Research methods for business students

Transcription

1 Research methods for business students fifth edition Mark Saunders Philip Lewis Adrian Thornhill

2 Research Methods for Business Students Visit the Research Methods for Business Students, Fifth Edition Companion Website at to find valuable student learning material including: Multiple choice questions to test your learning. Tutorials on Excel, NVivo and SPSS. Updated research datasets to practice with. Updated additional case studies with accompanying questions. Smarter Online Searching Guide how to make the most of the Internet in your research.

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4 Research Methods for Business Students Fifth edition Mark Saunders Philip Lewis Adrian Thornhill

5 Pearson Education Limited Edinburgh Gate Harlow Essex CM20 2JE England and Associated Companies throughout the world Visit us on the World Wide Web at: First published under the Pitman Publishing imprint in 1997 Second edition 2000 Third edition 2003 Fourth edition 2007 Fifth edition 2009 Pearson Professional Limited 1997 Pearson Education Limited 2000, 2003, The rights of to be identified as authors of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6 10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of any trademark in this text does not vest in the author or publisher any trademark ownership rights in such trademarks, nor does the use of such trademarks imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this book by such owners. ISBN: British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Saunders, Mark, Research methods for business students / Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, Adrian Thornhill. 5th ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Business Research. 2. Business Research Data processing. I. Lewis, Philip, II. Thornhill, Adrian. III. Title. HD30.4.S dc Typeset in ITC Slimbach Std 9.5/12.5 by 73 Printed and bound by Rotolito Lombarda, Italy The publisher s policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.

6 Brief Contents How to use this book Guided tour Preface Contributors Publisher s acknowledgements xvii xxii xxv xxvii xxix 1 The nature of business and management research and structure of this book 2 2 Formulating and clarifying the research topic 20 3 Critically reviewing the literature 58 4 Understanding research philosophies and approaches Formulating the research design Negotiating access and research ethics Selecting samples Using secondary data Collecting primary data through observation Collecting primary data using semi-structured, in-depth and group interviews Collecting primary data using questionnaires Analysing quantitative data Analysing qualitative data Writing and presenting your project report 526 Bibliography 561 Appendices 573 Glossary 587 Index 604 v

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8 Contents How to use this book Guided tour Preface Contributors Publisher s acknowledgements xvii xxii xxv xxvii xxix 1 The nature of business and management research and structure of this book 2 Learning outcomes Introduction The nature of research The nature of business and management research The research process The purpose and structure of this book Summary 15 Self-check questions 15 Review and discussion questions 15 References 16 Further reading 16 Case 1: Isabelle s research dilemma 17 Michael Savvas Self-check answers 18 2 Formulating and clarifying the research topic 20 Learning outcomes Introduction Attributes of a good research topic Generating and refining research ideas Turning research ideas into research projects 32 vii

9 Contents 2.5 Writing your research proposal Summary 48 Self-check questions 49 Review and discussion questions 49 Progressing your research project: from research ideas to a research proposal 50 References 50 Further reading 51 Case 2: Media climate change reporting and environmental disclosure patterns in the low-cost airline industry in the twenty-first century 52 Richard Slack Self-check answers 55 3 Critically reviewing the literature 58 Learning outcomes Introduction The critical review Literature sources available Planning your literature search strategy Conducting your literature search Obtaining and evaluating the literature Recording the literature Plagiarism Summary 98 Self-check questions 99 Review and discussion questions 100 Progressing your research project: critically reviewing the literature 100 References 100 Further reading 102 Case 3: Complexity theory and emergent change 102 Mike Wallace and Alison Wray Self-check answers Understanding research philosophies and approaches 106 Learning outcomes Introduction 106 viii

10 Contents 4.2 Understanding your research philosophy: why research philosophy is important Research approaches Summary 128 Self-check questions 129 Review and discussion questions 129 Progressing your research project: diagnosing your research philosophy 130 References 131 Further reading 131 Case 4: Consultancy research for a not-for-profit organisation 132 Karen Handley Self-check answers Formulating the research design 136 Learning outcomes Introduction The purpose of your research The need for a clear research strategy Multiple methods choices combining data collection techniques and analysis procedures Time horizons The credibility of research findings The ethics of research design Summary 160 Self-check questions 161 Review and discussion questions 161 Progressing your research project: deciding on your research design 162 References 162 Further reading 164 Case 5: Managing the acquisition from the middle 164 David Coghlan Self-check answers Negotiating access and research ethics 168 Learning outcomes Introduction Issues associated with gaining access 169 ix