St. Joseph’s College of Commerce (Autonomous)

End Semester Examinations – March / April 2014

MIB –II Semester

 BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Time: 3 Hrs                                                                                                      Max Marks: 100

 

Section – A

1. Answer any SEVEN Each carries 5 marks.                           (7 x 5 = 35)
2. Give qualities of a good researcher. Describe social research in
3. Write the steps for preparation of questionnaire. Write the limitations of a questionnaire.

1. Explain ‘conditions for applying ANOVA test’.
2. Enumerate the different sources of secondary data and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each source.
3. Define marketing research? What are the applications in Marketing Research? Explain.

6. The systolic blood pressure (Hg / mm) of 15 patients under treatment for hypertension has been noted as shown:

150	97	107	139	118	157	152	138	151	133
165	150	122	188	151

Apply t-test and examine is there any evidence that this sample represents a population of patients having a normally distributes blood pressure with mean samples?  The critical value at 0.01 level of significance is 1.761.

7. The sample size of 100 students is taken from a large population. The mean height is 64 inches and Std Deviation 4 inches. Can it be reasonably regarded population mean height is 66 inches. Apply Z test assume that there is no significant association between sample mean and hypothetical population mean. Significant level at 1% and the table value is 2.58.

1. Discuss the uses of t-test and explain the importance of chi-square test in business research
2. What do you mean by sampling techniques?  Discuss the following sampling techniques

• Systematic sampling (b) Stratified sampling (c) Judgmental sampling

 

1. Review the need of Foot -Note and bibliography in your research work

Section – B

1. Answer any THREE out of FIVE questions. Each carries 15 marks.  (3x 15 = 45)

 

11. In order to test the significance of variance of the retail prices of a commodity in three cities, four shops were chosen at random from each city and prices observed in rupees were as follows:

City	Shops
A	16	8	12	12
B	14	10	10	06
C	04	10	08	10

Use analysis of variance to test that the prices in three cities are significantly different?  State the Null and alternative hypothesis and test the significance.

12. (i) A pharma company claims that it has developed an ointment which can cure dandruff. In an experiment on 500 persons, half were given the ointment and the other had continued to use the usual shampoo. The results are given below :

Products	Helpful	Harmful	No Effect	Total
Ointment	145	30	75	250
Shampoo	135	40	75	250
Total	280	70	150	500

Apply Chi-square test. Test at 5% significance level if there is any significant difference between ointment and shampoo in controlling dandruff? State Null and alternative hypothesis.

12 (ii) Write Short Notes on:  (a) Case Study (b) Pilot Study (c) Scaling Techniques

13. Describe the different steps involved in research process
14. What do you understand by ‘Hypothesis Testing’? State the various hypothesis testing procedures
15. Explain the significance of research report and what could be the structure and general layout for writing a dissertation?

Section – C

• ONE Compulsory Case study                                                  ( 1 x 20 = 20)

16. Enhancing The Utility Of Sports Utility Vehicles

An industry that has taken advantage of online focus groups is the automobile industry specifically Nissan.  While designing the Zterra Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), Nissan conducted several online focus groups to get feedback on designs, as well as find out what their target market wanted to see in an SUV.  The market, consisting of young, active, athletic people was eager to participate.  They wanted an SUV that could carry sporting and camping equipment inside the vehicle or on racks, but they wanted it to be offered at a reasonable price.  The focus groups discussed topics such as the features they were looking for such as racks on the top and the back of the SUV, four doors, a sporty design, trendy colors and lots of room inside the vehicle.  Nissan delivered in all of these areas, and has been successful.  The Zterra became a success.

On-line focus groups revealed that many automobile buyers wanted custom-built vehicles.  Therefore, Nissan become the first major automaker to announce web-enabled build-to-order manufacturing.

Questions:

1. Comment on the qualitative research and construct a research design for Nissan.
2. Based on the case develop a Model Research report.

 

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MIB- End Semester Examinations – March / April’ 2014

 

Semester –II

 

Business Research Methodology

 

Synopsis of Answer Keys

Section – A                                                                                                                  7 x 5 = 35

 

Answer any SEVEN questions

1. Give qualities of a good researcher. Describe social research in

• Interest
• Motivation
• Inquisitiveness
• Commitment
• Sacrifice
• Excelling
• Knowledge
• Recognition
• Scholarly approach, and

2. Write the steps for preparation of questionnaire. Write the limitations of a questionnaire.

• Formulate the research question and research objectives / goals – what do you wish to ascertain?
• Define the target population – who do you wish to target?
• Formulate the questions in order to answer the research question(s)
• Organize the questions
• Consult experts
• Do a pilot study among a small group of respondents similar to those in the target population
• Adhere to ethical standards

Limitations

• It is reliable and valid, but
• Pre-coding questions can deter them from answering.
• Pre-coded questions can bias the findings towards the researcher.
• Postal questionnaire offer little opportunities to check the truthfulness of the answers.
• It cannot be used with illiterate and small children.

