Premium Essay

The Research Process

In: Business and Management

Submitted By JPKMS
Words 2274
Pages 10
Chapter 04The Research Process

CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES

AFTER READING THIS CHAPTER, STUDENTS SHOULD UNDERSTAND…

1. Research is decision and dilemma centered.

2. The clarified research question is the result of careful exploration and analysis, and sets the direction for the research project.

3. How budgeting and value assessments influence the process for proposing research and, ultimately, research design.

4. What is included in research design, data collection, data analysis, and reporting.

5. Research process problems to solve.

CHAPTER Lecture Notes

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Stage 1: Clarifying the Research Question

• The management-research question hierarchy process of sequential question formulation leads a manager or researcher from management dilemma to investigative questions. • The process begins with the management dilemma—the problem or opportunity that requires a business decision. • The management dilemma is usually a symptom of an actual problem, such as: □ Rising costs.

□ The discovery of an expensive chemical compound that would increase the efficacy of a drug.

□ Increasing tenant move-outs from an apartment complex.

□ Declining sales.

□ A larger number of product defects during the manufacture of an automobile.

□ An increasing number of letters and phone complaints about postpurchase service

• The management dilemma can also be triggered by an early signal of an opportunity or growing evidence that a fad may be gaining staying power. □ Identifying management dilemmas is rarely difficult.

□ Choosing one dilemma on which to focus may be difficult.

□ Choosing incorrectly may result in a waste of time and resources.

□ Experienced managers claim that practice makes perfect in this area.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

The Research Process

...Life is a process. No one becomes a man before he attains youth age. Also, for a person who wishes to become a postgraduate student of ABSU, he has to follow certain processes. The process follows an inquiry on how much the form costs, payment of same amount into the bank to get the pin with which to register online, submission of credentials and forwarding of transcript, receiving a test message, down to paying of school fees and going from one office to another for the full registration. Just as life and becoming a student entail following certain processes, so is obtaining useful information in form of data for reliable decision making. Thus, we talk of “the Research Process”. Also, to obtain quality data, there is need for the use of effective tool of data collection (Techniques of Research). Before we look into the research process proper, it is necessary to understand what is meant by ‘Research’. Definition of Research Research is a way of solving problem, which the researcher has defined, in the subject area chosen. In general terms, according to Anyanwu (2000:1), research is concerned with finding or searching out something that can aid management in the solution of problems. That is to say that any research that cannot proffer solution to a problem is a waste of resources (time, money and energy). Research as a scientific inquiry calls for various activities. These series of activities are what give us the research process. Meaning of Research Process The research process...

Words: 4049 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Research Process

...Bus 650 The Research Process What is the research process? The research process is a sequential process involving several defined steps. Each step does not require completion before going to the next. It is a simple means of effectively locating information for a project. The several steps you will need to outline and cover during the research process are: 1. Choose your topic 2. Find basic information 3. Refine your topic 4. Locate and retrieve materials 5. Evaluate relevancies of materials 6. Take notes 7. Construct your project Selecting a topic is the most important decision you will make during a research process. When you are choosing your topic, you want to select a topic that you are interested in, or that has been assigned to you. If you have trouble selecting a topic browse you can browse online databases, journals or magazines. Use basic information on your topic. Use key terms or words from your topic and search for basic information in reference such as books, online databases, web sites, library and catalogs. By doing this search you can determine if you have to much or not enough information available. Sometimes refining your topic may need to occur depending on the quality of information and number of items located. If you don’t get enough information broaden your topic, if you get too much information narrow your topic. When your topic has been identified you can begin to locate and retrieve your information. Make sure...

Words: 477 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Research Process

...Business research is the application of the scientific method in searching for the truth about business phenomena. These activities include defining business opportunities and problems, generating and evaluating alternative courses of action, and monitoring employee and organizational performance. It is the way that a company can do a field of practical study to obtain data and analyze it in order to better manage the company. Executives and managers who use business research methods are able to better understand their company, the position it holds in the market and how to improve that position. “Business research is unique from other research because business researchers do not just gather knowledge, but also generate action. Business researchers deliberately and consciously investigate problems or perceived gaps from “what is” to “what should be (JIU, 2012, BC 500, Module 1, Theme 1, para 1). “Critical Success Factors in the Performance of Female Owned Businesses: A Study of Female Entrepreneurs in Korea” by Sang Suk Lee and Timothy M. Stearns is a business research article on a study that examined the relationships of female entrepreneurs’ motivation and critical success factors of female owned business and business performance. The research “suggests that small business success is the moderating variable of female entrepreneurs’ motivations and performance and that the motivations of female entrepreneurs directly affect their business success and, in turn, relates to...

