Research Methods for Busin i i i
ess
Chapter 1 Introduction to research
i i i
What is research?
i i
Researchiisisimplyitheiprocessiofifindingisolutionsitoiaiproblemiafteriaithoroughistudyiandianalysisiofith
eisituationalifactors.
Business Research i
Businessiresearchicanibeidescribediasiaisystematiciandiorganizedieffortitoiinvestigateiaispecificiproble
miencounterediinitheiworkisetting,iwhichineedsiaisolution.iResearchiinvolvesiaiseriesiofiwell-ithought-
outiandicarefullyiexecutedidataianalysesithatihelpiaimanageritoiavoid,isolveioriminimizeiaiproblem.
Definitioniofibusinessiresearch
Weicaninowidefineibusinessiresearchiasianiorganized,isystematic,idata-
based,icritical,iobjective,iinquiryioriinvestigationiintoiaispecificiproblem,iundertakeniwithitheipurposeiofifi
ndingianswersiorisolutionsitoiit.iResearchiprovidesitheinecessaryiinformationithatiguidesimanagersitoim
akeiinformedidecisionsitoisuccessfullyidealsiwithiproblems.iTheiinformationicouldibeitheiresultiofiaicaref
ulianalysisiofidataigatheredifirst-
handioriofidataithatiareialreadyiavailablei(initheicompany,iindustry,iarchives,ietc.)iTheseidataicanibeiquan
titativei(quantitativeidataiareidataiinitheiformiofinumbersiasigenerallyigatheredithroughistructurediques
tions)ioriqualitativei(qualitativeidataiareidataiinitheiformiofiwordsiasigeneratedifromitheibroadianswersit
oiquestionsiiniinterviewsiorifromiresponsesitoiopen-endediquestionsietc.)
Researchianditheimanager
Iniaccounting,ibudgeticontrolisystems,ipractices,iandiproceduresiareifrequentlyiexamined,
Inifinance,itheioperationsiofifinancialiinstitutions,ioptimumifinancialirations,imergersiandiacquisitions,i
leveragedibuyouts,iincorporateifinancing,iyieldsionimortgages,ibehavoiriofistockiexchanges,ietc.ibeco
meitheifocusiofiinvestigation
Managementiresearchicouldiencompassitheistudyiofiemployeeiattitudesiandibehaviors,iHRM,itheiim
pactiofichangingidemographicsionimanagementipractices,iproductionsioperationsimanagement,istra
tegyiformulation,iinformationisystems,ianditheilike.
Marketingiresearchicouldiaddressiissuesipertainingitoiconsumeridecisionimaking,icustomerisatisfactionia
ndiloyalty,imarketingisegmentation,icreatingicompetitiveiadvantage,iproductiimage,ielementsiofimarketi
ngimix,iandiotherimarketingiaspects.
Types of business research: Applied and Basic
i i i i i i
Appliediresearch
- Toisolveiaicurrentiproblemifacedibyiaimanager
- Appliesitoiaispecificicompany
- Carriedioutiwithinifirmsioriresearchiagencies
Basic,ifundamentalioripureiresearch
- Toigenerateinewiknowledgeiaboutihowiproblemsithatioccuriiniseveralifirmsicanibeisol
ved
- Appliesitoiseveraliorganizationalisettings
- Carriedioutiwithiniuniversitiesiandiknowledgeiinstitutes
ess
Chapter 1 Introduction to research
i i i
What is research?
i i
Researchiisisimplyitheiprocessiofifindingisolutionsitoiaiproblemiafteriaithoroughistudyiandianalysisiofith
eisituationalifactors.
Business Research i
Businessiresearchicanibeidescribediasiaisystematiciandiorganizedieffortitoiinvestigateiaispecificiproble
miencounterediinitheiworkisetting,iwhichineedsiaisolution.iResearchiinvolvesiaiseriesiofiwell-ithought-
outiandicarefullyiexecutedidataianalysesithatihelpiaimanageritoiavoid,isolveioriminimizeiaiproblem.
Definitioniofibusinessiresearch
Weicaninowidefineibusinessiresearchiasianiorganized,isystematic,idata-
based,icritical,iobjective,iinquiryioriinvestigationiintoiaispecificiproblem,iundertakeniwithitheipurposeiofifi
ndingianswersiorisolutionsitoiit.iResearchiprovidesitheinecessaryiinformationithatiguidesimanagersitoim
akeiinformedidecisionsitoisuccessfullyidealsiwithiproblems.iTheiinformationicouldibeitheiresultiofiaicaref
ulianalysisiofidataigatheredifirst-
handioriofidataithatiareialreadyiavailablei(initheicompany,iindustry,iarchives,ietc.)iTheseidataicanibeiquan
titativei(quantitativeidataiareidataiinitheiformiofinumbersiasigenerallyigatheredithroughistructurediques
tions)ioriqualitativei(qualitativeidataiareidataiinitheiformiofiwordsiasigeneratedifromitheibroadianswersit
oiquestionsiiniinterviewsiorifromiresponsesitoiopen-endediquestionsietc.)
Researchianditheimanager
Iniaccounting,ibudgeticontrolisystems,ipractices,iandiproceduresiareifrequentlyiexamined,
Inifinance,itheioperationsiofifinancialiinstitutions,ioptimumifinancialirations,imergersiandiacquisitions,i
leveragedibuyouts,iincorporateifinancing,iyieldsionimortgages,ibehavoiriofistockiexchanges,ietc.ibeco
meitheifocusiofiinvestigation
Managementiresearchicouldiencompassitheistudyiofiemployeeiattitudesiandibehaviors,iHRM,itheiim
pactiofichangingidemographicsionimanagementipractices,iproductionsioperationsimanagement,istra
tegyiformulation,iinformationisystems,ianditheilike.
Marketingiresearchicouldiaddressiissuesipertainingitoiconsumeridecisionimaking,icustomerisatisfactionia
ndiloyalty,imarketingisegmentation,icreatingicompetitiveiadvantage,iproductiimage,ielementsiofimarketi
ngimix,iandiotherimarketingiaspects.
Types of business research: Applied and Basic
i i i i i i
Appliediresearch
- Toisolveiaicurrentiproblemifacedibyiaimanager
- Appliesitoiaispecificicompany
- Carriedioutiwithinifirmsioriresearchiagencies
Basic,ifundamentalioripureiresearch
- Toigenerateinewiknowledgeiaboutihowiproblemsithatioccuriiniseveralifirmsicanibeisol
ved
- Appliesitoiseveraliorganizationalisettings
- Carriedioutiwithiniuniversitiesiandiknowledgeiinstitutes
