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Theoretical Framework Example For A Thesis or Dissertation

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17 views5 pages

Theoretical Framework Example For A Thesis or Dissertation

Uploaded by

Lois Sabado
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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 Table of contents

Theoretical Framework Example for a Thesis or Dissertation

Published on October 14, 2015 by Sarah Vinz. Revised on July 18, 2023 by Tegan George.

Your theoretical framework defines the key concepts in your research, suggests
relationships between them, and discusses relevant theories based on your literature review.

A strong theoretical framework gives your research direction. It allows you to convincingly
interpret, explain, and generalize from your findings and show the relevance of your thesis or
dissertation topic in your field.

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 Table of contents

Sample problem statement and research questions


Your theoretical framework is based on:

Your problem statement


Your research questions
Your literature review

Example: Problem statement and research questions

A new boutique downtown is struggling with the fact that many of their online
customers do not return to make subsequent purchases. This is a big issue for the
otherwise fast-growing store.Management wants to increase customer loyalty. They
believe that improved customer satisfaction will play a major role in achieving their
goal of increased return customers.

To investigate this problem, you have zeroed in on the following problem statement,
objective, and research questions:

Problem: Many online customers do not return to make subsequent purchases.

Objective: To increase the quantity of return customers.

Research question: How can the satisfaction of the boutique’s online


customers be improved in order to increase the quantity of return customers?
The concepts of “customer loyalty” and “customer satisfaction” are clearly central to
this
 study,
Tablealong with their relationship to the likelihood that a customer will return.
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Your theoretical framework should define these concepts and discuss theories about
the relationship between these variables.

Some sub-questions could include:

What is the relationship between customer loyalty and customer satisfaction?


How satisfied and loyal are the boutique’s online customers currently?
What factors affect the satisfaction and loyalty of the boutique’s online
customers?

As the concepts of “loyalty” and “customer satisfaction” play a major role in the investigation
and will later be measured, they are essential concepts to define within your theoretical
framework.

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Sample theoretical framework


Below is a simplified example showing how you can describe and compare theories in your
thesis or dissertation. In this example, we focus on the concept of customer satisfaction
introduced above.
Example
 Table of contents

Customer satisfaction

Thomassen (2003, p. 69) defines customer satisfaction as “the perception of the


customer as a result of consciously or unconsciously comparing their experiences
with their expectations.” Kotler & Keller (2008, p. 80) build on this definition, stating
that customer satisfaction is determined by “the degree to which someone is happy
or disappointed with the observed performance of a product in relation to his or her
expectations.”

Performance that is below expectations leads to a dissatisfied customer, while


performance that satisfies expectations produces satisfied customers (Kotler &
Keller, 2003, p. 80).

The definition of Zeithaml and Bitner (2003, p. 86) is slightly different from that of
Thomassen. They posit that “satisfaction is the consumer fulfillment response. It is a
judgement that a product or service feature, or the product of service itself, provides
a pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment.” Zeithaml and Bitner’s
emphasis is thus on obtaining a certain satisfaction in relation to purchasing.

Thomassen’s definition is the most relevant to the aims of this study, given the
emphasis it places on unconscious perception. Although Zeithaml and Bitner, like
Thomassen, say that customer satisfaction is a reaction to the experience gained,
there is no distinction between conscious and unconscious comparisons in their
definition.

The boutique claims in its mission statement that it wants to sell not only a product,
but also a feeling. As a result, unconscious comparison will play an important role in
the satisfaction of its customers. Thomassen’s definition is therefore more relevant.

Thomassen’s Customer Satisfaction Model

According to Thomassen, both the so-called “value proposition” and other influences
have an impact on final customer satisfaction. In his satisfaction model (Fig. 1),
Thomassen shows that word-of-mouth, personal needs, past experiences, and
marketing and public relations determine customers’ needs and expectations.
 Table of contents
These factors are compared to their experiences, with the interplay between
expectations and experiences determining a customer’s satisfaction level.
Thomassen’s model is important for this study as it allows us to determine both the
extent to which the boutique’s customers are satisfied, as well as where
improvements can be made.

Figure 1
Customer satisfaction creation

Of course, you could analyze the concepts more thoroughly and compare additional
definitions to each other. You could also discuss the theories and ideas of key authors in
greater detail and provide several models to illustrate different concepts.

Your theoretical framework

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