Deck 4: The Research Process: an Overview

Question 1

Some questions are answerable by research, and others are not. Using some management problems of your choosing, distinguish between them.

Answer 1

Research is a complicated endeavor containing multiple steps. Each step has different variables to consider. The decision to select correct variables depends upon the ability of the researcher, the management and type of variable involved. Hence, while some questions can be answered by research, some questions are difficult to approach through research.
Such a situation can arise when one wants to find the answer regarding the value of an abstract decision. e.g. if a company wants to upgrade the software used by its employees, to new technology and want to know if the employees will be happier than before. In such cases, the research variables required will be difficult to explain as the value is difficult to quantify and interpret.
Another case could arise where one knows the variables required but the information gathering ways or methods are not adequate to perform the task usually in cases of policy discussions. e.g. research to find out if decreasing the retirement age would be beneficial to a company.

Question 2

Discuss the problems of trading off exploration and pilot testing under tight budgetary constraints. What are the immediate and long-term effects

Answer 2

Trade-off exploration is the state of gaining knowledge to the one's expected perception on worldly things. Pilot test is an online source to conduct survey and explore information in research. Pilot testing helps to forecast the required cost and time to conduct research.
Several problems of trading off exploration and pilot testing are as shown below:
• Elimination pilot testing would give rise to have insufficient information to conduct research.
• The cost and time constraints cannot be forecasted on avoiding pilot testing.
• By trading off the exploration, one cannot discover the existing facts on research.
• The mis implications may cause bad consequences in the period of research.
I mmediate and long-term effects are as shown below:
• An immediate effect on avoiding pilot testing are, cost and time constraints cannot be forecasted.
• On avoiding pilot test, no alternative research questions can be invented to improve the existing research models.
• An in-depth possible cost and time constraints issues may increase.

Question 3

A company is experiencing a poor inventory management situation and receives alternative research proposals. Proposal 1 is to use an audit of last year's transactions as a basis for recommendations. Proposal 2 is to study and recommend changes to the procedures and system used by the materials department. Discuss issues of evaluation in terms of (a) Ex post facto versus prior evaluation, and (b) Evaluation using option analysis and decision theory.

Answer 3

Every research budget needs to be approved by the management before the research can begin. The management scrutinizes the need for the research and the dollar return for the amount spent in research. Research projects can be evaluated using 4 key methods as stated below.
a
Ex Post Facto evaluation method is conducted to evaluate the Return on Investment (ROI) of a previously conducted research project. This method of evaluation tests the success of the proposal chosen with the research and without the research. The prior evaluation method is undertaken before deciding whether the research project should be done or not. The management evaluates the proposals by proceeding in phases rather than budgeting the entire project at once. If the proposal seems ineffective at any phase, it is stopped otherwise it proceeds.
In the proposals given, Ex Post Facto evaluation can be implemented only if one has previous results from the implementation of such similar proposals. Previous implementation results can be studied and analyzed. The management can decide on that basis, which proposal to select.
Prior evaluation can be conducted by management in proceeding with both the proposals in phases. If any proposal is found not effective at any stage, the specific proposal can be disbanded midway.
b
Option analysis is conducted when the research proposals can be evaluated with well defined cost-benefit analysis. The analysis done presents the amount of cost involved and expected returns by calculation or assuming certain variables. Management needs to use their experience and quantitative results to choose the correct proposal.
Decision Theory is a method of evaluation that largely depends on the management goals and vision. The management decides a decision rule and a decision variable for evaluation. Decision rule includes the objective they want to achieve, e.g. minimization of cost overheads and decision variable includes their goal, e.g. raw material cost minimization.
Based on the current situation, using option theory for proposal 1, they can calculate the increase in profits due to better inventory system based on the recommendations from last year's data. For proposal 2, they can calculate the amount of expenditure due to new system recommendations and the increase in profits due to the system. Using a comparative approach in the amount of profit, the management can select a proposal.
Using decision theory, the management needs to select a decision rule and a decision variable. e.g. the rule can be, minimization of stock outage conditions and the variable can be the cost of buffer stock in the inventory. Based on such conditions, the management needs to decide which of the proposal will provide the most optimum solution.

Question 4

Confronted by low productivity, the president of Oaks International, Inc. asks a research company to study job satisfaction in the corporation. What are some of the important reasons that this research project may fail to make an adequate contribution to the solution of management problems

Question 5

Based on an analysis of the last six months' sales, your boss notices that sales of beef products are declining in your chain's restaurants. As beef entrée sales decline, so do profits. Fearing beef sales have declined due to several newspaper stories reporting E.coli contamination discovered at area grocery stores, he suggests a survey of area restaurants to see if the situation is pervasive. (a) What do you think of this research suggestion (b) How, if at all, could you improve on your boss's formulation of the research question

Question 6

What are the benefits to MindWriter if Henry and Associates implements a pilot study

Question 7

How can MindWriter's existing database of service complaints be used to accumulate service problem information in advance of the proposed research What information should be sought

Question 8

Using Exhibit 4-1 and case examples from marketing firms' websites, discover how "favored technique" approaches to research design dominate many firm's strategies.

Question 9

Using Exhibit 4-1, find a case study of a research example in which a clear statement of the management dilemma leads to a precise and actionable research question. (Hint: Visit research company websites-see Appendix 1a for company ideas-or use a search engine to find examples.)

Question 10

In a recent scientific discovery, a natural ingredient found in milk can protect against obesity even while mice keep on enjoying diets that are high in fat. The researchers, who reported their results in the Cell Metabolism, likened this finding to a new kind of vitamin. It appears that mice that take nicotinamide riboside in comparatively high doses along with their high-fat meals burn more fat and are protected from obesity. They also become better runners because of muscles that now benefit from greater endurance. If you worked for the National Milk Producers Federation, how would you create a research proposal to support a national ad campaign to promote the qualities of milk in a balanced diet, using this finding