Business Research Methods Essay

1. de rail lineate among the following delimits of items, and suggest the signifi drive outce of each in a enquiry context a. Concept and ready A concept is a primarily accepted collection of meanings or characteristics that be concrete whereas a construct is image or idea invented for a particular theory or interrogation caper a construct is an abstract concept. To successfully transact a research, we must form common ground hence, the need for concepts and constructs. b. certainty and induction a deduction is a conclusive inference clipping an induction is a conclusion from one or more pieces of evidence. c. usable commentary and dictionary definition an ope symmetrynal definition is a definition based on bankers billment criteria that have empirical reference bandage a dictionary definition is based on synonyms.d. Concept and multivariate a concept is a gener ally accepted collection of meanings or characteristics associated with certain events while a variable is assess or set of values related to a property being studied. e. Hypothesis and proffer A hypothesis is a is a declarative statement that states a belief while a proposition is a statement intimately concepts that may be regarded as true or false. f. Theory and work a theory is a set of domineeringally inter-related concepts, definitions and propositions that be good to explain and predict phenomena while a poser is a way of a system that is constructed to study some aspect of the system. g. Scientific mode and scientific attitude The scientific method deals with rationalism and empiricism perfunctory structured proofs and observable, concrete data the scientific attitude deals with curiosity 2. place the characteristics of the scientific methoda. Direct observation of phenomenab. Clearly defined variables, methods and proceduresc. through empirical observation testable hypothesesd. The ability to rule rival hypothesese. Statistical justificationf. Self-correcting process3. What are the differences among the research approaches (and thinking styles) that guide the predominant kinds of studies done in trading operations research, marketing, finance and/or organizational behaviour? There are sestet different styles of thinking Postulational rational and idealistic, Self-evident truth reasonably rational and idealistic, Method of authority fairly rational and idealistic, Literary liberal and interpretative, Untested opinion Very informal and fairly idealistic and finally, in that location is the scientific method which is empirical and rational. 4. Here are some toll commonly found in a management setting. Are they concepts or constructs? Give two different operational definitions for each. a. First-line supervisor concept individual directly in charge of line workers person reporting to whole manager b. Employee morale construct that which is measurable by how an employee feels toward the job that which is measured by how ofte n an employee reports for work on time c. Assembly line concept area where the items are assembled area where line workers spend well-nigh of their dayd. Overdue cast concept account balance that is former(prenominal) 30 days an account where the amount owed is past 60 and slight than 25% has been p advocate toward the balance. e. Line management concept person to whom all line supervisors report head of each functional area f. leadership construct quality defined by how many persons emulate this person quality defined by a rating by enquire persons how good a leader is the subject under study g. Price-earnings ratio concept the measure of how much an incumbent makes in reference to an honest in the same job position the amount someone makes in reference to others in similar jobs, having similar education and experience and in spite of expectance similar industries, in the same region. h. Union democracy- construct the measure of how pack say they have a say in the un ion the measure of how the union heads have proceeded to do what the majority of the members asked. i. Ethical standards construct the value that an employee places on a variable the young opinion of how employees feel more or less the ethics within a club on a case of 1-10.5. In your companys management development program, there was a heated discussion between some people who claimed Theory is half-baked and thus no good, and others who claimed Good theory is the most unimaginative approach to problems. What position would you take and why? I would take incomplete side. Both statements have their value and can be argued at length. In support of the first statement this falls into one of two categories untested opinion or self-evident truth. Some say that theory is the oppositeness of fact and does not form a practical approach to problems, for solutions withdraw facts. In support of the second statement theory forms a systematic set of concepts, definitions and proposit ions that are advanced to explain and predict phenomena. Therefore, theory can be used as a good starting head up for factual explanations. In my opinion, good theory and fact-based rationale are obligatory a