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COMSATS Institute of Information Technology

COMSATS Road, off GT Road Sahiwal
Ph: 040-4305001 ,4305002 Fax: 040-4305006

Course Outline
Semester: Spring 2010
Program: Bachelor/Masters in Business Administration

Course Title: Research Methodology

Credit Hours: Three [3]

Course Instructor: Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam

Text: Research Methods for Business: Uma Sekaran and Roger Bougie

Reference Books: Research Methods for Business: Dr. Pervez N. Ghauri

Research Methods for Social Science: Davendra Thaukhar
Business Research Methods: William Zikmund

Course Objectives: This course will review the major considerations and tasks
involved in conduction scientific research, particularly in the area of Business
Management. It introduces the essential aspects of designing, supporting and
conducting a research project.

Those who successfully complete the course will be able to:

• Produce a well developed research proposal,

• Select an appropriate methodology to conduct the research
• Understand various tasks required to carry out the research,
• Find the resources needed to guide them through the research process.

Course Requirements:

1. CLASS ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. You are expected to attend one 3-hour

session per week and to participate in class discussions with a minimum of 80%
attendance. This policy is strictly enforced – no exceptions.

The students are responsible for any lecture material missed due to absence. Each
member of the class should read and be prepared to discuss the material on the day
on which it is assigned.

Unannounced quizzes may be given to encourage lesson preparation and

participation in classroom discussions.
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In addition to the text, information may be distributed in class in the form of
handouts, or material might be referred in the library or internet. For testing
purposes, the students are responsible for any information presented in class or
made available to them in the library or internet. Brief assignments may be required
during the semester to reinforce particular topics.

Students are encouraged to bring magazine or newspaper articles on relevant topics

to share with the class.

There will be three (3) exams. The exams may, but not necessarily, consist of a
variety of question types: multiple choice, short answer, or essay question. Students
will be advised prior to the exam what type of questions to expect.

2. Students will be required to conduct research and prepare a research report. A

detailed outline will be handed out during the last week of class. These reports
should be turned in typewritten and double-spaced. Students may also be required
to make a presentation of these reports before the terminal examination.

3. If, for any reason, the University is officially closed on a scheduled exam day, or a
day that an assignment or project is due, the scheduled item activity will take place
at the next class meeting.

4. Absolutely no food or drink is allowed in the classroom!

Grading Policy:

Exams, Cased, Class Participation, the Research Report and Presentation will be
weighted according to the following ten point grading scale:

Sessional I 10 points
Sessional II 15 points
Terminal Exam 50 points
Research Paper 15 points
Presentation & Quizzes 05 points
Class Participation & Assignments 05 points
________
Total 100 points

General Guidelines:

Please participate. What you put into the class will determine what you get out of it –
and what others get out of it.

Please come on time. Late arrivals disturb everyone. Please do not talk to the person
sitting next to you during class. This is rude behavior and disturbs not only the
instructor, but also your classmates.
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TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE:
Week Topic Activity
Introduction
• Definition of Research and Business Research
• Types of Business Research: Basic and Applied
Formation of
1 • Internal and External consultants
Groups
• When Business Research is not needed?
• Management and Research (Z)
• Ethics in Business Research (Z)
Scientific Investigations
• Hallmarks of scientific research,
• Obstacles in conducting scientific Research
2 • Other Types of Research Case studies & Action
Research
• Hypothetic-deductive method
• Building blocks of science, seven step process
The Research Process: Broad Problem Area
• The research process for applied and basic research
3 Assignment 1
• Broad problem area, preliminary data collection
• Literature review
The Research Process: Elements of research design
• Problem definition
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• Defining the problem statement
• Research Proposal
The Research Process: Theoretical framework and
Hypothesis Development
5 • Types of variables Assignment 2
• Theoretical Framework
• Hypothesis development
Sessional І
Elements of research design
• Purpose of the study: Exploratory, descriptive and
hypothesis testing
6 • Types of investigations: Casual & Correlational
• Study settings: Contrived and noncontrived
• Units of Analysis
• Cross sectional & Longitudinal studies
Measurement of variables
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Scales: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and other types.
Collection of data
• Sources of data: Primary & Secondary data
8 • Data collection methods: Questionnaires, interviews,
focus groups, surveys, observations
• Advantages and disadvantages of data collection
methods
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Experimental Designs
9 • The lab. Experiments
• The field experiments
• Factors affecting the validity of experiments
• Types of experimental designs
Sampling
10 • What is good sample?
• Population, element, sample sampling unit, subject.
• Reasons for sampling
• The sampling process
• Probability and non-probability sampling
• Where certain sampling design should be used
Analysis and Presentation of Data
11 • Getting data ready for analysis
• Getting feel for the data
• Descriptive Statistics
• Testing of hypothesis
• Data display and interpretation
Sessional П
Research report
• Written report: purpose & audience
12 • Characteristics of a well-written report Assignment 3
• Contents of a research report
• Integral parts of reports
Oral presentation
• Contents
13 • Visual aids
• Presenting- delivery
• Handling questions
14 Presentations of student’s projects
15 Presentations of student’s projects
Submission of
16 Final Term Exam
Research Report