Business Research Methods - Study Glossary

A comprehensive vocabulary review covering 184 terms and definitions across Foundations, Qualitative, Quantitative, Sampling, and Ethics from the Business Research Methods study glossary.

Business research

Systematic investigation of business-related questions to develop knowledge and inform decisions.

Research philosophy

The assumptions and beliefs about reality and knowledge that guide research.

Ontology

The study of the nature of reality and what exists.

Epistemology

The study of what counts as knowledge and how knowledge can be acquired.

Objectivism

The belief that social reality exists independently of individuals and their perceptions.

Constructionism

The belief that social reality is created and shaped through social interaction.

Positivism

An approach that emphasises objective observation, measurement and empirical evidence.

Interpretivism

An approach that seeks to understand people's meanings, experiences and interpretations.

Critical realism

The belief that an objective reality exists, but our understanding of it is limited and influenced by social conditions.

Verstehen

Understanding social behaviour by examining the meanings and perspectives of the people involved.

Phenomenology

The study of people's lived experiences and how they interpret them.

Symbolic interactionism

The perspective that people create and interpret meanings through social interaction and symbols.

Theory

A set of connected ideas or explanations used to understand a phenomenon.

Concept

A general idea or category used to describe something.

Construct

An abstract concept developed for theoretical or research purposes.

Variable

A characteristic or factor that can take different values.

Empirical evidence

Knowledge or information obtained through observation or experience.

Methodology

The overall strategy and reasoning behind the methods used in research.

Research method

A specific technique used to collect or analyse research data.

Research question

The central question that a study aims to answer.

Deduction

Developing hypotheses from existing theory and testing them using data.

Induction

Developing patterns and theories from observations or collected data.

Abduction

Finding the most plausible explanation for an unexpected observation.

Hypothesis

A testable statement predicting a relationship between variables.

Operationalisation

Turning an abstract concept into measurable variables or indicators.

Conceptualisation

Defining and clarifying the meaning of a concept.

Quantification

Expressing information or characteristics in numerical form.

Primary data

Original data collected firsthand by the researcher for a specific research purpose.

Secondary data

Data previously collected by someone else and reused for a new research purpose.

Primary data analysis

Analysing data collected firsthand by the researcher.

Secondary data analysis

Analysing data originally collected by another researcher or organisation.

Internal data

Data originating from within an organisation.

External data

Data originating from outside an organisation.

Documentary data

Information contained in documents such as reports, letters, emails or records.

Archival data

Previously collected records or historical data preserved for future use.

Purpose (secondary data evaluation)

Assessing why the data was originally collected and whether that purpose affects its suitability.

Scope (secondary data evaluation)

Assessing whether the data covers the required topic, population, location and time period.

Authority (secondary data evaluation)

Assessing the credibility, expertise and reliability of the data source.

Audience (secondary data evaluation)

Assessing who the data was originally intended for and whether this may influence its content.

Format (secondary data evaluation)

Assessing how the data is presented, structured and made available.

Research limitations

Weaknesses or constraints that may affect the quality, interpretation or applicability of findings.

Gatekeeper

A person who controls or facilitates a researcher's access to a group, organisation or research setting.

Research transparency

Clearly documenting and reporting research methods, decisions and findings.

Qualitative research

Research that explores people's experiences, meanings and behaviours using non-numerical data.

Subjectivity

The influence of personal perspectives, experiences and interpretations.

Context

The circumstances or environment in which something occurs.

Naturalistic research

Research conducted in people's normal, real-world environments.

Reflexivity

The researcher's awareness and evaluation of how their own position and assumptions influence the research.

Thick description

A detailed account of behaviour that explains its social and cultural context.

Data saturation

The point at which collecting more data produces no substantially new insights or themes.

Ethnography

An approach involving the in-depth study of people or groups in their natural social environment.

Case study

An in-depth investigation of a specific case, such as an organisation, group or event.

Grounded theory

An approach that develops theory from systematically collected and analysed data.

Narrative research

Research that examines people's stories and personal accounts of experiences.

Action research

Research that investigates a problem while attempting to improve or change the situation.

Comparative research

Research that compares two or more cases, groups or situations.

Qualitative interview

An interview used to explore participants' experiences, opinions and interpretations.

Structured interview

An interview using predetermined questions asked in the same order and wording.

Semi-structured interview

An interview using prepared questions while allowing flexibility and follow-up questions.

Unstructured interview

An open-ended interview with no fixed sequence of questions.

Probing

Asking follow-up questions to obtain more detailed or clearer answers.

Focus group

A guided group discussion used to explore participants' opinions and experiences.

Participant observation

Observing a group while actively participating in its activities.

Non-participant observation

Observing a group without actively participating in its activities.

Field notes

Written records of observations, experiences and reflections made during research.

Document analysis

The systematic examination of documents to extract relevant information.

Transcription

Converting recorded speech or interviews into written text.

Open-ended questions

Questions that allow participants to answer freely in their own words.

Closed-ended questions

Questions that provide predefined answer options.

Leading questions

Questions worded to encourage or influence a particular response.

Double-barrelled questions

Questions that ask about two separate issues at the same time.

Negative questions

Questions containing negative wording that may confuse respondents.

Conversation analysis

The study of how people organise and structure interactions through spoken communication.

Discourse analysis

The study of how language is used to create meaning and shape social reality.

Qualitative data analysis

The process of organising and interpreting non-numerical data to identify meanings and patterns.

Coding

Assigning labels to sections of qualitative data to identify important ideas or information.

Categories

Groups of related codes organised under broader concepts.

Themes

Recurring patterns or important ideas identified across qualitative data.

Thematic analysis

A method of identifying, organising and interpreting themes within qualitative data.

Member checking

Asking participants to review research interpretations or findings for accuracy.

Audit trail

A documented record of research decisions and procedures that allows the process to be examined.

Credibility

The extent to which qualitative findings accurately represent participants' experiences.

Transferability

The extent to which findings may be applicable to other contexts or settings.

Dependability

The extent to which the research process is consistent, logical and documented.

Confirmability

The extent to which findings are based on evidence rather than researcher bias.

Triangulation

Using multiple methods, sources, researchers or perspectives to examine the same phenomenon.

Quantitative research

Research that collects and analyses numerical data to identify patterns, relationships or differences.

Measurement

The process of assigning values or numbers to characteristics according to defined rules.

Measure

A specific way of assessing or quantifying a variable or concept.

Indicator

An observable characteristic used to represent or assess a concept.

Direct indicator

An indicator that measures a concept relatively directly.

Indirect indicator

An observable proxy used to represent a concept that cannot be measured directly.

Index

A combined measure created by bringing together multiple indicators.

Scale

A set of items or questions combined to measure a particular concept.

Questionnaire

A structured set of questions used to collect information from respondents.

Survey

A research method that collects standardised information from a sample of people.

Statistical analysis

The use of statistical techniques to examine and interpret numerical data.

Research instrument

A tool used to collect or measure research data, such as a questionnaire or interview guide.

Independent variable (IV)

The variable used to explain or predict changes in another variable.

Dependent variable (DV)

The outcome variable being explained or measured.