HOLMES INSTITUTE
FACULTY OF
HIGHER EDUCATION
HOLMES INSTITUTE
FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM
SUBJECT OUTLINE
HI 6007- Statistics and Research Methods for Business Decisions
TRIMESTER 2 / 2015
Holmes Institute is committed to providing the highest quality education in a dynamic, student-centred learning environment. Holmes Institute fosters in its students rational thought, intellectual integrity and social responsibility.
www.holmes.edu.au
HI 6007- Statistics and Research Methods for Business Decisions T2 2015 1

FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Holmes Institute Faculty of Higher Education offers business courses that combine discipline-based excellence with practical application. The faculty operates on campuses in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Hong Kong.
The faculty offers a Bachelor of Business, a Bachelor of Professional Accounting, a Master of Professional Accounting, a Master of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Business.
Details about the members of the faculty can be found on the homepage of the Faculty of Higher Education at www.holmes.edu.au/undergraduate.
HOLMES INSTITUTE POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMS
At Holmes Institute, the Master of Business Administration, Graduate Diploma in Business and the Master of Professional Accounting programs offer domestic and international students the opportunity to study a set of contemporary subjects in the field of business. These subjects prepare students for the challenges in business environments of the 21st century. These programs emphasize the global and cross-cultural dimensions of business. Teaching utilizes a combination of delivery methods and includes critical analysis and case study methods. A combination of exams, case studies and company analysis are used in assessment.
The Masters’ programs of Holmes Institute focus on:
• Developing career related capabilities
• Business numeracy and literacy
• Developing managerial proficiency
• Working in the new economy
• Leadership skills
• Entrepreneurship
• Social responsibility and ethics
SUBJECT OVERVIEW & RATIONALE
Welcome from the Subject Coordinator, Dr Alex Kouznetsov:
Welcome to HI 6007 Statistics and Research Methods for Business Decisions. In the information age we live in, companies need to be able to follow a structured approach to making informed business decisions. Managers need to be able to produce sound business decisions based on a sequence of interactive steps. Starting from identifying the research problems and opportunities in the company, the decision-making process should provide guidelines on collecting the relevant data, analysing relevant quantitative and qualitative data, and then producing results for specific business, marketing, and strategic research questions.
This subject provides students with an in depth analysis of the underlying principles used to conduct business research. At the completion of the subject students will be able to identify and apply qualitative and quantitative research techniques to business decision-making projects. Students will be able to apply statistical concepts in the interpretation of data and utilise software packages such as SPSS® to generate research outcomes.
This subject is designed to provide a foundation for those interested in managing research as well as those interested in pursuing a career in this field. To achieve these aims the subject content will address: the principles of business research; how to frame and generate research questions; ways of asking questions that can be researched, the history and variety of the major research paradigms; the theory of measurement, scaling and numbers; ways of choosing a research methodology; sampling theory - its logic and application; the major methods of data collection - surveys, questionnaires, interviews, and indirect methods of data collection; the formal experiment; and qualitative and quantitative analysis of data.
The core knowledge and skills elaborated in this subject also include the following statistical topics: descriptive statistics which includes displaying and summarising data; using random variables and their distributions; normal and binomial distributions; sampling distributions; hypothesis testing; confidence intervals; t-tests; regression and correlation; chi-square tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA).
A statistical language will be introduced as well as the logic of statistical testing using SPSS®, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Students will receive detailed instruction for the use of SPSS®.
SUBJECT OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of this subject you will have the ability to:
