Research Methodology

I am taking BPMN 3143 Research Methodology for this 5th semester. This course aims to provide understanding to students about research as applied in a business context. Students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills required in a basic research process. Students will also be introduced to the core concepts, methods and research issues which lay the foundations for conducting a research. Data analysis, interpretation and presenting analysis output will also be discussed. It is quite tough subject for me to handle it. Hope for a better understanding to study this subject.

1.0

Introduction to Research What is research? Definition of business research Types of business research: applied and basic           ·           Managers and research           ·         The manager and the consultant-researcher The manager–researcher relationship Internal versus external consultants/researchers Knowledge about research and managerial effectiveness Ethics and business research

2.0	Scientific Investigation The hallmarks of scientific research Some obstacles to conducting scientific research in the management area The seven-step process in the hypothetico-deductive method Deduction and Induction

3.0

The Research Process: The Broad Problem Area and  Defining the Problem Statement Broad problem area Preliminary information gathering Literature review The purpose of a critical literature review How to approach the literature review Data sources Searching for literature Evaluating the literature Documenting the literature review Defining the problem statement The research proposal What makes a good problem statement? Managerial implications Ethical issues in the preliminary stages of investigation

4.0

The Research Process: Theoretical Framework and  Hypothesis Development  The need for a theoretical framework Variables Theoretical framework Hypothesis development Definition of a hypothesis Statement of hypotheses: formats Directional and non-directional hypotheses Null and alternate hypotheses           ·      Managerial implications

5.0

The Research Process: Elements of Research Design The research design Purpose of the study: exploratory, descriptive, hypothesis testing, case study analysis Type of investigation: causal versus correlational Extent of researcher interference with the study Study setting: contrived and noncontrived Research strategies Unit of analysis: individuals, dyads, groups, organizations, cultures Time horizon: cross-sectional versus longitudinal studies Review of elements of research design Managerial implications

6.0	Measurement of Variables: Operational Definition How variables are measured Operational definition (operationalization) Operationalization of variables: dimensions and elements What operationalization is not International dimensions of operationalization

7.0	Measurement: Scaling, Reliability, Validity Four types of scales Rating scales Ranking scales International dimensions of scaling Goodness of measures Reflective versus formative measurement scales

8.0	Data Collection Methods Sources of data Data collection methods International dimensions of surveys Review of the advantages and disadvantages of different data collection methods Managerial implications Ethics in data collection

9.0

Sampling      ·         Population, element, sample, sampling unit, and subject ·         Parameters ·         Reasons for sampling ·         Representatives of samples ·         Normality of distributions ·         The sampling process ·         Probability sampling ·         Non probability sampling ·         Examples of when certain sampling designs would be appropriate ·         Sampling in cross-cultural research ·         Issues of precision and confidence in determining sample size ·         Sample data, precision, and confidence in estimation ·         Trade-off between confidence and precision ·         Sample data and hypothesis testing ·         Determining the sample size ·         Importance of sampling design and sample size ·         Efficiency in sampling ·         Sampling as related to qualitative studies ·         Managerial implications

10.0	Quantitative Data Analysis – SPSS Laboratory Getting the data ready for analysis Getting a feel for the data Excelsior Enterprises – descriptive statistics part 1 Testing goodness of data Excelsior Enterprises – descriptive statistics part 2

11.0

Quantitative Data Analysis: Hypothesis Testing – SPSS Laboratory Type I error, type II errors, and statistical power Choosing the appropriate statistical technique Testing a hypothesis about a single mean Testing hypotheses about two related means Testing hypotheses about two unrelated means Testing hypotheses about several means Regression analysis

12.0	Qualitative Data Analysis Data reduction Data display Drawing conclusions Reliability and validity in qualitative research Some other methods of gathering and analyzing qualitative data

13.0	The Research Report ·         The report ·         The written report ·         Oral presentation