Clarifying the Research Question through Secondary Data and Exploration

授課老師：洪新原 教授

學 生： 602556006 李佩軒 602556016 高祺凱 602556022 劉逸寧

Donald R. Cooper & Pamela S. Schindle

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Chapter 5 ─

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Learning Objectives

The purpose and process of exploratory research.

The two types and three levels of management decision-related secondary sources.

The five types of external information and the factors for evaluating the value of a source and its content.

The process of using exploratory research to understand the management dilemma and work through the stages of analysis necessary to formulate the research question (and, ultimately, investigative questions and measurement questions).

What is involved in internal data mining and how internal data-mining techniques differ from literature searches.

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5.1 A Search Strategy for Exploratory

A Search Strategy for Exploratory Levels of information Types of information sources

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A Search Strategy for Exploratory

Through exploration researchers develop concepts more clearly , establish priorities , develop operational definitions, and improve the final research design.

If the problem is not as first thought, more formal studies can be canceled.

The researcher may explore to be sure it is practical to do a formal study in the area.

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The Exploratory phase search strategy

Search Strateg

y

Discovery and analysis of secondary

sources

Expert interviews

Individual depth

interviews(IDIs)

Group discussion

s

Discovery and analysis of secondary

sources

Expert interviews

Individual depth

interviews(IDIs)

Group discussion

s

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Objectives of exploratory research phase

Expand your understanding of the management

dilemma

Gather background information on your topic

Identify information that should be gathered

Identify sources for and actual question

Identify sources for and actual sample frames

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Five steps of literature searchDefine management dilemma

Consult books to identify key terms

Apply these key terms in searching

Locate and review specific secondary sources

Evaluate the value of each source and its content.

Define management dilemma

Consult books to identify key terms

Apply these key terms in searching

Locate and review specific secondary sources

Evaluate the value of each source and its content.

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Levels of information Primary sources

Raw data without interpretation or pronouncements that represent an official opinion

Always the most authoritative Secondary sources

Interpretations of primary data Tertiary sources

May be interpretations of secondary source

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Types of information sourceIndex and

bibliographies

Dictionaries

Encyclopedias Handbooks

Directories Dictionaries

Index and Bibliographi

es

Encyclopedias Handbooks

Directories Dictionaries

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Evaluating information sources

A researcher using secondary sources, especially if drawn from the Internet, will want to conduct a source evaluation.

There are five factor that can be applied to any type of source:

Purpose Scope Authority Audience Format

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Evaluation factor Question to answer

Purpose• How evident is the purpose it is trying to convey?• Dose it achieve its purpose?• How dose its purpose affect the type and bias of

information presented?

Authority • What are the credentials of the author or

institution or organization sponsoring the site?• Does the site give you a means of contacting

anyone for further information?• If facts are supplied, where do they come from?

Audience • Whom dose the site cater to?• What level of knowledge or experience is

assumed?• How does this intended audience affect the type

and bias of the information?

Evaluating information sources

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Evaluation factor Question to answer

Scope • How old is the information? How often is it

updated?• How much information is available?• How dose the information presented compared

with that on similar sites?• Is there any added value? What is the nature of

the added value?• What information did you expect to find that was

missing?

Format • How quickly can you find the needed information?• How easy is the site to use?• Is the design appealing? Are there navigation

buttons?• Is Help helpful?• Are pages in ASCII or graphic format?• Is the information downloadable into a

spreadsheet or word processing program, if desired?

Evaluating information sources

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5.2 Mining Internal Sources

Evolution of Data Mining Data Mining Process

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The purpose of data mining is to identify valid, novel, useful, and ultimately understandable patterns in data.

A data warehouse is an electronic repository for databases that organizes large volumes of data into categories to facilitate retrieval, interpretation, and sorting by end users.

Data in data warehouse must be continually updated to ensure that managers have access to data appropriate for real-time decisions.

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Evolution of Data Mining

Data-mining software using

-Neural network

-Fuzzy logic

-Pattern Recognition

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Evoulution of Data Mining(cont.)Evolutionary Step

Investigative Question Enabling Technologies

Characteristics

Data collection (1960s)

“What was my average total revenue over the last five years?”

Computers, tapes, disks

Retrospective, static data delivery

Data access (1980s)

“What were unit sales in California last December?”

Relational databases (RDBMS), structured query language (SQL), ODBC

Retrospective, dynamic data delivery at record level

Data navigation (1990s)

“What were unit sales in California last December? Drill down to Sacramento.”

Online analytic processing (OLAP), multidimensional databases, data warehouses

Retrospective, dynamic data delivery at multiple levels

Data mining (2000)

“What’s likely to happen to Sacramento unit sales next month? Why?”

Advanced algorithms, multiprocessor computers, massive databases

Prospective, proactive information delivery

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Evoulution of Data Mining(cont.)

This technology provides two unique capabilities to the reasercher or manager:

-Pattern Discovery

e.g. MasterCard

-Predicting Trends and Behaviors

e.g. Bank of American & Mellon Bank

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Data Mining Process2013/10/21 研究方法

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Data Mining Process(cont.)

Sample: the researcher must decide whether to use the entire data set or sample of the data.

Explore : visually and numerically for trends or groups . The researcher also looks for outliers.

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Data Mining Process(cont.)

Modify: a data reduction program, such as factor analysis 、 correspondence analysis or clustering may be used.

Model: include neural networks as well as decision tree, sequence-based, classification and estimation and genetic-based models.

Assess: assess the model to estimate how well it performs.

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5.3

The Question Hierarchy ：How Ambiguous QuestionBecome Actionable Research

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Management-Research Question Hierarchy

1 • Management Dilemma 管理困境

2 • Management Question 管理問題

3 • Research Question(s) 研究問題

4 • Investigative Question(s) 調查問題

5 • Measurement Question(s) 測量問題

6 • Management Decision 管理決策

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5.3.1 Management Question

WHAT IS MANAGEMENT QUESTION?

Management questions are the restatement of the management dilemma in question form.

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5.3.1 Management Question Types of Management Questions

Categories General Question

Choice of Purpose or Choice of Objectives( 目標為何 ?)

What do we want to achieve?

Generalization and Evaluation of Solutions( 如何達成 ?)

How can we achieve the ends that we seek?

Troubleshooting or Control( 執行程度與回饋修正 )

How well is our marketing program meeting its goals?

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5.3.1 Management Question Exploration

To move forward in the management-research question hierarchy and define the research question, we need to collect some exploratory information.

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5.3.1 Management Question

Exploration

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5.3.2 Research Question(s)

Fine – Tuning(微調 )

Fine-tuning the question is precisely what a skillful practitioner must do after the exploration is complete.

At this point, a clearer picture of the management and research questions begins to emerge.

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5.3.2 Research Question(s)

The researcher should address other research question-related activities in this phase to enhance the direction of project.

1.Examine variables

2.Evaluate hypothesis

3. Determine necessary evidence

4. Set scope of study

Research

Question

Determine necessary evidence

Evaluate hypothesis

Set scope of study

Examine variables

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5.3.3 Investigative Question(s)

Develops major investigative questions and each question has several subquestions.

Example： What is the public’s position regarding

financial services and their use?

a. What specific financial services are used?

b. How attractive are various services?

c. What bank-specific and environmental factors influence a person’s use of a particular service?

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5.3.4 Measurement Question(s)

Measurement questions are the actual questions that researchers use to collect data in a study.

Two types of measurement questions are common in business research ：

1.Predesigned measurement questions

2.Custom-designed measurement questions

此處僅簡短論述，更詳細的內容將於第十一章解說

2013/10/21 研究方法