1. Business Research Methods William G. Zikmund
Chapter 4:
The Business Research Process

2. What you will learn in this chapter
To classify business research as either; exploratory research, descriptive research or causal research;
To list stages in the business research process;
To identify and briefly discuss the various decision alternatives available to the researcher during each stage of the research process.

3. Decision Making
Decision making is the process of resolving a problem or choosing among alternative opportunities;
The key to decision making is to recognize the nature of the problem/opportunity, to identify how much information is available, and to recognize what information is needed.

4. Continuum of Decision Making
Complete certainty Uncertainty Absolute ambiguity

5. Types of Business Research
Exploratory
Descriptive
Causal

6. Uncertainty Influences The Type Of Research
CAUSAL OR
DESCRIPTIVE
COMPLETELY
CERTAIN
ABSOLUTE
AMBIGUITY
EXPLORATORY

7. Exploratory Research
• Initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of a problem.
• Management may have discovered general problems, but research is needed to gain better understanding of the dimensions of the problems
• Subsequent research is expected.

8. Exploratory Research 1. Secondary data (historical data)
2. Experience survey
3. Pilot study
4. Case study

9. Exploratory Research Experience Case Survey Study Secondary Pilot
(historical)
Data
Exploratory
Research

10. Exploratory Research Techniques: Two Examples
Secondary data (historical data)
Previously collected
Census of population
Literature survey
Pilot study
A number of diverse techniques

11. Descriptive Research
• Research designed to describe characteristics of a population or a phenomenon;
• Descriptive research seeks to determine the answers to who, what, when, where, and how questions.

12. I keep six honest serving men, (they taught me all I knew), their names are
what,
and why,
and when,
and how,
and where
and who.”
--Rudyard Kipling

13. Causal Research
• Research conducted to identify cause-and-effect relationships among variables where the research problem has already been narrowly defined.
• The main goal of causal research is identification of cause-and-effect relationships between variables;
• In causal studies it is typical to have an expectation of the relationship to be explained, such as predicting the influence the price, packaging, advertising, and the like, on sales.

14. Degree of Problem Definition
Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Causal Research
(Unaware of Problem) (Aware of Problem) (Problem Clearly Defined)
“Our sales are declining and “What kind of people are buying “Will buyers purchase more of
we don’t know why.” our product? Who buys our our products in a new package?
competitor’s product?”
“Would people be interested “Which of two advertising
in our new product idea?” “What features do buyers prefer campaigns is more effective?”
in our product?”
possible situation

15. Stages of the Research Process
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Discovery and
Definition
and so on
Research
Design
Conclusions and
Report
Sampling
Data Processing
and Analysis
Data
Gathering

16. Research Stages Cyclical process - conclusions generate new ideas
Stages can overlap chronologically
Stages are functionally interrelated
Forward linkages
Backward linkages

17. Problem discovery Selection of exploratory research technique
and Definition
Sampling
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Probability
Nonprobability
Secondary
(historical)
data
Experience
survey
Pilot
study
Case
study
Collection of
data
(fieldwork)
Data
Gathering
Data
Processing
and
Analysis
Editing and
coding
data
Problem definition
(statement of
research objectives)
Data
processing
Selection of
basic research
method
Research Design
Conclusions
and Report
Interpretation of
findings
Experiment
Survey
Observation
Secondary
Data Study
Report
Laboratory
Field
Interview
Questionnaire

18. The Business Research Process
Problem Discovery
Selection of Sample Design
Exploratory Research
Collection of the Data
Selection of the Basic Research Method

19. The Research Process (cont.)
Editing and Coding
Report
Data Processing
Interpretation of the Findings

20. Stages In The Research Process
Problem Discovery and Problem Definition
Research Design
Sampling
Data Gathering
Data Processing and Analysis
Conclusions And Report

21. Problem Discovery And Definition
First step
Problem, opportunity, or monitor operations
Discovery before definition
Problem means management problem

22. “The formulation of the problem is often more essential than its solution”
Albert Einstein

23. Hypothesis
A statement
that can be refuted
by empirical data

24. If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there.

25. Research Design Master plan Framework for action
Specifies methods and procedures

26. Basic Research Methods
Surveys
Experiments
Secondary data
Observation

27. Selecting a Sample Sample: subset SAMPLE of a larger population.

28. Sampling Who is to be sampled? How large a sample?
How will sample units be selected?

29. Data Gathering Stage

30. Data Processing and Analysis

31. Conclusions and Report Writing
Effective communication of the research findings

32. Research Proposal
A written statement of the research design that includes a statement explaining the purpose of the study.
Detailed outline of procedures associated with a particular methodology.