Business Research Methodology and Consulting :  Question Set 2   MBA    Pokhara University

POKHARA UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Management Studies
Course Code: RES 611
Course Title: Business Research Methodology and Consulting
Full Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 60
Credit Hours: 2.0
Time: 3 Hours

Instructions:

• Candidates must answer in their own words.
• Figures in the margin indicate full marks.

Section A: Conceptual Questions (5 × 8 = 40)

Attempt any five questions.

1. "Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control observed phenomena." Explain this statement in the context of business research. How does research philosophy influence the choice of methodology? [Unit I]
2. Differentiate between exploratory, descriptive, and causal research designs. Provide an example of a business problem where each type would be most appropriate. [Unit III]
3. What is a literature review? Discuss the steps involved in conducting a systematic literature review and its importance in business research. [Unit II]
4. Define hypothesis testing in research. Explain the steps involved in hypothesis testing with an example related to consumer behavior. [Unit III]
5. Compare probability and non-probability sampling techniques. Which method is more suitable for a market research study on customer satisfaction? Justify your answer. [Unit IV]
6. Write short notes on any two of the following: (2 × 4 = 8)
   a) Nominal vs. Ratio Measurement Scales
   b) Reliability and Validity in Research
   c) Ethical Issues in Business Consulting

Section B: Analytical/Application-Based Questions (2 × 15 = 30)

Attempt any two questions.

7. A retail company wants to assess the impact of a new loyalty program on customer retention.
   a) Formulate a research problem and objectives for this study.
   b) Design a research framework, including research type (qualitative/quantitative), data collection method, and sampling technique.
   c) Construct a Likert-scale questionnaire (5 questions) to measure customer satisfaction with the loyalty program.
8. A consulting firm is hired to evaluate the effectiveness of remote work policies on employee productivity in a tech company.
   a) Develop null and alternative hypotheses for this study.
   b) Which statistical test (t-test, ANOVA, regression) would you use? Justify your choice.
   c) Interpret the following regression result:
• Regression Equation: Productivity = 3.2 + 0.7(Remote Work Days)
• R-squared = 0.72
• P-value = 0.003
9. "Qualitative research provides deeper insights into consumer behavior than quantitative research." Do you agree? Compare the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches with examples.

 

Section C: Case Analysis (1 × 30 = 30)

10. Read the case and answer the questions that follow.

Case: Market Research for a New Electric Vehicle (EV)

GreenDrive Motors, an automobile company, plans to launch an affordable electric car in Nepal. Before the launch, the company wants to conduct market research to assess consumer preferences, pricing sensitivity, and environmental concerns.

Research Challenges:

• Limited awareness of EVs in the Nepalese market.
• High competition from petrol/diesel vehicles.
• Government policies on EV incentives are unclear.

Questions:

1. What type of research design (exploratory/descriptive/causal) should GreenDrive adopt? Justify your answer.
2. Develop a sampling plan, including sampling technique and sample size determination.
3. Design a focus group discussion guide (5 key questions) to understand consumer perceptions of EVs.
4. How can conjoint analysis help GreenDrive determine the optimal product features (price, battery life, design)?
5. Discuss ethical considerations in conducting this research.