Important Steps in Research Process

STEPS IN THE RESEARCH PROCESS

The process of research invariably consists of three stages – the primary stage,

secondary stage and final stage. Each of these stages consist of several steps and

thus the any research process comprises the following steps:

i) Identifying and Formulating the Research Problem

ii) Defining the objectives

iii) Formulation of Hypotheses

iv) Literature Review

v) Research Design

vi) Sample Design

vii) Data Collection

viii) Analysis and Interpretation of Data

ix) Writing Research Report

x) Conclusions

PERT and CPM

 PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) was created in 1958 by the United States Navy and Booz-Allen & Hamilton. It's a statistical tool for project management that analyzes tasks in a project. PERT is used for time management, system analysis, and is an evolution of the Gantt chart. It consists of planning, scheduling, and controlling phases and provides estimates for optimistic, pessimistic, and likely timeframes.

CPM (Critical Path Method) stands for Critical Path Method and was developed in 1950 by Morgan R. Walker at Du Pont Company and James E. Kelley at Remington Rand. CPM is an algorithm used to schedule project activities, often paired with PERT. It visualizes the flow and sequence of activities and is valuable for scheduling in libraries and publication operations. PERT/CPM networks have two main components: activities (representing actions and resource consumption) depicted by arrows, and events (beginning and end points) represented by circles.

CONCEPTS AND SCHOOLS OF MANAGEMENT THOUGHT

 Management encompasses various definitions and applications, adapting to different contexts. It draws from verbs like organizing, controlling, handling, and executing for specific purposes. Its scope includes:

1. Occupational Group: A collective term for people engaged in managerial tasks and functions. This can refer to the entire group or individuals within it.

2. Individual Management Role: Pertains to an individual performing managerial functions or being part of a management-focused group.

3. Academic Discipline: An area of specialization that imparts knowledge and skills in management.

4. Process of Activities: Management involves a series of specific activities or functions, serving as a science and an art.

   

Management is a blend of science and art. Effective managers employ a scientific approach, establishing philosophies, principles, and practices for application. While it shares commonalities with social sciences like psychology and sociology, it's distinct. As an art, management is about executing organizational functions through people.

An ancient practice, management is essential wherever organized human activities exist. It is crucial for both goods-producing and service-performing tasks, across diverse private and public organizations, regardless of size. Management helps achieve organizational and personal goals, balancing conflicting objectives, and ensuring efficiency and effectiveness.

In broad terms, management involves collaborating with people to define, interpret, and attain organizational goals. This is achieved through functions like planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. It encompasses processes such as decision-making, problem-solving, and action-planning, all of which involve managing resources like human, financial, material, and time.

It's important to differentiate between management and administration. Management encompasses planning, initiating actions, and monitoring, serving as a policy-making and policy-control process. In contrast, administration centers on implementing policies, procedures, rules, and regulations set by management.

CONCEPT, DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF LIBRARY MANAGEMENT

     Management involves systematic functions for organizing and overseeing activities and staff within an organization, including libraries. Management techniques in libraries started around the mid-1950s and have grown as libraries expanded in size, resources, finances, and staff.

Efficient management improves effectiveness, quality, cost-efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction. Chief Librarians, especially in large academic or public libraries, require strong management skills. Specialized libraries with diverse document formats also apply scientific management principles.

Today, librarians face challenges due to competition and evolving technology. Therefore, effective management is crucial for libraries of all types and sizes, regardless of location.

ADINET - The Ahmedabad Library Network

ADINET, recognized as the Ahmedabad Library Network, represents an assemblage of libraries situated within the vicinity of Ahmedabad. In the month of October, 1994, ADINET was formally established as a registered Society. Its establishment was made possible through the support of the National Information System for Science and Technology (NISSAT), an initiative under the aegis of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, functioning within the purview of the Government of India.

The foundational goals of ADINET encompass the cultivation of a collaborative modality of operation among diverse libraries and information centers located in the proximate environs of Ahmedabad. At its core, ADINET seeks to foster the spirit of resource sharing and the effective dissemination of information among its constituent member libraries, achieved through the mechanism of network integration. A pivotal endeavor of ADINET involves the creation and maintenance of a centralized Union catalogue, which amalgamates the collective holdings of its member institutions. This orchestrated consolidation serves to streamline the processes of information access and retrieval.