The document discusses various types of business research methods. It defines research as a systematic search for information through various means. The basic steps in research are identified as identifying the topic, preliminary search, locating materials, evaluating sources, taking notes, writing the paper, and citing sources properly. Exploratory research investigates possibilities for further research and is done with little prior knowledge. Causal research identifies relationships between variables. Theoretical research explores concepts without direct observation, while empirical research draws conclusions from evidence. Cross-sectional research uses different groups that share characteristics, and time series research analyzes trends over time periods.

1. Business Research Methods
Dr Irfan Ahmed Ansari

2. Concept
The research process involves:
• identifying,
• locating,
• assessing, and analyzing the information you
need to support your research question,
• and then developing and expressing your
ideas. These are the same skills you need any
time you write a report, proposal, or put
together a presentation.

3. Definition
‘ Research is a systematic search for
information, a process of inquiry. It can
be carried out in libraries, laboratories,
schoolrooms, hospitals, factories, in the
pages of the Bible, on street corners, or
in the wild watching a herd of elephants
’ (Graziano & Raulin 2004 : 31)

4. Basic Steps in the Research Process
• Step 1: Identify and develop your topic
• Step 2 : Do a preliminary search for
information
• Step 3: Locate materials
• Step 4: Evaluate your sources
• Step 5: Make notes
• Step 6: Write your paper
• Step 7: Cite your sources properly
• Step 8: Proofread

5. Types of research-Exploratory Research
• This is carried out to investigate the
possibilities of undertaking a particular
research study.
• This type of research is also called
feasibility study or pilot study
• It is usually carried out when a
researcher wants to explore areas about
which he/she has little or no knowledge.

6. Types of research-Exploratory Research
• A small scale study is undertaken to
decide if it is worth carrying out a
detailed investigation.
• Are also carried out to develop,
refine and or test measurement
tools and procedures.

7. Causal research
• Causal research, also known as explanatory
research is conducted in order to identify the
extent and nature of cause-and-effect
relationships. Causal research can be conducted
in order to assess impacts of specific changes on
existing norms, various processes etc.
• Causal studies focus on an analysis of a situation
or a specific problem to explain the patterns of
relationships between variables.

8. Basis of difference Causal research Exploratory research
Amount of uncertainty
characterizing decision
situation Clearly defined Highly ambiguous
Key research statement Research hypotheses Research question
When conducted?
Later stages of decision
making
Early stage of decision
making
Usual research
approach Highly structured Unstructured
‘Will consumers buy
more products in a blue
package?’
‘
Which of two
advertising campaigns
will be more effective?’
‘Our sales are declining
for no apparent reason’
‘What kinds of new
products are fast-food
consumers interested
in?’

9. Theoretical research
• Theoretical research enables you to explore and
discuss a research object on the basis of your
use of abstract theoretical structures and
philosophical concepts.
• You cannot, in theoretical research, directly
observe the research object. The aim of your
research is to define and outline conceptual
models, explanations and structures of the
chosen topic with the help of research literature.

10. Empirical research
• Empirical research is defined as any
research where conclusions of the study
is strictly drawn from concretely
empirical evidence, and therefore
“verifiable” evidence.
• This empirical evidence can be gathered
using quantitative market research
and qualitative market research methods

11. For example:
• Pharmaceutical companies
use empirical research to try out a
specific drug on controlled groups or
random groups to study the effect and
cause. This way they prove certain
theories they had proposed for the
specific drug.

12. Cross-sectional research
• It involves using different groups of
people who differ in the variable of
interest but share other characteristics,
such as socioeconomic status,
educational background, and
ethnicity. Cross-sectional
research studies are often used
by researchers studying developmental
psychology.

13. Cross sectional research
• The participants in this type of study
are selected based on particular
variables of interest. Cross-sectional
studies are often used in
developmental psychology, but this
method is also utilized in many
other areas including social science
and education.

14. For example
• A cross-sectional study might be
used to determine if exposure to
specific risk factors might correlate
with particular outcomes. A
researcher might collect cross-
sectional data on past smoking
habits and current diagnoses of lung
cancer.

15. Time series research
• Time series analysis is a statistical
technique that deals with time
series data, or trend analysis. Time
series data means that data is in
a series of particular time periods or
intervals. Time series data: A set of
observations on the values that a
variable takes at different times.

16. For example
• a time series is a sequence taken at
successive equally spaced points
in time. Examples of time series are
heights of ocean tides, counts of
sunspots, and the daily closing value
of the SEBI.