1. Evaluate appropriate business research methodologies and apply them to support decision-making.
2. Formulate research questions for business decision-making projects.
3. Compare various qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and techniques.
4. Assess statistical procedures to solve business problems and explore opportunities.
5. Apply statistical procedures in SPSS® and Microsoft Excel to undertake business data analysis and modelling.
6. Compose management reports containing recommendations and analytical research outcomes.
SUBJECT ADMINISTRATION
Awards Duration Core/Elective Subject weight Campus
MBA, MPA, Grad Dip 1 semester Core 3 credit points Melb/Syd/Bri
Mode of delivery On campus
Prerequisites Nil
Workload Students are expected to attend all classes
Delivery Two hours of lectures and one hour of tutorial every week
Independent study 6 hrs
CONTACT DETAILS
Subject Coordinator and
Lecturer Melbourne Campus Dr Alex Kouznetsov akouznetsov@holmes.edu.au
Lecturer Sydney Campus Dr Frank Moisiadis fmoisiadis@holmes.edu.au or frank@moisiadis.com
Lecture Brisbane Campus Dr Serguei
Mikhailitchenko
mikhailitchenko@yahoo.com.au
Students please note:
Holmes Institute provides each student with a Holmes webmail. Faculty and Administrative staff can only communicate with you using your Holmes Institute mail address. Emails from private and/or business email accounts cannot be used and may not be answered.
CONSULTATION TIMES*
Please check with your lecturer
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Sydney Campus Advised by the Advised by the Advised by the Advised by the Advised by the
lecturer lecturer lecturer lecturer lecturer
Melbourne Campus Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer
Brisbane Campus Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer Advised by the lecturer
*by appointment only
STUDENT ASSESSMENT
ASSESSMENT TYPE DUE DATE WEIGHT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Initial Research Proposal End of Week 7
20%
1,2,3,4
SPSS assignment Week 9 10% 4,5,6
Examination Week 10 40% 1,2,3,4,5,6
Final Research Proposal week 12 30 1,2,3,4,5
ASSESSMENT POLICY
To be eligible to pass this subject, students must complete all forms of assessment and demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes. All assignments must be submitted electronically using a word processor, uploaded to Blackboard via SafeAssign. You must print and attach the full SafeAssign report with the Holmes Institute Cover Sheet to the printed assignment (hard copy). The assignment cover sheet must include the studet/s ae, uer, sujet ode ad sujet ae, sujet leturer’s ae, assiget due date and time of submission. All hard copies must be submitted to the designated Assignment Submission Facility on Campus during opening hours.
Submission deadlines are strictly enforced and late submission incurs penalties of 5 (five) % of the assessment value per calendar day unless an extension and/or special consideration has been granted by the Subject Coordinator prior to the assessment deadline. Unless an extension and/or special consideration has been granted by the Subject Coordinator prior to the assessment deadline, no assessments are accepted after 14 calendar days of the due date or the end of the trimester for assessments due later in a trimester. Students are requested to familiarize themselves with the Holmes Institute Assessment Policy located on the Blackboard Student Subject: HE-General Study Information (HGEN_HE) General Information Policies and Procedures Holmes Institute Student Assessment Policy v1.pdf.
STANDARD GRADING SYSTEM AND DISTRIBUTION
GRADE LETTER RANGE
High Distinction HD 80% and above
Distinction D 70 – 79%
Credit CR 60 – 69%
Pass P 50 – 59%
Fail NN 0-45% (did not meet the standard required according to the learning outcomes in the Subject Guide )
Faculty Pass* FP 46 – 49% (awarded by Board of Examiners)
Supplementary Exam Granted (a temporary grade) NS Supplementary examination granted
Deferred Exam (a temporary grade) ND Officially Deferred examination
Fail NA Student did not submit any work according to the schedule in the Subject Guide
Result Withheld RW Additional assessment and/or work required
Result Withheld WH Outstanding fees or non-return of Holmes Institute
* This grade is sometimes referred to as a conceded pass at other institutions
Explanation of Letter Grade
HD Outstanding work which exhibits sophisticated understanding and critical synthesis, analysis and evaluation of the subject matter. While the work utilizes opinions of others, judgements about the value of the subject matter are made and drawn together in an organized whole. Gaps in the subject matter might also be identified and the implications discussed.
D Substantial work of high quality, which demonstrates a clear understanding of the subject matter, in which the relationship between the constituent elements are identified clearly and discussed with some level of critical analysis. The work also applies abstract ideas in concrete situations.
CR Sound and competent work, which demonstrates a reasonable but not complete grasp of the subject matter. The work utilizes recall and paraphrases the work of others concerning the subject matter. Some basic level of critical analysis is evident. Originality in the work is rarely evident.
P Work that demonstrates a satisfactory engagement with the subject matter such that the student is said to have a general understanding of the field. Provides an adequate basis for further study.
