Business Research Methods

1. Writing Research Project
Report

2. Research report
• A research report is a completed study that
reports an investigation or exploration of a
problem, identifies questions to be addressed,
and includes data collected, analyzed, and
interpreted by the researcher.

3. Characteristics
An ideal report should have the following characteristics:
• Report should be presented in a systematic and
attractive manner.
• Titles, photographs and graphs should be used
wherever necessary.
• Report should be clear, to the point and easily
understandable. Proverbs and exaggerations should be
avoided.
• The analysis of facts should have logical and scientific
base so that no one should have the doubt that the
report is based on assumption ideas.
• Similar types of facts should be repeated

4. Characteristics
• All the sources of information should be described so
that any person can verify the facts on the basis of
described sources.
• Difficulties and problems faced during research work
should necessarily be described to avoid any
artificiality. Such guidelines are very helpful and
advantageous for further and future researchers.
• An ideal report also indicates the points useful for
research in future
• Suggestions provided should be unbiased, creative and
useful.

5. Objectives of a Report
• 1. Reports provide information to those who
are in need of it.
• 2. It provides information for planning and co-
ordination o business activities.
• 3. Reports give information to investors
speculators, government, customers and the
people at large.
• 4. This provides base to formulate alternative
proposals relating to an issue.

6. Objectives of a Report
• 5. Reports acts as an a historical document to
take decision in future.
• 6. Report normally presents facts and
suggestions to an enquiry.
• 7. It acts as a tool in conducting performance
appraisal.
• 8. An effective report should be simple, clear,
brief and should be based on reliable factual
information.

7. Types
I. On the Basis Of Legal Formalities:
a. Informal Report :
– person-to-person communication.
– statement of facts on few pages.
b. Formal Reports :
– A Formal report is one which is prepared in a
prescribed form and is presented according to an
established procedure to a prescribed authority.

8. II. On the Basis Of Frequency :
a. Periodic or Routine Reports :
– Prepared on Regular and prescribed interval in the
usual routine of business.
b. Special Reports :
– Single occasion or situation.
– A report on the desirability of opening a new
branch or on the unrest among staff in a
particular branch is special reports.

9. III. On the Bases of Function:
a. Information Report :
– If a report merely present facts pertinent to an
issue or a situation it is informative.
b. Interpretative Report :
– If it analyses the fact, draws conclusions and
makes recommendations it is analytical or
interpretative or investigative.

10. IV. On the Bases of the Nature of the Subject dealt
with
a. Problem determining report :
– It determine causes the underlying a problem or
to ascertain whether or not the problem actually
exists.
b. Technical Report :
– In this present data on a specializes subject with
or without comments.

11. V. On the Basis of the Number of Persons
entrusted with Drafting of Reports :
a. Report by Individual :
– Report submitted by an individual like personnel
manager and related to the work in their own
department.
b. Report By Committee :
– The report prepared by a group members ie.,
committee in formal style.

12. You write a thesis to inform your
readers of:
• Importance of the topic
• Your research question
• What you did to answer the
question
• Your findings
• Your interpretation of the
findings

13. Sections of a Research
Abstract
Introduction
Review of Literature
Research Methods
Data Analysis & Interpretation
Findings & Conclusion
References and Appendix

14. Title
 Will determine whether report gets read
 Avoid long title (see journal rules)
 Title format:
•What is wrong with this one?
“Internal service quality insight and perception
of bank employees”

15. This is to some extent subjective, but probably include:
A clear, concise and meaningful title which creates
interest
Better?
“Insight into the internal service quality perception of
bank employees”

16. Abstract: A complete and concise one-
paragraph summary
• State the research question or
hypothesis
• Describe the method used
• Describe the subjects/participants
• Mention the research procedures
• State findings
• Include implications

17. Introduction: Justifying the
importance of the problem
• Provide historical background
• Argue for significance of the topic
• Review relevant research and identify gaps/flaws
• Apply a theoretical/conceptual framework (if
applicable)
• State your research question/hypothesis
• Operationally define your variables
• Company/Industry Profile

