Mekelle University

College of Business and Economics

Department of Management
COURSEOUTLINE

COURSE TITLE: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

Academic Year: 2019/2020

Semester: II
Learning After completing the COURSE students will be able to:
Outcomes • 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 research problems and hypothesis the area of finance
and investment
• Prepare standard research project proposals
• Plan and conduct advanced research in business and other various fields
of social science using different methods
Course This course is a survey course intended to develop the student’s ability in
Description 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 Outlines Chapter 1: Business Research Methods: An Overview
1.1. Meaning and Concepts of Research
1.2. Objectives and Significance of Research
1.3. Research Strategies and Designs
1.4 Stages in the Research Process
1.5 Characteristics of Scientific Business Research
Chapter 2: Literature Review and Research Problem, and hypothesis
2.1. Reviewing of Literature
2.2. Defining and Formulating the Research Problem
2.3 Hypothesis Development

Chapter 3. Research Designs, Sampling Technique, and Sample Size

3.1. Concepts definitions in Research Design
3.2 Research Design
 3.3 Sampling: Sampling Designs & Sampling Procedures

Chapter 4. Developing Research Proposal

4.1. What is Research Proposal?
4.2 Functions of Research Proposal
4.3 Major Components of the Research Proposal

Chapter 5: Scaling and Measurement 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

Chapter 6. Data Collection

6.1Types and Sources of Data
6.2 Data Collection in Quantitative Research
6.2.1. The nature of Quantitative research
6.2.2. Instruments of Data Collection
6.3 Data Collection in Qualitative Research
6.3.1. The Nature of Qualitative Research
6.3.2. Instruments of Data Collection
6.4 Mixed Methods of Research: Triangulation

Chapter 7: Data Processing and Analysis

7.1. An Overview of Data Processing
7.2. Classification and Tabulation
7.3. Data Analysis
7.4. Interpretation of Data

Chapter 8: Writing the Research Report: Components of a Research Report

8.1. Prefatory parts
8.2. Main Body
8.3. Parts
8.4. References
8.5. Appendices
• Individual assignment - Proposal development ……………………………..20%
• Literature Review: problem formulation, objective and Research
question development & Questionnaire development ……………… 15%
• Article Review ……………………….……………………………………………………… 15%
• Final Exam 50%
Total 100%
A. Assignment-1 Proposal Development

Instruction:
• Developing a standard research proposal as per the guideline in
chapter four of this course.
• Select your title and get approval from the course instructor; to do
that, submit three possible topics and get approval.
• The topics should revolve around business area.

B. Assignment-2: Literature Review and Formulation of problem

Instruction:
• Select a title by bringing three alternative topics, then one will be
approval by course instructor.
• Review at least ten articles and/or reports; you can download them
from websites. Use recent articles and reports.
• Review the articles/reports critically and, then:
✓ Develop research problem
✓ Develop Research questions
✓ Develop Research objectives
✓ Develop questionnaire to answer each objective

C. Assignment-3: Article Review

1. Download one research article related to your research proposal title from
the following recommended reputable journals:

− Elsevier www.sciencedirect.com,
− Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com,
− Springer www.springerlink.com,
− Taylor and Francis www.tandf.co.uk/journals/,
− Wiley www.wiley.com,
− Informs http://journals.informs.org/ , and other journals
with DOI.
N.B: Don’t forget to submit the article when you submit
your assignment.
•
2. Read the journal article(s) in detail & review it critically.
3. Write brief summary/review of the following aspects of the article in a
paraphrased manner (copying & pasting is not allowed) & discuss their
appropriateness:
The research problem
The general & specific objectives of the study
Hypotheses, if any
Conceptual/theoretical framework, if any
Methodology;
✓ Research design employed
✓ Type & sources of data used
✓ Sampling design of the study
✓ Data collection methods employed
✓ Data analysis tools used: the specific quantitative &/or
qualitative tools applied
Major findings of the study & the implication(s)
4. Identify the major strengths & limitations of the study in reference to:
✓ Presentation of the problem statement /research gap/
✓ Content, adequacy & flow of the literature
(Theoretical/Empirical)
✓ Proper in text citation of sources & referencing.
✓ Methodology (design, sampling, data collection & data
analysis)
✓ Analysis, Discussion and Interpretation of results
✓ Referencing, formatting & language
✓ Any other major strengths & limitations
5. Important Lesson(s) that you have learnt from this article review
 D. Submission will be notified by course instructors.

• Late submission is not allowed.

To begin the preparation of your proposal, START TODAY, with focus on the following
REFERENCES
Alreck, Pamela L. and Robert B. Settle (1985), The Survey Research Handbook,
Homewood: Irwin Inc.
Babbie, Earl (1986), The Practice of Social Research. 4th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth
Publishing Co.
Babbie, Earl (1973), Survey Research Methods, Belmont Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.

Babbie, E. (2008) The Basics of Social Research, 4th edition, United States of America:
Thomson Wadsworth.
Babbie, E. (2013) The Practice of Social Research, 13th edition, Canada: Nelson Education Ltd.

Bryman, Allen (2008), Social Research Methods, 3rd ed. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Emory, C. William and Donald R. Copper (1991), Business Research Methods, 4th
Ed.Boston: Irwin-Burr Ridge, Illinois.
Bryman, A. (2012) Social Research Methods, 4th edition, New York: Oxford University Press

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
Research Reports, 3rd Ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America.
Greener, Sue (2008), Business Research Methods, Ventus Publishing APS
Huit, Christine A (1986), Researching and Writing: An Interdisciplinary
Approach, Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Kothari, C.R. (2004), Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, Revised Second Edition,
New Age International(P) Limited Publishers, New Delhi, India
Leedy, Paul D (1989), and Practical Research: Planning and Design, 2nd Ed. New
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Lin, Nan. Foundations of Social Research (1986), New York: McGraw-Hill Book
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Sakaran, Uma (2003), Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach,
4th Edtion, John Wiley and Sons, Inc, Singapor.
Saunders, M., P. Lewis, et al. (2007), Research Methods for Business Students,
Fourth Harlow, England, FT Prentice Hall, Pearson Education.
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Shajahan, S. (2006), Research Methods for Management (Text and Cases), 3rd
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Simon, Julian L (1969) Basic Research Methods in Social Science: the Art of
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Tesfay Aregawi (2009), Research Methods, Teaching Material, Mekelle University, College of
Business and Economics, Department of Management, Mekelle, Ethiopia
Turabian, Kate L, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and
Dissertations. Rev.
Zikmund, William G, (1997), Business Research Methods. 5th Edition, Toronto: The
Dryden press Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
Zikmund, William G, (2000), Business Research Methods. 6th Edition,
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Zikmund, William G, (2009), Business Research Methods. 8th Edition,
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