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Recap

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 Evaluating Secondary Data
No!
Do the data help answer questions
set out in the problem definition?
Yes
Applicability to Current Project

Do the data apply to the time No! Can data

period of interest? be re-
worked?
Yes
Do the data apply to the population No!
of interest? If yes,
Yes continue
Do other terms and variable No!
classifications presented apply
to the project?
Yes
No! (Next
Are the units of measurement compatible?
Slide!)

2
 Are Evaluating
the units of measurement
Secondarycompatible?
Data
Yes

If possible, go to the original data source

Yes

Is the cost of data acquisition worth it? No!

Yes
Is there a possibility of bias? Yes!

Is using
data worth
No
No!
the risk? No Can accuracy of data collection be verified?
Inaccurate
Yes Yes (accurate) or unsure)
No
Use Data

3
 Advanced Research Methods (ARM)
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Theoretical Framework

Lecture - 4
 Framework
A framework is a model of
how one theorizes or makes
logical sense of the
relationships among several
factors that have been
identified as important to the
problem. (Sekaran, 2001)
 Lester (1991) comments about the “very good
doctoral students” he has worked with, saying
that
 “as they begin their doctoral dissertations almost all
of them have very little, if any, understanding of what
it means to have a conceptual or theoretical
framework for their research” (p. 194).
 What is a Theoretical Framework?

 A mechanism that helps to clarify a big idea

 A means through which you can explore the
multiple dimensions of a big idea
 An instrument for judgment
 A filter through which you can consider various
ideas in order to further clarify a position
 An intelligent means through which you can
develop a response or an argument regarding an
issue.
 A theoretical framework (TF) is a collection of interrelated
concepts, like a theory but not necessarily so well worked-
out. A theoretical framework guides your research,
determining what things you will measure, and what
statistical relationships you will look for.
 A framework is simply the structure of the idea or concept
and how it is put together.
 A theoretical framework, then, is an essay that interrelate
the theories involved in the question.
 Eisenhart (1991) described a theoretical
framework as “a structure that guides research
by relying on a formal theory…constructed by
using an established, coherent explanation of
certain phenomena and relationships” (p. 205).
 A conceptual framework is a conceptual model of
how one theorizes or makes logical sense of the
relationships among the several factors that have
been identified as important to the problem
 Rationale for TF

 A good piece should be grounded in theory.

What is a theory? Simply put, a theory is a
statement explaining a phenomenon.
 Literature review can be a never-ending task
 From the TF, testable hypotheses can be
developed to examine whether the theory
formulated is valid or not.


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  A suitable theoretical framework for the study of
the operations strategy process seems best
developed from the existing literature by
building on commonly accepted concepts and
models.
 A theoretical framework can provide structure to
interviews, whilst still allowing the researcher to
explore wide range of topic areas.

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How to develop TF?

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 How can you start?

 Consider a “big” question that is important to

you.
 Make sure your question provides room for
abstraction
 Consider the various theories and philosophical
directions that may inform your question
 Become well versed within the
theories/philosophical directions that you may
use
 What Next

 Identify themes, main ideas, and possible

tensions within the theories/philosophy that you
are using to inform your framework
 Organize the themes, etc. in a way that will help
you to achieve your original purpose
 Play with ideas to determine the effectiveness of
your framework
 How to develop TF

 Literature review provides bricks and design for

the TF
 Literature review deals with a number of aspects
that have or indirect bearing on your research
topic. Identify those aspects. Use these aspects as
a basis for developing your TF
 Direct Theorizing

You may be able to pull your framework directly from

the ideas of one theory or philosophy.
 Parallel Theorizing

A B

You may find ideas in another field or related

to another topic that fit or run parallel to your
own ideas/questions.
 Extracted Theorizing

You may choose to use part of a theory or a philosophy

even though you may not agree with all of it.
 Metaphorical Theorizing

You may use the elements of some idea or phenomena to serve as metaphors to develop an
analysis of your question or problem.
 Eclectic Theorizing

You may use multiple ideas, philosophies, theories to build your argument or to
develop a framework. Ex. Public space according to social theorists,
philosophers, etc.
 In Conclusion. . .

