The document outlines rules and guidelines for submitting assignments as part of a research methods course for managers. It provides instructions on formatting, structure, referencing, and evaluation criteria for assignments. Students must submit assignments individually on time and are prohibited from direct copying. Assignments will be evaluated based on structure, content, and a viva assessment. The document also provides instructions for a group assignment where students will work in groups to analyze a business problem and submit milestone updates and a final project to be evaluated by faculty.

1. RESEARCH METHODS FOR MANAGERS
Rules:
1. Each one has to submit the assignment on or before the date & time mentioned.
2. The candidate can use books, journals, magazines, websites etc as their reference but
the assignment has to be written in the way the candidate understands not in a copy
paste manner. Quotes provided by management thinkers/gurus can only be copied.
3. If “any assignment found to be copied and pasted format”, the assignment will be
rejected and the entire mark will be lost and there will be no resubmission of
assignment.
4. Assignments should in the following format:
a. Font - Times New Roman
b. Heading Font Size - 14
c. Sub heading Font Size - 12 (bold)
d. Paragraph - 12
5. Assignment Format
a. Start with an introduction
b. A brief discussion about the topic
c. Closing Conclusion
d. Reference in the following format
i. Kumar Arya, “Entrepreneurship –Creating and Leading an
Entrepreneurial Organization”, Pearson (2012), P100 –P105.
(Reference should include books, magazines, journals, websites etc)
6. A minimum of 3 text books has to be referred for writing assignments
7. Those assignments or students works without following above rules will be rejected
and no excuses will be accepted and the faculty will be deciding what actions should
be taken.
8. Assignment will be evaluated on following criteria
1. Date of Submission ( 3 Mark)
2. Structure & Content of Assignment ( 4 Mark)
3. Student Knowledge Level –Viva (3 Mark)

2. Group Assignment:
1. The students have to form a group of 3 members.
2. Consulting with the faculty member, each group has to identify one business problem
of any company or scenario and process the project as the class progress.
3. On each milestone, the students have to get it evaluated by the faculty.
4. By last week of May 2014, the group has to submit a final full proof project.
 “Best project work will be published in leading business journals and students can
utilize in their future job interviews as a positive aspects regarding them.”
Assignment Questions– Module 1
Session 1 --Module 1 --Introduction to Business Research
Session 2 --Module 1 --Managerial Value of Business Research
1. Business Research.
a. Definition
b. Objectives of Business Research
c. Scope of Business Research
d. Major Components of a good research study
2. Types of Business Research
a. Basic (pure) research & Applied Research
b. Descriptive & Analytical Research
c. Quantitative & Qualitative Research
d. Conceptual & Empirical Research
e. Ex post facto Research
3. Need for Business Research
a. Time Constraints
b. Availability of Data
c. Nature of the decision
d. Benefits v/s Costs
4. Why should a manager know about research?
a. The Manager – Researcher Relationship
b. Knowledge about research and managerial effectiveness

3. c. Relation between Manager & Consultant in doing research
d. Internal Consultant & External Consultant (Advantages & Disadvantages also)
5. Induction and Deductive methods in research
6. Case study method in research
7. Describe a situation where research will be helping you as a manager to make good
decision.
8. Give two specific reasons where an external research team would be useful and two
other scenarios when an internal research team would be deployed.
9. “Research is much concerned with proper fact finding, analysis and evaluation.” Do
you agree with this statement? Give reasons in support of your answer
Assignment Questions– Module 2
Session 3 --Module 2 –The Research Process
Session 4 --Module 2 -- Defining the Research Problem & Research Proposal
Session 5 – Module 2 – Research Design
1. Research Processes and steps in research process. Why is the problem definition stage
probably the most important stage in the research process?
2. What is research problem? Define the main issues should receive the attention of the
researcher in formulating the research problem. Give suitable examples to elucidate
your points.
3. The process of problem definition
a. Statement of the problem in a general way
b. Understanding the nature/background of the problem.
c. Surveying the available literature
d. Developing the ideas through discussions
e. Rephrasing the research problem.
4. The research proposal and what purpose does a research proposal serve?
5. What is a hypothesis? What characteristics it must possess in order to be a good
research hypothesis? List and briefly discuss in the hypothesis –testing procedure.
6. Write notes on following :
a. Null Hypothesis & Alternative Hypothesis
b. Type I error & Type II error.
c. Acceptance Region & Rejection Region

