Some Basics of Applied Research methods

Why Conduct Research?

Research is conducted to prove or disprove a hypothesis or to learn new facts about something. There are many different reasons for conducting research. For example, academic research is usually conducted to prove or disprove a theory while medical research is conducted to advance knowledge of medical conditions and create treatments. Ultimately, research is conducted to gain a better understanding of something or someone or to provide a solution to a problem.

Jessica Coyle, who works for Conseris, a data collection app that aids researchers when carrying out their studies, said:

Conducting research is vital in expanding human knowledge of the world. It allows us to advance as a civilization, and discover truths about the world, so we can better understand how to interact with people and the Earth. It also allows us to improve our healthcare. Conducting research leads to medical discoveries that save lives.

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Research can be of many categories, depending on what you are specifically talking about. Maybe you are an engineer who wants to synthesize a better version of materials that you would have today; more durable etc. Or you could have a degree in medicine and want to find he best cure for a disease or a genetic condition.

We surely are not so well off in anything that we can possibly live for long on earth without doing research.

Or it could also be your passion for doing anything, if you are seriously curious about the world around you and how it works or the fascination of the secrets that the universe beholds that are yet to be unraveled.

Doing research on these settings would enhance our knowledge of going to space and make mankind proud.

Its a necessity since there are a lot of things out there that need understanding and it is a basic human instinct to just know.

SOURCE: https://www.quora.com/Why-is-research-conducted

Why conduct research in Public Relations?

Research is an essential part of public relations management.

1. Research makes communication two-way by collecting information from publics rather than one-way, which is a simple dissemination of information. Research allows us to engage in dialogue with publics, understanding their beliefs and values, and working to build understanding on their part of the internal workings and policies of the organization. Scholars find that two-way communication is generally more effective than one-way communication, especially in instances in which the organization is heavily regulated by government or confronts a turbulent environment in the form of changing industry trends or of activist groups.
2. Research makes public relations activities strategic by ensuring that communication is specifically targeted to publics who want, need, or care about the information. Without conducting research, public relations is based on experience or instinct, neither of which play large roles in strategic management. This type of research prevents us from wasting money on communications that are not reaching intended publics or not doing the job that we had designed them to do.
3. Research allows us to show results, to measure impact, and to refocus our efforts based on those numbers.  For example, if an initiative is not working with a certain public we can show that ineffectiveness statistically, and the communication can be redesigned or eliminated. Thus, we can direct funds toward more successful elements of the public relations initiative.

Without research, public relations would not be a true management function. It would not be strategic or a part of executive strategic planning, but would regress to the days of simple press agentry, following hunches and instinct to create publicity. As a true management function, public relations uses research to identify issues and engage in problem solving, to prevent and manage crises, to make organizations responsive and responsible to their publics, to create better organizational policy, and to build and maintain long-term relationships with publics. A thorough knowledge of research methods and extensive analyses of data also allow public relations practitioners a seat in the dominant coalition and a way to illustrate the value and worth of their activities. In this manner, research is the strategic foundation of modern public relations management.

SOURCE: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_mastering-public-relations/s09-public-relations-research-the-.html

Links:

American Apparel Hurricane Sandy Marketing ‘Not A Serious Matter,’ CEO Dov Charney Says: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/american-apparel-hurricane-sandy-marketing-dov-charney_n_2056410

More in a bit …