1

Business Research
Methods

Notes of Business Research Methods

Class Wise

Book author: Donald R Cooper Teacher: SIR ABDUL SAMAD

1st class

Why research is conducted?

When there is a problem or if there is an opportunity in the market or in any other

particular we conduct a research to explore the opportunity or to solve that problem.

Definition:

“A systematic, scientific, organized inquiry that provides information to

managerial decision makers”

Systematic: identify the problem and proceeds step by step

Scientific: The difference is verifiable, results of research be verifiable. There is the

confidence of the decision.

Difference between confidence and decision

P (70<U>80) =80% it interprets that I am 80% sure that the average marks of class in a
particular subject will between 70 and 80. This statement is precise and differentiable
and testable

P (0<U>100) =100% it interprets that I am 100% sure that the marks of the students in a
particular subject are between 0 and 100. This statement is not precise because it is
obvious that the marks of students will in between 0andf 100

The level of confidence must not be very wide and it also must not be too short.

Types of Research

• Exploratory research: the research which is conducted to explore the problem

is called exploratory research in which the hypothesis or level of confidence is
defined.

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 2
Business Research
Methods

• Descriptive research: one variable is involved in this type of research, the

problem is studied in details and depth and the surveys are conducted.

• Causal research: the study of cause and its effects is called the causal research
e.g. the effect of rise in the price of a commodity on its sales, the effect of
advertising on the sales etc.

2nd class

What is the difference between market intelligence and market research?

Market intelligence is the continuous process of getting knowledge and information.

Market research is the problem based study conducted by the professional individuals.

There is some software available in the market to help the management or decision
makers. They are the artificial intelligent decision making.

DSS (decision support system)

This is an artificial system in which the information is saved

BIS (business intelligence system)

This will tell the management whether the research should be conducted or not.

Strategy

Strategy is the means of achieving long terms objectives. Following are the some
characteristics of a strategy:

Long terms objectives are to be achieved

Competitiveness

Sustainability: it brings self regulation

For example: the Federal University was facing some problems in the admission
process the management made a strategy and set a standard that all the students
intending to take admission in the university will go through a aptitude test. This strategy
gave the university an edge over its competitor’s universities and it made the system
sustainable it brought regulation because it set a minimum standard
PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL
URDU UNIVERSITY
 3
Business Research
Methods

Tactics

Specific ways to achieve some organizational objectives

For example our yearly sales are Rs100, 000 and we want to increase our sales to Rs
10, 00,000 per year. For this purpose and the target we will break our strategy into
different parts or ways suppose for the first year we will try to achieve the target of
increased sales of 200000 for the 2nd year we will increase our sales target and make
some adjustments in the strategy to achieve these specific ways to achieve a some
objectives are called the Tactics.

3rd class

What is a good research?

Following are some characteristics of a good research

• Purpose clearly defined: the purpose of research should be clearly defined that
for what purpose the research is conducted whether it is problem based or it is
opportunity based.

• Research process detailed: the research process is the complete design of the
research it will be discussed in the details in the proceedings.

• Research design thoroughly planned: research design is the complete frame

of the research that what will be area of studies what will be the size of
population what will be the sample size which probability technique will be used
etc.

• Limitations should be frankly revealed: all the researches are not for all the
purposes there are some limitations boundaries or confines for which the
research is fruitful. These limitations like time, geography, and area should be
discussed or discovered in the research.

What is pure/basic research and applied research?

Basic research:
PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL
URDU UNIVERSITY
 4
Business Research
Methods

The research for academic purpose is the pure or basic research. Normally this type of
research is conducted by the students or teachers of the universities and educational
institutions. Some research journal publish the pure or basic research in their editions
they have the editorial board of research which check the authenticity of the research.
Some universities release their own journals on weekly or monthly basis and publish the
research of students and the teachers.

Applied research

The research conducted for a specific purpose, brand, company or situation is called
the applied research. For example if a research is conducted in the KFC regarding the
increasing waiters turnover it will be called applied research because there is a specific
purpose, company and specific situation.

4th class

Chapter#2 Thinking like researchers

Deduction and induction;

In our daily life and research we argue before going or reaching a conclusions this topic
is related to give arguments

Deduction:

Deduction has a strong bond between reason and conclusion in the process of
deduction the purpose is to be concluded. We generalize specific things in deductions

Reason#1

 Man is mortal (statement)

 Kashif is a man

 Kashif is mortal (conclusion)

Induction:

In the process of induction we stimulate the thing from specific to general e.g.

 Company spent one million dollars on promotion

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL
URDU UNIVERSITY
 5
Business Research
Methods

 Sales did not increased

 Promotion campaign was ineffective (conclusion)

Class assignment: How can induction and deduction can be

used together in business research give examples of induction
and deduction.

5th class

What is concept and construct?

Concept:

Generally accepted meanings of anything, idea or object are concept.

Construct:

Constructs are those concepts which you need to define they are highly abstract in
nature.

What are operational definitions and normal definitions?

Operational definitions:

Those definitions which are used for specific purpose or in the research are called the
operational definitions

Normal definitions:

Normally used definitions and synonymous used to understand.

6th class

Variables

Types of variables;

• Discrete variables and continuous variables

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 6
Business Research
Methods

Discrete: countable variables e.g. number of students in a class

Continuous: measurable variables e.g. height and weight

• Dependent and independent variables

In the law of demand’

Dependent: quantity demanded is dependent

Independent: price is independent

• Extraneous variables

Assumptions which are supposed constant

Chapter#3 The research process

7th class

Management dilemma

It is an issue or problem faced by the management of an organization. For example

decline in the sales is an issue and problem for the management.

