Computer Technology and Business Research
&
Research Design
IBC464
International College
http://library.spu.ac.th
Information needs in business
• To run a business,
useful,timely,accurate,reliable,and valid data are needed.
• When data in the raw form are evaluated, analyzed, and synthesized,useful
information becomes available to
managers for making good business
decisions.
Information needs in business
• Almost every organization has to engage in research at some level to stay
competitive.
• Companies gather data both from within and outside the organization.
• The methods used to gather,analyze,and
synthesize information from the external
and internal environments are becoming
increasingly sophisticated to the immense
scope of computer technology.
What information does business needs?
• The difference between data and information.
• http://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_business_information.htm
• Use of information in business.
– Planning – Recording – Controlling – Measuring
– Decision making : three types,
• Strategic information
• Tactical information
• Operational information
• http://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_business_information.htm
Sources of data and information
• Internal information
• External information
• http://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_information_sources.htm
• Secondary Sources Of Information
• http://www.fao.org/docrep/W3241E/w3241e03.htm#TopOfPage
• The information for marketing research tends to come from three main sources:
• Internal Company Information – e.g. sales, orders, customer profiles, stocks, customer service reports
• Marketing intelligence –include all the everyday information about developments in the market that helps a business prepare and adjust its marketing plans. It can be obt ained from many sources, including suppliers, customers and distributors.
• Market Research – existing data from internal sources may not provide sufficient detail. Similarly, published reports from market intelligence organisations cannot always be relied upon to provide the up-to-date, relevant information required.
Computer Technology and Business
• ICT
• Information
• Communication
• Technology
• http://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_what_is_ict.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/ict/implications/0moralandsocialissuesrev1.shtml
Q: A travel agent has recently introduced a computer system into their High Street branches. Describe two reasons why they might have
introduced this system. (4 marks)
• The answer
• The computers can be connected to the Internet (or they may use leased lines) to access industry databases to fi nd the best deal for the customer. The company can also use the computers to send emails to all its branches. Em ail arrives quickly and so is much quicker than the postal service.
• The question is worth 4 marks, and so a full explanation
is needed. Each reason is worth 2 points, and needs to
cover why the system was introduced, and how the
company benefits from it.
Information Systems in Organization
• Types of information systems:
• http://tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_information_system_types.htm
• Information Systems:
http://www.uh.edu/~mrana/try.htmResearch Design
• http://www.waier.org.au/forums/2002/siragusa.html
http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/methods/projects/posters/benchmarking.shtml
Marketing research
• Marketing research can be concerned with any of a
variety of aspects of the market: the product, sales, buyer behaviour, promotion, distribution, pricing, packaging,
etc.
• Since the researcher cannot investigate everything about a market, he/she must be selective. The question
remains as to how the researcher decides where to focus the study, and to what depth each issue should be
investigated.
• The research design is a set of guidelines given to the
researcher by the person(s) who have commissioned the
research and/or the individual(s) who are to make use of
Step 1 Problem definition
Step 2: Hypothesis generation
• http://www.fao.org/docrep/W3241E/w3241e02.htm
Levels Of Measurement And Scaling
• http://www.fao.org/docrep/W3241E/w3241e04.htm#TopOfPage
Probability Sampling
A probability sampling method is any method of sampling that utilizes some form of random selection
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/sampprob.php
Levels of Measurement
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/design.php
Descriptive Statistics
• Frequency distribution table
formula for the standard deviation:
Correlation
• The correlation is one of the most common and most useful statistics. A correlation is a single number that describes the degree of relationship between two variables.
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statcorr.php
