2. Donald Cooper Pamela Schindler
Business Research
Methods
Donald Cooper
Pamela Schindler
Irwin/McGraw-Hill

4. The Research Process

5. Selection of Research Method
The Research Process
Problem Discovery
Problem Discovery
And Definition
Selection of Exploratory technique
Secondary Data
Experience Survey
Pilot Study
Case Study
Problem Definition (Research Objectives)
Selection of Research Method
Research Design
Survey
Interview/Questionnaire
Observation
Secondary Data
Study
Experiment
Sampling

6. How do you identify a research problem..
Observation
Experience
Speculation
Replication?
Knowledge begets knowledge
Edges of knowledge, Nobel prizes
Technology and innovations
Social changes
Serendipity

8. The Management-Research Question Hierarchy
Slide 3 - 1
Management Dilemma
Measurement Questions
Investigative Questions
Research Questions
Management Questions
Management Decision 1 2 3 4 5 6

9. Working with the Hierarchy
Slide 3 - 2
Management Dilemma
The symptom of an actual problem
Not difficult to identify a dilemma, however choosing one to focus on may be difficult

10. Defining the problem… Gap between actual and desired states
Symptoms vs real problem
Antecedent vs real problem or consequence
Example…low productivity is consequence, real issue is motivation, antecedent, non recognition of employees

11. Defi… Existing business problems Need for improvement
Conceptual clarity is needed, basic,
answer empirically, for curiosity, basic

12. Problem def… Clear Precise
Succinct statement of the question or issue that is to be investigated with the goal of finding and answer or solution
Could pertain to..

13. Examples…
State examples of problems..use examples from experiences….

14. Working with the Hierarchy
Slide 3 - 3
Management Question Categories
Choice of purposes or objective
Generation and evaluation of solutions
Troubleshooting or control situation

15. Working with the Hierarchy
Slide 3 - 4
Fine tune the research question
Examine concepts and constructs
Break research questions into specific second-and-third-level questions
Verify hypotheses with quality tests
Determine what evidence answers the various questions and hypothesis
Set the scope of your study

16. Working with the Hierarchy
Slide 3 - 5
Investigative Questions
Questions the researcher must answer to satisfactorily arrive at a conclusion about the research question

17. Working with the Hierarchy
Slide 3 - 6
Measurement Questions
The questions we actually ask or extract from respondents
Usually goes to the questionaire

19. Other Processes in the Hierarchy
Slide 3 - 7
Exploration
Recent developments
Predictions by informed figures about the prospects of the technology
Identification of those involved in the area
Accounts of successful ventures and failures by others in the field

20. Research Process Problems
Slide 3 - 8
The Favored Technique Syndrome
Company Database Strip-Mining
Unresearchable Questions
Ill-Defined Management Problems
Politically Motivated Research

21. Designing the Study
Slide 3 - 9
Select a research design from the large variety of methods, techniques, procedures, protocols, and sampling plans

22. Resource Allocation & Budgets
Slide
Guides to plan a budget
Project planning
Data gathering
Analysis, interpretation, and reporting
Types of budgeting
Rule-of-thumb
Departmental or functional area
Task

24. Evaluation Methods Ex Post Facto Evaluation Prior Evaluation
Slide
Ex Post Facto Evaluation
Prior Evaluation
Option Analysis
Decision Theory

25. Contents of a Research Proposal
Slide
Statement of the research question
Brief description of research methodology
Pilot Testing
Data collection
Data preparation
Data analysis and interpretation
Research reporting

26. Data Collection Characterized by Types abstractness verifiability
Slide
Characterized by
abstractness
verifiability
elusiveness
closeness to the phenomenon
Types
Secondary data
Primary data

27. Final Steps in Research
Slide
Data analysis
Reporting the results
Executive summary
Overview of the research
Implementation strategies for the recommendations
Technical appendix

29. Assignment… Form groups …not more than Five
Identify a research problem…define it
Then start on the proposal as we progress through the semester…