Business Research Methodology and Consulting Set 1

 POKHARA UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Management Studies
Business Research Methodology and Consulting (RES 611)
Model Question Paper
Time: 3 Hours | Full Marks: 100 | Pass Marks: 60

 

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

Attempt any five questions.

1. "Business research is a systematic inquiry that provides information to guide managerial decisions." Explain this statement with examples.
2. Differentiate between exploratory, descriptive, and causal research designs. Provide examples of business problems where each design would be most appropriate.
3. Define hypothesis testing in research. Explain the steps involved in hypothesis testing with an example.
4. What is sampling? Compare probability and non-probability sampling techniques. Which method is more suitable for a market research study on consumer preferences for a new product? Justify your answer.
5. Discuss the importance of questionnaire design in research. What are the key principles to consider while designing a structured questionnaire?
6. Write short notes on any two of the following: (2 × 4 = 8)
   a) Primary vs. Secondary Data
   b) Ethical Issues in Business Research
   c) Significance of Literature Review in Research

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

Attempt any two questions.

7. A retail company wants to assess customer satisfaction regarding its online shopping platform.
   a) Develop a research problem and research objectives for this study.
   b) Design a research framework, including the type of research (exploratory/descriptive/causal), data collection method, and sampling technique.
   c) Construct a Likert-scale questionnaire (5 questions) to measure customer satisfaction.
8. A consulting firm is hired to evaluate the impact of employee training programs on productivity in a manufacturing company.
   a) Formulate a null and alternative hypothesis for this study.
   b) Which statistical test (t-test, ANOVA, regression) would you use to analyze the data? Justify your choice.

c) Interpret the following regression result:

• Regression Equation: Productivity = 2.5 + 0.8(Training Hours)
• R-squared = 0.65
• P-value of Training Hours = 0.01
8. "Qualitative research provides deeper insights than quantitative research in understanding consumer behavior." Do you agree? Compare the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. Provide examples where qualitative research would be more beneficial.

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

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

Case: Market Research for a New Health Drink NutriLife, a health and wellness company, plans to launch a new protein-based health drink targeting fitness enthusiasts. Before the launch, the company wants to conduct market research to assess demand, pricing sensitivity, and consumer preferences.

Research Challenges:

• The product is new, so limited secondary data is available.
• Competitors already have established brands in the market.
• The target audience includes gym-goers, athletes, and health-conscious individuals.

Questions:

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