RESEARCH BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

BBA IV Sem

Prof. (Dr.) Anubhuti Sharma

 Research in Business Management Syllabus
Unit I- Introduction to Research:
Introduction, Meaning and Purpose of Research, Characteristics of Good Research, Steps in the Research
Process. Formulation of Research Problem: Defining the Research problem; Management Decision
Problem vs Management Research Problem; Problem identification process; Components of the research
problem; Formulating the research hypothesis- Types of Research hypothesis, Research Design: Meaning of
Research Designs; Nature and Classification of Research Designs; Exploratory Research Designs: Secondary
Resource analysis, Case study Method, Expert opinion survey, Focus group discussions; Descriptive Research
Designs: Cross-sectional studies and Longitudinal studies; Experimental Designs, Errors affecting Research
Design.

Unit II- Data Collection:

Data collection methods- Primary data – observation method, personal interview, telephonic interview, mail
survey, questionnaire. Secondary data- internal sources of data, external sources of data. Advantages and
disadvantages of primary and secondary data. Measurement and scaling concept :Definition and rules of
measurement , Types of scale –Nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio. Concept of Reliability and validity. Attitude
rating scales: Semantic Differential, Likert , Categorical and Stapel scale.

Unit III- Questionnaire Design:

Introduction, Types of Questionnaire, Methods of Sending the Questionnaire, Guidelines for Questionnaire
Design, Characteristics of Good Questionnaire.
Data Processing: Introduction, Editing, Coding the Data, Tabulation and cross tabulation.

Unit IV- Sample and Sampling Design:

Some basic terms, advantages and Limitation of sampling, sampling process. Sampling methods- Probability
sampling methods – simple random sampling with replacement, simple random sampling without
replacement, stratified sampling, cluster sampling. Non- probability sampling method – convenience
sampling, judgment sampling, quota sampling.

Unit V- DATA ANALYSIS

Testing Of hypothesis : Null Hypothesis and alternative hypothesis, , Type I And Type II errors, Sampling
Distribution and Standard errors, Test of Significance: Small Sample tests : t and F tests, Large Sample
test: Z test, Chi Square tests : Goodness of fit and test of association. Analysis Of Variance: One Way
and two-Way Classifications. (Note: only applications of tools in research, No numerical solution). Use and
 Unit VI
,
Interpretation and Report Writing:
Interpretation, types of research reports, guidelines for writing a report,
writing a report format, evaluation of research report.
 Research Report: Introduction

 Mostly, research work is presented in a written form. The

practical utility of research study depends heavily on the way it
is presented to those who are expected to act on the basis of
research findings.
 Research report is a written document containing key aspects of
research project. Research report is a medium to communicate
research work with relevant people. It is also a good source of
preservation of research work for the future reference. Many
times, research findings are not followed because of improper
presentation. Preparation of research report is not an easy task.
It is an art.
 It requires a good deal of knowledge, imagination, experience,
and expertise. It demands a considerable time and money.
Definitions:
1. In simple words:
Research report is the systematic, articulate, and orderly
presentation of research work in a written form.
2. We can also define the term as:
Research report is a research document that contains basic
aspects of the research project.
3. In the same way, we can say:
Research report involves relevant information on the research
work carried out. It may be in form of hand-written, typed, or
computerized.
 SIGNIFICANCE OF REPORT WRITING
 Research report is considered a major component of the
research study for the research task remains incomplete till the
report has been presented and/or written. As a matter of fact
even the most brilliant hypothesis, highly well designed and
conducted research study, and the most striking
generalizations and findings are of little value unless they are
effectively communicated to others.

 The purpose of research is not well served unless the findings

are made known to others. Research results must invariably
enter the general store of knowledge. All this explains the
significance of writing research report.
 There are people who do not consider writing of
report as an integral part of the research process. But
the general opinion is in favour of treating the
presentation of research results or the writing of
report as part and parcel of the research project.

 Writing of report is the last step in a research study

and requires a set of skills somewhat different from
those called for in respect of the earlier stages of
research. This task should be accomplished by the
researcher with utmost care; he may seek the
assistance and guidance of experts for the purpose.
STEPS IN WRITING REPORT

