Chapter 1

Dr, Ung Veasna

 What is Business Research?

• A systematic Inquiry whose objective is to

provide information to solve managerial
problems.

• Research provides you with the

knowledge and skills needed for the fast-
paced decision-making environment

2
 Why Managers need Better
Information

• Global and domestic competition is more

vigorous
• Organizations are increasingly practicing
data mining and data warehousing

3
 The Value of Acquiring Research
Skills
• To gather more information before
selecting a course of action
• To do a high-level research study
• To understand research design
• To evaluate and resolve a current
management dilemma
• To establish a career as a research
specialist
4
 Type of Research

Reporting
Reporting

Observation
Observation

Exploratory
Exploratory

Prediction
Prediction

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 What is Good Research?

• Following the standards of the

scientific method
• Purpose clearly defined
• Research process detailed
• Research design
thoroughly planned
• Limitations frankly revealed
• High ethical standards
applied

6
 What is Good Research? (cont.)

• Following the standards of the scientific

method (cont.)
• Adequate analysis for decision-maker’s
needs
• Findings presented unambiguously
• Conclusions justified
• Researcher’s experience reflected

7
 The Manager-Researcher
Relationship
• Manager’s obligations
• Specify problems
• Provide adequate background information
• Access to company information gatekeepers
• Researcher’s obligations
• Develop a creative research design
• Provide answers to important business questions

8
 Manager-Researcher Conflicts

•Management’s limited
exposure to research
•Manager sees researcher
as threat to personal
status
•Researcher has to
consider corporate culture
and political situations
•Researcher’s isolation
from managers

10
 When Research Should be Avoided
When information cannot be
applied to a critical
managerial decision

When managerial decision

involves little risk

When management has

insufficient resources to
conduct a study

When the cost of the study

outweighs the level of risk of
the decision
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