Research Design

9. Below are two scenarios. For each, indicate how the researcher should proceed with the following, giving reasons:

a. The purpose of the study

b. The type of investigation

c. The extent of researcher interference

d. The study setting

e. The time horizon for the study

f. The unit of analysis.

Scenario A

Ms. Aminah, the owner of a small business (a woman's dress boutique), has invited a consultant to tell her how she is different from similar small business within a 60-mile radius, in regard to her usage of the most modern computer technology, sales volume, profit margin, and staff training.

ANSWER

This will be a descriptive study (describing how she compares with the others). Data will be collected on the use of computers, sales volume, profit margin, and training programs and comparisons made. Some of these descriptions might be qualitative, as for example, in describing training methods. This will be a field study (using many similar small businesses), and researcher interference will be minimal. It will be a one-shot study, and the unit of analysis will be small business systems.

Scenario B

Mr. Ali, the owner of several restaurants is concerned about the wide differences in the profit margins of the various restaurants. He would like to try some incentive plans for increasing the efficiency levels of those restaurants that are lagging behind. But, before he introduces this, he would like to be sure that the idea will work. He asks a researcher to help him with this issue.

ANSWER

This would be a causal, hypothesis-testing study. It will be a field experiment, using one or two restaurants to manipulate incentive plans and see if this causes an increase in profit margins in those restaurants. Because of the manipulation, there will be some researcher interference with the natural flow of events. The time horizon for the study would be longitudinal since data will be obtained on sales, profits, etc., both before and after the manipulation. The unit of analysis would be the restaurant.