RESEARCH METHODS FOR MANAGERS

Rules:

1. Each one has to submit the assignment on or before the date & time mentioned.

2. The candidate can use books, journals, magazines, websites etc as their reference but

the assignment has to be written in the way the candidate understands not in a copy

paste manner. Quotes provided by management thinkers/gurus can only be copied.

3. If “any assignment found to be copied and pasted format”, the assignment will be

rejected and the entire mark will be lost and there will be no resubmission of

assignment.

4. Assignments should in the following format:

a. Font - Times New Roman

b. Heading Font Size - 14

c. Sub heading Font Size - 12 (bold)

d. Paragraph - 12

5. Assignment Format

a. Start with an introduction

b. A brief discussion about the topic

c. Closing Conclusion

d. Reference in the following format

i. Kumar Arya, “Entrepreneurship –Creating and Leading an

Entrepreneurial Organization”, Pearson (2012), P100 –P105.

(Reference should include books, magazines, journals, websites etc)

6. A minimum of 3 text books has to be referred for writing assignments

7. Those assignments or students works without following above rules will be rejected

and no excuses will be accepted and the faculty will be deciding what actions should

be taken.

8. Assignment will be evaluated on following criteria

1. Date of Submission ( 3 Mark)

2. Structure & Content of Assignment ( 4 Mark)

3. Student Knowledge Level –Viva (3 Mark)

Group Assignment:

1. The students have to form a group of 3 members.

2. Consulting with the faculty member, each group has to identify one business problem

of any company or scenario and process the project as the class progress.

3. On each milestone, the students have to get it evaluated by the faculty.

4. By last week of May 2014, the group has to submit a final full proof project.

“Best project work will be published in leading business journals and students can

utilize in their future job interviews as a positive aspects regarding them.”

Assignment Questions– Module 1

Session 1 --Module 1 --Introduction to Business Research

Session 2 --Module 1 --Managerial Value of Business Research

1. Business Research.

a. Definition

b. Objectives of Business Research

c. Scope of Business Research

d. Major Components of a good research study

2. Types of Business Research

a. Basic (pure) research & Applied Research

b. Descriptive & Analytical Research

c. Quantitative & Qualitative Research

d. Conceptual & Empirical Research

e. Ex post facto Research

3. Need for Business Research

a. Time Constraints

b. Availability of Data

c. Nature of the decision

d. Benefits v/s Costs

4. Why should a manager know about research?

a. The Manager – Researcher Relationship

b. Knowledge about research and managerial effectiveness

c. Relation between Manager & Consultant in doing research

d. Internal Consultant & External Consultant (Advantages & Disadvantages also)

5. Induction and Deductive methods in research

6. Case study method in research

7. Describe a situation where research will be helping you as a manager to make good

decision.

8. Give two specific reasons where an external research team would be useful and two

other scenarios when an internal research team would be deployed.

9. “Research is much concerned with proper fact finding, analysis and evaluation.” Do

you agree with this statement? Give reasons in support of your answer

Assignment Questions– Module 2

Session 3 --Module 2 –The Research Process

Session 4 --Module 2 -- Defining the Research Problem & Research Proposal

Session 5 – Module 2 – Research Design

1. Research Processes and steps in research process. Why is the problem definition stage

probably the most important stage in the research process?

2. What is research problem? Define the main issues should receive the attention of the

researcher in formulating the research problem. Give suitable examples to elucidate

your points.

3. The process of problem definition

a. Statement of the problem in a general way

b. Understanding the nature/background of the problem.

c. Surveying the available literature

d. Developing the ideas through discussions

e. Rephrasing the research problem.

4. The research proposal and what purpose does a research proposal serve?

5. What is a hypothesis? What characteristics it must possess in order to be a good

research hypothesis? List and briefly discuss in the hypothesis –testing procedure.

6. Write notes on following :

a. Null Hypothesis & Alternative Hypothesis

b. Type I error & Type II error.

c. Acceptance Region & Rejection Region

7. What is a significance level in hypothesis testing? How does a researcher choose a

significance level?

