1 Introduction

1
Introduction
“In doing the research project I improved ‘certain business skills
during the whole process such as finding useful information
much more effectively and efficiently, communicating with business people much more professionally, organizing information
and statistics more orderly and so on.’”
–Business Student
T
his book is designed to serve as a guide that will assist you to develop ideas
systematically and be an active participant in the learning process when
undertaking a research project within a business subject. Such projects frequently draw on knowledge from a range of subjects that you have studied in
the past, such as marketing research, business research methods, and business
report writing. This book is explicitly designed to complement the material you
have previously covered in these subjects, but is not designed to replace it.
Within this book, we have highlighted a range of issues that frequently
arise during the course of a research project, some of which might not be covered in courses or texts designed for other subjects. Not every issue discussed
within the text will necessarily be of relevance to each type of project (these
will be discussed in Chapter 6). We will occasionally make distinctions
regarding the importance of issues to different types of projects throughout
the book and when these issues are particularly relevant.
The first research project you undertake can be a daunting task, so this book
provides a step-by-step guide that will assist you with the various activities associated with designing, implementing, and writing up a substantial research project within the business area. We do attempt to be cross-disciplinary, as research
projects can cover a range of disciplines, but we focus on the general research
process and discuss questions that arise when undertaking research across various research topics and business subjects.
As the requirements of each project are different, there is no way that this
book could cover each aspect of every type of research project. Instead, the
book should serve as a road map of the processes that you can follow to complete your assignment. It is designed to provide an overview of critical issues,
as well as to present some helpful suggestions for dealing with the pragmatic
2
Chapter 1
Introduction
3
issues involved in actually undertaking research projects, primarily at the
undergraduate and MBA levels. While the issues within this book also need
to be addressed in a doctoral dissertation, the book is not focused on dealing
with the complexities of such research.
In writing this book, we have attempted to summarize the critical issues
rather than comprehensively discuss the underlying theory behind each
issue. The book will, therefore, provide a useful reference that not only
explains the various steps associated with aspects of research projects but
also directs you to other useful materials that examine in more detail particular points discussed within the chapters. You will most likely need to
refer to a range of other materials related to the activities and issues discussed within the book.
The book has been written with you, the business student, in mind. It tries
to address issues that students regularly have to deal with when undertaking
research projects in their various business subjects, including major projects,
minor theses, and to some extent even business consulting reports. It is our
hope that this text will make your experience in preparing, undertaking, and
writing a research project within these subjects more worthwhile and allow
you to maximize your learning experience.
Before discussing how the research project fits within your business education, it is important to define exactly what research is.
____________________________________________What Is Research?
If you are undertaking a business research project, the first step is to understand what is actually meant by the term research. At its most basic, research
is an activity used to increase knowledge. According to the Cambridge
Dictionary (2009), research is “a detailed study of a subject, especially in
order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding.” In a
practical way, research is the process of thoroughly examining and analyzing the situational factors surrounding a given problem in order to seek out
a solution or alternative solutions to it. Research can be undertaken by many
people or organizations, such as government, businesses, consultants, academics and students (including you!). Of course the business world is not the
only place in which people use research to find solutions to problems.
Medicine, science, education, and engineering are just some of the disciplines
that annually spend millions on research to address complex problems such
as cures for given illnesses or how a given policy can be implemented.
Organizations want to understand the alternative choices they have and then
develop arguments for and against each. The “best” or selected alternative
in a given situation may in fact not be the ideal solution, as organizations
face a range of constraints. For example, in a financial downturn organizations may need to select alternatives that need the least amount of resources,
thus discounting alternatives that possibly could be more effective, if additional money were available. It follows that business research is the study of
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THE FOUNDATIONS
issues that relate to the starting or running of a business and could involve
answering a diverse set of questions including, how to: retain good staff,
enter new markets, identify facilities that should be closed, and so forth.
Clearly, the topic of the research is focused in a specific discipline, but generally will draw on a range of areas, including research methods. To be effective, any research project needs to be organized, systematic, based on data,
critical, objective, and scientific inquiry/investigation. There are many ways
that you can explore a research question, with various underlying assumptions regarding how research can be undertaken. Some of this discussion has
been called the philosophy of science, which seeks to understand the underlying assumptions associated with different research approaches. These
assumptions do shape how we conduct research and how we use the results.
