LECTURE 1 - introduction and problem definition

Question 1

Business research (definition)

Answer 1

The systematic and objective process of collecting, recording, analyzing and interpreting data for aid in solving managerial problems

Question 2

Applied research

Answer 2

Applied research has a very practical focus, with an emphasis on achieving measurable outputs that are specific to a particular business or organization. Results are difficult to generalize elsewhere

Question 3

Basic research

Answer 3

Basic research is concerned with clarifying, validating or building a theory. Its importance to society or organizations may be determined by the extent to which this theory is translatable into a specific context

Question 4

Basic Research (3)

Answer 4

• Expand knowledge of social or organizational processes
• Develops universal principles
• Produces findings of significance and value to society

Question 5

Applied research (3)

Answer 5

• Improve understanding of specific social or organizational problems
• Create solutions to social or organizational problems
• Develop findings of practical relevance to the public and organizational stakeholders

Question 6

Typical research process steps (6)

Answer 6

• Introductioin

- Literature (dependent, independent, dependent/independent variable)
(-research questions)
- Methodology
- Results/ findings
- Discussion / analysis
- Conclusion`

Question 7

Problem background

Answer 7

Describes what the problem is and why it is a problem

Question 8

Problem statement

Answer 8

States the main question that the research needs to answer

Question 9

Types of research methodologies (4)

Answer 9

• Experimental research
• Quasi-experimental research
• Phenomenological research
• Analytical surveys

Question 10

Experimental research

Answer 10

Research where an experimental group receives the treatment and results are compared with the control group. Researcher manipulates the independent variable to see its effect on the dependent variable

Question 11

Quasi-experimental research (3)

Answer 11

• Subjects are not randomly assigned; researcher takes existing groups
• Independent variable is not manipulated but different levels of it are observed
• Does not eliminate the problem of confounding variables

Question 12

Phenomenological research (6)

• definition
• data collecting
• deductive/inductive
• what does it seek
• quantitative/ qualitative

Answer 12

• Producing thick descriptions of people’s experience and perspectives within their natural setting
• meanings of human experience
• unstructured method of data collecting
• inductive logic
• seeks opinions and subjective accounts
• qualitative data analysis

Question 13

Analytical surveys (7)

Answer 13

• highly structured
• careful random selection of samples
• results generalized
• deductive approach
• control of variables
• qualitative & quantitative data
• identification of research population