Research is to see what everybody else has seen and to think what nobody else has thought. A graduate research degree provides a unique opportunity to follow an area of interest and make an important contribution to the chosen field. Business research enables companies to understand the entire market, and how their business fits in. It may uncover new technologies that will improve competitiveness. It will likely boost sales or re-direct resources to a more profitable product. When a student is perusing an MBA degree and examining cutting edge business research, it facilitates them in understanding the routes to that knowledge and brings a third benefit: practical information. Exposure to research methods gives decision makers new analytical approaches that can be applied to practical issues during the studies itself. The research study should seek to contextualize its findings within the larger body of research. Research must always be of high quality in order to produce knowledge that is applicable outside of the research setting. Furthermore, the results of the research study may have implications for policy and future project implementation.
Developing and maintaining undergraduate research programs benefits students, faculty mentors, and the university. Incorporating a research component along with a sound academic foundation enables students to develop independent critical thinking skills along with oral and written communication skills. The research process impacts valuable learning objectives that have lasting influence as undergraduates prepare for professional service. Faculty members at teaching-intensive institutions can enhance learning experiences for students while benefiting from a productive research agenda. The university, in turn, benefits from presentations and publications that serve to increase visibility in the scientific community. Whether projects are derived through student-generated or mentor-generated means, students benefit from completion of exposure to the hypothesis-driven scientific method.
