? A conceptual understanding. African Journal of Emergency Medicine, 1(1), 47–48.
Zarah, L. (2022). 7 Reasons Why Research Is Important. Owlcation.