Summary – BRM
Week 1 – Introduction, Research Objectives, Survey Design
Research is…
Applied research: of direct and immediate relevance to practitioners
(important issues, actionable results)
Scientific research: systematic observation/experimentation of
phenomena
Information gathering
Research question/objective:
Research question is key question that your research will address
It can be subdivided in sub-research questions
Research questions are useful to frame research process
Research objective is clear statement that identifies what you (research)
want to accomplish
Types of research objectives:
If objective is to gain insight in topic of interest; conduct exploratory
research; “I wonder why…?”
If objective is to gain accurate profile of situation; conduct descriptive
research; “What are the most common reasons why…?”;
“What percentage of population…?”
If objective is to establish casual relationship; conduct explanatory
research; “Does … lead to…?”
Types of variables: type of variable depends on position in conceptual model
Dependent variables (outcome variables); ones with our interest
Independent variables; ones causing changing in dependent variables
Moderating variables; ones affecting strength relationship between
independent and dependent variables
Mediating variables; ones explaining relationship between independent and
dependent variables
Explanatory research: most preferred as it implies relationships between
concepts
Concepts and variables:
Concept: general notion; in research, concept is developed idea about
phenomenon that you want to study; customer satisfaction; service
quality
Theory: formulation regarding cause and effect relationships between two or
more concepts (or variables), which may or may not have been tested
To measure concept; will use variable; attribute on which data is collected;
translating concepts intro measurable variable is called operationalization
Types of questionnaires:
Self-completed Interviewer-completed
Internet (web- Postal (mail) Delivery and Telephone Structured
based) and questionnaire collection questionnaire interview
intranet- questionnaire
mediated
questionnaires
, Choice and design of the questionnaire will depend on:
Purpose (research question/objective) of study
Participants (sampling)
Administrators surveys (survey administration)
Measuring variables: rules of thumb:
One question per variable
Highest possible measurement level
Level of measurement:
Nominal variables; categories of data that have names
Ordinal variables; categories that can be ordered
Interval variables; intervals between categories are equal
Ratio variables; zero has meaning
Order Meaning Calculation Example
intervals ratios
Nominal/categorical Gender
Ordinal Level of
education
Interval Temperature
Ratio Age
Exception the rule: scales
Theoretically, scales are at ordinal level; but, in practice, scales treated as
interval/ratio data
Types of questions:
Rating questions; scales Open questions
List; category questions Ranking questions
Rating: used to collect opinion data Scales: used to measure concept and
consist of several scale items
List: list of responses from which Category: list of responses designed
respondent can choose (1; more, so that each respondent’s answer only
other); meant to ensure that the fits one category; categories need to be
participant has considered all mutually exclusive
categories
Ranking: let the respondent rank the given items
Paired comparison scaling: presents respondent with pairs of alternatives and
ask them to select one based on criterion; Samsung vs. HTC; Nokia vs. HTC; etc.
Week 1 – Introduction, Research Objectives, Survey Design
Research is…
Applied research: of direct and immediate relevance to practitioners
(important issues, actionable results)
Scientific research: systematic observation/experimentation of
phenomena
Information gathering
Research question/objective:
Research question is key question that your research will address
It can be subdivided in sub-research questions
Research questions are useful to frame research process
Research objective is clear statement that identifies what you (research)
want to accomplish
Types of research objectives:
If objective is to gain insight in topic of interest; conduct exploratory
research; “I wonder why…?”
If objective is to gain accurate profile of situation; conduct descriptive
research; “What are the most common reasons why…?”;
“What percentage of population…?”
If objective is to establish casual relationship; conduct explanatory
research; “Does … lead to…?”
Types of variables: type of variable depends on position in conceptual model
Dependent variables (outcome variables); ones with our interest
Independent variables; ones causing changing in dependent variables
Moderating variables; ones affecting strength relationship between
independent and dependent variables
Mediating variables; ones explaining relationship between independent and
dependent variables
Explanatory research: most preferred as it implies relationships between
concepts
Concepts and variables:
Concept: general notion; in research, concept is developed idea about
phenomenon that you want to study; customer satisfaction; service
quality
Theory: formulation regarding cause and effect relationships between two or
more concepts (or variables), which may or may not have been tested
To measure concept; will use variable; attribute on which data is collected;
translating concepts intro measurable variable is called operationalization
Types of questionnaires:
Self-completed Interviewer-completed
Internet (web- Postal (mail) Delivery and Telephone Structured
based) and questionnaire collection questionnaire interview
intranet- questionnaire
mediated
questionnaires
, Choice and design of the questionnaire will depend on:
Purpose (research question/objective) of study
Participants (sampling)
Administrators surveys (survey administration)
Measuring variables: rules of thumb:
One question per variable
Highest possible measurement level
Level of measurement:
Nominal variables; categories of data that have names
Ordinal variables; categories that can be ordered
Interval variables; intervals between categories are equal
Ratio variables; zero has meaning
Order Meaning Calculation Example
intervals ratios
Nominal/categorical Gender
Ordinal Level of
education
Interval Temperature
Ratio Age
Exception the rule: scales
Theoretically, scales are at ordinal level; but, in practice, scales treated as
interval/ratio data
Types of questions:
Rating questions; scales Open questions
List; category questions Ranking questions
Rating: used to collect opinion data Scales: used to measure concept and
consist of several scale items
List: list of responses from which Category: list of responses designed
respondent can choose (1; more, so that each respondent’s answer only
other); meant to ensure that the fits one category; categories need to be
participant has considered all mutually exclusive
categories
Ranking: let the respondent rank the given items
Paired comparison scaling: presents respondent with pairs of alternatives and
ask them to select one based on criterion; Samsung vs. HTC; Nokia vs. HTC; etc.
