Summary knowlegde exam 2.5
Week 2.1-2.4
1. Doing Research
Week 1
1.1 Management Question
Requirements of a management question:
• Formulated as a question
• Aims to find solutions, aims to make decisions
• Formulated specifically
Example of a good management question:
How can Euro Disney change its queue management to improve the hospitality experience of visitors?
It is specific and therefore provides more focus to the project (if that focus on queue management is the focus that
the client desires)
1.2 Research Question
Requirements of a research question:
• Formulated as a question
• Aims to find information, not aimed at finding solutions
• Formulated specifically
Example of a good research question:
How satisfied are the visitors of Euro Disney about the current queue management of Euro Disney?
It is specific
Week 2
1.1 Defining concepts
In order to reach a proper definition that suits your project...
You collect different definitions of various authors
You discuss the content of these definitions:
• What do the authors agree about?
• Where do the authors add to each other?
• What do the authors disagree about?
Decide on your own position: what definition will you apply in your project?
,1.2 APA
Reference according to APA right way:
Pijls-Hoekstra, R., Groen, B. H., Galetzka, M., & Pruyn, A. T. (2016). Images of hospitality: validation of experiential
dimensions. In: Proceedings of the EuroCHRIE conference 2016 (pp. -), Budapest, Hungary.
1.3 Unravelling concepts
In order to correctly unravel a concept, in a way that suits your project ...
You discuss how other authors unravel the concept: in which aspects/dimensions do they break the concept?
• What do the authors agree about?
• Where do the authors add to each other?
• What do the authors disagree about?
Decide on your own position: which aspects/dimensions will you apply in your project?
1.3 operationalizing concepts
In order to research a complex concept such as hospitality, the concept need to become measurable
• This is what we call “operationalizing”
• We use the aspects that we found in theory, and we will break these aspects into smaller pieces (sub-
aspects)
• We tailor these sub-aspects to the context of our research
• We visualise the operationalization in a tree structure or a matrix
Week 3
1.1 Data collection methods
We distinguish three types of data collection methods:
1. Methods based on observation
• E.g. a mystery guest observation
2. Methods based on asking questions
• E.g. interviews or questionnaires
3. Methods based on reading documents
• E.g. analysis of diaries, reviews, policy documents
1. Methods based on observation
a. Most suitable if the research is aimed at behaviour or other visible phenomena.
2. Methods based on asking questions
a. Most suitable if the research is aimed at opinions, attitudes, beliefs.
3. Methods based on reading documents
a. Most suitable if written material is present that can be used.
1.2 Observing
, After deciding on observation as your data collection method, you need to make new choices:
1. Structured or unstructured?
• Will you prepare detailed items descriptions that need to be observed, or do you leave that open?
2. Participant or non-participant?
• Does the observer play a natural role in the process that will be observed, or not?
3. Overt or covert?
• Are people that will be observed aware of the fact that they will be observed, or not?
1.3 Qualitative or Quantitative
Week 4
1.1 Methodology
You support choices for situations/places/persons to observe.
• Sometimes you choose purposively. You have a clear reason to choose a particular situation/place/person
• Sometimes you choose randomly. You want to let chance decide what situation/place/person to observe.
• E.g.: if you want to “shadow” someone
• When to choose the person purposively and when randomly?
• E.g.: if you want to be the “fly on the wall”
• When to choose the place purposively and when randomly?
1.2 Measurement instrument
The design of an observation sheet requires various decisions:
Week 2.1-2.4
1. Doing Research
Week 1
1.1 Management Question
Requirements of a management question:
• Formulated as a question
• Aims to find solutions, aims to make decisions
• Formulated specifically
Example of a good management question:
How can Euro Disney change its queue management to improve the hospitality experience of visitors?
It is specific and therefore provides more focus to the project (if that focus on queue management is the focus that
the client desires)
1.2 Research Question
Requirements of a research question:
• Formulated as a question
• Aims to find information, not aimed at finding solutions
• Formulated specifically
Example of a good research question:
How satisfied are the visitors of Euro Disney about the current queue management of Euro Disney?
It is specific
Week 2
1.1 Defining concepts
In order to reach a proper definition that suits your project...
You collect different definitions of various authors
You discuss the content of these definitions:
• What do the authors agree about?
• Where do the authors add to each other?
• What do the authors disagree about?
Decide on your own position: what definition will you apply in your project?
,1.2 APA
Reference according to APA right way:
Pijls-Hoekstra, R., Groen, B. H., Galetzka, M., & Pruyn, A. T. (2016). Images of hospitality: validation of experiential
dimensions. In: Proceedings of the EuroCHRIE conference 2016 (pp. -), Budapest, Hungary.
1.3 Unravelling concepts
In order to correctly unravel a concept, in a way that suits your project ...
You discuss how other authors unravel the concept: in which aspects/dimensions do they break the concept?
• What do the authors agree about?
• Where do the authors add to each other?
• What do the authors disagree about?
Decide on your own position: which aspects/dimensions will you apply in your project?
1.3 operationalizing concepts
In order to research a complex concept such as hospitality, the concept need to become measurable
• This is what we call “operationalizing”
• We use the aspects that we found in theory, and we will break these aspects into smaller pieces (sub-
aspects)
• We tailor these sub-aspects to the context of our research
• We visualise the operationalization in a tree structure or a matrix
Week 3
1.1 Data collection methods
We distinguish three types of data collection methods:
1. Methods based on observation
• E.g. a mystery guest observation
2. Methods based on asking questions
• E.g. interviews or questionnaires
3. Methods based on reading documents
• E.g. analysis of diaries, reviews, policy documents
1. Methods based on observation
a. Most suitable if the research is aimed at behaviour or other visible phenomena.
2. Methods based on asking questions
a. Most suitable if the research is aimed at opinions, attitudes, beliefs.
3. Methods based on reading documents
a. Most suitable if written material is present that can be used.
1.2 Observing
, After deciding on observation as your data collection method, you need to make new choices:
1. Structured or unstructured?
• Will you prepare detailed items descriptions that need to be observed, or do you leave that open?
2. Participant or non-participant?
• Does the observer play a natural role in the process that will be observed, or not?
3. Overt or covert?
• Are people that will be observed aware of the fact that they will be observed, or not?
1.3 Qualitative or Quantitative
Week 4
1.1 Methodology
You support choices for situations/places/persons to observe.
• Sometimes you choose purposively. You have a clear reason to choose a particular situation/place/person
• Sometimes you choose randomly. You want to let chance decide what situation/place/person to observe.
• E.g.: if you want to “shadow” someone
• When to choose the person purposively and when randomly?
• E.g.: if you want to be the “fly on the wall”
• When to choose the place purposively and when randomly?
1.2 Measurement instrument
The design of an observation sheet requires various decisions:
