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Explain how a study is created based upon a description of the business decision involved. Describe the role of theory and science in business research. Describe the three basic business research designs. Explain the roles of exploratory and confirmatory research. Explain the roles of qualitative and quantitative research.
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Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Phase II Execution
Design Data Collection Devices Collect Data Check for Errors Code Data Store Data
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systematically related
statements, including some law-like generalizations that can be tested empirically. Law-like generalizations are expectations of what will happen under specified circumstances that allow predictions of reality.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003. 3
1.
2. 3.
Observation
Discovery Develop Hypotheses Data Collection Analysis Conclusions
Theory
4. 5. 6.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Problem Formulation
Determine the purpose of the research. Understand and define the complete problem. Identify and separate out measurable symptoms to determine the root problem versus easily observable symptoms. Determine the unit of analysis = individuals, households, businesses, objects, geographic areas, etc., or some combination. Determine the relevant variables, including specifying independent and dependent relationships, constructs, etc.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Law-Like Generalizations
Research Question states a general proposition. Hypothesis formal, specific statement of some unproven supposition that tentatively explains certain facts or phenomena.
Female service employees report higher job satisfaction than male service employees.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Is sales territory size related to customer service ratings? Do flexible schedules create increased labor efficiency?
Does package color affect product quality ratings? Is geographic region related to beverage consumption?
Is an employees gender related to Hair, job satisfaction? Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials
of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Rigor of Science
1. Data represent facts about hypothesized variables. 2. Data are analyzed to determine consistency with prediction.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Good Science is . . . .
Empirical Replicable Analytical Theory Driven Logical Rigorous
FLAT OR
ROUND
?
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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PARSIMONY
Parsimonious research means applying the simplest approach that will address the research questions satisfactorily.
Complex
Pragmatic
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Exploratory research is useful when: Decision maker has little information. Research questions are vague. Decision making is in discovery phase. Basic Business Research Designs
Depth interviews
Focus groups Delphi technique
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Projective techniques
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Descriptive research describes a situation: Structured interviews are often used. Studies are: Cross-Sectional provide user with a snapshot at a given point in time. example: sample surveys Longitudinal describe events over time. example: panel data
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Causal research tests whether or not some event causes another: Experiments are used to test for a causal relationship. A causal relationship means a change in X (the cause) makes a change in Y (the effect) occur.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Causal Designs
Does one thing cause another? In testing cause and effect relationships researchers look for four conditions:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Experiments
Potential causes are controlled by using experimental designs and manipulation: Manipulation the causal variable is altered over different conditions. Lab experiment manipulation takes place in artificial setting. maximizes control. Field experiment manipulation takes place in the relevant business context. increases representativeness.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003. 18
More Flexible Design Relatively Timely (can be carried out in a shorter period of time)
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
Experimental Designs
Between Subjects Designs Every subject receives one level of experimental treatment. Within Subjects Designs Every subject receives multiple levels of experimental treatments. More prone to demand effects = things that allow subjects to guess the hypothesis. Factorial Designs Two or more experimental treatments controlled at the same time.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Manipulation:
Treatment 1 Level A Level B Level A Within Subjects Level A
Level B
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Exploratory research seeks to: Discover issues. Generate ideas. Develop research hypotheses. Confirmatory research seeks to: Test specific hypotheses. Both types of research require data.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003. 22
Data
Data = information recorded to represent facts: Objective Data data that is independent of any single persons opinion. Subjective Data two types:
Data that are an individuals opinion.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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More on Data
Primary Data - collected for the purpose of completing the current research project. Secondary Data collected for some other research purpose. Saves money and time Does it fit the purpose? Is it of high quality?
ciber.bus.msu.edu/ginlist
www.standardandpoors.com
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
www.census.gov www.usadata.com
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Qualitative Data = descriptions of things made without assigning numbers. result from unstructured interviews researcher interpretations needed. Quantitative Data = measurements in which numbers are used directly to represent properties of things. ready for statistical analysis.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Qualitative Research
Searches academic & trade/professional literature. Discovers and identifies ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc. Exploratory research design. Uses open-ended, unstructured, probing questions in interviews and focus groups and generates qualitative data. Provides preliminary insights and understanding. Limited ability to generalize findings, typically because samples are small and non-random. Improves conceptualization. Facilitates drafting questionnaires.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003. 26
Quantitative Research
Validates facts, estimates, relationships, predictions, etc. Descriptive and causal designs. Mostly structured questions. Larger samples. Ability to generalize is good with proper sampling design. Uses quantitative data.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Quantitative Data
More useful for testing. Provides summary information on many characteristics. Useful in tracking trends.
Qualitative Data
More useful for discovering. Provides in-depth (deeper understanding) information on a few characteristics. Discovering hidden motivations and values. More unstructured collection techniques requiring a subjective interpretation.
Properties:
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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Summary
Introduced the basic business process. Described the role of theory and science in business research. Described the three basic research designs. Discussed exploratory versus confirmatory research. Compared and contrasted qualitative and quantitative research and data.
Hair, Babin, Money & Samouel, Essentials of Business Research, Wiley, 2003.
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