While we will not discuss these issues in detail, it is important to have some
understanding of the different approaches when studying knowledge (which
is also called epistemology).
1. Positivist Research
In positivist research, the researcher remains separate and independent
from the subject of the study. There is an assumption in positivist research
that there are some universal truths that researchers can identify. This
assumption means that we as researchers can examine research questions
using empirical methods and find relationships that will exist irrespective of
the context (i.e., the relationships are generalizable). This approach assumes
that any analysis is based on an objective description and explanation. This
approach aims to be precise and factual, using objective measures. It is usually associated with quantitative data (Hussey & Hussey, 1997). It may also
be called scientific, empirical or quantitative research (Malhotra et al., 2006).
Within business there are unfortunately few instances where the results of one
study will be applicable in multiple contexts and situations. The generalizability of the results can be determined only with multiple projects looking at
the same issue. When you read academic literature you will often see that
researchers have found instances where the most basic “business rules” do
not hold. Thus, while many people follow a positivist approach to research,
there is a realization that context does matter and relationships are rarely generalizable to all possible situations. Following the positivist approach (on
which much of the discussion of this book is based) does require specific types
of activities to be undertaken (e.g., reliability and validity), as will be discussed later in the book.
2. Interpretivist Research
Interpretivist research is an alternative perspective to positivism. This
approach argues that people or phenomena cannot be analyzed in such an
Chapter 1
Introduction
5
objective way, because the researcher, context, and social reality affect
research outcomes. In this approach, “reality” is “socially constructed and
subjective” (Veal, 2005, p. 24) and is not something for which there is one
universal truth. Two researchers examining the same issue would come to different conclusions because they bring their own individual perspectives.
Similarly, looking at a phenomenon at a different point in time would mean
the environmental factors differ in importance and thus different conclusions
would be reached. In these types of studies, the researcher becomes fully
involved with individual subjects, and analysis is subjective and based on
perceptions. This generally involves qualitative methodologies (Hussey &
Hussey, 1997), as will be discussed later in the book.
3. Critical Research
In critical research, the researcher is trying to uncover myths and hidden
meanings to help understand the subject of the research. In some ways this is
similar to an interpretivist approach, as the meaning is understood only
through the eyes of those involved in the experience. The methodologies used
are usually qualitative and flexible so that the researcher can go beyond surface assumptions. This approach can empower people to play a role in the
research and provide an explanation of their behavior. Researchers need to
have good skills for listening and drawing out the meaning as communicated
to the researcher, and thus it is possibly less applicable for most undergraduate research projects.
As will be described later in the book, one project can in fact include a
combination of these approaches. For example, a study on student exam
results and the choice of tertiary courses may involve collecting objective data
on exam results but then interviewing a sample of students to discover their
perceptions of various tertiary courses and relevant topics. The choice of the
right methodological approach (discussed in Chapter 8) depends on the particulars of the research question.
“Research is activity used to increase knowledge.”
How a Research Project Fits
__________________________ Within Your Business Education
Why are you undertaking a business degree? Although this seems like an
unusual question to include in a text, it is one that sets out the foundation for
how and why you might be undertaking a research project. Ideally, most of
you, whether undergraduate or MBA students, are undertaking your degree
to learn skills that will enhance your employability and earning potential.
Obtaining a degree is important for a range of reasons: It demonstrates that
6
THE FOUNDATIONS
you have the ability to learn, have some core foundation knowledge in an
area or areas of business, and have obtained important soft skills (communication, time management, creative thinking, etc.) that will allow you to assist
your future, or present, employer in operating more effectively.
While these goals are all sound, you need to ask yourself the following
question: What is it that employers are looking for in new employees? This
question is equally important, because it is critical that you adopt a marketing perspective of yourself early in your career, and yes, university is part of
your career. Therefore, you need to arm yourself with skills, abilities, and
knowledge that make you more attractive to potential employers; that is,
knowledge and skills that potential employers view as being valuable. While
this makes sense, it is not always easy to do, especially when you are entering
the job market for the first time and do not know what is expected.
