Chapter 1: The Nature and Process of Business Research Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is business research?
Academic investigation into organizational and management issues.
Example: Studying why employees leave a company.
Why is research design important?
It ensures methods align with research goals.
Example: Using surveys for customer satisfaction.
What is the role of theory in research?
To guide the research focus and interpretation.
Example: Using Maslow’s hierarchy to study motivation.
What is deductive reasoning?
Starts with theory, then tests it.
Example: Hypothesizing “more pay = better performance” and testing it.
What is inductive reasoning?
Builds theory from observations.
Example: Interviewing workers to discover causes of low morale.
What is a research question?
A clear, focused question guiding a study.
Example: “How does remote work affect productivity?”
What is epistemology?
The study of how we know what we know.
Example: Choosing interviews to understand opinions.
What is ontology?
Beliefs about the nature of reality.
Example: Assuming that “organizational culture” is socially constructed.
What is positivism?
A belief in observable, objective truths.
Example: Measuring leadership effectiveness with surveys.
What is interpretivism?
Focuses on understanding meaning.
Example: Exploring what “success” means to employees.
What is sampling?
Selecting participants for the study.
Example: Surveying 50 employees from different departments.
What is data collection?
Gathering information for analysis.
Example: Conducting interviews with managers.
What is data analysis?
Making sense of collected data.
Example: Grouping similar answers from interviews.
Why is writing up important?
Communicates findings and conclusions.
Example: Writing a final report on employee engagement.
What makes research “messy”?
Unexpected challenges and changes.
Example: Losing access to participants halfway through.
