ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD (Department of Bus ness A!

m n strat on"

BUSINESS RESEAR#$ MET$ODS (%&'" #$E#(LIST SEMESTER) AUTUMN &*++

This packet comprises the following material: 1. Text Book 2.Course Outline 3.Assignment No. 1 an 2 !.Assignment "orms #2 sets$ %n this packet& if 'ou fin an'thing missing out of the a(o)e*mentione material& please contact at the a ress gi)en (elow: +ailing Officer +ailing ,ection& Block*2Allama %.(al Open /ni)ersit'& 0*-& %,1A+ABA2.

+s. Beenish 3hsan Course Coor inator

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD (Department of Bus ness A!m n strat on" ,ARNIN+. &. PLA-IARISM OR $IRIN- O/ -$OST ,RITER(S" /OR SOLVINT$E ASSI-NMENT(S" ,ILL DEBAR T$E STUDENT /ROM A,ARD O/ DE-REE0#ERTI/I#ATE, I/ /OUND AT ANY STA-E. SUBMITTIN- ASSI-NMENTS BORRO,ED OR STOLEN /ROM OT$ER(S" AS ONE1S O,N ,ILL BE PENALI2ED AS DE/INED IN 3AIOU PLA-IARISM POLI#Y4.

ASSI-NMENT No. +
#ourse) Business 4esearch +etho s #52!$ Le5e6) +BA 7. 1 7. 2 7. 3 Semester) Autumn 2611 Tota6 Mar7s) 166

"or a marketing manager of (roa casting sector& wh' is it necessar' to ha)e knowle ge of (usiness research8 3xplain in etail. (&*" Being an external researcher at a cellular compan' with low market share& how woul 'ou esign the explorator' research8 3xplain with example. (&*" %n 9akistan foo inflation is )er' high& let us suppose go)ernment hires 'ou as a researcher& how woul 'ou eci e the sample si:e for this research& research esign as well as implementation of research8 Also explain the limitations of this research. (&*" 2iscuss the importance of measurement an scaling in relation to (usiness research. ;i)e the comparison with two suita(le examples. (&*" ;i)e the comparison of primar' ata an secon ar' ata. Also gi)e ten situations where it woul (e more (eneficial to use primar' ata sources for research an fi)e situations where it woul (e more (eneficial to use secon ar' ata sources for research. (&*"

7. ! 7. 5

ASSI-NMENT No. &

(Tota6 Mar7s) +**" This assignment is re.uire to (e presente after completion of 'our tutorial uring workshops that are expecte to (e hel at the en of semester prior to 'our final examination at 'our allocate stu ' centre. 2uring the workshop presentation& 'ou can (ring supporting material like transparencies an )isual ai s. <our atten ance an presentation of this assignment is compulsor' without which 'ou will fail in course& 2

although 'ou might (e allowe to appear in the final examination& (ut re.uire to pass the presentation in an' case. <ou are also a )ise to prepare two copies of this paper. ,u(mit one cop' to 'our teacher an use secon cop' for presentation in the class. 9lace (elow are topics of which 'ou shoul select onl' one for writing a paper consisting of 36 t'pe pages. <ou are also re.uire to prepare a report t'pe pages an present it with the help of transparencies= ata show& for effecti)e presentation. <ou are re.uire to select one of the following topics accor ing to the last igit of 'our roll num(er. "or example& if 'our roll num(er is 2*3!2>1-5 then 'ou will select topic num(er 5 #the last igit$: The report shoul inclu e:* i. %ntro uction to the topic ii. %mportant su(*topics iii. 9ractical stu ' of the organi:ation with respect to the topic i). 4e)iew of theoretical an practical situations ). +erits& emerits& eficiencies or strengths of the organi:ation with respect to topic un er stu ' )i. Conclusions an recommen ations )ii. Annex& if an' <ou ma' use transparencies& charts or an' other material for effecti)e presentation. <ou are re.uire to select topic accor ing to the last igit of 'our roll num(er. Theoreticall' anal'se the topic an later appl' those concepts on a (usiness an commercial organi:ation. Top 8s 6. /sefulness of telephonic inter)iewing in (usiness research 1. 2. 3. !. 5. ?. >. -. @. /se of li(rar' in (usiness research The nee to sur)e' in marketing research /sefulness of o(ser)ation metho in (usiness research 2ata presentation in marketing research /sefulness of short reports in (usiness research The nee of research in agriculture 2elineation of research task in (usiness research The nee an importance of research in automo(ile in ustr' 2e)elopment of .uestionnaire to know the customer satisfaction in (anking sector of 9akistan.

