Business Research Methods ? BU2S01
2006/7 Academic Season
Assignment 1
Cut off date: Friday, 15th December 2006
You are required to evaluate the in terms of purposes, audiences and general strengths and weaknesses. The essay will account for 40% of the overall mark. Indicative word count: 1500 words.
Note that you will need to submit your coursework to the Business School reception by 12pm (noon).
"Research ? an investigation involving the process of enquiry and discovery used to generate new ideas"
(Hall, Jones, Raffo, 1993, Business Studies, P. 204)
Research is vital in all business environments, and put into practice far more than most people presume.
Every modern day manager uses research with almost any decision he makes within the company (not just when planning to advertise, as many seem to believe). Even when a manager believes that they are acting out of some kind of instinct, or hunch, it will nearly always be based on some kind of prior experience. So all these decision are tracing back to some form of past research.
Although this does not mean that the term research is not over used and/or used in the wrong context. For example Walliman (2001) states that the term ?research' is used incorrectly on a regular basis. Examples he uses that highlight incorrect usage of the term include such situations as, ?collecting facts or information with no clear purpose' (Walliman believes, in order for data to be taken as part of research, it must be aimed towards an objective) and also, ?reassembling and reordering facts or information without interpretation'.
It is important to remember that research aids decision-making, and the results are in no way a decision themselves. ...