2. Applied research: to answer questions about specific problems/make decisions about particular course of action.Scientific method: techniques used to analyze empirical evidence to confirm or disapprove prior conceptions

3. Value of business research The DM process associated with the development and implementation of a strategy involves 4 stages: Identifying problems/opportunities Diagnosing and assessing problems/opportunities Selecting and implementing a course of action Evaluating the course of action When is business research needed? (Time, availability of data, nature of decision, benefits vs costs) Business research in 21st century?(Global res, Internet)

4. Information Systems and Knowledge management Data-recorded measures of certain phenomenon Information- A body of facts that are in a format suitable for DM Knowledge- A blend of information, experience and insights that provides a framework that can be thoughtfully applied when assessing new information or evaluating relevant situations Knowledge management- The process of creating an inclusive, comprehensive, easily accessible organizational memory, called as organization’s intellectual capital

5. Information Systems and Knowledge management cont.. Global information Systems: An organized collection of computer hardware and software, data and personnel designed to capture, store, update, manipulate, analyze and immediately display information about worldwide business activity. It integrates data from all business functions. Decision support Systems (Components of larger GIS): A computer based system that helps decision makers confront problems through interaction with databases and analytical software(generally to facilitate CRM)

6. DECISION MAKING Decision making is the process of resolving a problem or choosing among alternative opportunities. Every DM situation can be classified on a continuum ranging from complete certainty to absolute ambiguity. Certainty Uncertainty Ambiguity

8. The Research Process cont… Forward linkage; A term implying that the early stages of the research process will influence the design of the later stage Backward linkage: A term implying that the late stages of the research process will have an influence on the early stages.

10. Planning a research design

11. Planning a sample

12. Gathering the data

13. Processing and Analysing data

14. Formulating conclusions and preparing report

16. Understand the background of the problem

17. Isolate and identify the problem rather than its symptoms

18. Determine the unit of analysis

19. Determine the relevant variables

21. Exploratory research Initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of a problem. Purposes for Exploratory research: Diagnosing a situation(provides an orientation to Management by gathering info on a topic with which Mgmt has little experience) Screening Alternatives (eg Concept Testing- a form of research that tests something that acts as a proxy for a new or revised program , product or a service) Discovering new ideas (new product ideas/unthought problems)

22. Categories of Exploratory research: Experience surveys- Individuals who are knowledgeable about a particular research problem are surveyed Secondary data analysis- Preliminary review of data collected for another purpose to clarify issues in early stages of research. Case studies- Intensively investigates one or a few situations similar to the researcher’s problem situation Pilot studies for qualitative analysis- Any small scale exploratory research project that uses sampling but does not apply rigorous standards (FGD- An unstructured, free flowing interview with a small group of people Projective techniques- An indirect means of questioning that enables a respondent to “project” beliefs n feelings on to a third party, an inanimate object or a task situation…Word association test, Sentence completion,3rd person technique, Role playing, TAT, Picture frustration Depth Interviews- A relatively unstructured, extensive interview used in the primary stages of research process)

23. Secondary Data Data that have been previously collected for some purpose other than the one at hand. (Advantages? Disadvantages?) Objectives for Secondary data research designs Fact finding- A secondary data research objective aimed at collecting descriptive information to support decision making (eg. Routine investigation of brand and product category sales volume) Model building- An attempt to specify relationships between variables based on secondary data, sometimes using descriptive or predictive equations(eg. Estimation of interest rates, economic growth and inflation with secondary data)

24. Classification of secondary data: Internal and proprietary data Common external sources of secondary data(Books and periodicals, govt sources, regional publications, Media sources, Commercial sources)

25. Research Methods for collecting Primary data Primary data-Data gathered and assembled specifically for the research project at hand Survey research Observation methods Experimental research

26. Survey research A research technique in which information is gathered from a sample of people by use of questionnaire or interview Errors in Survey Research a)Random Sampling error -The diff between the result of a sample and the result of a census conducted using identical procedures; a statistical fluctuation that occurs because of chance variation in the elements selected for a sample b) Systematic error- Error resulting from some imperfect aspect of the research design that causes response error or from mistake in the execution of the research, error arising from sample bias, mistakes in recording responses, non responses from persons not contacted or refusing to participate

