Business Research Methods
By Jemal M. (PhD),
Assist. Prof, Dep’t of Manag’t,
CoBE
Addis Ababa University
December 2024
Chapter 2- Developing Research Proposal
• By the end of this chapter students should be able to:
– Generate ideas that will help in the choice of a
suitable research topic;
– Identify the attributes of a good research topic;
– Develop a research question(s) and objectives;
– Explain Meaning of Research Proposal
– Discuss the importance of writing a research
proposal
– State the structure of research proposal
– Writing a research proposal
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
2.1. Attributes of Good Research Topic
The first step in doing a research is to develop a research topic or
problem. Research Topic is the subject matter of a proposed
study.
– what makes a good research topic?
•Capability: is it feasible?
Is the topic something really fascinating for you?
Do you have, or can you develop within the project time
frame, the necessary research skills to undertake the topic?
Can you complete the research within the available time?
Will the project still be current when you finish the study?
Do you have sufficient financial and other resources?
Will you be able to gain access to data you are likely to
require for the topic?
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Attributes … cont’d
• Appropriateness: is it worthwhile?
– Does the topic fit the standards set by the examining/funding
institute?
– Does the topic contain issues that have a clear link to theory?
– Will your proposed research be able to provide fresh insights into
the field of study? lifts up the voices of underrepresented groups or
individuals? helps address social justice? or transforms the ideas
and beliefs of the researcher?
– Does the study contribute to the literature, i.e., how the study adds
to an understanding of a theory or extends a theory or how the
study provides a new perspective to the existing literature
– Are the findings for this research topic likely to pay off give the
commitment of time and resource?
– Does the research topic match your career goals? i.e., doing more
research, obtaining a future position, or advancing toward a degree.
2.2. Generating Research Ideas
Techniques for generating research ideas include:
•Examining your own strengths and interests or personal
preferences (past Grades, assignments, areas you like to work in
the future)
•Looking at past project titles (list of past project titles in your
university, dissertations)
•Discussion and brainstorming with colleagues, Tutors, teachers,
•Searching the literature (articles, report, books, …)
•Scanning the media (stories on both print and online media)
•Relevance trees (start with a broad concept from which you
generate further, usually more specific topics)
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
2.3 Developing Research Proposal
• Research proposal is developed once the researcher
identifies a research problem.
• Research proposal is a document that spells out
researcher’s intentions of carrying out a research
study and outlines the methodology to be followed
therein.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
2.3.1. Importance of Writing a Research Proposal
• Convincing your audience-
– Helps you clarify and organize your ideas into a coherent
statement of your research intent to your audience.
• Organizing your ideas
– Allows the researcher plan and identify the steps that will
be undertaken in the research study
• Contracting with your ‘client’
– Provide justification for funding
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
[Link] of Proposal
• Research Proposal has four major components:
– The preliminary pages
– The main body of the proposal
– References
– Appendices
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
1) The Preliminary Pages
• Cover or Title Page
• The Declaration page
• Dedication page
• Acknowledgement page
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables, List of Figures, List of Graphs
• Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Abstract
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Title and The Title Page
• Wilkinson (1991) proposed that a title should be brief and avoid wasting words. Eliminate unnecessary words, such as “An Approach to . . . ,” “A Study of . . . ,” etc.
• Title of the research should be:
– less than 12 Words but topics in the field of law & management can have more words!
– Brief (short & sharp) phrase describing/reflecting the contents of the paper.
– Concise and informative – not that titles are often used in information-retrieval systems.
– Avoid abbreviations, articles and prepositions and formulae where possible
• The title page consists of title of the study, Authors name, statement of affiliation, and the year when the proposal is submitted
Declaration Page
• On this page, both Supervisor and the student
confirm or declare the originality of the study
Eg
• “I declare that this proposal is my original
work and has been presented for any award of
a degree in any other university….”
• “This research proposal has been submitted
for the examination with my approval as a
supervisor….”
Dedication Page
• A page that gives the author an opportunity to
dedicate his/her work to those dear to him/her.
• Inclusion of an acknowledgements page or dedication
page (or both) is optional.
Eg
I dedicate my research work to my parents,
who….
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Acknowledgement page
• The author acknowledges the help and
contribution of different people who
contributed to the success of the paper
• Eg
• I would like to acknowledge the support of my
supervisor, Dr….who has played a significant
role ….
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Table of Contents
• Consists list of chapters and sub-units with
their respective page numbers as contained in
the main body of the work.
• The preliminary pages are numbered with
roman numerals while the main body part
pages are numbered in Arabic numerals
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
List of Tables, Figures,
Abbreviations and Acronyms
• List of Tables- Tables are numbered as per the
chapter and at the top of the table (in APA
Style)
• List of Figures- Figures are numbered
chronologically at the bottom of the figure (in
APA Style)
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Abstract
• 100-200 WORDS, sometimes a max of 250 words
• Informative and completely self-explanatory
• Briefly present topics, each with 1-3 lines of major
information that includes:
– Objectives/research questions
– Hypothesis tested
– Methodology/Experiments
– Results (in the proposal stage, indicate expected findings)
– Conclusion/s (include next steps, practical implications)
• Applications to practice/ ‘So what?’
