Business Research 524

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD
(Department of Business Administration)
BUSINESS RESEARCH (524)
CHECKLIST
SEMESTER: AUTUMN 2012
This packet comprises the following material:
1. Text Book
2. Course Outline
3. Assignment No 1 &  2
4. Assignment Forms (2 sets)
Please contact at the address given below section, if you find anything missing out of the packet:
Mailing Officer,
Mailing Section,
Allama Iqbal Open University,
H-8, ISLAMABAD
Ph: 051-9057611-12
Ms. Sana Akbar Khan
Course Coordinator

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of Business Administration)

WARNING
1. PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING THE ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD OF DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM OTHER(S) AS ONE’S OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN “AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”.


ASSIGNMENT No. 1
Course:  Business Research (524)    Semester: Autumn 2012
Level:  MBA Total Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 40

Q. 1 Explain the characteristics of a good research and discuss the managerial dimensions of each characteristic. (20)

Q. 2 (a) Elaborate the different steps of the research process. (10)
(b) What is a research question? How can the research question be formulated? Explain with an example. (10)

Q. 3 What are the various descriptors to classify the research design? Explain each. (20)

Q. 4 Differentiate each of the following with examples: (20)
i. Qualitative and quantitative research
ii. Discrete and continuous variable
iii. Correlational and explanatory hypothesis
iv. Stratified and cluster sampling

Q. 5 Differentiate between scale reliability and validity. Explain the factors of constructing a measurement scale that affect reliability and validity of the scale. (20)


ASSIGNMENT No. 2
Total Marks: 100

This assignment is a research-oriented activity. You are required to obtain information relating to any business or commercial organization, write a paper of about 10 pages on the topic allotted to you. You are required to prepare two copies of Assignment # 2.  Submit one copy to your tutor/teacher for evaluation and the second copy for presentation in the workshop in the presence of your resource persons and classmates, which will be held at the end of the semester prior to final examination.  Student studying at the approved Study Centers of AIOU are required to present the same at their study centers.
i. Introduction to the topic
ii. Important sub-topics
iii. Practical study of the organization with respect to the topic
iv. Review of theoretical and practical situations
v. Merits, demerits, deficiencies or strengths of the organization with respect to topic under study
vi. Conclusions and recommendations
vii. Annex, if any

You may use transparencies, charts or any other material for effective presentation. You are required to select one of the following topics according to the last digit of your roll number. For example, if your roll number is D-3427185 then you will select topic number 5 (the last digit).
0. Application of Software Packages in Business Research
1. Application of Qualitative Research in a Commercial Organization
2. Data Exploration for a Research
3. Role of R&D Department in Conducting Applied Research
4. Data Analysis in a Research
5. Data Collection Methods for Different Types of Research
6. Business Research & Management Effectiveness
7. Ethical Issues in Business Research
8. Essentials of Research Report
9. Enhancing Organizational Performance through Research

COURSE OUTLINES
Course: Business Research Course Code: 524
Level: MBA Credit Hours: 03

Unit-1: Introduction
1.1 Research: Basic Concepts, Need, and Importance
1.2 Research in Business  
1.2.1 Research and Decision Making
1.2.2 Classification of Research
1.2.3 Research Objectives
1.2.4 Research in Functional Areas of Business
1.2.5 Manager Research Relationship
1.2.6 Significance of Research
1.2.7 State of Scientific Development
1.3 Scientific Thinking
1.3.1 Nature of Science
1.3.2 Scientific versus Unscientific Methods
1.3.3 Foundation of Scientific Method
Unit-2: Research Design
2.1 Research Process
2.1.1 Research Process: Exploration, Data Collection, Analysis, and Interpretation
2.1.2 General Decision Process
a) Decision Components
b) Need for Research Assistance
2.1.3 Value of Research Information
a) Problems of Information Valuation
b) Ex post Facto Evaluation
c) Decision Theory Approach
2.1.4 Delineation of the Research Task  
a) Problems of Client Relations
b) Research Question Development
2.2 Research Design
2.2.1 Basic Concepts of Research Design
2.2.2 Classification of Designs
a) Degree of Problem Crystallization
b) Topical Scope
c) Research Environment
d) Time Dimension
e) Communication Modes
f) Researcher Control of Variables
g) Nature of Relationships among Variables
2.2.3 Exploratory Research
a) Methods of Exploration
b) Experience Survey
c) End of Exploration
d) Descriptive Studies
2.2.4 Causal Inference
a) Inductive Logic
b) Linkage Relationship
c) Positional Relationships
d) Testing Casual Hypothesis
e) Casual Inference and Experimental Design
f) Casual Inference and Ex post Facto Design

Unit-3: Sampling
3.1 Nature of Sampling
3.1.1 Using Sample
3.1.2 Characteristics of Good Sample
3.1.3 Types of Sample Design
3.1.4 Advantages and Limitation of Sampling
3.2 Probability Sampling
3.2.1 Sampling Procedure
3.2.2 Steps in Sampling Design
3.2.3 Sampling Concepts  
3.2.4 Sample Size Decision  
3.2.5 Sampling of Attributes                
3.3 Complex Probability Sampling
3.3.1 Systematic Sampling
3.3.2 Stratified Sampling            
3.3.3 Cluster Sampling  
3.3.4 Use of Non Probability Sampling
       
Unit-4: Measurement and Scaling
4.1 Measurement
4.1.1 Nature of Measurement
4.1.2 Measurement Scales
4.1.3 Characteristics of Sound Measurement
4.1.4 Development of Measurement Tools
4.2 Scaling
4.2.1 Nature of Scaling
4.2.2 Response Methods
4.2.3 Scale Construction Techniques

Unit-5: Use of Secondary Data
5.1 Nature of Secondary Data Sources
5.2 Use of Secondary Data    
5.3 Types of Secondary Data Sources      
5.4 Statistical Sources
5.5 Data Search Procedures and Evaluation of Secondary Data

Unit-6: Data Collection-I: Survey Instruments and Field Procedures
  6.1 Survey Instrument Design
6.1.1   Survey Situation          
a) Need to Survey
b) Communication Modes
c) Process Structure
d) Objective Disguise
6.1.2 Instrument Development Process
6.1.3 Construction of Questionnaire    
  6.2 Field Procedures         6.2.1 Personal Interviewing    
6.2.2 Telephone Interviewing
6.2.3 Interviewing by Mail    
6.3 Observations

Unit-7: Data Collection-II: Observation, Experimentation and Simulation
7.1 Experimentation and Simulation
    7.1.1   Nature of Experimentation and its Validity
  7.1.2 Experimental Research design      
    7.1.3 Simulation      
7.2 Observation      
7.2.1 Use of Observation  
    7.2.2 Observer Subject Relationship        
    7.2.3 Observation Design
a) Content of Observation
b) Rewarding Observation
c) Increasing the Reliability of Observation
d) Relation of Observe and Observed

Unit-8: Data Analysis
8.1 Elements of Analysis  
8.1.1 Data Preparation            
8.1.2 Data Problems            
8.1.3 Tabulation            
8.1.4 Data presentation and Data Reduction   8.1.5 Data Analysis          
Unit-9: Report Writing
9.1 Research Proposal/ Synopsis Preparation
9.2 Types of Research Report
9.3 Formats of Research Report
9.4 Writing the Report
Recommended Books:
Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2010). Business Research Methods (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2011). Business Research Methods (3rd ed.). USA: Oxford University Press.
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2010).  Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach (5th ed.). USA: Wiley.
Goode, W. J., & Hatt, P. K. (2008). Methods in Social Research. The University of Michigan: McGraw-Hill.