Summary of all theoretical lessons Research Methods (research methods) taught by prof. Wendy Van Lippevelde. Covers the following elements: problem analysis, research design, data collection, data analysis and reporting.
→the process of finding solutions to a problem after a thorough study and analysis of the situational factors
BUT what is a real problem?
Ex.: we want to make the perfect pizza, but it doesn’t work?
→ how is it possible that our pizza sucks?
→ collect data about the problem
→ in general for business research:
- Can the manager identify the problem?
- Does the manager have a good insight into the relevant factors influencing the problem?
- Does the manager know what information to collect and how?
- Can the manager deduce the correct conclusions based on the data collected?
- Can the manager implement the right corrective actions based on the findings?
WHAT IS BUSINESS RESEARCH?
→ A systematic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem encountered in a work setting, which
need a solution
Good research = a systematic, organised, data-based, critical, objective inquiry or investigation
It is conducted to resolve issues in
- Accounting
o Budget control systems, practices & procedures
o Taxation methods
o Inventory costing methods
- Finance
1
, o Operational of financial organizations
o Optimum financial ratios
- Management
o Employee attitudes and behaviors
o HR management
o Information systems
- Marketing
o Consumer decision making
o Customer satisfaction and loyalty
o Product image
o Sales promotion
WHY?
- Managers with knowledge of research have an advantage over those without
- Managers have to understand, predict and control events that are dysfunctional withing the
organization
o Ex: a newly developed product may not be taking off → reading about others were this is
happened and thinking and understanding this problem
- Being knowledgeable about research and research methods helps professional managers to
o Identify and effectively solve minor problems in the work setting
o Know how to discriminate good from bad research
o Appreciate and be constantly aware of the multiple influences and multiple effects of factors
impinging on a situation
o …
TYPES OF BUSINESS RESEARCH
Based on the purpose
- Theory- practice-oriented
- Scientific problem management problem
- Basic/fundamental business research applied business research
→ More brought, bigger problems that can have → problem in a particular organization
an impact on many organizations
8 characteristics that should be present for scientific research
THE HALLMARKS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
→ 8 characteristics that helps us to find out if the research is scientific or not
- Purposiveness
o What is our goal?
o What do we want to do?
- Rigor (strengheid)
o Theory based and methodological sound
o Thinking about a method that is really investigated and find the solutions u need
o Doing it in a very good way, methodologically
o BUT you can miss some things --> so also theory based: do the method insulate that you want
to avoid bias as much as possible?
- Testability
o You need to investigate something that is testable → hypothesis
o Ex.: making employees more participation can increase their commitment → can be testable
via survey
o Being able to test your hypothesis
- Replicability
o If what you found is replicated → the other people are sure it is really true
o For this, details are important for the people who want to replicate the study → details
provide to replicate the study
o If you did the research again, dit you find the same conclusion?
3
, - Precision & confidence
o We do research on a sample and not on the whole population → it need to be very close to
the whole population BUT it will be never 100% perfect
o Precision: shows how close we are by the reality
We want to be as close as possible
Aconfidence level shows us this (95%: we are 95% confidence that the research is
true)
Always a percentage that we are wrong
- Objectivity
o Follow you r findings and do not interpretate them in a way u want them to be
o Focus and follow what the findings are
- Generalizability
o You want to try to make what you found more general
o Difficult because we can’t include a big sample
o Quantitative is more generalizable that qualitative
- Parsimony
o Keep it simple
o Find simple solutions, avoid complex solutions
NOT ALL POSSIBLE TO REACH
Example: zie dia 44 – 51
THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CYCLE
Example: Global warming
2 documentaries with similar data and graphs but used in a different way AND different conclusions
Inconvenient truth: people are the one that are causing the global warming → humans are responsible for the
increasing CO2 levels
The great global warming: global warming is a normal, natural thing happening influenced by the sun,
volcanoes…
→ reality = complex
There is never a guarantee that scientific statements are ‘true’
4
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller audc. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.28. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
