Business Research: Need, Importance, and Implications
Chapter 1
Research in Business
CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, students should understand…
1. What business research is and how it differs from decision support systems and business intelligence systems.
2. The trends affecting business research and the emerging hierarchy of research-based decision makers.
3. The value of learning business research process skills.
4. The different categories of firms and their functions in the industry.
5. The distinction between good business research and research that falls short of professional quality.
CHAPTER Lecture Notes
Bringing Research to Life
Overview
Myrna Wines, director of consumer affairs for MindWriter, Inc., must assess MindWriter’s CompleteCare program for servicing laptops.
She sent several well-respected research firms a request for proposal (RFP).
She and her team are interviewing the last of those firms, Henry & Associates.
Myrna wants to find a research supplier from whom she can learn, as well as one she can trust to do high-quality research.
The last interviewee is Jason Henry, a partner in Henry & Associates who comes highly recommended.
After viewing his presentation and conferring with her team, Henry & Associates is chosen to conduct the required research.
They schedule a date to meet with CompleteCare personnel.
Jason Henry’s tasks during the meeting:
Asking probing questions
Listening to the facts that have been gathered
Determining what the problem is from management’s point of view
Identifying what the problem is at various levels of abstraction
Myrna Wine’s tasks:
Listening
Discussing
Looking at things from different viewpoints
Jason Henry’s tasks after the meeting:
Measuring
Scaling
Project design
Sample
Finding elusive insights
Collaborating with Myrna in order to produce a report of results
Why Study Business Research?
Business research is a systematic inquiry that provides information.
More specifically, it is a process of
Research in Business
CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, students should understand…
1. What business research is and how it differs from decision support systems and business intelligence systems.
2. The trends affecting business research and the emerging hierarchy of research-based decision makers.
3. The value of learning business research process skills.
4. The different categories of firms and their functions in the industry.
5. The distinction between good business research and research that falls short of professional quality.
CHAPTER Lecture Notes
Bringing Research to Life
Overview
Myrna Wines, director of consumer affairs for MindWriter, Inc., must assess MindWriter’s CompleteCare program for servicing laptops.
She sent several well-respected research firms a request for proposal (RFP).
She and her team are interviewing the last of those firms, Henry & Associates.
Myrna wants to find a research supplier from whom she can learn, as well as one she can trust to do high-quality research.
The last interviewee is Jason Henry, a partner in Henry & Associates who comes highly recommended.
After viewing his presentation and conferring with her team, Henry & Associates is chosen to conduct the required research.
They schedule a date to meet with CompleteCare personnel.
Jason Henry’s tasks during the meeting:
Asking probing questions
Listening to the facts that have been gathered
Determining what the problem is from management’s point of view
Identifying what the problem is at various levels of abstraction
Myrna Wine’s tasks:
Listening
Discussing
Looking at things from different viewpoints
Jason Henry’s tasks after the meeting:
Measuring
Scaling
Project design
Sample
Finding elusive insights
Collaborating with Myrna in order to produce a report of results
Why Study Business Research?
Business research is a systematic inquiry that provides information.
More specifically, it is a process of