Syllabus – Business Research Methods
SYLLABUS
Business Research Methods
Semester:
Credit:
Lecturer:
Consultation schedule:
February – June 2007
3 units
Professor Jogiyanto Hartono Mustakini
Professor Eduardus Tandelilin
Office: Faculty of Economics, Universitas Gadjah Mada
Jl. Humaniora Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta
Indonesia 55281
Phone: +62 274 548510
with appointment
Course Description
The course focuses on the analysis of business problems and the use of scientific
research as a problem-solving tool. This encompasses the understanding and application
of appropriate research designs, research statistics, the use of the computer for data
analyses, and report writing and presentation.
Lectures are designed for 14 lecturing sessions: seven sessions before mid-term exam
and the rest after the mid-term exam. Students are assigned to complete exercises
expected to invigorate their understanding on topics discussed in the lectures. Lecturing
process will utilise a student-centred learning approach.
Course Objectives
In the wake of completing this course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Acquire skills to locate problem areas in organisational settings, and plan,
organise, design, and conduct research to help solve the identified problems;
2. Get conversant with the use of statistical analysis and computer programmes;
3. Write and present research reports; and
4. Develop skills and knowledge to discriminate “good” from “bad” research
reported in academic, business, and trade journals.
© 2007 Jogiyanto Hartono Mustakini & Eduardus Tandelilin
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Syllabus – Business Research Methods
Readings
Sekaran, U. 2003. Research methods for business: A skill building approach, 4th ed. New Jersey:
John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Other academic and practical articles as well as relevant cases.
Class Procedures
Presence. Students are required to attend lectures at least 80% of total lectures held. Any
violation against this rule may cause the ineligibility to get a final grade.
Class participation. Students are highly expected to contribute ideas, thoughts,
experiences, and arguments to the class discussion. Although overviews of key points
and issues are provided, we require that students comprehend the materials in details,
raise questions and ideas, and create a “lively” class, meaning that students must read
and prepare readings assigned prior to coming to the class.
An experiential approach. Continuously and consistently, students are assigned to do
exercises provided in the book, and report the findings to the lecturer. Students will be
randomly distributed into groups that consist of four members. Besides functioning as a
discussion forum, the group has tasks to present a chapter in each lecture and to submit
the exercises.
Internet exploration. Students are encouraged to harness the advancement of
information and communications technology (ICT) in exploring knowledge and
opportunities. Remember that in current circumstances, a clever person is not she who
can answer all questions; rather, it is she who knows where to find answers.
Assessment
Item
Class participation
Research proposal
Weight
10%
20%
Presentations and exercises
20%
Mid-term examination
Final examination
25%
25%
Due Date
The last lecture day
The beginning of each
lecture
Research proposal. An individual proposal of research project is to be submitted,
describing your interest to certain topic in business management, such as finance,
marketing, human resources, operations, or strategy. The format and contents of
research proposal will be discussed during the lectures.
© 2007 Jogiyanto Hartono Mustakini & Eduardus Tandelilin
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Syllabus – Business Research Methods
Late submissions will not be accepted without the prior approval of the lecturer. All
requests for extensions should be directed to Professor Jogiyanto Hartono Mustakini or
Professor Eduardus Tandelilin by e-mail at least one week before the due date for
submission. Extensions will be granted for medical reasons upon receipt of a medical
certificate, or in exceptional circumstances in consultation with the lecturer.
Examinations. Mid-term and final tests purport to examine students’ knowledge and
understanding on concepts learnt in the lectures.
Course Schedule
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Topic
Syllabus and Introduction to research
Scientific investigation
Assignment: Questions 6 and 9, p. 37-38
Technology and business research
Assignment: Question 8, p. 52 and
Question 3, p. 53
The research process: Steps 1 to 3
Assignment: Questions 14, p. 73
Practice Projects, p. 74
The research process: Steps 4 to 5
Assignment: Question 4, p. 113
The research process: Step 6
Assignment: Exercises 6.1 and 6.2, p. 139
Experimental designs
Assignment: Questions 13 and 14, p. 168-169
Mid-term Exam
Measurement of variables
Assignment: Exercises 8.2, 8.3, 8.6, p. 194
Measurement: Scaling, reliability, validity
Assignment: Exercises a, b, c, d, e, and f, p. 209
Data collection methods
Assignment: Exercises 10.1 and 10.4, p. 262
Sampling
Assignment: Exercises 11.2, 11.4, 11.7, p. 298-299
Data analysis and interpretation
Assignment: Question 4, p. 324-325
The research report
Assignment: Exercises 13.1, 13.2, and 13.3, p. 356
Managerial decision making and research
Assignment: Questions 1, 2, 3, and 4, p. 390
Final exam
Reading
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
© 2007 Jogiyanto Hartono Mustakini & Eduardus Tandelilin
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Syllabus – Business Research Methods
Grading Systems
Grade
%
•
•
•
•
A
80-100
B
70-79
C
60-69
D
50-59
F
0-49
D (50-59) means that you are able to summarise and order readings relevant to
the topic.
C (60-69) means that you do this with some greater precision and flair or more
comprehensively and/or accessibly.
B (70-79) indicates that you have shown evidences of substantial and well argued
independence of thoughts, insightful evaluation, or original research.
A (80-100) indicates that you have added significant new values to existing
knowledge or understanding through logic or evidence of some ingenuity,
creativity, or excellence.
Guidelines for Written Work, Assessment, and Plagiarism
At the undergraduate level, a high quality presentation and content is required. All
works should be typewritten, proofread, and checked for accuracy before submission.
Marks will be deducted for lack of referencing.
Faculty of Economics, Universitas Gadjah Mada has strict rules regarding honesty in
assessment. All students should be aware of the rules concerning misconducts in
assessment, which prohibit certain behaviours, such as:
•
•
•
No part of the work has been copied from any other person’s work except where
due acknowledgement is made in the text,
No part of the work has been written by any other person except where such
collaboration has been authorised by the lecturer concerned, and
No part of the work has been submitted for assessment in another course in this
or another part of the university except where authorised by the lecturer
concerned.
© 2007 Jogiyanto Hartono Mustakini & Eduardus Tandelilin
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