NEW! Business Research

Discover the specific knowledge needed to succeed in researching and utilizing the best and most appropriate data for decision making for your work organization.  Get the skills needed to effectively communicate research results to a specific audience for maximum impact and effective decision making.  

For business professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone who needs specific information about a business; or who is in business and needs specific information about a particular topic such as market potential, competitive intelligence, standard industry practice, productivity improvement, etc.  This course will give you the specific knowledge you need to succeed in your research quest.  

David White, COI, and Mary Dereshiwsky, COI, instructors. Three one month courses. Offered September-November, February-April, April-June, June-August. Certificate available for successful completion. $495 total for all 3 courses.

Individual Courses

Introduction to Business Research

Business Research will provide the specific knowledge needed to succeed in researching and utilizing the best and most appropriate data for decision making.  It will also provide the skills needed to effectively communicate research results to a specific audience for maximum impact and effective decision making.  The course is broad based and provides a strong foundation for meeting business research needs.  More advanced courses will be available after completion of this foundation course. 

Online, one month; David White, COI, instructor.

Click here for more information on this course.

Business Statistics

Numbers are vitally important to all types of business decision-making. From budget projections to inventory tracking, business leaders rely on numbers to help them make sound business decisions.

How can you make these numbers meaningful to you in your day-to-day planning and decision-making? Learn how to apply and interpret numbers in real-world business ideas in our business statistics course.

One month online course, Mary Dereshwisky, COI, instructor.

Click here for more information on this course.

Qualitative Business Research

Words are powerful information sources for sound business decisions. As a business leader, you talk to others when you have a question or need to solve a business problem. They provide a richness of information that numbers alone cannot.
 

How can you effectively harness the power of words when you have a need to know something? Learn how to use qualitative methods (information in words) to make the best possible business decisions in our course.

One month online course, Mary Dereshwisky, COI, instructor.

Click here for more information on this course.

ChecklistWhat You do:

  1. In the online classroom, listen to audio lectures, view slides, even take an optional quiz to test yourself.
  2. Then post comments in the online discussion with your fellow participants and the instructor.  Your instructor logs on once a day to answer questions and join in on the discussion.
  3. You also get a text to read 20 pages a week.
  4. Participate any time of day or night, as little or as often as you like. The ideal is to go online 2-3 times a week, but you decide.

It’s easy! It’s fun.

Mac MiniTechnical requirements:
-Internet access with Internet Explorer; Firefox Mozilla; or Safari web browser.
-Audio software such as Windows Media, Real, or Flash.
-Speakers to listen to audio.

Next offerings:

Introduction to Business Research
September 7 - October 1, 2010

Business-Statistics
October 4 - October 29, 2010

Qualitative Business Research
November 1 - November 26, 2010

About Your Instructors

David White, COI, is an Assistant Professor of Business, Department Head for Business Programs, and Distance Learning Coordinator for Missouri State University-West Plains, in West Plains, Missouri.  His areas of expertise are management and general business.  He has 20 years of management experience with a fortune 10 company, General Electric, and has been a successful franchisee with a major restaurant chain prior to beginning his teaching career with Missouri State University – West Plains.  He has been teaching online courses for 10 years and was one of the first recipients of the LERN Certified Online Instructor credential. 

Mary I. Dereshiwsky, Ph.D., COI, is a Professor of Educational Leadership and Research at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. She also serves as Chair of the Faculty Club for the Learning Resources Network (LERN).  In addition, she serves as online instructional evaluator for LERN’s Certified Online Instructor (COI) candidates.

Mary has been developing and teaching online courses in research methods and statistics since 1994. She holds a doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is the author of two chapters in the recently published book Technology Leadership for School Improvement edited by Dr. Rosemary Papa.