Chapter 1

1. Business research A process of planning, acquiring, analysing and

disseminating information, data and insights to decision makers in ways
that help the org to take appropriate actions
2. Decision support system Data derived from every exchange or
transaction that an org undertakes, organized for easy retrieval
3. Business Intelligence System Designed to provide the manager with
ongoing information about events and trends in the PESTEL environment
and all competitive arenas
4. Strategy The general approach an organization would follow to achieve
its goals
5. Tactics Specific, timed activities that execute a strategy
6. Purposes of business research These are
a. To identify and define opportunities and problems
b. To define, monitor and refine strategies
c. To define, monitor and refine tactics
d. To improve our understanding of the various fields of management
7. Companies can be classified into three types of decision makers on the
basis of their information use:
a. Visionaries Use creative combos of research techniques and use
research for all business decisions
b. Standardized decision makers Periodically use research info
c. Intuitive decision makers Use intuition to take decisions
8. Diagram of research process pg. 13
9. Types of research Two types are
a. Applied research Has a practical problem-solving emphasis
b. Pure/Basic research Aims to obtain new info or solve a problem
that has little or no direct impact on action, performance or policy
decisions
10.Basic characteristics of research These are
a. Has a clearly defined and unambiguous purpose
b. The exact process used is described clearly
c. The research design should be thoroughly defined
d. High ethical standards are applied
e. The limitations are candidly revealed
f. The data should be analysed adequately to ensure that it is valid
and reliable
g. The findings are clearly presented in simple and clear language
h. Conclusions are justified on the basis of the data gathered and
analysed
i. Should contain info about the qualifications of the researcher
11.Types of research studies These are:
a. Reporting study Provides a summation of data, often recasting
data to achieve a deeper understanding or to generate statistics
b. Descriptive study Seeks to answer the questions who, what, when,
where and sometimes, how. Usually, no inferences are drawn
c. Explanatory It aims to explain the reasons for the phenomena that
the descriptive studies observed, in short, the why and how
d. Predictive Aims to find what factors lead to a phenomena so as to
enable the decision maker to predict the occurrence of the event in
the future. This leads to the concept of control, in which we aim to
put a leash on certain phenomena

Chapter 3
1. Concept A generally accepted collection of meanings or characteristics
associated with a phenomena
2. Construct An image or abstract idea specially invented for a given
research or a theory-building purpose
3. Operational definition A definition stated in terms of Definitions are
important to ensure that the researcher and the reader both understand
the same thing from a given concept. A definition stated in terms of
specific criteria for testing or measurement and which refer to empirical
standards
4. Variable A symbol of an event, act, characteristic that can be measured
and to which we assign categorical values. Can be of independent (IV) or
dependent (DV). A Moderating variable is a type of IV that has a significant
contingent effect on the original IV-DV relationship. Extraneous variables
conceivably might affect a given relationship but are usually excluded
from study. An Intervening Variable is a factor that theoretically affects DV
but cannot be measured or observed
5. Proposition A statement about observable phenomena that can be
judged true or false
6. Hypothesis A proposition formulated for empirical testing. They can be of
two types:
a. Descriptive hypotheses They state the existence , size or form of a
variable
b. Relational hypotheses State a relationship between two variables
with respect to some case. Correlational hypotheses state that the
variables occur together in some specified manner without implying
the causality. Explanatory hypotheses say that a change in one
variable leads to a corresponding change in another
7. Theory A set of systematically interrelated concepts, definitions and
propositions that are advanced to explain and predict facts
8. Model A representation of a system that is constructed to study some
aspect of that system or the system as a whole. Models can be Descriptive
(visualize numerous variables and relationships), predictive (forecast
future events), Normative (inform what actions need to be taken)
9. Empirical testing Denote observations and propositions based on sensory
experience and/or derived from such experience by methods of inductive
logic, including mathematics and statistics
10.Argument Statements that seek to explain, challenge or explore
meaning. Are of two basic kinds:
a. Deduction The conclusions must follow the reasons given
b. Induction A conclusion is drawn not based on the reasons given
but from one or more particular facts or evidence
Chapter 4 The Research Process consists of the following stages:
1. Clarifying the research question The first step is to come up with the
actual question whose answer is being sought. It consists of the following
steps:
a. Discover the management dilemma
b. Define the management question (restatement of the managers
dilemma)

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

c. Define the research question (the hypothesis that best states the
objective of the research)
Proposing research The budget required for the research must be
estimated. It should be equally allocated to project planning, data
gathering and analysis. The value of the information which would be
obtained from the research must also be computed. If the value is less
than the proposed budget, then it makes no sense to carry out the
research. To evaluate the value of the research we can use ex-post facto
evaluation (done after the research),prior or interim evaluation, option
analysis (multiple options for research available and the highest value
provider chosen) and decision theory.
Designing the research project Consists of the following steps:
a. Research design It is the blueprint for fulfilling objectives and
answering questions
b. Sampling design Identifying the target population and then
deciding whether to go for a sample (examining a portion) or census
(examining all elements) is required
c. Pilot testing Conducted to detect weaknesses in design and
instrumentation and to provide proxy data for selection of a
probability sample
Data Collection and Preparation Can be through questionnaires,
standardized tests, etc. Data must be verifiable and valid. Also can be
primary or secondary
Data Analysis and Interpretation Involves reducing accumulated data to
a manageable size, developing summaries, looking for patterns and
applying statistical techniques
Reporting results Should be adjusted according to the target audience
and the purpose of research. Research reports must contain:
a. Executive summary Synopsis of problem, findings and
recommendations
b. Overview of research Background, literature summary, methods
and procedures, conclusions
c. Implementation strategies recommendations
d. Technical appendix Materials necessary to replicate the project
Issues of the Research Process Some problems plaguing the process are:
a. Favoured-technique
syndrome

researchers
change
the
management question into a form that suits their own style
b. Company database mining The presence of a large database of
info may preclude the need for more research
c. Taking up unresearchable questions
d. Formulating ill-defined management problems
e. Researches that are politically motivated