Business Finance - Operations Management Two part Assignment
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Module4-ProblemFormulationandQuant_QualData.pptx
Unit Two: Data Collection
Problem Formulation
Quantitative and Qualitative Data
Now we are finished with unit 1 which was the foundations for evaluation and research. So, we sort of concentrated on evaluation on our first unit. Starting from unit two, we will look into how we can collect, analyze, and report the data. And we will be looking into these from more of a research context than an evaluation context.
So, this week we will talk about problem formulation and quanitatiave and qualiatative data.
1
Generating Research Problem Ideas
Personal interest
Current social problems
Utility in testing a particular theory
Addressing prior research limitations
Determine program effectiveness
Well, first the problem formulation is important because that is the very beginning process of a research.
Research problem or research question is something that you come up with that you are interested and want to research about. The very first step of coming up with a research question or statement is to generate research problem ideas.
Research ideas can come from many sources.
Personal interest – important (intrinsic motivation) ex) older adults
Current social problems – where people’s interests are, more interest = more funding opportunity, may provide some answers to solve current issues
Theory – theory used and tested in psychology fields among college students, but not in leisure context for specific population
Limitations – locations, specific population only, gender,
Program – evaluation research
2
Two Different Approaches to Scientific Research
Deductive Reasoning
Inferring a conclusion from premises or propositions
If the theory is correct, then hypotheses logically derived from them are correct
Inductive reasoning
Building theory from the data.
Inferring something about a whole group from one or a few members of the group
There are two different approaches to research.
Deduction – process of going from abstract/general to specific, from theory to the data, top down
When wanting to test something that already exist in your specific context, there exists a theory that you may think fits well with your topic, examine
Example, Leisure perception and attitudes towards retirement
Induction – from specific to general, bottom up
- working from the data to the theory, building the theory
When relatively less is known about it, unsure of what theory to use, explore
3
Theory
Operational Definitions
Hypotheses
Observations
Research
Findings
Induction
Deduction
Hypotheses = IV DV
4
Shaping the Research Problem
Narrow the scope
Specify concepts
Operationalization
Literature review
Unit of analysis
Now you have a research problem idea and you know two different approaches to research, next step is actually shaping the research problem.
First, it is important to Narrow the scope and specify concepts – oldest olds’ physical? Cognitive? Mental? Also quality of life, healthy aging, oldest adults’ cognitive ability,
Next is Operationalization – defining variables that is not directly measurable into measurable factors EX) in medical related fields “health” can be operationalized by such indicators: body mass index, tobacco smoking, etc.
5
Review of the Literature
Findings and conclusions
Theories and concepts
Measurement procedures and operational definitions used in previous research
Sampling strategy
Statistical technique
6
IV DV
6
Review of Literature
Using the credible information is IMPORTANT!
Credible source
Journals
Websites from credible institutions (Mayo clinic, World Health Organization, etc.)
The date/year
Avoid using blogs, posts, Wikipedia …
Definition of credible source depends on the audience, the topic, and the discipline
7
Units of Analysis
Specific objects or elements whose characteristics we wish to describe or explain, and about which data will be collected.
“who” or “what” of the study
Individuals
Groups
Organizations
Programs
What will be the unit of analysis? when comparing two different nursing facility for example, unit of analysis would be nursing facility
Able to access particular caregiver/physician or older adults more deeply – studying specific caregiver members unit of analysis is specific caregiver
Individual? Which individual? Community? Which community? Etc.?
Unit of analysis is who or what of the study
Quiz for example unit of analysis is individual (everyone in the class)
Group work Unit of analysis is group
8
Reactivity
Reactivity refers to the fact that people can react to being studied and may behave differently from when they don't think they are being studied.
Social desirability
People may behave in a manner that they think will be viewed favorably by other people …
So we have talked about narrowing down the research idea so you can form a specific research question.
Another thing I want to talk about when thinking about research is reactivity. We are familiar with reactivity from our past CGE when we talked about the ethical issues.
What if my friends are better than me?
I know someone from this research team, I want to help them or the other way around
9
How can we minimize reactivity?
You are conducting an interview with a teenager to explore the relationship between academic success and deviant behavior
You are conducting a pre and post survey in an intervention study (balance training program for older adults)
Pre-survey intervention post-survey
How can we minimize reactivity?
building a rapport, comfortable environment,
using different measurement, questions
10
Unit Two: Data Collection
Problem Formulation
Quantitative and Qualitative Data
11
Quantitative & Qualitative Data
Qualitative and Quantitative Methodology
Qualitative
words, pictures, descriptions, or narratives
Typically, answers questions of why and how
Seeks to explain and understand
Quantitative
Numbers, counts, and measures of things.
Typically, answers questions of who, what , where, when.
Uses statistical data analysis.
Seeks to generalize to greater population.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCuwX35MHyE
Universitynow: quantitative vs. qualitative research
13
How to choose between Qualitative and Quantitative?
Less is known
Hypothesis formulation
Descriptive variables
Subjective meaning is essential
Narrative accounts capture richness of experience
Well developed field
Hypothesis verification
Quantifiable variables
Behavior can be reduced to numbers and statistics
Precise statements and numerical relationships
VS
Methodology & Method
Method – simply a research tool
Methodology – justification for using particular research method
Examples …
Interview
Quantitative
Survey
Qualitative
Observation
Cross-sectional vs Longitudinal Research
Cross-sectional research focuses on a cross section of a population at one point in time
Longitudinal research involves gathering data over an extended period
Weeks to decades
Ex) Harvard Study of Adult Development – 80 years
Cross-sectional – it allows researchers to compare many different variables in the same time. faster and simpler design and to implement, less reactive, less expensive
Not provide definite information about cause-and-effect relationships – snapshot of a single momenent in time, so don’t consider what happens before or after the snapshot is taken
Ex) when wanting to compare population/group
Longitudinal – able to detect developments or changes in the characteristics of the population. More reactive, more expensive, accurate data
Ex) when wanting to see the effect of an intervention
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Project Feasibility
Time to:
Locate the population
Develop a measurement system
Collect the data
Conduct the analysis
Money for:
Project staff
Equipment and supplies
Incentives for cooperation
Dissemination of results
