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.
- "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]
- Differentiate
between exploratory, descriptive, and causal research
designs. Provide an example of a business problem where each type
would be most appropriate. [Unit III]
- What is a literature
review? Discuss the steps involved in conducting a systematic
literature review and its importance in business research. [Unit
II]
- Define hypothesis
testing in research. Explain the steps involved in hypothesis
testing with an example related to consumer behavior. [Unit III]
- 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]
- 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.
- 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. - 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
- "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)
- 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:
- What type of
research design (exploratory/descriptive/causal) should GreenDrive
adopt? Justify your answer.
- Develop a sampling
plan, including sampling technique and sample size determination.
- Design a focus group
discussion guide (5 key questions) to understand consumer perceptions
of EVs.
- How can conjoint
analysis help GreenDrive determine the optimal product features (price,
battery life, design)?
- Discuss ethical
considerations in conducting this research.
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