Dpb5023 Unit 1 Fundamentals Of Business Research 5d4g5f

DPB5023 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODOLOGY NIK AZIDA BINTI ABD GHANI [email protected] 0139337550

DPB5023

UNIT 1 FUNDAMENTAL OF BUSINESS RESEARCH

1

UNIT 1.1 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of this topic, students should be able to:  Define research  Describe the importance of business research  Explain the scope of business research  Describe the types of research: applied research and basic research  Describe the ethical issues involved in business research

UNIT 1.1

DEFINITION OF RESEARCH A systematic study of a subject to discover new facts and to establish principles and fundamental truth.  A critical and exhaustive investigation aiming to discover and interpret new facts or to revise accepted theories in the light of newly discovered facts.  A systematic and objective process of gathering, recording and analyzing data to help in decision making.  An organized and systematic way of finding answers to questions. 

UNIT 1.1

DEFINITION OF RESEARCH  Systematic

because there is a definite set of procedures and steps to follow. There are certain things that should be done in the process to ensure most accurate results.  Organized – there is a structure or method in doing the research which is planned and not spontaneous.

UNIT 1.1

WHAT IS A BUSINESS RESEARCH?  Business

research is the process of gathering the necessary data for an industry to be successful.  Aspects of business research include target customers, marketplace trends, production processes and financial practices.  These information may help to predict trends, project sales, spot opportunities and avoid potential problems.  Business research is like market research.

UNIT 1.1

WHAT IS A BUSINESS RESEARCH?  Business

research should be objective  Information should be impersonal and not biased.  Research should help the managerial judgment in decision making.

UNIT 1.1

THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH  Business

research is used to gather the necessary data for an firm or company to be successful (for example: data about the industry and competition).  Business research is used to assist management in making business decisions and reduce the risk of making incorrect decisions (for example: pricing, service/ product features, service/ product quality).  Business research is used to identify consumers needs (development of better service/ product) and improve sales and profits.

UNIT 1.1

THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH  Business

research may be used to plan out the strategies suitable for the firm/ company (for example: new product features to satisfy customer needs).  Business research is used to evaluate the performance of a firm/ company (comparison between actual and projection or comparison between firms within the same industry).

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH The scope of business research is enormous: o Business research is used to provide guidelines for solving various business issues. o Complex business environment. o Various or new techniques of analyzing data. o Business research may be used in all areas of management.

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH Among the scope of business research:  Advertising research  Business economics and corporate research  Corporate responsibility research  Product research  Packaging research  Sales and market research

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH  Advertising    

Motivation research Copy research Media research Studies of ment effectiveness

 Business      

research

economics and corporate research

Forecasting – short range and long range Studies of business trends Pricing studies Plant and warehouse location studies Acquisition studies Export and international studies

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH  Corporate    

responsibility research

Consumers right to know studies Ecological impact studies Studies of legal constraints Social values and policies studies

 Product

research  Packaging research

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF BUSINESS RESEARCH  Sales      

and market research

Measurement of market potential Market share analysis Sales analysis Channel distribution Test markets Promotional studies

UNIT 1.1

TYPES OF RESEARCH There are two main types of business research:  Basic research 

Fundamental research driven by a researchers’ curiosity which aims to expand knowledge and not to invent something new.

 Applied 

research

Designed to solve practical problems and not to gain knowledge.

UNIT 1.1

TYPES OF RESEARCH Basic research:  This research is done to enhance knowledge and may not have financial or commercial potential.  It is driven by the motivation to expand knowledge, not to create or invent something.

UNIT 1.1

TYPES OF RESEARCH Applied research:  Applied research is designed to solve practical problem, rather than to acquire knowledge.  It is done to improve the human condition.  Normally is expensive and conducted on a large scale basis.

TYPES OF RESEARCH

Practic e

Applied Research

Theory

Basic Research

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH  Ethical

issues in business research concerned with the ethics in the course of conducting a business research.  Ethical issues may occur at various stages of business research.  Ethical issues cannot be ignored  relate to the integrity of research.  To ensure that no one is harmed or suffered bad consequences from research activities.

Ethics: norms for conduct that distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. » Prohibition against fabricating, falsifying or misrepresenting research data » Promote values that are essential for collaborative work (trust, ability, mutual respect and fairness) » Quality and integrity of research » Respect confidentiality and privacy

Research Ethics

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH Ethical issues in business research may involve the followings:  How

to treat the participants?  What are the activities that we should or should not be involved?

