RECAP: LESSON

FROM WEEK 1
 1) Research process highlighted in this course
is ACADEMIC RESEARCH (not
APPLIED/PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH)
2) Don’t confuse between Research Proposal
with Case Study Research Proposal
SUMMARY
3) Better choose research topic that is not
the same as your case study – avoid
confusion
 Case Study Research
Research Proposal Proposal
 Starts with a general  Starts with a case
research topic company
 Needs extensive review  Only requires reference
RESEARCH of literature (mostly to literature during Part
PROPOSAL journals) 2 (mostly textbook
material) and industry
VS. CASE  Issue/problem – what
background
previous studies
RESEARCH (literature) neglected to  Issue/problem - what is
PROPOSAL do/focus happening in the
company
 Data collection – survey
questionnaire and/or  Data collection- mostly
interview observation and
interview
 Data analysis –
qualitative, quantitative  No data analysis needed
THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Formulate and Critically Formulate

clarify your review the your research
research topic literature design

Write Report Analyze data Collect data

Q: How does a business
research output looks like?

A: Please refer to a sample of

business research article in PB
MGM5116
BUSINESS
RESEARCH
APPLICATION
CHAPTER 2 –
Formulating and
Clarifying the
Research Topic
  The starting point - the most difficult, yet
most important step in a research process

 Wrong topic will result in less successful

research project
RESEARCH
TOPIC  Must take time in generating and refining
research topics – developmental exercise

 Reflexive (critically reflective) and open to

new learning
ATTRIBUTES
OF A GOOD
RESEARCH
TOPIC
Generating Research
Ideas
 Rational Thinking Creative Thinking
TECHNIQUES  Examining your own  Keeping a notebook of
your ideas
FOR strengths and interests
 Exploring personal
GENERATING  Examining staff research
preferences using past
interests
AND projects
 Looking at past project
REFINING titles  Exploring relevance to
business using the
RESEARCH  Discussion literature
IDEAS  Searching existing  Relevance trees (mind-
literature map)
 Scanning the media  Brainstorming
Refining Research
Ideas
 • Informal discussion with colleagues
Delphi • Generate alternative, evaluate them &
Technique reach consensus

• Reviewing literature
Preliminary • Informal discussions
Inquiry • Shadowing respondents

When given topic is not interesting

Focus Focusing on a smaller part of a larger topic

Integrating Integrating the use of all above techniques

Ideas
EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH TOPICS IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

1. Remote working/Flexible working hours and employee performance

2. Buyer behavior in using online food delivery platform

3. Effectiveness of social media platform for companies

4. Perception of public regarding e-government mobile applications

5. Cyber security and awareness of online consumers

6. Consumer trust on imported products

7. HR practices and their impact on employees’ motivations

8. E-tailers and their promotional strategies

9. Buyer awareness of halal pharmaceutical products

Turning Research
Ideas Into Research
Project
Research Questions & Research
Objectives
  Center of your research project - guides your research
direction
 Influence your choice of literature review, research
design, sampling approach, data collection, analysis
RESEARCH methods, etc.
QUESTIONS  Can be more general, which will generate detailed
research objectives
(RQ)
 A good RQ (and RO) will determine a good conclusion
since conclusion should answer your RQ/RO
 RQ may be refined from time to time once you go
deeper into your literature review
  Different types: exploratory, descriptive,
explanatory or evaluative
 Types of questions: What, when, where, who,
why, how?
RESEARCH  Make sure questions are not “too big”, “too
QUESTION small”, “too hot” or “too cold” – the Goldilocks
(CONT’D) Test
 It is okay to replicate previous studies’ RQ/RO
(for MBA level), but make sure review of
literature is not ignored
 ❑Gain accurate profile of events,
persons or situations
DESCRIPTIVE ❑Questions: Who? What? When?
STUDIES Where? How?
❑Survey Questionnaire
 ❑Establish causal relationships between
variables
EXPLANATORY ❑To study a situation or problem in
STUDIES order to explain the relationships
between variables
❑Survey Questionnaire
 ❑Questions: What? How? Why?
❑Clarify your understanding of an issue,
problem or phenomena – unsure of its
EXPLORATORY
precise nature
STUDIES
❑Interviews, observations, literature
search, focus group interviews, archival
research, etc.
Topic : The performance of SMEs amidst COVID19 pandemic
RQ : “What are the factors that significantly influence the performance of SMEs
during the COVID19 pandemic in Malaysia?” (explanatory)

Topic : The use of e-wallet among consumers in Malaysia

RQ : “How frequent do Malaysian Gen Y consumers use e-wallet in their purchase
transactions?” (descriptive)

Topic : Pre-purchase behavior of consumers for unsought products such as

insurance
RQ : “How do newly married couples decide when purchasing life insurance for
their family?”(exploratory)

