3-1

Chapter 3
The Business
Research
Process:
An Overview

McGrawHill/Irwin

2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights

Reserved.

3-2

Learning Objectives
Understand
that research is decision- and
dilemma-centered
that the clarified research question is the
result of careful exploration and analysis
and sets the direction for the research project

3-3

Learning Objectives
how value assessments and budgeting
influence the process for proposing
research, and ultimately, research design
what is included in research design, data
collection, and data analysis
which research process problems to avoid

3-4

The primary
purpose of
research is to
reduce the level of
risk of a business
decision

3-5

Exhibit 3-1
The Business Research Process

3-6

Stage 1 Clarifying the

Research Question

Management-research question
hierarchy
Begins with management
dilemma

3-7

Exhibit 3-2 ManagementResearch Question Hierarchy

3-8

Exhibit 3-5 SalePros

Hierarchy

3-9

Exhibit 3-3 Formulating

the Research Question

3-10

Types of Management
Questions

3-11

The Research Question

Break
Break
questions
questions
down
down

Examine
Examine
variables
variables
Determine
Determine
necessary
necessary
evidence
evidence

Fine-Tuning
Fine-Tuning

Evaluate
Evaluate
hypotheses
hypotheses

Set
Set
scope
scope of
of
study
study

3-12

Investigative Questions
Performance
Performance Considerations
Considerations

Attitudinal
Attitudinal Issues
Issues

Behavioral
Behavioral Issues
Issues

2002 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., McGraw-Hill/Irwin

3-13

Harris Interactive
answers Why?
for its research
clients

3-14

Stage 2 Proposing
Research
Exhibit 3-7
Budget Types
Rule-of-thumb
Departmental
Task

3-15

Exhibit 3-6 Gantt Chart

MindWriter
Project Plan

3-16

Evaluating the Value of

Research
Option
Option Analysis
Analysis
Decision
Decision Theory
Theory
Prior
Prior or
or Interim
Interim Evaluation
Evaluation
Ex
Ex Post
Post Facto
Facto Evaluation
Evaluation

3-17

The Research Proposal

Purpose
Purpose
LegallyLegallybinding
binding
contract
contract
Obligations
Obligations

Methods

Written
Written
proposals
proposals
establish
establish

Extent
Extent

Timing
Timing

Delivery
Budgets
Budgets

3-18

Stage 3

Designing
Designing
the
the
Research
Research
Project
Project

Research
Research
Design
Design
Sampling
Sampling
Design
Design
Pilot
Pilot Testing
Testing

3-19

Stage 4 Data Collection

Data Characteristics
Abstractness
Verifiability
Elusiveness
Closeness

3-20

Stage 5 Data Analysis and

Interpretation
Reducing
Reducing data
data to
to manageable
manageable size
size

Developing
Developing summaries
summaries
Looking
Looking for
for patterns
patterns
Applying
Applying statistical
statistical techniques
techniques

2002 McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., McGraw-Hill/Irwin

3-21

Stage 6 Reporting the

Results
Research
Overview

Executive
Summary

Research
Research
Report
Report
Technical
Appendix

Implementation
Strategies

3-22

The Research Overview

Problems
Problems background
background

Summary
Summary of
of exploratory
exploratory findings
findings
Research
Research design
design and
and procedures
procedures

Conclusions
Conclusions

3-23

Research Process Issues

The Favored-Technique
Syndrome
Company Database StripMining
Unresearchable
Questions
Ill-Defined Management
Problems
Politically Motivated
Research

3-24

Key Terms
Census
Data
Primary data
Secondary data
Data analysis
Decision rule
exploration
Investigative
questions

Management dilemma
Management question
Management-research
question hierarchy
Measurement questions
Pilot test
Research design
Research process
Research questions
Sample