This introductory textbook presents research methods and data analysis tools in non-technical language. It explains the research process and the basics of qualitative and quantitative data analysis, including procedures and methods, analysis, interpretation, and applications using hands-on data examples in QDA Miner Lite and IBM SPSS Statistics software. The book is divided into four parts that address study and research design; data collection, qualitative methods and surveys; statistical methods, including hypothesis testing, regression, cluster and factor analysis; and reporting. The intended audience is business and social science students learning scientific research methods, however, given its business context, the book will be equally useful for decision-makers in businesses and organizations.

Autorentext

James Sallis is a Professor at the Department of Business Studies at Uppsala University, Sweden. He teaches marketing, research methods, and statistics in the undergraduate, graduate, and executive education programs. He is statistical advisor for the department's faculty and students and is a frequent guest lecturer at business schools worldwide.

Geir Gripsrud is Professor Emeritus at the Department of Marketing at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway, where he has acted as Dean of both Bachelor and Master Programs. An experienced teacher of marketing, marketing research, distribution channels, and international marketing, he is a co-author of widely used Norwegian textbooks on Research Methods as well as on Distribution Channels and Supply Chains.

Ulf H. Olsson is a Professor at the Department of Economics at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway. He has held the position as Provost with responsibility for research and academic resources. Working mainly on structural equation modeling, statistical modeling and psychometrics, he has published research articles in leading statistics and psychometric journals and has also authored textbooks on statistics and mathematics.

Ragnhild Silkoset is a Professor of Marketing at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway. She has held the position as the Head of the Department of Marketing, as well as Dean for the Executive Programs. Her areas of interest include marketing, marketing research, pricing strategy, network analysis and blockchain technology.

Inhalt

Preface.- Part 1: Designing the Study.- Chapter 1: Research Methods and Philosophy of Science.- Chapter 2: The Research Process and Problem Formulation.- Chapter 3: Research Design.- Part 2: Data Collection.- Chapter 4: Secondary Data and Observation.- Chapter 5: Qualitative Methods.- Chapter 6: Questionnaire Surveys.- Chapter 7: Sampling.- Part 3: Quantitative Data Analysis.- Chapter 8: Simple Analysis Techniques.- Chapter 9: Hypothesis Testing.- Chapter10: Regression Analysis.- Chapter 11: Cluster Analysis and Segmentation.- Chapter 12: Factor Analysis.- Part 4: Reporting.- Chapter 13: Reporting Findings.- Index.