Summary Business Research Methods · Introduction to the research process
Chapter 1
What is business
research, and why do it?
An illustrated, easy-to-read summary in English — with diagrams,
examples and the two real studies the chapter uses.
This chapter explains what business research is, the things that shape every
study, how research relates to practice, and the seven building blocks that
almost every research project contains.
In this summary
1 What is business research — and why do it? p. 2
2 Eight things that shape every study p. 3
3 Research and practice p. 5
4 The seven building blocks of a project p. 7
5 Two real studies, step by step p. 10
6 Writing up, messiness & key points p. 12
1 Business Research Methods · Chapter 1 — Summary
, Part 1 What is business research — and why do it?
What is business research?
In one sentence: the academic study of topics through research questions that matter to
business and organizations — rooted in the social sciences, whose ideas help choose topics
and interpret findings.
Business fields
inform studies marketing · HRM · strategy
The social sciences
Business · organizational behaviour ·
sociology · psychology ·
research accounting & finance ·
anthropology · economics industrial relations ·
operational research
Figure 1 · Many disciplines feed into business research, which makes it highly interdisciplinary.
Why learn about research methods? Three reasons
1 Avoid pitfalls 2 Read critically 3 Do your own
E.g. a method that doesn’t fit Knowing how research works Explore your interests in a
the question, vague gives you a critical edge when dissertation or at work and add
questionnaire items or unethical reading published studies. to business knowledge.
practices.
Where do research questions come from?
Academics notice something while reading or while looking at organizations. Research starts when
part of business and management is not yet well understood.
a gap in the literature studies that contradict each other an unresolved issue
a change in society — e.g. rising executive pay, sustainability
Apple fans mourning Steve Jobs · Bell & Taylor (2016)
Example Why are some consumers so loyal to Apple? After Steve Jobs died in 2011, Bell
studied how fans mourned him, using theories on leadership and culture and on
mourning and loss.
2 Business Research Methods · Chapter 1 — Summary
Chapter 1
What is business
research, and why do it?
An illustrated, easy-to-read summary in English — with diagrams,
examples and the two real studies the chapter uses.
This chapter explains what business research is, the things that shape every
study, how research relates to practice, and the seven building blocks that
almost every research project contains.
In this summary
1 What is business research — and why do it? p. 2
2 Eight things that shape every study p. 3
3 Research and practice p. 5
4 The seven building blocks of a project p. 7
5 Two real studies, step by step p. 10
6 Writing up, messiness & key points p. 12
1 Business Research Methods · Chapter 1 — Summary
, Part 1 What is business research — and why do it?
What is business research?
In one sentence: the academic study of topics through research questions that matter to
business and organizations — rooted in the social sciences, whose ideas help choose topics
and interpret findings.
Business fields
inform studies marketing · HRM · strategy
The social sciences
Business · organizational behaviour ·
sociology · psychology ·
research accounting & finance ·
anthropology · economics industrial relations ·
operational research
Figure 1 · Many disciplines feed into business research, which makes it highly interdisciplinary.
Why learn about research methods? Three reasons
1 Avoid pitfalls 2 Read critically 3 Do your own
E.g. a method that doesn’t fit Knowing how research works Explore your interests in a
the question, vague gives you a critical edge when dissertation or at work and add
questionnaire items or unethical reading published studies. to business knowledge.
practices.
Where do research questions come from?
Academics notice something while reading or while looking at organizations. Research starts when
part of business and management is not yet well understood.
a gap in the literature studies that contradict each other an unresolved issue
a change in society — e.g. rising executive pay, sustainability
Apple fans mourning Steve Jobs · Bell & Taylor (2016)
Example Why are some consumers so loyal to Apple? After Steve Jobs died in 2011, Bell
studied how fans mourned him, using theories on leadership and culture and on
mourning and loss.
2 Business Research Methods · Chapter 1 — Summary