Interestingly, there are a range of global studies that look at what
employers want in new business employees. These studies have generally
found that the main attributes employers are looking for are, in fact, not an
understanding of theory related to a specific discipline, but rather a range
of generic managerial and problem-solving skills (Johnson & Pere-Verge,
1993; Lau & Rans, 1993; Levenburg, 1996; O’Brien & Deans, 1996).
Further, a few studies have asked business students what skills they believe
employers would like from employees, and find similar lists of generic skills
are seen to be most important (Berman & Ritchie, 2006; Waller &
Hingorani, 2009). These managerial skills include the ability to communicate effectively in the form of both written and oral presentations; the ability to work as part of a team and to meet deadlines; the ability to be
self-directed and work without supervision; and the ability to think “outside the box” in decision making and to examine alternative solutions to
complex problems. This broader set of business skills enables new employees to integrate effectively into organizations and to assist with solving complex business problems. What does this mean for you when you are
studying at college/university? It means that employers are frequently
keenly interested in ensuring that you not only have a solid academic background (i.e., good grades), but that you have obtained a level of proficiency
in skills that are not frequently the primary focus of a given subject
(e.g., developing team work, critical thinking, problem solving, etc.). These
skills will be transferable across jobs, which is important because most
people today will have a diverse range of careers over their lifetime. The
skill of problem solving is one that can be transferred across industries and
contexts and makes you “job ready.” So while you may not necessarily use
all your skills when you first start a job, it is likely that they will be more
important as your career develops. Research projects in various business
subjects, individual or team based, are therefore an important activity that
allows you to develop these critical thinking and problem-solving business
skills. Successful completion of a research or project report can therefore be
used as a tangible demonstration to employers that you have the skills they
Chapter 1
Introduction
7
are seeking (Polonsky & Waller, 1998; Koh, Wang, Tan, Liu, & Ee, 2009)
and, as such, might be just as important as having a strong academic
record. Therefore, while not the sole reason for undertaking research
assignments in your business subjects, your teacher, lecturer, or professor
will assign these tasks to allow you to develop skills that employers value.
________________________________ Overview of the Book
As suggested earlier, all projects are different, and because of this, this book
seeks to cover issues that students might need to address in a diverse range
of projects. The book is divided into 15 chapters covering three main areas,
and though each chapter and area has a different goal, the sequential order
is important, as it draws you through the research process.
The first part of the book, “The Foundations,” covers topics associated
with a general understanding of some broad issues associated with research
projects. These chapters address issues associated with the management of the
research rather than the technical aspects of the research process. There are
four “Foundation” chapters in addition to this introductory Chapter 1.
Chapter 2 discusses how you go about selecting your topic. Your topic will
depend on the objectives of the subject or assignment, as well as your particular interests. Ideally, you will choose a topic that not only relates to the
subject you are studying but also allows you to obtain a better understanding
of an issue, industry, or firm that you are interested in. This should allow you
to maintain your enthusiasm for the project, as well as allow you to gain valuable insights into an area in which you might wish to seek employment,
which should assist you in differentiating yourself from other, less prepared
applicants in your search for employment and also give you industry related
knowledge, which may be an important competitive advantage in a crowded
job market.
Chapter 3 examines the role of supervisors in the research process. The
applicability of this topic will vary widely across types of research projects.
The critical issue in this chapter is to realize that there are different styles of
supervision and learning, depending on the type of research project and your
research experience. This issue will also be raised in relation to working in
groups. It is essential that you and your supervisor have a mutual understanding of each other’s expectations in regard to the research process and
that your supervisor’s skills complement your own.
Chapter 4 examines the complexities of working in groups, which also
may not apply to all research projects. This chapter suggests some strategies
for dealing with different sets of expectations and work practices—that is,
laying out the ground rules for teams. Working in groups is difficult, especially when you are dependent on others for the successful completion of
tasks. This is one area where team skills are critical, and because of this,
working in teams is an important skill to master, although not something that
8
THE FOUNDATIONS
is normally taught. Not all research projects involve groups; if yours does not,
this chapter may not be relevant.
