DPB5023

INTRODUCTION TO
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
NIK AZIDA BINTI ABD GHANI
nikazida5@gmail.com
0139337550

DPB5023

UNIT 1
FUNDAMENTAL OF
BUSINESS RESEARCH

UNIT 1.1
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this topic, students should be
able to:
Define research
Describe the importance of business
research
Explain the scope of business research
Describe the types of research: applied
research and basic research
Describe the ethical issues involved in
business research

UNIT 1.1

DEFINITION OF RESEARCH
A systematic study of a subject to discover
new facts and to establish principles and
fundamental truth.
A critical and exhaustive investigation
aiming to discover and interpret new facts or
to revise accepted theories in the light of
newly discovered facts.
A systematic and objective process of
gathering, recording and analyzing data to
help in decision making.
An organized and systematic way of
finding answers to questions.

UNIT 1.1

DEFINITION OF RESEARCH
Systematic

because there is a definite set

of procedures and steps to follow. There
are certain things that should be done in
the process to ensure most accurate
results.
Organized there is a structure or
method in doing the research which is
planned and not spontaneous.

UNIT 1.1

WHAT IS A BUSINESS
RESEARCH?
Business

research is the process of

gathering the necessary data for an
industry to be successful.
Aspects of business research include target
customers, marketplace trends, production
processes and financial practices.
These information may help to predict
trends, project sales, spot opportunities
and avoid potential problems.
Business research is like market research.

UNIT 1.1

WHAT IS A BUSINESS
RESEARCH?
Business

research should be objective

Information should be impersonal and not
biased.
Research should help the managerial
judgment in decision making.

UNIT 1.1

THE IMPORTANCE
OF BUSINESS RESEARCH
Business

research is used to gather the

necessary data for an firm or company to be
successful (for example: data about the
industry and competition).
Business research is used to assist
management in making business decisions and
reduce the risk of making incorrect decisions
(for example: pricing, service/ product features,
service/ product quality).
Business research is used to identify
consumers needs (development of better
service/ product) and improve sales and profits.

UNIT 1.1

THE IMPORTANCE
OF BUSINESS RESEARCH
Business

research may be used to plan out

the strategies suitable for the firm/
company (for example: new product
features to satisfy customer needs).
Business research is used to evaluate the
performance of a firm/ company
(comparison between actual and projection
or comparison between firms within the
same industry).

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF
BUSINESS RESEARCH
The scope of business research is enormous:
o Business research is used to provide
guidelines for solving various business
issues.
o Complex business environment.
o Various or new techniques of analyzing
data.
o Business research may be used in all
areas of management.

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Among the scope of business research:
Advertising research
Business economics and corporate
research
Corporate responsibility research
Product research
Packaging research
Sales and market research

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Advertising

Motivation research
Copy research
Media research
Studies of advertisement effectiveness

Business

research

economics and corporate research

Forecasting short range and long range

Studies of business trends
Pricing studies
Plant and warehouse location studies
Acquisition studies
Export and international studies

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Corporate

responsibility research

Consumers right to know studies

Ecological impact studies
Studies of legal constraints
Social values and policies studies

Product

research
Packaging research

UNIT 1.1

THE SCOPE OF
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Sales

and market research

Measurement of market potential

Market share analysis
Sales analysis
Channel distribution
Test markets
Promotional studies

UNIT 1.1

TYPES OF RESEARCH
There are two main types of business
research:
Basic research

Fundamental research driven by a

researchers curiosity which aims to expand
knowledge and not to invent something new.

Applied

research

Designed to solve practical problems and not

to gain knowledge.

UNIT 1.1

TYPES OF RESEARCH
Basic research:
This research is done to enhance
knowledge and may not have financial or
commercial potential.
It is driven by the motivation to expand
knowledge, not to create or invent
something.

UNIT 1.1

TYPES OF RESEARCH
Applied research:
Applied research is designed to solve
practical problem, rather than to acquire
knowledge.
It is done to improve the human condition.
Normally is expensive and conducted on a
large scale basis.

TYPES OF RESEARCH

Practic
e

Applied
Research

Theory

Basic Research

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Ethical

issues in business research

concerned with the ethics in the course of
conducting a business research.
Ethical issues may occur at various stages
of business research.
Ethical issues cannot be ignored relate
to the integrity of research.
To ensure that no one is harmed or
suffered bad consequences from research
activities.

Ethics: norms for conduct that distinguish

between acceptable and unacceptable
behaviour.
Prohibition against fabricating, falsifying
or misrepresenting research data
Promote values that are essential for
collaborative work (trust, accountability,
mutual respect and fairness)
Quality and integrity of research
Respect confidentiality and privacy

Research Ethics

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Ethical issues in business research may
involve the followings:
How

to treat the participants?

What are the activities that we should or
should not be involved?

