Business research method

Assignment 1:

Brief answer questions

1. What is literature review? State the sources of literature.

Study of previous research books and books with the purpose of knowing the research
issue in detail and find out appropriate methodology is known as a literature review.

Its sources are letters, diaries, speeches autobiographies, interviews, official reports,
court records, artifacts, photographs, and drawings.

2. Mention the major reasons for doing literature review.

There are several reasons why you may conduct a literature review:
1. to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the topic
2. to identify potential areas for research
3. to identify similar work done within the area
4. identifying knowledge gaps that demand further investigation
5. to compare previous findings
6. to critique existing findings and suggest further studies.

3. state the steps of litrerature review.

The steps of literature review are:

1. identifying the relevant sources

2. obtaining literatures
3. reading
4. extracting the relevant information
5. evaluating the content of literature
6. writing up the literature review

4.what is differences between bibliography and reference?

The difference between bibliography and reference is:

Bibliography Reference
 A bibliography is a detailed list of references A reference list is the detailed list of
cited in your work, plus the background readings references that are cited in your work.  
or other material that you may have read, but not
actually cited. 

5.Define theoretical framework.

The theoretical framework is the structure that can hold or support a theory of a
research study. The theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory which
explains why the research problem under study exists.

6.why is theoretical framework being essential to conduct research? Give two

reasons.
The theoretical framework is essential to conduct research bcecause:
1. An explicit statement of theoretical assumptions permits the reader to evaluate
them critically.

2. The theoretical framework connects the researcher to existing knowledge.

Guided by a relevant theory, you are given a basis for your hypotheses and choice
of research methods.

3. Articulating the theoretical assumptions of a research study forces you to

address questions of why and how. It permits you to intellectually transition from
simply describing a phenomenon you have observed to generalizing about various
aspects of that phenomenon.

7. Develop a hypothetical theoretical framework.

8.show any four differences between inductive and deductive research .

The differences between inductive and deductive research are :

Inductive

2.it is bottom-up approach.

analysis is possible.
Deductive
1. In an inductive approach to research, a
1. Researchers taking a deductive
researcher begins by collecting data that is
approach take the steps described earlier
relevant to his or her topic of interest.
for inductive research and reverse their
order.
2.it is top-down approach.
3.more scrutinized information about 3. less scrutinized information about
subject matter. subject matter.
4.there is abundance time so depth 4.there is shortage of time so depth
analaysis is impossible.

9.show differences between research problem and research questions.

The difference between research problem and research question is The research
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question poses the direction of your study as a general question to be answered by your
research. It helps you as a researcher focus on a particular aspect of the overall body of
knowledge that you will frame through your literature review.
A research problem is a way of framing the question as a series of prosaic statements;
that is, the statement of the problem may provide some background and a logical flow
toward the direction of study.

10. distinguish between research hypothesis and research objective.

Difference between research hypothesis and research objective is that

The objectives are the aims and goals of a session of study. It is what you hope to
achieve from the study you will do.

A hypothesis is a tentative theory.the process aims to uncover any flaws in the theory. If
no flaws are uncovered by the experiments, and a paper is written and published in an
well-recognised scientific journal, then the scientist’s peers will review the paper
critically.
11. write format.ite down an example referencing for book and article in APA

Devkota , laxmi prasad. (2001). munamadan:

Short answer questions:

12. what is literature review? Explain its uses in conducting research.

A literature review is a comprehensive summary of previous research on a topic. The

literature review surveys scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to a
particular area of research. The review should enumerate, describe, summarize,
objectively evaluate and clarify this previous research.  It should give a theoretical base
for the research and help you (the author) determine the nature of your research.  The
literature review acknowledges the work of previous researchers, and in so doing,
assures the reader that your work has been well conceived.  It is assumed that by
mentioning a previous work in the field of study, that the author has read, evaluated, and
assimiliated that work into the work at hand.

The uses of literature review are:

 Place each work in the context of its contribution to understanding the
research problem being studied.
 Describe the relationship of each work to the others under consideration.
 Identify new ways to interpret prior research.
 Reveal any gaps that exist in the literature.
 Resolve conflicts amongst seemingly contradictory previous studies.
 Identify areas of prior scholarship to prevent duplication of effort.
 Point the way in fulfilling a need for additional research.
 Locate your own research within the context of existing literature
13. what is research problem? Give any three examples of research problem.

Research problem is a gap between the actual and desired state. A problem could
simply indicate an interest in an issue where finding the right answers might help to
improve an existing situation. Problem definition is clear and precise statement of
question or issue that is to be investigated for finding an answer or solution.

Some examples of research prolems are:

1. What is /are effects of problem effectiveness in on organization performance?

2. What are the components of brand equity?
3. Is the effect investors behavior on investment is moderated by qualification of
employes?

14. define theoretical framework in brief with suitable example.

Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in

many cases, to challenge and extend existing knowledge within the limits of critical
bounding assumptions. The theoretical framework is the structure that can hold or
support a theory of a research study. The theoretical framework introduces and
describes the theory that explains why the research problem under study exists.

The same research topic can be approached very differently within different theoretical
frameworks:

 In psychology, a behaviorist approach to depression would involve different

methods and assumptions than a psychoanalytical approach.
 In economics, wealth inequality would be explained and interpreted differently
within classical economics and Keynesian economics frameworks.

15. what is hypothesis? Show the role of hypothesis in research.

A hypothesis is a statement that defines the relationship between two variables. It

makes decisions for the claims made.

