COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is a survey course intended to develop the student’s ability in scientific analysis and
to provide opportunity for application of concepts and tools in the study of socio-economic
problems in general and business problems in particular. It focuses on high quality inter-
disciplinary quantitative and qualitative research methods especially oriented towards the
theoretical and practical applications of business research. Topics to be covered include Theory
and research, the concepts and purposes of social research, types of research, formulating
business research problems and hypothesis, planning research design; data collection, data
analysis and research report writing.

COURSE OBJECTIVE
At the end of the course students will be able to:
 Understand and explain the concepts, purposes and types of research.
 Determine when research should be conducted and choose appropriate research
methodology
 Understand the relationship between theory and research
 Formulate business research problems and hypothesis
 Plan and conduct business research using different methods
 Conduct advanced research in business and various fields of social science.

COURSE OUTLINE
I SOCIALRESEARCH MERHODS: AN OVERVIEW
1.1. Meaning and Concepts of Research
1.2. Objectives and Significance of Research
1.3. Theory and Research
1.4. Research Designs and Strategies
1.5. Classifications of research
1.6. Business Research
1.5. Characteristics of a Good Research

II FORMULATION OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS & RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

2.1. Formulation of Research Problems
2.2. Theoretical/Conceptual Framework and Hypotheses Development
III. RESEARCH DESIGNS
3.1. Decision Making in Planning Research Strategies and Tactics
3.2. Important Concepts Relating to Research Design
3.3. The Research Process and the Concept of Research Design
3.4. Research Design Classifications
3.5. Basic Research Designs
3.5.1. Survey Research
3.5.2. Observational Research
3.5.3. Experimental Research
3.5.4. Case Study Research
3.6. Sampling
3.7. Ethical Issues in Social/Business Research

IV DEVELOPING THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

4.1. Meaning and Significance/Functions/ of a Research Proposal
4.2. Getting Started: Review the Literature
4.3. Theoretical and/or Conceptual Framework
4.4. Major Components of the Research Proposal

V MEASUREMENT AND SCALING OF CONCEPTS

5.1. Definition of Concepts/ Conceptual and Operational
5.2. Types of Scales
5.3. Criteria for Good Measurement
5.4. Attitude Measurement Scales

VI DATA COLLECTION
6.1. Types and Sources of Data
6.2. Data Collection: Quantitative Research
6.2.1. The nature of Quantitative research
6.2.2. Instruments of Data Collection
Questionnaire Design
Structured Interviews
Structured Observation

6.3. Data Collection: Qualitative Research

6.3.1 The Nature of Qualitative Research
6.3.2. Instruments of Data Collection
Ethnography and participant observation
Interviewing in Qualitative Research
Focus Groups
Documents as sources of data
6.4. Mixed Methods of Research: Triangulation

VII DATA ANALYSIS

7.1. Data Processing
7.2. Characteristics of Data Analysis
7.3. Quantitative Data Analysis
 7.4. Qualitative Data Analysis
7.5. Analysis of Secondary Data
VIII RESEARCH REPORT WRITING
8.1. Guidelines
8.2. Major Component Parts

Tentative Evaluation
Attendance & Active Class Participation 5%
Research Proposal and Presentations 25%
Group Research 30%
Final Exam 40%
Total 100%

N.B.
To begin the preparation of your proposal, START TODAY, with focus on the following
 Identify possible topics or problems for your intended research
 Conduct your literature review on selected topics/problems
 Select your research topic based on the literature review
 Make sure that you have read at least five published articles on the selected topic and
discuss the papers focusing on the theories and methods used, findings, commonalities,
differences, perspectives, contradictions, and controversies
 Support the problem that you have selected with actual data or hard facts as much as
possible
 REFERENCES
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Babbie, Earl (1986), The Practice of Social Research. 4th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth
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Babbie, Earl (1973), Survey Research Methods, Belmont Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.
Bryman, Allen (2008), Social Research Methods, 3rd ed. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Emory, C. William and Donald R. Copper (1991), Business Research Methods, 4th
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Goode, William J. and Paul K. Hatt (1982) Methods in Social Research, Auckland:
McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Gibaldi, Joseph and Walter S. Achter (1988), MLA Handbook for Writers of
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Greener, Sue (2008), Business Research Methods, Ventus Publishing APS
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Sakaran, Uma (2003), Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach,
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Shajahan, S. (2006), Research Methods for Management (Text and Cases), 3rd
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