Deck 6: Research Design: an Overview

Question 1

Distinguish between the following:
(a) Exploratory and formal studies.
(b) Experimental and ex post facto research designs
(c) Descriptive and causal studies.

Answer 1

a.Exploratory versus formalized studies : Exploratory studies tend to have loose structures with the purpose of discovering future tasks, or to develop future hypotheses and questions for further research. The goal of a formal research design is generally specific: to test hypotheses or answer research questions.
b.Experimental and ex post facto designs : In an experimental design the researcher seeks to study the effects of variables by controlling and manipulating them. In an ex post facto design the researcher does not influence the variables but reports on what has happened.
c.Descriptive and causal studies : A descriptive study is concerned with description, that is the who, what, where, when or how much in observations, whereas in a causal study relationships between variables are sought to be identified, verified and established.

Question 2

Establishing causality is difficult, whether conclusions have been derived inductively or deductively.
(a) Explain and elaborate on the implications of this statement.
(b) Why is ascribing causality more difficult when conclusions have been reached through induction
(c) Correlation does not imply causation. Illustrate this point with examples from business.

Answer 2

a. A relationship between variables is latent, but what is manifest are only the possible effects. A relationship itself can only be theoretically postulated. For instance, a higher income level may induce the purchase of higher priced cars, and this can be theoretically postulated. Yet the data focuses on a manifest variable (purchase) rather than the latent psychological processes.
b. Inductive conclusions, unlike deductive conclusions, have no "necessary" connections between facts and conclusions. Thus the conclusion of an induction may be simply one explanation for an observed fact whereas the conclusion of a deduction is the explanation, if the deduction's requirements are met. This means that when dealing with causal relationships we require other more rigorous devices to assure ourselves that our probabilistic statements contain the least
possible margin for error. Methods such as experimentation and statistical tests help to improve our confidence in ascribing cause to inductive conclusions.
c. There may be a correlation in the following variable pairs found statistically at a point of time, however there is no causal relationship between the variables; such correlations are said to be spurious.
Increases in productivity: Increases in stock offerings to the public
Decreases in job satisfaction: Decreases in the consumer price index
A classic example of spurious correlation is exemplified in the fallacious argument:
All alcoholic beverages contain water; hence an excessive consumption of water leads to the cirrhosis of the liver.

Question 3

Using yourself as the subject, give an example of each of the following asymmetrical relationships:
(a) Stimulus-response
(b) Property-disposition
(c) Disposition-behavior
(d) Property-behavior

Answer 3

a.Stimulus-response: When you are challenged to justify your position during a management meeting your pulse rate increases rapidly, and you speak out strongly in defense of your position.
b.Property-disposition: You are a member of a minority ethnic group and this makes you very sensitive to ethnic type comments by others.
c.Disposition-behavior: You have strong opinions about the degradation of our physical environment by some industries; as a result you are highly selective in choosing the companies with whom you interview for career opportunities.
d.Property-behavior: You have grown up as a member of the upper-lower social class and now follow the typical consumption practices of that class.

Question 4

Why not use more control variables, rather than depend on randomization as the means of controlling extraneous variables

Question 5

Researchers seek causal relationships by either experimental or ex post facto research designs.
(a) In what ways are these two approaches similar
(b) In what ways are they different

Question 6

You have been asked to determine how hospitals prepare and train volunteers. Since you know relatively little about this subject, how will you find out Be as specific as possible.

Question 7

You are the administrative assistant for a division chief in a large holding company that owns several hotels and theme parks. You and the division chief have just come from the CEO's office, where you were informed that the guest complaints related to housekeeping and employee attitude are increasing. Your on-site managers have mentioned some tension among workers, but have not considered it unusual. The CEO and your division chief instruct you to investigate. Suggest at least three different types of research that might be appropriate to the situation.

Question 8

Propose one or more hypotheses for each of the following variable pairs, specifying which is the IV and which is the DV. Then develop the basic hypothesis to include at least one moderating variable or intervening variable.
a. The Index of Consumer Confidence and the business cycle.
b. Level of worker output and closeness of worker supervision.
c. Level of employee theft and the presence of employee surveillance cameras.

Question 9

Using the eight design descriptions, profile the MindWriter CompleteCare satisfaction study as described in this and preceding chapters.

Question 10

Use the eight design descriptors in Exhibit 6-3 to profile the research described in the Chapter Snapshots.

Question 11

Kraft will split off its global snack business this year, naming it Mondel z International. The name came from a massive name suggestion program from Kraft employees, involving more than 1,700 names by more than 1,000 Kraft employees over a five-month process. The name plays on the connotation of delicious world.How would you design this process to ensure that viable names were produced

Question 12

P G announced May 28, 2009 that it would move its IAMS pet food division from Vandalia (OH) to Mason (OH). The move affected 240 workers, which were offered positions to join the 2,000 workers already occupying the pet food division headquarters in Mason. A company statement indicated, "We're doing this to increase productivity, collaboration and access to P G's resources/expertise." P G also told employees that it was beginning a separate, multi-month study on how to increase collaboration and efficiencies with the 250 employees still working in its pet food research and development complex located in Lewisburg (OH). What research might be included in the multi-month study to determine the future of the Lewisburg R D facility and its employees