Management question

Formatting an issue into a question is management question. The question asked by

the management about the problem or the question raised by the management of the
organization.

E.g. why sales are declining?

How can we increase sales?

Research questions

To answer the management questions the researcher need the answers of some other
questions. First researcher will check the management question if the question is rightly

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 7
Business Research
Methods

asked regarding the dilemma then he will do the exploratory research to explore the
problem.

E.g. production department doing well’

Distribution is proper’

Marketing department doing well

Measurement question:

Those questions which are designed to answer the research questions.

Assignment#1: Develop management dilemma management

question and research question
Assignment#2 search a research article of own interest and study
the article, viva will be conducted after approval of the article.

8th class:

Research process:

Discover management dilemma

Define management question

Research questions

Research proposal

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 8
Business Research
Methods

Research design methodology

Data collection and presentation

Data analysis and interpretation

Reporting the findings

Management decision

Favored technique syndrome:

It says that one researcher is expert in different fields either he is good in interviews or
questionnaire. Some times he favors that technique in which he is good.

Chapter#4 Research Proposal

9th class

Research proposal is an offer given by the organization intending to conduct a research.

RFP (request for proposal) is required to conduct a research tendered notice is an
example of RFP. Let’s suppose if the government wants a research that how the
country can get rid of beggars Government will issue a tendered notice.

Research proposal is required in both types of researches internal research and

external research.

Can the research be submitted without a research proposal?

Yes it can be submitted to the organization if the researcher thinks that the organization
can perform well he will research and submit to the org.

Contents of the research proposal

• Problem statement:

What is the actually problems that is going to be solved. How well the problem or
proposal is understood.

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
9
Business Research
Methods

• Objectives of the study:

Why the research is conducted. What is the objective of the research? Objectives
should be carefully described those objectives should be set which the research
can meet. For example a research was conducted on the environment friendly
products. The objective of the research is the products which are friendly for the
environment.

• Literature review:

In the literature review all the research material is studied about the topic or area
you selected for the research. It is useless to find the same things which have
already been found by the others. How good you the studied the literature will
make your research more authentic. It is a time consuming process

• Research design/ methodology

What is the procedure of data collection whether primary data is collected or

secondary? What will be the sample, what will be the size, what probability
technique will be used?

• Importance of study

What is the importance of study you have done? How the study is important for
others

• Limitations

It must be mentioned in the proposal that what are the limitations of the study. Its
geographical limitations time limitations should be frankly revealed.

• Schedule:

Sometimes the research is based on the launch of the new product then mention
the schedule of research also mention the time when the research will be
submitted.

• Reference/ Bibliography

Material which is sighted in the research is called Reference

Material which is studied but not sighted in the research is called Bibliography

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 10
Business Research
Methods

There are different methods of sighting the reference but the most preferred is
Harvard method.

10th class

The research design

The research of every researcher will be slightly different from others because everyone
will be using a different research design. Some will be using questionnaire technique
some interview and different probability techniques. It is basically the research structure
most technical and activity based area.

Types of research design

Degree to which research questions Exploratory research

are defined/ refined
Formal study

Purpose of the research Descriptive

Causal

Method of data collection Monitoring

Communication

Power of the research to produce effects Experimental

on variables under study
Exposfacto( no control on variables)

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 11
Business Research
Methods

Based on time limitations Cross sectional

longitude

Chapter 12 Measurement
11th class

In measurement we measure variable that vary from time to time person to person and
place to place. We will specify measurement to questionnaire to make it simple to
understand.

Characteristics of measurement:

Following are the characteristics of measurement scales

Classification

Q. No1 which brand you prefer more

a) Pepsi

b) Coke

c) Sprite

d) Fanta

In the above mentioned example the brands have been classified.

Order

At what extent you are satisfied with Pepsi?

a) Highly satisfied

b) Satisfied

c) Neutral

d) Dissatisfied

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 12
Business Research
Methods

e) Highly dissatisfied

There is an order in the statement highly satisfied is greater than then satisfied and so
on.

Equal distance

What is current temperature?

a) 10-20

b) 20-30

c) 30-40

d) 40-50

Absolute origin

What is your age?

a) 10-20

b) 20-30

c) 30-40

d) 40-50

As compared to the temperature there is an absolute origin in the age because the age
can not be negative as the temperature

Measurement scales on the basis of characteristics

Classification ----------------------------------------------------------------Nominal scale

Classification + order------------------------------------------------------Ordinal scale

Classification + order + equal distance-------------------------------Interval scale

Classification + order + equal distance + absolute origin---------Ratio scale

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY
 13
Business Research
Methods

12th class

What kind of statistical tools can be applied on the measurement scale?

We apply statistical tools to measurement son that we can come to a conclusion.

Nominal scale: mode can be applied on nominal scale because due to the
classification of the data we can easily find that which number is mostly repeated.

Ordinal scale: we can apply mode plus median to this scale because the data given in
the question is arranged in an order. If we assign codes to the given data now we can
mean median and median of the data.

Interval scale: mean median and mode can be applied to this scale of measurement

Ratio scale: all the statistical tools which can be applied to the previous three scales
are all applicable to the ratio scale with some additional tools because all the four
characteristics of measurement scale are found in this scale.\

Assignment#3 submit a research proposal latest on

November 12

PREPARED BY: MUHAMMAD IRFAN MBA 2ND SEMESTER FEDERAL

URDU UNIVERSITY