Business Research Methods: Introduction

Course Leader: Dr Hanna Yakavenka (yh06@gre.ac.uk) Course Tutors: Nilanjana Sensarkar; Daniel Gozman; Eshref Trushin; Mary Arrieta

Course Outline
Module 1: Nature and types of business and management research Module 2: Research Design Module 3: Data Collection Module 4: Data Analysis and Valid Conclusions Module 5: Writing up / Ethics / Audiences

What to Expect
Lectures: general direction for further reading, thinking, researching Tutorials: reading; discussing; preparing the tasks and casestudies Independent work and peer review Preparation for the Assignments Thinking about and practicing your research approaches in application to your own research ideas

Assessments Outline
Assignment 1 Research Direction / Problem Setting and Literature Review (2,500) 23 February
Assignment 2 - Methodological Justifications, supported by the literature with expected findings and project time plan (2,500) 26 April Daily in-class activities 80% to pass

Assignment 1
Projects overall aims and objectives
approximately 500 words providing a background to the research and outlining the general parameters for the investigation

Literature review
approximately 2,000 words presenting an up-todate and recent debates

Bibliography

a draft list of your reference i.e. books; articles; websites - following Harvard Referencing style

Assignment 2
Methodology
approximately 1,900 words suitable technique(s) / approaches with justifications

Expected Findings

250 words very briefly explain what you are

expected to achieve and find in your project

Time scale & Plan

200 words briefly discussing your action plan

and your potential time- table

Key Texts

Support Materials
Support Study Materials are freely available via http://www.oup.com/uk/orc/bin/9780199583409/01stu dent/ for Bryman and Bell text

http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0077129970/student_view0/index.ht ml for Blumberg text

In this Module

Learning how to think as a researcher What is business research Types of research From induction and logical deduction to business research Understanding what makes good research Role of creativity in business research Understanding how to build hypotheses and formulate research questions Working individually and in groups

WHAT IS RESEARCH ALL ABOUT, ANYWAY?

WHAT IS RESEARCH ALL ABOUT, ANYWAY?

Increasing our understanding of how and why we behave the way we do!!

Research
A THEORY

Organizes information Helps explain past events Predicts new events

Why Study Research?

Why Study Research?

Research provides you with the knowledge and skills needed for the fast-paced decision-making environment

The Value of Acquiring Research Skills

The Value of Acquiring Research Skills

To gather more information before selecting a course of action To conduct a high-level research study To understand research design To assess the quality of research studies To establish a career as a research specialist

Research is based on the work of others

Past research guides new research

Research is NOT copying the work of others

Research can be replicated

Repeatability is a sign of credible science

Replication guides future research

Research is generalizable

Research should apply to situations outside of the study setting

Research is not done in intellectual isolation

It is based on some logical rationale

It is tied to theory

Research is doable

Good research questions can be translated into projects that can be done!

Research is ongoing

Research generates new questions

Research is incremental

Business Research

is the process of systematic gathering, recording and analysing of data about the market, customers and their preferences for goods and services, competitors and their activities, etc.

Business Research
Draws on knowledge developed by other disciplines Research access to managers/ companies motivated by personal / commercial advantage Practical consequences of research

Social science disciplines Sociology Psychology Anthropology Economics Geography

Management & Business research Marketing Human resource management Strategy Human resource management Accounting and finance Industrial relations Operational research

Choosing Your Research Topic

You - Strengths and weaknesses - What knowledge/skills you will need in the future - What resources have you got - Completion of the project contributes to your overall success on your degree Research Area Not fully investigated Advance understanding Can be investigated Is interesting Lead to more questions

How to generate ideas for a research topic?

Start wide:

Thinking; Looking at what is already there (literature; past projects/assignments); Following the media and news; Brainstorming and discussions; Concept Mapping; Idea noting.
Go narrow:

Stay within requirements and standards Pilot your study Use professionals (e.g. Delhi technique)

What makes topic Good?

Enthusiasm and career goals; Resources are there; Subject is topical, worthwhile researching, updated; Fits into a set subject area; Links to relevant literature; Research Qs and Objectives are clearly stated.

Types of business research topics

Effect of (e.g. mergers and acquisitions) on (e.g. corporate culture) Organisational problems Research to inform strategy development Role of personal experiences in shaping research

Questions for business research

Does it contribute to improving effectiveness and efficiency? Does it help to improve understanding of how organisations work and what they contribute to society? Who are the audiences for business research management, labour, stakeholders?

What is Good Research?

Following the standards of the scientific method: Purpose clearly defined Research process detailed Research design thoroughly planned Limitations frankly revealed High ethical standards applied Adequate analysis for decision-makers needs Findings presented unambiguously Conclusions justified Researchers experience reflected

Formulating hypotheses or designing research questions

H s Ifthen statements (Objective extension of the original question in a testable form) RQs one or more key questions that research process will address

Formulating hypotheses or designing research questions

Hypotheses / Research Questions posit / propose a relationship between different factors Data are collected that will confirm or refute the hypothesis or Data are collected to generate new theory Hypotheses are testable (not provable); Research Questions help to achieve Research Objectives

Task
Turn to a person to your right/left and
Design a couple of hypotheses or research questions for your potential research; Continue this work during tutorials

Something to think about

1. What is Business Research? Why should there be any question about the definition of research? 2. Generate your potential research ideas and evaluate them against proposed checklist What makes a good research topic? 3. Use the general research idea and try to write some more detailed research Qs. 4. You have received a business research report done by a consultant for your firm, a life insurance company. The study is a survey of customer satisfaction based on a sample of 600. You are asked to comment on its quality. What will you look for?