Sept 10, 2010 1

Business Research MethodsDr. Ning DING

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Overview

• Course Structure

• Schedule

• What is research?

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Course Structure

Lecturer STATISTICS:• BRM: Jan Roelf Scholtens (SCJR) Room: I007

Lecturer METHODS:• Ning Ding (DINI); Room: I007

Blackboard BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS BRM1

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Course Structure

3++ hours per week

• 1 hour with lecturer (MAAC)– Research fundamentals

– Assignment: applying research methods

• Statistics: 2 hours with lecturer (SCJR)– statistics

– SPSS

++ hours on assignments

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Course Structure

• Written exam IBVH4BRM1A

– two sections A and B

• A: research methods and qualitative aspects: Saunders

5th Ed., chapters 1, 2, 3, 4.3 (sub chapter ‘research

approaches’), 5, 7, 10, 11

• B: the quantitative part

– 2 ECTS

• Group assignment IBVH4BRM1C– research project– 3 ECTS

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Course Structure

• Assignment week 1

– Form a team

– Identify a research topic, indicate direction, expert

– Email (before Friday 12 hours):

• full names (first + last names), student numbers and class;

• Name contact person;

• Research topic, research population + general direction;

• Description and role of expert

Further info on BB (Business research methods BRM1): ‘Team Assignment Business research

Methods’ (Group Project button)

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Course Structure

• Group formation

– group size: minimum 4 - maximum 5 team members

– cultural diversity ; international

– Preferably from same class

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1.5 Structure of the book

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Research topic

Literature review

Philosophy & approach

Research design

Ethical issues

Data collection

Analyse the data

Write a report

Chapter 12, 13

Chapter 14

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Course Structure

week class

1 Course organization; Assignment; what is researchDeadline Assignment topic: Friday, week 1, 12:00 noon

2 Assignment

3 Questionnaire ; Questionnaire questionsResearch population and sampleValidity and reliability

Deadline Assignment proposal: Tuesday, week 3, 12:00 noon

4 Team feedback assignment proposal (schedule to be announced)

5 Exam / report requirementsReport requirements and assessmentSolid conclusions and recommendations

6 / 7 Team feedback on translating findings into conclusions (schedule to be announced)Deadline assignment report: Friday week 7, 12.00 noon

Exam feedback

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What is research?

Sensory

Agreement with others

Expert OpinionNo guarantee of the truth

No guarantee of the truth

Incomplete

Incomplete

Undependable

Undependable

Logic

What is research?

What is research?

“Something that people undertake in order to find out things in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge.” (Saunders,2009, p. 5)

What is research?

“seeking through methodical processes to add to one’s own body of knowledge by the discovery on non-trivial facts and insights” (Howard & Sharp, 1983, pg 3)

What is research?

“seeking through methodical processes to add to one’s own body of knowledge by the discovery on non-trivial facts and insights” (Howard & Sharp, 1983, pg 3)

What is research?

research is a process of inquiry and investigation

it is systematic, logical and methodical

it is meaningful, it has a clear purpose

It adds to (own) body of knowledge

What is research?

Questionnaires based on meanings derived by numberslarge samples, highly specific and precise datausing variables aims at objectivity

What is research?

Qualitative ResearchQualitative ResearchInterviews, observation based on meanings expressed through words small samples

data are rich and subjective using themes, generalizations acknowledges subjectivity

What is research?

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What is research

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What is research

topics for research: lifestyle behaviortopics for research: lifestyle behavior

• impulse buying• fashion consciousness• personal appearance• health consciousness • brand consciousness• money management / spending patterns• life satisfaction• financial satisfaction and optimism• environmental consciousness• opinion leadership

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Summary

• Why research?– Provide information for solving

problems, guiding business decisions

• Good research?– Purposeful, – with clearly defined focus– With plausible goals– With ethical and repeatable

procedures– With objective evidence– With complete and honest report

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Summary• Topic week 2:

– Assignment: research objectives, theoretical framework

• Prepare for next week– Study ‘team assignment business research methods’ (BB)– Study Saunders (ch 2.4, 3, 10.4, 10.5)

• Email (before Friday 12 hours noon):

– full names (first + last names), student numbers and class;

contact person;

– Research topic / population + indication of direction;

– Description and role of expert

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Discussion Questions• A research study was carried out to see whether

people notice web addresses on television adverts. This is an example of:

A. Pure research

B. Applied research

C. Neither

D. Both

• A research study was carried out to see how many people bought a product using the freephone number and how many using a paid-for phone call. This is an example of:

A. Pure research

B. Applied research

C. Neither

D. Both

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Discussion Questions• When a study has been conducted and is available for

others to see, it becomes:

A. Primary data

B. Ordinal data

C. Secondary data

• What is described here? To investigate two possible radio adverts for the new movie.

A. Model I knowledge creation

B. Model II knowledge creation

C. Both

D. Neither

More exercises: click here