Baker Analysis of Secondary Data

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The Analysis of SecondaryData

Michael J Baker


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Michael J Baker2

Is primary data collected by observation,

experimentation, or survey an essential elementof a research project?

The short and unequivocal answer is No, it is not.


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Michael J Baker 3

- The emphasis on undertaking primary research isparticularly surprising given that much business and

management research is concerned with the analysisof existing data sets.- In accounting and finance this is usually the case;- In marketing, textbooks on marketing researchemphasise the importance of exhausting secondarysources of published information before committing tothe expense of primary research.


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Michael J Baker 4

A Literature Review is an example of problem-oriented

research.

The Research Issue has been identified andour first task is to establish what has already been

written about it.

However, most discussions of the literature review takea narrow approach and focus on academic or scholarly

literature with virtually no reference to other sources ofsecondary information.


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Michael J Baker 5

In the case of source-oriented research it is thenature of the available documents that determineswhat appear to be the relevant issues.

In the grounded theory approach, one should seek to

address the evidence without any preconceivedideas or theory as to what they mean and constructones interpretation out of the information containedin the documents.

In doing so one will be guided by the rules of evidenceand issues of the reliability and validity of the availableinformation.


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Undirected viewing

Conditional viewing

Informal search

Formal

search

Secondary sources

Primary sources

Analysis

Decision


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Michael J Baker 7

In the model of successive focusing, recognition of aproblem leads to an increasingly structured search

for additional information with review of publishedinformation comprising the first step of a formalattempt to solve an identified problem.

Such efforts can be classified as belongingto 1 of 4 categories (Smith1988) :

Providing a background.A substitute for a a field study (primary research).A technique in its own right.Acquisition studies.


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Michael J Baker 8

The main advantages and disadvantages of secondary research(SR) may be summarised as follows:

-SRis less costly:media owners provide details of the

populations they serve in order to encourage advertisers toplace contracts with them.

Even in the case of syndicated research which often contain

highly specific information on business issues, the cost isrelatively low or is available for free through institutionallibraries.

- SRavoids data collection problems. Much of the content ofmajor data archives is readily available in machine-readableformat and covers nationally representative samples, standarditems and standard indices. A wide range of topics is coveredspanning many time periods and countries.


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Michael J Baker 9

- SRis a prime source of ideas and hypotheses for further,primary research. Many data sets have been subjected to onlylimited analysis and yield many interesting and important

findings when subjected to closer scrutiny.

- SRpermits the construction of trend studies.Business decision-makers are usually looking for thesolutions to current and or future problems.


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Michael J Baker 10

Secondary sources :disadvantages:

* Availability. Despite the wealth of information in archivesit is seldom that it will be readily available. The more specific

a data base the more likely it has been collected for aparticular purpose and the less likely the owner will releaseit freely if it has a commercial and competitive value.* Relevance. This is closely associated with Availability.

Data in the public domain is usually general and it is rare thatone will find such data directly relevant to their problem.*Accuracy. Unless complete and accurate, with documentation of

the data given:- it may not be possible to find the information you need.- there is problem of flaws and errors in the original research

design which may not be apparent but will have influence on itsacceptability as a basis for further research.*Recency. Much data has been on file for a considerable time

and may not be appropriate when analysing current problems in


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Michael J Baker 11

Rules for secondary research (1984) Martin sets out thefollowing rules for desk researching:

Go from the general to the particular a review article first

then a specialist one.

Use secondary resources before primary sources then ifsomeone has already sorted out the government or trade statistics

into an intelligible table , why repeat the process?

Be methodical look in catalogues, directories and indexesbefore looking in abstract, books or periodicals.

Write it all down make a note of all the details in full, as yougo, to save backtracking.

Ask a librarian as they spend their lives doing what you may

do for one day in six months, they undoubtedly know their way


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Michael J Baker 12

The potential range and variety of external sources isenormous so you will need to be selective in deciding which

ones to access.In Marketing(2006) we group external sources into

Six main categories as follows:

1 Government2 Universities and non-profit organisations

3 Trade associations

4 Academic and professional journals5 Trade press6 Commercial research organisations


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Michael J Baker 13

Content analysis CA

- CA: research technique used to objectively and systematically

make inferences about the intentions, attitudes and values ofindividuals by identifying specified characteristics in textualmessages (Baker, 2003).

- CA: a way of asking a fixed set of questions about data in such away as to produce countable results or quantitative descriptionsMarshall and Rossman (1989). it is a means by which to producesolid descriptive information (Fennell, 2001).

- CA: often motivated by the search for techniques to infer fromdata what would be either too costly, no longer possible, or tooobtrusive by the use of other techniques.


