Ideal for those with a minimum of mathematical and statistical knowledge, Business Research Methods and Statistics Using SPSS provides an easy to follow approach to understanding and using quantitative methods and statistics. It is solidly grounded in the context of business and management research, enabling students to appreciate the practical applications of the techniques and procedures explained.
The book is comprehensive in its coverage, including discussion of the business context, statistical analysis of data, survey methods, and reporting and presenting research. A companion website also contains four extra chapters for the more advanced student, along with PowerPoint slides for lecturers, and additional questions and exercises, all of which aim to help students to:
- Understand the importance and application of statistics and quantitative methods in the field of business
- Design effective research studies
- Interpret statistical results
- Use statistical information meaningfully
- Use SPSS confidently
PART ONE: GENERAL ORIENTATION TO RESEARCH IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Research, Statistics and Business Decisions
Contrasting Philosophies and Approaches to Research
Ethical Issues in Research
Selecting the Topic and Conducting a Literature Review
Theory, Problem Definition, Frameworks and Research Design
PART TWO: ENTERING, DESCRIBING AND OBTAINING DATA
How To Enter Data into SPSS and Undertake Initial Screening
Describing and Presenting your Data
Normal Distribution, Probability and Statistical Significance
Sampling Issues
Hypothesis Formation, Types of Error and Estimation
Power and Effect Size
PART THREE: STATISTICALLY ANALYSING DATA
Hypothesis Testing for Differences between Means and Proportions
Analysis of Variance Techniques (ANOVA)
Chi Square
Methods of Correlation
Testing Hypotheses of Relationships
Prediction and Regression
Reliability and Validity
Factor Analysis
PART FOUR: SURVEY METHODS FOR RESEARCH IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
Attitude Questionnaires and Measurement
Structured Interview and Questionnaires Surveys
PART FIVE: REPORTING AND PRESENTING RESEARCH
Writing Up and Communicating Research
