Contents: Research problems and questions and how they relate to debates in Research Methods.
  • Chapter Overview
  • Introduction
  • The nature of business research
  • What kind of business problems might need a research study?
  • What are the key issues in research methods we need to understand?
  • Questions for self-review
  • References for this chapter
    • Putting the problem into context: identifying and critically reviewing Relevant literature
  • Chapter Overview
  • How does literature relate to research?
  • What kinds of literature should we search for?
  • Effective literature searching
  • Critical analysis of literature
  • An introduction to
  • Business Research Methods
  • Using Harvard referencing style
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Choosing research approaches and strategies
  • Chapter overview
  • Different perspectives of knowledge and research which
  • Identify differing research paradigms for business
  • Key differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods
  • And how and why they may be mixed
  • Criteria of validity and reliability in the context of business research
  • Your choice of research strategy or design
  • Classification of research
  • The Business Research Process
  • The Academic business research process
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Ethics in business research
  • Chapter Overview
  • Understand how ethical issues arise in business research at every stage
  • Ethical criteria used in Higher Education business research studies
  • Strategies to ensure ethical issues in business research are addressed appropriately
  • Plagiarism
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Choosing samples from populations
  • Chapter Overview
  • Understand how and why sampling relates to business research
  • Identify and use a range of probability and non-probability sampling techniques
  • Select appropriate techniques for different research studies
  • Understand and assess representativeness of samples and generalizability
  • from samples
  • Sampling simulation exercise
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Quantitative research methods: collecting and analyzing data
  • Chapter Overview
  • Anticipating how the research design is affected by data collection and analysis tools
  • Recognizing different levels of data for analysis
  • Coding and entering data for computer analysis
  • Choosing appropriate ways to present data through charts, tables and Descriptive statistics
  • Selecting appropriate statistical tools for the research variables
  • Measures of Correlation – the correlation coefficient
  • Regression analysis
  • Statistical significance
  • Questions for self-review
  • References Questionnaire design and testing
  • Chapter overview
  • Appreciate and overcome the difficulties associated with questionnaire design
  • Choosing from a range of question formats
  • How to design, pilot and administer questionnaires
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Using secondary data
  • Chapter Overview
  • the value of secondary data to business research
  • What to look for as secondary data and where to find it
  • the disadvantages of using secondary data in business research
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Qualitative research methods: collecting and analyzing qualitative data
  • Chapter overview
  • Key issues in qualitative data analysis
  • the range of qualitative research methods applicable to research topics
  • how qualitative data can be prepared for analysis
  • computer based methods for qualitative data analysis
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Practical issues in conducting interviews, focus groups, Participant observation
  • Chapter overview
  • Practical considerations relating to participant observation
  • Practical issues relating to interviews
  • Practical issues relating to focus groups
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Forecasting trends
  • Chapter overview
  • Why forecasting is not widely covered in the business research methods literature
  • Existing methodologies for forecasting
  • Basic forecasting tools
  • Measures commonly used to evaluate forecasts
  • Exploring the value of forecasting methods in business practice
  • Questions for self-review
  • References
    • Reporting research results
  • Chapter overview
  • Your personal approach to writing a research report
  • The differences between writing a report for a business audience and for academic purposes
  • Producing an oral presentation of key findings
  • Questions for self-review
  • References