UNIT TITLE: RESEARCH METHODS

UNIT CODE: DBM 622

Relationship to Occupational Standards:
This unit covers the unit of competency: Research Methods in Business Management
CREDIT HOURS: 1.5 HRS
Duration of Unit: 30 hours
Unit Description
The unit is intended to develop the learners’ research knowledge and skills. They will
acquire competence that would enable them enhance their effectiveness and efficiency
in planning, conduction and presenting research findings.
Summary of Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the learner should be able to:

1. Explain the history and importance of research

2. Use basic terms of research in explaining the process
3. Formulate a research problem and identify objectives of conducting research
4. To Formulate Hypothesis/Research questions
5. To Identify credible sources of literature and proper citation of the source
6. Identify research designs and apply them in conducting research
7. To Identify methods of collecting data and apply them.
8. Demonstrate ability to analyze data and prepare presentations of the same
9. To prepare a research report
10. To identify ethical issues in relations to Research

Learning Outcomes, Content and Suggested Assessment Methods

Suggested
Learning Outcome Content Assessment
Methods
1. Explain the Introduction ● Group/Class
history of ● Definition of research presentations
research and ● Historical development of research ● Question/Answ
importance of ● Importance of research er sessions
research ● Problems facing research ● Assignments
● Reasons for engaging in Research ● Work based
 ● Criteria for classification of research assignment
● Types of Research Final examination
● Ethics in Research
2. Use basic terms The process of research o Group/Class
of research in ● Research process/steps presentations
explaining the o The flow charts o Question/Ans
process o Basic terms in research; Population, wer sessions
sample, unit, sampling, variable, data, o Assignments
parameter, statistics, descriptive statistics, o Work based
Inferential statistics objectives, statement assignment
of the problem, hypothesis, theory Final examination
3. Formulate a Research Problem identification ● Group/Class
research ● Formulating the problem statement presentations
problem and ● Sources of a research problem ● Question/Answ
identify ● Qualities of a good problem statement er sessions
objectives of ● Aims & Objectives in research ● Assignments
conducting ● Objectives in research ● Work based
research ● Qualities of effective objective assignment
Final examination
4. To Formulate Formulation of hypothesis/research ● Group/Class
Hypothesis/Res questions presentations
research ● When to use a hypothesis ● Question/Answ
questions ● Purpose of a hypothesis er sessions
● Characteristics of a good hypothesis ● Assignments
● Types of Hypothesis ● Work based
● Hypothesis or determination of answers to assignment
research questions Final examination
● Conceptual framework; Formulation,
importance of a conceptual framework,
Qualities of an effective conceptual
framework.
5. To Identify Literature review ● Group/Class
credible ● Purpose/Importance of literature Review presentations
sources of ● Qualities of effective literature review ● Question/Answ
literature and ● The scope of the literature review er sessions
proper citation ● Challenges facing Literature review ● Assignments
of the source formulation ● Work based
● Steps in carrying out Literature review assignment
● Sources of Literature Final examination
 ● Referencing process (APA)

6. Identify Research Design and Methodology ● Group/Class

research ● Define research design presentations
designs and ● Types of research design; descriptive, ● Question/Answ
apply them in experimental, correlational, case study er sessions
conducting ● Selecting a research design ● Assignments
research ● Sampling techniques ● Work based
● Sampling design; Probability designs & assignment
non-probability designs Final examination
● Probability Sampling
o Simple Random Sampling
o Stratified Random Sampling
o Systematic Random Sampling
(Include advantages & Disadvantages of each)
● Non-Probability Sampling
o Quota Sampling
o Convenience Sampling
o Purposive Sampling
● Bias and Error in sampling
● Research Instruments
o Questionnaires; formulation,
advantages & disadvantages
o Interviews; unstructured, semi
structured, structured
o Observation

