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Course CodeProfessor: Tayyeb A. KhanSection: (Monday/12:30pm & Thursday/10:30 pm)Room: Professor’s room # 40

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course focuses on the analysis of business problems and the use of scientific research as a problem solving tool. This encompasses the understanding and application of appropriate research designs, research statistics, the use of the computer for data analyses, and report writing and presentation.

OBJECTIVES

1. To acquire skills to locate problem areas in organizational settings, and plan, organize, design, and conduct research to help solve the identified problems;

2. To get conversant with the use of statistical analysis and computer programs;

3. To be able to write and present research reports; and

4. To develop skills and knowledge to discriminate "good" from "bad" research reported in academic, business, and trade journals.

PEDAGOGY & REQUIREMENTS

Class sessions will be mainly used for discussions to clarify concepts, ideas, methods, designs, etc., elaborated in the text book. Students must come prepared with the assigned readings (as per the attached schedule) so that meaningful discussions can be initiated primarily by the students themselves. Several in-class and out-of-class exercises will also have to be worked out individually and in groups by the class participants.

Two class periods will be allocated for simulation of interviews so that students can intelligently gather data from the organizations where they will be conducting a research project as a partial requirement for the class. Class participants should allocate enough time for the organizational survey and group meetings.

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GRADING CRITERIA

1. Grades will conform to the degree to which each of the requirements stressed in class is met in the various assignments.

2. Grades for class participation will reflect the Instructor's perceptions of student quality and quantity of inputs to class learning, both during the lecture sessions, and the group sessions. Often, the extent of class participation has made the difference between a higher and lower grade for the participants of the course.

TEXT

Sekaran, U. Business Research Methods for Managers: A Skill-Building Approach, 5th edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR Semester/ Year

Week Topics Chapter1 Introduction to Research: Description, Definition, 1

Managers and Consultants: Relationship,Internal vs. External ConsultantsEthics in Research

2 Scientific Investigation 2 The Hypothetico-Deductive Method

3 The Research Process: Problem Area, Literature 3Exercises in Preliminary Data Gathering and Literature Review

4 Theoretical Framework 4Hypotheses Development

5 Research Design 5

6 SIMULATION SESSIONS 5

7 Debriefing of Simulation 5Research Design continued

8 Measurement of Variables: Operational Definition 6Mid Term Exam,

9 Measurement: Scaling, reliability, validity 7Data Collection methods

10 Data Collection Methods: Interviewing 8 Questionnaire Design

11 Sampling 10

12 Quantitative Data Analysis 11 & 12Data Analysis and interpretation

13 Qualitative Data Analysis 13

14 The Research Report 14

15 Project Presentations 15

16 Project Presentation 16

Group projects due by 1.00 p.m. on Monday, January 7, 2013.

University Guidelines:

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The University’s honesty policy regarding cheating and use of copyrighted materials will be enforced in this class.

Grading:

Source Weightage

Explanation

Mid and Final Term Exams

75% Exams will be a combination of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer questions. Questions will be taken from the readings, lecture, exercises, and class discussion. Exam II will not be cumulative. If missed, exams can only be made up with written, verifiable documentation.

Group Project

25% The Group Project will consist of a research project that attempts to understand, predict, and explain some key aspect of management issues. This project will be performed in six-person groups. Project details are given on the last two pages of this syllabus.

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SCHEDULE FOR RESEARCH PROJECT

Date Week Activities

Oct 25(Thurs) 4 Members assigned to groups.

Nov 1 (Thurs.) 5 Each group submits the names of at leasttwo organizations they have access to, to do aResearch project, in the order of their preference.

Nov 2 (Fri) 5 Instructor assigns and posts the organizations to bestudied by each group on office door.

Nov 2 – Nov 19 5-7 Structured & unstructured interviews by groups.

Nov 29 9 Groups finalize theoretical framework &questionnaire.

Dec 6 10 Groups consult with instructor on questionnairedesign finalization.

Dec 10 – Jan 3 11-14 Questionnaire administration, coding of data,computer analysis, and report writing.

Jan 7 15 Submission of group project in duplicate by 1:00 pm

Jan 10 – 18 15-16 Group project presentations.

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GROUP PROJECT

Points Introductory Section

Background 3Interview descriptions 5Literature survey 8Problem statement 2Theoretical Framework 5Hypothesis 5Research design details 2

Method Section

Population and sample 3Data Collection Methods 1Variables and Measures 7

Results Section

For discussing the means and standard deviations with tables 2Correlations with tables 2Hypothesis testing details 10

Interpretation and Conclusion 10 (including addressing limitations)

Recommendation

Specificity 8Pros and Cons 8Implementation 5

Acknowledgments 2Bibliography 7Format, Style, English 5

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TOTAL 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -

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HANDOUTS ON THE GROUP, AND CLASS PRESENTATIONPROJECTS FOR RESEARCH DONE IN ORGANIZATIONS

The course work includes a group written project and an oral presentation of the group project in class -- all two based on the study of an organization in or outside of campus.

