Research in BusinessARTHIK DAVIANTI, SE. MSI, AK, CA.

The Nature

The Nature of ResearchResearch has a number of characteristics:• Data are collected systematically.• Data are interpreted systematically.• There is a clear purpose: to find things out.

Define research as something that people undertake in order to find out things in a systematic way, thereby increasing their knowledge.

The Nature of ResearchTwo phrases are important in this definition: ‘systematic way’ and ‘to find out things’.

‘Systematic’ suggests that research is based on logical relationships and not just beliefs (Ghauri and Grønhaug 2005).

The Nature of Business ResearchEasterby-Smith et al. (2008) argue that four things combine to make business and management a distinctive focus for research: The way in which managers (and

researchers) draw on knowledge developed by other disciplines.

The fact that managers tend to be powerful and busy people – allow research access unless they can see personal or commercial advantages.

The Nature of Business Research

Easterby-Smith et al. (2008) (continue): The fact that managers are educated. The requirement for the research to have

some practical consequence – the potential for taking some form of action or needs to take account of the practical consequences of the findings.

The Nature of Business Research

Research is a Messy Activity

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009)

The Researc

h Process

Research Topic

Attribute of a Good Research Topic Your research topic must be something

you are capable of undertaking and one that excites your imagination.

Your ability to find the financial and time resources to undertake research on the topic will also affect your capability.

You must be reasonably certain of gaining access to any data you might need to collect.

Attribute of a Good Research Topic It is important that the issues within the

research are capable of being linked to theory (Raimond 1993).

Your questions and objectives relate clearly to the idea (Kervin 1999).

Formulating and Clarifying Research Topic Ideas of what you want to do. No idea yet… More frequently used

techniques for generating and refining research ideas

Generating Research Ideas

Discussion – fellow students, study groups, supervisors or online discussion groups

Preliminary study Integrating ideas – ‘working up and

narrowing down’.

Refining Research Ideas Narrow down the study topic to one, which

you are interested in and have time to investigate thoroughly

Choose a topic context where you can find some access to practitioner (if possible)

Identify relevant theory or domain or knowledge

Write and re-write the question or working tittle, checking the implication, and ensure you really what you write

Refining (continue) Use published literature and discussion

with other Identify both the possible outcomes from

you research topic, both theoretical and practical

Turning Research Ideas into Research Projects Writing research questions – defining clear

research questions at the beginning of the research process.Begin with one general focus research question that flows from your research idea.

Examples of research ideas and their derived focus research questions

Turning Research Ideas into Research Projects Generates more detailed research

questions, or you may use your general focus research question as a base from which you write a set of research objectives.

Turning Research Ideas into Research Projects

Phrasing research questions as research objectives

Boyce (2010)

Boyce (2010)

Boyce (2010)

Prepare your topics

In the search for topics… Critically

reviewing the literature – as early as possible to get an idea

Search engine

Quantitative approach – likely to be associated with a deductive approach to testing theory, often using number of fact and therefore a positivist or natural science model, and an objectivist view of the objects studied.

Qualitative approach – likely to be associated with an inductive approach to generating theory, often using an interpretivist model allowing the existence of multiple subjective perspectives and constructing knowledge rather than seeking to “find” it “reality”.

Quantitative versus Qualitative Approach

First Easy Step –Google scholar

Next Step – DOAJ

Next – SSRN

Boyce, 2010, Teaching material for research method, La Trobe Business School, Melbourne, Australia.Greener, 2008, Business Research Methods, Ventus Publishing ApS. Downloaded from bookboon.com September 7th, 2015. Sauders, Lewis, and Thornhill, 2009, Research method for business students, Pearson Education Ltd, Essex, England.