Semester II Class of 2014 Business Research Methods (SL RM 502)

Course Handout
Course Faculty
Mr. Dipanjan Kumar Dey Office: E-006 (Ground Floor) Mail ID: dipanjandey@ibsindia.org Class hours: For Section N: Wednesday 10.45 am 12 pm Thursday 9.20 am 10.35 am

Course Objective Managers play an important role in organizational decision making. To be effective in this role, Managers need to be enabled to conceive and execute business research using theoretical inputs on research methodology if the research is manageable at their level. Knowledge of business research methods is all the more important for interacting with Consultants should their help be needed for the organization. It is also necessary to enable managers on software like SPSS to facilitate statistical analysis of data to support the research. With this capability, managers would be able to handle many routine business research problems at their levels. This course aims at equipping you on these.

Teaching Pedagogy Case methodology & discussion mode

Requirements from students The subject is easy to cope with, provided you work regularly. You are REQUIRED to read the indicated Chapters & Cases before coming to class. You are advised to revise the discussed lessons the same day for better grasp and saving time.

Attendance and Class Discipline The institutions attendance policy will be strictly followed. Students are free to ask questions / doubts / clarifications at the class on topics under discussion. For other doubts, they should meet me individually in my office during working hours.

Please Turn Off Your Mobile Phones While The Class Is Going On Please Be Extremely Punctual In Terms Of Attending the Classes. Latecomers Would Not Be Allowed Inside The Classroom

Session Plan (Subject to Change as per requirements) Session No. Sr. No. Topic 1 Introduction to Business Research Research Process Research Design: Exploratory & Descriptive Experimental Research Design 1&2 Detailed Syllabus Meaning & definition of Research Relevance and significance of Research in business, Types of Research Research problems Features of a Good Research Study Introduction Theoretical Framework Formulating Research Problem & Research Hypotheses Research Design Definition & Formulation, Classification of Research Design Experiment, Experimental Research Design, Pre-requisites for Causal Inferences, Experimental Validity (internal & external), Classification of Experimental Design Chapters from prescribed book Chapter 1 (DC&NS)

Cases 1. The launch of new coke ICMR Case

2 3

3&4 5&6

Chapter 2 (DC&NS) Chapter 3 (DC&NS)

2. The initial hiccups of a start up brand 3. Danish International (A) (Case 2.1 from DC & NS) 4. Danish International (B) (Case 3.2 from DC & NS) 5. SSSs Experiment: Choosing an Appropriate research design 6. City couriers: Dilemma in design experiment 7. New Business Venture and Analysis of Country of Origin Effects (Case discussion) 8. Fresh Cola New Product Research (Case discussion) (At least TWO cases) 9. Exploring primary and secondary data: Lessons to learn 10. Survey in trade show: Participant Communication instruments 11. Saturn Clothing Company : measuring customer satisfaction 12. Tupperware India Pvt. Ltd. (Case 7.1 from DC & NS) (At least ONE case) Class Participation Evaluation by 12th session (5%) by Faculty for the first 11 sessions (CP1) 13. Tupperware India Pvt. Ltd. (Case 7.1 from DC & NS) 14. Mall for All (Case 8.1 from DC & NS) 15. Outlook for Outlook (Case 8.2 from DC & NS) 16. What does an Employee want? (Case 8.3 from DC & NS) (At least TWO cases)

7&8

Chapter 4 (DC&NS)

Data Collection Methods

9 & 10

Measurement and Scaling

11 & 12

Secondary Data - Drawbacks, Internal & External Sources, Qualitative vs Quantitative Research, Primary Data Collection by various Survey Methods and Observational Methods Measurements Types of Measurement Scales Attitude Measurement - Classification of Scales Single vs Multiple, Comparative vs Non-comparative Types of Errors in Measurement Criteria for good measurement Reliability Validity - Sensitivity

Chapters 5 &6 (DC&NS)

Chapter 7 (DC&NS)

Questionnaire Design

13

Objectives of a Questionnaire, Criteria for Questionnaire Designing, Questionnaire Designing Procedure, Types of questions to ask and intricacies in them

Chapter 8 (DC&NS)

Mid Term Exam 1 8 9 10 Introduction to SPSS Data Preparation Two-way ANOVA

14 15 16 17 & 18 SPSS Basics

NCP 1

Chapter 20 (DC&NS)

