Business Research Methods
A Practical Approach

Description

Business Research Methods demystifies the research process and shows students how to make their research meaningful, effective and relevant to the business world.

- Places research firmly in the real world, exploring why research is done and how to ensure that projects are meaningful for organisations.

-Breaks down the research process, covering the stages from exploring the literature to crafting a research proposal.

- Covers practical research management, addressing the transferrable skills of project management and communication.

- Provides real-world examples and case studies (including examples of other students' projects) to give students with little or no work experience a meaningful context in which to relate their own projects.

Online resources

For tutors:

- Lecturer's Guide with additional activities and supporting handouts
- PowerPoint slides
- Figures and tables from the text

For students:

- Web links
- Templates
- Quizzes and activities
- Examples of practice
- Sample questionnaire results

Contents

PART 1: FROM FIRST IDEAS TO POSSIBLE TOPICS
Chapter 1. Practical Business Research: An Overview
Chapter 2. The Complexities of Business Research
Chapter 3. The Investigative Process
Chapter 4. Stakeholders, Power and Ethics
Chapter 5. Considering Possible Topics

PART 2: TOWARDS A RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Chapter 6. Exploring the Literature
Chapter 7. Writing A Literature Review
Chapter 8. Research Questions and Purposes
Chapter 9. Data, Evidence and Sampling
Chapter 10. Choosing a Research Method
Chapter 11. Crafting a Research Proposal

PART 3: DATA COLLECTION
Chapter 12. Producing a Research Project from Secondary Data
Chapter 13. Case Study Research
Chapter 14. Action-Oriented Research and Action Research
Chapter 15. Questionnaires
Chapter 16. Interviews
Chapter 17. Focus Groups and Workshops

PART 4: DATA ANALYSIS
Chapter 18. Grounded Theory
Chapter 19. Content Analysis
Chapter 20. Representing Quantitative Data
Chapter 21. Inferential Statistical Analysis
Chapter 22. Drawing Valid Conclusions

PART 5: ESSENTIAL RESEARCH SKILLS
Chapter 23. Managing the Project
Chapter 24. Managing Client Relationships
Chapter 25. Learning and Reflection
Chapter 26. Writing about Research

Reviews

THE STUDENT
`A must-read for any student, this book encourages you at every stage to apply what you have read to your own project, saving time and effort and helping you to avoid some of the common pitfalls.

Saurabh Pandey is a final year student on the MBA at the Open University

THE TUTORS
`Ideal for final-year undergraduate students who have to prepare a research proposal for their dissertation or project. It is packed with case studies and delivers complex principles in a user-friendly way.

Yvonne Moogan is a Principal Lecturer at Liverpool Business School

'Business Research Methods achieves a good balance between theory and practice. This thought provoking and engaging text will appeal to a wide audience and is particularly suited to mature students carrying out business research in their employing organisations.'

Julia Kiely, Reader in Organisational Behaviour, Bournemouth University Business School

THE GRADUATE
`Buying this book will ensure you have a second research mentor stationed permanently on your bookshelf. It has plenty of 'real-world savvy', offering hands-on ways of tackling the daunting task of an independent research project.

Gavin Jack is Professor of Management at the Graduate School of Management, La Trobe University, Australia.

THE MANAGER
`This excellent guide provides tools for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of the complexities of managing for real. As a practising manager and part-time lecturer in management, I will be giving this book pride of place on my desk at home and at work.

Paul Mylrea is Director of Communications at the Department for International Development