18. The Literature Review: What others
did to solve the problem
• Review important relevant sources
• Identify
– Theoretical framework
– Variables
– Methodological or conceptual gaps/flaws of
previous research
• Leads to your research question/hypothesis

19. Research Method: What you did to try
to solve the problem
• Research Design
• Sampling Design
• Measurement
• Data Collection
• Analytical Tools

20. Research Design
• Discuss appropriateness
of the design for the
research question
• Pilot Study
– procedure
– results

21. Sampling Design
• The Sample
• Size Determination
• Technique(s) used
• Appropriateness

22. Measurement
(Questionnaire/Schedule)
 Identify all variables in the study
 Describe how the variables are
operationalized or measured
 Briefly address validity and
reliability of the measurement
instruments (if applicable)

23. Instrument validation procedure
Instrument
Validation
Corrected
Item-to-Total
Correlation,
Cronbach α
Criterion
Reliability
Internal
Consistency
Validity
Content Construct
Literature
Review
Expert
opinion
Convergent,
Discriminant

24. Old Rifle New Rifle New Rifle
Low Reliability High Reliability Reliable but Not
Valid
(Target A) (Target B) (Target C)
Reliability

25. Validity
The ability of a scale to measure
what was intended to be
measured

26. Data Collection Procedures
• Describe how the data
were collected
• Describe each step in
sequence
• Provide enough details
for replication

27. Analytical Tools
• List out and explain (in brief) all the Statistical
Techniques deployed in Data Analysis stage
• The role and appropriateness of the tools to
be explained

28. Data Analysis & Interpretation of
Results: What you found
 For qualitative research
◦ present organized or
categorized data in order to
answer the research question
◦ present newly discovered
consideration or variables (if
applicable)
 For quantitative research
◦ restate the hypothesis
◦ state whether you were able
to support it
◦ present a summary of the
results for the statistical tests
◦ use tables, figures, graphs or
charts to present the results if
necessary

29. Discussion on Implications: What you
think your findings mean
• Discuss your findings in the
context of previous research
• Discuss implications
• Identify limitations
• Suggest directions for future
research

30. Summary of Findings and Conclusion
• Summarize the Findings
• Answer your research questions/ Objectives
• Outline Suggestions if any
• Provide Concluding Remarks

31. References
• The references are just as important as any
other part of your paper.
• References are the empirical support for
claims in a paper that are not directly
observed in the research. They are needed
for researchers to remain empirical in their
descriptions of topics.

32. REFERENCES
• Link the paper to the community of scholars,
permitting readers to assess the worthiness
claims in a paper.
• Make the research process much more
efficient because they make it very easy to
look up sources of facts and ideas.

33. References and Appendix
References:
-- Start on a separate page
-- Follow APA/MLA/Chicago style
Appendix:
-- Questionnaire/Schedule
-- Tables/charts
-- Company Data

34. Referencing – APA Style
Alphabetical and Chronological Order
Articles
- Author Name(s), (Year), Title of the Article , Title
of the Journal, Volume (Issue), Page nos.
Books
- Author Name(s), (Year), Title of the Book, Edition
no., Publisher, Place, Page nos.
Web sources
- Exact URL

35. REFERENCES
Style:
• APA/MLA/CHICAGO
Article:
Last Name, first name, first name last name, and first name
last name. Year. “Article title.” Journal Name
Volume(number): 1st Page- Last Page.
Lee, James Daniel. 2005. “Do Girls Change More than
Boys? Gender Differences and Similarities in the
Impact of New Relationships on Identities and
Behaviors.” Self and Identity 4 (1), 131-47.
Multiple authors…
Kroska, Amy and Sarah K. Harkness. 2008. “Exploring the
Role of Diagnosis in the Modified Labeling Theory of
Mental Illness.” Social Psychology Quarterly 71:193-
208

36. REFERENCES
Book Chapter:
Last Name, first name. Year. “Chapter Name.” Pages in
the book in Book Name, edited by first name last
name. City of Publisher: Publisher.
Bianciardi, Roberto. 1997. "Growing Up Italian in New
York City." Pp.179-213 in Adult Narratives
of Immigrant Childhoods, edited byAna
Relles. Rose Hill, PA: Narrative Press.
Book:
Last name, first name. Year. Book Name. City of
Publisher: Publisher.
Stryker, Sheldon. 1980. Symbolic Interactionism: A
Social Structural Version. Menlo Park, CA:
Benjamin/Cummings.