Data Coding, Data Cleaning, Identification Outlier, Handling Missing Values (all using SPSS) Applications of two-way ANOVA as an analysis tool for complex experimental designs

Chapter 10 (DC&NS)

NCP 1: 30 to 40 minutes test on the portions so far With a general data manipulation exercise using a data set (data file) 17. Stream : Accomplishing success through Data Analysis 18. New Business Venture and Analysis of Country of Origin Effects (Case analysis) 19. Fresh Cola New Product Research (Case analysis) (At least ONE case) 20. Marketing dilemma for Elan jeans brand - do Class Participation Evaluation by 23rd session (12.5 %) by Faculty for the 11th to 22nd sessions (CP2) 21. MRP Biscuit Company Pvt. Ltd. (Case 15.1 from DC & NS) 22. Zeon Auto Research Inc. - do -

11

Factor Analysis

19 20 & 21

Factor Analysis - Basics Exploratory Factor Analysis

Chapter 16 (DC&NS) - do -

12

Multiple Regression

22

23 & 24

Mid Term Exam 2 13 Discriminant Analysis

25 26 27 28 & 29

Multiple Regression Assumptions & Basics, SPSS Output Interpretation, Transforming Dependent & Independent Variables Multiple Regression dealing with Multi-collinearity, idea of Autocorrelation, Regression with Dummy Variables NCP 2 Discriminant Analysis Basics Discriminant Analysis Two Group Case Discriminant Analysis Multiple Group Case Cluster Analysis - Basics

Chapter 15 (DC&NS)

- do -

Chapter 17 (DC&NS) Chapter 17 (DC&NS) - do Chapter 18 (DC&NS) - do - do -

NCP 2: 30 to 40 minutes test on the portions so far 23. Apna Market - do - do 24. Corpus Electronics: Decision to segment the market for Convergence Products - do - do Class Participation Evaluation by 33rd session (12.5 %) by Faculty for the 23rd to 33 rd sessions (CP3)

14

Cluster Analysis

30

31 32 15 33

Hierarchical Clustering K-Means Clustering Report Writing

Summary of Evaluation Plan BRM is a one semester, 3 Credit, 33 sessions course. The evaluation plan is as below: Sr. No.
1 Class participation (3 phases) 30 % By 12 session (CP1 5 %) 2 Non-Class participation and End Term Exam 70 % 14 session (NCP 1 - 15 %)
th th

Components

Weight- age Dates for conducting

By 23 session (CP2 12.5 %) 25 session (NCP 2 - 15 %)
th rd rd

By 33 session (CP3 12.5 %) End-Term (date to be announced) (40 % )

Grading
Marks on class participation and non-class participation components would be graded on relative grading basis following the institutional norms. There would be no change in grades once awarded unless there is some technical error. Constructive questioning is welcome but you are strictly advised not to question the authority of the faculty member in the grades awarded. This would make the student liable towards disciplinary action as deemed fit. Make up test Make up tests are permitted only under EXCEPTIONAL situations with prior written information to me and permission from me. A student will be permitted to avail only ONE make up test opportunity. A make up test will be tougher than the normal test. You are highly discouraged from taking a makeup test. Unfair Practices Unfair practices in examinations & tests and plagiarism in assignments work will straight away entail a ZERO to all involved parties. It is not relevant for me to know the source and destination of plagiarism. There will be no scope for any retest / make up test in such cases. Important

It would be advantageous to upload SPSS software on your laptops by buying a licensed version from the company although it is not mandatory. IT Lab has machines in which SPSS is uploaded for your practice and use.

Text Books 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Research Methodology: Concepts & Cases, Deepak Chawla and Neena Sondhi, Vikas, 2012. (Prescribed Text Book) (DC&NS) Business Research Methods: 7e, William G. Zikmund, Thomson South Western, India Edition, 2006. Marketing Research: A South Asian Perspective: G.A. Churchill Jr., D. Iacobucci, D. Israel, Cengage Learning, 2009. Business Research Methods: Donald R. Cooper and Ramela S. Schnider, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Co. Ltd., 2000. th Marketing Research: Naresh Malhotra, Pearson Education, 5 Edition, 2007 (Indian Edition available). Marketing Research: Concepts & Cases: 2e, Rajendra Nargundkar , Tata McGraw Hill Edition, 2003. Business Statistics in Practice: 5e, Bowerman et. al., Tata McGraw Hill Edition, 2009.

ALL THE VERY BEST