NN Did not meet the learning objective of the subject
VIEWING STUDENT GRADES
Results including the final grade can be viewed via the Grade Centre on Blackboard. Results for all assessments are published within two weeks of the due date of the assessment and the final examination. Students who wish to appeal their mark for a specific assessment are advised to follow the procedures outlined at www.holmes.edu.au /undergraduate/appeals.
PLAGIARISM AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Holmes Institute view any forms of academic misconduct as most serious offences. Academic misconduct in any form during an examination is not tolerated and will be dealt with according to the policies and procedures set out in the Holmes Institute Student Handbook (located on Blackboard in the Student General information Subject: HE-General Study Information (HGEN_HE) General Information Student Handbook 2012 v.2.pdf).
Plagiaris ours he oe uses aother perso’s ideas or manner of expressing them and passes them off as oe’s o ork y failig to gie appropriate akoledgeet that is, refereig the soure. Ay istaes of plagiarism will be dealt with promptly).
It is important that student reference their work appropriately. The Faculty of Higher Education at Holmes Institute uses the Harvard style of referencing. A detailed guide to referencing can be found in the Student Handbook and Resource Centres. It is expected that you will be familiar with the Harvard style of referencing.
USE OF BLACKBOARD
Holmes Institute uses Blackboard as its online teaching platform and all students enrolled have access to Blackboard to view and download their lecture material, grades, important announcements on their subjects and discussion rooms for selected subjects.
Please ote that it is the studet’s resposiility to hek Blakoard o a regular asis. It is expected that students will have viewed lecture materials and additional readings before class. All students are advised to familiarize themselves with the use of Blackboard. Guides to Blackboard are available in the Resource Centre on each campus. Should you have difficulties accessing and/or using Blackboard, please contact your lecturer or the Holmes Institute Blackboard Helpdesk on: bbhelpdesk@holmes.edu.au.
USE OF RESOURCE CENTER AND PROQUEST
For most subjects, students are expected to engage in additional research. Textbooks and teaching materials available in the Resource Centre will be of use here. In addition, current students have access to a range of electronic academic journals via Proquest, which is accessible once you log into Blackboard.
Should you require any assistance with the use of Proquest and/or online research, please contact your lecturer and/or the Resource Centre staff on your campus.
STUDY SKILLS & ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Students who have difficulties with their studies and/or specific forms of assessment should contact their lecturer/tutor or Higher Education Coordinator on campus. Holmes Institute also offers regular Academic Support, which is free for any student enrolled. Students with insufficient academic progress are required to attend regular Academic Support sessions. Academic Support sessions are timetabled each trimester. For more details see http://www.holmes.edu.au/undergraduate/Information.
DETAILED INFORMATION ON SUBJECT ASSESSMENTS
Item Due date Weighting Length
Business Research Project Proposal:
This will consist of developing a business research proposal. You will have to identify a business research topic, define the research questions for the identified problem or opportunity, select the appropriate research methodologies and techniques to use for the research project, describe the research process, describe data collection and analysis methods, and expected research outcomes.
Initial Research Proposal due at the end of Week 7
Based on feedback provided by the marker, and the application of quantitative methods taught in the subject, the final revised research proposal is due at the end of Week 12.
This is an individual assignment.
End of Week 7
End of Week 12 20%
30%
Up to 1500 Words
1500 Words
Statistics Research Report:
This will consist of a statistical report on a business case
study based on using various statistical techniques and SPSS®.
This assignment is to be completed as a group assignment with specific individual components.
End of Week 9 10%
2500 Words
Examination
The exam will cover topics in sessions 1-9. This will include conceptual and calculation questions involving research methodologies and the application of statistics techniques for managerial decision-making.
Week 10 40% 1 hour
SUBJECT RESOURCES
Prescribed Textbook (compulsory)
Zikmund, W. (2009) Business Research Methods, 8th Edition, Dryden, Orlando.
