LSCM 8002 Business Research Methods L T P C

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Pre-requisites/Exposure Basic Statistics
Co-requisites Quantitative Methods

Course Objectives

a) To familiarize participants with basic of research and the research process.

b) To enable the participants in conducting research work and formulating research synopsis and
report.

c) To familiarize participants with Statistical packages such as SPSS/EXCEL.

d) To impart knowledge for enabling students to develop data analytics skills and meaningful
interpretation to the data sets so as to solve the business/Research problem.

LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE

The aim of the course is to provide participants with an introduction to research methods and report
writing. Upon successful completion of the course you are expected to
CO1. Develop understanding on various kinds of research, objectives of doing research, research
process, research designs and sampling.
CO2. Have basic knowledge on qualitative research techniques
CO3. Have adequate knowledge on measurement & scaling techniques as well as the quantitative
data analysis
CO4. Have basic awareness of data analysis-and hypothesis testing procedures

Business Research Methods

Course Content

Module I: 6 lecture hours

Foundations of Research Methodology, Introduction to research, What is Research, Objectives &

motivations for research, Types of Research, Introduction to Qualitative Research, Introduction to
Quantitative Research Conceptualization, Business Problem, Problem Formulation

Module II: 6 lecture hours

Research Process & Research Design, Introduction to Research Process, Steps in Research Process
Introduction to Research Design, Types of Research Design: Exploratory, Descriptive and Causal
Research, Nature of good design.
Module III: 6 lecture hours

Sampling Technique, Sampling, Population, Sampling Frame, Sample, Bias, and Statistical Terms in
Sampling: statistic, parameter, Sampling Distribution, Sampling & non-sampling errors, Probability &
Non-Probability Sampling, Sample Size Determination.

Module IV: 7.5 lecture hours

Data Collection Method, Introduction to Primary & Secondary data, Methods of primary data
collection, Methods of secondary data collection, Advantages & disadvantages of data collection.
Measurement & Scaling Technique, Scales of Measurement, Questionnaire Designing.

MODULE V: 10.5 lecture hours

Analysis & Report Writing, Data Preparation, Data aggregation, Data accuracy, Data structure, Data
transformation, Descriptive Statistics, Univariate analysis, Correlation/Regression, Inferential
Statistics, Hypothesis Testing Process, Large sample test, Small sample, Parametric and Non
Parametric Test, Report Writing, Types of Research output, Key Elements of Report Writing.

TEXT BOOKS:

(a) Malhotra N.K. (2011) Marketing Research, Pearson Education, Inc.

(b) Zikmund W.G. (2007) Business research Methods, Thomspns, Akash Press New Delhi.

REFERENCE BOOKS:

(a) Beri G.C. (2010) Marketing Research 3rd Edition, TMH Publishers Ltd, New Delhi.
(b) Chawla D. & Sondhi N. Research Methodology Concepts and Cases, S. Chand & Company Ltd.
(c) Cooper & Schindler (2015) Business Research Methods, Mcgraw-Hill.
(d) Dr. Shajahan S.(2006) Research Methods for Management, JAICO publishing house.
(e) Green, Tull & Albaum (2010) Research for Marketing Decisions, PHI Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi.
(f) Hooda (2008) Statistics for Business Economics, Macmillan Publications.
(g) Kothari C.R. (2014) Research Methodology Methods & Techniques, New age international publisher.
(h) Leveine , Khrehbiel & Berenson (2003) Business Statistics, Pearson Education.
(i) Luck D. & Rubin D. (2006) Marketing Research, PHI Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi.
(j) Panneerselvam, R (2014) Research Methodology, PHI Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi.
(k) Sachdeva J.K. (2017) Business Research Methodology, Himalya Pulishing.
(l) Shao & Zhou, Marketing Research, Cengage Learning.
(m) Tull D.S. & Hawkins D.I. (2011) Marketing research, PHI Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi.
(n) Wilson J. (2010) Essential of Research Methods, SAGE Publication.

Modes of Evaluation: Quiz/Assignment/ presentation/ extempore/ Written Examination

Examination Scheme:

Components Quizzes Case Individual Group ESE

Study Assignment Project
Presentation
 Weightage (%) 15 10 12.5 12.5 50

Relationship between the Course Outcomes (COs) and Program Outcomes (POs)

Mapping between COs and POs

COURSE OUTCOMES ( COs ) POs

PO 1,2,
Develop understanding on various kinds of research, objectives of
CO 1 doing research, research process, research designs and sampling.
3,4,7,8,9,10,
11,13, 14
PO 1,2, 3,
Have basic knowledge on qualitative research techniques
CO 2 7,8,9,10,
11,14
PO 1,2, 3,
Have adequate knowledge on measurement & scaling techniques
CO 3 as well as the quantitative data analysis 8,9,10,
11, 13,14
Have basic awareness of data analysis-and hypothesis testing PO 4,5,
CO 4 procedures 8,12,13, 14

Program Outcome / Course Outcome mapping

Course CO 1 CO 2 CO 3 CO 4

Outcomes

PO 1 3 3 3 2
PO 2 3 3 3 2
PO 3 3 3 3 2
PO 4 3 1 1 3
PO 5 2 2 1 3
PO 6 1 1 1 1
PO 7 3 3 1 2
PO 8 3 3 3 3
PSO 9 3 3 3 1
PSO 10 3 3 3 2
PSO 11 3 3 3 2
PSO 12 1 1 1 3
PSO 13 3 1 3 3
PSO 14 3 3 3 3
 8002
Code
Course

