Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 1 Finding, Evaluating, Finding, Evaluating, and Processing and Processing Information Information
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 1
Finding, Evaluating, Finding, Evaluating, and Processing and Processing
InformationInformation
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 2
Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives
• Describe an effective process for conducting
business research
• Define primary and secondary research and
explain when to use each method
• Identify nine criteria for evaluating the
credibility of an information source
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 3
Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives
• Provide five guidelines for conducting an
effective online search
• Outline the steps required to create and
administer surveys and interviews
• Describe the major tasks involved in
processing and applying your research
results
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 4
Supporting Your Supporting Your MessagesMessages
1. Plan your research
2. Locate data and information
3. Process data and information
4. Apply your findings
5. Manage information
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 5
Plan Your ResearchPlan Your Research
• Learn about the subject
• Target information gaps
• Prioritize research needs
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 6
Ethics and Etiquette Ethics and Etiquette
• Don’t force a specific outcome
• Respect privacy of participants
• Document and credit your sources
• Respect intellectual property rights
• Don’t misquote your sources
• Don’t misrepresent your intentions
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 7
Learn About the SubjectLearn About the Subject
• Read industry publications
• Explore competitor’s websites
• Interview experts
• Search online resources
• Scan topical books
• Develop a problem statement
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 8
Target Information GapsTarget Information Gaps
• Frame your purpose
• Indentify gaps
• Focus your efforts
• Locate information
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 9
Prioritize Research Prioritize Research NeedsNeeds
• Constraints
– Limited time
– Limited resources
• Information
– “Need to know”
– “Nice to know”
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 10
Data and InformationData and Information
• Secondary research
• Primary research
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 11
Evaluating Your SourcesEvaluating Your Sources
• Is the source honest and reliable?
• Is the source potentially biased?
• What is the purpose of the material?
• Is the author credible?
• What is the source of the information?
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 12
Evaluating Your SourcesEvaluating Your Sources
• Can you verify the material?
• Is the material current?
• Is the material complete?
• Are all claims supported by evidence?
• Do the claims stand up to scrutiny?
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 13
Secondary ResearchSecondary Research
• Inside the company
– Reports and memos
– Other documents
• Outside the company
– Print resources
– Online resources
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 14
Finding Information at the Finding Information at the Public LibraryPublic Library
• Newspapers and periodicals
• Business books
• Directories
• Almanacs and statistical resources
• Government publications
• Electronic databases
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 15
Online InformationOnline Information
• Internet public library
• Librarian’s Internet index
• Company websites
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 16
Internet Search ToolsInternet Search Tools
• Search engines
–Web directories
– Online databases
–Meta-search engines
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 17
Search TechniquesSearch Techniques
• Keyword searches
• Boolean operators
• Natural language
• Forms-based searches
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 18
Fine Tune Search Fine Tune Search
MethodsMethods• Read the instructions
• Observe the details
• Review search and display options
• Vary the search terms
• Adjust the scope of the search
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 19
Innovative Search ToolsInnovative Search Tools
• Desktop search engines
• Enterprise search engines
• Research and content managers
• Social bookmarking sites
• Newsfeeds
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 20
Documenting Documenting SourcesSources
• Credit research sources
• Build your credibility
• Help your readers
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 21
Primary ResearchPrimary Research
• Surveys
• Interviews
• Experiments
• Observations
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 22
Conducting SurveysConducting Surveys
• Representative sample
• Effective questionnaire
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 23
Effective QuestionnairesEffective Questionnaires
• Provide clear instructions
• Keep it short and easy to answer
• Seek easy-to-analyze answers
• Avoid leading questions
• Avoid ambiguous questions
• Ask one question at a time
• Make the survey adaptive
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 24
Internet SurveysInternet Surveys
• Save time
• Minimize cost
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 25
Conducting InterviewsConducting Interviews
• Selecting the questions
– Open-ended
– Closed
• Asking the questions
– Set the sequence
– Be proactive
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 26
Types of InterviewsTypes of Interviews
• Face-to-face
• Focus group
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 27
Data and InformationData and Information
• Quoting
• Paraphrasing
• Summarizing
• Analyzing
• Concluding
• Recommending
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 28
Process the InformationProcess the Information
• Quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing
– Avoid plagiarism
– Cite sources
– Observe context
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 29
Analyze Numeric DataAnalyze Numeric Data
• Mean, median, and mode
• Overall trends
• Cause and correlation
• Cross-tabulation
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 30
Watch for MistakesWatch for Mistakes
• Avoid faulty comparisons
• Don’t push research results beyond
their limits
• Avoid misleading presentations
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 31
Apply Your FindingsApply Your Findings
• Summarizing your research
• Drawing conclusions
• Making recommendations
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 11 - 32
Knowledge ManagementKnowledge Management
• Technologies
• Policies
• Procedures