M.B.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION, APRIL/MAY 2011 Second Semester

Subject: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS (Regulation 2009)

Anna University Time: Three hours Maximum

Marks: 100 Instructions: Answer ALL questions PART A (10x2 = 20 marks) 1. What do you mean by research? 2. Name different types of research. 3. Explain internal and external validity. 4. Define Research Design. 2freshesworld.com 5. What are the factors influencing Sample Size? 6. Analyze the observational method of Data Collection. 7. Explain Factor Analysis. 2freshesworld.com 8. Explain the features of multivariate techniques. 9. Research report should be written keeping in mind the intended audience• Comment. 10. Explain subjectivity in research. PART B (5x16 = 80 marks) 11. (a) What is research problem? Define the main issues which should receive the attention

of the researcher in formulating the research problem. Give suitable examples. Or

(b) What is a Hypothesis•? How can a hypothesis improve the quality of research? Explain how research will be useful for decision makers.

12. (a) Give your understanding of a good research design. Is single research design

suitable in all research studies? If not, why? (b) What is an Exploratory Research? Give an example to explain its application to

business situation. 13. (a) Enumerate the different methods of collecting data. Which one is the most suitable

for conducting enquiry regarding welfare schemes in India? Explain its merits and demerits.

Or (b) Under what circumstances would you recommend (i) A Probability sample. (ii) A Non-probability sample. (iii) A stratified sample. 14. (a) Processing of data implies editing, coding, classification and tabulation. Describe in

brief these four operations pointing out the significance of each in context of research study.

Or (b) A researcher has collected data of 100 shops in a particular region. In Town 40 shops run by men and 10 by women and In villages 20 shops run by men and 20 by women Can it be inferred that most of the shops are run by men? Test level of significance by applying 2-tail test. The value of 2-tail for one degree of freedom at 5 percent level of significance is 3.841.

15. (a) In general, explain how the results of research are to be presented? What are the different types of reports?

Or (b) What are the ethical issues involved in research? Explain ethical behaviour of

researcher

COMSATS INSTITUTE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Department of Management Sciences

Islamabad Campus Class: MBA (E), III Semester

Subject: Research Methodology

Marks: 50

Exam: Final Examination, Fall 2005 Time: Three Hours

Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan Dated: 20 January, 2006

i. Attempt all questions.

ii. Don’t try to write unnecessary details, it will be considered as negative point. iii. Carrying of digital diaries is not allowed iv. Mobile phones, calculators, laptops etc. are not allowed in the examination hall

The Happy Housewife Appliances Corporation is an American manufacturer of kitchen

appliances. Based in Boston, Massachussetts, in 1962, and with an employee base of

around 5,000, the Corporation markets its range of high-quality kitchen products, com-

prise numerous electrical items such as microwave ovens, fuel-efficient cookers and

stoves, vegetable cutters, juice mixers etc. throughout North America, Europe, the Far

East, and parts of the Middle East. It is now trying to expand into the South Asian

market. Pakistan, with its population of 150 million, ranks high on the Corporations

market priority list.

In a chance encounter at a dinner reception in Islamabad sometime in January 2006,

you meet and strike up a long conversation with the Corporation’s Marketing Director,

who visited Islamabad on a three-day preliminary “fact-finding mission”. You inform her

that in the course of your recent Fall Semester MBA evening progamme at the

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology in Islamabad, you have studied the ins

and outs of undertaking business research, and have gained some basic experience in

undertaking empirical research in a group setting as part of the course. Now you are

eagerly looking forward for the opportunity to apply your knowledge in a professional

business research endeavour, and would be willing to assist Happy Housewife

Appliances Corporation in finding out whether it can profitably market its products in

Pakistan. Impressed by your enthusiasm, and by your description of the course you

attended, she hires as a consultant on the spot and gives you a series of assignments

as under:

Question 1: The Marketing Director asks you to undertake some quick exploratory

research with a view to determining the opportunities for selling its kitchen appliances in

the Pakistani domestic market. For a start, this would entail obtaining out all sorts of

data and information which are relevant to the planned venture.

What fundamental criteria does the data or information you collect have to fulfill and

why? What sort of data and information would you try to obtain for your exploratory

research and where would you look for this data and information? Specifically name

several possible categories and sources of data and information relevant for this

venture.

