UNIVERSITY OF GUJRAT

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES

I. COURSE INFORMATION

Course Name: Advance Business Research Methods

Course Code: MGT-501
Total Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisite: Research Methods in Business (MGT-309)
Applied Statistics (STAT 203)

II. COURSE DESCRIPTION

Well-thought-out business decisions require a thorough understanding of all stakeholders of the

business, and the environment surrounding it. This course is designed to equip students with the
essential tools of research which forms the basis of sound decision-making. Through an applied
approach using real case studies and a semester-long research project, supplemented by
classroom discussions and presentations, students gain knowledge of how a business issue is
converted into a research problem and what approach is used to bring out the most appropriate
alternatives within a given situation. Understanding of basic and advance techniques of business
research enhances analytical capabilities and grounds decisions in logical and factual
information.

III. COURSE OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this course students will be able to:

 Differentiate alternative research epistemologies and their appropriate use based on

research issue
 Describe the research process in detail
 Explain research and its components
 Understand and apply advanced qualitative research methods to solve business problems
 Understand and apply advanced quantitative research methods to solve business problems

IV. COURSE COMPETENCIES

This course will develop following competencies among students

 Ability to develop critical understanding of research methodology and design prior to

writing the dissertation/thesis
 Ability to formulate a comprehensive research proposal
 Ability to employ the major techniques associated with qualitative and quantitative
research methods in dissertation/thesis

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V. COURSE CONTENTS

 Introduction and overview of research, inductive and deductive reasoning

 Defining the Research Problem & Developing an Approach
 Using the Literature
 Research Design
 Exploratory Research Design: Secondary Data
 Exploratory Research Design: Qualitative Research
 Descriptive Research Design: Survey & Observation
 Causal Research Design: Experimentation
 Measurement & Scaling: Fundamentals
 Concept of Reliability and Validity
 Questionnaire & Form Design
 Sampling: Design and Procedure
 Sampling: Final & Initial Sample Size Determination
 Introduction Statistical Packages (SPSS, AMOS)
 Frequency Distribution, Cross Tabulation & Hypothesis Testing
 Analysis of Variance and Covariance
 Correlation and Regression
 Factor Analysis
 Cluster Analysis
 Other Statistical Analysis
 Plagiarism issues

VI. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Project/Presentation: 25%
Mid Term Examination: 25%
Final Term Examination 50%
Total: 100%

VII. TEXTBOOK

 Bryman & Bell: Business Research Methods (3rd Edition), Oxford University Press
 Applied Business Research: Qualitative and Quantitative, Cavana, R. Y., Delahaye,
B. L. & Uma Sekaran (2001). Australia: John Wiley & Sons
 Zickmund, W. G. Business Research Methods (Latest edition.). Thomson learning

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VIII. REFERENCE BOOK

 Kotari, C.R 2004) Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques, New Age
International (pvt) Ltd
 Schwab, D. P (2005) Research Methods for Organizational Studies, Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates,
 Adams, J., Khan, H.T.A., Raeside, R., White, D (2007). Research Methods for Graduate
Business and Social Science Students, Response Book-Sage
 Neville, Colin (2008), The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism, Open
University Press

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