PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTED SOLUTION FOR RESEARCH

METHODS

1. ANALYTICAL QUESTION
A Manufacturing, a company with 600 employees, operates across various departments, including
Production, Quality Assurance, Logistics, and Human Resources. Recently, due to advancements
in technology and evolving market demands, the company is considering implementing a
continuous training program for its employees. Management is concerned about the potential
impacts of this training on employee performance, job satisfaction, and retention rates. To address
these concerns, they have decided to conduct a six month pilot study within two departments:
Production (200 employees) and Logistics (150 employees).

Management aims to evaluate how continuous training affects performance, especially in

operational roles like Production. Additionally, the study should determine if the training
arrangements have an effect on job satisfaction and employee retention across different job
functions.

You have been assigned as the lead researcher for this study and are expected to design and
implement a research strategy to collect data that will guide future decisions on the continuous
training program.

The study will focus on a sample of 60 employees from each department involved in the pilot.

I. Formulate a research topic for the study.

II. State the main objective of the study.

III. Formulate 2 specific objectives for your main objective.

IV. State an appropriate research design for the study (include your approach and data type with
justifications).

V. Identify the population of the study.

VI. Identify the sample size for the study.

VII. Given the type of topic you have chosen, give an appropriate sampling technique you will use
to obtain the data for the study.
VIII. Explain how you will use the technique chosen in VII above.
IX. From the study, identify two variables that will be measured.

X. State one appropriate instrument you will use to collect the data and briefly explain how you
will use it.

1. ANALYTICAL QUESTION

A study was conducted to examine the factors influencing employee productivity (dependent
variable, Y) in a manufacturing company. The company collected data on the following
independent variables:

1. X1: Training hours per month (hours)

2. X2: Employee experience (years)
3. X3: Work-life balance score (out of 10)
4. X4: Salary level (in $ thousands)
5. X5: Job satisfaction score (out of 10)

After running a multiple regression analysis, the following estimated coefficients and p-values
were obtained:

Variable Coefficient (β) p-value t-statistic

Intercept (β0) 10.5 - -
X1 (Training hours) 1.8 0.002 3.05
X2 (Experience) 0.5 0.045 2.02
X3 (Work-life balance) 2.3 0.15 1.44
X4 (Salary) -1.2 0.008 -2.75
X5 (Job satisfaction) 0.9 0.09 1.69

 R^2 value: 0.82

 F-statistic p-value: 0.001

Using this information, answer the following questions:

I. Group all the significant variables from the regression at the 1%, 5%, and 10% levels of
significance.

II. Which variable(s) is(are) not significant at any level (1%, 5%, or 10%)?

III. Interpret the coefficient of the variable that is significant at the 1% level.
IV. Explain the meaning of the R^2 value in this context.

V. Comment on the fitness of the model using the F-Test.

VI. Write down the regression equation using all significant variables.

VII. Using the regression equation you formulate, predict the productivity level (Y) for an
employee with the following values:

 X1 (Training hours) = 15
 X2 (Experience) = 5
 X3 (Work-life balance) = 8
 X4 (Salary) = 60
 X5 (Job satisfaction) = 7

2. ANALYTICAL QUESTION

A local government agency is conducting research on the resilience of small businesses in the
wake of recent economic disruptions. These disruptions, caused by global market changes and a
rise in operating costs, have posed significant challenges for small businesses in the area. Many
business owners have had to adapt by adopting new business models, seeking alternative
funding, and making adjustments to their services and staffing.

The agency wants to understand the specific challenges these business owners face, the
adaptations they have implemented, and their perceptions of the future of their businesses. The
findings of this research will help the agency provide better support and resources to these
businesses.

As the lead researcher for this study, you are tasked with designing a qualitative study to collect
rich, detailed insights from business owners across various industries.

1. Select a qualitative data collection method suitable for this study and explain why it
aligns well with the study’s objectives.
2. Describe a sampling approach that would enable you to gather input from participants
with varied viewpoints in the small business sector, and explain the rationale for choosing
this method.
3. Provide two open-ended questions that you would use to explore participants' detailed
experiences and challenges.
4. Discuss the steps you would take to analyze the collected data in order to uncover central
themes concerning the difficulties and adjustments made by business owners.
 5. Define validity and reliability in the context of research and explain their importance for
an instrument used in a study.

EXPLANATORY AND UNDERSTANDING QUESTIONS

1. What factors should be considered when choosing a sampling method for a study?

2. How does systematic sampling differ from simple random sampling, and in what scenarios
might each be more appropriate?

3. How do researchers determine the target population for a study, and why is it important to clearly
define it?

4. What is the difference between a target population and an accessible population in research?

5. How do ontological and epistemological assumptions influence the choice of research

methodology?

6. In what ways do positivism and interpretivism shape the design and focus of a research study?

7. What are the key elements of a research proposal, and why is each element essential for outlining
a research study?

8. How does a well-defined research problem influence the direction and scope of a proposal?

9. Why is it critical to use a consistent referencing style in academic writing, and how does it
enhance the credibility of the research?

10. How do in-text citations and the reference list serve different functions in academic research?

11. What role does a literature review play in establishing the context and significance of a research
study?

12. How does a literature review help identify gaps in existing research that the study aims to
address?

13. What are the main stages of the research cycle, and how does each stage build upon the
previous ones?

14. Why is the formulation of research questions a critical phase in the research cycle?

15. What is the difference between nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scales, and how does each
type affect data analysis?

16. Why is it important to select an appropriate scale of measurement for each variable in a study?