In its Anniversary 10th Edition, authors Cooper and Schindler continue to provide the most timely, richest, and most comprehensive coverage of the research experience in Business Research Methods. Students and instructors will find thorough coverage of business research topics – including the best coverage of questionnaire design – backed by solid theory. The authors are successful marketing research consultants; their expertise is evident in the realistic Snapshots, Close-Ups, PicProfiles, and case studies found in the text. Managerial decision making is the underlying theme, and topics and applications are presented and organized in a manner that allows students to thoroughly understand business research topics and functions. Consequently, the structure of the text encourages and supports completion of an in-depth business research project during the semester.

Table of Contents

Part I: Introduction to Business Research
1. Research in Business
2. Ethics in Business Research
3. Thinking Like a Researcher
4. The Research Process: An Overview
5. Clarifying the Research Question through Secondary Data and Exploration
Appendix 5A: Bibliographic Database Searches
Appendix 5B: Advanced Searches
Part II: The Design of Business Research
6. Research Design: An Overview
7. Qualitative Research
8. Observation Studies
9. Surveys
10. Experiments
Appendix 10A: Complex Experimental Designs
Appendix 10B: Test Markets
Part III: The Sources and Collection of Data
11. Measurement
12. Measurement Scales
13. Questionnaires and Instruments
Appendix 13A: Crafting Effective Measurement Questions
Appendix 13B: Pretesting Options and Discoveries
14. Sampling
Appendix 14A: Determining Sample Size
Part IV: Insights from Findings: Analysis and Presentation of Data
15. Data Preparation and Description
Appendix 15A: Describing Data Statistically
16. Exploring, Displaying, and Examining Data
17. Hypothesis Testing
18. Measures of Association
19. Multivariate Analysis: An Overview
20. Presenting Results: Oral and Written Reports Case Abstracts
Appendices:
A. Business Research Requests and Proposals (with Sample RFP)
B. Focus Group Discussion Guide
C. Nonparametric Significance Tests
D. Selected Statistical Tables
References and Readings
Glossary of Key Terms

About the Author

Donald R. Cooper teaches research methods, statistics, and organizational behavior in the masters and doctoral programs of public administration and business. Cooper's Ph.D. is from Kent State University. In addition to grants, articles, books, and monographs, he has received several teaching awards, most recently from the College of Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs. Dr. Cooper serves as the managing director of the Cooper Research Group, a consultancy specializing in customer satisfaction, loyalty, defection, and market segmentation research for the electronics and computer industries. Currently, he provides senior management of domestic and global firms with brand, segmentation, and service analysis. Prior to his academic career, Cooper was responsible for executive recruitment at a Fortune 500 and was an U.S. Air Force Captain during four years of active duty. Pamela S. Schindler, Professor of Management at Wittenberg University, is an educator and businesswoman. A winner of the prestigious Leavey Foundation Award in Free Enterprise Education, Schindler specializes in teaching marketing management, creative advertising, and supervising students on applied management projects. Serving as Director of Wittenberg's Center for Applied Management, she coordinates the Small Business Institute (SBI) program, winner of the 1996 National Showcase Award for innovation and excellence, as well as the Project Management Assistance program, in which she has guided more than 300 students doing experiential research and strategic projects for businesses, not-for-profits, and government agencies. A management and marketing consultant, Schindler also holds operating responsibilities in her family's property management business.