Course content

• Developing research questions in empirical research;
• Quantitative and qualitative study design;
• Questionnaire surveys;
• Descriptive statistics;
• Hypothesis testing and inference statistics;
• Correlation measures;
• Analysis of variance (ANOVA);
• Regression analysis;
• Qualitative interviews and focus groups;
• Observation and document analysis;
• Analyzes of qualitative data;
• Validity and reliability;
• Interpretation and discussion of data;
• Introduction to "Big data" in business and management;
• Ethical issues in empirical research.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

After completing this course, students should have acquired knowledge on how to carry out empirical research in the domain of economic and business administration. This includes knowledge about:

• Research problems and corresponding research questions and how these lay the premises for the research process;
• Qualitative and quantitative research designs and corresponding methods of data collection;
• Methods for analysing of qualitative and quantitative data;
• Criteria for assessing the quality of empirical research;

Skills

After completing the course, students should be able to carry out empirical research by applying both quantitative and/or qualitative methods. This includes being able to:

• Run statistical analyzes and interpret results using statistical software;
• Assess the validity and reliability of empirical research projects;
• Report and communicate main results and draw conclusions from empirical research projects.

General competence:

The course shall provide a solid academic basis for:

• Being able to select a valid methodological approach in empirical research and business analysis
• Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data

Develop the ability to critically reflect on methods and be able to reflect on the implications of empirical findings.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures videos

Videos from exercises with an introduction to the use of statistical software

Group work with compulsory tasks

Additional information: Information about compulsory tasks is given at the start of the semester. The compulsory tasks must be approved in order to take the exam.

Compulsory assignments

• Approved exercises

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

REA1153 Mathematics for Economists and REA1154 Statistics for Economists

Course materials

Dag Ingvar Jacobsen (2022) Hvordan gjennomføre undersøkelser? Innføring i samfunnsvitenskapelige metode. 4. utgave. Cappelen Damm AS

Credit reductions