9/10/12  

1  

R E F E R E N C E C H A P T E R S : C H A P T E R 1 ( Z I K M U N D ) C H A P T E R 1 ( S A K E R A N )

LECTURE 1:

THE ROLE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH

RESEARCH METHODS

WHAT IS RESEARCH ?

•  RESEARCH is an organized, systematic, data based, critical,

objective, scientific enquiry or investigation into a specific

problem undertaken with the purpose of finding answers or

solutions.

•  Planned - Systematic - Reliable.

•  Begins with: a doubt, question, inquiry

•  Asking Questions - Use of methods to develop answers. •  Questions •  Research Methods •  Analysis.

9/10/12  

2  

Wish to research

Formulate and clarify your Research topic

Critically review the literature

Choose your research approach and strategy

Negotiate access and address ethical issues

Plan your data collection and collect the data using one or more of :

Sampling Secondary data Observation Semi-structured and in-depth interviews Questionnaires

Analyse your data using one or both of:

Write your project report

Submit your report

Quantitative methods Qualitative methods

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

SOME COMMONLY RESEARCHED TOPICS

•  Employee behavior ( performance, absenteeism,

turnover)

•  Brand loyalty, product lifecycle and product innovation

•  Operations Management/ Productivity

•  Consumers Behavior/ Choices

•  Company Shares/ Event Study/ M&A

9/10/12  

3  

Business research is defined as the systematic and objective process of generating information for aid in making business decisions.

BUSINESS RESEARCH DEFINED

IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH & RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR STUDENTS OF BUSINESS

•  Obtaining information about relevant

phenomenon objectively.

•  Testing existing hypothesis and theories.

•  Filling in gaps in existing theories.

•  Understanding professional literature.

•  Problem solving and decision making.

•  Critical thinking: fundamental basis of research

 

9/10/12  

4  

INFORMATION REDUCES

UNCERTAINTY

I don’t know if we

should offer on-site child care?

Basic research

Applied research

BUSINESS RESEARCH TYPES

9/10/12  

5  

BASIC RESEARCH

•  Attempts to expand the limits of knowledge. •  Not directly involved in the solution to a pragmatic

problem. •  Academic research •  Theory building •  Industry related/ generalized

BASIC RESEARCH EXAMPLE

•  Is executive success correlated with high need for achievement?

•  Are members of highly cohesive work groups more satisfied than members of less cohesive work groups?

•  Do consumers experience cognitive dissonance in low-involvement situations?

9/10/12  

6  

APPLIED RESEARCH

•  Conducted when a decision must be made about a specific real-life problem

•  Business Research •  Organization related •  Problem solving

APPLIED RESEARCH EXAMPLES

•  Should McDonalds add Italian pasta dinners to its menu? •  Business research told McDonald’s it should not

•  Should Procter & Gamble add a high-priced home teeth bleaching kit to its product line? •  Research showed Crest Whitestrips would sell well at a retail

price of $44

9/10/12  

7  

CLASS EXERCISE: CASE

Right from her days as a clerical employee in a bank, Sandra had observed that her colleagues, though extremely knowledgeable about the nuances and intricacies of banking, were exerting very little effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the bank in the area of customer relations and service. They took on minimum amount of work load and availed long tea and lunch breaks and seemed not to be motivated. She thought what a waste of talented people to goof around and not to contribute to the GNP. When she left the bank to do her Ph.D the topic for dissertation was Job involvement or the ego investment of people in their jobs. The conclusion of her investigation was that the most important contributory factor to job involvement is the fit or match between the nature of the job and personality predisposition of the people engaged in performing in it.

CONT..

A university professor wanted to analyse in depth the reasons for absenteeism of employees in organizations. Fortunately, a company within 20 miles of the campus employed her as a consultant to study that very issue.

A research scientist surveys 1,000 employees in different organizational settings to study the effectiveness of several types of nasal sprays in controlling the flu virus. He subsequently publishes his findings in a highly respected medical journal.

