BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
CUROMM208
School of Entrepreneurship & Business Sciences
CUROMM208 LECTURERS – MAY 2023
• Dr Chikazhe L. lovechikazhe@gmail.com 0773236018
• Mrs Chikono 0772922922
• Miss Murombo C. chamurombo@gmail.com 0785704219
• Mrs Mutaurwa E. shamimashinge3@gmail.com 0779735085
• Mr Gudu L. 0712974008 / 0772680328
• Ms Zungunde V. zungundevee0@gmail.com 0783162246
For assignments submission
Supply Chain – chamurombo@gmail.com (C. Murombo & Mr L.
Gudu)
Retail – lovechikazhe@gmail.com (L. Chikazhe)
BSBE - zungundevee0@gmail.com (V. Zungunde)
Accounting - shamimashinge3@gmail.com (E. Mutaurwa &
Mrs Chikono)
RESEARCH METHODS
CUROMM208
Introduction
Outline
• Defining Business Research Methods
• The scientific Approach
• Types of Research
• The research process
Definition
• Business Research Methods is a careful and diligent study of
an industry or a particular company's business operations,
using investigative techniques to discover facts and develop an
action plan based on the discovered facts.
• Business research is a process of acquiring data/information of
all the areas of business and using such information in solving
problems affecting those businesses.
• Businesses use research methods to help grow their
operations or to solve problems in the company.
Common business problems/challenges warranting research/
Problems that may be researched include:
• Profitability challenges
• Productivity challenges
• Customer Service
• Employee Retention / turnover
• Supply chain challenges/ flexibility/ risk/ performance etc.
• Product life cycle, product shortage, New product performance, development,
failure, etc.
• Financial – sales decline, losses, etc.
• Poor Management
• Marketing – promotion, packaging, pricing, distribution etc.
• Competitive Analysis
• Poor Service delivery within University department e.g. Registry, canteen, library,
lectures etc.
Why do businesses Research?
• Solve your biggest business challenges – poor service quality, low sales, ……….
• Better insight on target customer
• Understand customer behaviour pattern
• Analysis competitors
• Foster better decision making
• Finer Sales forecasting and selling activities
• Introduce new product, you want understand acceptable price, color, size etc.
• Identify potential new customers and understand your existing customers
• Develop new, effective strategies e.g. how to market, price, package etc..
• Prepare for possible business expansion / Identify new business opportunities
Business Research as a Process
• Defining/Identifying the problem affecting the business
1. Develop a research proposal
2. Carry out the actual research by following these stages:
• Defining the problem – Topic formulation, background
information, state the problem, come up with objectives &
questions, develop research hypotheses, etc
• Review Literature
• Methodology
• Collect and Analyse Data
• Make Conclusions & Recommendations/Implications
Types of Research
Basic research Applied research
Purpose: Purpose:
• improve understanding of particular business
• expand knowledge of processes of business
or management problem
and management
• results in solution to problem
• results in universal principles relating to the
• new knowledge limited to problem
process and its relationship to outcomes
• findings of practical relevance and value to
• findings of significance and value to society
manager(s) in organisation(s)
in general
Context: Context:
• undertaken by people based in a variety of
• undertaken by people based in universities
settings, including organisations and universities
• choice of topic and objectives determined
• objectives negotiated with originator
by the researcher
• tight timescales
• flexible timescales
…..Cont
• Applied research is a research methodology that creates practical
solutions for specific problems.
• This means that applied research is solution-driven while basic
research is knowledge-specific. Thus, Applied research is what we
prefer in business research methods
• Basic research is an approach to research that seeks to expand
knowledge in a field of study.
• Basic research advances fundamental knowledge about the world. It
focuses on creating and refuting or supporting theories that explain
observed phenomena.
