Understanding Business Research

Explore the essential steps for data collection, reporting, and analysis in business research Understanding Business Research offers a comprehensive introduction to the entire process of designing, conducting, interpreting, and reporting findings in the business environment. With an emphasis on the human factor, the book presents a complete set of tools for tackling complex behavioral and social processes that are a part of data collection in industry settings. Utilizing numerous real-world examples throughout, the authors begin by presenting an overview of the research process, outlining key ideas relating to the business environment, ethics, and empirical methods. Quantitative techniques and considerations that are specific to business research, including sampling and the use of assessments, surveys, and objective measures are also introduced. Subsequent chapters outline both common and specialized research designs for business data, including: Correlational Research Single Variable Between-Subjects Research Correlated Groups Designs Qualitative and Mixed-Method Research Between-Subjects Designs Between-Subjects Factorial Designs Research with Categorical Data Each chapter is organized using an accessible, comprehensive pedagogy that ensures a fluid presentation. Case studies showcase the real-world applications of the discussed topics while critical thinking exercises and Knowledge Checks supply questions that allow readers to test their comprehension of the presented material. Numerous graphics illustrate the visual nature of the research, and chapter-end glossaries outline definitions of key terms. In addition, detailed appendices provide a review of basic concepts and the most commonly used statistical tables. Requiring only a basic understanding of statistics, Understanding Business Research is an excellent book for courses on business statistics as well as business and management science research methods at the graduate level. The book is also a valuable resource for practitioners in business, finance, and management science who utilize qualitative and quantitative research methods in their everyday work.

Are you conducting business research for the first time and aren′t sure where to begin? This book gives you everything you need to successfully complete your research project. From choosing a direction for your research and considering ethics to data collection and presenting your results, it offers straightforward guidance on every step of the research process. Covering topics such as social media research, group working and how to research your own organisation, it provides a thorough view of research for business and management students. The book: Enables you visualise how each stage of research links to the next, and makes sure you don′t miss a step with a handy ′Research Project Wheel′ Empowers you to increase your employability and develop transferable skills, such as proposal writing and data analysis Provides student research examples that show common challenges you might face - and how to address them. Key features include research snapshots, offering short how-to examples for doing real research, and concept cartoons, which put forward different views about research so you can broaden your knowledge. It also has end-of-chapter questions, online multiple choice questions and Kahoot! questions so you can test your understanding. Guiding you through working with and understanding both primary and secondary data, this book is the perfect companion for any undergraduate conducting a business and management research project.

Are you about to begin your dissertation or a research project, but don’t know what topic to choose?Are you unsure of what research methods to use and how they should be applied to your project?Are you worried about how to write up your research project?Then this is the book for you! A balanced coverage of qualitative and quantitative methods means that no matter what approach you choose to use for your project, there are examples and case studies to help guide you through the process. Student Research boxes provide an insight into situations and research decisions that students have encountered in real life projects. They contain hints, tips and sometimes questions to help you think through your own project. A Running Case Study charts the progression of two student research projects - one qualitative and one quantitative - and shows how the content of each chapter can be used to develop their projects. Thought provoking questions are included in order to help you consider the issues and decisions involved, which you can then apply to your own project. Deeper Insight boxes delve further into particular research issues, offering you a detailed description to increase your understanding of these areas, whilst Real Life examples put research methods into context, by showing you how they have been applied in real world situations. The Online Learning Centre contains a vast amount of extra resources to help you create a superior project: Six statistical chapters are available to help you prepare, test and analyse your hypotheses and data. Extra cases, appendices and dataset exercises help you to take your study further. Check out the Research Skills Centre for free chapters of Study Skills books, examples of good and bad proposals, and templates for questionnaires and surveys. All of this and more can be found at www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/textbooks/blumberg

Taking a systems perspective, this book enables the student to make sense of business behaviour by demonstrating how interrelated business processes determine the success of an organisation.

An adaptation of 'Social Research Methods' by Alan Bryman, this volume provides a comprehensive introduction to the area of business research methods. It gives students an assessment of the contexts within which different methods may be used and how they should be implemented.

Managers increasingly must make decisions based on almost unlimited information. How can they navigate and organize this vast amount of data? Essentials of Business Research Methods provides research techniques for people who aren't data analysts. The authors offer a straightforward, hands-on approach to the vital managerial process of gathering and using data to make clear business decisions. They include such critical topics as the increasing role of online research, ethical issues, data mining, customer relationship management, and how to conduct information-gathering activities more effectively in a rapidly changing business environment. This is the only such book that includes a chapter on qualitative data analysis, and the coverage of quantitative data analysis is more extensive and much easier to understand than in other works. The book features a realistic continuing case throughout the text that enables students to see how business research information is used in the real world. It includes applied research examples in all chapters, as well as Ethical Dilemma mini - cases, and interactive Internet applications and exercises.

Now in its Fifth Edition, this much-loved text offers theoretical and philosophical depth as well as insights into practice. The text covers the entire research process in an accessible way and provides critical, thoughtful treatment of important issues like ethics and politics, making it an invaluable companion for any business and management student New to the Fifth Edition: Expanded to include examples from across business and management including Marketing, International Business and Psychology Up-to-date, international examples and cases from a range of countries Introductory chapter looks at writing proposals in detail Chapter on the literature review now includes how to critically review Move towards new technologies and social media including discussion of wikis and cloud sourcing Improved structure and flow, with three chapters on qualitative methods and three on quantitative methods Additional practical exercises which are linked to key research tasks throughout The companion website (https://edge.sagepub.com/easterbysmith) offers a wealth of resources for both lecturers and students including, for lecturers, an instructor′s manual and PowerPoint slides and, for students, author podcasts, journal articles, web links, MCQs, datasets and a glossary.