A Roadmap to Business Research

This chapter seeks to constitute a roadmap or framework to guide business researchers in contextualizing and planning their research efforts. A literature study was conducted to investigate the research concept, the boundary of research, and the research process’ conceptual framework. This chapter summarized research as a systematic investigation to reveal new knowledge. In guiding industry-orientated business research, it is acknowledged that management action may solve some business problems. In contrast, higher levels of organizational issues and critical reflection of business issues may require actual research.

The framework for business research is divided into four parts: the research problem, research design, empirical evidence, and conclusion. The central part of the map is the design section that organizes the philosophic approach (theoretical foundation, research philosophy, and assumptions) on the one side and the applied research methods and techniques on the other side, with the research methodology acting as a bridge between the sides. The framework constitutes a guide when embarking on the journey to solve industry-orientated business research.

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Notes

AS illustrated later, it must be noted not every business problem needs to be solved by scientific research.

Note that although conceptually four distinct elements, in actuality these ProDEC elements are highly integrated.

Note that the theoretical foundation may not be of equal importance in all paradigms, e.g., the pragmatist and design sciences paradigms where a pragmatic problem solution or artifact is the primary objective.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

1. Management Cybernetics Research Entity, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa Merwe Oberholzer & Pieter W. Buys

1. Merwe Oberholzer