Course Contents

• Defining Research, Business research, types of research---- Applied and basic research, Manager and research, the manager and the consultant researcher, Knowledge about research and managerial effectiveness, Ethics and Business research. • The hallmarks of scientific research, the hypothetico-Deductive Method, Alternative approaches to research. • The broad problems area, preliminary information gathering, research proposal, managerial implications, ethical issues in preliminary stages of investigation. • Literature survey, reasons for literature survey, conducting the literature survey, writing up the literature survey or the literature review, Problem definition, managerial implications, ethical issues. • The need for a theoretical framework, types of variables, The theoretical frame work, hypothesis development, managerial implications • The research design, Purpose of the study, types of investigation, extent of researcher interference with the study, Study settings, Unit of analysis, time horizon of study, managerial implication. • Measurement of Variables, Operational definition, international dimensions of operationalization • The four types of scales, Rating Scale, Ranking Scale, Goodness of measure, Validity and Reliability. • Sources of Data, Data Collection Methods, Questionnaires and Questionnaire Design, Structured and Unstructured interviews, Observational Studies, Multi methods and multi sources of data collection, setting where from data are collected, international dimensions of surveys, Managerial Implications, Ethics in data Collection. • Sampling, Population, Element, Population Frame, Sample, Subject, Sampling, Reasons for sampling, Representative of the sample, probability Sampling, Non Probability Sampling, Sampling in cross cultural research, issues of precision and confidence in determining sample size, Precision and confidence Trade off, Sample Data and hypothesis Testing, Sample Size, Efficiency testing, Sampling in Qualitative Studies, Managerial Relevance. • Data Analysis and Interpretation, Preparing data for Analysis, Data analysis and interpretation, use of several data analytic techniques, Descriptive Statistics, Inferential Statistics Final Project: • Topic chosen for research should be focused and narrowed down for research from broad problem area. Final Project should be based on application of complete research process. Research project should incorporate following contents: • Creative and Interesting Title • Introduction (Identifying the Theme, Significance of Study, Identification of Research Question) • Literature Review (Providing Background and Context of Study, Evidence from studies addressing the Selected Problem for the Research) • Theoretical Framework • Research Design • Data Analysis and Discussion • Recommendation and Conclusion Note: Your sources must be reputable and reliable. Text should follow APA format.

Course Synopsis

This course is designed to give an overview of the principles and methods of business research: identification of research question, development of theoretical framework and model, securing the respondents, making a test investigation, sampling, collecting data, types and errors of collected data, tabulating and analyzing the information, interpreting the findings and stating the conclusion through a series of class projects. Practical experience is offered to the students on how research techniques and procedures are applied to solve the business problems. The course will also help the students in understanding the importance of the business research as a management decision tool and in dealing with various business-related theoretical and applied problems.

Course Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course students will be able to • Recognize the importance of research as a first step in Business Studies. • Translate basic/applied business issues into appropriate academic research questions. • Understand the links between the issues being investigated and the method of investigation. • Use SPSS software for statistical analysis and interpretation • Understand and apply the skills required to design and conduct research studies using quantitative methods. • Acquire the ability to interpret research results and establish the substantive meaning and implications of the findings for managerial practice.