Semester I Specialization NA
Course Code 104 Type Generic - Core
Course Title Business Research Methods
Course Objectives:
1 To understand the concept and process of business research in business environment.
2 To know the use of tools and techniques for exploratory, conclusive and causal research.
3 To understand the concept of measurement in empirical systems.
4 To use statistical techniques for analysis of research data.
Syllabus:
Unit Contents Number of
Number Sessions
1 1. Foundations of Research: 5+1
1.1 Research: Definition, Why study Business Research? What is good
research? Decision Support, Business Intelligence, Research applications in
functional areas of Business, Emerging trends in Business research.
1.2 Research & the Scientific Method: Characteristics of scientific method.
1.3 Steps in Research Process
1.4 Concept of Scientific Enquiry: - Formulation of Research Problem
Management Question Research Question Investigation Question
1.5 Research Proposal: Elements of a Research Proposal, Drafting a
Research Proposal, Evaluating a research proposal (Students are expected to
draft and evaluate a real life research proposal)
2 2. Research Design: 7+2
2.1 Concept, Features of a good research design, Use of a good research
design
2.2 Qualitative research and Quantitative research approaches, Comparison -
Pros and Cons of both approaches.
2.3 Exploratory Research Design: Concept, Types: Qualitative techniques -
Projective Techniques, Depth Interview, Experience Survey, Focus Groups,
Observation.
2.4 Descriptive Research Designs: Concept, types and uses. Concept of
Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Research
2.5 Experimental Design: Concept of Cause, Causal relationships, Concept of
Independent & Dependent variables, concomitant variable, extraneous variable,
Treatment, Control group. (Elementary conceptual treatment expected)
2.6 Hypothesis: Qualities of a good Hypothesis Framing Null Hypothesis &
Alternative Hypothesis. Concept of Hypothesis Testing - Logic & Importance
3 3. Measurement & Data: 7+3
3.1 Concept of Measurement: what is measured? Problems in measurement
in management research - Validity and Reliability. Levels of measurement -
Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio.
3.2 Attitude Scaling Techniques:Concept of Scale Rating Scales viz. Likert
Scales, Semantic Differential Scales, Constant Sum Scales, Graphic Rating
Scales Ranking Scales Paired Comparison & Forced Ranking - Concept
and Application.
3.3 Types of Data - Secondary Data: Definition, Sources, Characteristics,
Searching world wide web for data, Issues to be considered for secondary data,
sufficiency, adequacy, reliability, consistency.
3.4 Types of Data - Primary Data: Definition, Advantages and disadvantages
over secondary data,
3.5 Questionnaire Method: Questionnaire Construction - Personal Interviews,
Telephonic survey Interviewing, Email/Internet survey, online survey sites, their
utility, constraints
4 4. Sampling: 6+2
4.1 Basic Concepts: Defining the Universe, Concepts of Statistical Population,
Sample, Characteristics of a good sample. Sampling Frame (practical approach
for determining the sample frame expected), Sampling errors, Non Sampling
errors, Methods to reduce the errors, Sample Size constraints, Non Response.
4.2Probability Sample: Simple Random Sample, Systematic Sample,
Stratified Random Sample, Area Sampling & Cluster Sampling.
4.3Non Probability Sample: Judgment Sampling, Convenience Sampling,
Purposive Sampling, Quota Sampling & Snowballing Sampling methods.
Determining size of the sample - Practical considerations in sampling and
sample size, (sample size determination formulae and numerical not expected)
5 5. Data Analysis & Report Writing: 10 + 2
5.1 Data Analysis : Editing, Coding, Univariate analysis - Tabular
representation of data, frequency tables, Construction of frequency distributions
and their analysis in the form of measures of central tendency Mean, Median
and Mode; their relative merits and demerits,
5.2 Graphical Representation of Data: Appropriate Usage of Bar charts, Pie
charts, Histogram, Leaf and stem, Candle stick, Box plots. (Use of MS Excel)
5.3 Bivariate Analysis: Cross tabulations, Use of percentages, Bivariate
Correlation Analysis - meaning & ty
-square test
including testing hypothesis of association, association of attributes. (Formulae
and calculation are not expected. Interpretation of the given data and scenario
analysis is expected for appropriate managerial decision inferences to be
drawn.)