4. 7. What is a significance level in hypothesis testing? How does a researcher choose a
significance level?
8. Explain the meaning and significance of research design. Discuss the various
problems that a researcher encounter while conducting a research design. Need for
research design and features of a good research design
9. Explain the meaning of following in context of Research design
a. Dependent and Independent variable
b. Moderate Variable and Intervening Variable
c. Categorical Variable and Continuous Variable
10. Discuss briefly about the types of research designs
a. Research design in the case of exploratory research studies
b. Research design in the case of descriptive and diagnostic research studies
c. Research design in the case of hypothesis- testing research studies
Assignment Questions– Module 3
Session 6 --Module 3 –Sampling Design
Session 7 --Module 3 – Measurement & Scaling Concepts
Session 8 – Module 3 – Data Collection Methods
11. Discuss the following concepts :
a. Population (Universe)
b. Census
c. Population Element
d. Sample
e. Sampling Frame
12. Briefly explain various Stages in selection of a sample.
13. Discuss
a. Criteria of selecting a sample procedure
b. Characteristics of a good sample
14. Discuss briefly about Probability sampling and types of Probability sampling
15. Discuss briefly about Non- Probability sampling and types of Non-Probability
sampling.
16. Describe the difference between a probability sampling & non-probability sampling

5. 17. Compare various non-probability sampling methods (Including advantages &
disadvantages)
18. Compare various probability sampling methods (Including advantages &
disadvantages)
19. Write short notes on various measurement scales with examples.
a. Nominal Scale
b. Ordinal Scale
c. Interval Scale
d. Ratio Scale
20. What is the meaning of measurement in research? What difference does it make
whether we measure in terms of a nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio scales?
21. What are the sources of error in measurement? Describe the tests of sound
measurement.
22. What is scaling? What are the bases of scale classification? Elaborate.
23. Discuss briefly about various Comparative Scales and types of Comparative Scales
24. Discuss briefly about various Non-Comparative Scales and types of Non-Comparative
Scales
25. List down the difference between Comparative Scales & Non-Comparative Scales.
26. Compare various Comparative Scales (Including advantages & disadvantages)
27. Compare various Non- Comparative Scales (Including advantages & disadvantages)
28. Write about secondary data and list down its advantages and disadvantages.
29. Briefly discuss various classifications of secondary data.
30. Briefly discuss various classifications of primary data.
31. Write short notes on :
a. Random Sampling Error
b. Systematic Error
c. Sample Bias
d. Non-Response Error
e. Response Bias
f. Self-Selection Bias
32. Write a note on Observation method of data collection. List its advantages &
disadvantages
33. Briefly discuss various interview methods of data collection. List its advantages &
disadvantages

6. 34. Discuss “Data Collection through Questionnaires”. Types of questionnaires and its
advantages & disadvantages.
35. What are the guidelines in the construction of questionnaires? Explain.
36. What are the guidelines for successful interviewing? Explain.
37. Data collection through Projective Techniques
38. Discuss briefly on Characteristics posses by secondary data
a. Reliability of data
b. Suitability of data
c. Adequacy of data
39. What are the factors did a researcher must keep in view while selecting the data
collection method/methods for his/her study
a. Nature, scope & object of enquiry
b. Availability of funds
c. Time Factor
d. Precision Required
Assignment Questions– Module 4
Session 9 --Module 4 –Processing of Data
Session 10 --Module 4 – Cronbach's Alpha
Session 11, 12, 13,14,15,16 – Module 4 – Data Analysis
40. “Processing of data implies editing, coding, classification and tabulation”. Describe in
brief four operations pointing out the significance of each in context of research study.
41. Write briefly about Cronbach’s Alpha
42. Write about measures of central tendency
a. Mean
b. Median
c. Mode
d. Geometric Mean
e. Harmonic Mean
43. Measures of dispersion
a. Range
b. Mean Deviation
c. Standard Deviation

7. 44. Measures of Asymmetry
a. Normal Curve
b. Kurtosis
45. Karl Pearson’s Coefficient of Correlation.
46. Analysis of Variance Techniques (ANOVA)
47. Multi variant Analysis (MANOVA)
48. Chi-Square Test
49. Multivariate Dependence Techniques - Regression Analysis
50. Introduction to SPSS
51. Discriminate Analysis
52. Factor Analysis
53. Cluster Analysis