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Michael J Baker 14

CA, Data Collection

According to Krippendorff (2004:83), there are six componentsthat can serve as a way to evaluate content analysis designs:

- Unitising: relying on unitising schemes- Sampling: relying on sampling plans- Recording/coding: relying on coding instructions

- Reducingdata to manageable representations: relying onestablished statistical techniques or other methods forsummarising or simplifying data- Abductively inferringcontextual phenomena: relying onanalytical constructs or models of the chosen context

- Narratingthe answer to the research questions: relying onnarrative traditions or discursive conventions establishedwithin the discipline of the content analyst.


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Reviewing the Literature


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Michael J Baker 16

If I can see further it is because I am standing on

the shoulders of giants.

Isaac Newton

The evolution and creation of new knowledgeproceeds generally by a process of

accumulation.


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Michael J Baker 17

The purpose of a literature review is to avoid thecalamities of ignorance and the re-invention of

what is already known.

In other words, it is to describe and evaluatework that has been done on the topic

in which you are interested.


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Michael J Baker 18

More fully, the purpose of a literature review is:

1. Distinguishing what has been done from what needs to

be done.

2. Discovering important variables relevant to the topic.3. Synthesising and gaining a new perspective.4. Identifying relationships between ideas and practice.

5. Establishing the context of the topic or problem.6. Rationalising the significance of the problem.7. Enhancing and acquiring the subject vocabulary.8. Understanding the structure of the subject.9. Relating ideas and theory to applications.

10. Identifying the main methodologies and researchtechniques that have been used.

11. Placing the research in a historical context to showfamiliarity with state-of-the-art developments.

Hart (1998)


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Michael J Baker 19

Gabbott (2002) sees the role of a literature review in researchas being:

To identify gaps in what has been publishedTo avoid re-inventing the wheel

To indicate where others have stopped so you can carry onTo identify other people working in the same fieldTo increase your breadth of knowledgeTo identify seminal work

To identify opposing viewsTo demonstrate you can access previous work in your areaTo identify methods or approaches relevant to your thesis


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Michael J Baker 20

literature review: description vs evaluation

A literature review is not an annotated bibliography i.e.

a summary description of prior work.

A literature review needs to describe prior work but it alsoneeds to evaluate it.

Evaluation involves critical assessment, comparison andsynthesis.

It requires identification of the distinguishing

characteristics or features of earlier work and areas ofagreement/disagreement within it, together with your own

ideas and views of the conclusions that may be drawnfrom it.


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According to Gabbott (2002) it must achieve:

A focus on the research area, thesis or question you areConcerned with.

A synthesis of what is known and not known.

The identification of areas of controversy.

The formulation of questions that need answering.


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Michael J Baker 22

Compiling a literature review can appear a daunting task.To execute the task efficiently and effectively calls for the

use of recognised skills and techniques and the observanceof the conventions that define scholarly research.

Among the skills Hart (1998) lists:

Time management Organisation of materials Computer use Information handling Online searching Writing


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Michael J Baker 23

My preferred approach to conducting a literature reviewmay be regarded as a kind of successive focusing startingwith the most broadly based sources and movingsequentially to the narrowest, viz.:

Textbooks

Specialist encyclopaedias and handbooks

Journals

Databases


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Having established that a source is relevant to yourinquiry you need to make notes of it. This is a vital stage

as the notes are the building blocks from which you willconstruct the finished review

Note taking is a matter of personal preference. Some will

enter material directly into their computer, others will usea notebook or note cards.

Whichever method you prefer two cardinal rules must beobserved:1. Make an accurate record of the source details.2. Distinguish between the content of the source andyour own views of it


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When compiling notes:

1. Develop a search plan2. Make a separate entry for each major idea3. Summarise in your own words unless a verbatim quotationwill lend authority to an argument or line of reasoning4. Keep to the point5. Remember that research involves 3 main elements

-Description-Investigation or Analysis

-Explanationand construct your notes accordingly


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In evaluating a literature review, thereader will be looking for evidence that ( Hart 2000) :

1. You have a clear understanding of the topic;2. You have identified all major studies related to the topicand discussed most of them;3. You have developed, on the basis of your review, aclearly stated research problem;4. You have drawn clear and appropriate conclusions fromprior research;5. You have established and described the various points

of view related to your research topic;6. You are proposing valid recommendations based uponanalysis of the information contained in your sources;7. You have demonstrated that there is a genuine

research issue that has to be addressed.


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To meet these requirements

Seek to gain and sustain the readers interest

Have a clear beginning, middle and end

Maintain continuity

Write clearly and coherently

Baker Analysis of Secondary Data

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