1、 Lesson 15 ContentsBusiness Environment 1Business Research 2Characteristics of Business Research 3Management and Research 41.Business EnvironmentvChanges in the business environment.vFactors which characterize the complex business decision-making environment.ChangesvSocial and political mandates of
2、national public policy,explosive technology growth,and continuing innovations in global communications.vOthers from mergers,trade policies,protected markets,technology transfers,and macroeconomic savings-investment issues.FactorsvThere are more variables to consider in every decision.vMore knowledge
3、 exists in every field of management.vGlobal and domestic competition is more vigorous,with many businesses downsizing to refocus on primary competencies,reduce costs,and make competitive gains.vThe quality of theories and models to explain tactical and strategic results is improving.FactorsvGovernm
4、ent continues to show concern with all aspects of society,becoming increasingly aggressive in protecting these various publics.vThe explosive growth of company sites on the World Wide Web and company publications via desktop and electronic publishing have brought the prospect of extensive new arrays
5、 of information but information quality is increasingly suspect.FactorsvWorkers,shareholders,customers,and the general public are demanding to be included in company decision making.vOrganizations are increasingly practicing data mining,learning to extract meaningful knowledge from volumes of data c
6、ontained within internal databases.vComputer advances have allowed businesses to create the architecture for data warehousing,electronic storehouses where vast arrays of collected,integrated data are ready for mining.FactorsvThe power and ease of use of todays computer have given us the capability t
7、o analyze data to deal with todays complex managerial problems.vThe number and power of the tools used to conduct research have increased,commensurate with the growing complexity of business decisions.Data miningvIt describes the concept of discovering knowledge from database.vThe idea behind data m
8、ining is the process of identifying valid,novel,useful,and ultimately understandable patterns in data.Data warehousingvIt organizes large volumes of data into categories to facilitate retrieval,interpretation,and sorting by end-users.vIt provides an accessible archive to support dynamic organization
9、al intelligence applications.2.Business ResearchvTo do well in such an environment,what does a manager need to understand?vDefinition of research.vBusiness research operates in a less favorable environment than physical sciences.vAdvancement of business research in the scientific arena.UnderstandvHe
10、 will need to understand how to identify quality information and to recognize the solid,reliable research on which his high-risk decisions as a manager can be based.vThese skills requires understanding of scientific method.Scientific methodvA method of procedure that has characterized natural scienc
11、e since the 17th century.vConsisting in systematic observation,measurement,and experiment,and the formulation,testing,and modification of hypotheses.Definition of researchvThere are mainly four types of studies:reporting,descriptive,explanatory,and predictive.Any of it can be called research.vResear
12、ch&Business research.ReportingvIt may be made only to provide an account or summary of some data,perhaps the generalization of some statistics.vIt calls for knowledge and skill with information sources and gatekeepers of information sources.vSuch a study usually requires little inference or conclusi
13、on drawing.DescriptivevIt tries to discover answers to the questions who,what,when,where,and sometimes how.vThe researcher attempts to describe or define a subject,often by creating a profile of a group of problems,people or events.ExplanatoryvIt goes beyond description and attempts to explain the r
14、easons for the phenomenon that the descriptive study only observed.vThe researcher uses theories or at least hypotheses to account for the forces that caused a certain phenomenon to occur.PredictivevIf we can provide a plausible explanation for an event after it has occurred,it is desirable to be ab
15、le to predict when and in what situations the event will occur.vIn business research,prediction is found in studies conducted to evaluate specific courses of action or to forecast current and future values.ResearchvIt is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order t
16、o establish facts and reach new conclusions.Business researchv A systematic inquiry that provides information to guide business decisions.Less favorable environmentvResearch methods and findings cannot be patented,and sharing findings often results in a loss of competitive advantage.vPhysical resear
17、ch is normally conducted under controlled laboratory conditions;business researches seldom do.vPeople do not easily accept research findings that differ from their opinions.AdvancementvNew techniques are being developed,and rigorous research procedures are advancing rapidly.vOne outcome of these tre
18、nds is that research-based decision making will be more widely used in the future than it has been in the past.3.Characteristics of Business ResearchvCharacteristics of good research.vThese nine criteria are especially appropriate to guide research done by managers themselves.Characteristics of good
19、 researchvPurpose clearly defined.vResearch process detailed.vResearch design thoroughly planned.vHigh ethical standards applied.vLimitations frankly revealed.Characteristics of good researchvAdequate analysis for decision makers needs.vFindings presented unambiguously.vConclusions justified.vResear
20、chers experience reflected.PurposevThe purpose means the problem involved or the decision to be made.vIt should be clearly defined and sharply delineated in terms as unambiguous as possible.Unambiguous:adj.Having or exhibiting no ambiguity or uncertainty;clear.ProcessvThe research procedures used sh
21、ould be described in sufficient detail to permit another researcher to repeat the research.Design vThe procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield results that are as objective as possible.Ethical standards vA research design that includes safeguards against causing mental
22、 or physical harm to participants,and makes data integrity a first priority,should be highly valued.Safeguard:n.A precautionary measure.Integrity:adj.The quality or condition of being whole or undivided;completeness.Limitations vThe researcher should report,with complete frankness,flaws in procedura
23、l design and estimate their effect on the findings.Flaw:v.To make or become defective.Analysis vAnalysis of the data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance,and the methods of analysis used should be appropriate.Findings presented unambiguously v Presentation of data should be com
24、prehensive,easily understood by the decision make,and organized so that the decision maker can readily locate critical findings.Conclusions justified vConclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research and limited to those for which the data provide an adequate basis.Confi
25、ne:vt.To keep within bounds;restrict.Experience reflectedvGreater confidence in the research is warranted if the researcher is experienced,has a good reputation in research,and is a person of integrity.Warrant:vt.To guarantee or attest to the quality,accuracy,or condition of.4.Management and Researc
26、hvInformation gathering is an integral part of any managers job.vThe relationship between researcher and manager.vConflict between researcher and manager.v“Research generalist”vThe value of business research.Integral:adj.Essential or necessary for completeness;constituent.Relationship vThey both hav
27、e to fulfill their respective obligations and overcome several critical barrier to meet an effective working relationship.ObligationsvManagers should specify their problems and provide researchers with adequate background information and access to company information gatekeepers.vResearchers should
28、provide data analyzed in terms of the problems specified,and also should point out the implications that flow from the results.ConflictvThe decision maker wants certainty and simple,explicit recommendations,while researcher often can offer only probabilities and hedged interpretations.vSome main sou
29、rces of conflict.SourcesvManagers know little about research.vManagers often see research people as threats to their personal status.vThe researcher will inevitably have to consider culture and political situations that develop in any organization.vResearchers frequent isolation from managers.Inevit
30、ably:adv.UnavoidablyResearch generalistvSuch a person would head the research activity,help managers detail their research needs,and translate these needs into research problems.ValuevBusiness research helps management make better decisions.If it cant,its use should be questioned.vThe important point is that applied research in a business environment finds its justification in the contribution it makes to the decision makers task and to the bottom line.