27. Survey research cont… 1.Respondent error a) Non response error- The statistical difference between a survey that includes only those who responded and a perfect survey that would also include those who failed to respond.(No contact, Refusal, Self selection bias) b)Response bias – Survey error that occurs when respondents tend to answer questions in a certain direction (Acquiescence bias, Interviewer bias, Extremity bias, Social desirability bias)

28. Survey research cont… 2.Administrative error-An error caused by the improper administration or execution of a research task. (Data processing error, Sample selection error, Interviewer error, Interviewer cheating)

29. Classifying Survey research methods Structured and Disguised questions Structured questions- A question that imposes a limit on the number of allowable responses Disguised questions- An indirect type of question that assumes that the purpose of the study must be hidden from respondents CLASSIFYING SURVEYS ON A TEMPORAL BASIS Cross sectional and (Longitudinal studies- panel studies) Cross sectional- A study in which various segments of a population are sampled at a single point in time Longitudinal studies- A survey of respondents at different points in time, thus allowing analysis of response continuity and changes over time.(eg Panel studies)

30. Media used to communicate with Respondents Human Interactive Media-Personal forms of communication in which a message is directed at an individual or a small group, who then has an opportunity to interact with the communicator Electronic Interactive Media-Communication media that allow an organization and an audience to interact using digital technology.

33. Observation methods cont… Content analysis (A research technique for the objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of communication) Mechanical observation (TV monitoring, Website traffic monitoring, measuring physiological reactions, optical scanners and bar codes)

34. Experimental research A research method in which conditions are controlled so that one or more variables can be manipulated in order to test a hypothesis. Experimentation is a research method that allows evaluation of causal relationships among variables

35. Terminology/Issues in Experimental research Manipulation of Independent variable(Experimental treatment) Experimental and Control groups Several experimental treatment levels Selection and Measurement of the Dependent variable Selection and Assignment of Test Units Control over Extraneous variables Demand characteristics Establishing Control

37. Experimental treatment: An alternative manipulation of the independent variable being investigated

38. Experimental group: The group of subjects exposed to an experimental treatment

40. Fundamental Questions in Experimentation Basic Vs Factorial Experimental Designs In Basic exp design, a single independent variable is manipulated to observe its effect on a single dependent variable Factorial experimental designs are more sophisticated and allow for investigation of the interaction of two or more independent variables. Field and Laboratory Experiments

41. Issues Of Experimental Validity Internal validity: Validity determined by whether an experimental treatment was the sole cause of changes in a dependent variable External validity: The ability of an experiment to generalize the results to the external environment

42. Classification of Experimental Designs Informal experimental designs: Before and after without control design After only with control design Before and after with control design Formal experimental designs: Completely randomized design Randomized block design Latin square design Factorial designs

43. Measurement Concepts Concept(or a construct): A generalized idea about a class of objects, attributes, occurences or processes. Rules of Measurement: An instruction to guide assignment of a number or other measurement designation.

44. Scaling Concepts TYPES OF SCALES Nominal Scale-A scale in which the numbers or letters assigned to objects serve as labels for identification or classification Ordinal Scale-A scale that arranges objects or alternatives acc to their magnitudes Interval Scale-A scale that not only arranges objects or alternatives acc to their magnitudes but also distinguishes this ordered arrangement in units of equal intervals Ratio scale-A scale having absolute rather than relative quantities and possesing an absolute zero , where there is an absence of a given attribute.

45. Three Criteria for Good Measurement Reliability : The degree to which measures are free from errors and therefore yield consistent results Validity : The ability of a scale or measuring instrument to measure what it is intended to measure Sensitivity : A measurement instrument’s ability to accurately measure variability in stimuli or responses

46. ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT An enduring disposition to consistently respond in a given manner to various aspects of the world composed of affective, cognitive and behavioral components. Techniques for measuring attitudes: Ranking Rating Sorting technique Choice technique

47. Attitude Rating Scales Simple attitude Scales Category Scales Summated rating method : Likert Scale Semantic differential Numerical Scales Constant-Sum Scale Stapel Scale Graphic Rating Scales

48. Ranking Paired Comparision