Business Research
BUSI 6310.60
Fall 2002

Date  Topic  Tasks Objectives Project Activities   Instructor 
Aug28 Course introduction and methodology

 

 

 

 1)Group Dynamics to determine learning objectives, and strategies to accomplish them.

2) Syllabus review. 

 Objective: Students will determine both  what and how do they expect to learn.

Compare both Student objectives and Syllabus. Emphasis on the Business Research Project and how to place it on the student web site.

 1) Students will fill the background form. 
2) Students without a project idea will be assigned to a Team project. The team will be coordinated by one of my former graduate student. (Determine a meeting date to explain the research project and their assigned responsibilities)
3) Students that  have a project idea will  work individually. 
 		 1) Students background form
2)Distribute the Corporate Strategy framework 
 Business Strategy and the Business Research Process  Describe the Business Strategy  Framework (Handout readings.) and chapter 1 Objective: Students will learn the decision environment of the Business research process (Conceptualization)  Students will use the framework to identify  their business decision model and their project business problem (Object of the proposed research project) Simultaneously, They will be able to identify the required  information areas (Concept application)  1) Select some of the students research ideas to explain the business problem by locating it in the framework.  
3) Describe results of the students background forms to support the SPSS seminar. 
Sep4 Business Strategy and the Business Research Process  1)Quiz on assigned readings: Business  Strategy Framework (Handout readings.) and Cooper chapters 1 and 2 .(Basic concept learning verification)

2) Utilize the integrated research case example of the text book  to explain how  the framework is related to the business research process  (PowerPoint ppt)

 Objective: Students will continue learning about the decision environment of the business research process by applying the framework to a written case. 1)Continue using  the framework to identify  the project management problem and its location in the Decision making process model. (Practical application). 
 2) Collect preliminary information by applying a situational analysis check list of the project firm, non profit organization or product (Client interview form  Jarobe pp.35) 		1) Prepare quiz.
2) Provide situational analysis forms
Sep14 SPSS Seminar (R111 From 12:00 to 2:00 PM) Describe the process of SPSS database creation and production of basic reports of descriptive statistics with their correspondent tables and graphs. Objective: Students will learn how to create a database from questionnaire information. Perform basic analysis by using descriptive statistics and develop tables and graphs. (Application) Identify what information is needed to solve the specific business problem and how to report it. Develop some kind of template for each area of the student project.  1) Utilize some of the CBIRD community leaders research questionnaires 
Sep11 The Research Process Project proposal 1)Quiz on Cooper textbook Chapters 3 and 4
2)The Question Hierarchy  (Cooper pp.54). 
3) The research process steps		 Objective: Students will translate  the Management  Problem into a Research Problem (First step of the research process)  Students should be able to design an appropriate model to identify research variables and their relationships. 1) Prepare quiz.
2) Prepare notes about the question hierarchy.
3) Prepare an example of a model that shows variables relationships GM example.
  The Management of the Research Process  1) The project management handout 
2) The Benchmarking technology based for the Brownsville- Matamoros region project		 Objective: Students will learn the basic formats (Gantt charts, network diagrams, task usage, and task schedule) used to: 
1) To describe and to schedule the research tasks, 
2)To assign resources to the research tasks 
3)To evaluate and to control the project activities		 Students will identify the basic steps of the research process: Tasks, duration, & resources must be identified in each step. As well as, determine a way to keep a track of the required actions. To collect the information needed students must fill some forms.  1)Create forms to distribute among students
2) Utilize the Brownsville-Matamoros Benchmarking study as an example. Prepare the ppt.
Sep18 1) The Research Process illustrated through an example (Video) 
2) Secondary Data. Computerized databases. 		 1)Quiz on Cooper textbook Chapter 10, 2)Secondary data search strategy. 
3)Online  databases presentation at UTB/TSC Library (Place will be indicated in class) (Second part of the class session)		 Objective: Students will be able to improve their  research problem formulation by learning  how to use computerized databases.
A preliminary version of the research problem can be obtained by combining the theoretical concepts from the question hierarchy paradigm and the information collected through the situational analysis format
Additional information obtained from secondary sources from selected computerized  databases will  provide elements to refine the management problem and the research problem.		 Students will improve  their research project management problem, the research problem and the statistical hypotheses by utilizing information captured from computerized databases. 1) Advise students to obtain password to enter the ntmain server. This password will be needed for the FrontPage seminar
2) Contact Ms. Serna to organize Online Databases presentation
Sep21 Statistics  Seminar  (Rusterberg 111 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.) 1)Review basic Univariate hypothesis testing procedures.
2) Introduce the process of converting the research problem into statistic hypotheses.
3)Improve the  previous database (To a full sample database) to be used as working example.		 Objective: 
1) Student will review and apply some of the basics Univariate statistical techniques used for hypothesis testing.
 		 1) Students will identify  research hypotheses by translating the research problem into working hypotheses. These in turn will be used to set up the statistical hypotheses to be tested.
2) Students will identify the appropriate statistical techniques to test the working hypothesis .
 1)Prepare the  appropriate
statistical material in power point presentation as well as some  examples from the UTB data base.
 
