1-1
Chapter 1
Research in Business
Learning Objectives
1. What is business research
2. Why marketing managers use business
research
3. Information and competitive advantage
4. Hierarchy of business decision makers
5. The research process
6. What is a good research
1-2
What is Business Research
“A process of planning, acquiring, analyzing,
synthesizing, and disseminating relevant
business data, information, and insights to
decision makers in ways that mobilize the
organization to take appropriate business
actions that, in turn, maximize business
performance” (Cooper and Schindler )
1-3
1-4
Why Marketing Managers use Business
Research?
Get handle on the problem
Understanding the market situation
Understanding the demand
Factors affecting the return on
investment
Derives decision making in the
organization
Information and Competitive
Advantage
Growth of internet
Greater computing power and speed
Lower cost of data collection
Better visualization
More integration of data
Real time access to knowledge
Technologically connectivity
Data warehousing
Storing big dataset on electronically
Data mining
Application of mathematical modeling for analysis
1-5
Information Sources
Decision Support Systems
Business Intelligence Systems
Sources of Business Intelligence
Government/
Competitive
Regulatory
Demographic Economic
Business
Intelligence
Technological Cultural/
Social
1-7
Hierarchy of Business Decision Makers
Visionaries
Standardized
Decision Makers
Intuitive Decision Makers
1-8
Research Process Preview
• Clarification of research question
– Discover Management Dilemma
– Management Question
– Research Question
• Research Design
– Data collection
– Sampling
– Method
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
•1-9 Conclusion
Research May Be Unnecessary
• Critical decision
• Improve managerial decision-making
• Availability of sufficient resources
1-10
Information Value Chain
Decision support systems
Data collection/ transmission
Data management
Data interpretation
Models
1-11
Characteristics of Good Research
Clearly defined objective
Detailed Research process
Planned design
Ethical standards
Limitations
Analysis
Presentation
Conclusions
Who Conducts Business Research?
Internal
External
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1-14
External Research Suppliers
Business Research Firms
Communication Agencies
Consultants
Trade Associations
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Business Research Firms
Full Service
Custom
Proprietary
Specialists
Methods
Syndicated
Data
Specialty Business Research Firms
Methodology
Process
Industry
Participant group
Geographic Region
1-16
Communication Agencies
Sales Promotion
Advertising
Public Relations
Direct Business
1-17
Consultants and Trade Associations
Consultants
Business
General Business
Trade Associations
General business
Business specialties
Research specialties
1-18
Chapter 6
Research Design: An Overview
Design in the Research Process
Descriptors of Research Design
Category Options
The degree to which the research question has been • Exploratory study
crystallized • Formal study
The method of data collection • Monitoring
• Communication Study
The power of the researcher to produce effects in the • Experimental
variables under study • Ex post facto
The purpose of the study • Descriptive
• Causal
The time dimension • Cross-sectional
• Longitudinal
The topical scope—breadth and depth—of the study • Case
• Statistical study
The research environment • Field setting
• Laboratory research
• Simulation
The participants’ perceptions of the research activity • Actual routine
• Modified routine
The Degree of Structure
Exploratory Study
Lack of a clear idea of problem
Loose structure
Understanding
Develop hypotheses
Formal Study
Procedures
Hypotheses
Conclusion
Methods of Data Collection
Monitoring
Communication
Causal Studies
Experiment
Control of one or more variables to determine the
effect on another variable
Ex Post Facto study
What happened to the measured variable
Purpose of the Study
Descriptive study
Who
What
Where
How much
When
Causal Study
Why
The Time Dimension
Cross-sectional
Time series
Longitudinal
The Topical Scope
Statistical Study
Breadth
Population inferences
Quantitative
Generalizable findings
Case Study
Depth
Detail
Qualitative
Multiple sources of information
The Research Environment
Field conditions
Lab conditions
Simulations
Participant’s perception about the
Research
Actual routine
Modified routine
Approaches for Exploratory Investigations
Interviewing
Observation
Film, photographs
Case studies
Street ethnography
Elite or expert interviewing
Document analysis
Proxemics and kinesics
Common Exploratory Techniques for
Research
Secondary Data Analysis
Experience Surveys
Focus Groups
Two Stage Design
Common Exploratory Techniques for
Research
Secondary Data Analysis
Start with an organization’s own data
Reviewing prior studies
What is being done?
Previous studies
Avoid duplication
Provide excellent background information
Common Exploratory Techniques for
Research
Experience Surveys
What is being done?
Previous studies
Who involves in decision making
Problem areas
Common Exploratory Techniques for
Research
Focus Groups
Group discussion
6-10 participants
Moderator-led
90 minutes-2 hours
Two Stage Design
Clearly defining the research question
Developing the research design
Descriptive Studies
Descriptions of population characteristics
Estimates of frequency of characteristics
Discovery of associations among
variables
Causal Studies
Symmetrical
Reciprocal
Asymmetrical
Evidence of Causality
Co-variation between A and B
Time order of events
No other possible causes of B
