bus 642 (business research methods & tools) complete course a+

Ashford BUS 642 (Business Research Methods and Tools)

 

Week 1

Week 1 DQ 1 Scientific Thinking

Develop a hypothesis for a problem at a local business (for example:   high employee turnover).   Determine if your hypothesis has adequacy for its purpose, is testable and better than its rivals.   Then, use the Checklist for Developing a Strong Hypothesis on page 64 as it relates to your hypothesis.   Discuss your results.   Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 1 DQ 2 Making Research Decisions

Based on the analysis of the last six months’ sales, your boss notices that sales of beef products are declining in your chain’s restaurants.   As beef entrée sales decline, so do profits.   Fearing beef sales have declined due to several newspaper stories reporting E.coli contamination discovered at area grocery stores, he suggests a survey of area restaurants to see if the situation is pervasive (page 94, number 5).  

What do you think of this research suggestion?

Week 1 Assignment:                  BUS 642 Week 1 Exercises Problems

 

Week 2

Week 2 DQ 1 Ethics in Business Research

Read the interview with Elizabeth Buchanan on virtual research ethics [Readings in virtual research: Issues and controversies. (2004, January-June).Information Technology Newsletter, 15(1), 22-25.].   You can find this article through the Ashford Online Library.   Write a summary of this interview and add your thoughts on how this affects the business research process.   Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 2 DQ 2 Design of Research

Read Snapshot: Tracking Search Patterns on page 37. Find more details of this study since the text’s Snapshot was printed and discuss the study including any updates.   Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 2 Assignments:                 BUS 642 Week 2 Exercises Problems

Week 3

Week 3 DQ 1 Measurement Scales

Contemplate Snapshot: Measuring Respect on page 301 of your text. Discuss the information presented and the critical measures taken in order to present an appropriate measurement scale. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 3 DQ 2 Clarifying the Research Questions

Read Close-Up, pages 118-121. Discuss your answers to the Research questions on page 120. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings

Should the technical representatives be given more training?

Week 3 Assignments:                 BUS 642 Week 3 Exercises Problems

Week 4

Week 4 DQ 1 Survey Methods

Discuss the following questions then respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face interviewing.   What is necessary for the success of this method?Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of telephone interviewing.   What is necessary for the success of this method?How do these survey methods compare?

Week 4 DQ 2 Observational Studies

Read and discuss Bringing Research to Life on page 187 of your text. Develop investigative questions that could have been used to guide Jason and Sara’s mechanical observation study. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 4 Assignments:                 BUS 642 Week 4 Exercises Problems

 

 

 

Week 5

Week 5 DQ 1 Data Preparation and Description

Poll a small sample of class members, work associates, or friends and ask them to answer the following in a paragraph or two: “What are your career aspirations for the next five years?” Use one of the four basic units of content analysis to analyze their responses. Describe your findings as frequencies for the unit of analysis selected. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 5 Assignment:                  BUS 642 Week 5 Exercises Problems

Week 6

Week 6 DQ 1 Measures of Association
Answer Making Research Decisions 5 on page 524 of your text.
A research team conducted a study of soft-drink preferences among residents in a test market prior to an advertising campaign for a new cola product. Of the participants, 130 are teenagers and 130 are adults. The researchers secured the following results:

	Cola	No cola
Teenagers	50	80
Adults	90	40

Calculate an appropriate measure of association, and decide how to present the results. How might this information affect the advertising strategy?

Week 6 DQ 2 Presenting Results

Conduct a search of websites that provide Internet presentations. Select one and critique its content, visuals, and the presenter’s skills. Make sure to include the URL in your Discussion Forum.

Week 6 Assignment:

BUS 642 Week 6 Final Paper (1500+ Words)

 

 

 

 

Ashford BUS 642 (Business Research Methods and Tools)

Week 1

Week 1 DQ 1 Scientific Thinking

Develop a hypothesis for a problem at a local business (for example:   high employee turnover).   Determine if your hypothesis has adequacy for its purpose, is testable and better than its rivals.   Then, use the Checklist for Developing a Strong Hypothesis on page 64 as it relates to your hypothesis.   Discuss your results.   Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 1 DQ 2 Making Research Decisions

Based on the analysis of the last six months’ sales, your boss notices that sales of beef products are declining in your chain’s restaurants.   As beef entrée sales decline, so do profits.   Fearing beef sales have declined due to several newspaper stories reporting E.coli contamination discovered at area grocery stores, he suggests a survey of area restaurants to see if the situation is pervasive (page 94, number 5).  

What do you think of this research suggestion?

Week 1 Assignment:                  BUS 642 Week 1 Exercises Problems

 

Week 2

Week 2 DQ 1 Ethics in Business Research

Read the interview with Elizabeth Buchanan on virtual research ethics [Readings in virtual research: Issues and controversies. (2004, January-June).Information Technology Newsletter, 15(1), 22-25.].   You can find this article through the Ashford Online Library.   Write a summary of this interview and add your thoughts on how this affects the business research process.   Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 2 DQ 2 Design of Research

Read Snapshot: Tracking Search Patterns on page 37. Find more details of this study since the text’s Snapshot was printed and discuss the study including any updates.   Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 2 Assignments:                 BUS 642 Week 2 Exercises Problems

Week 3

Week 3 DQ 1 Measurement Scales

Contemplate Snapshot: Measuring Respect on page 301 of your text. Discuss the information presented and the critical measures taken in order to present an appropriate measurement scale. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 3 DQ 2 Clarifying the Research Questions

Read Close-Up, pages 118-121. Discuss your answers to the Research questions on page 120. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings

Should the technical representatives be given more training?

Week 3 Assignments:                 BUS 642 Week 3 Exercises Problems

Week 4

Week 4 DQ 1 Survey Methods

Discuss the following questions then respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face interviewing.   What is necessary for the success of this method?Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of telephone interviewing.   What is necessary for the success of this method?How do these survey methods compare?

Week 4 DQ 2 Observational Studies

Read and discuss Bringing Research to Life on page 187 of your text. Develop investigative questions that could have been used to guide Jason and Sara’s mechanical observation study. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 4 Assignments:                 BUS 642 Week 4 Exercises Problems

 

Week 5

Week 5 DQ 1 Data Preparation and Description

Poll a small sample of class members, work associates, or friends and ask them to answer the following in a paragraph or two: “What are your career aspirations for the next five years?” Use one of the four basic units of content analysis to analyze their responses. Describe your findings as frequencies for the unit of analysis selected. Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ postings.

Week 5 Assignment:                  BUS 642 Week 5 Exercises Problems

Week 6

Week 6 DQ 1 Measures of Association
Answer Making Research Decisions 5 on page 524 of your text.
A research team conducted a study of soft-drink preferences among residents in a test market prior to an advertising campaign for a new cola product. Of the participants, 130 are teenagers and 130 are adults. The researchers secured the following results:

	Cola	No cola
Teenagers	50	80
Adults	90	40

Calculate an appropriate measure of association, and decide how to present the results. How might this information affect the advertising strategy?

Week 6 DQ 2 Presenting Results

Conduct a search of websites that provide Internet presentations. Select one and critique its content, visuals, and the presenter’s skills. Make sure to include the URL in your Discussion Forum.

Week 6 Assignment:

BUS 642 Week 6 Final Paper (1500+ Words)