Theorizing and the creation of theoretical

frameworks involves intentionally and systematically
playing with ideas in order to achieve some deliberate
purpose.
In order to theorize,… you must “let go” – even if
for a while – in order to explore the possibilities that
can emerge when ideas begin to intersect and grow.
This does not come easily nor without tensions.
 One paradox of LV and TF

LV is used to develop TF and LV cannot be done

without developing TF. Then how to deal with
paradox?
 Solution: Follow iterative process. Review
some literature then develop TF,…then refine the
TF…

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 Conceptual Framework (CF)

 A conceptual framework is used in research to

outline possible courses of action or to present a
preferred approach to an idea or thought.
 Conceptual Framework (CF) stems from TF
 One section of TF becomes basis of your study
 CF is the basis of your research problem
 CF relates to the specific research problem

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 The conceptual framework is the schematic
diagram which shows the variables included in the
study.
 Arrows or line should be properly placed and connected
between boxes to show the relationship between the
independent and dependent variables.
 All the independent and dependent variables should be
clearly discussed and explained how these would
influence the results of the study.

  Conceptual frameworks (theoretical frameworks) are
a type of intermediate theory that attempt to connect
to all aspects of inquiry
 e.g., problem definition, purpose, literature review,
methodology, data collection and analysis
 Conceptual frameworks can act like maps that give
coherence to empirical inquiry. Because conceptual
frameworks are potentially so close to empirical
inquiry, they take different forms depending upon
the research question or problem.

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 Then what is TF?

 The theoretical framework consists of theories,

principles, generalizations and research findings
which are closely related to the present study under
investigation. It is in this framework where the
present research problem understudy evolved.
 Authors of these theories and principles should be
cited. As much as possible research findings and
theories should be correct.
Framework:
 links literature, core concepts and your research
question
 helps structure your review
 (for qualitative researchers) develops as
participant views and issues are gathered and
analysed
 Types of conceptual frameworks

 Working hypotheses
 Descriptive categories
 Practical ideal types
 Models of operations research
 Formal hypotheses

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Example of Conceptual Framework
Type of
Tobacco
Location

Attitude toward school

Smoking
Status of Youth
Race (smoker vs.
non-smoker)

After plans

GPA Conceptual
 TP in Exploratory Studies?

 Surprisingly, theoretical frameworks are also

important in exploratory studies, where you
really don't know much about what is going on,
and are trying to learn more. There are two
reasons why theoretical frameworks are
important here.
 First, no matter how little you think you know about a
topic, and how unbiased you think you are, it is
impossible for a human being not to have
preconceived notions, even if they are of a very general
nature
 A Good TF?

 A good theoretical framework identifies and

labels the important variables in the situation
that are relevant to the problem defined. It
logically describes the interconnections among
these variables. The relationships among the
independent variables the dependent variables,
and if applicable the moderating and intervening
variables are elaborated.
 Cases

 Cases are objects whose behavior or

characteristics we study. Usually, the cases are
persons. But they can also be groups,
departments, organizations, etc.

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 Variables

 Variables are characteristics of cases. They are

attributes. Qualities of the cases that we measure
or record. For example, if the cases are persons,
the variables could be sex, age, height, weight,
feeling of empowerment, math ability, etc.
 Types of Variables

 Independent
 Dependent
 Moderating
 Extraneous
 Intervening
 Independent Variable
 Independent Variable – Or Predictor
variable
 something that is changed by the
scientist
What is tested

What is manipulated
 Dependent Variable
 Dependent Variable – Or Critertion Variable
 something that might be affected by the change
in the independent variable
What is observed

What is measured

The data collected during the investigation

 Moderating variable

 The moderating variable is one that has a strong

contingent effect on the independent variable and
dependent variable relationship.
 That is the presence of a third variable modifies the
original relationship between the independent and the
dependent variables.

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 Example

Environment Performance

Strategy

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 Example

Org climate Performance

Job design

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 Intervening variable

 An intervening variable is one that surfaces

between the time the independent variables start
operating to influence the dependent variable
and the time their impact is felt on it.
 There is thus a temporal quality or time
dimension to the intervening variable.
 The term “intervening variable” was first
used by behavioral psychologist Edward C.
Tolman in 1938.

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  Intervening variables are not real things.
They are interpretations of observed facts,
not facts themselves. But they create the
illusion of being facts.
 Examples: learning, memory, motivation,
attitude, personality, traits, knowledge,
understanding, thinking, expectation,
intelligence, intention.

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 Tolman and Honzik, 1930

Practice Trials Errors

Independent Dependent
Variable Variable
Learning
Intervening
10

Variable
Theoretically, an internal
state of “learning” intervened
8
Average Errors

between the independent

6

variable and the dependent

variable.
4

It was this state that caused

errors to decrease, not the
2

practice trials.
0

1 10 17
Trials (1 Trial per Day)
 Operational Definitions

Intervening variables have no existence apart from these

observed variables. They are just words, interpretations of
facts, like theories.

