Business-Research-Methods- for scientific report

Business-Research-Methods

1. MBA III (Research Methodology)
1
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
(Business Research Methods)
Week 1

2. MBA III (Research Methodology) 2
 Comprehensive introduction to Research Methodology (Business
Research Methods)
 Knowledge acquisition باستكلاا and application of subject matter to
real-life situations
 Course literature
 Use of multimedia visual aids (MS PowerPoint slides)
 Reference to case studies when desirable
 Encouragement of questions, comments and constructive criticism
دقنلا from course participants
 Analytical and critical thinking, inquisitiveness لوضفلا as well as
common sense from course participants also expected
How This Course Will Be Conducted

3. 3
Course Highlights
•Introduction to research
methodology
•Research Terminology and the
Scientific Method
•Designing and implementing a
research project
•Ethics in Research
•Types of Research
•Measurements in Research
•Primary and Secondary Data
•Analyzing primary and
secondary data (quantitative
techniques)
•Communicating Research
Results
•Undertaking Research Project by
the course participants

4. 4
What is Business Research?
•Business Research may be defined as the “systematic
and objective process of gathering, recording and
analyzing data for aid in making business decisions”
(Zikmund, Business Research Methods, 2002, p. 6)
•Systematicness and Objectivity are its distinguishing
features of Business Research, which is important tool
for managers and decision-makers in corporate and non-
corporate organizations

5. 5
When is Business Research Used?
Typically, business research methods are used in
situations of uncertainty, that is, when decision-makers
face two or more courses of action and seek to select
the best possible alternative under the circumstances.
Business Research is hence aimed at improving the
quality of decision-making which, in turn, benefits the
organization and helps ensure its continuity and
efficiency

6. 6
Typical Users of Business Research Methods
•Businesses and Corporations
•Public-Sector Agencies
•Consulting Firms تاكرشلا
•Research Institutes
•Non-Governmental Organizations NGO
•Non-Profit Organizations
•Independent Researchers and Consultants

7. 7
Common Business Research Methods &
Techniques
•Surveys
•Interviews
•Observation
•Experiments
•Archival and Historical Data
•Qualitative Analysis
•Quantitative Analysis

8. 8
General Business Conditions and Corporate Research
•Short- & Long-Range Forecasting
•Business and Industry Trends تاهاج
ّتلإا
•Global Environments
•Inflation and Pricing
•Plant and Warehouse Location
Fields Where Business Research is Often Used – (1)
Management and Organizational Behaviour Research
•Total Quality Management
•Morale and Job Satisfaction
•Leadership Style
•Employee Productivity
•Organizational Effectiveness
•Structural issues
•Absenteeism بايغلا and turnover
•Organizational Climate

9. 9
Financial and Accounting Research
•Forecasts of financial interest rate trends
راعسأ تاهاجتا تاعقوت

ةيلاملا ةدئافلا
•Stock مهسلا,bond دن
ّسلا
and commodity ةعلسلا value predictions
•capital formation alternatives
لاملا سأر نيوكت لئادب
•mergers and acquisitions
ذاوحتسلااو جامدنلاا تايلمع
•risk-return trade-offs
تاضياقملا دئاو3علاو رطاخملا
•portfolio analysis
•impact of taxes
بئارضلا ريثأت
•research on financial institutions
•expected rate of return
دئاعلل عقوتملا لد3عملا
•capital asset pricing models
ةيلامسأرلا لوصلأا ري3عست جذامن
•credit risk
نامتئلاا رطاخم
•cost analysis
فيلاكتلا ليلحت
Fields Where Business Research is Often Used – (2)

10. 10
Sales and Marketing Research
•Market Potentials
3قوسلا تاناكمإ
•Market Share
مهسلاا قوس
•Market segmentation
قوسلا ةئزجت
•Market characteristics
•Sales Analysis
•Establishment of sales quotas
تاعيبملا صصح ديدحت
•Distribution channels
•New product concepts ميهافم
•Test markets
رابتخلاا قاوسأ
•Advertising research
•Buyer behaviour
•Customer satisfaction
•Website visitation rates
عقوملا ةرايز تلادعم
Fields Where Business Research is Often Used – (3)

11. 11
Information Systems Research
•Knowledge and information needs assessment
مييقت تامولعمو ةفرعم
تاجايتحلاا
•Computer information system use and evaluation
ماظن مادختسا

مييقتلاو ةيبوساحلا تامول3عملا
•Technical suppot satisfaction
•Database analysis
تانايبلا ةدعاق ليلحت
•Data mining
تانايبلا جارختسا
•Enterprise resource planning systems
تاسسؤملا دراوم طيطخت مظن
•Customer relationship management systems
ءلامعلا تاقلا3ع ةرادإ مظن
Fields Where Business Research is Often Used – (4)

