Business

Research
Methods
Dr. Padmalochana Bisoyi
M.A.(Eco.), M.B.A.( Fin.), M.Phil, Ph.D.
Compulsory Generic Core(GC)
Course(104), 3 Credits
SPPU- MBA Curriculum 2019
CBCSGS & OBE Pattern
CO# COGNITIVE ABILITIES COURSE OUTCOMES

CO104.1 REMEMBERING Enumerate and define various concepts & terms

associated with scientific business research.
CO104.2 UNDERSTANDING Explain the various types of measurement scales &
attitude scaling techniques and their application
in the context of business research.
CO104.3 APPLYING Design a variety of data collection instruments for
contemporary business research issues and apply
the principles of sampling and sample size
determination to contemporary business research
problems.
CO104.4 ANALYSING Analyse and graphically present quantitative data
and derive actionable inferences from the same
from a decision making perspctive.
CO104.5 EVALUATING Construct different types of testable hypotheses
and interpret the statistical test outcomes.
CO104.6 CREATING Formulate alternative research designs for a real-
life business research problem and discuss the pros
and cons of each design.
1. Foundations of Research: Definition of Research, Need of business research, Characteristics of scientific research method,
Typical Research applications in business and management. Questions in Research: Formulation of Research Problem –
Management Question – Research Question – Investigation Question. The process of business research: Literature review -
Concepts and theories - Research questions - Sampling - Data collection - Data analysis - Writing up - The iterative nature of
business research process, Elements of a Research Proposal. Practical considerations: Values – researcher & organization.
Ethical principles - Harm to participants, Lack of informed consent, Invasion of privacy, Deception, Reciprocity and trust,
Affiliation and conflicts of interest. Legal considerations - Data management, Copyright. (6+1)
2. Research Design: Concept, Features of a robust research design. Exploratory, Descriptive, Quasi Experimental,
Experimental research designs, Concept of Cause and Effect, Difference between Correlation and causation. Types of
Variables – Independent, Dependent, concomitant, mediating, moderating, extraneous variables, Basic knowledge of
Treatment & Control group, Case study design. Cross-sectional and Longitudinal designs, Qualitative and Quantitative
research approaches, Pros and Cons of various designs, choice of a research design. Hypothesis: Definition, research
Hypothesis, Statistical hypothesis, Null hypothesis, Alternative Hypothesis, Directional Hypothesis, Non-directional hypothesis.
Qualities of a good Hypothesis, Framing Null Hypothesis & Alternative Hypothesis. Concept of Hypothesis Testing - Logic &
Importance. (7+1)
3. Data & Measurement: Meaning of data, Need for data. Secondary Data: Definition, Sources, Characteristics, Advantages
and disadvantages over primary data, Quality of secondary data - Sufficiency, adequacy, reliability and consistency.
Primary Data: Definition, Advantages and disadvantages over secondary data. Measurement: Concept of measurement,
What is measured? Problems in measurement in management research - Validity and Reliability, Levels of measurement -
Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio. Attitude Scaling Techniques: Concept of Scale – Rating Scales viz. Likert Scales, Semantic
Differential Scales, Constant Sum Scales, Graphic Rating Scales – Ranking Scales – Paired Comparison & Forced Ranking -
Concept and Application. Questionnaire: Questionnaire Construction – Personal Interviews, Telephonic survey Interviewing,
Online questionnaire tools. (8+1)
4. Sampling: Basic Concepts: Defining the Universe, Concepts of Statistical Population, Sample, Characteristics of a good
sample. Sampling Frame, determining the sample frame, Sampling errors, Non Sampling errors, Methods to reduce the
errors, Sample Size constraints, Non Response. Probability Sample: Simple Random Sample, Systematic Sample, Stratified
Random Sample, Area Sampling & Cluster Sampling. Non Probability Sample: Judgment Sampling, Convenience Sampling,
Purposive Sampling, Quota Sampling & Snowballing Sampling methods. Determining size of the sample: Practical
considerations in sampling and sample size, (sample size determination formulae and numericals not expected) (9+1)
5. Data Analysis & Report Writing: Data Analysis: Cleaning of Data, Editing, Coding, Tabular representation of data,
frequency tables, Univariate analysis - Interpretation of Mean, Median Mode; Standard deviation, Coefficient of Variation.
Graphical Representation of Data: Appropriate Usage of Bar charts, Pie charts, Line charts, Histograms. Bivariate Analysis:
Cross tabulations, Bivariate Correlation Analysis - meaning & types of correlation, Karl Person’s coefficient of correlation and
spearman’s rank correlation. Chi-square test including testing hypothesis of association, association of attributes. Linear
Regression Analysis: Meaning of regression, Purpose and use, linear regression; Interpretation of regression co-efficient,
Applications in business scenarios. Test of Significance: Small sample tests: t (Mean, proportion) and F tests, Z test. Non-
parametric tests: Binomial test of proportion, Randomness test. Analysis of Variance: One way and two-way Classifications.
Research Reports: Structure of Research report, Report writing and Presentation. (10+1)
 Suggested Text Books:
 1. Business Research Methods, Donald Cooper &
Pamela Schindler, TMGH.
 2. Business Research Methods, Alan Bryman & Emma
Bell, Oxford University Press.
 3. Research Methods for Social Work, Allen, Earl R.
Babbie, Cengage.
 4. Research Methods in Business Studies: A Practical
Guide, Pervez Ghauri, Dr Kjell Gronhaug, FT Prentice
Hall.