LSCM
Title
Course

Business

Methods
Research
3
1
Students will be able to develop and evaluate alternate managerial decisions and

PO
identify optimal solutions

3
Students will demonstrate effective application capabilities of their conceptual

1 – Weakly mapped

3 – Strongly mapped
PO 2
understanding to the real world business situations

2 – Moderately mapped
3
Students will be able to exhibit effective decision making skills, employing

PO 3
analytical and critical thinking ability

2
Students will demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in the

PO 4
professional context

2
Students will able to work effectively in teams and demonstrate team building

PO 5
capabilities

1
Students will exhibit leadership and networking skills while handling business

PO 6
situations

3
Students will demonstrate sensitivity towards ethical and moral issues and have

PO 7
ability to address them in the course of business

3
Students will demonstrate employability traits in line with the changing dynamics

PO 8
of the industry

2
9
Students will demonstrate strong conceptual knowledge in the functional area of

PSO
management as well as LSCM domain

2
10
Students will demonstrate effective understanding of relevant functional areas of

PSO
management and their application in LSCM

3
11
Students will demonstrate analytical skills in identification and resolution of
PSO
business problems pertaining to LSCM & general management

2
Students will exhibit the ability to integrate functional areas of management with
PS12

domain perspective for the purpose of planning, implementation & control of

LSCM
3
13

Students will have global perspective towards business situations in the area of
PSO

LSCM
3
4
PS

Students will exhibit deployable skills pertinent to the LSCM sector

O1
 Model Question Paper

Name:
Enrolment No:

Course: LSCM 8002 – Business Research Methods

Programme: M.B.A (All Program) Semester: ODD-2016-17
Time: 03 hrs. Max. Marks: 100

Instructions:
Attempt all questions from Section A (Part A 1 Mark each & Part B carrying 2 marks each); any Two Questions
from Section B (each carrying 5 marks). Section C (attempt any two questions of 15 marks each) and Section
D is Compulsory (carrying 10 marks).
Section A (All Questions are Mandatory)
1 The degrees of freedom for strata ‘m’ rows and ‘n’ columns is given by: [1] CO1
2. Correlation coefficient is used for testing………………….between two variables. [1]
CO2
3. Chi-square test is used for generally ………………data. [1]
CO1
4. Cronbach alpha is used for……..………………………………………… [1] CO1
5. COV can be calculated as ……………………………………….. [1] CO1
6. [1] CO1
7. Alpha is also known as ……………………………………………………………error. [1]
CO2
8. ………………………..approach is used for questionnaire designing. [1] CO4
9. …………………… test is used for testing the sample adequacy. [1] CO1
10. F Ratio was introduced by……………………………. [1]
CO1
Define the following:

1. Differentiate Quantitative from Qualitative Research. [2]

CO1
2. Define the formula for sample size determination for finite population. [2] CO2
3. Discuss the significance of Likert Scale? [2]
CO3
4. Enumerate various data measurement scales? [2]
CO1
5. Differentiate Stratified sampling from Delebrate sampling? [2]
CO1
SECTION B (Attempt any Four Questions)
1. Write down the steps involve in the testing of hypothesis procedure for F test. [5] CO1
2. Differentiate Exploratory research design from Experimental research design? [5] CO4
3. Discuss the significance of standard error. [5] CO3
4. Discuss any two projective techniques. [5]
CO4
5. Discuss the significance of regression line. [5] CO3

SECTION C (Attempt any Two Questions)

1. Discuss various types of methods of data collection and how they are applied in market
research? Give specific example.
15 CO4
2. You are supposed to launch an online course for the college students highlighting various
academic contents and evaluation procedure. Make necessary assumptions, if required. Describe
the following:
a) Research Problem

b) Source of data 15 CO3

c) Method of data collection

d )What variables/factors would you keep in mind for successfully launching the newsletter?

3. A time study operator developed a new sequence of operation elements that he hopes will reduce
the mean cycle time of a certain assembling process. The results of a time study of 10 cycles are
given below:

12.25,11.97,12.15,12.08,12.31,12.28,11.94,11.89,12.16,12.04 [15] CO1

If the present mean cycle time is 11.80 minutes, should he adopt the new sequence?

SECTION D (Attempt all the questions)

1. Suppose you are serving as a Manager – Supply Chain with a reputed electronics [15] CO6,
CO7
company in Uttarakhand. You have observed that complaints such as breakge, delay in
execution of orders etc. have increased in last 12 months and no physical
verification/proper quality audit of inventory has been carried out for last one year. You
have deiced to hire Tajinder Chawla, an MBA –LSCM student for the Summer
Internship on “Optimizing warehousing cost for electronic items”. He is required to
submit a synopsis for carrying out the research for 6-8 weeks and at the end needs to
 submit the report. As a mentor, what contents would you to like to be addressed in the
report.

a) What points would you consider while evaluation to test the accuracy of the
synopsis. Give brief outline of the same. (Make appropriate assumptions, if
required). What steps/measures would you take to get accurate results and producing
a good report at the end?

2. A trainer observed that the trainees in his program were better at their job in the Morning [15] CO5,
CO6
than the Evening. He decided to test this out by using a quantitative test as this required
the participants to concentrate. If there was a dip in performance in Evening the test
should pick it up. He chose a random sample of 8 trainees and gave them two tests
matched on their difficulty. The samples were balanced on the two versions of the test,
and at what time they were tested first, to control for carry-over effects. The tests gave a
score out of 20, the higher the score the better the performance. The results were as
follows: Test the significance of belief of teacher at 5% level of significance. What
would be the change in decision if level of significance is 1%.

Participant Junior Senior

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