• Social/policy implications (if applicable)– Impact on
society/policy/future work/suggestions/recommendations)
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Abstract …. Cont’d
• Originality/value– Who would benefit from the
study and what is new about it?
• Sentences must be complete & the 3rd. Person (He,
She, They) should not be used,
• No literatures be cited or quoted in the abstract
since your abstract is your summary highlights of
your own work
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
The Main Body of Research Proposal
• Chapter One – Introduction
• Chapter Two- Literature Review
• Chapter Three- Research Methodology
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Sections of Chapter One
1.1. Background of the study
1.2. Statement of the problem
1.3. Objectives of the study
1.4. Research Question
1.5. Research Hypothesis
1.6. Significance of the study
1.7. Delimitations/Scope of the study
1.8. Limitations of the study
1.9. Definition of Key Terms
1.10. Organization of the Study
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
1.1. Background of the Study
• Normally 1-1.5 Page , serves as a basis to introduce the
problem to the reader.
• Should provide a clear statement of the problem, relevant
and recent literature on the subject, and the proposed gap
• The primary goal of this section is to catch attention of the
reader by giving historical overview of the area under study
• This is a section where you will:
– Lay the overview/groundwork for why the paper is
important.
– Demonstrate your knowledge of the relevant literature.
– Clarify where your proposal fits into the debate in the
literature.
– Show a clear link between the previous work that has been
done in your field of research and your proposed study.
Background…. Cont’d
• This is not the same as the critical literature review
you will present in your final project report.
• It will just provide an overview of the key literature
sources from which you intend to draw.
• Should tell the reader why you feel the research that
you are planning is worth the effort.
• This may be expressed in the form of a problem that
needs solving or something that you find exciting and
has aroused your curiosity.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Background…. Cont’d
• The reader will be looking for evidence here that
there is sufficient interest from you to sustain you
over the long months (or years) ahead.
• Should cite 10-15 References with most current
literatures of 1-3 years back from the year of
submission.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
1.2. Statement of The Problem
• At this section, the researcher describes the issues of
factors that make the stated problem a critical issue to
warrant the study
• Statement of the problem includes:
1. Statement of social need
2. Statement of knowledge gap and how your study
addresses the gaps
• Method/measurement gap
• Context gap
• Conflicting findings
• Omitted groups
3. Statement of research question
• Eg The main research question this study seeks to address is…
1.3 Research Objectives
• Research Objective has two sub-sections, namely:
– The general objective/Purpose section, and
– Specific objective section
• The general objective/purpose section is a single
sentence that explains what the study intends to
achieve, i.e, answers the question “what is the aim of
the study”?
• The purpose statement should be brief, concise and
clearly stated.
• There should be coherence between the title, the
problem and research purpose.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Research Objective… Cont’d
• Specific objectives section provides specific
statements of what the research intends to do to
achieve the purpose of the study
• Should provide a clear sense of purpose and
direction
• The objectives should be stated unambiguously and
clearly – SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic & Time bound)
• Uses action verbs like:
To determine, to assess, to compare, to explain, to
evaluate, ….
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
1.4. Research questions
• Research questions are investigative questions that the
researcher would like to get answered
• A good research question is essential to guide
your research paper, dissertation, or thesis.
• It should be:
• Focused on a single problem or issue
• Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources
• Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints
• Specific enough to answer thoroughly
• Complex enough to develop the answer over the space of a paper
or thesis – not be answered with yes or no or easily found
answers
• Relevant to your field of study and/or society more broadly
Research Questions… cont’d
In qualitative studies,
–Use non-directional language.
–Focus on a single phenomenon or concept.
–Avoid words that suggest or infer a quantitative study, words
with a directional orientation such as “affect,” “influence,”
“impact,” “determine,” “cause,” and “relate.”
• Use the verbs that tell the reader that the study will
–Discover (e.g., grounded theory)
–Seek to understand (e.g., ethnography)
–Explore a process (e.g., case study)
–Describe the experiences (e.g., phenomenology)
–Report the stories (e.g., narrative research)
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Research Questions …Cont’d
Under quantitative studies,
•Research questions and hypotheses are used to shape
and specifically focus the purpose of the study.
• The use of variables in research questions or hypotheses is
typically limited to three basic approaches:
• Comparing groups on an independent variable to see its
impact on a dependent variable.
• Relating one or more independent variables to a
dependent variable.
• Describing responses to the independent, mediating,
moderating or dependent variables.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Research Questions Checklist
• Is the research question(s) a logical extension
of the purpose of the study?
• Does the research question(s) reflect the best
question to address the problem?
• Does the research question(s) align with the
design of the study?
