Research Methods in Business Studies

This chapter explains what we mean by research in business studies and to discuss differences between systematic research and common sense or practical problem solving. It looks at what we mean by knowledge and why we do research, examining different research orientations and approaches and the influence of the researcher’s background and basic beliefs concerning research methods and processes. We stress the importance of learning to think and work systematically and developing analytical capabilities in order to produce accurate and reliable results. We also discuss researchers’ moral responsibility towards both their subjects and the readers of their reports.