1. Chapter 4:
The Business Research Process

2.  Reduces uncertainty
 Helps focus decision making

3.  Exploratory
 Descriptive
 Causal

4. COMPLETELY
CERTAIN
ABSOLUTE
AMBIGUITY
CAUSAL OR
DESCRIPTIVE
EXPLORATORY

5. Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Causal Research
(Unaware of Problem)(Aware of Problem) (Problem Clearly Defined)
“Our sales are declining and “What kind of people are buying “Will buyers purchase more of
we don’t know why.” our product? Who buys our our products in a new package?
competitor’s product?”
“Would people be interested “Which of two advertising
in our new product idea?” “What features do buyers prefer campaigns is more effective?”
in our product?”
possiblesituation

6. 6
Exploratory Research
Secondary data
Experience survey
Pilot studies

7.  Initial research conducted to clarify and define the
nature of a problem
 Does not provide conclusive evidence
 Subsequent research expected

8.  Describes characteristics of a population or
phenomenon
 Some understanding of the nature of the problem

9. 9
I keep six honest serving men, (they
taught me all I knew), their names are
--Rudyard Kipling
what, and why, and when, and how,
and where and who.”

10.  Weight Watchers average customer
 Woman about 40 years old
 Household income of about $50,000
 At least some college education
 Trying to juggle children and a job

11.  Men’s fragrance market
 1/3 size of women’s fragrance market
 But growing at a faster pace
 Women buy 80 % of men’s fragrances

12.  Conducted to identify cause and effect
relationships

13.  A causal relationship is impossible to prove.
 Evidence of causality:
◦ 1. The appropriate causal order of events
◦ 2. Concomitant variation--two phenomena vary
together
◦ 3. An absence of alternative plausible explanations

14. Stages of the Research Process
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Research
Design
Sampling
Data
Gathering
Data Processing
and Analysis
Conclusions and
Report
Discovery and
Definition
and so on

15.  Cyclical process - conclusions generate new ideas
 Stages can overlap chronologically
 Stages are functionally interrelated
◦ Forward linkages
◦ Backward linkages

16. Problem
discovery
Problem definition
(statement of
research objectives)
Secondary
(historical)
data
Experience
survey
Pilot
study
Case
study
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Selection of
basic research
method
Experiment Survey
Observation
Secondary
Data StudyLaboratory Field Interview Questionnaire
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Sampling
Probability Nonprobability
Collection of
data
(fieldwork)
Editing and
coding
data
Data
processing
Interpretation
of
findings
Report
Data
Gathering
Data
Processing
and
Analysis
Conclusions
and Report
Research Design
Problem Discovery
and Definition

17. The Business Research Process
Problem
Discovery
Exploratory
Research
Selection of the
Basic Research
Method
Selection of
Sample Design
Collection of the
Data

18. The Research Process (cont.)
Editing and
Coding
Data Processing
Interpretation of
the Findings
Report

19.  Problem Discovery and Problem Definition
 Research Design
 Sampling
 Data Gathering
 Data Processing and Analysis
 Conclusions And Report

20.  First step
 Problem, opportunity, or monitor operations
 Discovery before definition
 Problem means management problem

21. Albert Einstein

22. 22

23.  A statement
 that can be refuted
 by empirical data

25. SecondarySecondary
((historicalhistorical))
DataData
PilotPilot
StudyStudy
ExperienceExperience
SurveySurvey
CaseCase
StudyStudy
ExploratoryExploratory
ResearchResearch

26.  Secondary data (historical data)
◦ Previously collected
◦ Census of population
◦ Literature survey
 Pilot study
◦ A number of diverse techniques

28.  Master plan
 Framework for action
 Specifies methods and procedures

29.  Surveys
 Experiments
 Secondary data
 Observation

30. POPULATIONPOPULATION
SAMPLESAMPLESample:Sample: subsetsubset
of a larger populationof a larger population..

31.  Who is to be sampled?
 How large a sample?
 How will sample units be selected?

34.  Effective communication of the research findings

35.  A written statement of the research design that
includes a statement explaining the purpose of the
study.
 Detailed outline of procedures associated with a
particular methodology

38. Statement of
Research Objectives
Problem Definition
Defining Problem Results in
Clear Cut Research Objectives
Exploratory
Research
(Optional)
Analysis of
the Situation
Symptom Detection