Operational Operational
Definition Definition
Learning
Practice Trials Errors
Intervening
Independent Dependen
Variable
Variable t Variable
 Example

Org climate Learning Performance

Job design

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Students of different ages

were given the same jigsaw
puzzle to put together. They
were timed to see how long
it took to finish the puzzle.
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Identify the variables in

this investigation.
 What was the independent
variable?

Ages of the students

 Different ages were tested by the
scientist
What was the dependent variable?

The time it to put the puzzle

together
 The time was observed and
measured by the scientist
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Design of the Study

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 Research Design

• The research design is the master plan

specifying the methods and procedures
for collecting and analyzing the needed
information.
• Select a research design from the large
variety of methods, techniques,
procedures, protocols, and sampling
plans
 A framework for specifying the relationships
among the study variables
 A blueprint that outlines each procedure from
the hypothesis to the analysis
 A plan for selecting the sources and types of
information used to answer research questions
 Types of Research Design

• Three traditional categories of research design:

• Exploratory
• Descriptive
• Causal
• The choice of the most appropriate design
depends largely on the objectives of the research
and how much is known about the problem and
these objectives.
Basic Research Objectives and Research Design

Research Objective Appropriate Design

To gain background information, to define terms, to clarify Exploratory

problems and develop hypotheses, to establish
research priorities, to develop questions to be
answered
To describe and measure marketing phenomena at a point Descriptive
in time
To determine causality, test hypotheses, to make “if-then” Causal
statements, to answer questions
 Experiments

• An experiment is defined as manipulating (changing

values/situations) one or more independent variables to
see how the dependent variable(s) is/are affected, while
also controlling the affects of additional extraneous
variables.
• Independent variables: those over which the
researcher has control and wishes to manipulate i.e.
package size, ad copy, price.
• Dependent variables: those over which the
researcher has little to no direct control, but has a
strong interest in testing i.e. sales, profit, market
share.
• Extraneous variables: those that may effect a
dependent variable but are not independent variables.
 Experimental Design

• An experimental design is a procedure for

devising an experimental setting such that a
change in the dependent variable may be solely
attributed to a change in an independent variable.
• Symbols of an experimental design:
• O = measurement of a dependent variable
• X = manipulation, or change, of an independent
variable
• R = random assignment of subjects to
experimental and control groups
• E = experimental effect
 Experimental Design

• After-Only Design: X O1
• One-Group, Before-After Design: O1 X O2
• Before-After with Control Group:
• Experimental group: O1 X O2
• Control group: O 3 O4
• Where E = (O2 – O1) – (O4 – O3)
 Research Methods: Exercises

1. Available data still suggest that on average, women receive

lower pay than men. A professor decided to design a
program to train college women to negotiate higher salaries.
To assess the effectiveness of the program, 30 college
women were randomly assigned to attend either a 12-hour
salary negotiation skill training course or to be on a waiting
list for the course. After the first group attended the training,
both groups were tested on their negotiation skills by a
trained individual(a grad student) role-playing as an
employer making a job offer. The individuals that had salary
negotiation training negotiated a higher salary in the role-
playing exercise.
 Exercises

