INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT KOZHIKODE

COURSE: SCIENTIFIC ENQUIRY FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES 

Course Title: Scientific Enquiry for Social Sciences

Course Type: Compulsory
Pre-requisites (if any) NIL
Course Credit 2
Total No. of Sessions 16
Session duration 75 Minutes
Term III
Year & Batch 2019 XXXX
Sections (if any) XXXX

Instructor(s) XXXX
Contact details: XXXX
Office XXXX
Consultation Hours Prior appointment

ABOUT THE COURSE

The course “Scientific Enquiry for Social Sciences” aimed at imparting the knowledge and
skills concerning the vital procedure and methods for conducting social science research.
This direction would help them to develop a scientific orientation towards research through
developing a systematic and empirical approach towards their research problem. In
summary, the in-depth involvement in this course would provide a basic understanding of
conducting social science research procedure, such as identifying the correct research
problem, developing a plan of action for conducting research, determining the appropriate
measurement and scaling technique, identifying the suitable sampling procedure,
interpreting the results generated from the collected data, etc. in their fields of business
decision making.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course aimed at developing scientific enquiry orientation by
 Helping the students to have a skillset to solve business problems/ questions into
research/ information problems/issues.
 Equipping them to develop a plan of action for conducting business research.
 Familiarising with data types- primary/secondary, data collection techniques
(including qualitative) and instrument design.
 Imparting the knowledge and technicalities to identify variables, introduce various
measurement and scaling procedure.
 Helping them to interpret the statistical results generated out of data using popular
statistical packages.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Demonstrate proficiency and orientation in conducting social science research by
identifying the right research problem.
 Execute the right research design choices from the set of alternatives by balancing
scientific rigour, suitability and cost.
 Design a suitable data collection tool/instrument by using appropriate measurement
and scales.
 Demonstrate scientific approach towards sampling and data collection.
 Demonstrate a scientific orientation towards analysing the data using a suitable
technique and presenting the results in a directive manner.
 Demonstrate competence in terms of analyzing and presenting research insights and
findings for managerial practice. Moreover, at the end of the course, the students
will be able to do testing of abstract social science problems and appreciate the
statistical outputs to draw research insights.
 

SESSION PLAN
Session Readings Topics/Cases
No
1 Importance of scientific enquiry in Chapter 1, 2, & 3:
business research
2 An overview of conducting research Chapter 4:
in a scientific fashion
3 Ways to define and refine the Chapter 5:
research question for a scientific HBR case: Zenith: Marketing
enquiry research for High definition
Television(HDTV)
(591025-PDF-ENG)
4 An overview & types of research Chapter 6:
design in business research HBR case: Fruitzone India Limited
(A): Designing the Research
Questions
(A00053-PDF-ENG)
5 Conducting exploratory research for Chapter 7:
clarifying business problems HBR case: Venture Viability
Research
(E324-PDF-ENG)
6-7 Developing Surveys and conducting Chapter 8 & 10:
observation studies HBR case: Harvard Graduate
Student Housing Survey (505059-
PDF-ENG)
8 Drawing causal inferences through Chapter 9:
the design of experiments HBR Case: BEworks:
Experimentation in Business
(W17655-PDF-ENG)
9 Understanding the measurement and Chapter 11& 12:
selection of suitable scales for
measurement

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 10 Preparing a questionnaire/instrument Chapter 13:
for the scientific enquiry HBR case: Fruitzone India Limited
(B): Designing the Research
Questionnaire
(A00055-PDF-ENG)
11 Practical considerations in sampling Chapter 14:
& understanding of sampling Industry and Background Note:
procedure Sampling and Statistical Inference
(191092-PDF-ENG)
12-13 Description, exploring, displaying Chapters 15 & 16:
and examining data (Suggested case within the book:
Inquiring Minds Want to Know—
NOW!)
14-15 Testing the hypothesis using suitable Chapters 17 & 18:
statistical tools (Suggested cases within book: (i)
Mastering Teacher Leadership &
(ii) Proofpoint: Capitalizing on a
Reporter’s Love of Statistics)
HBR case: Data-Enabled Insights
from Sericulture: Jayalaxmi Agro
Tech (IMB735-PDF-ENG)
16 Presenting insights and findings of Chapters 19 and 20:
the scientific enquiry (Suggested: Have the students
present their field works OR use
one of above case, Proofpoint:
Capitalizing on a Reporter’s Love
of Statistics)
Note: List of additional cases/materials are shown in the Appendix (can be downloaded
from:http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073521507/student_view0/index.html)

TEXTBOOK
 Donald, R Cooper & Pamela S. Schindler (2014), Business Research Methods,
Mc-Graw-Hill (12th Edition), New York, NY.

