NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

School of Management

 

Spring 2001                                        MGMT 635 (Exec. MBA)             

Management Research Methods

Instructor Info.:

Cheickna Sylla,

4012 CAB, NJIT

Phone: 973 596 5691

Email: sylla@adm.njit.edu

 

Course Description and Objectives

 

This course is intended to provide a survey of basic and advanced management research methodologies with an emphasis on applications.  Although quantitative analytical methods are covered in detail, this is not a statistics course.  Rather emphasis is on understanding how management research is used to help make decisions in a variety of business disciplines. Most often than not, statistical analyses tools are used to conduct the requisite investigations and evaluation for business decision. Thus, this course will help you acquire a working knowledge of the requisite statistical concepts and tools.

 

Specific course objectives include, but are not limited to the following:

 

1.     To provide a thorough understanding of how management research is used in decision-making,

2.     To gain an understanding of  how new information technologies are opening up new sources of data and why new analytical methods are needed to gain insights into these data,

3.     To examine the relationship between management research methods and knowledge management techniques in organizations,

4.     To provide a solid understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to aid in distinguishing between high and low quality research studies,

5.     To gain familiarity with and an understanding of advanced statistical methods including multivariate statistical models and forecasting techniques, and

6.     To learn how to design, interpret, present and evaluate empirical research studies.

 

Course Materials: 

 

The primary texts and other reading materials for the course are:

1.     Business Research Methods, by Donald R. Cooper and Pamela S. Schindler, 7^th Edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2001 (book 1)

2.     Statistics for Managers: Using Microsoft Excel, by David M. Levine et al., Prentice-Hall, 2^nd Edition, 1999 (book 2)

3.     Case Studies, Exam and Reading Assignments will be handed out (Handout)

4.     Software tools: Microsoft Excel, SPSS Student Version 9.0

Course Outline

The following topics will be discussed in the order provided. Due to the large number of interesting topics involved in this subject matter, the coverage of some topics will be very brief (i.e., in the form of overviews). Topics involving statistical analysis tools will be discussed in more details.

 

 Jan. 20/01            Introduction: Purpose and Uses of Research in Business

 

Significance of Business Research

Framing the Research Questions in Business, The Research Process

Statistical Review - Fundamentals of Descriptive Statistics

Reading: book 1 (chap. 1 - 4), book 2 (chap. 1 - 3)

 

Feb. 2/01         The Design of Research

 

Research Process (Continued)

Research Design Issues, Strategies and Tools

Sampling Design, Measurement & Measurement Scales

Statistical Review - The Normal Distribution and Sampling Distribution

Reading:  book 1 (chap. 6 - 9), book 2 (chap. 6 & 7)

 

Feb. 3/01            The Sources and Collection of Data

 

Data Sources

Survey Methods & Survey Instruments

Overview of OLAP Tools, Internet Exploration and Data Mining

Observational Studies and Experimentation

Statistical Review - Fundamentals of Hypothesis Testing

Reading:  book 1 (chap. 10 - 14), book 2 (chap. 8)

 

Feb. 16/01            Analysis and Presentation of Data

 

Data Preparation and Description

Exploring, Displaying and Examining Data

Hypothesis Testing (Continued)

Measuring Association

Statistical Review - Simple Linear Regression and Correlation

Reading:  book 1 (chap. 15 - 17), book 2 (chap. 6, 8 and 13)

 

Feb. 17/01            Conclusion: Analysis and Presentation of Data (Continued)

 

An Overview of Multivariate Analysis

Statistical Review - Fundamentals of Multiple Regression Models

Presenting Results: Written and Oral Reports

Presentation and Discussions of Class projects

Reading:  book 1 (chap. 19 - 20), book 2 (chap. 14)

Course Requirements

 

Given the applied focus of this course, there are no in-class or written exams.  Rather, grades will be determined by your performance on the individual take-home-exam and group research methods projects. The grading scheme and assignments are listed below:

 

Tentative Grading Scheme:

 

The course grade will be derived from the following requirements:

Take Home Exam                                       40%

Group Project Report                                     40%

Group Project Presentation                             20%

   Total                                                                       100%

 

Please note that NJIT recommended grading scheme is as follows:

           

            A             for Superior performance (i.e., 92% or higher)

            B+            for excellent performance (i.e., 87 to 91%)

            B            for very good performance (i.e., 82 to 86%)

            C+               or lower otherwise

 

Individual Take-home-Exam

 

There will be an individual assignment in the form of a take-home-exam, which will be handed out on the first days of classes, and due on the last day of the course, namely 2/17/2001. Please try to finish and hand in your exam on time because there is a lateness penalty as seen described below.

 

Group Projects

 

There will be a group research project, which will include data collection and analysis. While the final form of this project is not yet determined, one of both the following activities will be required in the project task. The final form of the project, and data requirement and analysis, will be discussed on the first day of classes.

 

1.     Focus Group Study including In-Class Presentation.

2.     Survey Research Project including In-Class Presentation

 

Lateness Penalties

 

There is a penalty of 1/3 of one letter grade (e.g., from A to A-) per day for lateness for individual projects.  Inability to make a presentation for the group projects at the assigned time will result in a grade of "F" for that project.

 

 

 

Non-Contribution Penalty

 

The level of contribution of each group member to group projects will be rated using self and peers' assessments. Group members who are identified as non-contributors by their peers for any part of their group project will receive a grade of "F" for the course (regardless of their self-ratings). No excuses.  No exceptions. No mercy.  No kidding.