Business Research
Course Overview
Research is a systematic and objective investigation of a subject or problem in order to discover relevant information or principles. It can be considered to be either primarily fundamental or applied in nature. Fundamental research, frequently called basic or pure research, seeks to extend the boundaries of knowledge in a given area with no necessary immediate application to existing problems, for example, the development of a research method that would be able to predict what people will be like x years in the future. In contrast, Business Research, also known as decisional research, attempts to use existing knowledge to aid in the solution of some given problem or set of problems.
Business Research assists in the overall management of the marketing function. A marketing manager must prioritize the more important and pressing problems selected for solution, reach the best possible solution based on the information available, implement the solution, modify the solution when additional information so dictates, and establish policy to act as a ready-made solution for any recurrence of the problem.
This course covers application of two major domains of research—Theory and Practical.The course picks up the practical problems of businesses/firms and explores possible managerial solutions through research. It integrates Research theory with Market practice for the purpose of facilitating planning and decision-making.
The importance of market research is that different research methods are compatible with different situations, and therefore it is important to know which method is best suitable for use with a particular hypothesis or question. In fact, if an unsuitable research method is used, it could render the research useless.`
Scope of Market Research Methods
- To obtain accurate data which can be used as a reference in making Business decisions.
- To get familiar with data collection, observation, and processing of existing data on the object of research in the world of marketing.
- To learn applying business analytics tools like advance excel, power BI, SPSS to take important business decisions .
Course Outcomes
There is no fixed text book prescribed for this course. The concepts and theories used in the course will have to be learnt from various sources, including youtube video, online learning platforms, and internet resources. Data will be obtained from various authentic sources and the same will be used for analysis estimation and presentation using Power BI, SPSS and Excel.
However, students may like to consult following text books to enhance their knowledge of economic principles and their applications:
- Marketing Research: Naresh K malhotra, Satyabhushan Dash
- CR Kothari: Research methodology
- Krishnaswamy: Management Research methodology
Student’s Responsibility
It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of the requirements for this course, and understand the specific details included in this workplan. It is emphasized that this course requires a significant commitment outside of formal class contact. The learning tasks in this course may include classes (lectures or seminars), required reading, case studies, the preparation of answers to set questions, exercises and problems, and self-study. It is advisable that student maintains a separate Note Book for this course which can be used for keeping class notes, library notes, and notes of other readings. It is important to develop the habit of writing notes of classroom discussions and any readings that the students come across.
Session Plan
Business Research Syllabus T29
| Session No. | Topics |
|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction to Business Research |
| Class 2 | Case study 1 |
| Class 3 | Business Research Problem |
| Class 4 | Research design |
| Class 5 | Same as above |
| Class 6 | Sampling design |
| Class 7 | Case study 2 |
| Class 8 | Data Collection methods |
| Class 9 | Same as above |
| Class 10 | Same as above |
| Class 11 | Questionnaire design |
| Class 12 | Same as above |
| Class 13 | Case Study 3 |
| Class 14 | Measurement and scaling |
| Class 15 | Case Study 4 |
| Class 16 | Data preparation and analysis |
| Class 17 | Same as above |
| Class 18 | Same as above |
| Class 19 | Business Research Presentation |
| Class 20 | Business Research Presentation |