Business Research Design

Question 1

Criticisms of Quantitative Research

Answer 1

• Items may not be understood or interpreted differently by respondents
• Difficult concepts such as motivation or job satisfaction are treated as if they are easily measurable

Question 2

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Answer 2

• Regarded by some as less valid and reliable
• Qualitative data are open to multiple interpretations
• Themes that emerge are verified with informants
• Focuses on how people act and why

Question 3

Deciding on a Sampling Strategy for experimental and quasi-experimental research

Answer 3

• Representativeness
• Probability sampling
• The goal is to generalize to the population
• Uses large, random samples

Question 4

Deciding on a Sampling Strategy for qualitative research

Answer 4

• Information-rich cases
• Non-probability sampling
• Maximum variation sampling
• The goal is to generate a deep understanding
• Uses smaller, purposeful samples
• Data saturation

Question 5

Probability Sampling

Answer 5

Each member of the population has an equal chance to be selected to be part of the sample.

Question 6

Types of probability sampling

Answer 6

1. Random Sampling
2. Systematic Sampling
3. Stratified Random Sampling
4. Cluster Sampling

Question 7

Types of non-probability sampling

Answer 7

1. Quota sampling
2. Purposive sampling
3. Snowball sampling
4. Convenience sampling

Question 8

What are data collection methods?

Answer 8

• Questionnaires
• Interviewing
• Observation
• Focus groups
• Unobtrusive measures

Question 9

What are unobtrusive measures?

Answer 9

Measures that do not require the researcher’s presence

Question 10

Why do we use unobtrusive measures?

Answer 10

• Interactive measures may lead to bias
• Data collection methods may have questionable validity and reliability

Question 11

Why do we use monitoring technology?

Answer 11

To understand:
- Flow of customers
- Effect of store refits
- Dwell-time
- Nature of interactions between staff and customers and between customers
- Staff behaviour
- Staff productivity

Question 12

What is Random Sampling?

Answer 12

• Taking a completely random sample of the population
• Used when it is believed that the population is relatively homogeneous with respect to the research questions of interest.

Question 13

What is Stratified Random Sampling?

Answer 13

• A method for achieving a greater degree of representativeness and for reducing the degree of sampling error
• Consists of taking a random sample from various strata
• Used to avoid over-sampling and under-sampling

Question 14

What are the advantages of using Stratified Random Sampling?

Answer 14

An advantage of stratified random sampling is that it increases the likelihood of key groups being in the sample while still ensuring an element of random selection.

Question 15

What are the disadvantages of using Stratified Random Sampling?

Answer 15

The disadvantage is that very often the researcher will not have sufficient information on which to base the strata.

Question 16

What is Cluster Sampling?

Answer 16

• You take random clusters of the population
• For the purposes of increasing accuracy, it is better to have a large number of small clustering units than a small number of large units

Question 17

What are the advantages of using Cluster Sampling?

Answer 17

Cluster sampling is useful because it is not always possible to get access to a comprehensive sampling frame.

Question 18

What are the disadvantages of using Cluster Sampling?

Answer 18

It is possible to inadvertently select clusters that contain very few people.

Question 19

What is Quota Sampling?

Answer 19

In quota sampling researchers use non-random sampling methods to gather data from a stratum until the required quota, fixed in advance by the researcher, is fulfilled.

Question 20

What are the advantages of using Quota Sampling?

Answer 20

Each group is of equal size, which can be
important for certain inferential statistical tests

Question 21

What are the disadvantages of using Quota Sampling?

Answer 21

The disadvantage is that the size of certain strata may not accurately reflect their proportion in the overall population.

Question 22

What is Purposive Sampling?

Answer 22

Purposive samples are used when particular people, events or settings are chosen because they are known to provide important information that could not be gained from other sampling designs

Question 23

What is Snowball Sampling?

Answer 23

With this approach, the researcher identifies a small number of subjects who, in turn,
identify others in the population.

Question 24

When do we use Snowball Sampling?

Answer 24

In situations where the focus of a study is a sensitive issue and therefore requires the knowledge of insiders to locate respondents for the study

Question 25

What is Convenience Sampling?

Answer 25

Convenience sampling is one of the most common sampling strategies, and involves gaining access to the most easily accessible subjects such as fellow students, neighbours or people responding to a newspaper or Internet invitation to complete a survey.

Question 26

What is Accretion?

Answer 26

Accretion takes place where there is a build up of deposits of materials or evidence.
- We are not interested, however, in these materials for themselves, but for what they might reveal about aspects of human behaviour

Question 27

What is Natural Accretion?

Answer 27

Research does not temper with the materials

Question 28

What is Controlled Accretion?

Answer 28

This is where the researcher tampers with the materials that are connected to the accretion comparison.

Question 29

What is Erosion?

Answer 29

There is a degree of selective wear or deterioration on the material being studied.

Question 30

What is Natural Erosion?

Answer 30

Examine the wear and tear that is there naturally

Question 31

What is Controlled Erosion?

Answer 31

In this case, it is possible to use or manipulate the extent to which something wears out
against some other experimental variable.