Course Details

1. Identify and understand the need for and methods to search for, extract, and synthesize information in a particular subject and topic area.
2. Evaluate and obtain information from a variety of sources.
3. Appraise information sources on the basis of quality and reliability.
4. Collect and analyze data using qualitative methods.
5. Demonstrate how different research strategies can help structure the research project.
6. Apply all the above during both the mid-term and final presentation and subsequent preparation of the research project submitted

I. Nature of Business Research

Clarify the research topic
Attributes of a good research topic

Rational thinking

Refining and turning research ideas into research projects

II. Critically Reviewing the Literature

Content and structure of critical review

Literature sources available

Planning obtaining evaluating and recording the literature

III. Research Strategy – Negotiating Access

Different research strategies

Problems and strategies to gain access

Use contacts, overcome concerns, benefits to the organization

IV. Data Collection using Interviews and Questionnaires

Types of interviews

Situations favouring qualitative research interviews

Way to conduct interviews

When to use questionnaires, different types and choices

Designing the questionnaire

Pilot testing and assessing validity

V. Analysing Qualitative Data

Categorization and Unitization

Recognizing relationships and developing categories

Developing and testing hypotheses to reach conclusions

VI. Ethical Issues

Ethics in data collection

Ethics related to the analysis and reporting stages

VII. Writing the Project

Getting started with writing

Structuring your project

• Saunders, M., P. Lewis and A. Thornhill (2007) Research Methods for Business Students, 4rd Edition, Prentice Hall

• Crowther David and Lancaster Geoff, Research Methods, 2nd Edition, Routledge. 2012
• Sekaran, Uma and Roger Bougie, Research methods for business: A skill building approach, 5th edition, Wiley, 2011
• Cooper Donald and Schindler P, Business Research methods, 11th edition, McGraw Hill, 2010