Preface xxi About the Authors xxiv 1 Introduction to Research 1 Introduction 1 Business Research 2 Research and the Manager 3 Types of Business Research: Applied and Basic 4 Applied Research 5 Basic or Fundamental Research 7 Managers and Research 7 Why Managers Need to Know About Research 7 The Manager and the Consultant-Researcher 8 Internal Versus External Consultants/Researchers 9 Internal Consultants/Researchers 9 Advantages of Internal Consultants/Researchers 9 Disadvantages of Internal Consultants/Researchers 9 External Consultants/Researchers 10 Advantages of External Consultants/Researchers 10 Disadvantages of External Consultants/Researchers 10 Knowledge About Research and Managerial Effectiveness 11 Ethics and Business Research 11 Summary 12 Discussion Questions 13 Case: The Laroche Candy Company 14 Case Questions 16 2 The Scientific Approach and Alternative Approaches to Investigation 17 Introduction 17 The Hall marks of Scientific Research 18 Purposiveness 18 Rigor 18 Testability 19 Replicability 19 Precision and Confidence 19 Objectivity 20 Generalizability 20 Parsimony 20 The Hypothetico- Deductive Method 21 The Seven- Step Process in the Hypothetico- Deductive Method 21 Identify a Broad Problem Area 21 Define The Research Problem 22 Develop Hypotheses 22 Determine Measures 22 Data Collection 22 Data Analysis 22 Interpretation of Data 23 Review of the Hypothetico- Deductive Method 23 Alternative Approaches to Research 24 Positivism 24 Constructionism 24 Critical Realism 25 Pragmatism 25 A Pragmatic Approach to Research 26 Organizational Challenges and Opportunities 26 Organizational Change: A Specific Case and Approach 27 The Initial Stages: The Manager Starts Exploring 29 The Initial Stages: Briefing the Researcher 30 Defining the Organizational Problem 31 Defining the Research Problem 32 Developing a Research Proposal 32 A Critical Literature Review 32 The Planning Collection and Analyses of Data 32 Conclusions and Recommenda tions 33 The Final Stages: The Manager Makes a Decision and Acts 33 Comparing Two Important Approaches 33 Conclusion 34 Summary 34 Discussion Questions 35 3 Defining the Management Problem 37 Introduction 37 Organizational Challenges and Opportunities 37 The First Step of the Research Process: Exploration 38 To Conduct Research or Not 38 Defining the Management Problem 39 Applied Research in Support of a Process of Planned Change 40 The First Step of the Research Process in Change Situations: Exploration 40 The Second Step of the Research Process: Diagnosis 42 The Constraints or Preconditions That Should be Taken into Account 46 Different Types of Problems and Solutions to These Problems 46 Providing Feedback to the Client Organization 49 Managerial Implications 49 Summary 50 Discussion Questions 51 Appendix: Background Information on the Organization 52 4 Defining the Research Problem 54 Introduction 54 Defining the Research Problem 54 What Makes a Good Problem Statement? 54 Basic Types of Questions: Exploratory Descriptive and Causal Questions 58 Exploratory Research Questions 58 Descriptive Research Questions 59 Causal Research Questions 60 The Research Proposal 61 Managerial Implications 64 Ethical Issues in the Preliminary Stages of Investigation 64 Summary 65 Discussion Questions 65 5 The Critical Literature Review 67 Introduction 67 Definition and Functions of the Critical Literature Review 67 How to Approach the Literature Review 69 Data Sources 69 Textbooks 69 Journals 69 Theses 69 Conference Proceedings 69 Unpublished Manuscripts 69 The Internet 70 AI Tools 70 Searching for Literature 70 Evaluating the Literature 71 Reading Strategies 72 Documenting the Literature Review 72 Citing Sources in Your Literature Review 76 Reference and Citation Management Programs 78 On the Use of AI and Large Language Models 78 Ethical Issues 79 Final Note 80 Summary 80 Discussion Questions 81 Practice Project 82 Appendix: Some Online Resources Useful for Business Research 83 Online Databases 83 On the Web 84 Accounting and Finance 84 Economics and Econometrics 84 Environmental Science 85 Marketing 85 