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Objectives

Business Research Methods • To impart knowledge  to evaluate and conduct 

research on management problems/issues.
It’s Everywhere! • To provide skills necessary for the conduct of 
student research projects as a part of the
student research projects as a part of  the  
programme requirement
• To highlight importance of research in 
Dr. Gunjan Malhotra
gmalhotra@imt.edu management. 
mailforgunjan@gmail.com

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Scope
• The research process ‐Relevance and scope of research
in management, Steps involved in the research process
/ scientific process. Role of research in the industry.
Role of research for managers.
• Formulation of a research problem‐Sources of
researchh problems,
bl managementt dil
dilemma—
management Question – research question hierarchy,
how to formulate a research problem? Essential
characteristics of research problem
• Objectives, variables and hypotheses‐Objectives of
research, identification and types of variables,
hypotheses, Concept and types.
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Scope
• Related literature‐ Significance and sources of 
related literature, reviewing of literature, 
References   and   referencing systems, 
bibliography. Research paradigms                                     
• Research design ‐Research design‐meaning and 
Research design ‐Research design‐meaning and
significance, Types of research 
designs…exploratory, descriptive, (survey and 
case study methods), Explanatory (ex‐post facto 
and experimental) Factors affecting internal and 
external validity of experiments.
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Scope Scope
• The sampling process‐Sampling – types ‐ probability  • Application of data analysis techniques‐ Types of data‐
and non‐probability, Sampling error, non sampling  nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio conditions on data for 
errors, sample size confidence interval and  the use of parametric and non‐parametric Tests. Hypothesis, 
determination of sample size.  Types of hypothesis, testing of hypothesis‐chi‐square test, t‐
test, Z test, F test. Multivariate analysis, cluster analysis, 
• Tools and techniques of data collection‐ Validity and  discriminant analysis, correlation and regression analysis, 
reliability of tools. Quantitative tools‐‐‐‐
y Q multiple regression analysis factor analysis Relation
multiple regression analysis, factor analysis.  Relation 
questionnaire, Data gathering Scales: ranking and  between the type of data and the statistical techniques to 
rating scales, Construction psychometric tools.   be used.  Use of SPSS in data analysis                       
Qualitative techniques‐ interviews focus groups, 
• Research proposal Significance and preparation of a 
participant and non‐participant observation. Primary 
research proposal.                                                                         
and secondary sources of data, Use of library and the 
internet sources for collection of data, data  • Report writing ‐Mechanics of report writing
clustering.  
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Research In Business: Why

Business Research
Study Research?

• Research is a diligent enquiry and careful  • Systematic and organized effort to investigate 
search for new knowledge through  a specific problem encountered in the work 
systematic, scientific and analytical  setting, that needs a solution.
approach in any branch of knowledge
approach in any branch of knowledge.  OR
The search of knowledge also helps to  • Systematic and organized process of 
accept, reject, or modify existing facts of  collecting, recording and analyzing data to aid 
knowledge. in business decision making process.
• Research aims to extend, collect or verify 
knowledge.
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The Environments that affect Research in

Business Why study Research?
Economic
Environment • Research provides you with the knowledge 
Competitive
Political and skills needed for the fast‐paced decision‐
and Legal
Environment making environment.
Environment

Business C t
Customer • Reduces uncertainty
Reduces uncertainty
Strategy Value and
Behavior • Helps focus decision making
Technological Social
Environment Environment
Natural
Environment

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Why should a manager know The Value of Acquiring

research? Research Skills
• Facilitates good decision making.
• Become discriminating about research findings.
• To gather more information before selecting a 
course of action   
• Prevents vested interests
• To do a high‐level research study 
• Educates to share pertinent and relevant information 
with researcher • To understand research design
T d t d hd i
• Helps take calculative risks with probabilities  • To evaluate and resolve a current management 
attached. dilemma 
• Understand the complexity of the variables in  • To establish a career as a research specialist 
organization. • To solve current business problems through 
• An integral part of professionalization of  research.
management. 
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Major Topics for Research in Research Areas in Business

Business • Employee behaviors such as performance, absenteeism, and 
• General Business Conditions and Corporate Research turnover.
• Financial and Accounting Research • Employee attitudes such as job satisfaction, loyalty, and 
organizational commitment.
• Management and Organizational Behavior Research
• Human resource management choices and organizational 
• Environmental Research strategy.
• International Research • The dynamics of rating and rating errors in the judgment of 
• Sales and Marketing Research human performance.
• Strategy formulations and implementation.
• Information Systems Research
• Brand loyalty, product life cycle, and product innovation.
• Industrial Research
• Updating policies and procedures in keeping with latest 
• Corporate Responsibility Research government regulations and organizational changes.
• Government Policies • Consumer complaints.
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• Product positioning, product modification, and new product 
development. Types of Business Research
• Cost of capital, valuation of firms, dividend policies, and 
investment decisions.
• Risk management, exchange rate fluctuations, foreign investment,  Applied/Action research –
exports and imports, regional cooperation's.
Deals with the problems to be solved
• Advanced manufacturing technologies and information systems.
• Differences in leadership positions, salaries, and leadership styles.
Differences in leadership positions salaries and leadership styles
• Environmental management in the organizations.
• Completion of the firms with foreign countries in terms of a 
particular industry.
Basic/Pure/Fundamental research -
• Development of effective cost accounting procedures. Deals with the theoretical aspects of   
• Keeping ahead of the competition in the new millennium. knowledge

