1. Business Research Methods 1

2. Defining Research Research can be defined as:
“Seeking through methodical processes to add to one’s own body of knowledge and, hopefully, to others, by the discovery of non-trivial facts and insights.”
(Howard & Sharp, 1983:7)

3. Research involves undertaking systematic research to find out things about business and management issues (Saunders et al.,1997)
‘Systematic’ suggests that research is based on logical relationship and not just beliefs (Ghauri et al., 1995).
As part of this your research will involve an explanation of the methods used to collect data, argue why results are the way they are, argue why the results obtained are meaningful and explain any limitation associated with them.

4. ‘Finding out’ suggests a multiplicity of possible purposes of your research eg describing, explaining, criticising, analysing, understanding, etc (ibid)

5. Purposes of Research To review existing knowledge
To describe some situation or problem
To construct something novel/ new
To explain why things are the way they are
To discover new knowledge
To solve problems
To explore things
To verify or check facts.

6. Relevancy or Significance of the Research
Does the research have meaning?
Is the study important?
If important, to whom?

7. Business Research Utilization
Pricing
Fighting competition
Placing products in the market
Forms of promotion to use
Producing new products
Decision making

8. Outsourcing Vs Own Research
Outsourcing of Research – this is where a research is carried out by other people outside the organization.
Mainly through research consultancy, research expertise, research companies, etc

9. Pros of Outsourcing Independent results
No influence from internal management

10. Cons of outsourcing Costly
Researcher may present results in a bid to impress the organization.
Researchers may be concerned about getting more future business
Researchers may lack relevant internal knowledge of the organisation.
Difficult to monitor the work of externals

11. Own Research
This is where the organisation may have its own internal research unit or department responsible for carrying out research.
These are the people who are specifically employed for carrying out research

12. Pros for own Research
Researchers are experts in their area as it is what they are employed to do.
Ease to monitor as they are from the internal

13. Cons of Own Research
Costly as it is a unit of department which is a cost centre of the organization.
Research may be influenced by the management – authoritarian rule