Business research is the application of the scientific method in searching for the truth about business click here to download PDF
phenomena. These activities include defining business opportunities and problems, generating
and evaluating alternative courses of action, and monitoring employee and organizational
performance. Business research is more than conducting surveys.9 This process includes idea and
theory development, problem definition, searching for and collecting information, analyzing data,
and communicating the findings and their implications.
This definition suggests that business research information is not intuitive or haphazardly gathered.
Literally, research (re-search) means “to search again.” The term connotes patient study and
scientific investigation wherein the researcher takes another, more careful look at the data to discover
all that is known about the subject. Ultimately, all findings are tied back to the underlying theory.
The definition also emphasizes, through reference to the scientific method, that any information
generated should be accurate and objective. The nineteenth-century American humorist
Artemus Ward claimed, “It ain’t the things we don’t know that gets us in trouble. It’s the things
we know that ain’t so.” In other words, research isn’t performed to support preconceived ideas but to test them. The researcher must be personally detached and free of bias in attempting to find
truth. If bias enters into the research process, the value of the research is considerably reduced. We
will discuss this further in a subsequent chapter.
Our definition makes it clear that business research is designed to facilitate the managerial
decision-making process for all aspects of the business: finance, marketing, human resources, and
so on. Business research is an essential tool for management in virtually all problem-solving and
decision-making activities. By providing the necessary information on which to base business
decisions, research can decrease the risk of making a wrong decision in each area. However, it is
important to note that research is an aid to managerial decision making, never a substitute for it.
Finally, this definition of business research is limited by one’s definition of business. Certainly,
research regarding production, finance, marketing, and management in for-profit corporations
like DuPont is business research. However, business research also includes efforts that assist nonprofit
organizations such as the American Heart Association, the San Diego Zoo, the Boston Pops
Orchestra, or a parochial school. Further, governmental agencies such as the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) perform many
functions that are similar, if not identical, to those of for-profit business organizations. For instance,
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an important user of research, employing it to address
the way people view and use various food and drugs. One such study commissioned and funded
research to address the question of how consumers used the risk summaries that are included with
all drugs sold in the United States.10 Therefore, not-for-profits and governmental agencies can use
research in much the same way as managers at Starbucks, Jelly Belly, or DuPont. While the focus is
on for-profit organizations, this book explores business research as it applies to all institutions.
and evaluating alternative courses of action, and monitoring employee and organizational
performance. Business research is more than conducting surveys.9 This process includes idea and
theory development, problem definition, searching for and collecting information, analyzing data,
and communicating the findings and their implications.
This definition suggests that business research information is not intuitive or haphazardly gathered.
Literally, research (re-search) means “to search again.” The term connotes patient study and
scientific investigation wherein the researcher takes another, more careful look at the data to discover
all that is known about the subject. Ultimately, all findings are tied back to the underlying theory.
The definition also emphasizes, through reference to the scientific method, that any information
generated should be accurate and objective. The nineteenth-century American humorist
Artemus Ward claimed, “It ain’t the things we don’t know that gets us in trouble. It’s the things
we know that ain’t so.” In other words, research isn’t performed to support preconceived ideas but to test them. The researcher must be personally detached and free of bias in attempting to find
truth. If bias enters into the research process, the value of the research is considerably reduced. We
will discuss this further in a subsequent chapter.
Our definition makes it clear that business research is designed to facilitate the managerial
decision-making process for all aspects of the business: finance, marketing, human resources, and
so on. Business research is an essential tool for management in virtually all problem-solving and
decision-making activities. By providing the necessary information on which to base business
decisions, research can decrease the risk of making a wrong decision in each area. However, it is
important to note that research is an aid to managerial decision making, never a substitute for it.
Finally, this definition of business research is limited by one’s definition of business. Certainly,
research regarding production, finance, marketing, and management in for-profit corporations
like DuPont is business research. However, business research also includes efforts that assist nonprofit
organizations such as the American Heart Association, the San Diego Zoo, the Boston Pops
Orchestra, or a parochial school. Further, governmental agencies such as the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) perform many
functions that are similar, if not identical, to those of for-profit business organizations. For instance,
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is an important user of research, employing it to address
the way people view and use various food and drugs. One such study commissioned and funded
research to address the question of how consumers used the risk summaries that are included with
all drugs sold in the United States.10 Therefore, not-for-profits and governmental agencies can use
research in much the same way as managers at Starbucks, Jelly Belly, or DuPont. While the focus is
on for-profit organizations, this book explores business research as it applies to all institutions.
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