SOLUTION MANUAL
Research Methods For Business
Students
8th Edition Mark Saunders, Philip
Lewis Chapters 1 - 14, Complete
3
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
, Contents
Chapters Pages
Introduction 5
1 Business and management research, reflective diaries and the purpose
of this book 15
2 Choosing a research topic and developing your research proposal 19
3 Critically reviewing the literature 23
4 Understanding research philosophy and approaches to theory development
27
5 Formulating the research design 32
6 Negotiating access and research ethics 36
7 Selecting samples 40
8 Utilising secondary data 44
9 Collecting data through observation 48
10 Collecting primary data using research interviews and research diaries54
11 Collecting primary data using questionnaires 59
12 Analysing data quantitatively 63
13 Analysing data qualitatively 68
14 Writing and presenting your project report 72
Appendix 75
1 Research project assignment 75
2 Group poster research project assignment 80
3 Research proposal assignment 84
4 Additional cases on the companion website 89
INTRODUCTION
An overview of the instructors’ manual
This instructors’ manual provides commentary for the eighth edition of the textbook
Research Methods for Business Students. The commentary is on a chapter by chapter
basis and includes:
4
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
, chapter learning outcomes;
summary of the content;
comments on likely student reactions and possible use of materials;
ideas for students’ preparatory work;
suggestions for delivery in the classroom;
ideas for students’ follow-up work.
In addition, we have included a copy of a research project assignment, a group
research project poster assignment and a copy of a dissertation proposal assignment
as appendices.
Research dMethods dfor dBusiness d– dan doverview dof dthe deighth dedition
Pedagogic d features
The dover-riding dpurpose dof dResearch dMethods dfor dBusiness dStudents dis dto dhelp
dundergraduate dand dpostgraduate dstudents dand dstudents don dprofessional
dcourses dto dundertake dresearch. dEach dchapter ddeals dwith da dpart dof dthe dresearch
dprocess dand ddiscusses dthe dideas, dtechniques dand dmethods dusing das dlittle djargon
das dis dpossible. dTables, dchecklists dand ddiagrams dare dused dto daid dthis ddiscussion.
dWhere dnew dterms dare dintroduced dfor dthe dfirst dtime, dthey dare dshown din dbold,
dand da ddefinition dor dexplanation dfollows dshortly dafterwards. dThey dare dalso
dlisted dwith da dbrief ddefinition din dthe dglossary. dThe dapplication dof dappropriate
dinformation dtechnology dis dconsidered, din dmost dinstances das dan dintegral dpart dof
dthe dtext. dChapters dhave dbeen dcross-referenced das dappropriate, dand dan dindex
dis dprovided dtodhelp dstudents dfind dtheir dway daround dthe dbook.
Focus don dstudent dresearch dboxes dare dincluded dwithin dthe dtext dof deach
dchapter. dThese dare dbased don dactual dresearch dprojects, dundertaken dby
dstudents, din dwhich dpoints dmade din dthe dtext dare dillustrated. dIn dmany
dinstances, dthese dworked dexamples dillustrate dpossible dpitfalls dstudents dmay
dcome dacross dwhile dundertaking dtheir dresearch. dWhere da dpitfall dhas dbeen
dillustrated, dit dwill, dit dis dhoped, dhelp dyour dstudents davoid dmaking dthe dsame
dmistake. dFurther dillustrations dare dprovided dby dfocus don dmanagement dresearch
dand dresearch din dthe dnews dboxes.
Focus don dmanagement dresearch dboxes ddiscuss drecent dresearch din dbusiness
dand dmanagement. dThese dare dnormally dderived dfrom drefereed dacademic djournal
darticles, dand dstudents dare dlikely dto dbe dable dto ddownload dthe dactual darticles
dfrom donline ddatabases dat dtheir duniversity.
Focus don dresearch din dthe dnews dboxes dprovide dtopical dnews darticles dthat
5
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
, dillustrate dpertinent dresearch-related dissues. dAll dthese dwill dhelp dstudents dto
dunderstand dthe dtechnique dor didea dand dto dassess dits dsuitability dor
dappropriateness dto dtheir dresearch. dBoxed dchecklists dprovide dstudents dwith
dfurther dfocussed dguidance dfor dtheir down dresearch.
A dsummary dof dkey dpoints dat dthe dend dof deach dchapter dcan dbe dused dby
dstudents dbefore dand dafter dreading dthe dchapter dto densure dthat dthey dhave
ddigested dthe dmain dpoints.
Self-check dquestions denable dstudents dto dcheck dthey dhave dunderstood dthe
dchapter. dThese dcan dall dbe danswered dwithout drecourse dto dother d(external)
dresources. dAnswers dare dprovided dto dall dthe dself- dcheck dquestions dat dthe dend
dof deach dchapter.
Review dand ddiscuss dquestions dfollow dthe dself-check dquestions. dThese
dsuggest da dvariety dof dactivities d students d can d undertake d to d help d them d further
d develop d their d knowledge d and d understanding dof dthe dmaterial din dthe dchapter,
doften dinvolving ddiscussion dwith da dfriend.