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Applied Research Applied Research Examples

• Undertaken to solve existing problems. • A particular product may not be selling well and the manager 
• With the intention of applying the results of the  might want to find the reasons for this in order to take 
corrective action. 
findings to solve specific problems currently being 
experienced by the organization.
• Undertake to answer questions about specific 
q p • Should McDonalds add Italian pasta dinners to its menu?
problems, or ,  – Business research told McDonald’s it should not?
• To make decision about particular course of action or 
policy decision. • Should Procter & Gamble add a high‐priced home teeth 
bleaching kit to its product line?
• Current problem faced by the manager in the work 
setting, demanding a timely solution.
• Research showed Crest White strips would sell well at a retail 
• Conducted when a decision must be made about a  price of $44.
specific real‐life problem.
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Pure Research Basic Research Example

• A university professor may be interested in investigating the 
• Generating scientific knowledge for future use. factors that contribute to absenteeism as a matter of mere 
• Intended to expand the boundary of  academic interest.
knowledge or to verify the acceptability of a 
given theory
given theory. • Is executive success correlated with high need for 
g
achievement?
• To enhance the understanding of certain 
problems that commonly occur in  • Are members of highly cohesive work groups  more satisfied 
organizational settings , and seek method of  than members of less cohesive work groups?
solving them.
• Do consumers experience cognitive dissonance in low‐
involvement situations?
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Use of Research for Manager Some Examples

9 Interact effectively with the research consultant.
• Decision making. 9 You as a manager can differentiate between a 
• Knowledge of research not only helps the  good and bad study published in professional 
researcher to look at the researcher in  journals.
9 If desired you can undertake to solve a research 
y
creative ways but also knowledge helps in
creative ways  but also knowledge helps in  problem.
other ways. 9 Helps in decision making:
• Ex: Cont. on next slide. ™Gathering critical issues.
™Analyzing data
™Implementing right course of action.
™Identify critical issues
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Scientific Method
• The analysis and interpretation of empirical 
evidence (facts from observation or 
• RESEARCH AS A experimentation) to confirm or disprove prior 
conceptions.
• Characteristics:
SCIENTIFIC PROCESS – Purposive ness
– Rigor
– Testability
– Replicability
– Precision & Confidence
– Objectivity
– Generalizability
– Parsimony
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Steps of Research

• How employees commitment to  • Identification of a problem
• Theoretical framework
the organization can be 
• Hypotheses
increased? • Tool construction
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Conclusion‐‐‐Generalization

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Business Research Process Managers and research:

Step 1:   Defining the Problem
Step 2:   Developing an Approach to the Problem
Step 3:   Formulating a Research Design
Step 3: Formulating a Research esign
Step 4:   Doing Field Work or Collecting Data
Step 5:   Preparing and Analyzing Data
Step 6:   Preparing and Presenting the Report
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Why?
• Identify and effectively solve minor problems in work 
setting.
• Know how to differentiate good from bad research.
• Take calculative risk in decision making
Take calculative risk in decision making
• Prevent possible vested interest from exercising their 
influence in a situation.
• Relate to hired researchers and consultants more 
effectively.
• Combine experience with Scientific knowledge while 
making decisions.
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Determining When Business

Business Research: When? Research should be conducted
Availability of Data Benefits
• Time constraints Time Constraints Nature of the Decision vs. Costs
Is the infor- Does the value
• Availability of data Is sufficient time
Yes mation already Yes
Is the decision
Yes of the research Yes Conducting
available before of considerable
a managerial
on hand
inadequate
strategic
information
exceed the cost
Business
• Nature of the decision decision
must be made?
for making
or tactical
importance?
of conducting Research
the decision? research?
• Benefits versus costs
No No No No

Business Research should not be Conducted

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Value Should Exceed

Internal Researchers
Estimated Costs
Costs • Advantages
Value •Research  • Better acceptance from staff
expenditures
•Decreased certainty • Knowledge about organisation
•Delay of business 
•Increased likelihood of 
decision and possible  • Would be an integral part of implementation and 
a correct decision
di l
disclosure of 
f
•Improved business 
information to rivals evaluation of the research recommendations.
performance and 
•Possible erroneous 
resulting higher profits
research results
• Disadvantages
• Less fresh ideas
• Power politics could prevail
• Possibility not valued as “experts” by staff

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Common Research areas in

External Researchers
Business
• Advantages • General Business condition and corporate 
• Divergent and convergent thinking research
• Experience from several situations in different types of 
organizations. • Financial and accounting Research
• Better technical training, usually.
Better technical training usually • Management and OB research
dO h
• Disadvantages
• Sales and marketing research
• Takes time to know and understand the organizational 
system • Information system research
• Rapport and cooperation from staff not easy
• Not available for evaluation after implementation
• Corporate responsibility research
• costs
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• Thank You…

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