 Suggested Reference Books:

 1. Business Research Methods, William G. Zikmund,
Barry J. Babin, Jon C. Carr, Mitch Griffin, Cengage
Learning.
Outcome Based Education
 Outcome = Performance, which means
 There must be a performer-
Students/Teacher
 There must something performable
 The focus is performance not activity
Key Concepts in OBE
 Program Educational Objective(PEO)- To
attain within a few years after graduation(
MBA Program)
 Graduate Attribute(GA)- Qualities, Knowledge
and capabilities that students are
encouraged to develop.
 Program Outcome(PO)- Narrow statements
that describes what students are expected to
know and perform by the time of graduation
 Program Specific Outcome(PSO)- Narrow
statements that describes what students of a
particular specialization are expected to
know by the time of graduation
 Course Outcome(CO)- Specific statements
that describes the complex performances
with in the course.
 Teaching Learning Activity(TLA)- Pedagogical
tools and techniques
 Outcome Based Assessment(OBA)- course
teacher to first identify what it is that we
expect students to be able to do once they
completed a course.
 LTP-Lecture, Tutorial and Practice
 Session- of 60 minutes
 Business Research Methods (104)
Comprehensive Concurrent Evaluation(CCE)
Course Type:
GC Credits-3
Course Cognitive Small Group Simulation
Class Test Total
Outcome Ability Project Exercise
1 Remembering 15 15
2 Understanding 10 10
3 Applying 15 15
4 Analysing 10 10
5 Evaluating 15 15
6 Creating 10 10
25 25 25 75
What is Research?
A scientific and systematic investigation
specially through search for new facts in
any branch of knowledge to solve the
problem from known to unknown.
What is Research?
RE SEARCH

Again Find
What is research?
 Search Again
 Search for knowledge
 Scientific investigation
 Systematized effort
 Known to the unknown
Research Methods and
Methodology
 Research Methods: Methods that the
researcher adopts for conducting
research
 Research Methodology: Is the way the
problems are solved.
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
 To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to
achieve new insights into it ( Exploratory
Research )
 To portray accurately the characteristics of a
particular individual, situation or a
group(Descriptive Research )
 To determine the frequency with which
something occurs or with which it is
associated with something else(Experimental
Research)
MOTIVATION IN RESEARCH