Exercise 1.
 Research method?
 Answer: Lab experiment
 Independent variable?
 Answer: Training
 Dependent variable?
 Answer: Salary negotiated
 Confounds (To cause to become confused or perplexed)?
 Answer: Did negotiator know intent of study?
2. A researcher wants to understand to what extent
variables such as financial difficulties, employment
commitment (how much work means to a person), social
support, and an individual’s ability to structure his or her
time and keep busy have an impact on mental and
physical health during unemployment. In order to
answer this question, 100 unemployed executives are
asked to complete a questionnaire that asks questions
about financial difficulties, employment commitment,
social support, time structure, mental health, and
physical health. Forty of the 100 questionnaires given
out are returned.
Exercise 2.
 Research method?
 Answer: Survey
 Independent variable(s)?
 Answer: Financial difficulties, employment
commitment, social support, and time structure
 Dependent variable?
 Answer: Mental and physical health
 Confounds?
 Answer: Are the 40% who returned the surveys
representative of that population?
3. The Scandinavian Sweets Factory recently implemented
shift work. The factory is now open 24 hours a day, and
employees either work an early shift, a late shift, or a
night shift. The manager plans to compare each shift in
six months to assess whether there are differences in
the groups on productivity and turnover.
Exercise 3.
 Research method?
 Answer: Field experiment
 Independent variable(s)?
 Answer: Shift worked
 Dependent variable?
 Answer: Productivity and turnover
 Confounds?
 Answer: How were shifts assigned?
4. A researcher wanted to examine whether anew machine
would lead to increased productivity on an assembly line
at Sam’s Office Supply Factory. He randomly assigned
ten workers to the new machine and ten workers to the
old machine. The workers in the two groups were
carefully matched in terms of their ability and experience.
The researcher monitored the total number of products
produced and the amount of product rejects on the two
machines over a period of two weeks. Results showed
the workers on the new machine had higher levels of
productivity.
Exercise 4.
 Research method?
 Answer: Field experiment
 Independent variable(s)?
 Answer: Machine
 Dependent variable?
 Answer: Products produced and rejects
 Confounds?
 Answer: Hawthorne Effect?
5. In a study of bias in work performance ratings, black
and white undergraduate psychology students were
assigned the task of providing work performance
ratings for videotaped “employees” (really grad
students pretending to be employees) who differed in
terms of their race (black or white). Level of
performance was held constant on the videotape.
Results showed that white raters tended to give slightly
higher work performance ratings to the white
employees on the videotape. Black raters, on the other
hand, tended to give slightly higher work performance
ratings to the black employees on the videotape.
Exercise 5.
 Research method?
 Answer: Laboratory experiment
 Independent variable(s)?
 Answer: Race of rater and ratee
 Dependent variable?
 Answer: Work performance ratings
 Confounds?
 Answer: Was gender a factor or experience of
raters?
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Validity

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 Validity

Validity – Does the instrument measure what it is

supposed to (accuracy)?
 Is the instrument appropriate for its intended use?
 Validity coefficient (r) greater than .4 considered
good

Example: Is typing speed a valid measure of secretary

performance?
 1. Content Validity

 Extent to which test items sample the content that they

are supposed to measure
 Degree to which a predictor covers a representative
sample of the behavior being assessed.
 Does the content of the test represent aspects of the job
(in opinion of SMEs, not computed)?
 Example: Do items on a calculus test appear
appropriate as a predictor for selecting bus drivers?

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 2. Criterion Validity

 How well does a predictor relate to the criterion?

 Criterion validity refers to the extent to which a
test score is related to some measure of job
performance
 Commonly used criteria: supervisors rating of
performance, actual measures of performance
(sales, no. of complaints…)
 Criterion Validity has two types:
 Concurrent validity
 Predictive Validity:
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Concurrent – both predictor and criterion data collected at
the same time
• test is given to employees who are working on job. Then we
correlate test scores with performance
• Example: give test to incumbent and correlate with existing
performance records
Predictive – predictor test given at one point, then
correlated with criterion measure taken at some later
time
• Test is administered to individuals who are going to be hired.
• Example: employees tested prior to training, then scores are
correlated with measure of performance taken 6 months later
 3. Construct Validity

 Most theoretical of the validity types

 Extent to which a test actually measures the
construct that it purports to measure (Kaplan &
Saccuzzo, 2005)
 Construct validity is more concerned with
inferences about test scores while content validity
is more concerned with inferences about the test
construction
 Construct validity is determined by correlating
scores of the test with scores from other tests
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Construct Validity – The extent to which the test is an
accurate representation of the theoretical construct
 Correlation between scores on tests believed to assess
similar constructs
 Use to develop new, improved, or shorter tests
1. Convergent Validity – the correlations should be
high for tests of similar constructs
2. Divergent Validity – Correlations should be low for
test of unrelated concepts
 Example: Test used for assessing pilots’ flying skill
should be highly related to test of spatial ability
(convergent), but unrelated to schizophrenia (divergent)
 4. Face Validity
 Face Validity – Does the test appear to be appropriate by the average
person taking the test?
 Extent to which a test appears to be job related
 If job applicants do not think a test is job related, their perceptions
of its fairness decrease, as does their motivation to do well on the
test (Hausknecht, Day & Thomas, 2004)
 Chan, Schmitt, Deshon, Clause, and elbridge (1997): face validity
resulted in high levels of test-taking motivation, which in turn
resulted in higher levels of test performance
 Just b/c a test has face validity does not mean it is valid (Jackson,
O’Dell, & Olson, 1982)

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ETHICS IN
RESEARCH

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 What are Research Ethics?

