ADMN2080H

MARKET AND
MANAGERIAL RESEARCH.
An introduction to social research methods in market and managerial contexts
Instructor: An Kosurko M.A. Sustainability Studies, Ph.D. Candidate Social
Sciences
WEEKLY SCHEDULE I TOPICS I
FOCUS I READINGS.

WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3

Introductions, Expectations Research Problems, Approaches, Quantitative Research Design ,
Research Problems, Questions Concepts, Variables
Operationalization, Sampling

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS

Theory of Knowledge Qualitative vs. Quantitative The Survey Method Part 1
Chapter 1 Chapter 1,2,3 Chapters 6, 14
WEEK 4 = TODAY WEEK 5 WEEK 6
Quantitative Part 2 Research Ethics MIDTERM EXAM AND REVIEW

FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS

- Survey Design Part 2, - Working with Indigenous Peoples, - Research approaches, quantitative
Questionnaires and knowledges research design, proposals, ethics
- Readings: Chapters 6, 9, 10, 14
 RECAP

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

SURVEY RESEARCH DESIGN

WHAT WE
DID LAST VARIABLES, VALIDITY

WEEK. OPERATIONALIZATION

TYPES OF QUESTIONS
CHALLENGE

Review the Roadmap,

variables, sampling

CHALLENGE
FOR THIS QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN
ADMINISTRATION
WEEK:
INTRODUCTORY
STATEMENTS
Two General Types of Sampling
Methods
Probability sampling Non-probability
sampling

Definition of Every person in the The probability of a

technique sample has an equal person being selected
and known is unknown
probability of being
selected
Basis of selection Randomly or based Arbitrarily,
on known probability conveniently,
snowball
Advantage Less prone to Flexible, quicker and
sampling bias cheaper

Disadvantage Resources May not be possible

demanding; no to generalize findings
advantage with small about the population
sample sizes
RESEARCH MODEL #1

ì +
Frequency
Financial situation of Shoe
Purchase
− î
RESEARCH MODEL #2

Financial situation Frequency of Shoe

Purchase
Gender
Total Number of Pairs
Age of Shoes Owned

Level of materialism
Total Amount Spent
Annually on Shoes
Urban/rural
 THE BIG PICTURE

3 CONDITIONS TO LOOK FOR CAUSALITY IN VARIABLES:

1. IV and DV are statistically significantly correlated
(research done or why you're doing it)
2. IV must precede DV in time
3. Reasonable alternatives have been ruled out (i.e.
spuriousness)
 THE BIG PICTURE

Spuriousness
A spurious relationship means that two variables do
not influence each other, but are impacted by other
variables.
 THE BIG PICTURE

WHERE DOES RESEARCH COME FROM:

“Designing research involves specifying
exactly who or what is to be studied when,
how and for what purpose.”
 PROCESS

• Choice of Research Area = purpose

• Formulation of Research Question

PROCESS OF • Choice of sample and methods of data

collection, analysis
SOCIAL
RESEARCH: • Ethics Review

• Data Collection

• Analysis

• Dissemination
 RESEARCH DESIGN

A RESEARCH
A ROADMAP:

Borrowed from Dr. Mark Skinner (Trent) lecture slides GEOG-ERST 2510H 2016 (Week 3) Research Design
 THE BIG PICTURE

• CONCEPTUAL:
research question, theory or
hypothesis, methodology

THE RESEARCH • OPERATIONAL:

PROCESS Methods, Study Site, Population,
(collecting data, processing data,
A ROADMAP: data analysis)
3 PHASES: conceptual,
• APPLICATION:
operational, application
Dissemination of findings
RESEARCH DESIGN

• Text-based methods
(secondary sources, archives,
media)

• Primary Sources: Surveys

METHODS ARE (questionnaires, instrument)
THE TOOLS OF • Oral methods (interviews,
DATA focus groups, oral histories)
COLLECTION: • Observational methods
(ethnography, participant
observation)
 THE BIG PICTURE

• Careful design and rigour are

crucial to the dependability of
any research

THE • Rigour = accuracy, exactitude,

IMPORTANCE trustworthiness
OF RIGOUR: • A requirement of contribution to
knowledge, evidence-based
MUST BE BUILT INTO ALL 3
decision making, etc.
PHASES: conceptual,
operational, application
 THE BIG PICTURE

• CONCEPTUALIZATION:
specify what you mean by your
terms/concepts (eg. Poverty)

• OPERATIONALIZATION:
specify how you will measure it
RESEARCH DESIGN

i.e. why assign numbers to these

concepts?

WHY • Objectivity
MEASURE? • Replicability
 VARIABLES

• Be exhaustive (or use other)

A measurable • Be mutually exclusive (can't fit in
variable MUST: more than one)
 VARIABLES

• Nominal (Categorical - Can only name

Defining variables them then measure by category) eg:
to be measured: gender/age

• Operational - needs to be spelled out.

