1/20/2023

Business Research Method

Prof. Ravi Shekhar Kumar

XLRI- Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur

ravishekhar@xlri.ac.in
Session-2

Problem Definition

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Problem Definition Formulation: Activities Involved

• Understanding Genesis of Problem

• Conducting four must exercise
• Considering Environmental Context of the problem
• Developing MDP & Developing relevant RP(s)
– MDP asks what Decision maker needs to do where as,

– RP asks what information is needed & how it can be obtained

effectively & efficiently (End product in this step)

Developing an Approach to the Problem

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MDP:
What should be done to improve the patronage of
Smart Bazar store?

RP:
To determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of
Smart bazar, vis-à-vis other major competitors, with
respect to factors that influence store patronage.

Developing an Approach to the Problem

• Focus:
– Developing more specific devices to address the components of
research problems defined at previous step

• Includes:
– Theory / Objective evidence
– Analytical model (verbal/graphical/mathematical)
– Research question (define it)
– Hypotheses (End product in this step)

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Theory/Objective evidence
• Theory
– Example for choice making related theories:
• Theory of rationality
• Bounded rationality Theory

• Objective Evidence
– Empirical observation (available in literature)

Model: Theory of Planned Behavior

(Ajzen, 1985)

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Model: Technology Acceptance Model

(Davis 1989)

Research Question
• MDP: What should be done to improve the patronage of Smart Bazar
store?

RP: To determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of Smart bazar,

vis-à-vis other major competitors, with respect to factors that influence
store patronage.

Specific Specific Specific

Question 1 Question 2 Question n

• Research questions(RQ):
Refined Questions or statements of the specific components of
the (research) problem.

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Possible Research Questions

• What criteria do households use when selecting department stores?

• How do households evaluate Smart Bazar and competing stores in terms

of the choice criteria identified in above question?

• Which stores are patronized when shopping for specific product

categories?

• What is the market share of Smart Bazar and its competitors for specific
product categories?

• What is the demographic and psychological profile of the customers of

Smart Bazar? Does it differ from the profile of customers of competing
stores?

• Can store patronage and preference be explained in terms of store

evaluations and customer characteristics?

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MDP, RP & RQ: Exercise

• Management Decision Problem (MDP):
– Should Amul launch the packaged sweet products?

• Research Problem (RP):

– To determine the customer preference for packaged Sweets of
Amul.

• Research Question (RQ):

– Are milk-based sweets popular among target customers?
– What is the perceived quality of packaged sweets?

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Development of Research Questions

Research Problem

Objective/Theoretical
Framework;
Literature Review
Qualitative Research

RQ- 1: Specific RQ- 2: Specific RQ- n: Specific

Question 1 Question 2 Question n

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Research Hypothesis
• An unproven statement or proposition about a factor or
phenomenon that is of interest to the researcher.
– Often, a hypothesis is a possible answer to the research
question.
– It is mostly about the relationship between two variables
or two phenomena.
– An empirically testable statement.

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Null vs Alternate Hypothesis

• Null Hypothesis (H0): is a statement about a population, this is
assumed to be true.
– is generally assumed to be true until evidence indicates otherwise.
– is a statement of the status quo, one of no difference or no effect.
– If null hypothesis is not rejected, no changes will be made.

• Alternate Hypothesis (H1): is a statement that directly contradicts

a null hypothesis by stating contrary thing about population.
– is one in which some difference or effect is expected.
– Statement that is hoped or expected to be true instead of null
hypothesis.
– Accepting alternative hypothesis will lead to changes in opinions
or actions.

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MDP, RP & RQ: Exercise

• Management Decision Problem (MDP):
– Should Amul launch packaged sweet products

• Research Problem (RP):

– To determine the customer preference for packaged Sweets of
Amul

• Research Question (RQ):

– Are milk-based sweets popular among target customers
– What is the perceived quality of packaged sweets

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RQ & Hypothesis: Exercise

• Research Question(RQ):
– Are milk based packaged sweets popular among target
customers

• Alternate Hypothesis
– Target customers consist of children with age 8-18 years.
– Target customers prefer milk-based sweets.

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RQ & Hypothesis: Exercise

• Research Question(RQ):
– What is the perceived quality of packaged sweets

• Alternate Hypothesis
– The perceived quality of packaged sweets is superior to fresh
sweets.

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