BUS602 Quantitative Research Methods in Business
BUS602 Quantitative Research Methods in Business
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Department of Economics and Management
Emil Knezović
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course is designed to equip students with quantitative research methods and statistical techniques essential for data-driven decision-making in business, enabling them to analyze, interpret, and apply empirical insights to real-world business challenges.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Two textbooks and special readings.
Additional Literature
(I) Creswell, J. W. & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage. (II) Hair, Jr., J. F., Page, M., & Brunsveld, N. (2020). Essentials of business research methods. Routledge.Teaching Methods
The methods include lectures (which may involve power point presentation
Video and audio aids)
Student presentations
Projects and class discussions.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-up: Publishing in journals | |
| 2 | Quantitative research, literature review, and theoretical framework | Chapters 1-4 (I) |
| 3 | Group article analysis & discussion brief: from topic to hypotheses / Assignment 1 | Chapters 5-7 (I) |
| 4 | Quantitative research designs | Chapter 8 (I) |
| 5 | Presenting a research topic | |
| 6 | Interim exam 1 | |
| 7 | From theory to data: research design integration | Special readings |
| 8 | Research proposal | |
| 9 | Sharpening the proposal: peer dialogue and feedback | |
| 10 | Data preparation and descriptive analysis | Chapter 12 (II) |
| 11 | Pre-testing: reliability, validity, and common method bias / Assignment 3 | Special readings |
| 12 | Hypothesis testing: group comparisons and relationships / Assignment 4 | Chapters 13 and 14 (II) |
| 13 | Hypothesis testing: mediation and moderation analysis / Assignment 5 | Chapter 15 (II) |
| 14 | Reporting and presenting research | Chapter 16 (II) |
| 15 | Interim exam 2 |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUS602.1 | Course | - | - | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 12:00 - 17:00 | B F1.28 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Paper
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Research Proposal
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
Interim Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Assignments
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Home study
15 hours ⏳ (15 week × 1 h)
Interim exam study
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
Assignments
20 hours ⏳ (5 week × 4 h)
Research proposa
15 hours ⏳ (1 week × 15 h)
Final paper
35 hours ⏳ (1 week × 35 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [BUS602] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| BUS602 | Quantitative Research Methods in Business | 3 | 0 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Emil Knezović | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Wednesday: 12:00-17:00 |
|||||||
| eknezovic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | eknezovic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course is designed to equip students with quantitative research methods and statistical techniques essential for data-driven decision-making in business, enabling them to analyze, interpret, and apply empirical insights to real-world business challenges. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Two textbooks and special readings. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | The methods include lectures (which may involve power point presentation, video and audio aids), student presentations, projects and class discussions. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Hybrid / blended | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Warm-up: Publishing in journals | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Quantitative research, literature review, and theoretical framework | Chapters 1-4 (I) | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Group article analysis & discussion brief: from topic to hypotheses / Assignment 1 | Chapters 5-7 (I) | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Quantitative research designs | Chapter 8 (I) | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Presenting a research topic | |||||||||
| Week 6 | Interim exam 1 | |||||||||
| Week 7 | From theory to data: research design integration | Special readings | ||||||||
| Week 8 | Research proposal | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Sharpening the proposal: peer dialogue and feedback | |||||||||
| Week 10 | Data preparation and descriptive analysis | Chapter 12 (II) | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Pre-testing: reliability, validity, and common method bias / Assignment 3 | Special readings | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Hypothesis testing: group comparisons and relationships / Assignment 4 | Chapters 13 and 14 (II) | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Hypothesis testing: mediation and moderation analysis / Assignment 5 | Chapter 15 (II) | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Reporting and presenting research | Chapter 16 (II) | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Interim exam 2 | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Paper | 1 | 40 | 1-5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Research Proposal | 1 | 10 | 1-2 | Not Allowed | |
| Interim Exam | 2 | 30 | 1-5 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignments | 4 | 20 | 1-5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Home study | 1 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Interim exam study | 10 | 2 | 20 | Assignments | 4 | 5 | 20 | |||
| Research proposa | 15 | 1 | 15 | Final paper | 35 | 1 | 35 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 13/10/2025 | |||||||||