Self-test dmultiple dchoice dquestions dand dtrue/false dquestions dfor deach dchapter
dare davailable don dthis dbook’s dcompanion dwebsite.
All dchapters dinclude da dsection dtowards dthe dend dtitled d“Progressing dyour
dresearch dproject” dthat dcan dbe dundertaken das dpart dof dthe dstudent’s dresearch
dproject. dThese dare dpresented din dsufficient ddetail dto denable dthem dto dfocus don
dthe dtechniques dthat dare dmost dappropriate dto dhis dor dher dresearch. dBy
dcompleting dall dthese dsections, dthe dstudent dwill dhave dalso dcompleted dhis dor
dher dproject dreport.
Each dchapter dis dalso daccompanied dby dreferences, dfurther dreading dand da dcase dstudy.
Further dreading dis dincluded dfor dtwo ddistinct dreasons:
▪ to ddirect dstudents dto dother dwork don dthe dideas dcontained dwithin dthe dchapter;
▪ to d direct d students d to d further d examples d of d research d where d the d ideas
d contained d in d the d chapterdhave dbeen dused.
Case dstudies dat dthe dend dof deach dchapter dare dall dnew dto dthe deighth dedition. dThey
dhave dbeen ddrawn dfrom da dvariety dof dbusiness dand dmanagement dresearch
dscenarios dand dhave dbeen dbased don dthe dcase dstudy’s dauthors’ dstudents’
dexperiences dwhen dundertaking da dresearch dproject. dThey dhave dbeen dwritten
dto dhighlight dreal dissues dthat doccur dwhen dundertaking dbusiness dand dmanagement
dresearch. dTo dhelp dfocus dstudents’ dthoughts dor ddiscussion don dsome dof dthe
dpertinent dissues, deach dcase dis dfollowed dby devaluative dquestions, danswers dto
dwhich dare dprovided don dthe dInstructors’ dCompanion dWeb dSite. dA dcase dstudy
dfollows devery dchapter. dA dfurther d75 dcase dstudies dfrom dearlier deditions dof dthe
dbook dare davailable don dthe dStudents’ dCompanion dWeb dSite; danswers dto dthese
dcases dare dprovided don dthe dInstructors’ dCompanion dWeb dSite. dA dcomplete dlist
dof dthese dcases dis dprovided din dAppendix d4.
6
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
Research Methods For Business
Students
8th Edition Mark Saunders, Philip
Lewis Chapters 1 - 14, Complete
3
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
, Contents
Chapters Pages
Introduction 5
1 Business and management research, reflective diaries and the purpose
of this book 15
2 Choosing a research topic and developing your research proposal 19
3 Critically reviewing the literature 23
4 Understanding research philosophy and approaches to theory development
27
5 Formulating the research design 32
6 Negotiating access and research ethics 36
7 Selecting samples 40
8 Utilising secondary data 44
9 Collecting data through observation 48
10 Collecting primary data using research interviews and research diaries54
11 Collecting primary data using questionnaires 59
12 Analysing data quantitatively 63
13 Analysing data qualitatively 68
14 Writing and presenting your project report 72
Appendix 75
1 Research project assignment 75
2 Group poster research project assignment 80
3 Research proposal assignment 84
4 Additional cases on the companion website 89
INTRODUCTION
An overview of the instructors’ manual
This instructors’ manual provides commentary for the eighth edition of the textbook
Research Methods for Business Students. The commentary is on a chapter by chapter
basis and includes:
4
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
, chapter learning outcomes;
summary of the content;
comments on likely student reactions and possible use of materials;
ideas for students’ preparatory work;
suggestions for delivery in the classroom;
ideas for students’ follow-up work.
In addition, we have included a copy of a research project assignment, a group
research project poster assignment and a copy of a dissertation proposal assignment
as appendices.
Research dMethods dfor dBusiness d– dan doverview dof dthe deighth dedition
Pedagogic d features
The dover-riding dpurpose dof dResearch dMethods dfor dBusiness dStudents dis dto dhelp
dundergraduate dand dpostgraduate dstudents dand dstudents don dprofessional
dcourses dto dundertake dresearch. dEach dchapter ddeals dwith da dpart dof dthe dresearch
dprocess dand ddiscusses dthe dideas, dtechniques dand dmethods dusing das dlittle djargon
das dis dpossible. dTables, dchecklists dand ddiagrams dare dused dto daid dthis ddiscussion.
dWhere dnew dterms dare dintroduced dfor dthe dfirst dtime, dthey dare dshown din dbold,
dand da ddefinition dor dexplanation dfollows dshortly dafterwards. dThey dare dalso
dlisted dwith da dbrief ddefinition din dthe dglossary. dThe dapplication dof dappropriate
dinformation dtechnology dis dconsidered, din dmost dinstances das dan dintegral dpart dof
dthe dtext. dChapters dhave dbeen dcross-referenced das dappropriate, dand dan dindex
dis dprovided dtodhelp dstudents dfind dtheir dway daround dthe dbook.