Words: 1237 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

The Research Process

...The Research Process HCS/465 November 2, 2012 The Research Process In the research process, many questions must be answered to provide validity in the article being read. Evaluating quantitative research and qualitative research is the beginning of the process. Supporting evidence is a way to validate the creditability of the content read. Three types of literature typically reviewed are theoretical literature, empirical literature, and the use of primary and secondary sources. The hypothesis must be stated in the article and must be categorized as null, directional, or research based. The hypothesis statement must contain variables. Variables in the content of research can be defined as confounding variables, environmental variables, and demographic variables. Sampling is also used to collect data for research. With the above taken into consideration, this paper will evaluate a journal article based on diabetes and reproductive health in women. The Problem with Diabetes and Procreation In this journal article, the main problem or objective the study was conducted to resolve is to seek knowledge for health care professionals on how to administer appropriate advice to women with diabetes concerning reproductive health. This topic is important for health care professionals to study because giving appropriate advice concerning reproduction and making informed decisions between the patient and the health care professional. The purpose of this...

Words: 736 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Research Process

...Research Process The ultimate goal of the student data collection is to determine the average monetary expense of furthering one’s education for one calendar year. The subjects of this paper are students of the University of Phoenix’s Bucks County Campus. The cost of obtaining a higher education at this university is approximated by using a focus group, consisting of four learning team members. Constructs, such as tuition cost, travel expense and resource expense data from each subject will be explored. In order to effectively measure the information obtained from the focus group, controls are implemented on the data. This study assumes that each student travels to and from the campus twice a week. The first trip is made to attend class and the second trip is made so that each student can participate in a physical learning team meeting. Since the duration of each class is five weeks in length, the analysis used is based on 10 trips to the University of Phoenix campus. Each student will complete 10 courses per calendar year. The distance involved in traveling to the campus will be measured by mileage, price of gasoline, and tolls. Another measurement is tuition cost per course. The constructs for the tuition cost include tuition reimbursement and out-of-pocket expense. Travel expenses were calculated based on current gasoline average cost of $2.69 per gallon. Mileages per gallon calculations were based on 17 miles per gallon of gasoline from participant’s home to the...

Words: 1066 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Research Process

...Pregnancy Intentions and Teenage Pregnancy Among Latinas: A Mediation Analysis Luv Touchet HCS/465 May 5, 2014 Patricia Dehof Pregnancy Intentions and Teenage Pregnancy Among Latinas: A Mediation Analysis Teenage Latinas tend to have higher pregnancy rates than their fellow black and white teenagers. The researchers in this article that conducted this survey focused on a group of 1,000 females, aged 15-19 of diverse groups, including 213 female Latinas. In this article, adolescent Latinas had intentions of and were pleased to have become pregnant versus their black and non-Latina counterparts. The problem that my chosen article focuses on is high rates of teenage pregnancy among Latinas than those of white and black ethnic groups. With higher pregnancy rates, this is an indication of performing unprotected sexual activities, which leads to higher risks of sexually transmitted diseases. High pregnancy rates can lead to other health and social risk factors such as being a single mother, dropping out of school, and living in poverty. Health and social risk factors should be a means to have interventions to reduce intentional and unintended pregnancies. These risk factors can be avoided with access to contraceptives and mentoring the youth. This article discusses how Latina teenagers feel about pregnancy and would steps can be done to reduce this problem. Health care professionals should study high pregnancy rates among Latina...

Words: 882 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Research Process

...The Research Process   Research is defined as “careful study to find and report new knowledge about something” (Merriam-Webster, 2015).  The research process is the “systematic inquiry that uses disciplined methods to answer questions and solve problems” (McEwen & Wills, 2014, p. 432).  Most elementary students start learning about the scientific method by questioning and hypothesizing in regards to their environment.  As students grow older and continue in the academia setting, they build on that fundamental foundation by expanding into the research process.  There are a variety of structured research processes and they differ on the number of components; however, the very basic steps are the same: identify a topic or question of interest, review literature for information, plan the method of investigation, collect data, analyze and interpret the data, and disseminate findings.  It is the additional break-down of the steps within the basic outline that creates a more detailed and longer process such as determining methods of measurement, defining the population sample to be studied, addressing legal/ethical issues related to human/animal rights, and developing a plan for data collection and analysis.  Regardless of how many steps a research process contains, it is critical to ensure the validity of the research itself. Validity encompasses the entire experimental concept and establishes whether the results obtained meet all of the requirements of the research method.  For...