 Desire to get a research degree along with its

consequential benefits.
 Desire to face the challenge in solving the
unsolved problems.
 Desire to get intellectual joy of doing some
creative work.
 Desire to be of service to society
 Directives of government
 Curiosity about new things
 Desire to understand causal relationships etc.
Characteristics of Research
 First hand information
 Solution of the problem
 Carefully designed process
 Development of generalizations of ideas
 Requires expertizes
 Accurate observation
 Scientific and logical
 Carefully record the facts
 Known to unknown
Qualities of Good Researcher
What is Business Research?
 Business research is a systematic inquiry that
helps to solve business problems and
contributes to management knowledge and
making business decisions.
 The process of undertaking a
detailed study of all the areas of
a business including its customers and
the market and effectively using such
information gathered in maximizing the sales
and profit of the business.
 It Is an applied research.
Types of Business Research
 Research can be understood in two different
ways
1. To solve the current problem faced by
manager in the organization, called as
applied research
2. To generate a body of knowledge about
how to solve problems that could be
occurred in the organization, called
fundamental or basic research.
3. It is also pure research.
Examples of Applied Research
 Packages sales increased by 200% from
2001 to 2008. but the sales decreased by
6% in 2009. What is the reason for this
decrease?
 The question is: what will Packages do
about this problem?
Examples of Basic Research
 University professors engage in basic research in
an effort to understand and generate more
knowledge about various aspects of businesses,
such as: How to improve the effectiveness of
information systems ?
 How to integrate technology into the overall
strategic objectives of an organization.
 How to increase the productivity of the
employees.
 How to increase the effectiveness of small
businesses.
 These findings later become useful for application
in business situations.
Distinction Between Applied
and Basic Research
 Applied research is specifically aimed at
solving a currently experienced problem.
 Basic research has a broader objective of
generating knowledge and understanding of
phenomena and problems that occur in
various organizational settings.
 Both types of research follow the same steps
of systematic inquiry to arrive at solutions to
problems.
Need/Benefits of Business
Research
 It helps to identify opportunities and
threats in the marketplace.
 Business research is used to plan
investments and financial outcomes
effectively.
 It helps you build a better market position.
 It can keep you updated with current
trends and innovations in the market.
Need/Benefits of Business
Research
 Business Research helps you
communicate with current and potential
customers in a better way.
 It helps you minimize risks.
 Know about your competitors.
 Testing your product before lunch.
 Won't go out of business.
 Business growth
Need/Benefits of Business
Research
 It is to solve day to day problem?
 It provides the knowledge and skills to
solve the problem and meet the
challenges of todays modern place of
development.
 Increased role of information technology
 Active role of stakeholders
 Management Dilemma:
 A useful way to approach the research process is to state basic
dilemma that prompts the research, known as management
dilemma.
 Research question begins at the most general level with
management dilemma. This is usually a symptom of an actual
problem, such as;
 Rising cost
 Declining sales
 Increasing employee turnover in a restaurant
 A large number of product defects during the manufacturer of an
automobile.
 Increasing number of letters and phone complains about post
purchase service of the company.
 Identify management dilemmas is not difficult, unless the
organization fails to track its performance factors like sales,
profit, employee turnover, manufacturing output, customer
satisfaction, etc. however , choosing one dilemma on which to
focus may be difficult.
 Choosing incorrect may not provide critical decision making.
Management Question:

A restatement of manager’s dilemma(s) in

question form.
 The definition of management question
sets the research work. A poorly defined
management question will misdirect
research effort.
 What should be done to improve the
complete care program for the product
repair and servicing of the company?
Research Question:

 The questions that focus the researcher’s

attention.
 A question which the research sets out to
answer.
 Helps refine broad topics into
researchable variables.
Examples of Research
question

 Should the tech support operator be given

more intensive training in the company?
 Should XYZ courier service be replaced by air
transport service?
 Should the return packing be modified to
include remodeled rigid foam inserts or
conforming expanding foam protection?
 Should metro politician repair centers be
established to complement or replace in
factory repair facilities?
Investigation Question:

 Questions the researcher must answer to

satisfactory answer the research question,
what the manager feels to know to arrive
at a conclusion about management
dilemma.
Research Process
 Series
of various actions which are
necessary to effective research work.
Research Process
Thank You