CHAPTER 5:THE RESEARCH PROCESS

STEPS 4 AND 5: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK & HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT

RESEARCH PROCESS SO FAR

REALIZING THAT SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG OR SHOULD BE IMPROVED

CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS AND COMPLETING A LITERATURE SURVEY

DEFINING PROBLEM

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Variables clearly identified and labeled

THE NEED FOR THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A theoretical framework is a conceptual model of how one theorizes or makes logical sense of the relationships among the several factors that have been identified as important to the problem

 Integrating your logical beliefs with published research, taking into consideration the boundaries and constrains governing the situation The theoretical framework discusses the interrelationships among the variables that are deemed to be integral to the dynamics of the situation being investigated

 From the theoretical framework, testable hypotheses can be developed to examine whether the theory formulated is valid or not.

CONCEPT: VARIABLE
A variable is anything that can take on differing or varying values. The values can differ at various times for the same object or person, or the values can differ at the same time for different objects or persons. Examples are exam scores, inflation rate, gini coefficient, absenteeism, and motivation

TYPES OF VARIABLES
The dependent variable (criterion variable) The independent variable (predictor variable) The moderating variable The intervening variable
Discrete variable (male or female) Continuous variable (age of a person)

I-Dependent Variable
The variable of primary interest to the researcher Main aim is to understand and describe the dependent variable (e.g. the factors that affect it) By analyzing it, researcher finds answers or solutions to problems Sometimes there may be more than one DV, requiring multivariate statistical analysis

EXAMPLES
A manager is concerned that the sales of a new product introduced after test marketing is not as high as he had expected. A vice president is concerned that the employees are not loyal to the organization and, in fact, switch their loyalties to other institutions.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
An independent variable is one that influences dependent variable in either a positive or negative way. The variance in the dependent variable is accounted for by the independent variable (s).

Examples
Cross cultural research indicates that managerial values govern the power distance between superiors and subordinates A consultant is of the opinion that much benefit would accrue by buying and selling at the appropriate times in a financial environment where the stocks are volatile

Moderating variable
The moderating variable is one that has a strong contingent effect on the independent variable-dependent variable relationship. The presence of a third variable (the moderating variable) modifies the original relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

EXAMPLE
A positive relationship has been found between the number of books that five and six year old children have access to at home and their reading abilities. However, if the parents are totally illiterate, that relationship does not hold.

 A research study indicates that the willingness of the employees to learn new ways of doing things is not influenced by the quality of the training programs offered by the organizations for all people. Only those who have high growth needs seem to be willing to learn to do new things through specialized training.

INTERVENING VARIABLE
An intervening variable is one that surfaces between the time the independent variables operate to influence the dependent variable and their impact on the dependent variable

EXAMPLE
A prevalent theory is that the diverse workforce contributes more to organizational effectiveness because each group brings its own special expertise and skills to the work place. The synergy can be captured, however, only if managers know how to harness the special talents of the diverse work group; otherwise they will remain untapped.

Workforce diversity Ind. V

Managerial expertise

Creative Synergy Int. V.

Organizational effectiveness

Dep. Var.

M.V.

COMPONENTS OF THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The variables considered relevant to the study should be clearly identified and labeled in the discussions The discussions should state how two or more variables are related to one another. This should be done for the important relationships that are theorized to exist among the variables.

COMPONENTS (continued)
If the nature and direction of the relationships can be theorized on the basis of the findings from previous research, then there should be an indication in the discussions as to whether the relationships would be positive or negative. There should be a clear explanation of why we would expect these relationships to exist. The arguments could be drawn from the previous research findings. A schematic diagram of the theoretical framework should be given so that the reader can see and easily comprehend the theorized relationships.

EXAMPLE- DELTA AIRLINES