bg statistical package for social sciences spss 4 1786

Data Classification • Secondary Data – Using for our current purpose but the data were preexisting and gathered for another purpose • Primary Data – Gathering for the first time to add

DEFINITIONS AND CONCEPTS

Data Classification

• Secondary Data

– Using for our current purpose but the data were

preexisting and gathered for another purpose

• Primary Data

– Gathering for the first time to address our particular problem

• Internal Data

– Collected within the company

• External Data

– Gathering information from outside the

organizations

METHODS OF DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

 Observational:

 The gathering of primary data by observing relevant people, actions, and situations

 Personal research

 Observation in “natural environment”

 Electronic (Mechanical) observation

 Survey:

 Approach best suited for gathering descriptive

information

 Most widely used method for primary data

KEY FACTORS IN DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

• Population:

– Total group that we are trying to describe

• Sample:

– A subset of population that represents the view of population

• Response Rate:

– How many people actually respond to research

• Representativeness:

– Sample represents its population

• Error (Bias):

– created if we do not have a representative sample

TYPES OF SURVEY ERROR

• SAMPLING

- In a way that over represents one group and under

represents another group

• INTERVIEWER

- Not expressed in body language, expressions not the meaning of the question

• QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN

- Difficult to predict how people can be influenced

by form of questions

DEFINITIONS AND CONCEPTS

• Independent variables

– The researchers can control and hope to change it

• Dependent variables

– We have little or no direct control over, yet we

have a strong interest it

RESEARCH PROCESS

• Problem Discovery

• Problem Definition

• Research Design

• Sampling

• Data Collection

• Data Analysis

• Report Findings

PROBLEM DEFINITION: HYPOTHESIS

• An unproven proposition or supposition that

tentatively explains certain facts or phenomena

- Null Hypothesis

• Expressed as H0

- Alternative Hypothesis

• Expressed as H

PROBLEM DEFINITION: HYPOTHESIS

• H0 hypothesis is used to test the differences of

categorical variables

For example: There is no difference in customer satisfaction between customer groups have

different levels of education

• H1 Hypothesis is used for testing relationships in

regression analysis

For example: Image of business affect customer