Ethical obligations of research participants --
Gaining access to respondents --
summary --
Defining the research problem and reviewing the literature --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
What is a good research topic --
Research questions and objectives --
Writing a research proposal --
Preparing a literature review --
Sources of literature --
Planning the literature search --
Writing a literature review --
The literature review and research questions --
Summary --
Secondary data --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Value of secondary data --
Nature and scope of secondary data --
Secondary data sources --
Internal background reviews --
External sources of secondary data --
Syndicated sources of secondary data --
Using the Internet to obtain secondary data --
Applications of secondary research in practice --
Summary --
Conceptualization and research design --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Developing a conceptual model --
Identify variables & constructs --
Specify hypotheses & relationships --
Draw conceptual model --
Basic research designs --
Exploratory --
Descriptive --
Causal --
Combining research designs --
Summary --
Sampling approaches --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Sampling --
Sampling process --
Probability sampling --
Nonprobability sampling --
Sample size --
Summary --
Data collection methods --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Data collection --
Qualitative vs. quantitative --
Observation --
Survey approaches, including panels --
Depth interviews --
Focus groups --
Case studies --
Content analysis --
Summary --
Measurement & scaling --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
What is a concept? --
How to measure concepts --
Practical decisions when developing scales --
Criteria for assessing measurement scales --
How to develop a scale --
Summary --
Designing the questionnaire --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Questionnaire design --
Questionnaire sections and sequence --
Preparing and presenting good questions --
Pretesting questionnaires --
Summary --
Basic data analysis for qualitative research --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Data preparation --
Analyzing qualitative research --
Summary --
Basic data analysis for quantitative research --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Data preparation --
Using charts and graphs --
Measures of central tendency --
Measures of dispersion --
Other diagnostic measures --
Summary --
Testing hypotheses --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Understanding hypothesized relationships --
Hypothesis testing --
Single group hypothesis testing --
Chi-square & T-test --
Multiple group hypothesis testing --
Analysis of variance --
Summary --
Assessing relationships between variables --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Types of relationships --
Covariation and variable relationships --
Analyzing association using correlation --
Prediction using regression --
Summary --
Reporting & presenting results --
Learning outcomes --
Introduction --
Written and oral communication --
The written research report --
Guidelines for the written report --
Oral presentations --
Using visuals --
Summary.

Business Research is a truth-seeking function that gathers, analyses, interprets and reports information so that business decision makers become more effective. This work draws on European business research methods. It presents a balance between quantitative and qualitative methods, with relevant real world examples.