Research reports are the product of slow, painstaking,

accurate inductive work. The usual steps involved in writing
report are:
(a) logical analysis of the subject-matter;
(b) preparation of the final outline;
(c) preparation of the rough draft;
(d) rewriting and polishing;
(e) preparation of the final bibliography;
(f) writing the final draft. Though all these steps are self
explanatory,
yet a brief mention of each one of these will be appropriate
for better understanding.
Step 1 & 2
 Logical analysis of the subject matter: It is the first step which is
primarily concerned with the development of a subject. There are
two ways in which to develop a subject (a) logically and (b)
chronologically. The logical development is made on the basis of
mental connections and associations between the one thing and
another by means of analysis. Logical treatment often consists in
developing the material from the simple possible to the most
complex structures. Chronological development is based on a
connection or sequence in time or occurrence. The directions for
doing or making something usually follow the chronological order.
 Preparation of the final outline: It is the next step in writing the
research report “Outlines are the framework upon which long
written works are constructed. They are an aid to the logical
organisation of the material and a reminder of the points to be
stressed in the report.”
 Step 3 & 4
 Preparation of the rough draft: This follows the logical analysis of the subject
and the preparation of the final outline. Such a step is of utmost importance
for the researcher now sits to write down what he has done in the context of
his research study. He will write down the procedure adopted by him in
collecting the material for his study along with various limitations faced by
him, the technique of analysis adopted by him, the broad findings and
generalizations and the various suggestions he wants to offer regarding the
problem concerned.
 Rewriting and polishing of the rough draft: This step happens to be most
difficult part of all formal writing. Usually this step requires more time than
the writing of the rough draft. The careful revision makes the difference
between a mediocre and a good piece of writing. While rewriting and
polishing, one should check the report for weaknesses in logical development
or presentation. The researcher should also “see whether or not the material,
as it is presented, has unity and cohesion; does the report stand upright and
firm and exhibit a definite pattern, like a marble arch? Or does it resemble an
old wall of moldering cement and loose brick.”4 In addition the researcher
should give due attention to the fact that in his rough draft he has been
consistent or not. He should check the mechanics of writing—grammar,
spelling and usage.
Step 5
Preparation of the final bibliography: Next in order comes the task of
the preparation of the final bibliography. The bibliography, which is
generally appended to the research report, is a list of books in some
way pertinent to the research which has been done. It should
contain all those works which the researcher has consulted.
The bibliography should be arranged alphabetically and may be
divided into two parts; the first part may contain the names of books
and pamphlets, and the second part may contain the names of
magazine and newspaper articles. Generally, this pattern of
bibliography is considered convenient and satisfactory from the
point of view of reader, though it is not the only way of presenting
bibliography.
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The entries in bibliography should be made adopting the following order For
books and pamphlets the order may be as under:
1. Name of author, last name first.,
2. Title, underlined to indicate italics.
3. Place, publisher, and date of publication.
4. Number of volumes.

 Example
Kothari, C.R., Quantitative Techniques, New Delhi, Vikas Publishing House Pvt.
Ltd., 1978
For magazines and newspapers the order may be as under:
1. Name of the author, last name first.
2. Title of article, in quotation marks.
 Example

Robert V. Roosa, “Coping with Short-term International Money Flows”, The

Banker, London, September, 1971, p. 995.
The only thing important is that, whatever method one selects, it must remain
Step 6
Writing the final draft: This constitutes the last step. The final draft
should be written in a concise and objective style and in simple
language, avoiding vague expressions such as “it seems”, “there
may be”, and the like ones. While writing the final draft, the
researcher must avoid abstract terminology and technical jargon.
Illustrations and examples based on common experiences must be
incorporated in the final draft as they happen to be most effective
in communicating the research findings to others. A research
report should not be dull, but must enthuse people and maintain
interest and must show originality.
It must be remembered that every report should be an attempt to
solve some intellectual problem and must contribute to the
solution of a problem and must add to the knowledge of both the
researcher and the reader.
 LAYOUT OF THE RESEARCH REPORT

Anybody, who is reading the research report, must necessarily be

conveyed enough about the study so that he can place it in its general
scientific context, judge the adequacy of its methods and thus form an
opinion of how seriously the findings are to be taken.
For this purpose there is the need of proper layout of the report. The
layout of the report means as to what the research report should
contain. A comprehensive layout of the research report should
comprise
(A)preliminary pages;
(B) the main text;
(C) the end matter.
 LAYOUTS

(A) Preliminary Pages

In its preliminary pages the report should carry a title and date,
followed by acknowledgements in the form of ‘Preface’ or
‘Foreword’. Then there should be a table of contents followed by list
of tables and illustrations so that the decision-maker or anybody
interested in reading the report can easily locate the required
information in the report.
(B) Main Text
The main text provides the complete outline of the research report
along with all details. Title of the research study is repeated at the
top of the first page of the main text and then follows the other
details on pages numbered consecutively, beginning with the second
page. Each main section of the report should begin on a new page.
The main text of the report should have the following sections: (i)
Introduction; (ii) Statement of findings and recommendations; (iii)
The results; (iv) The implications drawn from the results; and (v)
(i) - Introduction:
The purpose of introduction is to introduce the research
project to the readers. It should contain a clear statement of
the objectives of research i.e., enough background should be
given to make clear to the reader why the problem was
considered worth investigating.
A brief summary of other relevant research may also be stated
so that the present study can be seen in that context. The
hypotheses of study, if any, and the definitions of the major
concepts employed in the study should be explicitly stated in
the introduction of the report.
(ii)- Statement of findings and recommendations

