Research Methods for Business

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Course Code: 
51111
Course Outline: 

Text Book: Uma Sekaran, Roger Bougie. (2010), Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, 5th Edition, Wiley and Sons.ISBN-10: 0470744790 

Course Description:

Thiscourse is a study of research basic concepts, methods and tools used in businessmanagement. The course aims at helping students become aware of new methods ofresearch and their applications. Students are expected to write papers based onskills acquired in the course

Course Objectives:

The main objectives of this course are

• To familiarize students with the basic concepts of research methodology

• To give a detailed overview of all the steps involved in the research process

• To give students a basic knowledge of statistical tools for the analysis of data

• To make students able to interpret result from statistical analysis

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Have an overview of the purpose of Commerce and Management research, the qualities of a good researcher, types of research, the research process and the characteristics of a good research project.

• Search relevant literature and develop appropriate research designs for their own research questions.

• Understand and apply a range of qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection, data analysis and interpretation.

• Prepare a research proposal.

• Write a final report on an issue that has been identified, proposed and researched by them.

Methods of Teaching and Learning: These will consist of textbook readings, case studies, active discussions, practice quizzes, First, Second and final examinations.

Course Requirements

  • Regular attendance is highly required.
  • Classroom participation and presentation is highly recommended.
  • Personal improvements, as long as we proceed, is needed.
  • Assignment: Each student should submit a project (proposal) to any topic of study according to the scientific research principles and basis.

Grading

First Hour Exam

20%

Second Hour Exam

20%

Classroom preparation and active discussion and Assignments fulfillment

10%

Final Exam

50%

Total

100%

COURSE OUTLINE

Chapter 1 Introduction to Research
Chapter 2 Scientific Investigation
Chapter 3 The Research Process: The Broad Problem Area and Defining the Problem Statement
Chapter 4 The Research process: Theoretical Framework Hypothesis Development
Chapter 5 The Research Process: Elements of Research Design
Chapter 6 Measurements of Variables: Operational Definition
Chapter 7 Measurement: Scaling, Reliability, Validity
Chapter 8 Data Collection Methods
Chapter 9 Experimental Designs
Chapter 10 Sampling
Chapter 11 Quantitative Data Analysis
Chapter 12 Quantitative Data Analysis (Part 2): Hypothesis Testing
Chapter 13 Qualitative Data Analysis
Chapter 14 The Research Report
 

Suggested References

  1. William G. Zikmund (2003), Business Research Methods, Seventh Edition, Thomson South-Western.
  2. Creswell, J. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
  3. Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.