● Validity & Reliability of research

Instruments
➢ Validation of research Instruments
 Methods of Data Collection
Purpose of Data collection
● Sources of Data
● Factors to consider during data collection
7. To Identify
methods of Primary Data collection methods
collecting data ● Observation
and apply ● Interviews
them. ● Use of questionnaires
Secondary data collection method
● Publications related to area of study
● Relevant Reports
● Public data
● Historical documents
● Ethical issues in Data collection
 Data analysis ● Group/Class
Introduction to data analysis presentations
8. Demonstrate ● Qualitative data analysis ● Question/Answ
ability to ● Quantitative data analysis er sessions
analyze data Steps in data analysis ● Assignments
and prepare ● Editing ● Work based
presentations ● Coding assignment
of the same ● Classification Final examination
● Tabulation
● Interpretation of responses
Numbering of figures and tables in research
Statistics in Research
➢ Descriptive statistics
➢ Inferential statistics
● Graphical presentation
● Measures of Central tendency for discrete
and grouped data
● Measures of dispersion
● Measures of relationship
● Tests of Hypothesis

Data Presentation
Introduction
➢ Frequency distribution
➢ Histograms & Bar charts
➢ Frequency Polygons
➢ Graphs
➢ Pie Charts
➢ Tables
● Formulation of conclusions
● Reporting and dissemination of finding

9. To Prepare a Writing a research proposal ● Group/Class

Research ● Meaning and importance of a research presentations
proposal proposal ● Question/Answ
● Types of proposals er sessions
● Qualities of an effective proposal ● Assignments
● Format of research proposal: ● Work based
o Preliminaries assignment
 o Chapter One – Introduction Final examination
o Chapter Two – Review of literature
o Chapter Three – Design and methodology
o Bibliography/References
o Appendix

10. To Prepare a Report writing ● Group/Class

research Report ● Research report format presentations
o Preliminaries ● Question/Answ
o Chapter one – Introduction er sessions
o Chapter two – Review of related literature ● Assignments
o Chapter three – design and methodology ● Work based
o Chapter four – data analysis and assignment
presentation Final examination
o Chapter five – summary of findings and
recommendations
o Bibliography/references
o Appendices
● Dissemination of research findings
● The detailed KIM Research format

11. To Identify Issues in Research ● Group/Class

ethical Issues In ● Ethical considerations in research presentations
relation to ● Problems encountered in implementation of ● Question/Answ
research research recommendations er sessions
● Assignments
● Work based
assignment
Final examination

Teaching Methodology
The course utilizes the following approaches:
1. Lectures
2. Group/Class presentations
3. Assignments
4. Case studies
References:
1. Blumberg, B., Cooper, D., & Schindler, P. (2018). Business research methods: A guide
for planning,
conducting, reporting your study. New York: Sage publications.
2. Cooper, D., & Schindler, P. (2013). Business research methods (12th ed.). Boston,
USA: McGraw Hill Higher
Education.
3. Gatara, T. H. (2010). Introduction to research methodology. Nairobi: Olive
Marketing.
4. Kombo, D.K., & Tromp, D.L. (2006). Proposal and thesis writing: an introduction.
Nairobi, Kenya: Paulines
Publications Africa.
5. Kothari, C.R., & Gaurav, G. (2019). Research methodology: methods and techniques
(4rd ed.). New Delhi,
India: New Age International (P). Ltd.
6. Mugenda, O. & Mugenda, A. (1999). Research methods: quantitative and qualitative
approaches. Nairobi,
Kenya: ACTS Press.
7. Oladipo, R. (2015). General Research Methods. Oxford University Press.
8. Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2020). Research methods for business
students (8th ed.).

9. Sekaran, S., & Bougie, R. (2019). Research methods for business: A skill-building
approach (8th ed.). New
Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
10. Zikmund, W., Babin, B., Carr, J., & Griffin, M. (2013). Business research methods (9th
ed.). Hampshire,
England: Cengage Learning.