What is research?

Research is defined as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies, and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it leads to new and creative outcomes.

Business research focuses on topics related to business and management and covers such disciplines as the social sciences, economics, accounting, logistics, law, and marketing. Research isn’t just data-gathering.

Data-gathering is a vital part of research, but it doesn’t lead to new knowledge without some analysis, some further work. Just collecting the data doesn’t count unless you do something else with it. Research isn’t just about methodology.