Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction to business research methodology. 2. Defining the research problem. 3. Research design techniques. 4. Fundamentals of sampling. 5. Sampling design basics. 6. Measurement and scaling techniques: implications and applications. 7. Data collection. 8. Data processing and analysis. 9. Parametric or standard tests of hypotheses. 10. Chi-square test. 11. Variance and co-variance analysis. 12. Nonparametric or distribution free tests. 13. Multivariate analysis techniques. Bibliography.

This book provides step by step guidelines for conducting relevant and especially realistic and flexible market research in business. It is designed to provide a foundation course in research methodology for those who have just entered the field of research in social sciences and other related disciplines. Though not meant to be an all inclusive and comprehensive work on research methodology, it attempts to give a skeleton of the methods and procedures a researcher should know in order to optimize his research results and be able to present his research findings in an acceptable manner and form.

The book contains introductory explanation of several quantitative methods enjoying wide use in social science. It covers a fairly wide range, related to research methodology. The presentations are uniformly economical and cogent. Illustrations given are meaningful and relevant. The book can be taken as well organized guide for research whose methodological background is not extensive.

The book is primarily intended to serve as a textbook for social science students of all Indian universities. It will also serve as a text of the students of M Phil, management, and students of various institutes. It will serve all practitioners doing research on one form or other in a general way.