BRT - Chapter 1

Business research can be described as a systematic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem encountered in the work setting, that needs a solution.

Research done with the intention of applying the results of the findings to solve specific problems currently being experienced in an organization is called basic research.

Research done chiefly to make a contribution to existing knowledge is called basic, fundamental, or pure research.

Applied research is not scientific in nature.

Fundamental research has little practical relevance.

Managers with knowledge of research have an advantage over those without.

University professors do not engage in applied research.

An advantage of engaging in an internal team to do the research project is that the internal team would stand a better chance of being readily accepted by the employees in the subunit of the organization where research needs to be done.

An advantage of engaging in an external team to do the research project is that the team would require much less time to understand the structure, the philosophy and climate, and the functioning and work systems of the organization.

A disadvantage of engaging in an internal team to do the research project is that in view of their long tenure as internal consultants, the internal team may quite possibly fall into a stereotyped way of looking at the organization and its problems.

A disadvantage of engaging in an internal team to do the research project is that certain organizational biases of the internal research team might in some instances make the findings less objective and consequently less scientific.

An advantage of engaging in an external team to do the research project is that the external team can draw on a wealth of experience from having worked with different types of organizations that have had the same or similar types of problems.

Ethics in business research refers to a code of conduct or expected societal norm of behavior while conducting research.

Ethical conduct applies to the researchers who undertake the research, but not to the respondents who provide them with the necessary data.

The main distinction between applied and basic business research is that the former is specifically aimed at solving a currently experienced problem, whereas the latter has the broader objective of generating knowledge and understanding of phenomena and problems that occur in various organizational settings.

Both basic and applied research have to be carried out in a scientific manner.

The first step in research is to know where the problem areas exist in the organization, and to identify as clearly and specifically as possible the problems that need to be studied and resolved.

Identifying the critical issues, gathering relevant information, analyzing the data in ways that would help decision making, and implementing the right course of action, are all facilitated by understanding business research.

Knowledge gained by the findings of basic research cannot be applied by organizations to solve their own problems.