After introduction, the research report must contain a

statement of findings and recommendations in non-
technical language so that it can be easily understood
by all concerned. If the findings happen to be extensive,
at this point they should be put in the summarised
form.
(iii) Results:
Detailed presentation of the findings of the study, with supporting
data in the form of tables and charts together with a validation of
results, is the next step in writing the main text of the report. This
generally comprises the main body of the report, extending over
several chapters. The result section of the report should contain
statistical summaries and reductions of the data rather than the
raw data.
All the results should be presented in logical sequence and splitted
into readily identifiable sections. All relevant results must find a
place in the report. But how one is to decide about what is relevant
is the basic question. Quite often guidance comes primarily from
the research problem and from the hypotheses, if any, with which
the study was concerned.
But ultimately the researcher must rely on his own judgement in
deciding the outline of his report. “Nevertheless, it is still necessary
that he states clearly the problem with which he was concerned, the
procedure by which he worked on the problem, the conclusions at
which he arrived, and the bases for his conclusions.”
(iv) Implications of the results
Toward the end of the main text, the researcher should again put
down the results of his research clearly and precisely. He should,
state the implications that flow from the results of the study, for
the general reader is interested in the implications for
understanding the human behaviour. Such implications may have
three aspects as stated below:
(a) A statement of the inferences drawn from the present study
which may be expected to apply in similar circumstances.
(b) The conditions of the present study which may limit the
extent of legitimate generalizations of then inferences drawn from
the study.
(c) The relevant questions that still remain unanswered or new
questions raised by the study along with suggestions for the kind
of research that would provide answers for them.
 (v) Summary

It has become customary to conclude the research

report with a very brief summary, resting in brief
the research problem, the methodology, the major
findings and the major conclusions drawn from
the research results.
 LAYOUTS

(C) End Matter - At the end of the report, appendices should be

enlisted in respect of all technical data such as questionnaires,
sample information, mathematical derivations and the like
ones. Bibliography of sources consulted should also be given.
Index (an alphabetical listing of names, places and topics along
with the numbers of the pages in a book or report on which
they are mentioned or discussed) should invariably be given at
the end of the report. The value of index lies in the fact that it
works as a guide to the reader for the contents in the report.
 TYPES OF REPORTS
 Research reports vary greatly in length and type. In each individual
case, both the length and the form are largely dictated by the
problems at hand. For instance, business firms prefer reports in the
letter form, just one or two pages in length.
 Banks, insurance organisations and financial institutions are generally
fond of the short balance-sheet type of tabulation for their annual
reports to their customers and shareholders. Mathematicians prefer
to write the results of their investigations in the form of algebraic
notations. Chemists report their results in symbols and formulae.
 Students of literature usually write long reports presenting the critical
analysis of some writer or period or the like with a liberal use of
quotations from the works of the author under discussion. In the field
of education and psychology, the favourite form is the report on the
results of experimentation accompanied by the detailed statistical
tabulations. Clinical psychologists and social pathologists frequently
find it necessary to make use of the case-history form.
(A) Technical Report
In the technical report the main emphasis is on (i) the methods
employed, (it) assumptions made in the course of the study, (iii) the
detailed presentation of the findings including their limitations and
supporting data.
A general outline of a technical report can be as follows:
1. Summary of results: A brief review of the main findings just in two
or three pages.
2. Nature of the study: Description of the general objectives of study,
formulation of the problem in operational terms, the working
hypothesis, the type of analysis and data required, etc.
3. Methods employed: Specific methods used in the study and their
limitations. For instance, in sampling studies we should give details
of sample design viz., sample size, sample selection, etc.
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4. Data: Discussion of data collected, their sources, characteristics
and limitations. If secondary data are used, their suitability to the
problem at hand be fully assessed. In case of a survey, the manner
in which data were collected should be fully described.
5. Analysis of data and presentation of findings: The analysis of
data and presentation of the findings of the study with
supporting data in the form of tables and charts be fully narrated.
This, in fact, happens to be the main body of the report usually
extending over several chapters.
6. Conclusions: A detailed summary of the findings and the policy
implications drawn from the results be explained.
7. Bibliography: Bibliography of various sources consulted be
prepared and attached 8. Technical appendices: Appendices be
given for all technical matters relating to questionnaire,
mathematical derivations, elaboration on particular technique of
analysis and the like ones.
9. Index: Index must be prepared and be given invariably in the
report at the end.
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 The order presented above only gives a general idea of the nature
of a technical report; the order of presentation may not
necessarily be the same in all the technical reports. This, in other
words, means that the presentation may vary in different
reports; even the different sections outlined above will not
always be the same, nor will all these sections appear in any
particular report.
 It should, however, be remembered that even in a technical
report, simple presentation and ready availability of the findings
remain an important consideration and as such the liberal use of
charts and diagrams is considered desirable.
(B) Popular Report