Chapter 5 examines issues associated with research ethics. This is an issue
of growing importance for both student and academic research. The focus of
this chapter is on understanding where ethical issues might arise in research
projects as well as issues associated with research involving “human subjects.” If there is no primary data collection within your research, this chapter may not be relevant to you. This chapter discusses a range of issues that
need to be considered to ensure that potential participants in your research,
should they be required, are not exposed to harm. If you plan to involve
others as research participants (e.g., people filling out surveys, participating
in interviews or focus groups, etc.), it is important that you consider potential ethical issues that might arise and how you can deal with them. Being prepared is as important for researchers as for Boy Scouts. It is important to
remember that all participants are helping you by participating, and so you
should treat them appropriately.
The second part of the book, “Undertaking the Research,” focuses on issues
associated directly with the research activities to be completed; that is, it directs
you through the various practical aspects of the research process. Chapter 6
starts this discussion by examining the issue of planning the research project
and the broad research process. It is our experience that students who put
more time in understanding this phase of their project tend to experience fewer
problems associated with the implementation of the project. The chapter also
discusses the research proposal, which sets out a road map that you will follow throughout the project. Because the proposal sets out the course of your
project, it is a critical part of the overall research process.
Chapter 7 focuses on the role of literature within the project. While this
is something that might be thought of as a “general” issue, it is something
that we suggest be a core part of the research process. It is important that
you understand the role of previous work related to your area. You will use
the literature to gain an understanding of the issue (i.e., the background),
as well as to develop arguments and ideas, and to identify issues that have
been overlooked. In addition, reviewing previous literature directs you in
terms of the overall research process, including research methods and
instruments that might be used to collect data. There is no need to reinvent
the wheel, so understanding the literature in your area of interest will not
only save you time but will also ensure that you do not repeat errors others
have encountered.
Chapter 8 considers issues associated with data gathering. This step is critical because it ensures that you have the information necessary to answer the
question that you set out to examine. You would be wise to remember the
saying, “Garbage in, garbage out,” which means that there are limited opportunities to rescue a project based on inaccurate or inappropriate data. Thus,
determining what data are necessary to assist you in addressing your specific
research question or in terms of the business decision being made is critical.
Chapter 1
Introduction
Chapter 9 focuses on qualitative data analysis. There is an increasing
amount of research relying on in-depth, nonempirical data, that is, no
numbers. These data are different from empirical data and need to be collected and analyzed in a different fashion. Qualitative data analysis does have
some limitations; for example, it is more difficult to suggest generalizability
of results or statistical significance of findings. These are important, but the
benefits of gathering a more in-depth understanding of issues, which are usually more complex than surveys would suggest, outweighs these potential
problems. That is, you can frequently gain a depth of understanding that is
not possible using simple survey techniques, and in many cases qualitative
research is also undertaken prior to quantitative research, to assist in defining
the research question and to ensure that any survey questions used in quantitative stages are applicable to your context.
Chapter 10 overviews a range of techniques that can be used for quantitative analysis, with the focus being on understanding what techniques might
be used to best examine your research issue. The object is not to explain how
to use or even interpret all the techniques discussed, and the chapter provides
only a sample of the possible techniques available. The objective of the chapter is to discuss the various techniques that are needed to analyze different
issues, that is, what technique is most appropriate for answering your question. The chapter refers you to a range of sources that will expand on the statistical properties of techniques, as well as the specifics of using them. This
chapter, more so than others, is designed to assist you in considering critical
issues and directs you to sources in which more complex discussion of these
issues can be found. Students will most certainly need to refer to the material
covered as part of other subjects such as marketing research or business
research methods to gain an understanding of the detailed workings of the
techniques discussed.
Chapter 11 examines the role of recommendations in your research.
Understanding what you have found is a critical part of the research process,
but the question of what this means for business practice or theory is critical.
This chapter discusses how you need to think about what can be learned from
your research to enable advances to be made. The significance of recommendations will vary based on the objectives of the project and on the specific
findings. This is an important conclusion to the research task, although not
necessarily the end of the assessment activities.
The last part of the book, “Communicating the Results,” focuses on
communicating the findings of your research. The first three chapters discuss a range of issues associated with written and oral communication of
information, where it is critical to communicate the value of your results.
Like many things in business, how well you present your ideas often is as
important as what you present. Chapter 12 discusses how you can present
your results in a meaningful way. It is important that others understand
what you have found, and there are a number of ways you can present this,
using words, statistics, graphs, or figures. This chapter discusses each of
9
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THE FOUNDATIONS
these methods in regard to communicating what you have found. This is
linked to material in the preceding chapters as well as those that follow.