Organizational Behavior and Human Resources 86 Strategic Management and Management Science 86 Tourism Leisure and Hospitality Management 86 Overview of Academic Top Journals Per Subject Area 87 Accounting and Finance 87 Economics and Econometrics 87 Environmental Science 87 Management Science and Operations Research 88 Marketing 88 Organizational Behavior and Human Resources 89 Strategic Management 89 Tourism Leisure and Hospitality Management 89 Apa Guidelines 90 APA Format for Referencing Relevant Articles 90 Specimen Format For Citing Different Types of References (Apa Format) 90 Referencing and Quotation in the Literature Review Section 91 Quotations in Text 92 Sample Apa Style Student Papers 94 6 Theoretical Framework and Hypothesis Development 95 Introduction 95 The Need for a Theoretical Framework 96 Variables 97 Dependent Variable 97 Independent Variable 98 Moderating Variable 100 The Distinction Between an Independent Variable and a Moderating Variable 101 Mediating Variable 103 How Theory Is Generated 104 The Components of the Theoretical Framework 105 Hypothesis Development 106 Definition of a Hypothesis 106 Statement of Hypotheses: Formats 107 If-then Statements 107 Directional and Nondirectional Hypotheses 107 Null and Alternate Hypotheses 108 Managerial Implications 112 Summary 113 Discussion Questions 113 Practice Project 115 7 Elements of Research Design 116 Introduction 116 The Research Design 116 Elements of Research Design 117 Research Strategies 117 Experiments 118 Survey Research 118 Ethnography 118 Case Studies 119 Grounded Theory 119 Action Research 120 Qualitative Versus Quantitative Research 120 Extent of Researcher Interference With the Study 122 Study Setting: Contrived and Noncontrived 123 Unit of Analysis: Individuals Dyads Groups Organizations Cultures 125 Time Horizon: Cross- Sectional Versus Longitudinal Studies 127 Cross- Sectional Studies 127 Longitudinal Studies 127 Trade- Offs and Compro mises 128 Managerial Implications 129 Summary 129 Discussion Questions 130 8 Interviews 131 Introduction 131 Primary Data Collection Methods 131 Interviews 132 Unstructured and Semi-Structured Interviews 133 Unstructured Interviews 133 Semi- Structured Interviews 133 Training Interviewers 134 Some Tips to Follow When Interviewing 135 Establishing Credibility and Rapport and Motivating Individuals to Respond 135 The Questioning Technique 136 Review of Tips to Follow When Interviewing 137 Face- To- Face Online and Telephone Interviews 137 Face-to- Face Interviews: Advantages and Disadvantages 138 Online Interviews: Advantages and Disadvantages 138 Telephone Interviews: Advantages and Disadvantages 138 Personal and Group Interviews 139 Focus Groups 139 Expert Panels 140 Advantages and Disad vantages of Interviews 141 Summary 142 Discussion Questions 142 9 Observation 144 Introduction 144 Definition and Purpose of Observation 145 Four Key Dimensions That Characterize the Type of Observation 145 Controlled Versus Uncontrolled Observational Studies 145 Participant Versus Non- Participant Observation 146 Structured Versus Unstructured Observational Studies 146 Concealed Versus Unconcealed Observation 147 Online Observation 147 Two Important Approaches to Observation 148 Participant Observation: Introduction 148 The Participatory Aspect of Participant Observation 149 The Observation Aspect of Participant Observation 150 What to Observe 151 Structured Observation: Introduction 153 The Use of Coding Schemes in Structured Observation 153 Advantages and Disadvantages of Observation 155 Summary 157 Discussion Questions 157 10 Administering Questionnaires 159 Introduction 159 Types of Questionnaires 159 Personally Administered Questionnaires 160 Self- Administered Questionnaires 160 Mail Questionnaires 160 Electronic and Online Questionnaires 160 Guidelines For Questionnaire Design 162 Principles of Measurement 162 Principles of Wording 163 Content and Purpose of the Questions 164 Language and Wording of the Questionnaire 164 Type and Form of Questions 164 General Appearance or ''Getup'' of the Questionnaire 166 A Good Introduction 166.