Focus don dstudent dresearch dboxes dare dincluded dwithin dthe dtext dof deach
dchapter. dThese dare dbased don dactual dresearch dprojects, dundertaken dby
dstudents, din dwhich dpoints dmade din dthe dtext dare dillustrated. dIn dmany
dinstances, dthese dworked dexamples dillustrate dpossible dpitfalls dstudents dmay
dcome dacross dwhile dundertaking dtheir dresearch. dWhere da dpitfall dhas dbeen
dillustrated, dit dwill, dit dis dhoped, dhelp dyour dstudents davoid dmaking dthe dsame
dmistake. dFurther dillustrations dare dprovided dby dfocus don dmanagement dresearch
dand dresearch din dthe dnews dboxes.
Focus don dmanagement dresearch dboxes ddiscuss drecent dresearch din dbusiness
dand dmanagement. dThese dare dnormally dderived dfrom drefereed dacademic djournal
darticles, dand dstudents dare dlikely dto dbe dable dto ddownload dthe dactual darticles
dfrom donline ddatabases dat dtheir duniversity.
Focus don dresearch din dthe dnews dboxes dprovide dtopical dnews darticles dthat
5
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
, dillustrate dpertinent dresearch-related dissues. dAll dthese dwill dhelp dstudents dto
dunderstand dthe dtechnique dor didea dand dto dassess dits dsuitability dor
dappropriateness dto dtheir dresearch. dBoxed dchecklists dprovide dstudents dwith
dfurther dfocussed dguidance dfor dtheir down dresearch.
A dsummary dof dkey dpoints dat dthe dend dof deach dchapter dcan dbe dused dby
dstudents dbefore dand dafter dreading dthe dchapter dto densure dthat dthey dhave
ddigested dthe dmain dpoints.
Self-check dquestions denable dstudents dto dcheck dthey dhave dunderstood dthe
dchapter. dThese dcan dall dbe danswered dwithout drecourse dto dother d(external)
dresources. dAnswers dare dprovided dto dall dthe dself- dcheck dquestions dat dthe dend
dof deach dchapter.
Review dand ddiscuss dquestions dfollow dthe dself-check dquestions. dThese
dsuggest da dvariety dof dactivities d students d can d undertake d to d help d them d further
d develop d their d knowledge d and d understanding dof dthe dmaterial din dthe dchapter,
doften dinvolving ddiscussion dwith da dfriend.
Self-test dmultiple dchoice dquestions dand dtrue/false dquestions dfor deach dchapter
dare davailable don dthis dbook’s dcompanion dwebsite.
All dchapters dinclude da dsection dtowards dthe dend dtitled d“Progressing dyour
dresearch dproject” dthat dcan dbe dundertaken das dpart dof dthe dstudent’s dresearch
dproject. dThese dare dpresented din dsufficient ddetail dto denable dthem dto dfocus don
dthe dtechniques dthat dare dmost dappropriate dto dhis dor dher dresearch. dBy
dcompleting dall dthese dsections, dthe dstudent dwill dhave dalso dcompleted dhis dor
dher dproject dreport.
Each dchapter dis dalso daccompanied dby dreferences, dfurther dreading dand da dcase dstudy.
Further dreading dis dincluded dfor dtwo ddistinct dreasons:
▪ to ddirect dstudents dto dother dwork don dthe dideas dcontained dwithin dthe dchapter;
▪ to d direct d students d to d further d examples d of d research d where d the d ideas
d contained d in d the d chapterdhave dbeen dused.
Case dstudies dat dthe dend dof deach dchapter dare dall dnew dto dthe deighth dedition. dThey
dhave dbeen ddrawn dfrom da dvariety dof dbusiness dand dmanagement dresearch
dscenarios dand dhave dbeen dbased don dthe dcase dstudy’s dauthors’ dstudents’
dexperiences dwhen dundertaking da dresearch dproject. dThey dhave dbeen dwritten
dto dhighlight dreal dissues dthat doccur dwhen dundertaking dbusiness dand dmanagement
dresearch. dTo dhelp dfocus dstudents’ dthoughts dor ddiscussion don dsome dof dthe
dpertinent dissues, deach dcase dis dfollowed dby devaluative dquestions, danswers dto
dwhich dare dprovided don dthe dInstructors’ dCompanion dWeb dSite. dA dcase dstudy
dfollows devery dchapter. dA dfurther d75 dcase dstudies dfrom dearlier deditions dof dthe
dbook dare davailable don dthe dStudents’ dCompanion dWeb dSite; danswers dto dthese
dcases dare dprovided don dthe dInstructors’ dCompanion dWeb dSite. dA dcomplete dlist
dof dthese dcases dis dprovided din dAppendix d4.
6
© Pearson Education Limited 2019