The projects will encompass the study of an organization big enough to provide questionnaire responses from a sample of at least 35 subjects. A schedule of activities for the projects has already been given. It is absolutely essential to adhere to the schedule in order to successfully complete the assignments. It is recommended that the group members allocate the work among themselves equitably, and monitor individual performance to ensure the completion of the project on time. Group members will rate each other on a standardized form (specimen attached) and turn in these evaluations to the Instructor along with the Group Project Report toward the end of the semester.

As can be seen from the schedule that follows, the Instructor will randomly assign members to groups during the third week of the semester. The group members should immediately explore the organizations that they would be interested in studying, obtain access to at least two organizations, and turn in a list of the names of the organizations in the order of their preference. When the organization approved for study is indicated by the Instructor, unstructured and structured interviews are to be conducted by the group members with several levels of people in the organization so as to get at the problem statement and the variables influencing the situation. The group members should come up with a group problem statement, theoretical framework, and hypotheses. After revising the variables, the questionnaire would be ready for administration. Further details of the group project are provided under GUIDELINES FOR GROUP PROJECT REPORT.

There will be a presentation of the group projects in class lasting 15 minutes followed by a ten-minute question and answer session. In addition to the Instructor, the presentation will be evaluated by peers in class. The peer evaluation would reflect members' understanding of "good" and "bad" research. The instructor will evaluate each student's understanding of research as reflected in the evaluation submitted by the member. A specimen of the peer evaluation form is given in this handout.

Projects that are not submitted on the due dates will automatically be assigned at least one grade lower than what they are worth content-wise.

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CONTENTS OF GROUP PROJECT REPORT

First Sheet: Title of the Report; Team Members' Names; Date; Course, Section, and Group #

Second Sheet: Table of Contents including Tables and Figures

Third Sheet: ONE page SYNOPSIS of report; i.e., a brief summary of the study which gives information on the organization, problem investigated, variables studied, sampling design, data collection method, analysis of data and results, what it all amounts to, recommendations for implementation, and acknowledgment.

Fourth Sheet: Copy of research proposal

I. INTRODUCTORY SECTION

General idea of the problem investigated and why it is important.

Background information about organization and complete information on how problem was surfaced through initial interviews with several levels of employees.

• Literature Survey pertinent to the problem. Refined Problem Statement.Theoretical Framework.

Hypotheses--several pertinent hypotheses originating from theoretical frame work which would be based on the structured and unstructured preliminary interviews, and most importantly, from the literature survey. (The greater the number of relevant hypotheses, the greater the scope for demonstrating expertise in research in this project).

Nature of Study, type of study, etc.

II. METHOD SECTION

1. Population and Sample: Population, sample characteristics, sampling design, and why the sample size and sample method are appropriate.

2. Data Collection Methods.

3. Variables and Measures Used. How is each variable measured, and how the goodness of the measures will be established.

4. Statistical Analyses that will be used. 45

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III. ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

1. Mean and Standard Deviation of the dependent/independent variables in the study (with tabulations) and what they mean.

2. Correlation among the variables (with Table). What do the correlations mean?

3.Take each hypothesis and discuss what analysis was used and what the results were (include all relevant tables, graphs, charts, etc. in this section.)

IV. INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Hypothesis--

substantiated? What does it mean?

Hypothesis--not supported? How could that be interpreted? What could be happening?

What do the results mean? What conclusions can be drawn? Why?

V. RECOMMENDATION

Specific recommendations for implementation.

Pros and cons of the recommendations.

How should the recommendations be implemented--when, at what time, by whom, etc.

VI. SUMMARYVII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSVIII.BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCESIX. APPENDIX--structured interviews, responses to unstructured interviews, copy of

questionnaire, and other appropriate materials

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Two copies of the typed (double spaced with 1.5" margin on all-sides) report should be submitted to the Instructor. One copy will be returned with feedback.

Reports will be evaluated for content, clarity, logical presentation, and appearance. Pay particular attention to headings and sub-heads, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Number the pages. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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PEER RATING FORM FOR GROUP PROJECTS

(This Rating form offers you an opportunity to rate the efforts of your group members in conducting the research. Should be in the Instructor's mailbox in envelopes on,the specified date.)

Your Name: Organization Studied:

Section #: Group #:

Instructions:Rate each of your group members including yourself, on each of the items listed below, as objectively as possible. First, write the names of your group members (including yours) in alphabetical order of the last names in the blocks below. Then, for each question write the number which is most applicable to each of the members, as per the scale indicated immediately below.

1Very little or very

2 3 4 5Very much or all the time

Items

1. Frequency of attendance in group meetings.

2. Efforts in finding organization to be studied.

3. Efforts in the initial interviewing process.

4. Contribution to surfacing problems and variables during the interviews.

5. Integrating and evolving from the Individual projects, a final problem statement, theoretical framework, hypotheses and questionnaire.

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1 2 3 4 56. Drafting the revised literature survey.

