1. Slide 1.1 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Chapter 1 The nature of business and management research and the structure of this book

2. Slide 1.2 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 By the end of this chapter you will be able Be able to outline the purpose and distinct focus of management research; Be able to place your research project on a basic-applied research continuum according to its purpose and context; Understand the stages you will need to complete (and revisit)as part of your research process; Have an interview of this book’s purpose and structure; Be aware of some of the ways you can use this book,

3. Slide 1.3 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Introduction to the research process Things to consider Realities and pitfalls of research Approaches, strategies and methods Techniques and procedures for data collection and analysis Appropriate use of information technology

4. Slide 1.4 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Terminology Methods - The techniques and procedures used to obtain data Methodology - The theory of how research should be undertaken Saunders et al. (2009)

5. Slide 1.5 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Some ways in which the term “research” is used wrongly Just collecting facts or information with no clear purpose; Reassembling and reordering facts or information without interpretation As a term to get your product or idea noticed and respected.

6. Slide 1.6 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Research definition Like any other term of social science there is no agreement in the literature on how research should be defined. It means different things to different people. Nevertheless, from the many different definitions presented, there appears to be agreement that: Research is a process of enquiry and investigation. It is systematic and methodical. Research enhances knowledge (Hussey and Hussey, 1997).

7. Slide 1.7 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Research definition Maylor and Blackman, (2005, p. 5) define research as, ‘A systematic process that includes defining, designing, doing and describing an investigation into a research problem.’ Having said that research subsequently includes the process of inquiry, investigation, examination and experimentation. These processes have to be carried out systematically, diligently, critically, objectively and logically. The expected end results would be to discover new facts that will help to deal with the problem situation

8. Slide 1.8 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Research definition A definition for research from the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of English (Hornby, 1995) is broadly stated as ‘a careful study or investigation, especially in order to discover new facts or information.’ It is evident that all the previous definitions agree with what has been clarified by Hussey and Hussey above

9. Slide 1.9 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Research purpose The specific aims of most research usually depends on what is being investigated. Nevertheless, generally speaking, the purpose of research can be summarised as follows (Hussey and Hussey, 1997): To review and synthesise existing knowledge To investigate some existing situation or problem To provide a solution to a given dilemma or problem To discover and analyse more general issues To generate a new system To explain a new phenomenon To create a new knowledge A combination of any of the above.

10. Slide 1.10 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 The nature of research Definition: ‘Something that people undertake in order to find things out in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge’ Saunders et al. (2009) Characteristics: Data are collected systematically Data are interpreted systematically There is a clear purpose to find things out

11. Slide 1.11 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 What does it suggest “systemically” and to “to find out things” “systematic” suggests that research is based on logical relationships and not just beliefs. “to find out things” suggests there are a multiplicity of possible purposes of your research. These may include describing, explaining, understanding, criticizing, and analyzing.

12. Slide 1.12 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Features of business and management research (1) Managers draw on knowledge from other disciplines Managers are more likely to allow access if they see commercial or personal advantage Managers now tend to be as educated as the researchers Managers require research to have some practical consequence Easterby-Smith et al. (2008)

13. Slide 1.13 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Definition of research in Business and management Sekran (2003) defined research in business as an organized, systematic, data-based, critical, objective, scientific inquiry, or investigation into a specific problem, undertaken with the purpose of finding answers or solutions to it

14. Slide 1.14 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Definition of research in Business and management Saunders et al defined business and management research as undertaking systematic research to find out things about management and business.

15. Slide 1.15 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Features of business and management research (1) Key debates Knowledge production – (Modes 1, 2 and 3 knowledge) The ‘relevance gap’ ‘Evidence based’ management Basic and applied research

16. Slide 1.16 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Mode one Mode one knowledge creation emphasizes research in which the questions are set and solved by the academic interests, emphasizing a fundamental rather than applied nature, where there is little if any focus on utilization of the research by practitioners.

17. Slide 1.17 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 mode two Mode two emphasizes a context for research governed by the world of practice, highlights of collaboration both with and between practitioners. Based upon this it has been argued that research within the mode two offers a way of bringing the supply side of knowledge represented by universities together with the demand sides represented by the business.

18. Slide 1.18 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Mode three Knowledge production focuses on apperception of the human condition as it might become its purpose being to ‘assure survival and promote the common good at various levels of social aggregation’. This emphasizes the importance of broader issues of human relevance of research. Consequently, in addition to research that satisfies your intellectual curiosity for its own sake, the findings of business and management research might also contain practical implications, and these findings may have societal consequences far broader and complex than perhaps envisaged by mode 2.

19. Slide 1.19 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Relevance gap Draw attention to concerns resulting from the separation of knowledge producers from knowledge users. This had the effect of introducing a schism or what call the ‘relevance gap’ which they argue, has become more marked over recent years, more encouragingly, academic management research can be seen as a design science. Its mission being to develop valid knowledge to support thoughtful, designing practitioners. From the design science perspective the main purpose of a cadmic research is to develop valid knowledge to support organizational problem solving in the field.

20. Slide 1.20 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Features of business and management research (2) Basic and applied research Sources: authors’ experience; Easterby-Smith et al. (2008); Hedrick et al. (1993) Figure 1.1 Basic and applied research

21. Slide 1.21 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 The research process (1) Stages of the research process Formulating and clarifying a topic Reviewing the literature Designing the research Collecting data Analysing data Writing up Based on Figure 1.2: Saunders et al. (2009)

22. Slide 1.22 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 The research process (2) Factors to consider The impact of your personal feelings and beliefs Access to data Time and other resources Validity and reliability of the data Ethical issues

23. Slide 1.23 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Purpose of the book To help you undertake research by being Clear about what you are doing Why you are doing it The associated implications of what you are about to do

24. Slide 1.24 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Overview of the Chapters (1) Tutorials for data analysis software Smarter Online Searching Guide Terminology that is defined and explained Examples of research projects Checklists for focused guidance

25. Slide 1.25 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Overview of the Chapters (2) Each Chapter contains: A summary of key points Self- check questions – and answers Review and discussion questions References and further reading A case study that highlights real research issues

26. Slide 1.26 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Final Sections Bibliography Appendices Glossary Index

27. Slide 1.27 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Summary: Chapter 1 Business and management research Is transdisciplinary Engages with both theory and practice Involves undertaking systematic research Should be undertaken with rigour

28. Slide 1.28 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 Summary: Chapter 1 The book acts as a guide to the research process by providing: a series of research examples checklists to help you acquire relevant knowledge review and discussion questions self-check questions - and answers guidance as you generate material for your project report

29. Slide 1.29 Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5 th Edition, © Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009 And finally…….. “there is no one best way for undertaking all research” Saunders et al. (2009)