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Ethical issues in business research arise
mainly in these areas:
Whether there is harm to participants
Whether there is lack of informed consent
Whether there is an invasion of privacy
Whether deception is involved
(Diener & Crandall, 1978)

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Ethical issues in business research arise
mainly in these areas:
Whether there is harm to participants (for
example: physical harm, stress, mental
breakdown, harm to career, harm to
development or self-esteem).
Whether there is lack of informed consent
(researchers should provide all information
to prospective participants nature of the
research and implication for participants)

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Ethical issues in business research arise
mainly in these areas:
Whether there is an invasion of privacy

Researchers may not intrude the

respondents privacy
Researchers must respect the respondents
individual values.
The anonymity of the participants should be
respected.
Personal information should be kept
confidential.

UNIT 1.1

ETHICAL ISSUES IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH
Ethical issues in business research arise
mainly in these areas:
Whether deception is involved

Deception lie
Researchers represent their research as
something other than what it is.
However, deception may sometimes be
necessary to preserve the naturalness of the
data.

 Honesty
Objectivity avoid bias
Integrity act with sincerity, strive for consistency of
thought and action.
Carefulness avoid careless errors and negligence, keep
records of research activities.
Openness share data, results, tools, resources, be open
to criticism and new ideas.

Respect for intellectual property

Confidentiality
Publish
Social responsibility
Competence
Respect for colleagues
Avoid plagiarism

Research Ethics Ethical Principles

UNIT 1.2
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this topic, students should be
able to:
Differentiate between quantitative and
qualitative research.
Describe the different scientific stages of
business research

UNIT 1.2

TYPES OF RESEARCH
Research can be classified in many different
ways based on the methodology used,
the knowledge it creates, the user
group and the research problem that is
studied.
Research can be classified into a two main
types i.e. quantitative research and
qualitative research.

UNIT 1.2

QUANTITATIVE AND
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Quantitative research:
Quantitative research is based on numeric
figures or numbers.
It is aimed to measure the quantity/
amount and compare it with past records
and project for future period.
Generally, quantitative research uses
statistics.

UNIT 1.2

QUANTITATIVE AND
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Qualitative research:
Qualitative research is collecting, analyzing
and interpreting data which are not
numeric/ figures.
It refers to description of things,
characteristics, symbols etc.
It is much more subjective.
Method of collecting information
interviews and focus groups.

Qualitative
Research
Objective/
Purpose

Quantitative
Research

To gain
To quantify data and
understanding of
generalize results
underlying
from a sample to the
reasons and
population of
motivation.
interest.
To measure the
To provide
insights into the
incidence of various
setting of a
views and opinions in
problem,
a chosen sample.
generating ideas Sometimes followed
and hypothesis.
by qualitative
research to explore
To uncover the
prevalent trends
findings further.
in thought and
opinion.

Qualitative
Research

Quantitative
Research

Sample

Usually small
number of nonrepresentative
cases.
Respondents
selected to fulfil
a given quota.

Usually a large
number of cases
representing the
population of
interest. Randomly
selected
respondents.

Data
Collection

Unstructured or
Structured
semi-structured
techniques such as
techniques e.g.
online
individual depth
questionnaires, oninterview or
street or telephone
group discussion.
interviews.

Types of research
provides hard data on the
numbers of people exhibiting
certain behaviours or attitudes.
provides information in breadth

Quantitat
ive
research

Qualitati It provides depth of information

can be used in its own right or to
ve
determine what attributes will
research
subsequently be measured in
quantitative studies.

Mixed
method
research

Integrated quantitative and

qualitative method.

Select
topic

Decide
approac
h

Formulat
e plan

Identi
fy
broad
area

Research Process

Collect
informat
ion

Proses Kajian Tinjauan

Menyatakan tujuan kajian
Mengenal pasti sumber diperlukan
Mengenal pasti populasi sasaran
Menentukan saiz sampel
Menentukan kaedah kajian tinjauan
Menyediakan instrumen kajian
Menganalisis data
Menggeneralisasi hasil kajian

Research Process

UNIT 1.2

STAGES IN BUSINESS
RESEARCH
Problem

Discovery and Problem

Definition
Research Design
Sampling
Data Gathering
Data Processing and Analysis
Conclusions And Report

Stage 1.
Problem Discovery and Definition
First

step
Problem, opportunity, or monitor
operations
Discovery before definition
Problem means management problem
Clarify the research question what to
be studied or examined, scope of study,
determine necessary evidence needed

Stage 2. Research
Design

Master plan or blue print

Framework for actions prepare Gantt
chart for course of actions
Specifies methods and procedures
Experimental design (impose new
method and study impact) or nonexperimental (as it is w/out
interference)

Stage 3. Selecting a
Sample
Sample: subset
of a larger population.

SAMPLE

POPULATION

Sampling

Who is to be sampled?
How large a sample?
How will sample units be
selected?

Stage 4. Data Collection

Stage

Basic Research Methods

Surveys
Experiments
Secondary data
Observation

Stage 5.
Data Processing and Analysis
o
o
o

Data cleaning
Applying statistical
techniques
Interpretation of findings

Stage 6.
Conclusions and Report Writing
Effective

communication of the research

findings
Research overview:

Background of problem
Summary of findings
Research design and procedures
Conclusion

Implementation

strategies