Research Management

Identification of Sample

Once the research team has identified the population of interest, it is time to address sampling issues. Sample composition required to meet project goals, sample size (based on power calculations and tempered by monetary considerations), and source of the sample are specified in the research plan.

Timeline

Effective research management requires the development of a realistic timeline to ensure that the project proceeds in an organized and logical manner. Recognizing that the research process seldom proceeds on [Page 734]Research Management schedule, additional time is included in the timeline so that a delay does not compromise the entire project.

Funding

Research management requires an understanding of accounting, budgeting, and some basic contract management. An important research management function is to secure and manage funds necessary for the project's success. After the research plan is developed, the research budget is finalized. The budget must include all costs required to execute the project in accordance with the research plan. Survey administration modes impact the budget differently. Traditionally, mail has been the least expensive, followed by Internet, Web, computer-assisted self-interviewing (audio or not), and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). Face-to-face interviewing, including computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI), is the most expensive mode.

Often, a research proposal is submitted to federal, state, university, corporate, or other funding agencies to obtain adequate project funds. When working with a team of researchers, this activity can, and probably should, be shared. A first step in the proposal process is to identify an appropriate funding entity, that is, an agency where agency goals and those of the research project are similar. It also is important that the funding agency has the capacity to adequately fund the project. Conducting an expensive research project may require securing money from several funding agencies. Be aware that when obtaining funding, the funding agency often specifies question topics for the survey instrument and this may increase the questionnaire length and thus the cost.

Obtaining adequate funds impacts the timeline because of agency funding cycles and proposal requirements. It is not unusual to submit a proposal and revisions multiple times before funding is secured; thus, additional time should be included in the timeline for such a contingency. At the time funding is awarded, the research team and funding agency should have a shared understanding, in writing, about project deliverables.

Proposals submitted to organizations that are not federal, state, or university entities and do not receive funding from these sources are developed to address the client's requirements. Typically these proposals and the timeline for developing them are very short; therefore, it is prudent to have boilerplate proposal language developed to reduce proposal preparation response time. In most cases, the client will have specified the project budget. Research firms submitting successful proposals must either meet all proposal requirements within the specified budget or convince the client that the proposed activities cannot be performed with the budget specified.

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