BUSINESS RESEAR#$
#OURSE OUTLINE (MBA9%&'"
UNIT +) INTRODU#TION 1.1 4esearch a$ 2efining 4esearch ($ Nee an %mportance of 4esearch 1.2 4esearch in Business a$ 4esearch an 2ecision +aking ($ Classification of 4esearch c$ 4esearch O(Aecti)es $ 4esearch in functional Areas of (usiness e$ The +anager 4esearch 4elationship f$ Bh' ,tu ' 4esearch8 g$ ,tate of ,cientific 2e)elopment 1.3 ,cientific Thinking * Nature of ,cience * ,cientific )ersus unscientific metho s * "oun ation of ,cientific +etho a$ Concepts ($ 2efinitions c$ 0'pothesis $ Theor' * The inference process a$ ,ources of (elief ($ Argument Anal'sis c$ 2e uction $ %n uction e$ %n uction * 2e uction ,e.uence UNIT &) RESEAR#$ DESI-N 2.1 The 4esearch 9rocess 2.1.1 ,tep of research process a$ 3xploration ($ 2ata Collection c$ Anal'sis an %nterpretation 2.1.2 The Origin of a 4esearch Nee 2.1.3 The ;eneral ecision process a$ 2ecision Components ($ Nee for research assistance 2.1.! The )alue of 4esearch %nformation a$ The pro(lems of information )aluation ($ 3x*post facto 3)aluation c$ 2ecision theor' approach 2.1.5 The elineation of the research task a$ 9ro(lems of client relations ($ 4esearch .uestion e)elopment 2.2 4esearch 2esign 2.2.1 Bhat is 4esearch 2esign8 2.2.2 Classification of esigns a$ 2egree of pro(lem cr'stalli:ation ($ The topical scope c$ The research en)ironment !

2.2.3

2.2.!

$ The time imension e$ The communication mo es f$ 4esearcher control of )aria(les g$ Nature of relationships among )aria(les 3xplorator' 4esearch a$ +etho s of 3xploration ($ 3xperience ,ur)e' c$ The 3n of 3xploration $ 2escripti)e ,tu ies Causal %nference a$ %n ucti)e logic ($ 1inkage 4elationship c$ 9ositional 4elationships $ Testing Casual 0'pothesis. e$ Casual %nference an 3xperimental 2esign f$ Casual %nference an ex*post facto esign

UNIT :) SAMPLIN- DESI-N 3.1 The Nature of ,ampling 3.1.1 Bh' sample8 3.1.2 Bhat is goo sample 3.1.3 T'pes of sample 2esign 3.1.! A )antages of ,ampling 3.1.5 1imitation of ,ampling 3.2 9ro(a(ilit' ,ampling 3.2.1 ,ampling 9roce ure 3.2.2 ,teps in ,ampling 2esign 3.2.3 ,ampling Concepts 3.2.! ,ample ,i:e 2ecision 3.2.5 ,ampling of Attri(utes 3.3 Complex 9ro(a(ilit' ,ampling 3.3.1 ,'stematic ,ampling 3.3.2 ,tratifie ,ampling 3.3.3 Cluster ,ampling 3.3.! 3 use of Non*9ro(a(ilit' ,ampling 3.!.1 Con itions of use 3.!.2 ,ampling +etho UNIT ') MEASUREMENT AND S#ALIN!.1 +easurement !.1.1 The Nature of +easurement a$ Bhat is measurement8 ($ +easurement efine !.1.2 +easurement ,cales a$ Nominal ,cales ($ Or inal ,cales c$ %nter)al ,cales $ 4atio ,cales !.1.3 The characteristics of ,oun +easurement a$ Cali it' ($ 4elia(ilit' c$ 9ractica(ilit' !.1.! The 2e)elopment of +easurement Tools 5

!.2

,caling !.2.1 !.2.2 !.2.3

The Nature of ,caling a$ ,caling efine ($ ,cale classification 4esponse +etho s a$ 4ating ,cales ($ Attitu e ,cales ,cale Construction Techni.ues a$ Ar(itrar' ,cales ($ Consensus ,caling c$ %tem anal'sis $ Cumulati)e ,cales e$ "actor ,cales

