Medical Ethic Notes

Business research

Question 1

a. What kind of business problem might need a research study?

When choosing an area for research, we usually start either with a broad area of management, which particularly interests us e.g. marketing or operations management, or we start with a very practical question like those in the last paragraph, which need answers to help with managerial decision-making.

Refining from this point to a researchable question or objective is not easy. We need to do a number of things:

* Narrow down the study topic to one, which we are both interested in and have the time to investigate thoroughly

* Choose a topic context where we can find some access to practitioners if possible; either a direct connection with an organisation or professional body, or a context which is well documented either on the web or in the literature

* Identify relevant theory or domains of knowledge around the question for reading and background understanding.

* Write and re-write the question or working title, checking thoroughly the implications of each phrase or word to check assumptions and ensure we really mean what we write. This is often best done with other people to help us check assumptions and see the topic more clearly.

* Use the published literature and discussion with others to help us narrow down firmly to an angle or gap in the business literature, which will be worthwhile to explore.

b. What are the key issues we need to understand in a business society?

* Research is a messy activity

Formulating the research topic, can take quite a time. We start with a broad idea of an issue or area for research such as the impact on an organisation of flexible working, and this goes through many iterations before it turns into a working title and clear set of research questions. Often the working title does not get finalised until very near the end of the research, when the process and outcomes are clearer, but because this is the first...