8. Explain the meaning and significance of research design. Discuss the various

problems that a researcher encounter while conducting a research design. Need for

research design and features of a good research design

9. Explain the meaning of following in context of Research design

a. Dependent and Independent variable

b. Moderate Variable and Intervening Variable

c. Categorical Variable and Continuous Variable

10. Discuss briefly about the types of research designs

a. Research design in the case of exploratory research studies

b. Research design in the case of descriptive and diagnostic research studies

c. Research design in the case of hypothesis- testing research studies

Assignment Questions– Module 3

Session 6 --Module 3 –Sampling Design

Session 7 --Module 3 – Measurement & Scaling Concepts

Session 8 – Module 3 – Data Collection Methods

11. Discuss the following concepts :

a. Population (Universe)

b. Census

c. Population Element

d. Sample

e. Sampling Frame

12. Briefly explain various Stages in selection of a sample.

13. Discuss

a. Criteria of selecting a sample procedure

b. Characteristics of a good sample

14. Discuss briefly about Probability sampling and types of Probability sampling

15. Discuss briefly about Non- Probability sampling and types of Non-Probability

sampling.

16. Describe the difference between a probability sampling & non-probability sampling

17. Compare various non-probability sampling methods (Including advantages &

disadvantages)

18. Compare various probability sampling methods (Including advantages &

disadvantages)

19. Write short notes on various measurement scales with examples.

a. Nominal Scale

b. Ordinal Scale

c. Interval Scale

d. Ratio Scale

20. What is the meaning of measurement in research? What difference does it make

whether we measure in terms of a nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio scales?

21. What are the sources of error in measurement? Describe the tests of sound

measurement.

22. What is scaling? What are the bases of scale classification? Elaborate.

23. Discuss briefly about various Comparative Scales and types of Comparative Scales

24. Discuss briefly about various Non-Comparative Scales and types of Non-Comparative

Scales

25. List down the difference between Comparative Scales & Non-Comparative Scales.

26. Compare various Comparative Scales (Including advantages & disadvantages)

27. Compare various Non- Comparative Scales (Including advantages & disadvantages)

28. Write about secondary data and list down its advantages and disadvantages.

29. Briefly discuss various classifications of secondary data.

30. Briefly discuss various classifications of primary data.

31. Write short notes on :

a. Random Sampling Error

b. Systematic Error

c. Sample Bias

d. Non-Response Error

e. Response Bias

f. Self-Selection Bias

32. Write a note on Observation method of data collection. List its advantages &

disadvantages

33. Briefly discuss various interview methods of data collection. List its advantages &

disadvantages

34. Discuss “Data Collection through Questionnaires”. Types of questionnaires and its

advantages & disadvantages.

35. What are the guidelines in the construction of questionnaires? Explain.

36. What are the guidelines for successful interviewing? Explain.

37. Data collection through Projective Techniques

38. Discuss briefly on Characteristics posses by secondary data

a. Reliability of data

b. Suitability of data

c. Adequacy of data

39. What are the factors did a researcher must keep in view while selecting the data

collection method/methods for his/her study

a. Nature, scope & object of enquiry

b. Availability of funds

c. Time Factor

d. Precision Required

Assignment Questions– Module 4

Session 9 --Module 4 –Processing of Data

Session 10 --Module 4 – Cronbach's Alpha

Session 11, 12, 13,14,15,16 – Module 4 – Data Analysis

40. “Processing of data implies editing, coding, classification and tabulation”. Describe in

brief four operations pointing out the significance of each in context of research study.

41. Write briefly about Cronbach’s Alpha

42. Write about measures of central tendency

a. Mean

b. Median

c. Mode

d. Geometric Mean

e. Harmonic Mean

43. Measures of dispersion

a. Range

b. Mean Deviation

c. Standard Deviation

44. Measures of Asymmetry

a. Normal Curve

b. Kurtosis

45. Karl Pearson’s Coefficient of Correlation.

46. Analysis of Variance Techniques (ANOVA)

47. Multi variant Analysis (MANOVA)

48. Chi-Square Test

49. Multivariate Dependence Techniques  - Regression Analysis

50. Introduction to SPSS

51. Discriminate Analysis

52. Factor Analysis

53. Cluster Analysis