12. 12
Corporate Responsibility Research

تاكرشلا ةيلوؤسم ثوحب
•Ecological Impact
يئيبلا رثلأا
•Legal Constraints on advertising and promotion
ى3لع ة3ينوناقلا دويقلا

جيورتلاو نلاعلإا
•Sex, age and racial discrimination / worker equity
ر33معلاو س33نجلا
/
فاصنلإا لماع يرصن3علا زييمتلاو
•Social values and ethics
قلاخلأاو ةيعامتجلاا ميقلا
Fields Where Business Research is Often Used – (5)

13. 13
Selected Examples of Real-Life Situations in
Which Business Research Methods are Used
A firm ةكرش wants to produce and market a new product but first wants to
ascertain if there is a potential consumer demand for this product in markets x,
y and z
 a multinational firm
تايسنجلا ةددعتم ة3كرش
wants to establish a production
facility in another country after determining its technical and economic feasibility
A government agency wants to ascertain the satisfaction level of its employees,
the causes for any possible discontent ءايتسا, and propose a scheme for
enhancing this level
A financial institution wants to invest in commodities علسلا and commissions a
study to determine the past trends and forecast future returns in a portfolio of
commodities
ن3م ة3عومجم ي3ف ةيلبقت3سملا د3ئاوعلا تاعقوتو ةقبا3سلا تاهاجتلاا د3يدحت
علسلا
The CEO of a firm wants to undertake a SWOT-Analysis as part of his plan to
redefine his organization’s priorities

14. 14
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis (alternatively SWOT
Matrix) is a structured planning method
used to evaluate the Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
involved in a project or in a business
venture ةرماغم. A SWOT analysis can be
carried out for a product, place, industry or
person. It involves specifying the objective
of the business venture or project and
identifying the internal and external factors
that are favorable and unfavorable to
achieving that objective.

15. 15
Basic and Applied Research
Basic Research aims to expand the frontiers دودحلا
of science and knowledge by verifying or disproving نلاطب the
acceptability of a given theory or attempting to discover more
about a certain concept (non-specificity)
Applied Research focuses on a real-life problem or
situation with a view to helping reach a decision how to deal
with it (Specificity)

16. 16
Science and the Scientific Method
Science has been defined as “the methodological and systematic
approach to acquisition باستكا of new knowledge” (Geoffrey
Marcyzk, David DeMatteo, David Festinger, Essentials of
Research Design and Methodology, John Wiley & Sons, 2005, p.
4).
The scientific method, which has evolved since the 13
th
century,
concerns the set of tools, techniques and procedures used by
basic and applied researchers to analyze and understand
phenomena and prove or disprove prior conceptions.

17. 17
The Essence رهوج
of the Scientific Method
Characteristics of the Scientific Method
Objectivity
Systematic Analysis
Logical Interpretation of Results
Elements of the
Scientific Method
Empirical Approach
Observations
Questions
Hypotheses
Experiments
Analysis
Conclusion
Replication خاسنتسلإا
Basic
Research
Applied
Research
S
c
ie
n
t
if
ic
M
e
t
h
o
d
Information or
Ideas for alternative
Courses of action
General Laws

18. 18
The Value of Business Research for Managers–(1)
Reduction of uncertainty and improvement in the quality of
decision-making with several consequent advantages (e.g.
strategic, operational) and benefits for organizations
Business Research Methods can be employed in each of the
following four stages:
(1)Identification of problems and/or opportunities
Useful for strategy planning, analysis of internal and
external organizational environment

19. 19
The Value of Business Research for Managers – (2)
(2) Diagnosing and Assessment of problems and/or opportunities
Its purpose is to gain insight into the underlying reasons and
causes for the situation. If there is a problem, it asks what
happened and why? If there is an opportunity, it seeks to
explore, clarify and refine the nature of the opportunity and, in
the case of multiple opportunities, seeks to set priorities
(3) Selection and Implementation قيبطت of Courses of Action
After alternative courses of action have been determined,
selection of the best possible course.

20. 20
The Value of Business Research for Managers – (3)
An important consideration is the quality of forecasting
which is an essential tool of research
(4) Evaluating the Course of Action
Business Research Methods are used after a course of
action has been implemented in order to determine whether
activities have been properly implemented and have
accomplished what they intended to do

21. 21
The Value of Business Research for Managers – (4)
Evaluation Research – It is the formal objective measurement and
evaluation project or program has achieved its goal of the extent
which an activity, and the factors which influence performance. It is
also the formal objective measurement and evaluation of the extent
to which on-going activities, projects or programs are meeting their
goals (performance-monitoring research)
Examples of performance-monitoring research:
(1)Are railway passengers satisfied with the level of service the
railway company is providing? If not, then research may need to
be undertaken to ascertain the reasons for customer
dissatisfaction and propose corrective measures
(2)What are the trends تاهاج
ّتلإا
in retail and wholesale sector? Can
research suggest new ways to improve efficiency in purchase
transactions?