37. REFERENCES
General Social Survey
Davis, James Allan and Smith, Tom W.: General Social Surveys,
1972-2008. [machine-readable data file]. Principal
Investigator, James A. Davis; Director and Co-Principal
Investigator, Tom W. Smith; Co-Principal Investigator, Peter V.
Marsden, NORC ed. Chicago: National Opinion Research
Center, producer, 2005; Storrs, CT: The Roper Center for
Public Opinion Research, University of Connecticut,
distributor. 1 data file (53,043 logical records) and 1
codebook (2,656 pp).
Website:
Last Name (if available), first name. Year (if available). “Article or
web page title.” Journal or Report Name Volume (if
available). Retrieved date (http://address).
Markowitz, Robin. 1991. “Canonizing the Popular.” Cultural
Studies Central. Retrieved oct, 31, 2001
(http://culturalstudies.net/canon.htm).

38. Check List of Essentials for Research
Report
 Title reflects the content
 Each Chapter has preview and summary
 Abstract inform what is done
 Introduction state the background and Research Questions/Objectives
 Literature Review lists out relevant past studies
 Research Method explain step by step approach including sampling,
measurement, Data Collection, analytical tools design etc.
 Analysis and Discussion reveal Findings derived from results interpretation
 Conclusion reflects Summary
 References in APA style
 Appendix to include Questionnaire, Company details etc.

39. Report Format
I. Title page
II. Letter of transmittal
III. Letter of authorization
IV. Table of contents
V. List of tables
VI. List of graphs
VII. List of appendices
VIII. List of exhibit
IX. Executive summary
a. Major findings
b. Conclusions
c. Recommendations

40. Report Format
X. Problem definition
a. Background to the problem
b. Statement of the problem
XI. Approach to the problem
XII. Research design
a. Type of research design
b. Data collection from secondary sources
c. Data collection from primary sources
d. Scaling techniques
e. Questionnaire development and Pilot testing
f. Sampling techniques
g. Fieldwork

41. Report Format
XIII. Data analysis
a. Methodology
b. Plan of data analysis
XIV. Results
XV. Limitations and caveats
XVI. Conclusions and recommendations
XVII. Exhibits
a. Questionnaires and forms
b. Statistical output
c. Lists

42. Ethics in Business Research

43. 2-43
Ethical Issues at all Stages of the Research Process

44. 2-44
Types of Ethical Violations
Violating
disclosure
agreements
Breaking
confidentiality
Misrepresenting
results
Misleading
participants
Expanded
invoices
Avoiding
legal liability

45. 2-45
Ethical Responsibilities
•Special guidelines
•apply to children!
•Informed consent
means parental
approval.

46. 2-46
Deception
Disguising
non-research
activities
Camouflaging
true research
objectives

47. 2-47
Debriefing
Explain any dishonesty
Describe purpose
Share results
Provide follow-up

48. 2-48
Participant Confidentiality
Minimize
instruments
requiring ID
Non-
disclosure of
data subsets
Restrict
access to ID
Obtain signed
nondisclosure
Reveal only
with written
consent

49. 2-49
Right to refuse
Right to Privacy
Prior permission to
interview
Limit time required

50. 2-50
The U.S. Safe Harbor Agreement
Security
Notice Access
Enforcement
Choice
Onward
Transfer
Data
Integrity

51. 2-51
Sponsor Nondisclosure
Confidentiality
Purpose Nondisclosure
Findings Nondisclosure

52. Thank you