The Research Domain at ASK conducts a wide array of studies and rapid appraisals with the purpose of undertaking a comprehensive coverage of issues that are specific to a program, project area, and organisation, the findings of which serve as building blocks for key decisions regarding need for intervention across socio-economic and cultural contexts, need for capacity building, program development and resource allocation, as well as for developing, modifying, and strengthening programme& organization strategies, approaches and methodologies.
The studies conducted are customised with respect to issue, geography, purpose of study, communities and culture. Social research projects are also initiated with a specific motive or hypothesis comprising of multi stakeholder consultations, large scale data procurement and management.
The studies are conducted by a dedicated team of professionals who have been engaged with conducting various studies, evaluations, assessments for over 20 years. The Research Team at ASK is recognised for a professional approach and objective, participatory & facilitative manner of conducting studies, including baseline studies and need assessment exercises.
The Research Domain provides the following range of services to national and international donor agencies and CSR Foundations:
ASK provides its services on social research projects initiated with a specific motive or hypothesis and comprising of multi-stakeholder consultations, large scale data procurement and management, use of scientific and customized qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and tools of analysis. Leveraging upon the years of expertise of the domain in undertaking programme, issue, organization, and community specific studies, assessments, and evaluations, ASK encapsulates the core skills required in social research and gains its edge from its international exposure to varied thematic issues.
Baseline studies have been commissioned to ASK by organisations that need base information against which a new project would be launched or against which monitoring and assessment of an activity’s progress and effectiveness during implementation and after the activity can be carried out. Through Baseline Studies, the organisation is able to understand the existing situation in the project area or a target group and what may be the most critical indicators that the project will focus on and where changes would needed to be seen. The findings of these studies are structured in a manner which would allow a monitoring plan to be outlined for the implementing organisation and so that the data collected can be replicated if necessary during ongoing activity monitoring or a mid-term review or for a subsequent evaluation, as the case maybe.
Situational Analysis and Needs Assessments have been carried out by ASK to collect information and data needed to plan programs and initiatives with a community or a population. The analyses are able to assess the extent of the challenges faced by the community, the factors that make them vulnerable and also assesses the context in which the program would be operating (political, environmental, social, cultural, economic and institutional). The situational analysis also assists organisations in assessing the available resources with which any program or project would be put into operation for a beneficiary group.
ASK undertakes the comprehensive documentation of organization and programme specific processes, history and milestones, case studies, approaches and best practices. Process documentations are usually requested for after an organization and/or programme have been running for a significant amount of time, and wish to highlight and record in detail their approaches over the years, methods of dealing with challenges, decisions, achievements, and best practices. The process is carried out in consultation with the various stakeholders involved, from management to grassroots communities and beneficiaries.
The Research & Studies Domain aligns itself with the organisation’s ‘participatory and objective’ approach to conducting the studies. The studies are conducting by engaging multi stakeholders who influence phenomenon, community members and taking up a process where reflection and analysis is encouraged through the discussions held. This assists communities to state their concerns and aid clients towards identification of problems while ASK can maintain independence and critical in its observations and findings.
Core principles that the Research & Studies Domain follows are:
Employment of innovative research methods tailored to the needs of the project, the client and the beneficiary community
Employment of innovative research methods tailored to the needs of the project, the client and the beneficiary community
Expertise in framing a research design in line with identification the apt socio-economic indicators
Robust knowledge base – experience of a working on a wide variety of thematic issues in various parts of the country that serves as critical knowledge for clients to take projects forward
Ability to engage with leadership and matching their expectations for implementing the project in a specific area amongst a particular community
Engagement with a strong network of local NGOs and CBOs across various states
Being facilitative and enabling towards all stakeholders involved
Ensuring that the needs of the community are prioritised while conducting the studies
| client | title | state | country | year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | End line Survey to Understand the Impact of Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) | Maharashtra | India | 2017 |
 | Study to Assess the Impact of Save the Children Project on Resilience Building of Communities on Time and Money Spent in Accessing Social Protection Schemes | Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu | India | 2017 |
 | Study on Children on the Move in the Construction and Domestic Work Sector | West Bengal & Andhra Pradesh | India | 2016 |
| Baseline Study for Project “Creating Spaces to Take Action on Violence against Women and Girls” | Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh | India | 2016 |
 | Research Study on Needs and Funding Mapping Concerning Unsafe Migration and Trafficking in India | Pan India | India | 2016 |
| Process Documentation of the “Good Practices adopted in Project: “Building Resilience and Increased Economic Leadership of Small Holders – Women Farmers in India” | Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand | India | 2016 |
 | Living Wage Study amongst the Weavers in Phulia | Phulia (West Bengal) | India | 2016 |
 | Exploratory Study for Establishing Workers’ Resource Centre in India | Tirupur (TN), Bangalore and Gurgaon | India | 2016 |
 | Initiative for Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction & Conflict Transformation in Odisha | Kandhamal (Odisha) | India | 2015 |
 | Baseline Study for Project “Empowering Adolescent Girls” in Taarun Block, Faizabad District, Uttar Pradesh | Taarun Block (Uttar Pradesh) | India | 2015 |
 | Baseline for the Integrated Community Development Project | Rajbari & Faridpur (Bangladesh) | India | 2015 |
| Baseline Study on Right to Universal, Inclusive and Quality Education | Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand | India | 2015 |
 | Process Documentation for the “Team Balika Federation” | Rajasthan | India | 2015 |
 | Research on ‘State of Housing for the Urban Poor’ | Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh | India | 2014 |
 | Study on Social Protection for Informal Workers in India – India Country Study Report | Different | 2014 | |
 | Feasibility Study on Addressing Modern day Slavery in Tamil Nadu Textile Industry | Tamil Nadu | India | 2014 |
 | India State Research on Modern Day Slavery | Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh | India | 2014 |
