BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

Course Description:

A course in Business Research Methods (BRM) aims at creation of ability as well as willingness
for evidence based thinking and action in different business situations and functions. Situations
and functions that require application of BRM emanate in courses which deal primarily with
managerial decision making. Though a course in BRM is covered in semester I, its applications
continue throughout the PGDM programme in helping managers in analysis and/or planning.
Further, the course is essential as it would enhance the quality of projects that the students would
be undertaking during their summer internship.

Course Objectives:
Main objectives of this course are:
1. To understand the concept and process of business research in business environment.
2. To know the appropriate use of tools and techniques for exploratory, conclusive and
causal research.
3. To understand the concept of measurement in empirical systems.
4. To understand the concept of sampling and its types and techniques.
5. To use appropriate statistical techniques for analysis of research data.

Content:
UNIT – I
1. Foundations of Research (6 Hours)

(a) Research: (1.5 Hours)

(i) Definition, Why study Business Research? What is good research?

(ii) Decision Support System, Business Intelligence,

(iii) Research applications in functional areas of Business, Emerging trends in

Business research

(b) Language of Research: (1.5 Hours)

(i) Concept, construct, proposition, hypothesis, research question, constant,

variable

(c) Steps in Research Process: (1.5 Hours)

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 (i) From Problem Definition to Report Writing

(d) Management-Research Question Hierarchy: (1 Hour)

(i) Formulation of Research Problem

(ii) Management Question

(iii) Research Question

(iv) Investigation Question

(e) Research Proposal: (1 Hour)

(i) Elements of a Research Proposal

(ii) Drafting a Research Proposal

(iii) Evaluating a research proposal

Case Study Presentation –I

UNIT – II
2. Literature Review &Research Design (8 Hours)
(a) Literature Review: How to conduct and write review of literature, Writing
Annotated Bibliography, Use of Reference Management Application (Mendeley)
(1.5 Hours)
(b) Research Design: Concept, Features of a good research design, Use of a good
research design (1 Hour)

(c) Qualitative research and Quantitative research approaches: Comparison - Pros and
Cons of both approaches. Types of Qualitative Research (1 Hour)

(d) Exploratory Research Design: (1.5 Hours)

Concept, Types: Qualitative techniques - Projective Techniques, Depth Interview,
Experience Survey, Focus Groups, Observation.

(e) Descriptive Research Designs: Concept, types and uses. Concept of Cross-
sectional and Longitudinal Research, (1 Hour)

(f) Experimental Design: Concept of Cause, Causal relationships, types of variables,

Concept of Independent & Dependent variables, concomitant variable, extraneous
variable, Treatment, Control group. (Elementary conceptual treatment expected)
(1 Hour)

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 (g) Hypothesis: Qualities of a good Hypothesis –Framing Null Hypothesis &
Alternative Hypothesis. Concept of Hypothesis Testing – Logic, Importance & Steps
(1 Hour)
Case Study Presentation –II

ASSIGNMENT
UNIT – III

3. Measurement & Data (6 Hours)

(a) Concept of Measurement: What is measured? Problems in measurement in

management research - Validity and Reliability. Different types of Validity and
Reliability measurement, Levels of measurement - Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio.
(1.5 Hours)
(b) 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. (1 Hour)

(c) Types of Data - Secondary Data: Definition, Sources, Characteristics, Searching

World Wide Web for data, Issues to be considered for secondary data, sufficiency,
adequacy, reliability, consistency. (1 Hour)

(d) Types of Data - Primary Data: Definition, Advantages and disadvantages over
secondary data. (1 Hour)

(e) Questionnaire Method: (1.5 Hours)

Questionnaire Vs. Schedule, Questionnaire Construction - Personal Interviews,
Telephonic survey Interviewing, Email/Internet survey, Google Forms, online survey
sites, their utility, and constraints.

Case Study Presentation –III

Class Test (20 Marks): (It covers from Topic/Unit no 1 to 3 of the syllabus)
UNIT – IV
4. Sampling (3 Hours)
(a) Basic Concepts: Defining the Universe, Element Vs. Unit, Concepts of Statistical
Population, Sample, Characteristics of a good sample. Sampling Frame, Sampling errors,
Non Sampling errors, Methods to reduce the errors, Sample Size constraints, Non
Response. (1 Hour)
(b) Probability Sample: Simple Random Sampling, Systematic Sampling, Stratified
Sampling, Area Sampling & Cluster Sampling. (1 Hour)

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 (c) Non Probability Sample: Judgment Sampling, Convenience Sampling, Purposive
Sampling, Quota Sampling & Snowball Sampling methods. Determining size of the
sample - Practical considerations in sampling and sample size, (sample size determination
formulae and numerical not expected). (1 Hour)
Case Study Presentation –IV
QUIZ & PRESENTATION

UNIT – V

5. Data Analysis & Report Writing (7 Hours)

(a) Data Analysis: Editing, Coding, Univariate analysis - Tabular representation of
data, frequency tables, Construction of frequency distributions and their analysis.
(1.5 Hours)
(b) Graphical Representation of Data: Appropriate Usage of Bar charts, Pie charts,
Histogram, Leaf and stem, Candle stick, Box plots. (1.5 Hours)

(c) Bivariate Analysis: Cross tabulations, Use of percentages, Bivariate Correlation

Analysis - meaning & types of correlation, Karl Pearson’s coefficient of correlation;
Scatter plots, Chi-square test including testing hypothesis of association. (1.5 Hours)

(d) Linear Regression Analysis: Meaning and concept of two lines of regression;
relationship between correlation and regression co-efficient. (1.5 Hours)

(e) Test of Significance: (1.5 Hours)

(Mean, proportion) and F tests, Z test, Analysis of Variance: One way and two‐way
Classifications.

(f) Research Reports: Structure of Research report, Report writing and Presentation.
(1 Hour)
Case Study Presentation –V
Total (30 Hours)
Text Book:
1. Business Research Methods William G. Zikmund, Barry J. Babin, Jon C. Carr, Mitch
Griffin, Cengage Learning, 8th Edition.
Reference Books:
1. Business Research Methods Donald Cooper & Pamela Schindler, TMGH, 9th Edition.
2. Research Methods: The Basics Nicholas S. R. Walliman, Nicholas Walliman, Routledge,
1st Edition.
3. Business Research Methods Alan Bryman& Emma Bell, Oxford University Press, 2nd
Edition.
4. Research Methods for Social Work Allen, Earl R. Babbie, Cengage, 7th Edition.

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