 VARIABLES

• Nominal - in name only (categories add up)

(mode/frequency)

• Ordinal - can be ranked (mode, median,

mean) (winner, higher)
Types of indicators:
• Interval - the distance between is equal in
each, but no zero (IQ, depression)

• Ratio - there is a zero (comparable

relationship)
 SURVEYS

HOW DO YOU • Efficiency

DEVELOP • Reliability
INDICATORS FOR:
• Sustainability
• Quality of Service
 Group 1. Q-Sort Methodology A: what is it? B: How do you do
it? C. Give examples.
SURVEYS

Group 2. How do you avoid poor questions? A: what are the

issues? B: Give examples.

BREAKOUT: Group 3. What are open questions? A What are some examples
CHAPTER 14 B what is the challenge? C How would you analyse this?

Group 4. What are Closed Questions? What are examples?

What are the advantages? What is a sequencing question and
why would you use it? What is an example?
 • popular PRIMARY data collection method that is
SURVEYS
standardized for large population

• allows researchers to analyse relationships

between variables (eg: Brand campaign on
consumer choice)

• a tool designed to capture responses from

WHAT IS A the same set and order of questions
QUESTIONNAIRE • should be used only when they fit research
objectives

• challenge is to design valid, reliable,

objective instrument
 Good for asking standardized,
SURVEYS

formally structured questions to

a group of individuals, presumed
to represent a larger population.
(sample)
PURPOSE • Multiple Purposes (exploration,
OF description, explanation)
SURVEYS • Multiple questions (Attributes
(characteristics), Behaviours,
(activities), Attitudes (thoughts),
Beliefs (judgements)
 SURVEYS

• low cost for big populations

• Fast data capture

WHY USE • Convenient re: time and place for

respondents
QUESTIONNAIRES • Simple data analysis
 SURVEYS

• How do you write appropriate questions?

DESIGNING • Should you use open or closed questions?

QUESTIONNAIRES • What order should questions be asked?

• Is it better to administer the survey online?

 ‘Closed-ended’ (extensive)
- quantitative information about attributes & behaviours
- structured ways of asking (categories; ranking, scales)
- easily coded & analyzed; but difficult to design

‘Open-ended’ (intensive)
OPEN / CLOSED - qualitative information about attitudes & beliefs
QUESTIONS - unstructured ways of asking (tell me…?)
- difficult to code & analyze; but easier to design

Often combined together in one

‘semi-structured’ questionnaire…
 • Categorical (personal data, etc)

• Multiple choice (distinct answers)

TYPES OF
CLOSED • Ranking (list of preferences)
QUESTIONS
• Scales (e.g., Likert)
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• Multi-indicator/items measure of
attitudes

THE LIKERT • Comprises a series of statements (items)

and levels of agreement on a scale
SCALE :
• Rules =
- no open-ended questions
- balance positive/negative statements
 Any variation of ‘W5’ (who, where, what, why, when, plus ‘how’…)

…OPEN
QUESTIONS
 The Questioner MUST:
Be CLEAR about the info required by the Q
Be able to interpret the answer as intended
Creating Questions:

The Responder MUST:

Be able to interpret it (as intended by Q)

Be able to answer it with info (as required)

 • Is the question necessary?

• Is more than one question required?

• Does the reader have the info required to

answer?
Creating
Questions • Is the question biased, loaded, double
barelled?

• Will the respondent give the information that

is asked for?
 SURVEYS

1. Purpose statement - objective (introduction)

2. Target ‘population’ & ‘sampling frame’

ELEMENTS 3. Questionnaire design (questions, consent, etc)

OF A 4. Ethics approval & ‘pre-testing’
SURVEY 5. Mode of delivery (distribution of questionnaire)
…e.g., introduction page of a survey
 Modes of delivery

Mail-out, self administered

SURVEY •

ADMINISTRATION • Telephone
• Intercept
• Online
 • Variance = available respondents or internal spuriousness
SOURCES OF
ERROR • Bias = higher or lower measurement than the truth of a
population (environmental influence)

• Non-response

• Sampling - (sampling frame directory example)

• Data Collection - keep track

TOTAL SURVEY • Deviation of a survey response from
ERROR (TSE) its true value – TSE = accumulation of
all errors (design, collection,
processing, analysis)
 • Selected sample mirrors exactly all facets of the
target population
• Each question is clear and precise and captures the
IN AN IDEAL sphere of interest
WORLD • Every person selected agrees to cooperate
• Every participant understands every question, knows
the requested info, answers truthfully and
completely
• All responses are accurately recorded and analysed
 Next Week

• WHAT IS THE POLICY on research involving

CONTEST human subjects on Trent University website –
QUESTION what is the name of the Canadian policy that
governs this (human subject research ethics)
FROM LAST
WEEK:
 Next Week

• Introductory/Informed Consent Statements

CHALLENGE
FOR NEXT • Indigenous Perspectives
WEEK:
• Research Ethics

• Read Chapter 4, Explore Tri-Council Policy

section 9: Research Ethics Indigenous
Perspectives