INTERNATIONAL AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

KING’S COLLEGE

Program: MBA Semester: IV Course Title: Research Methodology

Course Description
This course has been designed keeping in view the professional learning needs of
the management graduates by empowering their knowledge, skill and competence
to understand, design and execute a research and research-based project in a more
systematic and objective manner. The course covers basic understanding of
research process, alternative approaches of research and its designs, understanding
the sampling techniques and taking relevant sampling decisions, determining the
different sources and techniques of data collection, development and testing of data
collection instruments. Besides this, the course also provides opportunity to learn
with practice the process of data preparation, analysis and report writing.

Course Objectives
After the completion of this course, the participating graduates will be able to --
a. identify the issues worth research,
b. establish relevant research approach and design as per the need of the
context,
c. perform sampling decisions,
d. develop and perform the validity and reliability tests of the data collection
instruments,
e. administer the research,
f. perform data processing and analysis,
g. develop research report, make a presentation and incorporate client
feedback, and
h. produce the final report in specific following structure.

Course Details and Session Planning

Unit Titles Subtitles of thematic Sessi Remarks
s contents ons
I Research in 1. Meaning and importance 1 Lecture and class
Perspectives of research in corporate life discussions
2. Applications of research in
business
3. Classification of types of 2
research
4. Research process
5. Theoretical perspectives in 3
research designs
6. Guidelines for conducting 4-5 Collective discussions on
Thesis Research and Thesis Research and
Internship Project Internship Project
Guidelines of King’s
College

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II Linking 7. Basic principles of
Literature performing review of literature
and 8. Performing text citation
Research 9. Preparing bibliography and
list of references
Assessment: Term I
III Designing 10. Exploration of research
the gap
Research 11. Selecting and defining the
research problem
12. Selecting the research
methods and approaches
13. Alternative research
designs and their
interdependence
14. Defining the population
15. Establishing the units of
observation
16. Developing sampling
frames
17. Determining the census
and sampling decisions
18. Determining the sample
size
19. Various approaches of
data collection
20. Development and testing
of data collection tools
21. Establishing mechanism
for research administration
and quality control
22. Establishing work schedule
and budgeting
23. Features of an effective
research proposal
Assessment: Term II
IV Fielding the 24. Administration of research
Research project
V Data 25. Basic features and
Processing applications of SPSS in data
and Analysis preparation and analysis
26. Establishing data entry
sheets in SPSS
Developed for King’s College, Kathmandu Nepal, by C P Rijal, PhD
6-7 Guided lectures
supported by evidence-
based teaching learning
8-9 Establish problems for
exploration in your
proposed Thesis
Research and Internship
Project
10 Establish approaches in
your proposed Thesis
Research and Internship
Project
11-12 Apply the selected
designs in your proposed
Thesis Research and
Internship Project
13-14 Apply it for your
proposed Thesis
Research and Internship
Project
15-16
17-19 Develop your data
collection instruments for
proposed projects
20 Replicate it in your
proposed projects
21-22 Develop the work
schedules for your
proposed projects
23-24 Make presentations on
your final proposals for
Thesis Research and
Internship Project
25-26 Class lecture
27 Computer lab-based
practical works
28
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 27. Performing data analysis
using large scale research 29-30
data
VI Preparing 28. Developing the first draft, 31-33 Make a presentation of
the edit the report, making a your project report drafts
Research presentation and incorporating
Report feedback and producing final
report for submission
VII Understandi 29. Considerations of ethics on 34 Closing lectures by the
ng the research design, course facilitator
Ethical administration, treating the
Consideratio various agencies involved, and
ns in reporting of facts and figures
Research

Expected outcomes:
After the completion of this course under my supervision, I expect you to be on the lead to
independently design, execute and maintain quality control of a research project. More
importantly, you will accomplish your Internship Project and Thesis Research with
confidence. – Dr Rijal

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Evaluation Criteria and Allocation of Weightage for Research Methodology
Type of Activities Total Final
Evaluation Marks Weightage
Internal 1. Class participation and 100
management research aptitude audit
2. Thematic presentation (group) 50
3. Term examinations (2 x 100) 200
4. Design of internship project 50
(individual)
5. Design of thesis project 100
(individual)
Total 500 40%
External Semester-end examinations 100 60%
Grand Total 500 100%

Evaluation Criteria of Internship Project Report

S Particulars Total Marks
N Marks Obtain
ed
1 Project design 15

2 Innovation and creative thinking 10

3 Situation analysis 10

4 Problem exploration 10

5 Exploration of problem solution 15

6 Study conclusions 10

7 Recommendations 10

8 Documentation and formatting 20

Grand Total 100

Evaluation Criteria of Thesis Research Report

S Particulars Total Marks
N Marks Obtain
ed
1 Relevance and innovativeness of research idea 5

2 Research gap analysis 5

3 Problem definitions 15

4 Research designs 15

5 Population definition and sampling strategies 15

6 Instrumentation 10

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 7 Data processing and analysis 15

8 Production of discussions 5

9 Study conclusions 5

10 Recommendations 5

11 Overall explicability and impression 5

Grand Total 100

Semester Plan (MBA: IV)

SN Activities Tentative Remarks
o Datelines
1 Commencement of semester May 15, 2011
2 Placement in internship project June 15, 2011
3 Approval of thesis research and June 30, 2011
internship project designs
4 Completion of thematic teaching August 15, 2011
learning of the semester
5 Submission of final draft of Internship August 31, 2011
Project
6 Final presentation and submission of September 2-5,
Internship Project 2011
7 Final examinations September 8-14,
2011
8 Submission of final draft of Thesis September 25-30,
Research 2011
9 Final presentation and submission of October 20-25,
Thesis Research 2011
10 Convocation documentation release December 10, 2011 Needs university
consultation

Basic Textbooks
1. Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2003). Business Research Methods. (10th ed.).
McGraw-Hill/Irwin: ND.
2. Malhotra, N., & Dash, S. (2010). Marketing Research: An Applied Approach.
PHI: ND.

Developed for King’s College, Kathmandu Nepal, by C P Rijal, PhD Page 5

 In-semester Performance Evaluation Sheet
Evaluation Activities
Participatio Thematic Ter Ter Internsh Thesis Full Conversi
ID Name of the n and Presentati m m ip Resear Mark on
Student Manageme on Exa Exa Project ch s
nt mI m Design Design
Research II
aptitude
100 50 100 100 50 100 500 40

Signed by: Date:

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