Sep25		 Design strategies and Qualitative Research 1)In-class focus group (Rochford pp.)
2) Chapter 4 "The research proposal " (Cooper pp.101) for next class.
3) Diplomado project a focus group example. Zarina Andarza or Industrial Cluster focus group.
4) Quiz on Cooper textbook chapter 6
 Objective: Student will use focus group as method to identify salient aspects of the research problem. 1) Input  the research problem modifications and corrections
2) Design a Focus Group application for your research project

 

 

 

 1)In-class focus group (Rochford pp.)
2)Handout Chapter 4 "The research proposal " (Cooper pp.76) for next class.
3) Ask Zarina to explain her focus group research.
Oct 2 1) Midterm Exam
2) The Research Proposal 		 1)Exam on Cooper text book chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and, 10
2) The research proposal, (Cooper pp.101)
3)Close Up ( Cooper pp. 92)
 3)Evaluative Framework for a Business Research proposal. (Davis pp. 104) and 
4) Estimated timeline of project activities (Jarboe pp.53)
 		 Objective: Use the framework to develop a research proposal and how to input it in the web using FrontPage 1) Refine the estimated timeline of project activities
2) Develop the Research Proposal and publish it in the internet. 
3) Research Grants Applications. Students homework. Each student must bring a summary of the Grant Institution, Grant field, Specific project description and the copy of the application format. Be ready for class presentation of findings (Students will be selected at random)		 1) Present CBIRD proposal  (Develop a Power Point ppt.)           
2) Distribute copies of project management templates
3) Assign students to grant institutions: i.e. HUD, DOT look in the UTB grants list.
Oct 5 Microsoft FrontPage Seminar Rusterberg 111 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. Objectives: 
1) Students will learn how to access online databases available at UTB/TSC Library web page. 
2) How to develop a web pages for the research project.		 Input the Management Problem and the Research Problem in the correspondent part of the Web site. 1) FrontPage tutorial and seminar. Ask Jose Luis to assist me
Oct 9

 

 1)Primary Data Collection: 
Survey Research.
2)The Questionnaire Design 		 1) Quiz on Cooper Textbook chapters 11and 12
2) Instrumental development process  (Cooper)		 Objective 1: Select the appropriate survey data collection method
Objective 2: Create a questionnaire by using the instrument development process 		 Develop a data collection plan

Input the preliminary questionnaire in the internet.

  
Oct 12 Workshop on Research Proposal development and presentation 1) Microsoft project management will be used to facilitate the research proposal development
To develop a project proposal description for presentation purposes Microsoft PowerPoint will be used 		 Objective: Students will develop their  research proposal (Hands on workshop) and a PowerPoint presentation Develop the Research Proposal presentation and publish it in the internet.   
Oct16
Students  Research Proposals		 Student presentations (Proper etiquette) 
Handout copy of the sample questionnaire (Jarboe pp.73)		 Objective:  Students will present they research proposal using Microsoft Power Point from their web site  Input the final Research proposal into their correspondent web site. Also,  comments on other proposals in the correspondent forum site. 1)copy of the sample questionnaire (Jarboe pp.73)
Oct 23 Understanding Measurement Attitude Measurement 

Basic Sampling Issues and sample size determination

 1) Quiz on Cooper text book chapters 7, 8 and, 9
2) Chapter 7 (Davis) 
 		 Objective 1: Understand the measurement process (The procedure to select the appropriate  type of scales to develop the measurement questions) as it relates to the instrument design (Davis pp. 189 fig.7.1) 

Objective 2: Determine the appropriate sampling method and learn the statistical concepts used to determine the sample size

 Add attitudinal scale  to improve the  questionnaire. Input questionnaire changes

Determine the sampling method and the optimal sample size of the project. Start collecting primary data by applying the improved   questionnaire.

  
 
Oct 26 Statistics Seminar I 1) Design and create the research project SPSS database.
2) Expand the Univariate and Nonparametric  hypothesis testing methods  
 Objective: Students will be able to design their own project database and apply advanced parametric and nonparametric statistical tests. Utilize information already collected from the questionnaire application. Determine the hypotheses to be tested and the corresponding statistical method   
Oct 30  Second Midterm exam
Primary Data Collection: Observation and Experimentation		 1) Quiz on chapter 13 and 14
2) Conduct the cola experiment		  Objective: Learn when observation and/or experimentation are better suited  methods to collect primary data.  .  
Nov 6 Database coding and preparation
Data Processing and Fundamental  Parametric Data Analysis		 1)Quiz on chapter 15 and 16 Objective: Students who were not able to attend the statistics seminars will understand how to create their own project database and select the appropriate parametric technique to test project hypotheses. And those who attended the seminars will be able to refine the overall statistical analysis of their projects. Input data according to the SPSS format to create the project database or refine the existing one Use the appropriate statistical option of the SPSS to test project hypotheses or modify the one used.  
Nov13 Data processing and fundamental Nonparamteric Data and  Statistical testing of differences  1) Chapter 15 & 16
 2) Nonparametric statistics handout		 Objective: Select the appropriate statistical nonparametric technique to test project hypotheses and select the appropriate technique to test hypotheses concern to sample statistic differences Use  nonparametric option from the SPSS to test project hypotheses.
Use SPSS compare means to test project hypotheses. 		  

 
Nov20 Data Analysis : Bivaraite Correlation and nonparametric measures of association  1) Chapter 17 and handout Objective: Select the appropriate technique for Bivariate correlation and regression analysis and the nonparametric measure of association     Use SPSS to test hypotheses related to correlation or regression analysis of project variables  
Nov27 Data Analysis : Multivariate Statistics 1)Chapter 18. 
2) Paper presented at Malta handout.
 Objective: Learn about different multivariate statistics methods    Explain the paper presented at Malta
Dec 4 Project final Report  1)Chapter 19 
2) Research project evaluation form		 Objective :Determine the final report structure  Input final report into the correspondent web site  
Dec11 FINAL EXAM
Project final Report presentations		 NOTEBOOK DUE   RESEARCH PROJECT FINAL REPORT DUE