Business Research Methods

Business Research Methods: Part One

QNT/HC561

University of Phoenix

Professor Joseph Hamel

November 15, 2010

Management concerns itself with different environmental stimuli to isolate problems and improve function of the business. Management begins this process by raising concerns about areas in need of improvement or opportunities in the best interest of the organization. The management proposes a question that may have many answers. The research question discovers the symptoms that led to the question of concern or opportunity. Next, the management tries to eliminate negative symptoms or capitalize on profitable opportunities sought by management for improvement. The tertiary stage is to develop a course of action to correct problems or take advantage of the opportunity. This step is done with plausible research. The manager investigates all alternatives from the available courses of action. He or she finds the appropriate questions to pursue a course of action and finally, recommends the best course.

Management-Research Question Hierarchy

Tenet Healthcare Corporation is facing a dilemma, and the president and the top management were apprehensive with allegations reported in the news about one of the Tenet Healthcare Corporation’s facilities performing unnecessary heart surgeries to patients so that the organization can claim payment from different insurance companies. These allegations call for immediate attention from both the president as well as the top management. Therefore, Tenet Healthcare Corporation decides to hire a qualified business researcher to research further into the allegations, and find a solution to resolve these issues because the organization’s reputation is at stake.

The qualified researcher needs specific information from both the employees as well as the patients. In other words, the business researcher knows that the management’s question is to guide a definite business research project. The qualified...