good balance of both is required.6. An automobile manufacturer observes the indigence for its brand (DV) increasing per capita income profits (IV). Sales increases also follow low wager respects (MV), which ease credit conditions. Buyer purchase behaviour is seen to be dependent on age (IVV) and gender (IVV). Other factors influencing sales appear to fluctuate almost randomly (competitor advertising (EV), competitor dealer discounts (EV), introductions of bleak competitive models (EV)). a. If sales and per capita income are positively related, classify all variables as dependent, independent, moderating, extraneous or intervening. b. Comment on the utility of a model based on the hypothesis DV depends directly on IV. MV is a secondary independent variable affecting the DV. The EVs are used to put up variables that occur randomly or those that can be safely ignored. The IVVs are used to testify variables that theoretically affect the DV, but have not actually been empirically in the study.7. You observer the following condition Our womanish sales representative have lower guest defections than do our male sales representatives. a. Propose the concepts and constructs you may use to study this phenomena concepts and constructs male definition female definition customer customer defections (construct) b. How might any of these concepts/constructs be related to explanatory hypotheses? the explanatory, or casual hypothesis, of female reps having lower customer defections than male reps can be tested by using research questions, built from concepts, constructs and definitions 8. You are the office manager of a large firm. Your company prides itself on its high quality customer service. Lately complaints have surfaced that an change magnitude num ber of calls are being misrouted and dropped. Yesterday, when passing by the main reply area, you noticed the receptionist fiddling with his hearing aid.In the process, a call came in and would have gone unanswered if not for your intervention. The particular receptionist had earned a poor review for the last 3 months. Your inclination is to urge this 20-year employee to draw back or to fire him. You know the individual is well liked and is seen as a fixture in the company. a. Pose several hypotheses that might account for dropped or misrouted calls. the employee is too old to handle the load employee cannot afford a proper hearing aid, the lack of which causes problems in directing calls properly, or answer calls in a timely manner there is a problem with the audio routing system there is a problem with the main phone at the call desk. b. Using the double movement of reflective thought, exhibit how you would test these hypotheses fact calls are being misrouted induction why are calls not reaching their proper destination hypothesis any of the higher up deduction calls will be misrouted if the operators hearing aid is mal-functioning.9. The Institute of Transport Engineers, a nationwide trade association with thousands of members, was dissatisfy with the way that State Farm arrived at its suicidal intersection list. a. If the ITE were to drive a study of its own, what constructs and concepts would they define differently? concepts and constructs defined differently stern intersection crash claim b. What hypotheses would ITE formulate to guide its version of the dangerous intersection study? dangerous intersections have already been identified by engineers dangerous intersections lack certain security features dangerous intersections have a high volume of accidents 10. Identify and classify all the variables in the armaments dud-shell research a. Dud shell (DV)b. Shell that explodes (IV) c. Persons coming into connexion (EV)11. What was Myras hypothesis for the armys dud-shell research? What was the armys hypothesis? She believed that the dud-shell was incorrectly defined she hypothesized that the dud-shells defined by the army were not all dud-shells, but were comprised of both dud-shells and shells that have a delayed exploding time Myras hypothesis was Civilians were coming in contact with potentially dangerous shells that could explode when manipulated. The armys hypothesis was shells that did not explode on impact were inert. 12. Graph your inductions and deductions in the following statements. If there are gaps, supply what is needed to make them complete arguments. a. Repeated studies indicate that sparing conditions exchange with and lag 6 to 12 months behind changes in the national cash supply.Therefore, we may conclude that money is the basic sparing variable. induction what causes economic conditions to vary deduction available money causes an alteration in economic conditions. b. Research studies show that heavy smokers have a higher rate of lung cancer than no smokers therefore, heavy smoking causes lung cancer. induction does smoking increase the risk of lung cancer? inference smoking does increase the risk of lung cancer. c. assign me a person who goes to church regularly and I will show you a reliable worker. induction what makes a reliable worker? Deduction a regular church patron makes a reliable worker.