22. 22
When Should Business Research be Undertaken?
Is sufficient time
available?
Is information
adequate?
High importance
of decision?
Research benefits
greater than costs?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Undertake Business Research
NO
Do not
undertake Business Research

23. 23
Value and Costs of Undertaking Business
Research
VALUE
Decreased Uncertainty
Higher Likelihood of
Correct Decisions
Better Business
performance
Higher Profits
Better Reputation
COSTS
Research Costs
Delay in Making
Business Decisions
Disclosure of
Information to Rivals
نوسفانملا
Possibility of Error

24. 24
The Building Blocks of Research
Measurements of phenomena
(e.g. sales statistics of a department store)
DATA
Determination of relationship amongst data with a
view to facilitating understanding of the phenomena,
their relationships and decision-making
(e.g. past and predicted future sales trends)
INFORMATION
KNOWLEDGE
Blend طيلخ of information, experience and in-sights that
provides a framework that can be thoughtfully
سوردم لكشب

evaluated when assessing new information or evaluating
relevant situations

25. 25
Demands on Data & Information
•Relevance to the problem or situation at hand
•Must be available in a timely manner to the right person (manager
or decision-maker)
•Completeness
•Accuracy
•Accessibility
لانملا ةلوهس

•Affordability
•Ability into decision-support system
رارقلا معد ماظن يف ةردقلا

26. 26
Global Information Support Systems
A Global Information System may be defined as “ an
organized collection of computer hardware, communication
equipment, software, data, and personnel designed to
capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze, and immediately
display information about worldwide business activities”
A Global Information System is a tool for providing past,
current and projected information on internal operations and
external activity. It organizes and integrates ل
3333ماكي
data from production, operations, marketing, finance,
accounting and other business functions

27. 27
Decision-Support System
•A computer-based system that helps decision makers confront
problems through direct interaction with databases and analytical
software programs
•The purpose of a decision support system is to store data and
transform them into organized information that is easily accessible
to decision-makers
•Decision-Support Systems are integrated لماكتم in Global
Information Systems. They are aimed usually for assisting
managers and decision-makers in specific organizational business
units (e.g. divisions, departments and functional areas) by providing
organized and adaptable information

28. 28
Databases & Software
•Databases are collections of raw data which have been arranged
in a logical manner and which can be stored and processed
electronically
•Software are programs that allow complex operations to be
undertaken on data and which give information for managers and
decision-makers
•Data Warehousing & Data Mining
تانايبلا جارختساو تانايبلا نزاخم

29. 29
Data and Information Sources for Business
Researchers – (1)
Internal Records
Example: Data about costs, shipments, inventory درجلا, sales, and other
aspects of regular operations which are collected from various functional
areas of an organization
Proprietary Business Research
Example: New data and information from projects which are undertaken to
study specific company problems
Business intelligence Systems
Example: Information about nonrecurring
عوجر ريغ
developments in the
external business environment stemming لاصئت
3333333333سلإا
from a network of sources and regular procedures

30. 30
Data and Information Sources for Business
Researchers – (2)
On-Line Databases
Examples: PROQUEST, INFOTRAC, DIALOG, LEXIS-NEXIS, Dow Jones
News Retrieval Services, CompuStat
Internet
Examples: World Wide Web search engines (Google, Yahoo, Altavista,
Lycos, Excite etc.)
All Other Sources
Examples: Research Institutions, Libraries, Books, Journals, Periodicals,
Newspapers, Chambers of Commerce and Industry

31. 31
Business Research in the International Context
Business Research is being increasingly applied in an international
context in the wake of globalization and the consequent freedom of
movement of the resources of labor, capital and information of
businesses and corporations:
•Frame overseas market potential
•Joint ventures and relocating production lines overseas
•work considerations for investment and trade (e.g. culture, legal
environment, security, physical infrastructure, availability and quality
of human resources, logistics, political stability, trade and
investment incentives)

32. 32
Data and Information Sources for Business
Researchers (Pakistan)
•Federal and provincial ministries of commerce, industries and
production
•Federal, provincial and city Chambers of Commerce and Industry
•State Bank, local and foreign banking institutions
•Stock Exchanges
•National Investment Board
•Export Promotion Bureau
•Manufacturers, Traders and Exporters Associations
•Research Institutes (e.g. Institute of Development Economics)
•Newspapers and Magazines
•Business and Trade Directories
•Internet

33. 33
Business Recorder
(www.brecorder.com)