University of the Fraser Valley

School of Business
Bus 320 AB2 Business Research Methods
Wednesday 5:30-8:20pm Room C1426
Winter 2016

Important dates

- Classes begin January 6, 2016

- Fee payment deadline January 19, 2016
- Last day to withdraw without a W February 5, 2016
- Final day to withdraw March 7, 2016
- Classes end April 12, 2016
- Examination period April 14-25, 2016
- Holidays February 8 (Family Day); February 9-13 (Midterm Break); March 25, 28
(Easter)

Faculty

DJ Sandhu

Contact

Email: dj.sandhu@ufv.ca

Office Hours

Monday 3:00pm-5:00pm, Tuesday 1:00pm-2:00pm and Wednesday 4:00pm-5:00pm.

Prerequisites

Bus 120 and Bus 301

Course Overview

Office: C 2447

Phone: 604-557-4030

This course examines business research as an information-gathering activity

for the purpose of making better management decisions. On completion of
this course, students will be able to understand the role of business research
in developing business strategies. During the course, students will learn
different research methodologies and their applicability to various business
research problems. Emphasis is placed upon qualitative and descriptive
research. Students are required to complete a major research project, which
includes research design, interviews, questionnaire design, sample design,
field procedures, data collection, data analysis, research report writing and
an oral presentation of the results. In this course, students will learn the
various steps in the research process and learn the application of SPSS
software for survey data analysis.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

Understand what business research is, what kind of information it can provide, and
how it can be used for business decision making.
Be familiar with the following steps in business research procedures:
a. Identify business problems and how they can be analyzed using the
techniques of business research.
b. Design a research study and decide the type of research and the source of
data to use.

c. Develop the data collection procedure and survey questionnaire design for
primary data collection.

Grade

Academic
Misconduct

A+
A
A-

Percent
Equivalent
95 100
90 94
85 89

Grade
Point
4.33
4.00
3.67

B+
B

80 84
75 79

3.33
3.00

B-

70 74

2.67

C+
C
C-

65 69
60 64
55 59

2.33
2.00
1.67

P
NC

50 54
0 49

1.00
0.00

Interpretation

Excellent

Above
Average

Average

Pass
No credit
(fail)

Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, giving and receiving information
during any test or exam, using unauthorized sources of information during any test,
plagiarizing, fabrication, cheating, misrepresenting the work of another person as your
own, facilitation of academic misconduct, and under certain conditions, nonattendance.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. You must reference your work and acknowledge
sources with in-text citations and a complete list of references. This includes direct and
indirect quotes, diagrams, charts, figures, pictures and written material.
For group projects, the responsibility for academic integrity, (the lack of which can
result in academic misconduct and its resulting penalties) rests with each person in the
group and sanctions would be borne by each member.
For more information see UFV policy 70 on Student Academic Misconduct and policy
204 on Student Non-Academic conduct.

Examinations/Tests
No electronic dictionaries, cell phones, computers or other electronic devices will be
allowed in exams/tests/quizzes. Only approved calculators may be used in course
tests requiring such an instrument.
No other materials will be allowed on the desktop apart from a pen/pencil unless
specifically approved by the faculty member.
Examinations must be written at the scheduled, time, date and location. The final
examination period includes Saturdays. Writing the final examination at a time other
than the one in the posted examination schedule will only be permitted when a student
has a direct conflict between two scheduled examinations. Two exams on a single day
is not considered a valid reason for moving an exam. Students must notify the
affected instructors of a conflict by the end of Week 9 of the class. Exams may be
scheduled at a time or day of the week different from the class meeting time. You must

adjust your schedule accordingly. Only severe extenuating circumstances (such as

serious illness) will be accepted as a reason for not writing an exam as scheduled. In
this case, the instructor must be notified by the student at the earliest possible
opportunity, and a doctor's certificate must be provided. The instructor will establish the
alternate date and location for the make-up exam. Any travel plans need to be made
for dates after the scheduled exam period which is published well in advance in
the UFV Calendar Schedule of Events. No electronic devices (other than calculators,
if required) will be allowed. Where calculators are allowed, the Professor reserves the
right to clear the calculators memory. All papers, mobile phones, books, bags and
outer garments must be placed at the front of the class or under the desk as specified
by the instructor.

Assignments

CASES, WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS and PROJECT

Case specific information will be handed out in class. Case presentations must be
made using PowerPoint.
All written work submitted must be typed and stapled in the upper left hand corner. Any
hand written work or electronic submission will not be accepted.

EXAMS
The midterm exam will cover the first half of the course material and the final exam will
cover the second half of the course material. Both exams will be composed of multiple
choice questions only.
DEADLINES
All assignments, cases, projects will be due as indicated in the course schedule. Late
assignments, cases, projects will not be accepted (except under extreme extenuating
circumstances, e.g. documented illness), and will receive a mark of zero.

Course Schedule
Session
#

Date

Lecture/Discussion (L/D)
Current Session

Jan 6

Course introduction &

expectations.

Ch. 1-2

Projects & Proposals

Jan 13

Ch. 1-2 L/D. Group formation and

Intro to SPSS

Ch. 3-4

Projects & Proposals

Jan 20

Ch. 3-4 L/D. SPSS

Ch. 5-6

Projects & Proposals.

Jan 27

Ch. 5-6 L/D. SPSS

Ch. 7-8

Projects & Proposals. Hand-out

SPSS Assignment 1

Feb 3

Ch. 7-8. Assignment 1 Due

Prep for
midterm

Projects & Proposals.

Feb 10

Midterm Break Chs.1-8

Feb 17

Midterm Exam Chs. 1-8

10-11

Projects & Proposals. Hand-out

SPSS Assignment 2

Feb 24

Ch.
10-11
L/D.
proposal due.

Ch. 9

Projects and Data Collection.

Mar 2

Ch. 9 L/D. Assignment 2 Due

Ch. 12-13

Projects, Data Entry and Analysis

Mar 9

Ch. 12-13 L/D.

Ch. 14-16

Projects, Data Entry and Analysis

Mar 16

Ch. 14-16 L/D

Ch. 17, 20-21

10

Mar 23

Ch. 17, 20-21 L/D

Projects, Analysis and Writing

11

Mar 30

Course Overview

Projects, Analysis and Writing

12

Apr 6

Projects Due
Presentations.

and

Readings for
Next Session

Research

Project
Keep The Faith!

Assignments for
Next Session

Projects, Analysis and Writing