Chapter One

Introduction to Business Research Methodology

Introduction
Research, a somewhat intimidating term
for some, is simply the process of finding
solutions to a problem after a thorough
study and analysis of the situational
factors.
Along these lines, people (consumers, investors,
managers) constantly engage themselves in
exploring and examining issues – and hence are
involved in some form of research activity.
2
Research, in some form or
another, may help managers in
organizations to make decisions
at the workplace.
As we all know, sometimes they make good
decisions, and the problem gets solved; sometimes
they make poor decisions and the problem persists;
and on occasions they make such colossal blunders
that they get stuck in the mire.
Human beings have been concerned to
come to grips with their environment
through:
Experience
Reasoning
Research [a combination of both
experience and reasoning]
(Cohen and Manion, 1994, p.1)
• Experience (subsume a number of
sources of information)
• Personal experience. i.e., body of
knowledge and skills derived from
encounters and acquaintance with facts and
events in the environment
• Experience of others in the immediate
circle
• Sources beyond immediate circle,
i.e., authoritative sources
 What is Research?
• Research is:
– A process of steps used to collect and
analyze information in order to increase our
knowledge about a topic or issue
• Most research involves at least these
steps:
1.Posing a question
2.Collecting data about the question
3.Analyzing the data to answer the
question
Definition of business research
“Business research is defined as an organized,
systematic, data-based, critical, objective,
scientific inquiry or investigation into a specific
business problem, undertaken with the purpose
of finding answers or solutions to it” (Sekaran
and Bougie, 2009: 3)
 What kind of research is there?

• Formal research involves collection and

analysis of data
– Data are pieces of information researchers
systematically gather to answer a question
of interest
• numbers, words, facts, attitudes, actions, etc.
– Analysis involves making sense of the data
• Informal research is more like day-to-day
problem solving
What are clues to identify research?
• Only in research studies will the authors report
the systematic collection and analysis of data to
answer the question
– Examine the title
• Look for words such as research, study, empirical,
investigation, or inquiry
– Examine the abstract
• Look for evidence that the author collected and analyzed
data
– Examine the full text (if necessary)
• Look to see whether the author reports the collection and
analysis of data
Where do you find reports of research?

• Books (including e-books)

– Reference summaries and handbooks
– Reports of single studies

• Scholarly journals

• Sources for early stage material

– Websites
– Conference reports
– Professional association newsletters
– Authors themselves
 Why do you need to read research reports?
(Purpose of Research)

– To add to your professional knowledge

– To inform your position in policy
debates
– To improve your practice
– Research may offer new programs or
strategies to try
– Research may present new ideas to consider
– Research can help you learn about and
evaluate alternative approaches
 Types of Research
• Based on Research Approach/Method
– Quantitative approach-involves the generation of
data in quantitative form which can be subjected
to rigorous quantitative analysis in a formal and
rigid fashion
– Qualitative approach-is concerned with
subjective assessment of attitudes, opinions and
behaviour.
– Mixed /multi-method- combines both objective
and subjective assessment
 Types of Research
Based on Design
1. Descriptive
• Surveys and fact finding enquires state of affairs as
it exists
• No control over variables
• Try to discover causes (i.e., ex-post facto)
2. Exploratory
• Develop some relationship exists between or among
variables for the first time.
3. Explanatory
• Will explain the influence of independent and mediating
variables on the outcome variable.
 Types of Research
Based on Usage of Actual Data
Conceptual
• Related to some abstract idea or theory (for
philosophers and thinkers)
• Relies on literature
• Also called library research or meta analysis
Empirical
• Relies on experience or observation alone, i.e.,
Data-based research
• Capable of being verified by observation or
experiment.
• Experimenter has control over variables under
study
Based on Purpose of the Study: Applied Vs Basic
Applied Research
• Note that research can be undertaken for two different
purposes.
• One is to solve a current problem faced by the manager in
the work setting, demanding a timely solution.
• For example, a particular product may not be selling well,
and the manager might want to find the reasons for this to
take corrective action.
• Such type of research is called applied research;
• Research done with the intention of applying the results of
the findings to solve specific problems currently being
experienced in an organization is called applied research.
Basic Research
• The other type of research is to generate a body of
knowledge by trying to comprehend how certain problems
that occur in organizations can be solved. This is called
basic research (Sekaran and Bougie, 2009)
• Research done chiefly to contribute to existing knowledge is
called basic, fundamental, or pure research.
• The findings of such research contribute to the building of
knowledge in the various functional areas of business;
• they teach us something we did not know before.
• Such knowledge is usually later applied in
organizational settings for problem solving.
Other Types
• One time/cross-sectional Vs
longitudinal/ developmental and trend
or prediction studies (the time domain)
• Field-setting (Case Study/Survey) Vs
laboratory (Experiment) or simulation
research
• Exploratory Vs formulated (the degree of
formulation of problem) studies
The Research Process

