Book Review of Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach (9th ed.) by Uma Sekaran and Roger Bougie

Abstract

This review critically evaluates the 9th edition of Research Methods for Business: A Skill-Building Approach by Uma Sekaran and Roger Bougie. As a widely recognized leading textbook in business and management research methodology, this book offers a comprehensive and practical guide to conducting academic and applied research. It provides a strong foundation in research methodology for undergraduates, postgraduate students, and practitioners. The review highlights the structured content of the book, which systematically covers the entire research process, starting from problem formulation, literature review, research design, measurement, sampling, data collection, data analysis, and report writing. A key strength of the textbook is its skill-building orientation, which emphasizes learning through application, examples, and a large number of exercises, making it highly suitable for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Furthermore, the review compares the book with other leading research methodology texts, highlighting its practical orientation over more theory-intensive alternatives. Despite its strengths, the review identifies limitations, particularly its limited coverage of advanced analytical techniques, in-depth qualitative research strategies, and emerging digital research methods. Overall, the 9th edition is a highly valuable book for developing foundational research skills in business studies and remains a widely recommended text for teaching and learning research methodology in higher education.