 Ethics are norms or standards of behavior that

guide moral choices about our behavior and our
relationships with others

 The goal is to ensure that no one is harmed or

suffers adverse consequences from research
activities
 Ethical Treatment of Participants

 Begin data collection by explaining to the

participant the benefits expected from the
research
 Explain to the participants that their rights and
well-being will be adequately protected, and say
how this will be done
 Be certain that interviewers obtain the informed
consent of the participant
 Deception

 The participant is told only part of the truth or

when the truth is fully compromised
 To prevent biasing the participants before the survey
or experiment
 To protect the confidentiality of a third party
 Issues Related to Protecting
Participants
 Informed consent
 Debriefing
 Right to Privacy/Confidentiality
 Data Collection in Cyberspace
 Ethical Issues related to the
Client
 Sponsor non-disclosure
 Purpose non-disclosure
 Findings non-disclosure
 Right to quality research
 Ethics Related to Sponsor

 Sometimes researchers will be asked by sponsors

to participate in unethical behavior.
 To avoid coercion by sponsor the researcher
should:
 Educate sponsor to the purpose of research
 Explain researcher’s role
 Explain how distortion of the truth leads to future
problems
 If necessary, terminate relationship with sponsor
 Ethical Issues related to
Researchers and Team Members
 Safety

 Ethical behavior of assistants

 Protection of anonymity
 Assignment

 1. What are the concepts in the study?

 2. How are each of the concepts defined?
 3. What are the variable associated with each
concept?
 4. How are variables measured?

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 References
Becker, H.S. (1986). Writing for social scientists: how to start
and finish your thesis, book, or article. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press.
Bell, J. (2005). Doing your research project: a guide for first
time researchers in education, health and social science.
Berkshire, UK: Open University Press. Esp. Chapter 6 The
review of the literature - re ‘critical’ review.
Botha, M.E. (1989), "Theory Development in Perspective: The
Role of Conceptual Frameworks and Models in Theory
Development", Journal of Advanced Nursing 14(1), 49–55.
Bruce, CF. (1994). Research students' early experiences of the
dissertation literature review. Studies in Higher Education,
19(2), 217-229.

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 Caslin, M. & Scott, K. (2003). The five-question method for
framing a qualitative research study. The Qualitative Report,
8(3), 447-461. Available via the journal site at
http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/ [accessed 6.3.7]
Dewey, John. (1938). Logic: The Theory of Inquiry. New York:
Hold Rinehart and Winston
Denscombe, M. (2002). Ground rules for good research: a 10
point guide for social research. Buckingham, UK: Open
University Press.
Dickson, LM., Derevensky, JL., Gupta, R. (2002). The
prevention of gambling problems in youth: A conceptual
framework. Journal of Gambling Studies, 18(2), 97-159.
Kaplan, Abraham. (1964). The Conduct of Inquiry: Methodology
for Behavioral Science. Scranton, PA: Chandler Publishing Co

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  Mills, J., Platts, K. and Gregory, M. (1995), ``A
framework for the design of manufacturing
strategy process: a contingency approach'',
International Journal of Operations &
Production Management, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 17-
49.
 Neuman, W.L. (2000). Social research methods:
qualitative and quantitative approaches (4th
ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

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 Perry, C. (1995). A Structured approach to presenting PhD
theses: Notes for candidates and their supervisors. Paper
presented to the ANZ Doctoral Consortium, University of
Sydney, February 1994, with later additions to 18 September
1995. Retrieved 8.8.7 from
http://www.elec.uq.edu.au/doc/Thesis_guide/phdth1.html
Shaughnessy J.J., Zechmeister E. & Zechmeister J. (2006).
Research Methods in Psychology (7th ed., pp.51–52). New
York: McGraw Hill.
Silverman, D. (2000). Doing qualitative research: a practical
handbook. London: SAGE. See chapter 18: The Literature
Review Chapter.

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  Steane, P. (2004). Fundamentals of a literature review.
In S. Burton & P. Steane (Eds.), Surviving your thesis
(pp.124-137). London: Routledge.
 Tolman, E. C. (1938). The Determiners of Behavior at a
Choice Point. Psychological Review, 45, 1-41.
 Tolman, E. C. and C. H. Honzik. (1930). Degrees of
hunger, reward and nonreward, and maze learning in
rats. University of California Publications in Psychology,
4, 241-275.

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Thank you for your

kind attention
Go forth and research….
….but be careful out there.