Introduction to business research methods:

1. Meaning and objectives of research

2. Types of research –

a)Pure, Basic and Fundamental

b) Applied,

c) Empirical

d) Scientific & Social

e) Historical

f) Exploratory

g) Descriptive

h)Causal

3. Concepts in Research:

Variables,

Qualitative and Quantitative Research

4. Stages in research process.

5. Characteristics of Good Research

6. Hypothesis-

Meaning,

Nature,

Significance,

Types of Hypothesis,

Sources.

7. Research design –

Meaning,

Definition,

Need and Importance, Steps in research design,

Essentials of a good research design, 

Areas / Scope of research design and

Types- Descriptive, Exploratory and causal.

8. Sampling –

a) meaning of sample and sampling,

b) methods of sampling- i)Non Probability Sampling –Convenient, Judgment, Quota, Snow ball

ii) Probability – Simple Random, Stratified, Cluster, Multi Stage. 

1. Types of data and sources – Primary and Secondary data sources

2. Methods of collection of primary data

a) Observation-

i) structured and unstructured,

ii) disguised and undisguised,

iii)mechanical observations ( use of gadgets)

b) Experimental

i) Field

ii) Laboratory

c) Interview – i) Personal Interview

ii) focused group,

iii) in-depth interviews -Method,

d) Survey –

Telephonic survey,

Mail, E-mail, Internet survey,

Social media, and Media listening.

e) Survey instrument – i) Questionnaire designing.

ii) Types of questions- a)structured/ close ended and

b)unstructured/ open ended, c) Dicotomous, d) Multiple

Choice Questions.

f) Scaling techniques-

i) Likert scale,

ii) Semantic Differential scale

a) Processing of data –

i) Editing – field and office editing,

ii) coding – meaning and essentials,

iii) tabulation – note

b) Analysis of data- Meaning, Purpose, types.

c) Interpretation of data- Essentials, importance

and Significance of processing data

d) Multivariate analysis – concept only

e) Testing of hypothesis – concept and problems –

i) chi square test, ii) Z and t-test (for large and small sample) 

Advanced techniques in Report Writing

1) Report writing – i) Meaning , importance, functions of reports,

essential of a good report, content of report , steps in writing a

report, types of reports, Footnotes and Bibliography

2) Ethics and research

3) Objectivity, Confidentiality and anonymity in Research

4) Plagiarism