Business Research Discussion Board 1

1. Chapter 1 - Question 8 -- As area sales manager for a company manufacturing and marketing outboard engines, you have been assigned the responsibility of conducting a research study to estimate the sales potential of your products in the domestic (U.S. or Canadian) market. Discuss key issues and concerns arising from the fact that you, the manager, are also the researcher.

There are several key issues and concerns arising from taking on the responsibility of being the manager and the researcher. In fact, the purposefulness of the manager and the purposefulness of the researcher are somewhat contradictory of each other. Actually, the managers want to illustrate that sales potential is high while the researcher must exhibit sales potential is stringently reinforced by the research and may not display a high sales potential. In addition, this forms inadequate understanding to all circumstances and confines the scope of the study. Furthermore, having both roles of a manager and a researcher combined, it limits the scope of the study even further and restricts any technique chosen unless the researcher makes a thoughtful effort to encompass alternative methods of thinking.

Nevertheless, with these two roles being united, there is the continuous risk of integrating personal objectives and research specifically in this condition since specific research outcomes can have employment insinuations for the manger/researcher. In conclusion, a common source of preconception in using sales managers as researchers is the concern that they prefer to minimize demand and sales are accomplished more effortlessly making the manager look better. This inclination also leads managers to rely on their subordinates as crucial information sources or to use quantitative methodologies that provide conventional evaluations at the cost of objectivity.

2. Chapter 1 - Question 10 -- Apply the principles in Exhibit 1-4 to the research scenario in question 8.

Principles found in Exhibit 1-4 to the research scenario in question 8 result in the implementation of the Scientific Research method. Since the scientific method emphasizes direct observation, clearly defined variables, methods, and procedures, empirically testable hypotheses.

3. Chapter 3 - Question 6 -- You observe the following condition: "Our female sales representatives have lower customer defections than do our male sales representatives."

a. Propose the concepts and constructs you might use to study this phenomenon.

There are several concepts and constructs that might be resourceful in studying this phenomenon. Since a concept is a bundle of meanings or characteristics associated with certain objects, events, and situations some examples of the concepts might consist of a sales representative, male definition, a female definition, and customer. Whereas, constructs are images or ideas developed specifically for theory building or research purposes and tend to me more abstract and complex that concepts. Therefore, a good concept example could consist of customer defections.

b. How might any of these concepts and/or constructs be related to explanatory hypotheses? There are several concepts and constructs that can be related to explanatory hypotheses. The explanatory or casual hypotheses, of female representatives developing lower customer defects than male representatives can be tested by developing research questions established from concepts, constructs, and definitions. Additionally, female representatives who are further ethnically sustained in creating and sustaining relationships prolong that personal behavior into the workplace. However, a lower customer defection implies fewer existing customers lost at a time of contract renewal causing in a reduced customer defection percentage.

4. Chapter 3 - Question 8 -- Identify and classify all the variables in the Army's dud shell research.

The following is the Army's hypotheses and classification of the variables within the text discussion on dud shell research:

"Danger" warning (EV-control), Detonation Delay (EV), Kerosene Lantern Marking (EV), Post-fire handing (MV), Price of Copper Wire (EV), Dud Shell (DV), Shell that explodes (IV), Person's coming into contact (EV), Profit from Scavenged Materials (IVV).

An active, non-dud, shell when fired from a cannon (IV) explodes on impact (DV). A dud shell when fired from cannon (IV) does not explode on impact (DV) and cannot subsequently be detonated by any means, human of mechanical (IV). Marking dud shells with kerosene lanterns for same evening detonation (IV) will reduce nocturnal scavenging (DV) among poorly educated local residents (MV), by eliminating the profit motive for such behavior (IVV). An increase in the price of salvaged copper wire (IV) leads to an increase in scavenging (DV) on the Army firing range.

5. Chapter 4 - Question 4 -- Confronted by low productivity, the president of Oaks International, Inc. asks a research company to study job satisfaction in the corporation. What are some of the important reasons that this research project may fail to make an adequate contribution to the solution of management problems?

Some important reasons that Oaks International, Inc. may fail to make adequate contribution to the solution of management problems is because the management needs to examine and recognize the influences that lead to low productivity and distinguish the approaches that can lead to increases in productivity. For