Research Methods for Business EXERCISE 15.10 Tables 15.A to 15.D below summarize the results of data analyses of research conducted in a sales organiza- tion that operates in 50 different cities of...

Exercise 15.10


Research Methods for Business EXERCISE 15.10 Tables 15.A to 15.D below summarize the results of data analyses of research conducted in a sales organiza- tion that operates in 50 different cities of the country and employs a total sales force of about 500. The number of salespersons sampled for the study was 150. a. Interpret the information contained in each of the tables in as much detail as possible. b. Summarize the results for the CEO of the company. c. Make recommendations based on your interpretation of the results. T A B L E 1 5 . A Means, standard deviations, minimum, and maximum Variable Mean Std. deviation Minimum Maximum Sales (in 1000s of $) 75.1 8.6 45.2 97.3 No of salespersons 25 6 5 50 Population (in 100s) 5.1 0.8 2.78 7.12 Per capita income (in 1000s of $) 20.3 20.1 10.1 75.9 Advertising (in 1000s of $) 10.3 5.2 6.1 15.7 T A B L E 1 5 . B Correlations among the variables Sales Salespersons Population Income Ad. expenditure Sales 1.0 No. of salespersons 0.76 1.0 Population 0.62 0.06 1.0 Income 0.56 0.21 0.11 1.0 Ad. expenditure 0.68 0.16 0.36 0.23 1.0  All figures above 0.15 are significant at p .  All figures above 0.35 are significant at p T A B L E 1 5 . C Results of one-way ANOVA: sales by level of education Source of variation Sums of squares df Mean squares F Significance of F Between groups 50.7 4 12.7 3.6 0.01 Within groups 501.8 145 3.5 Total 552.5 150 330     T A B L E 1 5 . D Results of regression analysis Multiple R 0.65924 R‐square 0.43459 Adjusted R‐square 0.35225 Standard error 0.41173 df (5.144) F 5.278 Sig. 0.000 Variable Beta t Sig. t Training of salespersons 0.28 2.768 0.0092 No. of salespersons 0.34 3.55 0.00001 Population 0.09 0.97 0.467 Per capita income 0.12 1.200 0.089 Advertisement 0.47 4.54 0.00001 EXERCISE 15.11 Visit David Kenny’s website (http://davidakenny.net/cm/mediate.htm) and search for a link to SPSS and SAS macros that can be downloaded for tests of indirect effects.     :   331 Contents About The Authors Preface 1 Learning Objectives Business Research The Role Of Theory And Information In Research Research And The Manager Applied Research Basic Or Fundamental Research Why Managers Need To Know About Research The Manager And The Consultant–researcher Internal Consultants/researchers External Consultants/researchers 2 Learning Objectives Purposiveness Rigor Testability Replicability Precision And Confidence Objectivity Generalizability Parsimony The Seven-step Process In The Hypothetico-deductive Method Review Of The Hypothetico-deductive Method Some Obstacles To Conducting Scientific Research In The Management Area Positivism Constructionism Critical Realism Pragmatism Conclusion 3 Learning Objectives Nature Of Information To Be Gathered What Makes A Good Problem Statement? Basic Types Of Questions: Exploratory And Descriptive 4 Learning Objectives Data Sources Searching For Literature Evaluating The Literature Documenting The Literature Review Appen D I X Online Databases On The Web Accounting Management Financial Economics Marketing Specimen Format For Citing Different Types Of References (apa Format) Referencing Non-print Media Quotations In Text 5 Learning Objectives Dependent Variable Independent Variable Moderating Variable Mediating Variable The Components Of The Theoretical Framework Definition Of A Hypothesis Statement Of Hypotheses: Formats Directional And Nondirectional Hypotheses Null And Alternate Hypotheses 6 Learning Objectives Research Strategies Extent Of Researcher Interference With The Study Study Setting: Contrived And Noncontrived Unit Of Analysis: Individuals, Dyads, Groups, Organizations, Cultures Time Horizon: Cross-sectional Versus Longitudinal Studies 7 Learning Objectives Unstructured And Structured Interviews Training Interviewers Some Tips To Follow When Interviewing Face-to-face And Telephone Interviews Additional Sources Of Bias In Interview Data Computer-assisted Interviewing Group Interviews 8 Learning Objectives Controlled Versus Uncontrolled Observational Studies Participant Versus Nonparticipant Observation Structured Versus Unstructured Observational Studies Concealed Versus Unconcealed Observation Participant Observation: Introduction The Participatory Aspect Of Participant