BUSINES S R E S EA R C H

MET H OD O L O G Y
(P QS 31 4 3 )
TR O TO BU SINESS R ESE ARCH
CHAPTER 1 – IN
j Ab Rashid
By Dr Norasekin bt H
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. Definition of Research
2. Applied vs. Basic Research
3. Why Managers Should Know About Research
4. Knowledge About Research and Managerial Effectiveness
5. Ethics and Business Research
WHAT IS RESEARCH?

•The systematic process of finding

solutions to a problem after a
thorough study and analysis of the
situational factor
•To generate or to validate existing
knowledge
BUSINESS RESEARCH
 Business research can be described as a systematic
and organized effort to investigate a specific problem
encountered in the work setting, that needs a
solution.
 Business research comprises a series of steps
designed and executed, with the goal of finding
answers to the issues that are of concern to the
manager in the work environment.
BUSINESS RESEARCH
 How to solve problem?

 Identification of exact problem: What is your

concern?
 Defining the goal: What do you want to achieve or
change?
 Brainstorming: What can you do?
BUSINESS RESEARCH
 Steps of business research:
 To know where the problem areas exist in the
organization.
 To identify as clearly and specifically as possible the
problems that need to be studied and resolved.
 Gather information, analyze the data, and determine
the factors that are associated with the problem and
solve it by taking the necessary corrective measures.
RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN BUSINESS
• Problems in finance:
- The operations of financial institutions
- Optimum financial ratios
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Leveraged buyouts
- Intercorporate financing
- Yields on mortgages
- The behavior of the stock exchange
RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN BUSINESS
• Problems in management:
- Employee attitudes and behaviors
- Human resources management
- The impact of changing demographics on management
practices
- Production operations management
- Strategy formulation
- Information systems
RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN BUSINESS
• Problems in marketing:
- Product image
- Advertising
- Sales promotion
- Product distribution
- Product packaging
- Product pricing
- After-sales service
- Consumer preferences
- New product development
TYPES OF BUSINESS RESEARCH
1. Applied Research 2. Basic Research / Fundamental
Research
To solve a current problem faced  To generate a body of knowledge about how to
by the manager in the work solve problems that could be occurred in
setting. organizations.

Eg: Apple’s ipod sales increased  It is also known as pure research.

by 200% from 2001 to 2008. But  Eg: University professors engage in basic
research in an effort to understand and
the sales decreased by 6% in generate more knowledge about various
aspects of businesses, such as:
2009. What is the reason for this  How to improve the effectiveness of
decrease? information systems.
 How to integrate technology into the overall
 The research question is: What

strategic objectives of an organization.
How to increase the productivity of the
will Apple do about this employees.
problem?  How to increase the effectiveness of small
businesses.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN APPLIED
AND BASIC RESEARCH
• Applied research is • Basic research has a
specifically aimed at solving a broader objective of
currently experienced generating knowledge and
problem. understanding of phenomena
and problems that occur in
various organizational
settings.
PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
Why you need to conduct a research?

•A critical decision to solve problem

•More and better information
•Availability of improved techniques and tools to meet
this need – computer advances
MANAGERS AND RESEARCH

•Managers do research, how?

 They are involve in studying and
analyzing issues at workplace
 Hence, they do research to help them
make decisions
MANAGERS AND RESEARCH

•Sometimes, managers make good

decisions and the problem gets solved
•Sometimes, managers make poor
decisions and the problem persists
•Research influence whether the decision is
good or poor
RESEARCH AND MANAGERIAL
EFFECTIVENESS
1. Do managers identify where the problem lies?
2. Do they recognize the factor influencing the situation?
3. Do they know the type of information needed?
4. Do they know how to make use of the information to help
make decision?
5. Do they know how to implement the results?
ETHICS AND BUSINESS RESEARCH
• Ethical consideration and the sponsor:
• Researcher should acquire an understanding of the project
objectives during the interview with key decision maker.
• Researcher must produce high quality research for their
sponsor.
• The sponsor has the right to expect that all matter pertaining
the research project will remain confidential.
• It is an obligation of the researcher to submit the research
report to the sponsoring company at the specific time agreed
by both parties.
ETHICS AND BUSINESS RESEARCH
• Ethics and target respondents:
• Any information collected for the purpose of business research
from a respondent should not be misused for any other
purpose.
• Forcing respondents to answer a questionnaire is not good
professional practice.
• Confidentiality of the replies given in good faith by respondents
should be protected.
• If the questions involve are of a personal nature, which could
embarrass the respondent, he/she must be given the
opportunity to think about it.
ETHICS AND BUSINESS RESEARCH

•Researcher and team members:

• Design a research project that protected the
safety of team members as interviewer.
• Require ethical compliance from team members
just as sponsors expect ethical behavior from
researcher.
• Accurately record all necessary data.
TO GATHER LITERATURE/ACADEMIC
ARTICLE
• https://scholar.google.com/
• http://www.search.com/search
• http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/main_page
• http://www.researchgate.net/
• http://eric.ed.gov/
• http://education.iseek.com/iseek/home.page
• Emerald, Science Direct, Ebscohost, etc
HOW TO WRITE

• http://www.aresearchguide.com/
• https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/01/
• http://guides.library.harvard.edu/literaturereview
SURVEY & QUESTIONNAIRE
• http://www.qualtrics.com/
• https://www.surveymonkey.com/
GOOD RESEARCH

1. Purpose clearly define

2. Research process detailed
3. Research design thoroughly planned
4. High ethical standards applied
5. Limitation frankly revealed
6. Adequate analysis for decision maker’s needs
7. Findings presented unambiguously
8. Conclusions justified
9. Researcher’s experience reflected
GROUP ACTIVITY:
• Discuss in your group:
What are the possible interesting research topics in Malaysia today?
The topics are preferably related to business, economy, marketing,
finance, industry, and tourism in Malaysia.
List down your topics on one piece of paper (minimum 3 topics each
group).
For each topic, argue why it is interesting and why research is needed.
Prepare a draft of problem statement, research objectives, research
questions and hypotheses.
EXAMPLE:
• Topic: The effect of Covid-19 issues towards business (SMEs)
performance.
• Why it is interesting?
• Since this is the current issue, it must be interesting to investigate on
how does the coronavirus (Covid-19) issues give impact towards SMEs
business performance.

• Why research is needed:

• To identify solution to that can boost up the SMEs performance.

• List down the problems occurred due to this issue.