UNIT %) USE O/ SE#ONDARY DATA 5.1 The Nature of ,econ ar' 2ata ,ources 5.2 The use of ,econ ar' ata 5.3 T'pes of ,econ ar' ata ,ources 5.! ,tatistical ,ources 5.5 2ata ,earch proce ures 5.5.1 /se of li(rar' a$ Car Catalogue ($ %n ex an (i(liographies * 9erio ical %n exes * Bi(liographies * National D Tra e Bi(liographies * ,u(Aect (i(liographies * 1i(rar' Catalogues c$ 4eference (ooks * 2ictionaries an 3nc'clopae ia * 2irectories * Bi(liographical ictionaries 5.5.2 3)aluating ,econ ar' 2ata a$ 2ata pertinence ($ 2ata .ualit' UNIT ;) DATA #OLLE#TION9I SURVEY INSTRUMENTS AND /IELD PRO#EDURES ?.1 ,ur)e' %nstrument 2esign ?.1.1 The ,ur)e' ,ituation a$ The Nee to ,ur)e' ($ Communication 0ol s i$ 9ersonal mo e ii$ %mpersonal mo e iii$ +ixe mo e c$ 9rocess ,tructure i$ 7uestioning ,tructure ii$ 4esponse ,tructure $ O(Aecti)e 2isguise ?.1.2 The %nstrument 2e)elopment 9rocess a$ 7uestion hierarch' ($ ,che ule esign process * %nformation nee etermination * 2ata gathering process ecisions ?

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?.1.! ?.2

* %nstrument rafting * %nstrument Testing * ,pecification of proce ures 7uestion Construction a$ 7uestion context ($ 7uestion wor ing c$ 4esponse structure i$ Two wa' .uestions ii$ +ultiple choice .uestions $ 7uestion se.uence 4eason anal'sis

"iel 9roce ures ?.2.1 9ersonal %nter)iewing a$ The )alue of 9ersonal %nter)iewing ($ 4e.uirement for inter)iew success c$ %nter)iewing Techni.ue * %ncreasing 4espon ents 4ecepti)eness * The %ntro uction 9ersonal inter)iew pro(lems * Non*response error * 4esponse error e$ %nter)iewer selection an training ?.2.2 Telephone %nter)iewing ?.2.3 %nter)iewing (' mail a$ 3)aluation of mail sur)e's i$ A )antages an 2isa )antages ($ +ail ,ur)e' proce ures c$ %mpro)ing the returns from a mail sur)e' O(ser)ation ?.3.1 ,trength $ ?.3.2 Beaknesses

?.3

UNIT <) DATA #OLLE#TION9II OBSERVATION, E=PERIMENTATION AND SIMMULATION >.1 3xperimentation an ,imulation >.1.1 The Nature of experimentation a$ Cali it' an 3xperimentation 1$ %nternal Cali it' 2$ 3xternal Cali it' >.1.2 3xperimental 4esearch esign 1$ 9re*experimental esigns 2$ True experimental esigns 3$ 7uasi*3xperiments >.1.3 ,imulation a$ Bhat is simulation8 ($ Business application of simulation >.2 O(ser)ation >.2.1 The use of o(ser)ation a$ Non*(eha)iour o(ser)ation >

>.2.2

($ Beha)iour o(ser)ation The O(ser)er ,u(Aect 4elationship a$ 2irectness of o(ser)ation ($ O(ser)er concealment O(ser)ation 2esign a$ The Content of O(ser)ation ($ 4ewar ing O(ser)ation c$ %ncreasing the relia(ilit' of o(ser)ation $ The relation of o(ser)e an o(ser)e

>.2.3

UNIT >) DATA ANALYSIS -.1 3lements of Anal'sis -.1.1 2ata 9reparation a$ 3 iting ($ Co ing -.1.2 ,pecial ata pro(lem a$ 2onEt know responses ($ The use of percentages -.1.3 Ta(ulation a$ 0an ta(ulation ($ Computer ta(ulation -.1.! 2ata presentation 2ata re uction -.1.5 2ata Anal'sis a$ 2escripti)e anal'sis ($ Casual anal'sis c$ Computeri:e anal'sis $ Cross ta(ulation e$ As'mmetrical relationships UNIT ?) REPORT ,RITIN@.1 The 4esearch 9roposal @.2 The 4esearch 4eport @.2.1 4eports T'pes @.2.2 ,hort 4eports @.2.3 1ong 4eports @.2.! Technical 4eports @.2.5 9opular 4eports @.2.? Other 4eports 4esearch 4eport "ormat @.3.1 1ogical @.3.2 9s'chological @.3.3 Chronological @.3.! 4eport "ormat 2etails @.3.5 9opular 4eport "ormat @.3.? Other "ormat @.! Briting the 4eport

@.3

@.!.1

9re*writing Consi eration @.!.2 Briefing

RE#OMMENDED BOO(S) 1. Business 4esearch +etho s #re)ise e ition$ (' 3mor'. 2. 4esearch +etho olog' for Business D ,ocial 9ro(lems (' 2r. +atin A. Fhan. 3. +etho s in ,ocial 4esearch (' ;oo e D 0att. GGGGGGG