Observation The Observation Aspect Of Participant Observation What To Observe Structured Observation: Introduction The Use Of Coding Schemes In Structured Observation 9 Learning Objectives Personally Administered Questionnaires Mail Questionnaires Electronic And Online Questionnaires Principles Of Wording Principles Of Measurement Review Of Questionnaire Design Pretesting Of Structured Questions Electronic Questionnaire And Survey Design Special Issues In Instrumentation For Cross-cultural Research Issues In Cross-cultural Data Collection Ethics And The Researcher Ethical Behavior Of Respondents 10 Learning Objectives Control Manipulation Controlling The Contaminating Exogenous Or “nuisance” Variables Internal Validity Of Lab Experiments External Validity Or Generalizability Of Lab Experiments Trade-off Between Internal And External Validity Factors Affecting The Validity Of Experiments Identifying Threats To Validity Review Of Factors Affecting Internal And External Validity Quasi-experimental Designs True Experimental Designs Ex Post Facto Designs Appen D I X The Completely Randomized Design Randomized Block Design Latin Square Design Factorial Design 11 Learning Objectives Operationalization: Dimensions And Elements Operationalizing The (multidimensional) Concept Of Achievement Motivation What Operationalization Is Not Review Of Operationalization 12 Learning Objectives Nominal Scale Ordinal Scale Interval Scale Ratio Scale Ordinal Or Interval? Review Of Scales Dichotomous Scale Category Scale Semantic Differential Scale Numerical Scale Itemized Rating Scale Likert Scale Fixed Or Constant Sum Scale Stapel Scale Graphic Rating Scale Consensus Scale Other Scales Paired Comparison Forced Choice Comparative Scale Item Analysis Validity Reliability What Is A Reflective Scale? What Is A Formative Scale And Why Do The Items Of A Formative Scale Not Necessarily Hang Together? Appen D I X Measures From Behavioral Finance Research Measures From Management Accounting Research Measures From Management Research Measures From Marketing Research 13 Learning Objectives Population Element Sample Sampling Unit Subject Parameters Representativeness Of Samples Normality Of Distributions Defining The Population Determining The Sample Frame Determining The Sampling Design Determining The Sample Size Executing The Sampling Process Unrestricted Or Simple Random Sampling Restricted Or Complex Probability Sampling Review Of Probability Sampling Designs Convenience Sampling Purposive Sampling Review Of Nonprobability Sampling Designs Simple Random Sampling Stratified Random Sampling Systematic Sampling Area Sampling Cluster Sampling Convenience Sampling Double Sampling Judgment Sampling: One Type Of Purposive Sampling Quota Sampling: A Second Type Of Purposive Sampling Precision Confidence Sample Data, Precision, And Confidence In Estimation Trade-off Between Confidence And Precision Determining The Sample Size Sample Size And Type Ii Errors Statistical And Practical Significance Rules Of Thumb Efficiency In Sampling 14 Quantitative data analysis Learning Objectives Coding And Data Entry Editing Data Data Transformation Frequencies Measures Of Central Tendency And Dispersion Relationships Between Variables Reliability Validity 15 Learning Objectives Testing A Hypothesis About A Single Mean Testing Hypotheses About Two Related Means Testing Hypotheses About Two Unrelated Means Testing Hypotheses About Several Means Regression Analysis Other Multivariate Tests And Analyses Overall Interpretation And Recommendations To The President 16 Learning Objectives Data Reduction Data Display Drawing Conclusions Content Analysis Narrative Analysis Analytic Induction 17 Learning Objectives The Purpose Of The Written Report The Audience For The Written Report Characteristics Of A Well-written Report The Title And The Title Page The Executive Summary Or Abstract Table Of Contents List Of Tables, Figures, And Other Materials Preface The Authorization Letter The Introductory Section The Body Of The Report The Final Part Of The Report References Appendix Deciding On The Content Visual Aids The Presenter The Presentation Handling Questions Appen D I X Report For The Strategic Planning Committee Report On Alternative Ways Of Handling Recessionary Times Without Massive Layoffs Factors Affecting The Upward Mobility Of Women In Public Accounting A Final Note To Students Statistical Tables Glossary Bibliography Index