The popular report is one which gives emphasis on

simplicity and attractiveness. The simplification
should be sought through clear writing, minimization
of technical, particularly mathematical, details and
liberal use of charts and diagrams.
Attractive layout along with large print, many
subheadings, even an occasional cartoon now and
then is another characteristic feature of the popular
report. Besides, in such a report emphasis is given on
practical aspects and policy implications.
We give below a general outline of a popular report.
1. The findings and their implications: Emphasis in the report is given on the
findings of most
practical interest and on the implications of these findings.
2. Recommendations for action: Recommendations for action on the basis of the
findings of the study is made in this section of the report.
3. Objective of the study: A general review of how the problem arise is presented
along with the
specific objectives of the project under study.
4. Methods employed: A brief and non-technical description of the methods and
techniques used,
including a short review of the data on which the study is based, is given in this
part of the report.
5. Results: This section constitutes the main body of the report wherein the results
of the study are presented in clear and non-technical terms with liberal use of all
sorts of illustrations such as charts, diagrams and the like ones.
6. Technical appendices: More detailed information on methods used, forms, etc. is
presented in the form of appendices. But the appendices are often not detailed if
the report is entirely meant for general public.
There can be several variations of the form in which a popular report can be
 ORAL PRESENTATION
 At times oral presentation of the results of the study is
considered effective, particularly in cases where policy
recommendations are indicated by project results. The merit of
this approach lies in the fact that it provides an opportunity for
give-and-take decisions which generally lead to a better
understanding of the findings and their implications.
 But the main demerit of this sort of presentation is the lack of
any permanent record concerning the research details and it may
be just possible that the findings may fade away from people’s
memory even before an action is taken. In order to overcome this
difficulty, a written report may be circulated before the oral
presentation and referred to frequently during the discussion.
 Oral presentation is effective when supplemented by various
visual devices. Use of slides, wall charts and blackboards is quite
helpful in contributing to clarity and in reducing the boredom, if
any.
Report Format:
There is no one best format for all reports. Format depends on
several relevant variables. One must employ a suitable format
to create desirable impression with clarity.
Report must be attractive. It should be written systematically
and bound carefully. A report must use the format (often called
structure) that best fit the needs and wants of its readers.
Normally, following format is suggested as a basic outline,
which has sufficient flexibly to meet the most situations.
 Research report is divided into three parts

I. First Part (Formality Part):

(i) Cover page
(ii) Title page
(iii) Certificate or statement
(iv) Index (brief contents)
(v) Table of contents (detailed index)
(vi) Acknowledgement
(vii) List of tables and figures used
(viii) Preface/forwarding/introduction
(ix) Summary report
 II. Main Report (Central Part of Report)

(i) Statement of objectives

(ii) Methodology and research design
(iii) Types of data and its sources
(iv) Sampling decisions
(v) Data collection methods
(vi) Data collection tools
(vii) Fieldwork
(viii) Analysis and interpretation
(including tables, charts, figures, etc.)
 III. Appendix (Additional Details)

(i) Copies of forms used

(ii) Tables not included in findings
(iii) A copy of questionnaire
(iv) Detail of sampling and rate of response
(v) Statement of expenses
(vi) Bibliography – list of books, magazines, journals, and
other reports
(vii) Any other relevant information
 Key Considerations/Factors:
While preparing research report

(i) Objectives
(ii) Type of problem/subject
(iii) Nature and type of research
(iv) Audience or users of research work
(v) Size of report
(vi) Form of writing – handwritten, typed, or computerized.
(vii) Time and cost
(viii) Language
(ix) Contents of report
(x) Order of contents
(xi) Number of copies
(xii) Format – type and size of paper; lengths width, and depth of report;
and pattern of writing including paragraph, indent, numbering, font size
and type, colouring, etc.
(xiii) Binding (for soft, and, particularly, for hard copy) – type, quality of
material, colour, etc., related issues.
THANK YOU