 

3. Explain ‘conditions for applying ANOVA test’.

• Calculation of “T” sum of all samples
• Calculation of Correction Factor CF (T²/n)
• Calculation of sum square variance for observed value within samples
• Calculation of sum square variance Between samples
• Calculation of ANOVA
• Calculation of “F” value
• Decision making

4. Enumerate the different sources of secondary data and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each source.

Secondary sources – Data can be collected from the following sources Journal, Books, Annual Reports, Newsletter, Balance Sheet, Official Documents, Online resources etc.,

5. Define marketing research? What are the applications in Marketing Research? Explain.

A set of techniques and principles for systematically collecting, recording, analyzing, and interpreting data that can aid decision makers who are involved with marketing goods, services or ideas.

Applications Gathering data from markets

• Conducting customer surveys
• Determining the needs of your customers
• Evaluating customer response to advertising
• Gathering sales and market share data on your competitors
• Testing your products in the marketplace
• Estimating potential product sales

6. Refer attached sheet
7. Refer attached sheet
8. Discuss the uses of t-test and explain the importance of chi-square test in business research

• Data sets should be independent from each other except in the case of the paired-sample t-test
• Where n<30 the t-tests should be used
• The distributions should be normal for the equal and unequal variance t-test
• All individuals must be selected at random from the population
• All individuals must have equal chance of being selected
• Sample sizes should be as equal as possible but some differences are allowed

9. What do you mean by sampling techniques? Discuss the following sampling techniques

The terminology “sampling” indicates the selection of a part of a group or an aggregate with a view to obtaining information about the whole. This aggregate or the totality of all members is known as Population although they need not be human beings. The selected part, which is used to ascertain the characteristics of the population, is called Sample.

• Systematic sampling: A sample where the units are selected at equal interval.
• Stratified sampling: A sample collected by dividing the entire population into a number of subgroups and selecting a simple random sample from each subgroup.
• Judgmental sampling: It’s a procedure where the sample is selected through judgment or expertise.

10. Review the need of Foot -Note and bibliography in your research work

• Footnotes: A reference, explanation, or comment¹ placed below the main text on a printed page.
• Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout a research paper, except for those notes accompanying special material (figures, tables, etc.).
• “Footnotes are used to provide additional content or to acknowledge copyright permission status.
• Bibliography: Bibliography is an alphabetical list of all the sources used in your research.
• It appears at the end of your report or essay.
• It must be written in a specific format.

 

Section – B

Answer any THREE out of FIVE                                                              3 x 15   = 45

 

11. Refer attached sheet
12. (i) Refer attached sheet

 

 

12 (ii) Write Short Notes on:

• (a) Case Study: It is an in-depth/intensive study of a unit or problem under study. It is a comprehensive study of a firm or an industry, or a social group, or an episode, or an incident, or a process, or a programme, or an institution or any other social unit.
• Pilot Study: A pilot, or feasibility study, is a small experiment designed to test logistics and gather information prior to a larger study, in order to improve the latter’s quality and efficiency. A pilot study can reveal deficiencies in the design of a proposed experiment or procedure and these can then be addressed before time and resources are expended on large scale studies.

Objectives of Pilot Study

• Integrity of study protocol
• Testing of data collection forms or questionnaires
• Randomization procedure
• Recruitment and consent
• Acceptability of intervention
• Selection of most appropriate outcome measure
• Sample size calculation
• Scaling Techniques
• Nominal
• Ordinal
• Interval
• Ratio (scale)

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. Describe the different steps involved in research process
14. What do you understand by ‘Hypothesis Testing’? State the various hypothesis testing procedures

Hypotheses are formulated to explain observed facts, conditions, or behaviour and to serve as a guide in the research process. The statements or tentative generalizations which constitute hypotheses are partly based on facts and explanations, and partly conceptual.

Testing of Hypothesis

• Testing hypothesis is an important activity in the research process. As a researcher you should know the important steps in testing hypothesis.

The steps are:

1) State the research hypothesis (H₁)

2) Formulate the null hypothesis (H₀)

3) Choose a statistical test

4) Specify a significance level

5) Compute the statistical test

6) Reject/accept the H₀

7) Draw the inference i.e. Accept/Reject H₁

15. Explain the significance of research report and what could be the structure and general layout for writing a dissertation?

• A research report is an end product of a project work. It contains the description of events, pertinent facts discovered during investigation, conclusion and recommendation.
• Research Report emphasizes that:
• A research report is a tangible product or output especially a written/printed or published document for communicating specific data and ideas to an audience.
• It contains information which are observed or investigated with a specific purpose.
• It is a record for future use by other researchers.
• A scholarly outlet to disseminate ideas and information.

Section – C

  ONE Compulsory Case study                                                                           1 x 20 = 20

16. Case Study evaluation should be based on

• Individual presentation – 5 Marks
• Formulation of research problem – 5 Marks
• Research Design-5 Marks
• Questionnaire- 5 Marks

Latest Govt Job & Exam Updates:

View Full List ...