9/10/12  

8  

DETERMINING WHEN TO CONDUCT BUSINESS RESEARCH

•  Time constraints •  Availability of data •  Nature of the decision •  Benefits versus costs

Is sufficient time available before

a managerial decision

must be made?

Is the infor- mation already

on hand inadequate for making

the decision?

Is the decision of considerable

strategic or tactical

importance?

Does the value of the research

information exceed the cost of conducting

research?

Conducting Business Research

Do Not Conduct Business Research

Time Constraints Availability of Data

Nature of the Decision Benefits vs. Costs

Yes Yes Yes Yes

No No No No

DETERMINING WHEN TO CONDUCT BUSINESS RESEARCH

9/10/12  

9  

HOW CAN WE USE RESEARCH

•  Knowledge of us and the world around us. •  Governments - Political / Social policy. •  Political issues / influence ideas. •  Business and Finance rely on and fund research. •  Social movements.

MAJOR TOPICS FOR RESEARCH IN BUSINESS

• General Business Conditions and Corporate Research

•  Financial and Accounting Research • Management and Organizational Behavior

Research •  Sales and Marketing Research •  Information Systems Research • Corporate Responsibility Research

9/10/12  

10  

WHY MANAGERS SHOULD KNOW

ABOUT RESEARCH?

•  Detached and impersonal rather than biased •  It facilitates the managerial decision process for all

aspects of a business. •  Know how to discriminate good from bad research. •  Take intelligent, calculated risks in decision making. •  Prevent possible vested interests from exercising

their influence in a situation. •  Relate to hired researchers more effectively (Mutual

Understanding). •  Combine experience with scientific knowledge

while making decisions.

IN THE NEXT CLASS…

•  Dissertation •  E-Search •  Academic Journal •  Reading an Article •  Assignment

9/10/12  

11  

RESEARCH PROJECT

DISSERTATION

• A Research Proposal: •  A document that defines what the project is

about, why it is important and how it is to be carried out

• A Research Project: •  All the activities that go towards completing the

dissertation

• A Thesis: •  An argument or proposition supported by

evidence or literature

22

9/10/12  

12  

THE ADVANTAGE OF A DISSERTATION

•  To give you an opportunity to:

•  To enlarge your knowledge •  To specialize in certain area of study •  To improve of your critical thinking that is necessary to

possess nowadays •  To plan, research, and write up a project that

improves understanding of a significant issue, and that may provide recommendations or findings on which action can be determined;

•  To provide a platform for personal and academic development via the production of a unique piece of academic work.

•  Chance to get your BBA Degree

23

THE OBJECTIVE OF A DISSERTATION

•  To learn how to undertake a major project that requires you to : •  Be focused on a complex and important issue; •  Undertake effective and competent primary

research; •  Integrate theory and practice; •  Incorporate understanding from a critical

review of the literature; •  Base your dissertation on sound analysis and

arguments;

24

9/10/12  

13  

AFTER THE DESSERTATION

• Consultancy • Research Analyst • Management Training • Business/Market Analyst • Project Management

• Publishing your thesis *

•  Franklincovey.com

THE PROCESS OF DOING A DISSERTATION

q Phase 1: Getting Started q Phase 2: Writing a Critical Literature review q Phase 3: Devising Research Questions q Phase 4: Research Process q Phase 5: Writing it up. Note: it is possible to loop back at various

stages.

26

9/10/12  

14  

THE PROCESS OF DOING A DISSERTATION

•  Phase 1: Getting Started •  Choosing a topic; drafting objectives

•  Phase 2: Writing a critical literature review •  Locating, reading, material from academic articles, books

and conference papers. Summarising and evaluating the literature.

•  Identifying key concepts drafting conceptual frameworks, theorising the material.

•  Phase 3: Devising Research Questions •  Being clear about the questions you want answered

•  Phase 4: Research Process •  Choosing methods, collecting and analysing data

•  Phase 5: Writing it up. •  Interpreting material and drawing conclusions •  Arguing a thesis, structuring the dissertation.

27