researcher

1. BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS OF
RESEARCH
Variables, Concepts, Constructs,
Propositions, And Hypotheses
by
C.PRADEEPKUMAR
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2. To understand, theory and business research process we must
know certain terminologies and how those terms relate.
Concept is a generalized idea about a class of objects that has been
given a name.
A accepted collection of meanings or characteristics
Ex:Income,loyalty,Inflation,Assets,liability,markt share, customer
satisfaction
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3. Construct
 A term used to refer to concepts measured with multiple variables.
It is abstract thinking to distinguish it from other element.
B1)Abstract level: Idea or quality apart from an object.
Ex:Job interest, Taste
B2)Empirical level: Verifiable by experience or observation.
Ex:Presentation quality, language skills, Job performance
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4. Ladder of abstraction
Asset Income Most Abstract
Machinery Monthly income
Molding machine Yearly income Most Concrete
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5. Abstract
A summary of the contents of a book, article, or speech
Eg: Product rating by consumers
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6. Latent Construct
Ex: Sales Job performance rating
= number of sales calls + number of sales +Rupee value of sales
 Example Abstract Statement
“Older workers prefers different rewards than younger workers”
Constructs?
1. Age (Construct)
2. Reward preference (Latent Construct)
Salary, retirement plans, Leave entitlements, etc
Why we should know all these? 6
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7. Theory
 A formal ,logical explanation of some events that includes pre-
dictions of how things(concepts) relate to one another
 It can be built through a process of reviewing previous findings of
similar studies, simple logical deduction and/or knowledge of
applicable theoretical areas.
Building
 Abstract,Conceptual,Empirical level
Ex: Retail store arrangements
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8. 8
What Theory is ?
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9. Proposition
 Statement of relation between the concepts
 Statements explaining the logical linkage among certain concepts
by asserting a universal connection between concepts
 The proposition having one variable in it may be called as
univariate proposition, those with two variables as bivariate
proposition, and then of course multivariate containing three or
more variables.
“Treating employees better will make them more loyal employees ”
Concept?
Is it testable in current form?
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10. Hypothesis/guess/empirical counter part of proposition
Formal statement explain some outcome,I.O.W formal
statement of an unproven proposition that is empirically
testable.
Ex: “Candidates with certain majors will be successful
entrepreneurs”
Ex: “Increasing retirement benefits will reduce intention
to leave the organization”
Testable? In current form?
It should be proposed in a manner that can be supported
or shown to be wrong through empirical test 10
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11. Classification of Hypotheses
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Hypotheses
Relational
Correlational
Causal/Explanatory
Descriptive
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12. WHY HYPOTHESES AND HOW SHOULD
IT BE?
 Direction of the study
 Facts
 Research design
 Framework for conclusion
 Adequate
 Testable
 Updated
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13. Reasoning
Two types of arguments
Deductive reasoning
 Abstract, Conceptual
Logical process of deriving a conclusion about a specific instance
based on a known general premise or something known to be true.
The conclusion must necessarily follow the reasons given.
Ex1: All students are human beings(premise 1), Rahul is a
student(premise 2), Rahul is a human(Conclusion).
Ex2: Good quality animation movies are expensive to produce(P1)
Avatar is fully a good quality animated movie(P2)
Avatar movie was expensive to produce(C)
If either of the two premises fails the test then the conclusion is not a
strong deduction. 13
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14. Inductive reasoning
 Empirical level
Logical process of establishing a general proposition on the basis of
observation of particular facts. Here the conclusion is only a
hypothesis.
Ex1:Despite having 60+ average scores in ODI, Dhoni had his
maiden 50 in T20 only after 10 years of his debut.
 Why he dint reach 50s score soon after his debut in T20 as in ODI?
 He is not as good hitter in T20 as in ODI(Conclusion)
Other supportive facts
 Bats mostly at death overs (6th Batsman)
 Matches are won before he bats
 Very less number of matches he played
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15. Variables
What things should be studied to address a decision statement?
 That varies from one instance to another, they can exhibit
difference in value, usually in magnitude or strength, or in
direction. A synonym of construct
Constant: No change, (why it is to be known?) causal research.
Types
A)Variance
B)Research variables 15
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16.  Continues: Customer attitude toward different airlines, sales
volume, profits, age(23.5),income, Test scores (0-100)
This can take certain range of values or in some cases infinite set
 Discrete: A type of variable, also called a categorical or nominal
variable, which has a finite number of possible values that do not
have an inherent order.
Ex: Hair color would be a discrete variable, because it can only have a
limited number of values, such as red, brown, and black, that does not
occur in any particular order.
 Dichotomous: Gender. Binary values
 Categorical/classificatory: Gender, Purchasing
This can take some small number of values
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17. Research Variables
When we operationalize a concept we are creating variables
 Dependent variable (DV)/criterion
A process out come or a variable that is predicted and/or explained
by other variable
 Independent variable(IV)/predictor
A variable that is expected to influence the DV,this variable is
manipulated by the researcher to find the effect on the DV.
Eg: Customer loyalty(DV) in a restaurant {Perceived food
quality(IV), service quality(IV),customer satisfaction(IV)]}
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18.  Extraneous variables: Variables that naturally exist in the
environment and that may have systematic effect on the DV.
Provides alternative explanation for the relationship that are
observed between IV and DV
Eg: Does cigarette advertising cause young people to smoke? Two
test groups
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19.  Control variable(CV): which cannot be controlled
Eg:weather,local sales tax, election
We include them in research to ensure that our results are not biased
 Confounding variables(CFV): It is a variable beyond the
experimental variable for any observed difference in the DV
Eg: Evaluating cricket team performance? A team allowed to play test
and B team in T20. Result is A team is more successful
CFV: Format of game, kind of work being done
A confound means that there is an alternative explanation beyond the
experimental variables for any observed difference in the DV
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20.  Mediating variable or IV (Intervening Variable):It surfaces
between the time the IV starts to operate and its impact on DV. A
mediating variable explains the relation between the predictor and
the criterion. IV are always dynamic properties of individuals.
 In a sense the MV act as a dependent
variable with respect to independent variable , and acts as
an independent variable toward the dependent variable.
Ex1: 4 day work week and productivity ; MV is Job satisfaction
Ex2:A theory of suicide states that married people are less likely to
commit suicide than single people
social integration (e.g. feelings of belonging to a group or family) 20
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21. Moderator Variable(MV)/Interaction: A third variable on its
presence that changes the nature of relationship between the
original IV and DV
Ex1: 4 day work week and productivity . MV:Age
Ex2: The quality of library facilities (X) and the performance
of the students (Y).
X Y
(Interest and inclination)
Moderating Variable
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23. REFERENCES
 Business Research Methods
Ch:3,11th Edition ,Donald R Cooper ,Pamela S Schindler ,J K
Sharma.
 Research methods for Business
Ch:4,5th Edition,Uma Sekaran,Roer Bougie
 Business Research Methods : A South-Asian Perspective
8th E William G. Zikmund | Barry J. Babin | Jon C. Carr | Atanu
Adhikari | Mitch Griffin
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24. Thank you
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