Topic : Reasons behind consumers using online method to book for hotels
RQ : “Why do consumers prefer to book hotels through online travel agencies as
opposed to traditional travel agencies?” (exploratory)
Topic : The international expansion of domestic fims
RQ : When is the best time for companies to plan for international expansion?”
(exploratory)

Topic : Success of women entrepreneurs

RQ : “What influences the success of women entrepreneurs in the Malaysian
cottage industry?” (explanatory)

Topic : Stress and employees’ performance

RQ : “Does stress affect frontline employees’ performance in the hospitality
industry?” (explanatory)

Topic : Sustainable performance of multinational companies

RQ : “Do external environmental factors play a role in sustainable performance of
multinational companies?” (explanatory)
  Is based on Research Questions

 Evidence of the researcher’s clear sense of

purpose and directions
RESEARCH
OBJECTIVE  Enable researchers to operationalize their
Research Questions

 Provide the steps to answer Research

Questions
Topic : The performance of SMEs amidst COVID19 pandemic
RQ : “What are the factors that significantly influence the performance of SMEs
during the COVID19 pandemic in Malaysia?” (explanatory)
RO : 1. To investigate the relationship between digitalization and the performance of
SMEs during COVID19 pandemic
2. To examine the relationship between government assistance and the
performance of SMEs during COVID19 pandemic

Topic : Pre-purchase behavior of consumers for unsought products such as

insurance
RQ : “How do newly married couples decide when purchasing life insurance for
their family?”(exploratory)
RO : 1. To explore the role that gender plays in the decision making of newly
married couples in purchasing life insurance
2. To explore the role of religion in the decision making of newly married
couples in purchasing life insurance
Topic : Success of women entrepreneurs
RQ : “What influences the success of women entrepreneurs in the Malaysian
cottage industry?” (explanatory)
RO : 1. To investigate the influence of financial assistance on the success of women
entrepreneurs in the Malaysian cottage industry
2. To examine the influence of entrepreneurship training on the success of
women entrepreneurs in the Malaysian cottage industry

Topic : Stress and employees’ performance

RQ : “Does stress affect frontline employees’ performance in the hospitality
industry?” (explanatory)
RO : 1. To examine the relationship between workplace conflict and frontline
employees’ performance in the hospitality industry
2. To examine the relationship between burnout and frontline employees’
performance in the hospitality industry
INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT
VARIABLES (IV) VARIABLE (DV)

WORKPLACE
CONFLICT
EMPLOYEE JOB
PERFORMANCE

BURNOUT
Turning Research
Ideas Into Research
Project
The Importance of Theory
  Assumptions, explanations and predictions of
certain phenomena
 Theory is concerned about causality (cause and
effect) – academic research will be guided by
theory
What Is  A good theory is composed of four elements
Theory? (Whetten, 1989)
 What – concepts/variables are involved in the
research
 How – concepts/variables related to each other
 Why (logical reasoning) – are they related?
 Where, when, who – context by which research was
done
 Technology Acceptance Model

What – concepts/variables are

involved in the research
Source: Davis (1989); Davis, Bagozzi & Warshaw How – concepts/variables related to
each other
(1989) Why (logical reasoning) – are they
related?
Where, when, who – context by
which research was done
 What – concepts/variables are involved in the
Source: Ajzen (1985) research
How – concepts/variables related to each other
Why (logical reasoning) – are they related?
Where, when, who – context by which research
was done
  Theories will guide the development of your RQ and
RO
 Can find through literature review (journal articles) –
how many have done similar study/RQs, the context in
which studies were done, how research was conducted,
Theory etc.
 Your research will either:
and  Test/assess the theory in the context of your study -
deductive approach – (explanatory RQ)
RQ/RO  i.e. Does leadership style affect employees’ motivation
level?

 Develop theory/theoretical explanation from data collection

and analysis – inductive approach (exploratory RQ)
 i.e. Why are consumers motivated to purchase counterfeit
fashion goods products?
  Theory is important to advise your RQ in terms of the relationship
between variables /concepts – designed to produce theoretical
explanations, not only to produce descriptive findings.
How satisfied are employees about the recent compensation
revision?
Theory and VS.
RQ/RO How did the level of satisfaction of employees regarding
the recent compensation plan influence their job
(cont’d) performance?
 Contributes to substantive theories - a tiny bump in the body of
knowledge! – different contexts, time, population or problem.
 Contributes to practical usefulness to managers of firms and
policymakers.
  CHAPTER 1
 Introduction
 Background of Study
 Problem Statement
 Research  CHAPTER 3
Question/Research  Introduction
Objective
 Significance of Study  Population and Sampling
Frame
 Key Terms and Definitions
PROPOSAL  Chapter Summary
 Target Respondents
 Sampling Method, Sample
STRUCTURE  CHAPTER 2
Size, etc.
 Research Instrument &
Measurement
 Introduction
 Data Analysis
 Theory
 Chapter Summary
 Dependent Variable
 Independent Variables
 Hypothesis Development
 Research Framework
 Chapter Summary