The Research Process and Business Research Standards

Vocabulary flashcards defining foundational business research terminology, measurement scales, stages of research, and ethical considerations based on the lecture notes.

Research

A systematic process encompassing the collection, recording, analysis, and interpretation of information to generate answers to questions and contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

Business Research

A series of processes involving planning, gathering, analyzing, and reporting pertinent data, information, and insights to decision-makers to maximize performance and achieve organizational objectives.

SWOT Analysis

An approach used to assess a business or business unit's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Importance-Performance Analysis

A business research method that can identify SWOT factors based on customer satisfaction surveys.

Management Dilemma

Symptoms of actual problems in an organization, such as rising costs or declining sales, which signal the need to allocate resources.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Metrics used by an organization to monitor performance against past results and industry standards at company, business unit, and individual levels.

Exploration

A typically unstructured type of research that involves seeking existing information, historical company data, and proprietary databases to help refine research questions and evaluate decision options.

Research Design

The blueprint for collecting data that fulfills objectives and answers specific research questions.

Primary Data

Raw or unprocessed data that are recorded directly, such as responses from a personal interview.

Secondary Data

Data that contain at least one level of interpretation, such as summarized graphical data from a research report or article.

Nominal Scale

A measurement scale for data that categorizes or labels without implying any order, such as gender, race, or brand names.

Ordinal Scale

A measurement scale for data categorized in a meaningful order but without consistent intervals between categories, such as rankings or satisfaction levels.

Interval Scale

A measurement scale for data with ordered categories and consistent intervals but no true zero point, such as temperature in Celsius or IQ scores.

Ratio Scale

A measurement scale for data with ordered categories, consistent intervals, and a true zero point, such as weight, height, or sales figures.

Target Population

The complete population group that contains the necessary information required to answer the research question.

Census

A sampling design approach that involves examining every single case in the target population.

Sample

A subset or portion of the target population examined in a research study.

Data Preparation

The process of editing, coding, and clarifying data before analysis to ensure consistency, accuracy, and legibility across responses.

Data Analysis

The process of condensing raw data through summaries, identifying patterns by examining relationships among variables, and applying statistical techniques.

Voluntary Participation

An ethical principle specifying that participants can opt in or out of a research study at any time.

Informed Consent

An ethical principle where participants are informed about the purpose, benefits, risks, and funding behind a study before agreeing or declining to join.

Anonymity

An ethical condition where the researcher does not know the participants' identities, and no personally identifiable data is collected.

Confidentiality

An ethical condition where the researcher knows the participants' identities but keeps that information hidden from others and anonymizes identifiable data.

Republic Act No. 10173

Also known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012, which requires adherence to general principles governing the collection, processing, and retention of personal data.