BCM5B08 BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS
Lectures Hours per week: 4 , Credit – 4
Internal: 20, External: 80, Examination 2.5 Hours
Objectives:
¬To enable students for acquiring basic knowledge in business research methods and to
develop basic skills in them to conduct survey researches and case studies.
Module I
Business Research: – Definition and significance - Features of business research – The
research process – Variable - Proposition - Types of research – Exploratory and causal
research –Theoretical and empirical research - Basic and applied research - Descriptive
research - Phases of business research – Research Hypothesis – Characteristics – Research in
an evolutionary perspective – Role of theory in research - Theory building - Induction and
Deduction Theory.
(10 Hours, 15 marks)
Module II
Research Design – Definition – Types of research design – Exploratory and causal research
design - Descriptive and experimental design – Types of experimental design – Validity of
findings – Internal and external validity – Variables in research – Measurement and scaling –
Different scales –Construction of instrument - Validity and reliability of instrument (15 Hours,
15 marks)
Module III
Data Collection: - Types of data – Primary Vs secondary data – Methods of primary data
collection – Survey Vs observation – Experiments – Construction of questionnaire and
instrument – Validation of questionnaire – Sampling plan – Sample size – Sampling methods
- Determinants of optimal sample size – Sampling techniques – Probability Vs non
probability sampling methods.
(15 Hours, 20 marks)
Module IV
Page 19 of 76Data Processing: Processing stages - Editing - Coding and data entry – Validity of data –
Qualitative Vs quantitative data analysis – Frequency table - Contingency table - Graphs -
Measures of central tendency and index number – Testing of Hypothesis - Bivariate and multi
variate statistical techniques – Factor analysis – Discriminant analysis- Cluster analysis –
Interpretation.
(15 Hours, 20 marks)
Module V
Research Report:Different types – Contents of report – Need of
executive summary – Chapterisation – Contents of chapter - Report writing
stages – The role of audience – Readability – Comprehension – Tone – Final proof – Report
format – Title of the report – Ethics in research – Subjectivity and objectivity in research. (09
Hours, 10 marks)
Reference Books:
1.
Donald R.Cooper and Pamela S, Schindler: Business Research Methods. Latest
Edition,
Irwin McGraw- Hill International Editions, New Delhi.
2. John Adams, Hafiz T.A. Khan Robert Raeside, David white: Research Methods for
Graduate Business and Social Science Students, Response Books. New Delhi- 110044.
3. Neresh K. Malhotra: Marketing Research, Latest edition. Pearson Education.
4. William G. Zikmund, Business Research Methods, Thomson
5. Wilkinson T.S. and Bhandarkar P.L.: Methodology and Techniques of Social Research,
Himalaya.
6.
S N Murthy &. U Bhojanna: Business Research Methods, Excel Books, New Delhi.
7. Jan Brace: Questionnaire Design, Kogan Page India
8. Michael V.P. Research Methodology in Management, Himalaya.
9. Dipak kumar Bhattacharyya. Research Methodology. Excel Books, New Delhi.
10. R. Paneerselvan: Research Methodology, Prentice-Hall of India
11. Ajai S Gaur & Sanjaya S Gaur: Statistical Methods for Practice &. Research, Response
Books, New Delhi.
12. Kultar Singh: Quantitative Social Research Methods. Response Books, New Delhi.
- Teacher: Layyina P P
Skill Level: Beginner