Words: 340 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Research Process

...RESEARCH PROCESS A PAPER WRITTEN BY : IVIE ELOGHOSA OGBEIDE(ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT,UNIBEN) INTRODUCTION. Research process has been conducted from the time since human being was first created and it is a never ending process. More than hundreds of definitions of research have been available in written form in different books, encyclopedias, dictionaries and in research literature. These definition may have difference in wordings but meanings are similar.This paper is going to look at the meaning of research,its aim and purpose,types,characteristics and the processes or steps involved in a research. The word "research" is used to describe a number of similar and often overlapping activities involving a search for information.It is a systematic investigation to establish facts. Research can be defined as the search for knowledge or as any systematic investigation, with an open mind, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories. The primary purposes of basic research are documentation,discovery,interpretation,or the research and development of methods and systems for the advancement of human knoledge.Research is the seeking of knowledge in systematic, organized manner. The system that a researcher follows to find out the facts that are hidden and not known to people, determines the validity, genuineness and reliability of research. A research is biased or fake if there is no validity or reliability in the research process...

Words: 4637 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Research Process

...Research Process and Terminology Paper Name CJA/334 - RESEARCH METHODS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE Date Instructor Research Process and Terminology When I hear the word research, I usually think of scientists in a lab wearing white lab gowns but, this is not always the case in the Criminal Justice field. Research can be used to fight crime, prove evidence in court or even help improve police response without the city. There are many terminology’s that has to be known to be successful when working in the field. How will this new terminology and knowledge apply to a career in criminal justice? There are hundreds of jobs within the criminal justice field. This new terminology will help throughout the research and will and aid in whichever branch or specialty the person is undertaking. The Terminology will help the person understand the different performances of the research and how it can be applied to his or her performance in job duties. This will give anyone a better understanding for research and how it should be carried out to assist them How will not knowing the proper terminology affect you as you conduct criminal justice research? Anyone that works in the criminal justice field knows that at any time people rely on the system to help them when needed. The system basically has control of all our lives and can determine what may happen next. Not knowing the proper terminology can have a huge effect on someone’s life, safety, and can even death...

Words: 1106 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Stages of the Research Process

...RES/ 351 – Business Research Assignment: Stages of the Research Process. Professor: Stages of the Research Process Research is investigation a study to basically establish facts in a particular area of study; the main goal is to get as much as information, in this case “ facts”, that can be set until you are able to come into a conclusion. In the reading passage it states, “ that a useful way to approach a research process is to state a basic dilemma that prompts the research and then try to develop other questions by progressively breaking down the original one into more specific ones”, (Donald R Cooper and Pamela S. Schindler; page 77), with this being stated in the reading passage. There are particular areas in which really must be focus during the stages of the research process these stages are: Clarifying the research question, Proposing research, designing the research project, collecting data and preparation, Data analysis and interpretation, Reporting the results. All of these must be involve during the research process, with out these there can’ be a exact or in other words accurate results for the research that is being done, otherwise the results of the research can be misleading to false result. I have chosen three particular articles with specific topics, “ Marketing and Business Research”, “Business Research Methods”, and “ Marketing Research and Business Management”. Purpose of business research 1st Article, “ Marketing...

Words: 781 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Business Research Process

...The Business Research Process Kelly Van Fossen Business Research / RES351 December 9, 2013 Marcus Sherrill The Business Research Process The business research process is a sequential process involving several clearly defined steps. This paper will illustrate how the process is implemented in a business environment using a real-life example. The business research process involves six stages that include clarifying the research question, research proposal, research design strategy, data collection and preparation, data analysis and interpretation, and research reporting (O’Neil, V.J). The real-life model that will be used for this paper is the case study of evaluating storytelling as a method for training at Wisconsin Electric-Wisconsin Gas Company (O’Neil, V.J.). The theory of storytelling as a method for training versus field training is the motivation for performing the research. They identified the research question (stage 1) as “Is storytelling an effective method for training Wisconsin Electric-Wisconsin Gas?” (O’Neil, V.J.). The research proposal (stage 2) was skipped in this case study. The research design strategy (stage 3) was “to determine the effectiveness of storytelling” (O’Neil, V.J.) in the case study. They used Donald Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation where they identified four primary questions to guide the research. These questions included participant reaction, what was learned from the technical and leadership lessons, was the behavior transferred...

