Business

 Research

Assistant  Prof  Dr.  Hla  Theingi  

@copyright  Assist  Prof  Dr.  Hla  Theingi 1

 Nature  of  Business  Research    
For managers: the purpose of research is to
provide knowledge regarding the organization, the
market, the economy or another area of
uncertainty.
•  Will the long terms financing be better two
years from now?
•  What kind of training is necessary for
production employee?
•  What is the reason for the company’s high
employee’s turnover?
William G. Zikmund (2012)

@copyright  Assist  Prof  Dr.  Hla  Theingi 2

 Business  Research    
The application of scientific method in searching
for the truth about business phenomena.

Basic research

Applied research

William G. Zikmund (2012)

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 Basic  Research  
•  A<empts  to  expand  the  
limits  of  knowledge.  
•  Not  for  parBcular  
organizaBon.  
•  Not  directly  involved  in  
the  soluBon  to  a  
pragmaBc  problem.  
William G. Zikmund (2012)

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 Basic  Research  Example  
•  Is  execuBve  success  correlated  with  high  need  
for  achievement?  
•  Are  members  of  highly  cohesive  work  groups    
more  saBsfied  than  members  of  less  cohesive  
work  groups?  

William G. Zikmund (2012)

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 Applied  Research  
•  Conducted  when  a  decision  must  be  made  
about  a  specific  real-­‐life  problem  
•  to  address  a  specific  business  decision  for  a  
specific  firm  or  organizaBon  
 Applied  or  Basic  research
•  Should  coca  cola  increase  the  size  of  its  can?  
•  Is  there  any  relaBonship  between  the  use  of  
coupon  and  sales  revenue?  
•  Should  7-­‐11  increases  its  stores  in  down  town  
area  of  Bangkok?  
•  Does  the  characterisBcs  of  CEOs  influence  the  
success  of  the  company?    
•  Should  Procter  &  Gamble  add  a  high-­‐priced  
home  teeth  bleaching  kit  to  its  product  line?  
 Applied  Research  Examples  
•  Should  McDonalds  add  Italian  pasta  dinners  to  
its  menu?  
•  Should  Procter  &  Gamble  add  a  high-­‐priced  
home  teeth  bleaching  kit  to  its  product  line?  

William G. Zikmund (2012)

@copyright  Assist  Prof  Dr.  Hla  Theingi 8

 How  Management  uses  it  

•  Planning  (segmentaBon,  demand  esBmaBon,  

environmental  assessment)  
•  Problem  solving  (Think  of  some  examples?  )  
•  Control  (customer  saBsfacBon,  company  image)  
 Data  versus  InformaBon  
•    Data—the   raw   facts—record   measures   of  
certain  phenomena  (things  or  events)  
 
•  Informa+on—facts   in   a   form   suitable   for  
managers  to  base  decisions  on.  
 Types  Of  Research  
•  Exploratory  
•  DescripBve  
•  Causal  

William G. Zikmund (2012)

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A Classification of Market Research Designs

Research Design

Exploratory Research Conclusive Research

Design Design

Descriptive Causal Research

Research

Cross-Sectional Longitudinal
Design Design

Dr. Theingi
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 Exploratory  Research  
•  IniBal  research  conducted  to  clarify  and  define  
the  nature  of  a  problem  
•  Does  not  provide  conclusive  evidence  
•  Subsequent  research  expected  

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Exploratory Research
Literature review
Secondary data

Experience survey

Pilot studies
Pretest
Focus group

William G. Zikmund (2012)

@copyright  Assist  Prof  Dr.  Hla  Theingi 14  

 DescripBve  Research  
•  Describes  characterisBcs  of  objects,  people,  
groups,  organizaBons,  populaBon,  
environments  or  phenomenon.  
•  Some  understanding  of  the  nature  of  the  
problem  by  addressing  who,  what,  when,  
where  and  how  quesBons.  

