An introduction to business research methods

Preface
1  Research problems and questions and how they relate to debates in Research Methods
	1.1 Chapter Overview
	1.2 Introduction
	1.3 The nature of business research
	1.4 What kind of business problems might need a research study?
	1.5 What are the key issues in research methods we need to understand?
	1.6 Questions for self review
	1.7 References
2  Putting the problem into context: identifying and critically reviewing relevant literature
	2.1 Chapter Overview
	2.2 How does literature relate to research?
	2.3 What kind of literature should we search for?
	2.4 Effective literature searching
	2.5 Critical analysis of literature
	2.6 Using Harvard referencing style
	2.7 Questions for self review
	2.8 References
3  Choosing research approaches and strategies
	3.1 Chapter overview
	3.2 Different perspectives of knowledge and research which underpin research design
	3.3 Identify differing research paradigms for business
	3.4 Key differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods and how and why they may be mixed
	3.5 Criteria of validity and reliability in the context of business research
	3.6 Your choice of research strategy or design
	3.7 Classification of research
	3.8 The Business Research Process
	3.9 The Academic business research process
	3.10 Questions for self review
	3.11 References
4 Ethics in business research
	4.1 Chapter Overview
	4.2 Understand how ethical issues arise in business research at every stage
	4.3 Ethical criteria used in Higher Education business research studies
	4.4 Strategies to ensure ethical issues in business research are addressed appropriately
	4.5 Plagiarism
	4.6 Questions for self review
	4.7 References
5  Choosing samples from populations
	5.1 Chapter Overview
	5.2 Understand how and why sampling relates to business research
	5.3 Identify and use a range of probability and non-probability sampling techniques
	5.4 Selecting the size of your sample
	5.5 Understand and assess representativeness of samples and generalisability from samples
	5.6 Sampling simulation exercise
	5.7 Questions for self review
	5.8 References
6  Quantitative research methods: collecting and analysing data
	6.1 Chapter Overview
	6.2 Anticipating how the research design is affected by data collection and analysis tools
	6.3 Recognising different levels of data for analysis
	6.4 Coding and entering data for computerized statistical analysis
	6.5 Choosing appropriate ways to present data through charts, tables and descriptive statistics
	6.6 Selecting appropriate statistical tools for the research variables
	6.7 Families of Statistics
	6.8 Measures of Correlation – the correlation coefficient
	6.9 Regression analysis
	6.10 Statistical significance
	6.11 Questions for self review
	6.12 References
7  Questionnaire design and testing
	7.1 Chapter overview
	7.2 Appreciate and overcome the difficulties associated with questionnaire design
	7.3 Choosing from a range of question formats
	7.4 How to design, pilot and administer questionnaires
	7.5 Questions for self review
	7.6 References
8 Using secondary data
	8.1 Chapter Overview
	8.2 The value of secondary data to business research
	8.3 What to look for as secondary data and where to find it
	8.4 The disadvantages of using secondary data in business research
	8.5 Big Data
	8.6 Questions for self review
	8.7 References
9  Qualitative research methods: collecting and analysing qualitative data
	9.1 Chapter overview
	9.2 Key issues in qualitative data analysis
	9.3 The range of qualitative research methods applicable to research topics
	9.4 How qualitative data can be prepared for analysis
	9.5 computer based methods for qualitative data analysis
	9.6 Questions for self review
	9.7 References
10  Practical issues in conducting interviews, focus groups, participant observation
	10.1 Chapter overview
	10.2 Practical considerations relating to participant observation
	10.3 Practical issues relating to interviews
	10.4 Practical issues relating to focus groups
	10.5 Questions for self review
	10.6 References
11 Forecasting trends
	11.1 Chapter overview
	11.2 Why forecasting is not widely covered in the business research methods literature
	11.3 Existing methodologies for forecasting
	11.4 Basic forecasting tools
	11.5 Regression and discriminant analysis
	11.6 Measures commonly used to evaluate forecasts & predictions
	11.7 Exploring the value of forecasting methods in business practice
	11.8 Questions for self review
	11.9 References
12 Reporting research results
	12.1 Chapter overview
	12.2 Your personal approach to writing a research report
	12.3 The differences between writing a report for a business audience and for academic purposes
	12.4 Producing an oral presentation of key findings
	12.5 Questions for self review
	12.6 References
Comments from peer reviewer