Understanding Research for Business Students 1st Edition - A Complete Student′s Guide

List of FiguresList of TablesList of ImagesAbout the AuthorPrefaceAcknowledgementsOnline Resources1. Introduction to Business ResearchIntroductionWhat is research?How is business research different to other types of research?Why do I need to study research methods?Approaches to business researchThe research processThe Research WheelWhat are the challenges I am likely to face during my research?A note on research process, methods, methodology and projectsChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Vanessa starts her research journeyFurther readingReferences2. Getting Started: Choosing your Research DirectionIntroductionKey stages in your research directionHow do I generate research ideas?Choosing your research topicReasons for not choosing a research topicHow do I narrow my research topic?Identifying and defining your research problemDeveloping your research directionChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Li Hong formulates her research objectives and questionsFurther readingReferences3. Writing your Research ProposalIntroductionWhat is a research proposal?Considerations before writing your research proposalHow do I structure a research proposal?How long does my research proposal need to be?What are the challenges of writing a research proposal?How do I write a winning business research proposal?Can I change my topic after submitting my research proposal?How does my research proposal relate to the research process?What does a research proposal look like?Your research project supervisor and the research proposalChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: How Peggy overcame the challenges of writing her research proposalFurther readingReferences4. Searching and Critically Reviewing the LiteratureIntroductionWhat is a literature review?Why do I need to conduct a literature review?The literature review processHow do I structure my literature review?Choosing the approach to your literature reviewSearching and evaluating the literatureAdopting a critical approachOrganizing your literature and key success factorsChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Anita develops her literature reviewFurther readingReferences5. Research Philosophies, Approaches and StrategiesIntroductionResearch methodologyWhat is research philosophy?Understanding research paradigms and the ‘ologies’Why do I need to learn about research philosophy?Approaches to doing researchTypes of research strategyWhich research strategy should I choose for my research project?Validity and reliability in qualitative and quantitative researchChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Marcel’s research diaryFurther readingReferences6. Formulating the Research DesignIntroductionWhat is research design?What is the purpose of a research design?Types of research studiesTypes of research designCase study research designAction research designExperimental designTime horizonsArchival designCombining research designsComparative research designWhich is the ‘best’ research design for my research?How research design ‘fits’ with overall research directionChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Nina selects her research design(s)Further readingReferences7. Plagiarism and Ethics in Business ResearchIntroductionWhat are research ethics?Why are business ethics important?Why is it important for me to learn about research ethics?What are my ethical responsibilities to my research stakeholders?Ethical issues and your researchGaining ethics approval for your researchHow do I negotiate access?Chapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: The ethical issues impacting Max’s studyFurther readingReferences8. Doing Work-based Projects and Researching your own OrganizationIntroductionWork-based learningWhat is a work-based project?Comparing a work-based project and a dissertationWhat does a work-based project look like?What are the steps involved in undertaking a work-based project?How do I plan and manage my work-based project?Why relationships are important when doing a work-based projectThe benefits and challenges of researching your own organizationThe importance of reflection when doing a work-based projectThe ethical considerations when doing a work-based projectChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Ayomide’s collaboration with key research stakeholdersFurther readingReferences9. Sampling TechniquesIntroductionWhat is a sample?What are the steps in the sampling process?Step 1: Define your target populationStep 2: Select your sampling frameStep 3: Choose your sampling method(s)Step 4: Determine your sample sizeStep 5: Collect your dataStep 6: Assess your response rate and suitability of responsesHow are sampling methods applied in practice?Can I use multiple sampling methods?Sampling methods and other steps in the research processChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Mohammed’s choice of sampling methodsFurther readingReferences10. Secondary DataIntroductionWhat are secondary data and secondary sources?How do businesses use secondary data?Writing a research project based only on secondary dataSources of secondary dataUsing secondary data setsThe advantages and disadvantages of using secondary dataEvaluating secondary dataPresenting secondary dataHow does primary data relate to secondary data?Chapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Hakeem’s challenges of accessing and evaluating secondary dataFurther readingReferences11. Social Media for ResearchIntroductionWhat is social media?Classifying social media and data collectionStrategies for data collectionThe benefits and challenges of using social media for researchSocial Media Analytics (SMA)Ethical issues in social media researchUsing social media for research: Top tips for studentsChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Tiffany’s use of Twitter to collect dataFurther readingReferences12. Interviews and Focus GroupsIntroductionWhat is an interview?Types of interviewsThe purpose of the research interviewFace-to-face interviewsRecruiting your intervieweesHow to conduct an online interviewTelephone interviewsElite interviewingQuestioning techniques used in interviewsRecording interviewsWhat is a focus group?Why use focus groups?Types of online focus groupsHow to organize a focus groupBenefits and disadvantages of conducting a focus groupChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Conducting your own focus group (4–6 participants)Further readingReferences13. Observational ResearchIntroductionWhat is observational research?Different types of observationMethods of observationAdvantages and challenges of doing observational researchThe process of designing observational researchWhat to observeRecording your observationsObservation and ethnographyObservation and netnographyWhat makes an effective observer?How to use observation in your researchCombining observational research with other methodsChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Tim engages in participant observationFurther readingReferences14. QuestionnairesIntroductionWhat are questionnaires?Types of questionnairesThe advantages and disadvantages of questionnairesQuestionnaire designChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Sylvia’s questionnaire designFurther readingReferences15. Analyzing and Managing Qualitative DataIntroductionWhat is qualitative analysis?The differences between qualitative and quantitative dataHow to analyze qualitative dataTypes of qualitative data analysisUsing computer-assisted qualitative data analysis softwareChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Heidi’s content analysis of advertising campaignsFurther readingReferences16. Analyzing and Managing Quantitative DataIntroductionWhat is quantitative analysis?Step 1: Organizing your data for analysisStep 2: Summarizing your data using descriptive statisticsStep 3: Analyzing your data using inferential statisticsDeciding which statistical tests to useStatistical software packagesChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Sonita prepares to conduct quantitative data analysisFurther readingReferences17. Getting Started with IBM SPSS StatisticsIntroductionWhat is IBM SPSS Statistics?Getting startedDescriptive statisticsAnalyzing data using inferential statisticsCorrelationLinear regressionIncluding IBM SPSS Statistics output on Microsoft WordChapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Lucas uses IBM SPSS Statistics to analyze his dataFurther readingReference18. Writing Up and Disseminating your WorkIntroductionStarting to write up your research projectYour first draftStructuring your research projectPresenting your research projectSubmitting your research projectThe viva voceThe marking of a research projectPublishing and disseminating your workKey success factors when writing a research projectGroup task – ‘Baking the research cake’Chapter summaryQuestions for reviewStudent scenario: Lucy begins writing up her researchFurther readingReferencesIndex