Words: 429 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Evaluaing the Research Process

...Evaluating the Research Process HCS-465 July 16.2012 Evaluating the Research Process The following paper will address the research process using the article Knowledge and attitude about colon cancer screening among African Americans. The research process consists of nine parts that include; selecting a problem, formulating a hypothesis, reviewing the literature, listing the measures, describing the subjects, constructing a design, constructing and identifying measurement devices, analysis of the data, and generating conclusions (Neutens, Rubinson, 2010). Upon evaluating the research process to the article, the paper will discuss how the literature review is used in the research, what the ethical considerations are for data collection, what the data describes in terms of statistical analyses, whether or not the findings are statistically significant, state if the conclusions match the results of the study and if the conclusion answer the research question in the definition of the problem, explain whether or not the conclusions are appropriate, and detail if there is enough information on the effectiveness of the study. Research process components in the article The first step in the research process is selecting a problem that involves deciding what the research will focus on. Selecting the problem requires research to ask questions and communicate with peers who may also have knowledge of the research topic (Neutens, Rubinson, 2010). The problem selected in the article...

Words: 1244 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Business Research Process

...Abstract The business research process is an important tool that can help the marketing in a business. By using the steps of this process managers are able to make decisions based on the study of the consumer and target audience. It is also important to identify the competitors in order to stay profitable and competitive. Business Research Process The business research method involves the studying of all parts of a company, the customers, and the market to make important decisions for the business. The strengths and weaknesses of a company are evaluated but especially how a customer views their goods and merchandise. Management studies the competition and the industry that which they are a part of. As part of the management at AZ Alarm Company, I make use of the business research process myself. The first step in this process is to identify the significant competitors in the industry. In the alarm industry it is important to know what other companies are offering so that we stay competitive and bring in new customers while still making a profit. Most of this information is readily available and easy to obtain. The second step in the process is to study the customer or consumer. Doing this enables management to find out what the needs and wants are in order to create new products. By analyzing this information it is also to be determined the amount of money someone is willing to spend on these services. After this information has been gathered it is ready to be analyzed...

Words: 495 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Business Research Process

...The Business Research Process James Mathias RES351 03/10/2014 Dr. Michael Gemignani The Business Research Process Business research in the Air Conditioning field is multi-faceted and extremely helpful in building a successful sales and service team. You have to be able to properly identify your competitors in your market. Companies need to take time and invest in knowing your customer base. Discover your strengths and weaknesses and focus on those elements and market them properly. Constant research and development of strategies that are as dynamic as the technology that moves us is key in building a great A/C company. Why Research the Competition Most people look at a competitor in the market as a bad thing. This is not always the case, with the right research it can be a great selling tool and even an ally in aiding in the sustainability of business practices. Competition is actually a good thing in the Air Conditioning world. We use the information to help target the right kind of products and services for the right time of year. For example, in 2006 the new construction industry was good downhill in sales. This decline in the market was responsible for many Contractors having to close or change the way they do business. The company that I was working for at the time, Corman and Sons Inc., concentrated on the new construction industry. The owner and I did a little market research with the Act Corporation and discovered that the retail contractors...

Words: 823 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Business Research Process

...Experience in the Workplace: Business Research Process Alex Blair RES/351 10/08/ 2012 Daryl Korinek Experience in the Workplace: The Business Research Process As it is related to my personal experience at the restaurant I work, the business research process provides insight to what dishes to continue or not on the menu and current trends in dinning. Every month there is a manager meeting where the management team discusses what trends occurred over the past month as well as what worked and what the customers’ feedback was. One way the restaurant attempts to conduct business research is through social media. On Facebook, management will ask the restaurant’s “friends” questions like “what is your favorite specialty pizza on our buffet,” or “ what menu item can you just not get enough of?” Although the response comes from only a portion of the total customer base, these kinds of polls give insight to what customers want. The better the restaurant can accommodate the customers’ needs, the more profit there is to be made. Taking notice of outdated and decreasingly popular menu items also guides the business. According to "Restaurant Industry Trends" (2010), “we have noted in recent CREST data that some consumers are moving toward more healthful eating,” this is a trend restaurateurs must take notice of. The restaurant reacted by adding a “pizza salad” to the menu as a healthier option, along with gluten free pizzas and whole-wheat spaghetti. The restaurant also removed...

Words: 340 - Pages: 2