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH Ethical issues in business research arise mainly in these areas:  Whether there is harm to participants  Whether there is lack of informed consent  Whether there is an invasion of privacy  Whether deception is involved (Diener & Crandall, 1978)

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH Ethical issues in business research arise mainly in these areas:  Whether there is harm to participants (for example: physical harm, stress, mental breakdown, harm to career, harm to development or self-esteem).  Whether there is lack of informed consent (researchers should provide all information to prospective participants – nature of the research and implication for participants)

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH Ethical issues in business research arise mainly in these areas:  Whether there is an invasion of privacy    

Researchers may not intrude the respondents’ privacy Researchers must respect the respondents’ individual values. The anonymity of the participants should be respected. Personal information should be kept confidential.

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH Ethical issues in business research arise mainly in these areas:  Whether deception is involved   

Deception  lie Researchers represent their research as something other than what it is. However, deception may sometimes be necessary to preserve the naturalness of the data.

» Honesty » Objectivity – avoid bias » Integrity – act with sincerity, strive for consistency of thought and action. » Carefulness – avoid careless errors and negligence, keep records of research activities. » Openness – share data, results, tools, resources, be open to criticism and new ideas. » » » » » » »

Respect for intellectual property Confidentiality Publish Social responsibility Competence Respect for colleagues Avoid plagiarism

Research Ethics – Ethical Principles

1

UNIT 1.2 COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES At the end of this topic, students should be able to:  Differentiate between quantitative and qualitative research.  Describe the different scientific stages of business research

UNIT 1.2

TYPES OF RESEARCH Research can be classified in many different ways based on the methodology used, the knowledge it creates, the group and the research problem that is studied. Research can be classified into a two main types i.e. quantitative research and qualitative research.

UNIT 1.2

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Quantitative research:  Quantitative research is based on numeric figures or numbers.  It is aimed to measure the quantity/ amount and compare it with past records and project for future period.  Generally, quantitative research uses statistics.

UNIT 1.2

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Qualitative research:  Qualitative research is collecting, analyzing and interpreting data which are not numeric/ figures.  It refers to description of things, characteristics, symbols etc.  It is much more subjective.  Method of collecting information – interviews and focus groups.

Qualitative Research Objective/ Purpose

Quantitative Research

• To gain • To quantify data and understanding of generalize results underlying from a sample to the reasons and population of motivation. interest. To measure the • To provide insights into the incidence of various setting of a views and opinions in problem, a chosen sample. generating ideas • Sometimes followed and hypothesis. by qualitative research to explore • To uncover the prevalent trends findings further. in thought and opinion.

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Sample

• Usually small number of nonrepresentative cases. Respondents selected to fulfil a given quota.

• Usually a large number of cases representing the population of interest. Randomly selected respondents.

Data Collection

• Unstructured or • Structured semi-structured techniques such as techniques e.g. online individual depth questionnaires, oninterview or street or telephone group discussion. interviews.

Types of research • provides hard data on the numbers of people exhibiting certain behaviours or attitudes.  provides information in breadth

Quantitat ive research •

• Qualitati • It provides depth of information can be used in its own right or to ve determine what attributes will research subsequently be measured in quantitative studies.

Mixed method research

• Integrated quantitative and qualitative method.

Select topic

Decide approac h

Formulat e plan

Identi fy broad area

Research Process

Collect informat ion

Proses Kajian Tinjauan Menyatakan tujuan kajian Mengenal pasti sumber diperlukan Mengenal pasti populasi sasaran Menentukan saiz sampel Menentukan kaedah kajian tinjauan Menyediakan instrumen kajian Menganalisis data Menggeneralisasi hasil kajian

Research Process

UNIT 1.2

STAGES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH  Problem

Discovery and Problem Definition  Research Design  Sampling  Data Gathering  Data Processing and Analysis  Conclusions And Report

Stage 1. Problem Discovery and Definition  First

step  Problem, opportunity, or monitor operations  Discovery before definition  Problem means management problem  Clarify the research question – what to be studied or examined, scope of study, determine necessary evidence needed

Stage 2. Research Design    

Master plan or blue print Framework for actions– prepare Gantt chart for course of actions Specifies methods and procedures Experimental design (impose new method and study impact) or nonexperimental (as it is w/out interference)

Stage 3. Selecting a Sample Sample: subset of a larger population.

SAMPLE

POPULATION

Sampling   

Who is to be sampled? How large a sample? How will sample units be selected?

Stage 4. Data Collection Stage

Basic Research Methods  Surveys  Experiments  Secondary data  Observation

Stage 5. Data Processing and Analysis o o o

Data cleaning Applying statistical techniques Interpretation of findings

Stage 6. Conclusions and Report Writing  Effective

communication of the research

findings  Research overview:    

Background of problem Summary of findings Research design and procedures Conclusion

 Implementation

strategies