5.4 Linear Regression Analysis: Meaning and two lines of regression;
relationship between correlation and regression co-efficient (Formulae and
calculation are not expected. Interpretation of the given data and scenario
analysis is expected for appropriate managerial decision inferences to be
drawn.)
5.5 Test of Significance: Small sample tests: t (Mean, proportion) and F tests,
Z test, Non parametric tests: Binomial test of proportion, Randomness test;
Analysis of Variance: One way and two way Classifications (Formulae and
calculation are not expected. Interpretation of the given data and scenario
analysis is expected for appropriate managerial decision inferences to be
drawn.)
5.6 Research Reports: Structure of Research report, Report writing and
Presentation.
Note: Extensive use of MS Excel is expected in learning unit no. 5
Learning Resources:
1 Text Books Business Research Methods by Donald Cooper & Pamela Schindler, TMGH, 9 th
Edition.
Business Research Methods by Alan Bryman & Emma Bell, Oxford University
Press, 2ndEdition
Research Methodology by C.R.Kothari, New Age International Publication, 2nd
Edition
Research Methodsfor Social Work by Allen, Earl R. Babbie, Cengage, 7thEdition
Research Methods in Business Studies: A Practical Guideby Pervez Ghauri, Dr
Kjell Gronhaug, FT Prentice Hall
Research Methodology- Neerja- Scitech Publication
Business Research Methods by Sachdeva Himalaya Publication
Reference Books The Practice of Social Research by Earl R. Babbie, Wadsworth, 13 thEdition
2 Business Research Methods by William G. Zikmund, Barry J. Babin, Jon C.
Carr, Mitch Griffin, Cengage Learning, 8th Edition
Approaches to social research by Royce Singleton, Bruce C. Straits, Margaret
Miller Straits, Oxford University Press, 2 ndEdition
Handbook of Research Design and Social Measurement by Delbert Charles
Miller, Neil J. Salkind, Sage Publication, 6thEdition
Research Methods: The Basics by Nicholas S. R. Walliman, Nicholas
Walliman, Routledge, 1stEdition
SPSS Handbook by Himalaya Publications
3 Supplementary Business Research Methods by Naval Bajpai, Pearson, 1 stEdition
Reading Material
4 Websites http://www.socialresearchmethods.net
http://www.oup.com/uk/orc/bin/9780199202959
5 Journals The Nature, Social Organization and Promotion of Management Research:
Towards Policy by David Tranfield and Ken Starkey, British Journal of
Management, Vol. 9, 341 353 (1998)
The Case for Qualitative Research by Gareth Morgan & Linda Smircich,
Academy of Management Review 1980, Vol. 5, No. 4, 491-500
Beyond the Qualitative Interview: Data Preparation and Transcription by
Eleanor Mclellan, Kathleen M. Macqueen & Judith L. Neidig, Field Methods,
Vol. 15, No. 1, February 2003, 63 84
The Coming of Age for Qualitative Research: Embracing the Diversity of
Qualitative Methodsby Bansal, Pratima (Tima); Corley, Kevin. Academy of
Management Journal. Apr2011, Vol. 54 Issue 2, p233-237
Social Science Research Methods in Internet Time byKarpf, David. Information,
Communication & Society. Jun2012, Vol. 15 Issue 5, p639-661
A Review of Research Methods in Online and Blended Business Education:
2000-2009 by Arbaugh, J. B.; Hwang, Alvin; Pollack, Birgit Leisen., Academy of
Management Annual Meeting Proceedings. 2010, p1-6
Research Methods in Economics and Business by Roberts, Harry V. Journal of
Marketing Research Aug1964, Vol. 1 Issue 3, p88-90
Counterfactuals and Hypothesis Testing in Political Science Author(s): James
D. Fearon, The Johns Hopkins University Press Vol. 43, No. 2 (Jan., 1991), pp.
169-195
Statistical Sampling Techniques and Marketing Research by Cassady Jr.,
Ralph. Journal of Marketing. Apr 1945, Vol. 9 Issue 4, p317-341
A Study of Selected Opinion Measurement Techniques byKassarjian, Harold H.;
Nakanishi, Masao. Journal of Marketing Research, May67, Vol. 4 Issue 2, p148-
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