All the chapters in this section seek to identify issues of relevance to academic and more applied types of projects, although there is a greater
emphasis on academic-type projects.
Chapter 13 discusses the actual writing process. As mentioned earlier,
businesses want to hire employees with good written and oral communication skills. The written research report, therefore, serves not only as a vehicle
for communicating what was done in the project (which is graded by your
professor), but also serves as a tangible output that you can use to demonstrate that you have the ability and skills to deal with complex issues. A good
report stands on its own. It explains the project clearly and convinces readers
that its recommendations are sound.
Chapter 14 discusses the role of oral communication and the presentation
of your project. This is important for getting your point across to the audience, if there is to be an oral presentation. An oral presentation provides an
opportunity for you to further explain your ideas in a succinct fashion. This
allows you to emphasize issues of importance, as well as address any areas of
your presentation that may confuse the audience. An oral presentation, therefore, allows you to further develop your oral communication skills.
Chapter 15 provides some concluding remarks about research projects
within business subjects. It identifies a few cautions that you need to consider
when working on a project, and ties some final issues together.
CASE STUDY
“Rick’s Chicken Salad Bar” is a small franchise chicken shop that specializes in healthy
food. The chicken used is organic, grain fed, free range, and skinless. There is a range
of healthy salads available, and sandwiches are made to order. The theme is “a
healthy body—a healthy mind” and the owners are proud that “nothing is fried.” The
target market is health-conscious people who do not like the big fast food chains. The
price is generally competitive, although some of the product range is a bit more
expensive than most other take-out food chains.
The management of “Rick’s” is thinking of expanding the number of stores, and,
keeping in mind their target market, they are considering establishing an outlet at
your local college or university. This will be the first time they have opened a store on
a university campus and they believe that this may require a whole new strategy. They
are willing to commit significant resources, but believe that they need more information before committing to this new strategy. Therefore, they have asked the business
professor to arrange for a group of students to undertake a research project on the
views of students regarding the establishment of a “Rick’s Chicken Salad Bar” on campus. You are one of the students in this group.
Chapter 1
Introduction
11
Chapter Questions
1. Explain what research is. What types of organizations can undertake research? Give
examples.
2. What are the differences between positivist and interpretivist research?
3. What are some of the business skills that employers want in new employees?
4. How do you see that a business project could improve your business skills?
5. What do you think are your main limitations in undertaking research?
__________________________________________ References
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business students. Journal of Education for Business, 81(4), 205–209.
Cambridge Dictionary. (2009). Research. Retrieved from http://dictionary.cambridge
.org/define.asp?key=67155&dict=CALD
Hussey, J., & Hussey, R. (1997). Business research. Basingstoke, UK: Macmillan
Business.
Johnson, D., & Pere-Verge, L. (1993). Attitudes towards graduate employment in
the SME sector. International Small Business Journal, 11(4), 65–70.
Koh, C., Wang, C. K. J., Tan, O. S., Liu, W. C., & Ee, J. (2009). Bridging the gaps
between students’ perceptions of group project work and their teachers’ expectations. Journal of Educational Research, 102(5), 333–347.
Lau, R., & Rans, D. L. (1993). They can add but can they communicate? Business
Forum, 18(3), 24–26.
Levenburg, N. M. (1996). General management skills: Do practitioners and academic faculty agree on their importance? Journal of Education for Business, 72(1),
47–52.
Malhotra, N. K., Hall, J., Shaw, M., & Oppenheim, P. (2006). Marketing research:
An applied orientation (3rd ed.). Sydney: Pearson Education.
O’Brien, E. M., & Deans, K. R. (1996). Educational supply chain: A tool for strategic
planning in tertiary education? Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 14(2), 33–40.
Polonsky, M. J., & Waller, D. S. (1998). Using student projects to link academics,
employers and students. Journal of Teaching in International Business, 10(2),
55–78.
Veal, A. J. (2005). Business research methods: A managerial approach (2nd ed.).
Sydney: Pearson Education Australia.
Waller, D. S., & Hingorani, A. (2009, Fall). Advertising students’ perceptions of
skills and attributes for future employment. Journal of Advertising Education,
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