• Does the research question(s) align with the
method identified for collecting data?
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Research Questions…Cont’d
• If the study is qualitative, (s):
– does the research question begin with What or How (not Why)
– does the research question focus on a single phenomenon
– does the research question use exploratory verbs
– does the research question use non-directional language
• If the study is quantitative:
– Do the descriptive questions seek to describe responses to
major variables?
– Do the inferential questions follow from a theory?
– Are the variables positioned consistently from
independent/predictor to dependent/outcome in the inferential
questions?
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
1.5. Hypothesis
What is a hypothesis?
• Is a tentative explanation for certain behaviors,
phenomena, or events that have occurred or will
occur
• Is a working propositions suggested as a solution to a
problem
• Is derived directly from the statement of the problem,
which in turn is based on the research literature
• States the researchers' expectations concerning the
relationship between the variables in the research
problem
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
The Role of Theory
• Theory is defined by Gill and Johnson (2002:229) as ‘a
formulation regarding the cause and effect relationships
between two or more variables, which may or may not have
been tested’.
• A clear theoretical position should be developed prior to the
collection of data in the deductive approach/ Quantitative
study).
Theories Hypothesis collection of data
analysis and result Hypothesis Testing
Confirmation of Theory
• But in the inductive approach/Qualitative research, developing
a theory may be after the data have been collected and
analyzed.
Data and observation Collection of data Result
Develop theory (proposition)
Importance of hypotheses
• Provide direction to the researcher.
• Help the researcher determine the type of
data needed to test the proposition.
• Facilitate the extension of knowledge in an
area.
• Provide tentative explanation of facts and
phenomena, and can be tested and validated.
• Provide the bases for reporting conclusions of
the study.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Characteristics of Hypothesis
• Hypotheses should:
– be clearly and precisely stated.
– be testable/verifiable.
– state the expected relationship between
variables.
– be stated as far as possible in simple terms.
– be consistent with most known facts and or
theories.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Characteristics of… Cont’d
A hypothesis should answer:
–What variables the researcher is manipulating, or
responsible for a situation? (
independent variable)
–What results are expected? (dependent variable)
–What is expected from the results? The rationale
for these expectations should be made explicit in
light of the review of the literature, theory and
personal experience/observation.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Hypothesis …Cont’d
• There are two forms of hypothesis :
– null and alternative.
• A null hypothesis represents the traditional
approach to writing hypotheses.
• It makes a prediction that in the general population,
no relationship or no difference exists between
groups on a variable.
• The wording is “There is no difference (or
relationship)” between the groups.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Hypothesis… Cont’d
Example - A Null Hypothesis
• An investigator might examine three types of
reinforcement for children with autism: verbal cues, a
reward, and no reinforcement.
• A null hypothesis might read:
– There is no significant difference between the
effects of verbal cues, rewards, and no
reinforcement in terms of social interaction for
children with autism and their siblings.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Hypothesis… Cont’d
• The second form of hypothesis, popular in journal
articles, is the alternative hypothesis.
• The investigator makes a prediction about the
expected outcome for the population of the study.
• This prediction often comes from prior literature and
studies on the topic that suggest a potential outcome
that the researcher may expect.
• For example, the researcher may predict that “Scores
will be higher for Group A than for Group B” on the
outcome.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Hypothesis … Cont’d
• Alternative Hypothesis can also be expressed as:
– directional and non-directional
• In a directional hypothesis, the expected
prediction (e.g., higher, change more) is
revealed.
• In non-directional hypothesis– a prediction is
made, but the exact form of differences (e.g.,
higher, lower, more, or less) is not specified.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Hypothesis… Cont’d
Example- Directional Hypotheses
• Mascarenhas (1989) studied the differences between
type of ownership (state-owned, private) of firms in
the offshore drilling industry.
• Specifically, the study explored such differences as
domestic market dominance, international presence,
and customer orientation.
• Hypothesis 1: Publicly traded firms will have higher
growth rates than privately held firms.
• Hypothesis 2: State-owned firms will have a greater
share of the domestic market than publicly traded or
privately held firms
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Hypothesis… Cont’d
Example – Non-directional and Directional Hypotheses
• Sometimes directional hypotheses are created to
examine the relationship among variables rather than
to compare groups.
• For example, in a study of the meaning of gender
identity for religious and secular Western and African
women in a given society.
• In a national probability sample of African and
Western women, the author identified three
hypotheses for study.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU
Hypothesis… Cont…
• The first hypothesis is non-directional and the last
two are directional.
• H1: Gender identity of religious and secular African
and Western women are related to different
sociopolitical social orders that reflect the different
value systems they embrace.
• H2: Religious women with salient gender identity are
less socio-politically active than secular women with
salient gender identities.
• H3:The relationships among gender identity,
religiosity, and social actions are weaker among
African women than among Western women.
Research Methods for Business _Lecture notes __MBA Program
Course Speaker, Jemal Mohammed (PhD), Assist Prof, AAU