The main reasons for the significance of hypothesis are listed below:
1. Research is conducted under the guidance of hypothesis.
2. Complex problems cannot be solved with a single technique. The hypothesis can
provide multiple techniques to the researcher to solve complex problems.
3. Accuracy and precision are the most important features of hypothesis which is
required for a scientific investigation.
4. The formulation of hypothesis separates the relevant information from irrelevant
information.
5. Hypothesis provides knowledge and direction of the research to the researcher.
6. Hypothesis provides the difference between the true and the false researches.
7. As hypothesis guides the researcher in a proper direction, it saves time, money and
energy.
8. A well-formulated hypothesis provides good, reasonable and proper conclusions.

Hypothesis plays very important roles in scientific research, social research, business
research, education etc. The main role of hypothesis in scientific research is to predict
the results of the future experiments from the hypothesis. Then perform the experiments
to see whether the predictions are supported by the hypothesis.

In social research, the research starts with assumptions and then conclusions are
drawn from the formulated hypothesis.

In business research, hypothesis helps the decision-makers to get new and better ways
to achieve the business goals. It serves as a guidepost between testing and research
methods.

16. describe about deductive and inductive approach of research.

Inductive approach, also known in inductive reasoning, starts with the observations and
theories are proposed towards the end of the research process as a result of
observations.  Inductive research “involves the search for pattern from observation and
the development of explanations – theories – for those patterns through series of
hypotheses. No theories or hypotheses would apply in inductive studies at the
beginning of the research and the researcher is free in terms of altering the direction for
the study after the research process had commenced. This approach aims to generate
meanings from the data set collected in order to identify patterns and relationships to
build a theory; however, inductive approach does not prevent the researcher from using
existing theory to formulate the research question to be explored. Inductive reasoning is
based on learning from experience. Patterns, resemblances and regularities in
experience (premises) are observed in order to reach conclusions (or to generate
theory).

A deductive approach is concerned with “developing a hypothesis (or hypotheses)

based on existing theory, and then designing a research strategy to test the hypothesis”

It has been stated that “deductive means reasoning from the particular to the general. If
a causal relationship or link seems to be implied by a particular theory or case example,
it might be true in many cases. A deductive design might test to see if this relationship
or link did obtain on more general circumstances”.

Deductive approach can be explained by the means of hypotheses, which can be

derived from the propositions of the theory. In other words, deductive approach is
concerned with deducting conclusions from premises or propositions.

Deduction begins with an expected pattern “that is tested against observations, whereas
induction begins with observations and seeks to find a pattern within them”

17. A company is facing the problem of skill defiency that led to the organization
towards the losses. Please develop theoretical frame work

A theoretical frame work is conceptual model that shows the relationship among the
several factors that have been identified as important to the problem.it is prepared after
literature review and interview with the concerned party and defining the problem. A
theoretical framework and hypothesis that shows the relationship among the several
factors that have been identified as important to the problems.
training

Fatigue level
Skill
Organizational
Working enviroment deficiency
loss

Knowledge and skills

Ability

Various factors of employees like their knowledge and skill, training , fatigue level ,
ability and working environment are the independent variables. Skill deficiency at work
place is if a person lacks the necessary and basic skills which are necessary to carry
out mandatory required at workplace to reach the organizational goal. Training helps the
employees to perform their task effectively and efficiently. If employees are not given
training then they cannot perform their work effectively which result skill deficiency.
Proper working environment helps to enhance the performance of the employees. The
level of knowledge and skill also affect work performance. Ability to perform job is
another factor that affects to do task. If employees are provideded with proper training in
their job then they might perform their job better.

18. A textile business enterprise earns double of its last year profit without
recruiting additional employees. As a researcher set the research problem,
research objective and hypothesis required for conducting to findout the success
of the enterprise

A textile industry earns the profit double of its last year profit without recruiting additional
employees but still there are some research problems they are:

Hypothesis :

 New work division causes increase in the efficiency.

 Extra benefits to employes increases efficiency.
 Training program about efficiency level of employee.

Research objective:
 To recognize the fact upon double profit this year compared to last year even
though no recruitment of additional employees

Research problem

There can be various problems while conducting research like

 Management problem
 Research questions problem
 Hypothesis setting problem

19.what is hypothesis? Explain in brief four types of hypothesis with example.

Hypothesis is an assumption that is made on the basis of some evidence. This is the
initial point of any investigation that translates the research questions into a prediction. It
includes components like variables, population and the relation between the variables.
A research hypothesis is a hypothesis that is used to test the relationship between two
or more variables.

Directional Hypothesis
It shows how a researcher is intellectual and committed to a particular outcome. The
relationship between the variables can also predict its nature. For example- children
aged four years eating proper food over a five-year period are having higher IQ levels
than children not having a proper meal. This shows the effect and direction of effect.

Non-directional Hypothesis
It is used when there is no theory involved. It is a statement that a relationship exists
between two variables, without predicting the exact nature (direction) of the relationship.

Null and alternative Hypothesis

It provides the statement which is contrary to the hypothesis. It’s a negative statement,
and there is no relationship between independent and dependent variables. The
alternative hypothesis is a statement expressing a relationship between two variablesor
indicating differences between groups.
Descriptive hypothesis

It presents the existence, size, type and distribution of variables. Descriptive hypothesis
contains only one variable. So, it does not present the relationship among the variables.
Thus, researchers often use a research question then a descriptive hypothesis