QUESTION 1

a. Define the following concepts. (10 Marks)

i. Business research.

Business research contributes to the advancement of knowledge or the resolution of business-

related challenges or concerns, hence assisting in successful decision-making. Business
research is a step-by-step activity performed in a critical, structured, logical, and systematic
approach to examine a problem or issue and identify effective solutions to the problem
encountered at work.

ii. Purposiveness.

The scenario in which research is focused on solving a well-defined problem rather than
searching endlessly for solutions to ambiguous questions.

iii. Sampling frame.

A sample frame is a list of everything in the population. It's an exhaustive list of everyone or
anything that researcher wish to research. The distinction between a population and a sample
frame is that the former is broad and the latter is narrow.

iv. Validity.

The accuracy with which a method measures what it is designed to measure is referred to as
its validity. If research has high validity, it delivers conclusions that correlate to real physical
or social properties, traits, and variations.

v. Pragmatism.

Pragmatism entails research designs that contain operational judgments based on 'what will
work best' in finding answers to research questions, allowing pragmatic researchers to
conduct research in novel and dynamic ways to find solutions to research challenges.
b. Briefly explain the meaning of the literature review. (2 Marks)

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 the author
determine the nature of the research.

c. List FOUR (4) functions of literature review. (4 Marks)

1. Consider a problem from a different perspective.

2. Determine which variables must be considered.

3. Introduce and define necessary terminology.

4. Provide arguments for the variables in the relationship.

d. Give FOUR (4) sources that can be used in the literature review. (4 Marks)

1. Newspapers

2. Textbooks

3. Academic and professional journals

4. Internet

e. Identify TWO (2) situations in which the internal researcher is more suitable than the
external. (4 Marks)

1. They have a better probability of being accepted by personnel in an organization's

subgroup.

2. They are also available to put their recommendations into action after the research findings
are accepted.

f. Explain TWO (2) types of reasoning in research, and then state the type of research
appropriate for each approach. (6 Marks)
 1. Inductive approach – Quantitative research. Objective hypotheses are tested by
studying the relationship between variables.

2. Deductive approach – Qualitative research. investigating and comprehending the

meaning that individuals or groups assign to a social or human situation