(10 Marks)

Question 2: Based on the preliminary findings of your exploratory research, the

Marketing Director of Happy Housewife Appliances Corporation thinks that a venture in

Pakistan may be financially rewarding, but she is not willing to formally commit her

organization until further detailed research is undertaken by you. She assigns you the

task of developing a formal research proposal for her based on the guidelines you

learned in your Research Methodology course in your MBA programme at the COMSATS

Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad.

Design a formal research proposal for the Marketing Director, indicating the title of each

section and specifically including important content which relates directly to your

research undertaking. Choose arbitrary but reasonable values for any section where

numerical data may be required.

(10 Marks)

Question 3: The quality of business decisions are determined to a large extent by the

quality of the informational input in the decision-making process. The Marketing

Director is aware of this fact from previous bad experience in other foreign market entry

ventures and she asks you to be especially careful in how you go about obtaining data

and information. In particular, she asks you to explain to her the sampling methodology

you intend to use for obtaining your data and information, your reasons for using use

this particular sampling methodology, and about all the possible pitfalls or problems

which may be associated with it. Discuss in detail.

(10 Marks)

Question 4: Several techniques for obtaining data were discussed in your course on

Research Methodology. Which one technique, or techniques, would you opt for in your

research undertaking? Where in Pakistan would you apply this technique (or

techniques)? Who would you target and why? What possible sources of error may arise

in the course of your data gathering activity and how would you try to minimize the

impact of these errors? Be as specific as possible in all your answers.

(10 Marks)

Question 5: You have, finally and after painstaking effort, gathered all the data that

you need for your research. The next step prior to compiling your research report for

your subsequent written and oral presentation to the Marketing Director and Executive

Board of Happy Housewife Appliances Corporation in Boston is to analyze the data using

statistical tools and techniques. Briefly discuss some of the “simpler” statistical tools

and techniques, including measures of dispersion, which may be relevant for your

research undertaking. If possible, mention if you think any more “sophisticated”

(univariate, bivariate, multivariate) statistical techniques need to be applied.

(10 Marks)

Quality takes precedence over quantity!

Remember, the essence of knowledge is having it to apply it!

GOOD LUCK!

Barathidasan University MBA-I (Sem.II)

Business Research Methods Answer any 10

1. Mention any 4 sources of secondary data. 2. What is questionnaire? 3. What is quota sampling? 4. Define research. 5. What do you mean by research abstract? 6. What is field study? 7. What is research problem? 8. Define pilot-test. 9. What do you mean by data? 10. Mention the classification of research problem. 11. What do you mean by applied research? 12. Mention any 4 parts of table. Answer any 5

13. Explain the objectives of business research. 14. Write the differences between census and sampling. 15. Explain the need for research design. 16. Write the steps involved in formulation of research problem. 18. What are the advantages of secondary data? 19. Explain the functions of a research report? 20. Explain the precautions to be taken in statistical interpretation. 21. Explain the different types of sampling. Answer any 3

22. What is research design? Explain the nature and importance of research design. 23. Explain the various sources to identify research problem.

24. Briefly explain the various types of research. 25. Explain the various visual devices in research report writing. 26. Discuss the various kinds of probability sampling.

SVKM’s NMIMS University School of Distance Learning

Research Methodology

Date: 15.12.2007 Marks: 100 Time: 11.00 to 2.00 Instructions

Answer any five questions. All questions carry equal marks Q:1 Why is research called a scientific activity? Illustrate your answer with examples.

Q:2 What is the significance of research proposal? Explain the points considered in

preparing a research proposal with an example. Q:3 a. When will you use observation as the method of data collection? b. Compare Interview & Questionnaire as data collection tools. Q:4 Explain various techniques of sampling.

Q:5 Write short notes on:

a) Operational definitions b) Hypotheses c) Related literature d) Research Problem formulation Q:6 Discuss any two experimental designs in details, giving appropriate examples.

Q:7 Explain ‘Concept Map’ giving appropriate example.

Q:8 The company wants to test the perception of the product (Toothpaste).

i) Mention the objectives of the study ii) Identify & Classify the variables in the study. iii) Which research design would best achieve the objectives of the study? Q:9 A software company want you to study the reasons for attrition in programmers. i) Identify the variables & Classify them. ii) Formulate 3 hypotheses for the study iii) Suggest the sampling design. Q:10 Mobile service provider wants to study why customers switch the services.

i) Identify & Classify the variables in the study. ii) Formulate at least 10 items to measure the causes. iii) Suggest suitable design for the study.