Master of Management Studies (M.M.S) Business Research Methods Syllabus - Mumbai University 2026

Course objectives

• 1 To introduce students to the foundations of research methodology, including problem formulation, literature review, and hypothesis development.
• 2 To train students in designing effective research frameworks, using sampling techniques, and constructing valid measurement instruments.
• 3 To develop student proficiency in data collection, data processing, and use of digital tools like SPSS/Excel/JASP for analysis.
• 4 To guide students in applying statistical techniques such as hypothesis testing, ANOVA, chi-square, and multivariate analysis to real-world data.
• 5 To enable students to create and present research reports that meet academic rigor, ethical standards, and professional relevance.

Course outcomes

• CO1: Identify research problem and develop research hypothesis on the basis of review of literature and research design (Understand and apply L2, L3)
• CO2: Construct the research process which includes research flow charts and organize the various attitude & measurement scales, Questionnaire design, and various sampling techniques (Apply, L3)
• CO3: Understand the methods of data collection with application in different research designs and demonstrate knowledge for proper sampling design and data processing methods (Understand, L2, Apply L3)
• CO4: Apply modern statistical tools as univariate& bivariate analysis, Chi-square, and ANOVA to analyze and to evaluate the data applying critical thinking abilities for given research problems/questions (Apply, Analyze and Evaluate, L3, L4, L5)
• CO5: Prepare and Analyze/Evaluate various research reports maintaining ethical practices to solve business problems. (Analyze L4, Evaluate L5, Create, L6)

Unit 1 CO1 · 3 hours

Introduction to Research: What is research, objectives of research, types of research, difference between basic and applied research, research approaches, criteria for good research, research methods vs research methodology, Social research, social research approaches. Research applications in social and business sciences, and research process.

Unit 2 CO1 · 4 hours

Research Problem, Literature review and Formulation of Research Hypotheses: what is research problem, problem selection, necessity of defining the problem, Management Decision Problem vs Management Research Problem; Problem identification process; Components of the research problem; Objectives of literature review, Use of literature review, search for related literature, reading the literature, importance of literature review, sources of literature, literature review gaps, Types of Research hypothesis, and important terms. Writing research proposal- Contents of a research proposal.

Unit 3 CO1 · 4 hours

Research Design: Nature and Classification of Research Designs, need for research design, features of a good design, research design frame work, Induction and deduction, Dependent, independent variables. Exploratory research design, descriptive, diagnostic research design, Experimental research design.

Unit 4 CO2, CO3 · 7 [3 hours session + 4 hours field work for the selected research topic] hours

Sampling: Sample design, Sampling design process, sampling and non-sampling errors, types of sampling (probability and non-probability), sample vs census, sample size decision. Determination of Sample size- Sample size for estimating population mean, Determination of sample size for estimating the population proportion

Unit 5 CO3 · 4 hours

Attitude Measurement and Scaling: quantitative and qualitative data, classification of measurement scale, goodness of measurement scale, types of scale, scale classification base, scaling techniques (comparative vs non comparative scaling techniques), and criteria for good measurement.

Unit 6 CO2, CO3 · 7 hours

Data collection and Data processing: Data collection: Primary Data; Observation methods, survey methods, questionnaire, process of questionnaire, Types of Questionnaires, Process of Questionnaire Designing; Advantages and Disadvantages of Questionnaire Method. Pilot survey, sample questionnaire, difference between questionnaire and schedule. Interviews: types of interviews. Secondary data; classification of data (internal and external data), research authentication (Methodology check and accuracy check) Data processing: Editing Field Editing (centralized in house editing) Coding- Coding Closed ended structured Questions, Coding open ended structured Questions; Classification and Tabulation of data. Data cleaning, data adjusting. [Use of SPSS/EXCEL/JASP in Activity Based Learning is encouraged]

Unit 7 CO4 · 7 hours

Univariate and Bivariate Analysis of Data: Descriptive vs inferential analysis, descriptive analysis of univariate data (Missing data, analysis of multiple responses, grouping large data), descriptive analysis of bivariate data (cross- tabulation), calculating rank order, data transformation. Microsoft EXCEL: Working in the spreadsheet, creating a worksheet Reliability test- Cronbach alpha [Use of SPSS/EXCEL/JASP in Activity Based Learning is encouraged]

Unit 8 CO4 · 4 hours

Testing of Hypothesis: Concepts in Testing of Hypothesis – Steps in testing of hypothesis, Test Statistic for testing hypothesis about population mean; Tests concerning Means- the case of single population; Tests for Difference between two population means; Use of SPSS in testing Hypothesis. Parametric and non-parametric test Z- test, t-test, f-test, One sample test, Two independent sample test, two related samples test. [Use of SPSS/EXCEL/JASP in Activity Based Learning is encouraged]

Unit 9 CO4 · 3 hours

Analysis of variance: The ANOVA techniques, basic principles, one-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA, ANOCOVA, MANCOVA [Use of SPSS/EXCEL/JASP in Activity Based Learning is encouraged]

Unit 10 CO4 · 2 hours

Chi-Square Tests: Chi square test for the Goodness of Fit; Chi square test for the independence of variables; Chi square test for the equality of more than two population proportions [Use of SPSS/EXCEL/JASP in Activity Based Learning is encouraged]

Unit 11 CO4 · 6 hours

Data analysis: Statistical analysis, multivariate analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, Principal component analysis. Cluster Analysis [Use of SPSS/EXCEL/JASP in Activity Based Learning is encouraged]

Unit 12 CO5 · 6 hours

Research Report Writing and Ethics in research: Need for effective documentation, types of research report, report preparation and presentation, report structure, general tips for writing research report, presentation of data, bibliography and references. Guidelines for presenting tabular data, Guidelines for visual Representations. Meaning of Research Ethics; Clients Ethical code; Researchers Ethical code; Ethical Codes related to respondents; Responsibility of ethics in research Plagiarism check and understanding consequences of unethical practices [Suggested Activity Research paper writing; Use of Plagiarism software]

Unit 13. CO5, CO6 · 6 hours

Research Theme Based Research Papers / Presentation

Text Books

• 1 Business Research Methods – Cooper Schindler
• 2 Research Methodology Methods & Techniques – C.R. Kothari
• 3 Statistics for Management – Richard L Levin
• 4 Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach - Uma Sekaran, Roger Bougie

Reference Books

• 1 D. K. Bhattacharya: Research Methodology (Excel)
• 2 P. C. Tripathy: A text book of Research Methodology in Social Science (Sultan
• 3 Chand)
• 4 Saunder: Research Methods for business students (Pearson)
• 5 Marketing Research –Hair, Bush, Ortinau (2nd edition Tata McGraw Hill)
• 6 Business Research Methods – Alan Bryman& Emma Bell – Oxford
• 7 Publications
• 8 Business Research Methods – Naval Bajpai – Pearson Publications
• 9 Business Research Methods- S N Murthy and U Bhojanna, Excel books
• 10 Research Methodology Methods & Techniques – C.R.Kothari and Gaurav Garg, New age international limited
• 11 Research Methodology- S.S.Vinod Chandra, S.Anand Hareendran,-Pearson
• 12 Research Methodology- S.S.Vinod Chandra, S.Anand Hareendran,-Pearson
• 13 Research Methodology-Dr.Prasant Sarangi-Taxmann Publications pvt.ltd.
• 14 Business Research Methods- Cooper Schindler, JK sharma-McGraw Hill