CHAPTER

THREE
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter gives an outline of research methods that were follow in the study. It provides
information on the participants, that is, the criteria for inclusion in the study, who the
participants were and how they were sample. The researcher describes the research design
that chosen for the purpose of this study and the reasons for this choice. The instrument that
used for data collection described and the procedures that were follows to carry out this study
are included. The researcher also discusses the methods used to analyse the data. Lastly, the
ethical issues that were follow in the process discussed.

3.2 Purpose of the study

Polit and Hungler (1999:155) describe the research design as a blueprint, or outline, for
conducting the study in such a way, that maximum control exercised over factors that could
interfere with the validity of the research results. The research design is the researcher’s
overall plan for obtaining answers to the research questions guiding the study. Burns and
Grove (2001:223) state that designing a study helps researchers to plan and implement the
study in a way that will help them obtain the intended results, thus increasing the chances of
obtaining information that could be associated with the real situation. This study used causal
research/ hypothesis testing to identify the cause- and – effect relationship between variables.
The study engages with hypothesis testing usually explain the nature of certain relationships,
or establish the differences among groups or the independence of two factors in a solution.
The independent variables (IV) in this study are furniture and equipment, workstation
approach and physical environment (noise, temperature and lighting) relationship between
the dependent variable (DV) which is employees’ job satisfaction.
Research with the purpose of inferring causality should:
 Establish the appropriate causal order or sequence of events.

 Measure the commitment variation between the presumed cause and the presumed
effect.

 Recognise the presence or absence of alternatives, plausible explanations or causal

factors.
3.3 Types of investigation
The researcher can consider three approaches, which are clarification, correlation and causal.
Clarification investigation meant that trying to gain a clearer understanding of the concept
involved in the research problem. Exploratory and descriptive studies often follow this path.
Qualitative methods often use as this allows the researcher to explore issues in a flexible
manner.
A correlation simply defined as a relationship between two variables. The whole purpose of
using correlations in research is to figure out which variables are connected. This is the type
investigation used for this study. We studied about the relationship between the furniture and
equipment, workstation approach and physical environment towards employees’ job
satisfaction.
A causal relationship indicates that one concept or variable causes a movement in another
concept variable.

3.4 Extent of Research Interference

The extent to which the researcher interferes with the normal flow of work in the workplace
has a direct bearing of any research decision. There are three of researches varying degrees of
interference – minimal, moderate and excessive.
A correlational study was conduct in the natural environment of the organisation with
minimum interference by the researcher with normal flow of work.

3.5 Study setting

Non-contrived setting:
If the organisation research was done in, the natural environment where work proceed
normally, the research is in non-contrived setting.

Contrived setting:
If organisation research done the artificial environment the research is in contrive settings.
So that correlational study invariably conducted in non-contrived setting whereas most
difficult causal is done in contrived lab setting.
3.6 Unit of analysis
Individuals
The problem statement focuses to increase the motivational levels of employees in general
and the individual employees of organizations. The unit of analysis of this study is individual.

3.7 Time Horizon

3.7.1 One short or cross sectional
A study that carried out in which data are generated just once, perhaps over a period of days,
weeks or months, in order to meet research objective. It may either single cross sectional or
multiple cross sectional. In single cross sectionals design, only one sample of respondents
drawn from the target population, and information obtained from this sample only once.
These designs also called sample survey research design. In multiple cross sectionals designs,
there are two or more samples of respondents, and information from each sample is obtain
only once. Regularly, information from different samples are obtain at different items.

3.8 Population
Polit and Hungler (1999:43, 232) define a population as the totality of all subjects that
conform to a set of specifications, comprising the entire group of persons that is of interest to
the researcher and to whom the research results can be generalised. LoBiondo-Wood and
Haber (1998:250) describe a sample as a portion or a subset of the research population
selected to participate in a study, representing the research population. In this study, it shows
that the population is within 300 staff in UKM Kesihatan Sdn Bhd.

3.9 Sample size

Sample size determination is the act of choosing the number of observations or replicates to
include in a statistical sample. The sample size is an important feature of any empirical study
in which the goal is to make inferences about a population from a sample. From the
population in UKM Kesihatan Sdn Bhd, our sample size is around 170 staff that were
participate in answering our questionnaires and others were not included.
3.10 Survey Instrument
A survey instrument is a tool for consistently implementing a scientific protocol for
obtaining data from respondents. For most social and behavioural surveys, the instrument
involves a questionnaire that provides a script for presenting a standard set of questions and
response options.
Questionnaire design must be involved and developed in order to get the desired information.
Questionnaires normally developed from the objectives of research itself. Regardless of any
methods used, some type of questionnaires developed. In this study, we are survey on the
relationship between the furniture and equipment, workstation approach and physical
environment towards employees’ job satisfaction.
Design of questionnaires:
Section A: Demographic Profile
Section B: Environment Factors

 Furniture and Equipment

 Physical Environment – Noise, Lighting and Temperature

 Workstation Approach

Section C: Job Satisfaction

3.11 Plan for data Analysis

A data analysis plan is a roadmap for how you are going to organize and analyse your survey

data—and it should help you achieve three objectives that relate to the goal you set before
you

started your survey:

1. Answer your top research questions

2. Use more specific survey questions to understand those answers

3. Segment survey respondents to compare the opinions of different demographic groups