Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi

EPGDIB 2022-23

Course Name: Business Research Methods

Course Coordinator: - Dr. Sanjay Rastogi

Semester: II Credits: 2

Course Introduction

The objective of this course is to develop in a participant the approach, skills and the attitudes
required to specify, evaluate, and utilize business information for taking sound business
decisions. The course is not intended to turn a participant into business researchers but to
create enough of familiarity with the business research procedures to enable one to seek,
understand, evaluate, and use research-based information.

Course Objectives
The course would attempt to help a participant in:
- Translating business decision problems into business research problem.
- Understanding the various steps involved in a typical business research project.
- Defining research problem when faced with decision situation and specifying information
needed.
- Evaluating the research design for the decision situation.
- Evaluating and interpreting the ‘already available’ and the ‘new information’ obtained.
- Utilizing the information for making business decisions.
- Becoming familiar with the problems generally associated with the conduct of business
research.
-

Programme Learning Goals covered through this Course

LEARNING GOAL 2: Innovative Thinking in Complex Business Situations

LO 2.1: Able to apply knowledge of business management concepts to analyze business

problems critically and suggest innovative solutions

Pedagogy
The pedagogy will be mix of regular online sessions, case discussion, assignments, and field-
based research project to achieve the above objectives. Each student is required to give a
presentation on case/projects a primary vehicle for reinforcing learning by doing. Besides the

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readings in the course pack, additional reading material will be distributed in the class from
time to time. The sessions in the course have been organized into four modules:
1) Research problem identification, definition, and specification of information needs;
2) Research design and data collection;
3) Analysis and interpretation; and
4) Using Business Research in specific application areas, through field project work.

The course would make extensive use of SPSS software.

Linkages with Other Courses

The pre-requisite of the course is a strong foundation of Business Statistics. The course
would build a foundation of research methodology, which would enable the students to carry
out quantitative and qualitative research in different functional areas of management viz.,
marketing, finance, productions and operations, strategy, logistics and supply chain, human
resources and organizational behavior and information technology. Hence, the course has
direct or indirect linkage to all other courses. The knowledge of research methods and
analytic techniques would help students to better understand the theories of different areas of
management. The course would immensely help the students in their Summer Internship in
the first year, and Dissertation Project work in the second year.

Evaluation Components
#Mid-Term : 20%
Quiz : 20%
Project Work : 20%
#End Term Exam : 40%

Text Book / Reference Text

Prescribed Text:
 William G. Zikmund; Business Research Methods: A south Asian Perspective, latest
edition Cengage Learning India Private Limited. (Henceforth identified as WGZ)

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 Other Reference Books:
 Bryman & Bell: Business Research Methods, 2E, Oxford University Press.
 Cooper & Schindler: Business Research Methods, 11E, Tata McGraw-Hill Ltd.
 Naval Bajpai: Business Research Methods, Pearson Education.
 W.G.Zikmund: Exploring Marketing Researchers, 8E, Cengage Learning Pvt. Ltd.
 Naresh K Malhotra; Marketing Research- An Applied Orientation, Fifth Edition, Prentice
Hall of India.
 Johnson Richard A. And Wichern, Dean W.; Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis, 6 th
Ed., Prentice Hall 2001.
 Krishnaswamy, Sivakumar:- Management Research Methodology, Pearson Education.
 David A. Aaker, V Kumar & George S Day, Marketing Research, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
 Green, Tull & Albaum; Research for Business Decisions, fifth Edition, Prentice Hall of
India.
 David J Luck & Ronald S Rubin; Marketing Research: Seventh Edition, Prentice Hall.
(henceforth identified as LR)
 Boyd, Westfall and Stasch; Marketing Research: Text and Cases, Richard D Irwin.

Session Plan:

Reading
Session Topic and Sub topics
Reference/
No. (with brief description of what intends to be achieved)
Cases*
INTRODUCTION
* Introduction to the Course
* Business Research: Overview, Need and Value
* Definition and Scope of Business Research
* Information Technology and its application to Business WGZ:
Research Chapter 1,2,3
&6
1-2 * Types of Research Studies
* Research Process
* Explanation of the Language used in research
* Defining Research Problem & Formulation of Hypothesis
* Research Proposal
* Applications
* Ethical Issues
RESEARCH DESIGN
* Meaning
* Different Types of Research Designs WGZ:
Chapter
3-4 * The Basis of classification of Various Types of Designs
4,7,8,9 &12
* Methods of Conducting Exploratory Research
* Methods of Conducting Descriptive Research
* Casual Research Design-Experimentation
BASIC CONCEPTS OF MEASUREMENT & SCALING
TECHNIQUES WGZ:
5-6 * Different Types of Measurements Chapters 13,
* Scales for Rating & Attitude Measurement 14, &15
* Questionnaire Design
7 SAMPLING & SAMPLINGS DESIGNS WGZ:

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 * The sampling process
* Various Sampling Concepts Chapters 16,
* Probability & Non-probability Sampling Design &17
* Determination of Sample Size
METHODS & TECHNIQUES OF DATA COLLECTION
* Types of Information needed for Research WGZ:
* Sources of Information Chapter 7,10
&11
* Methods of Collecting Primary & Secondary Information
8-9 * Qualitative Techniques of Data Collection
WGZ:
* Evaluation of Data
Chapter
DATA PREPARATION & BASIC ANALYSIS 19,20
* Coding, Editing, Data Processing Facilities & Methods

WGZ:
10 REPORT WRITING AND PRESENTATION
Chapter 25
* Select univariate and bivariate business applications
11-12
* Multiple Regression Model
* Assumption, Estimation
* Tests of Significance, R² WGZ:
13
* Partial Correlation Coefficient Chapter 24
* Multicollinearity
* Proxy & Dummy Variables
* Cases for class discussion and presentation and other reading material will be given in advance
before the sessions.

Any Other Detailed Instructions / Information

Attendance is mandatory during students’ presentation of case/project.

Students should come prepared with pre-reading material like assignments/cases allocated for
class discussions and their active participation is expected to facilitate learning during the
course.
Project work will require application of learnings of research methods taught in course to
some business research problem adopting systematically all steps of Business research
process .It will require data collection including some field work to get hands on experience
of questionnaire design and analysis using SPSS software along with the proper interpretation
and how to draw a logical conclusion in research work. It will give them opportunity to
explore data sources, review of literature and impart skills on building theoretical
frameworks, empirical analysis, and practical exposure to solve business problems.

Additional Readings/ Journals

Journals:
- Journal of Business Research
- Organizational Research Methods
- Journal of Management
- International Journal of Qualitative Methods
- Marketing Research

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 - Journal of Development Economics
- International Journal of Production Economics
- Journal of International Economics
- International Journal of Business and Economics
- International Trade Journal

In addition to above mentioned journals, you can refer other journals, websites, published
articles and papers on Qualitative Research Methods, Quantitative Research Methods, Case
Research, Marketing Research, International Research and Research Methods in general for
knowledge enhancement.
Relevant Websites
- WWW.quirks.com
- http://surveymonkey.com
- http://www.surveysampling.com/
- http://www.surveyanalytics.com/resources/index.html
- http://spss.co.in
- http://www.yourvoice.co.in

AOL Evaluation

Assurance of Learning (AOL) – Evaluation of LG –2

LEARNING GOAL 2: Innovative Thinking in Complex Business Situations

LO 2.1: Able to apply knowledge of business management concepts to analyze business

problems critically and suggest innovative solutions

Evaluation measuring tool: Case study/Individual assignment