Chapter 4

The Research Process - Theoretical

Framework & Hypothesis
Development

Theoretical Framework
A

theoretical framework represents

your beliefs on how certain

phenomena (or variables or

concepts) are related to each other

(a model) and an explanation on why

you believe that these variables are

associated to each other (a theory).

Theoretical Framework

Basic steps:
Identify and label the variables
correctly

State the relationships among the

variables: formulate hypotheses
Explain how or why you expect these
relationships

The research process (2)

Variables
Hypotheses

development

Variables
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.

The

values can differ at the same

time for different objects or persons.

Examples
Production

Units

Absenteeism
Motivation
Satisfaction

Performance

Types of variables
The

dependent variable ( the

Criterion/ core variable)

The

independent variable ( the

predictor variable)

The dependent variable (s)

The

variable of the primary interest

to the researcher.
The researchers goal is to
understand and describe the
dependent variable or to explain its
variability or predict it.
It is the core of the research.

An Example
A

manager is concerned that the

sales of a new product
introduced after test marketing,
do not meet with his
expectations.
The dependent variable is:
Sales
The sales can vary; can be low, medium or high.
So it is a variable, and it is the main focus of the
researcher, therefore it is DV

Independent variable (s)

An

independent variable is one that

influence the dependent variable in
either positive or negative way.
When the IV is present, the DV is
also present,
And with each unit of increase in the
IV, there is an increase or decrease
in the DV also.
The variance in the DV is accounted
for by the IV.

An example
Research

studies indicate that

successful new product development
has an influence on the stock market
price of the company.
The more successful the new product
turns out to be, the higher will be the
stock market price of that firm.

The Answer
IV

: the success of the new product

DV: the stock market price

New product
success

Stock
market
price

Hypotheses
A

hypothesis is a testable statement

of the relationship among variables.

It

can test whether there are

differences between two groups ( or
among several groups) with respect
to any variable (s).

Hypotheses Formats
If-then

statements

Directional

and Nondirectional
hypotheses

If-then statements
If

employees are more

healthy, then they will
take sick leave less
frequently.

Directional hypotheses
The

greater the stress

experienced in the job, the
lower the job satisfaction
of the employees.

Non directional hypotheses

There

is a relationship
between age and job
satisfaction.

Argumentation

The expected relationships /

hypotheses are an integration

of:
Exploratory research
Common sense and logical
reasoning