Great Land College

Master of Business Administration

Course outline for Research Methodology
Course Code: MBA 531; Credit Hours: 3
Instructor: Tarekegn Tariku; Email: orouniversity@gmail.com
Course Description: This course provides students with applied skills in understanding and
conducting research in business. The course examines and explores a range of methods that align
with theory building and testing. The course examines qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Topics range from exploratory methods (focus groups, interviewing) to observation techniques,
sampling, through to interpretation and evaluation of statistical analyses (data processing and
research analysis using the latest versions of SPSS, STATA, EXCEL and other available
software that aid accounting and finance research) thus, enabling them to turn raw statistical data
into strategic information.

Course objectives: The objective of this course is to equip students with basic research skills for
solving business related problems and help them understand the principles of scientific research
methods and their application in real world business environment. Moreover, students will be
enriched with the techniques and skills of developing a standard thesis proposal.

COURSE CONTENTS
Chapter 1 - Introduction to Research
1.1. Concept and definition of research 1.5. Types of Research
1.2. Nature and scope of Business research 1.6. Research process
1.3. Purposes of Research 1.7. Ethics and Business Research
1.4. Significance of Research
Chapter 2 - Study Background and Problem Definition
2.1. Research topic/question 2.5. Scope and limitation of a study
2.2. Background of the study 2.6. Significance of a study
2.3. Problem definition
2.4. Research goals and objectives

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Chapter 3 - Literature Review and Hypothesis Formulation
3.1. Need for literature review 3.4. Hypothesis formulation
3.2. Sources of literatures 3.5. Relevance of hypothesis formulation
3.3. Methods of reviewing literatures
Chapter 4 - Research Design I: Sampling and Methods of Data Collection
4.1 Research design 4.5 Sampling techniques
4.2 Primary and secondary data 4.6 Methods of data collection
4.3 Sources of data 4.7.Editing, coding and data entry
4.4 Population Vs. sample survey
Chapter 5 - Research Design II: Analysis
5.1 Different research designs 5.4 Quantitative study and statistical
5.2 Quantitative Vs. qualitative studies inference
5.3 Qualitative study 5.5 Data analysis
Chapter 6 - Proposal write-up and Communicating Results of a Research (Self Study &
Assignment)
6.1 Research proposal writing
6.2 Research report writing
6.3. Bibliography Vs references
Mode of delivery: lecture and discussion, review of different research works and presentation of
research proposal.
ASSESSMENT METHODS: Proposals (40%), article review (20%) and final examination
(40%).
REFERENCE BOOKS
- Kothari, C.R., Research Methodology. Methods and Techniques, 2nd edition, Wiley Eastern
Limited, 1992
- John W. Creswell, Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches,
(2nd or 3rd edition), Sage publications, London, UK
- Saunders, M, Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2007) Research Methods for Business Students (4th
edition) Harlow: Prentice Hall.
- Sekaran, U. 2003. Research methods for business: A skill building approach, 4th ed. New
Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
- Business Research Methods by William G. Zikmund 2nd Ed by South Western
- Business Research Method by Boyman & Bell Oxford University Press