ch2

Question 1

What makes a good business problem?

Answer 1

• Feasible

* Relevant

Question 2

Feasibility (problem statement)

Answer 2

• Is the problem demarcated?
• Can the problem be expressed in variables?
• Are you able to gather the required data?

Question 3

Managerial Relevance (problem statement)

Answer 3

•Managerial relevance (who benefits from problem solved?)
•Managers
of one company, of one industry, of multiple industries
•End users
•Public policy makers (government etc)

Question 4

Academic Relevance (problem statement)

Answer 4

•Completely new topic
•New context
•Integrate scattered research
•Reconcile contradictory research
Academic relevance: has the problem not already been solved in prior research?

Question 5

What makes a good problem statement?

Answer 5

Formulated in terms of: 
•Variables and relations
•Open-ended questions
•Stated clearly/unambiguously
•Is managerially and/or academically relevant

Question 6

What makes good research questions?

Answer 6

•Should collectively address the problem statement
•First theoretical, then practical research questions
-in the same order as they will be addressed in research report
•stated clearly/unambiguously

Question 7

Types of theoretical research questions

Answer 7

• Context questions (eg “What is…”) - only if context needs elaboration
• Conceptualization questions (eg “What is…”) - only for key variables that need elaboration
• Relationship questions (eg “Which variables…” ; “How does … affect …”) - all relationships in the problem statement should be covered

Question 8

Types of practical research questions

Answer 8

• Relationship questions
• Implication questions

Practical questions focus on specific case/company whereas theoretical questions are general and not company specific

Question 9

Good to know

Answer 9

• The problem statement is the general question you try to answer in your research
• Research questions help to answer the ‘overarching’ problem statement, step by step
• Drawing up a problem statement and research question is difficult and time consuming, but oh-so-important. They determine the contents and the structure of your research report

Question 10

What makes a good variable definition

Answer 10

•Informative variable name (keep it short if possible)
•Variable definition without jargon
-based on a careful literature review
-Unless very obvious (e.g.g sales, profits)
-Pitfall: examples do not substitute for a definition
•One or two supporting references per variable definition

Question 11

What if many different variable definitions exist in the literature?

Answer 11

• Acknowledge the major differences

* End with a definition that focuses on the shared meaning across definitions or pick one definition and justify why

Question 12

Independent variable

Answer 12

Influences the dependent variable
-in a positive way, or
-in a negative way
AKA: predictor variable, IV, denoted as X

Question 13

Dependent variable

Answer 13

The variable of primary interest

AKA: criterion variable, DV, denoted as Y

Question 14

Mediating variable

Answer 14

Explains why or how the IV, X, has an influence on the DV, Y. It explains the mechanisms at work between X and Y.

AKA: mediator, intervening variable

e.g.
•CEO communication style -> Employee morale -> Employee productivity
•Advertising spending -> Consumer attitudes -> purchase intentions
•R&D spending -> #of new product introduction -> Sales

Question 15

Moderating variable

Answer 15

A variable that alters the strength and sometimes even the direction (positive negative) of the relationship between x and y.

AKA: moderator, interaction variable

e.g. X = advertising spending, Y= Sales. Mod = Recession (yes/no), OR TV advertising vs internet advertising

Question 16

Theoretical framework consists of:

Answer 16

• Variable definitions
• Conceptual model
• Hypotheses

Question 17

What makes a good hypothesis?

Answer 17

• Testable (measurable variables)
• Derived from theory
• unambiguously phrased

Question 18

Directional vs unidirectional hypotheses

Answer 18

Directional hypotheses indicate the direction of the effect, whether it is positive or negative

Undirectional hypotheses indicate that there is an effect, but do not indicate a direction (should be used when outcome is even)

Question 19

Null hypothesis - H0

Answer 19

• Expresses no relationship between variables
• Set up in order to be rejected (in favour of the alternate hypothesis)

! Null hypotheses are NOT presented in research reports

Question 20

Alternate hypothesis - H1

Answer 20

• Expresses a relationship between variables

* = research hypothesis

Question 21

Quasi moderation

Answer 21

MOD moderators the relationship between X and Y, but it also has a direct effect on Y. This direct effect is included in the study

Question 22

Pure moderation

Answer 22

MOD moderates the relationship between X and Y, but it has no direct effect on Y

Question 23

Full mediation

Answer 23

X only has an effect on Y through mediation.

Eg: to what extent are actual delays related to customers’ satisfaction with CAP through perceived delays? perceived delays = mediator.

Question 24

Partial mediation

Answer 24

X has only an indirect effect on Y through MED, but also a direct effect on Y.

Eg: There is a direct relationship between age (IV) and blood pressure (DV), and this relationship is also mediated by weight. (partial) mediator = weight.