Week 3 thinking like a researcher

  Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Thinking Like a Thinking Like a Researcher Researcher McGraw-Hill/Irwin ^{Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.}

  Learning Objectives Learning Objectives Understand . . .

  The terminology used by professional researchers employing scientific thinking.

  What you need to formulate a solid research hypothesis.

  The need for sound reasoning to enhance research results.

  Research and Attitudes Research and Attitudes “Brand communities play a pivotal role for a brand connecting with its consumers, and as one of our Never Ending Friending focus group respondent notes: “I want brands to be my friends,” which means that consumers would like to have common ideas, conversations and benefits delivered to them on their own terms.”

  Judit Nagy vice president, consumer insights MySpace/Fox Interactive Media

  PulsePoint: PulsePoint: Research Revelations Research Revelations

  The percent of executives who admitted that their companies do not have an official policy for social networks.

  55

  Language of Research Language of Research

  Conceptual Conceptual

  Concepts Constructs Concepts schemes schemes

  Operational Operational

  Models Models definitions definitions

  Terms used in research

  Variables Propositions/

  Propositions/ Hypotheses

  Hypotheses

  Language of Research Language of Research

  Clear conceptualization of concepts

  Success of Research

  Shared understanding of concepts

  Job Redesign Job Redesign Constructs and Concepts Constructs and Concepts

  Operational Definitions Operational Definitions Freshman Sophomore

  Junior Senior < 30 credit hours 30-50 credit hours

  60-89 credit hours > 90 credit hours How can we define the variable “class level of students”?

  A Variable Is the Property A Variable Is the Property Being Studied Being Studied Variable Variable

  Event Event

  Act Act

  Characteristic Characteristic

  Trait Trait

  Attribute Attribute

  Types of Variables Types of Variables Dichotomous Dichotomous ^{Male/Female Employed/ Unemployed Male/Female} _{Employed/ Unemployed}

  Discrete Discrete ^{Ethnic background Educational level} _{Religious affiliation} ^{Ethnic background Educational level} _{Religious affiliation} Continuous Continuous ^{Income Temperature} _Age ^{Income Temperature} _Age

  Independent and Dependent Independent and Dependent Variable Synonyms Variable Synonyms Independent Variable (IV)

  Predictor Presumed cause Stimulus Predicted from…

  Antecedent Manipulated Dependent Variable (DV)

  Criterion Presumed effect Response Predicted to….

  Consequence Measured outcome

  Relationships Among Variable Relationships Among Variable Types Types

  Relationships Among Variable Relationships Among Variable Types Types

  Relationships Among Variable Relationships Among Variable Types Types

  Moderating Variables (MV) Moderating Variables (MV)

• The introduction of a four-day week

  (IV) will lead to higher productivity (DV), especially among younger workers (MV)

• The switch to commission from a salary

  

compensation system (IV) will lead to increased

sales (DV) per worker, especially more experienced workers (MV).

• The loss of mining jobs (IV) leads to acceptance

  of higher-risk behaviors to earn a family- supporting income (DV) – particularly among those with a limited education (MV).

  Extraneous Variables (EV) Extraneous Variables (EV)

• With new customers

  (EV-control), a switch to commission from a salary compensation system (IV) will lead to increased sales productivity (DV) per worker, especially among younger workers (MV).

• Among residents with less than a high school

  

education (EV-control), the loss of jobs (IV) leads

to high-risk behaviors (DV), especially due to the

proximity of the firing range (MV).

  Intervening Variables (IVV) Intervening Variables (IVV)

• The switch to a commission compensation

  system (IV) will lead to higher sales (DV) by increasing overall compensation (IVV).

  (IV) will increase savings

• A promotion campaign

  activity (DV), especially when free prizes are offered (MV), but chiefly among smaller savers (EV-control). The results come from enhancing the motivation to save (IVV).

  Propositions and Hypotheses Propositions and Hypotheses Brand Manager Jones ( case ) has a higher-

than-average achievement motivation

  

( variable ).

  Brand managers in Company Z ( cases ) have

a higher-than-average achievement

motivation ( variable ).

  Generalization

  Hypothesis Formats Hypothesis Formats Descriptive Research Question Hypothesis

  What is the market share for our potato In Detroit, our potato chips in Detroit? chip market share stands at 13.7%.

  Are American cities experiencing budget American cities are difficulties? experiencing budget difficulties.

  Relational Hypotheses Relational Hypotheses Correlational Causal

  Young women (under 35) An increase in family purchase fewer units of income leads to an our product than women increase in the who are older than 35. percentage of income saved. The number of suits sold Loyalty to a grocery store

varies directly with the increases the probability

level of the business of purchasing that store’s cycle. private brand products.

  The Role of Hypotheses The Role of Hypotheses

  Guide the direction of the study Guide the direction of the study

  Identify relevant facts Identify relevant facts

  Suggest most appropriate research design Suggest most appropriate research design

  Provide framework for organizing resulting conclusions Provide framework for organizing resulting conclusions

  Characteristics of Characteristics of Strong Hypotheses Strong Hypotheses A Strong

  Hypothesis Is A Strong

  Hypothesis Is Adequate Adequate Testable Testable Better than rivals Better than rivals

  Theory within Research Theory within Research

  The Role of Reasoning The Role of Reasoning

  A Model within Research A Model within Research

  The Scientific Method The Scientific Method

  Direct observation Direct observation

  Clearly defined variables Clearly defined variables

  Clearly defined methods Clearly defined methods

  Empirically testable Empirically testable

  Elimination of alternatives Elimination of alternatives

  Statistical justification Statistical justification

  Self-correcting process Self-correcting process

  Researchers Researchers

• Encounter problems
• State problems
• Propose hypotheses
• Deduce outcomes
• Formulate rival

  hypotheses

• Devise and conduct

  empirical tests

• Draw conclusions

  Curiosity Is the Curiosity Is the Ally of a Researcher Ally of a Researcher Synovate’s campaign associates important discoveries in research to a common trait of entrepreneurs: curiosity.

  As one of the world’s largest research organizations, it claims curiosity is “what makes us tick.”

  Sound Reasoning Sound Reasoning Exposition Argument

  

Induction Deduction

Types of Discourse

  Deductive Reasoning Deductive Reasoning

  Inner-city household interviewing is especially difficult and expensive

  Inner-city household interviewing is especially difficult and expensive

  This survey involves substantial inner-city household interviewing

  This survey involves substantial inner-city household interviewing

  The interviewing in this survey will be especially difficult and expensive

  The interviewing in this survey will be especially difficult and expensive

  Inductive Reasoning Inductive Reasoning Why didn’t sales increase during our

promotional event?

• – Regional retailers did not have sufficient stock to fill customer requests during the promotional period
• – A strike by employees prevented stock from

  arriving in time for promotion to be effective

• – A hurricane closed retail outlets in the region

  for 10 days during the promotion

  Why Didn’t Sales Increase? Why Didn’t Sales Increase?

  Tracy’s Performance Tracy’s Performance

  Key Terms Key Terms

• Argument • Induction • Case
• Model • Concept
• Operational definition
• Conceptual scheme • Proposition • Construct • Sound reasoning
• Deduction • Theory • Empiricism • Variable • Exposition
• – Control • Hypothesis
• – Confounding (
• – Correlational – Dependent (DV)
• – Descriptive – Extraneous (EV)
• – Explanatory – Independent (IV)
• – Relational – Intervening (IVV)
• Hypothetical construct – Moderating (MV)