MATH 533 Week 1 Discussion; Random Sampling

“A company makes men's button-up dress shirts and is considering changes to its design. How might the company go about finding a good sample of individuals? These decisions would include method of sampling, location of sampling, population to consider, and number in sample, in addition to any other considerations. Here's the basic idea: I want to perform cluster sampling at three of my 10 stores. I randomly select three stores (or choose three in different socio-economic locations) and ask an employee in each store to watch for clients shopping for shirts. The clients can then be asked specific questions on what they're looking for and what they like or dislike about specific designs. If possible, you can ask about age or career or other attributes that you think are important. You might even consider offering the client’s $5 gift certificates for their time. In each store, once 30 client’s preferences have been gathered, we should be in a position to start analyzing the results. Do you think this would work? What would you suggest differently?”