Business and Management Research

1. Business and Management Research WELCOME

2. Lecture 5

3. Learning Objectives • By the end of this lecture you should be: • able to understand the different types of research methodology • able to aware of the the different data collection tools. • able to understand sampling design • able to learn how to structure a questionnaire

4. Research Methodology • Methods: present tense to describe a method that can replicated • he research method is chosen based on: • the objectives of the study • the costs involved in conducting the study • the availability of the data

5. Research Methodology • There are four basic methods of conducting a research study: • Surveys • Experiments • Secondary data studies • Observation. • Interviews.

6. Survey • A survey is a research technique, which is used to gather information from a sample of respondents by employing a questionnaire. • Surveys are normally carried out to obtain primary data. • Primary data are the data that are gathered first hand to answer the research question being investigated.

7. Survey • Surveys are conducted by: • Meeting the respondents in person • Contacting the respondents through the telephone • Conducting surveys through email • Conducting online surveys through the Internet • Researchers adopt any of these methods depending on their requirement.

8. Experiments • In business research, experiments can be conducted for studying cause-and-effect relationships.

9. Secondary Data • A secondary data study is concerned with the analysis of already existing data that is related to the research topic in question. • Secondary data studies help in projecting future sales trends using some mathematical models.

10. Observation • Observation technique is a process where the respondents are observed without any interruption by the observers. • Example: • The shopping patterns of customers in supermarkets assessed by the researcher or by counting the number of vehicles can qualify as observation research.

11. Interview • An interview is a purposeful discussion between two or more people (Kahn and Cannell 1957). • Help to gather valid and reliable data that are relevant to research question(s) and objectives.

12. Sampling Design • In sampling, we gather data on an entire “population” by measuring only a subset of that population, known as the sample. • A population consists of all of the individual elements in a defined area.

13. Sampling Design • Are there too many people in the group that you are studying? • Are you limited in time and resources? • If you answered yes to one or both questions, you might want to select a sampling design to carry out your study.

14. Sampling Design • A simple random sample is a selection of individuals chosen so that each point in the population has an equal chance of being selected. • Each item in a “population” can be assigned a number. Then the simple random sample can be selected by using a random number table or a random number generator (using a computer).

15. Sampling Design • A well-defined sample has the same characteristics as the population as a whole • It is very important to: • define the population before selecting the sample • decide the size of the sample. • How big should a sample be? • The bigger the sample size the greater will be its accuracy. • Once a researcher decides on a sample, he needs to obtain data from this sample.

16. Example • The data were collected using an internet questionnaire survey. Six hundred Saudi engineering companies were selected from 2,002 companies obtained from the Chamber of commerce database. • Determine the used research method, sample and population in the above statment?

17. Questionnaire structure • Well designed questionnaires are highly structured so that the data can be analyzed quantitatively and systematically. • Proper questionnaire design is essential to ensure that you obtain valid responses to the questions asked. • In order to obtain accurate relevant information: • give some thought to what questions we ask • how we ask questions , • the order we ask questions, and the general layout of the questionnaire.

18. How do I organize a survey? • Plan Ahead • Set aside time to prepare questions • Identify Goals • Clearly identify the information that you want to obtain from the survey • Provide Instruction • Explain why you are conducting the survey and provide any additional instructions that they will need to complete the questionnaire. • Length of Survey/Questionnaire • short (1-2 pages) and simple questionnaires usually attract higher response rates than long (4 + pages) and complex ones.

19. Types of Questions: • Closed Format • Respondents are forced to choose between several given options. • multiple choice, yes/no and ranking • Advantages of closed format: • Easy and quick to fill in • Easy to code, record, and analyze results quantitatively • Easy to report results

20. Types of Questions: • Open Format: the respondents can formulate their own answers. • use the open format if you are looking for respondents to provide specific comments or feedback. • Advantages of open format: • Allows exploration of the range of possible themes arising from an issue

21. How do I ask the questions? • Use short and simple sentences. • Ask for only one piece of information at a time. • Example: Please rate the Global Environment Class in terms of its content and presentation • Should be divided into two parts: • question one: “Please rate the class in terms of its content” • question two: “Please rate the class in terms of its presentation. • Avoid negatives if possible.

22. How should I arrange the questions? • Some general rules are: • Go from general to specific. • Go from easy to difficult. • Start with closed format questions. • Start with questions relevant to the main subject. • Do not start with demographic and personal question • Questionnaires must first be piloted and evaluated before the actual survey

23. How should I begin? • It is good to have a personalized cover letter or an introductory statement that: • explains the purpose of the survey, the importance of the respondent’s participation, the person who is responsible for the survey. • A good way to start is: • “Hello. My name is ___(your name)___ and I am student at _(your school or institution). I’m working on a research project looking at __(title of your research project)_ for a course called ‘ ( your course name).’ I was wondering if you have a few minutes to answer some questions dealing with my research.” • At the end always thank the respondent for participating in your questionnaire.

24. Online resources • Online surveys can be developed for little or no cost through services such as Survey Monkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/). • This site and similar services may help you to set up your questions, administer your response, and analyze your responses.