Multiple steps may be implemented at the same

time, or steps may be repeated as the study
unfolds.
How do you identify the steps of the research process?

• Use the article structure to guide the way you read

the report
• Major sections:
– Front matter
– Introduction
– Method
– Results
– Conclusion
– Back matter
 What is the front matter?
– Title
• May contain information about topic, participants,
setting, or approach
– Authors
– Abstract of the study
• Short summary of the research process
 What is the introduction section?

– Identifies the study’s research problem

– Reports the review of the literature
– Specifies the study’s purpose, research
questions, and hypotheses
 What is the method section?

– Identifies the study’s research design

(quantitative, qualitative, or mixed)
– Describes the procedures used to select
participants and collect data
– May briefly describe the procedures used to
analyze the data
What is the results (or findings) section?

– Reports the details of and findings from the

data analysis
 What is the conclusion (or discussion) section?

• May do some or all of the following:

– Report interpretations of the study

– Summarize major results of the study
– Answer research questions
– Present researchers’ determination whether the
results confirm or disconfirm expected predictions
– Examine meaning of the findings for study
participants
– Compare study’s results with those found in other
published studies
– Discuss implications and limitations of the study
 What is the back matter?

– Includes a list of references cited within the

study report
– Includes extra supporting materials
• End notes
• Appendices
• Biographical information about the authors
 Summary: Mapping the research
process to the research report
The General Research Report The Steps of the
Process of Research Major Sections Research Process

Front Matter

1. Identifying a research problem

The researcher poses a 2. Reviewing the literature
Introduction
question 3. Specifying a purpose

4. Choosing a research design

The researcher collects 5. Selecting participants and collecting data
Method
data to answer the question 6. Analyzing data (and reporting results)

Results 7. Drawing conclusions

The researcher presents an
answer to the question Conclusion

Back Matter

FIGURE 1.6 The Major Sections of a Research Article and the Steps in the Process of Research
Note: final step of “disseminating and evaluating research” is represented by the entire published research article.
 The Hallmarks of Scientific Research

• Purposiveness
• Rigor
• Testability
• Replicability
• Precision and confidence
• Objectivity
• Generalizability
• Parsimony
Scientific Method :
a. relies on empirical evidence
b. utilizes relevant concepts
c. is committed to only objective considerations
d. presupposes ethical neutrality, i.e., it aims at
nothing but making only adequate and correct
statements about population objects;
e. results into probabilistic predictions;
f. Its methodology is made known to all concerned for
critical scrutiny are for use in testing the conclusions
through replication;
g. aims at formulating most general axioms or what
Ethics and business research
• Ethics in business research refers to a code of conduct or
expected societal norm of behavior while conducting
research.
• Ethical conduct applies to all the members that sponsor
the research, the researchers who undertake the research
and the respondents who provide them with the
necessary data.
• The observance of ethics begins with the person
instituting the research, who should do so in good faith,
pay attention to what the results indicate and
surrendering the ego, pursue organizational rather than
self-interests.
• Ethical conduct should also be reflected in the behavior of
• the researchers who conduct the investigation,
• the participants who provide the data,
• the analysts who provide the results, and
• the entire research team that presents the interpretation
of the results and suggests alternative solutions.
• Thus, ethical behavior pervades each step of the research
process – data collection, data analysis, reporting and
dissemination of information on the Internet, if such an
activity is undertaken.
• How the subjects are treated and how confidential
information is safeguarded are all guided by business ethics.
The End