PEDAGOGY
Classroom learning: There will be classroom sessions (See the schedule), consisting of
conceptual discussion, case study discussions and presentations. Assignment/presentations
will be done individually. The guideline for the same will be provided separately. All
students are expected to come prepared and reflect on cases and readings through their
observation, which reflects an understanding of the topic being discussed as well as
facilitates the discussion.

Field Project: This can be executed in groups, where each group consist of approximately
5 students. In this project, the students are free to select their group members. However, it
is advised that within the groups there will be reasonable level of hetrogenity. Besides, it is
also advised to select a project which follows the research principles which they learned
during the semester. If the group use survey-based research, the minimum sample size will
be the number of group members multiplied by 25. However, this is the minimum; the
more the merrier!

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EVALUATION COMPONENTS/ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING:

Assessment Description
Percentage
Tool
Encourages students to participate meaningfully in class
Class 5
Participation
The mid-term examination is designed to check and evaluate
Mid-Term 35 the students’ understanding of the basic concepts learned
Exam during the course
This facilitates students to demonstrate the ability to integrate
information and the skills accumulated in this course in the
Field Project 25 chosen area of research. This work also gives them a chance
to sharpen their skills in oral and written communication in
business.
End term examination is designed to check and evaluate the
End-term students’ understanding of concepts and application of
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Exam appropriate methods in specific managerial decision-making
situations.

GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS

 Students are expected to check emails daily since most of the procedural
communication will take place on e-mail.
 For class participation evaluation, the students are expected to be prepared with the
case as well as with the given readings. It is imperative that students should carry
the prescribed textbook as well as the relevant case during class hours.
 Please present to the class on time. Anyone who comes/present to the class five
minutes after the start of the session will not be permitted to attend the class unless
special permission has been taken by the student in advance.
 Any other engagement is not permitted during the class delivery time as per new
institute guidelines.
 Plagiarism will be dealt with the utmost strictness. Any copying or use of unfair
means in the test and/or project will lead to deduction of marks and other serious
consequences.
 Request for a retest, in case a student scores less marks or is absent on the day of the
test, will not be entertained.
 In case of doubts about the understanding of the subject, the student can consult
directly with the concerned faculty over phone or e-mail during institute timings.
 

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 APPENDIX: LIST OF CASES/READING MATERIALS
Cases:

A Gem of a Study

Agricomp

Akron Childrens Hospital - A

Akron Childrens Hospital - B

Calling Up Attendance

Campbell Ewald Pumps Awareness into the American Heart Association

Campbell Ewald R-E-S-P-E-C-T Spells Loyalty

Can Research Rescue the Red Cross

Catalyst for Women in Financial Services

Covering Kids Exhibits

Donatos Finding The New Pizza

Hero Builders

Inquiring Minds Want to Know Now

MarcusThomas TroyBilt

Mastering Teacher Leadership

McDonalds Tests Catfish Sandwich

NCRCC Teeing Up A New Strategic Direction

Net Conversions Influences Kelley Blue Book

Ohio Lottery

Open Doors Extending Hospitality To Travelers With Disabilities

Proof Point

Ramada Demonstrates Its Personal Best

Starbucks duetto Visa

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 State Farm Dangerous Intersections

USTA Come Out Swinging

Yahoo Consumer Direct Marries Purchase Metrics to Banner Ads

Video cases:
Akron Children's Hospital

Campbell-Ewald Pumps Awareness into the American Heart Association

Covering Kids with Health Care

Cummins Engines

Data Development, Inc.

Donato's – Finding the Right Pizza

Envirosell, Inc.

Goodyear's Aquatred

Lexus SC 430

Ohio Lottery: Innovation Research design Drives Winning

Pebble Beach Co.

Starbucks, Bank One, and Visa Launch Starbucks card Duetto Visa

USTA: Come Out Swinging

Volkswagen's Beetle

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