Question 1

In the statement: "Years of sales experience is an important variable in predicting unit sales performance," what type of variable is "years of experience"?

Accepted Answer

"Years of experience" is an independent variable as it is being used to predict the dependent variable of unit sales performance.

Question 2

What type of variable is "gender"?

Accepted Answer

Gender is a categorical variable because it is a characteristic that can be divided into distinct groups or categories such as male and female. It is not continuous or numerical in nature, and it is not dependent on any other variable.

Question 3

Categorical variables are also called _____ variables.

Accepted Answer

Categorical variables are also called classificatory variables because they categorize or classify data based on certain characteristics or attributes. Independent variables are variables that are manipulated or controlled in an experiment, while dependent variables are variables that are observed or measured and are affected by the independent variables. Index variables are variables that are used to measure a concept, such as an economic index. Therefore, the best choice is D - classificatory variables.

Question 4

Which of the following essentially answers the question, "What information is needed to address this situation?"

Accepted Answer

Research objectives will provide the necessary information to understand what needs to be explored or addressed in a research situation. It outlines the purpose of the research and helps to guide the research process. Dependent variable, independent variable, and research design are all important components of a research study, but they do not necessarily answer the question of what information is needed to address a specific situation.

Question 5

Which of the following expresses the research objectives in terms of questions that can be addressed by research?

Accepted Answer

Research question expresses the objectives in terms of questions that can be addressed by research. Situation analysis is a broad term used to describe the examination of the current status of a particular situation or problem. Dependent variable and independent variable refer to variables that are manipulated or measured in a research study, but do not necessarily express the research objectives in terms of questions.

Question 6

Something that does not change from one instance to another is called a _____.

Accepted Answer

A constant is a factor or condition that remains the same in each instance during an experiment or observation. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation based on limited evidence that has not yet been fully tested. A variable is a factor or condition that can change and affect the outcome of an experiment or observation. A category is a group or classification of things with similar characteristics.

Question 7

What type of variable is "dollar sales volume"?

Accepted Answer

"Dollar sales volume" is a continuous variable as it can take on any numerical value within a range.

Question 8

A variable that can take on a range of values that correspond to some quantitative amount is called a _____.

Accepted Answer

A continuous variable can take on a range of values that correspond to some quantitative amount, such as height or weight. A categorical variable, on the other hand, can only take on a limited number of distinct values, such as gender or eye color. A classificatory variable and independent variable are not relevant in this context.

Question 9

A specific performance criterion upon which a decision can be based is called a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

A managerial action standard is a specific performance criterion used to make decisions.

Question 10

A researcher is conducting an experiment in which different formats of a prospectus sent to prospective investors are manipulated. The format of the prospectus is considered to be a(n) _____.

Accepted Answer

The format of the prospectus is being changed intentionally by the researcher, which means it is a variable being manipulated in the study.

Question 11

A(n) _____ variable is one that is expected to influence the dependent variable in some way.

Accepted Answer

An independent variable is one that is manipulated or controlled in order to influence the dependent variable. It is expected to have some effect on the outcome, and is not influenced by other variables in the study.

Question 12

In research, anything that varies or changes from one instance to another is called a _____.

Accepted Answer

A variable is anything that varies or changes from one instance to another in research.

Question 13

In the statement: "Years of sales experience is an important predictor of dollar sales performance," what type of variable is "dollar sales performance"?

Accepted Answer

"Dollar sales performance" is the outcome or response being measured, and is therefore the dependent variable. The statement is suggesting that the number of years of sales experience is a predictor or independent variable that will have an impact on dollar sales performance.

Question 14

Which of the following is a possible unit of analysis in a research study?

Accepted Answer

All three options (an employee, a sales region, and a zip code area) are possible units of analysis in a research study, depending on the research question and objectives. The choice of unit of analysis should reflect the level at which the variables of interest operate and can be measured. For example, if the research question is about the effect of training programs on employee performance, then the unit of analysis would be the individual employee. If the research question is about the impact of economic conditions on consumer behavior, then the unit of analysis could be at the sales region or zip code level.

Question 15

When a researcher determines what or who should provide the data and at what level of aggregation, he or she is determining the _____.

Accepted Answer

The unit of analysis refers to the level at which the data is being collected and analyzed. It could be individuals, organizations, households, regions, or countries. In social science research, choosing the appropriate unit of analysis is crucial as it influences the generalizability of the findings and the validity of the research project. A researcher may choose to collect data at the individual level to get a detailed understanding of a phenomenon, or at the organizational level to study the behavior of groups. Therefore, when a researcher determines what or who should provide the data and at what level of aggregation, he or she is determining the unit of analysis. Hypotheses and research questions are formulated after determining the unit of analysis, and the analysis technique is selected based on the research design and data collected.

Question 16

A statement such as: "Increasing price five percent will cause sales to drop by eight percent or more," is an example of a _____.

Accepted Answer

The statement is a prediction or educated guess, which is the essence of a hypothesis in research. It suggests that there might be a cause-and-effect relationship between the price increase and sales drop.

Question 17

A(n) _____ is a process outcome or a variable that is predicted and/or explained by other variables.

Accepted Answer

A dependent variable is one that is influenced by other variables in a research study. It is also known as the outcome or response variable, as its value is dependent on the values of other independent variables in the study. Examples of dependent variables include test scores, blood pressure readings, or reaction times.

Question 18

All of the following are types of variables EXCEPT _____.

Accepted Answer

The other options (A, B, and D) are all types of variables commonly used in data analysis, while a constant is a fixed value that does not change.

Question 19

Which type of variable indicates membership in some group?

Accepted Answer

Categorical variables are used to represent characteristics or attributes that cannot be measured but can be classified into a group or category, such as gender, religion, or political affiliation. Therefore, they indicate membership in some group.

Question 20

A statement such as: "If our new floor cleaner reaches a local market share of three percent after nine months of test marketing the product in Phoenix, we will launch the product nationally," is an example of a _____.

Accepted Answer

The statement outlines a specific action standard for a managerial decision regarding the national launch of a product based on achieving a predetermined market share goal. Therefore, it is an example of a managerial action standard.

Quiz 6: Problem Definition: the Foundation of Business Research