7. Collecting data.

8. Coding/punching data.

9. Computer work.

10. Organizing data, tabulation, graphs, etc.

11. Interpretation of results from computer outputs.

12. Recommendations.

13. Drafting the final report.

14. Taking care of proofing and reading and attending to details of the report.15. Contribution in terms of ideas.

16. Overall contribution to the written project. Total (make sure you add

the total)

Now, allocate a total of 100 points among the group members. That is, distribute points such that each member's points reflect his/her contributions to the project. Make sure that the total of this row does not exceed 100.(1) +(2) +(3) +(4) +(5) = 100

If you wish to make any comments on the group project, please use an additional sheet.

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EVALUATION OF GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATION IN CLASS

Date: Organization Presented:

Presentation by Group Members:

Name of the Evaluating Member:

Note

(a) The group presentation is to be evaluated on the 21 distinct criteria listed below. The maximum that can be given for any single item is also indicated against each. An evaluation fromeach individual, excepting the presenting group members, should be in the Instructor's mailbox by 4:30 P.M. on the day of presentation.(b) Each group member's evaluation will he evaluated by theInstructor for evidence of understanding research, for good judgement, and for objectivity.(c) During the Question and Answer time, audience should ask valid and pertinent questions that would heighten the understanding of research methods for the whole class and indicate to the instructor that the student has understood the research process and design. The students will be graded for this as a part of the Participation Process. Attendance of all class members during the presentation is mandatory. Five pointswill be taken off for each day's absenteeism without prior approval by Instructor.

Criterion Maximum Your Evaluation

1. Provided adequate background of the organization studied.2. Gave a good account of how the group generated

the problem statement. That is, problem statement surfaced from the situation as it existed in the organization.

Problem statement was clearlyenunciated. 2

SUB-TOTAL 12

3

7

3.

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4. Theoretical framework made clear 5 and hypothesis clearly and

precisely stated.

5. Both the theoretical framework and 7 the hypothesis were generated from adequate review of literature and structured and unstructured interviews, all of which were discussed.

6. Nature of the study clearly indicated: (exploratory, descriptive, etc.). 1/2

7. Type of study discussed: (Causal - Correlational; Field - Comparative, etc.).

8. Gave a detailed account of the population studied and the sampling design (size, method, etc.)

9. Variables studied and measures used made clear.

10. Data collection methods adequately discussed. 1

11. Gave a feel for the "demographic data." 3

12. Clearly explained how each hypothesis was tested; i.e., explained the statistical analysis, delineating the unit, of analysis.

13. All relevant and necessary visual aids were presented (Graphs, Charts, Handouts, etc.), which facilitated and enhanced understanding. 10

14. Interpretation of results of analyses, clearly explained.

15. Conclusions of study well derived; that is, it logically followed the interpretation.

16. Implications of findings for the organization clearly discussed.5

17. Study adequately qualified for biases, insufficiencies, sampling design, reliability, validity, etc.

SUB-TOTAL OF THIS PAGE

65

1/2

5

5

85

5

5

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18. Specific recommendations made,discussing the pros and cons, forimplementation. 5

19. Appropriateness and adequacy of theresearch.

520. Presentation clear, logical, well-

organized and timed well.8

21. Learned more about research throughthis presentation (How to do, ratherthan how not to do). 5

SUB-TOTAL OF THIS PAGE 23SUB-TOTAL of FIRST SHEET

12SUB-TOTAL of SECOND SHEET 65

GRAND TOTAL 100

Overall, what percentage points would you give this group for their research based on their presentation?

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Make specific comments that would be valuable to the group, below and on the back of this sheet, if necessary.

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PRESENTATION OF PROJECT BASED ON SCENARIO

Date: Organization:

Presentation by Group Members:

Name of Evaluating Member:

Note

a. The group presentation is to be evaluated on the criteria listed below. The maximum that can be given for any single item is five (5). An evaluation from each, excepting the presenting group members should be in the Instructor's mailbox by 4:30 p.m. on the day of presentation.b. Each individual's evaluation will be evaluated by the Instructor for evidence of understanding of research, judgement, and objectivity.

Criterion Points

Group Project Grading:

All groups will turn in a “handout” printout of their presentation, with the handout set to print 3 slides per page with spaces for notes. This is the setting I use when giving you printouts of the lecture slides, with the exception that you will turn in a color copy. These handouts will be due on the date specified in the Course Schedule. Please staple this printout and please do not include any sort of cover or binder. Project grading will be broken down into two parts: content and style. Some specific dimensions include:

Content (30 points): Did you provide all the requested detail for the phases of the project? Did you develop non-cueing interview questions that tapped important and interesting concepts? Did you interview a diverse set of 4 people? Did you develop meaningful themes and a testable theory from your interviews? Did you go “beyond the call of duty” in any way with respect to your content?

Style (10 points): Did you have good eye contact with the audience, and was your speech clear and smooth? Did your slides look good in terms of backgrounds, fonts, colors, style, etc.? Did you make good use of charts and graphs to reduce your reliance on text? Was your presentation well-organized? Was your timing good (right at 15 minutes, not too long or too short)? Did you go “beyond the call of duty” in any way with respect to your style by doing something creative or

different that sets your presentation apart in your audience’s memory?