Levine, D.M., Stephan, D.F., Krehbiel, T.C. &d Brenson, M.L. (2010), Statistics for Managers Using
Microsoft Excel: 6th Global Edition, Prentice Hall
Coakes, S. J. and L. Steed (2012, “P““®: Analysis Without Anguish Using SPSS® Widos, Wiley Higher Eduatio (Australia). ISBN 9780470813119 Paperback version
Recommended Reading
1. Cooper, D.R. & Schindler, P.S. (2007), Business Research Methods, 10th Edition, Boston, McGraw Hill/Irwin.
2. Jankowicz, A.D. (2004), Business Research Methods, Fourth Edition, London: Cengage Learning Business Press.
3. Sekaran, U. (2003) Research Methods for Business: A Skill Building Approach, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
4. Albright, S., Winston, W.L. and Zappe, C. (2006), Data Analysis and Decision Making with Microsoft Excel, Third Edition, Thomson.
5. Gruebner, D et al. (2005) Business Statistics: A Decision Making Approach, 6th ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River.
6. McClave, J. and Benson, P. (2004) Statistics for Business and Economics, International Edition, 9th ed., Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River.
7. Carver, R. and Nash, J. (2012) Doing Data Analysis with SPSS®: Version 18.0, 5th ed., Cengage Learning.
LECTURE SCHEDULE/SYLLABUS
Wk Topics scheduled Assessment Tutorial Activities Chapters
1 Descriptive Statistics Business Research Case
Studies 2 & 3
(Levine,D.M., et al.)
2 Probability and Discrete Probability
Distributions Problem definition exercises 4 & 6
(Levine,D.M., et al.)
3 Business Research Methods Business Research Case
Studies 7 & 8
(Zikmund, W.)
4 Business Research Process and Defining the Problem Business Research Case
Studies 7 & 8
(Zikmund, W.);
5 Qualitative Research, Secondary Data
Research Business Research Case
Studies (Zikmund, W.) 10, 11
& 12
6 Measurement Scales, Attitude
Measurements and Questionnaire Design Preparation of Data Files
(Coakes Ch 2) 13 (Zikmund, W.)
7 Binomial, Poisson and Continuous
Probability Distributions Initial Research
Proposal Reliability Analysis
(Coakes Ch 15) 15
(Zikmund, W.)
8 Estimation, Chi-Squared Test, Regression
Line and Correlation T- Tests
(Coakes Ch 9) 11
(Levine,D.M., et al.)
9 Confidence Interval, Hypothesis Testing and ANOVA SPSS assignment Correlation
(Coakes Ch 5) 11
(Levine,D.M., et al.)
10 Sampling Design and Sampling
Procedures Examination Multiple responses and multiple Dichotomy analysis (Coakes Ch 20) 7 & 8
(Levine,D.M., et al.)
11 Survey Research Case Study on Research
Methods Lecture notes
12 Final Research Proposal Due Final Research Proposal Consultation Consultation
* Note: Students must consult the Academic Calendar and Blackboard for the dates of the Study and Examination Week.
STUDENT ASSISTANCE
Studying in higher education presents many experiences and challenges. These might involve academic, personal and/or professional issues. At Holmes Institute, we have a range of people who can help you with various challenges. The following table identifies contact points should you require any support.
SUPPORT REQUIRED WHO TO CONTACT
Information for Current Students Holmes Institute Student Handbook
Academic Probation / Mentoring Academic Mentors, Associate Dean
Accommodation Holmes Institute Home Stay
Computers, Blackboard, Email IT and Blackboard Help Desk emails: ithelpdesk@holmes.edu.au; bbhelpdesk@holmes.edu.au
Disability Needs Holmes Institute Campus Directors
Employment and Careers Career Development Team
Enrolment Higher Education Coordinator on Campus
Exams Higher Education Coordinator on Campus
Financial Issues Holmes Institute Campus Directors
Personal Issues National Higher Education Program Manager, Mentoring Team
Proquest Database Librarian on each Campus
Study Skills Holmes Institute Academic Support & Study Skills Team
Visa Issues, COEs etc. Higher Education Coordinator on Campus
This subject outline was prepared by the Course Development Team for the Postgraduate Programs, Faculty of Higher Education, Holmes Institute. It was correct at the time of publication. Change to the Subject Outline may occur at any time. However, the Faculty of Higher Education endeavours to inform the students accordingly. This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism, or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process or placed in computer memory without written permission. Enquires should be made to Holmes Institute Faculty of Higher Education. © Copyright 2012.