This document provides an overview of research methodology and discusses the importance of research in business decision making. It presents examples of research problems faced by companies and potential solutions identified through research. Key points: - Research is important for businesses to gather information, interpret consumer preferences, and understand why certain strategies succeed or fail. This helps facilitate better management decisions. - Controllable and uncontrollable factors that research can provide insights on are discussed, including products, pricing, promotion, distribution, the economy, and regulations. - Several real-life business research topics are presented spanning marketing, finance, and human resources issues that companies commonly face. - The document concludes by assigning the reader to frame 10 potential research problems

1. Research Methodology
By
Saibal Kumar Saha
Assistant Professor JSB

2. Why Research in Business?
• Information
• Interpretation
Example: New Coke in 1985: what went wrong?
Before the launch: Survey
• Loyal consumers were divided about the change in taste of Coke
• Loyal consumers also drink Pepsi, for its sweeter taste
Focus Group:
• Dissatisfaction about the taste
After the Launch things didn’t work. Why?
• The research was erroneous/ interpretations were wrong
• They didn’t attach much importance to the consumers’ emotional
attachment with the original brand

3. Problem No. 1
• Want to run a food stall in Sonarpur?

4. Problem No. 2
A finance company has its own agents in
the rural areas as well as urban areas. Its
Fixed Deposit market in rural areas are
quite good. Now, the company wants to
explore the market for insurance through its
own distribution channel. How the company
will do it?

5. Problem No. 3
Why Consumers Prefer Barista or Café
Coffee Day?

6. Problem No. 4
• Kellogg’s experienced a slump in the
market. Why?
Identification
• How to solve the problem?
Solution

7. Problem No. 5
How to recover old (disconnected) phone sets
from the consumers?

8. Problem No. 6
• A not-very-well-known pharmaceutical
company wants to increase its market share
and also make its presence felt in way of
some other related products/ services

9. How to Proceed about Business Research?
• Satisfy customer groups: Consumers, Employees,
Shareholders etc.
• Controllable variables: Product, Pricing, Promotion,
Distribution
• Uncontrollable factors: Economy, regulations, political and
social factors etc.
• The decision maker needs info on customers, competitors
and other forces. Sound information is key to the correct
management decisions
• Having the info and analysing it: research can provide
meaningful insights to facilitate decision making

10. Some Real Life Business Research Topics:
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Marketing
Factors Influencing Expenditure on Consumption of Milk and Milk Product in
Chennai
Demographic Factor: A Determinant for the Purchase Decision of Motorcycles
in Kanchipuram Town (Tamil Nadu)
A Survey of Consumer Awareness about Consumer Legislations in India.
Consumer Behavior towards Mobile Service Providers: An Empirical Study
Finance
Inter - Industry Differences in Capital Structure: Evidence from India
Accumulation of Market Power in Mergers and Acquisitions: Evidence from
the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry
Effect of Expiration - Day of Derivatives on Price, Volume and Volatility of
Cash Segment of Stock Market
HR
Climate Profile and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: A Comparative
Analysis of Teachers Working in Public and Private Schools

11. Assignment 1
• Take any company and frame 10 research
problems of that company.