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 Causal  Research  
•  Conducted  to  idenBfy  cause  and  effect  
relaBonships  

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 Uncertainty  Influences  the  Type  of  
Research  

CAUSAL OR COMPLETELY ABSOLUTE EXPLORATORY

DESCRIPTIVE CERTAIN AMBIGUITY

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 Stages of the Research Process
Problem Discovery Discovery and
and Definition Definition

Research and so on
Design Conclusions and
Report

Sampling
Data Processing
and Analysis
Data
Gathering

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Problem Discovery Problem Selection of
and Definition discovery exploratory research
technique
Sampling

Selection of
exploratory research
technique Probability Nonprobability

Secondary
Experience Pilot Case Collection of
(historical) Data
survey study study data
data Gathering
(fieldwork)

Data
Editing and
Problem definition Processing
coding
(statement of and
Analysis data
research objectives)

Data
Selection of processing
Research Design basic research
method Conclusions
Interpretation
and Report
of
findings
Experiment Survey
Secondary
Laboratory Field Interview Questionnaire Observation
Data Study
Report

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The Business Research Process

Problem Selection of
Discovery Sample Design

Exploratory Collection of the

Research Data

Selection of the
Basic Research
Method

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The Research Process (cont.)

Editing and Report

Coding

Data Processing

Interpretation of
the Findings

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 Cross Sectional vs. Longitudinal Designs

Cross Sample
Sectional Surveyed
Design at T1

Same
Sample Sample
Longitudinal also
Surveyed
Design Surveyed
at T1
at T2

Time T1 T2 Dr. Theingi

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 ScienBfic  Method  
Prior  Knowledge      ObservaBon
     Hypothesis  
    Hypothesis  TesBng  
     Conclusion  (New  Knowledge)  
 
The  analysis  and  interpretaBon  of  empirical  
evidence  (facts  from  observaBon  or  
experimentaBon)  to  confirm  or  disprove  prior  
concepBons.  
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 The  ScienBfic  Method:    
  William G. Zikmund (2012)

Assess
Formulate Statement
relevant Design
concepts & of
existing research
Propositions Hypotheses
knowledge

Provide
Acquire Analyze &
explanation-
empirical evaluate
state new
data data
problem

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 Determining  When  to  Conduct  
Business  Research  
Availability of Data Benefits
Time Constraints Nature of the Decision vs. Costs
Is the infor- Does the value
Is sufficient time Is the decision Conducting
Yes mation already Yes Yes of the research Yes
available before of considerable
a managerial
on hand
strategic
information Business
inadequate exceed the cost
decision
for making
or tactical
of conducting Research
must be made? importance?
the decision? research?

No No No No

Do Not Conduct Business Research

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 Major  Topics  for  Research  in  
Business  
•  General  Business  CondiBons  and  Corporate  Research  
•  Financial  and  AccounBng  Research  
•  Management  and  OrganizaBonal  Behavior  Research  
•  Sales  and  MarkeBng  Research  
•  InformaBon  Systems  Research  
•  Corporate  Responsibility  Research  

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 Global  Business  Research  
•  General  informaBon  about  country  -­‐  economic  
condiBons  and  poliBcal  climate  
•  Cultural  and  consumer  factors  
•  Market  and  compeBBve  condiBons  -­‐  demand  
esBmaBon  

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 ScienBfic  Business  Researchers  
Operate  at  Two  Levels  
•  Abstract  level    
–  concepts    
–  proposiBons  
•  Empirical  level  
–  variables  
–  hypotheses  

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 DefiniBons  
•  Abstract  level  -­‐In  theory  development,  the  
level  of  knowledge  expressing  a  concept  that  
exists  only  as  an  idea  or  a  quality  apart  from  
an  object.  
•  Empirical  level  -­‐Level  of  knowledge  reflecBng  
that  which  is  verifiable  by  experience  or  
observaBon.  

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Theory  Building  A  Process  Of  
Increasing  AbstracBon  

Theories

Increasingly more
Propositions

Concepts

abstract
Observation of objects
and events (reality )
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 Concepts  are  AbstracBons  of  
Reality  

Abstract CONCEPTS
Level

Empirical OBSERVATION OF OBJECTS

Level AND EVENTS (REALITY)
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