本书的目的旨在帮助学生消除那种认为研究”太过于科学化”或“太抽象”的错误观念;帮助学生了解科学与研究的语言及方法;帮助他们懂得那些结构合理与论证恰当的报告是如何比那些仅以实践方法或常识为基础的报告更令人信服和更可靠的;综合并简化研究过程.为学生提供实践指南,这样他们就能够有效地完成研究项目.写出好的论文和项目报告。

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Part Ⅰ Challenges and ambiguities of business research
1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose
1.2 Readership
1.3 On the use of the book
2 Research in business studies
2.1 Why we do research
2.2 Research versus common sense
2.3 Different research orientations
2.4 Induction and deduction
2.5 What comes first: theory or data?
2.6 Knowledge skills and research
2.7 Why research never stops
2.8 Research and ethics
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
Part Ⅱ The research process
3 The research process
3.1 The process perspective
3.2 Levels of research
3.3 Research and knowledge
3.4 What comes first: theory or research?
3.5 Some important concepts
3.6 Concluding remarks
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
4 Research problems
4.1 Research ideas
4.2 Wrestling with research problems
4.3 Models in research
4.4 The role of reviewing past literature
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
5 Research design
5.1 The design problem
5.2 Problem structure and research design
5.3 The problem of 'cause'
5.4 The classic experiment
5.5 Validity threats
5.6 Other research designs
5.7 Requirements in research design
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
6 Measurements
6.1 Defining measurement
6.2 Levels (scales) of measurement
6.3 Validity and reliability in measurements
6.4 Improving your measurements
6.5 Measurements in qualitative' research
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
7 Data sources
7.1 Secondary data
7.2 Primary data
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
8 Data collection
8.1 Qualitative versus quantitative methods
8.2 When to use qualitative methods
8.3 Observations
8.4 Communication
8.5 Surveys
8.6 Interviews
8.7 Focus groups
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
9 Sampling in empirical research
9.1 Why take samples?
9.2 Sampling procedures
9.3 Probability samples
9.4 Determining sample size
9.5 Sampling in qualitative research
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
10 Preparation and analysis of data
10.1 Editing and coding
10.2 The role of statistics
10.3 Analysing one variable
10.4 Cross-tabulation
10.5 Test of hypotheses
10.6 Use of computers in research
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
Part Ⅲ Implementation
11 Quantitative data analysis
11.1 Examining differences
11.2 Relationship (covariation) between variables
11.3 Explaining and predicting relationships between variables
11.4 Data reduction, structure and dimensions
11.5 Additional methods
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
12 Qualitative data analysis
12.1 Characteristics of qualitative research
12.2 Qualitative data
12.3 Analytical procedures
12.4 Interpretation
12.5 Strategies for qualitative analysis
12.6 Quantifying qualitative data
12.7 Validity in qualitative research
12.8 Analysis of cross-cultural data
12.9 Use of computers in qualitative research
12.10 Case studies and triangulation
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
13 Writing the final report
13.1 Purpose and importance of a written presentation
13.2 Guidelines
13.3 Structure of the report
13.4 Oral presentation
13.5 Writing for publication
Further reading
Questions
Exercises
References


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