GROUP DISCUSSION #9: WHAT IS INTERNAL VALIDITY AND WHAT ARE THE THREATS THAT IT STANDS EXPOSED TO?

Question 5, Page #149

Question 6, Page #150

The trade-off between internal validity and external validity is that, if a researcher wants high internal validity, he/she has to settle for low external validity. 

This is because, in order to establish internal validity, the researcher has to study the causal relationship in a tightly controlled laboratory environment. However, when the relationship is exposed to external factors in the real world, it is exposed to other unforeseen circumstances that can not be predicted in the laboratory environment which affects the cause-and-effect relationship between the dependent and the independent variables.

GROUP DISCUSSION #8: DEVELOP A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE CASE STUDY IN QUESTION 6, PAGE 114

Problem statement: What is the effect of perks on employee morale?

Independent variables: 

1. Presence of perks

2. Removal of perks

Dependent variables:

1. Employee morale

Intervening variable:

1. Explanation of perks

Nature and direction of relationship:

Removal of perks shows a negative relationship to the employee morale

Presence of perks shows a positive relationship to employee morale

Explanation of perks results in no loss of employee morale

GROUP DISCUSSION #7: FOR THE SCENARIO ON PAGE 113, DEVELOP THE PROBLEM STATEMENT AND THEORECTICAL FRAMEWORK. WHAT IS EM's ENVISAGED RESEARCH METHOD?

Question #5a. Page 113:

The problem statement is "How does Exxon Mobil function like a well-oiled machine and ensure its profitability?"

Question #5b Page 113:

Develop a theoretical framework

The case study explains that Exxon Mobil has been able to remain profitable by adopting cutting edge technology which allows it to explore for oil in very effecient ways and to get more oil out of existing deposits.

Its technology is driven by its research and development department which has 1,500 Ph. Ds. Its research and development helps Exxon Mobil remain profitable by helping it to develop the cutting edge technology.

Its research and development department is driven by its people. Without its people, Exxon Mobil would not be a profitable company.

The merger of Exxon and Mobil has helped drive the profitability of both companies as they are now a much more formiddable business after the merger.

Question 5c. Page 114:

The type of research method that Exxon Mobil envisages is applied research. This is because the management of Exxon Mobil expects each research undertaken to have direct measurable impact on the business and on its competitive advantage.

GROUP DISCUSSION #6: HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT DOING A LITERATURE SURVEY IN THE AREA OF BUSINESS ETHICS?

Chapter 4, Question #5, Page #65

In this group discussion, we looked at the steps one would typically follow in order to do a literature review in the area of business eithics.

GROUP DISCUSSION #5: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A LITERATURE SURVEY?

Chapter 4, Question #6, Page #64

GROUP DISCUSSION #4: SPECIFY THE TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT MAY BE STORED IN THE DATA WAREHOUSE OF A UNIVERSITY. OFFER 3 PURPOSES FOR MINING SUCH DATA

Chapter 3, Question #6, Page # 49

GROUP DISCUSSION #3: HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY BE MISUSED? GIVE SOME HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES WHERE THIS COULD OCCUR.

Chapter 3, Question #5

In this group discussion, we reviewed ways that technology can be misused, and we provided examples of where these misuses of technology have occurred in recent times.

GROUP DISCUSSION #2:

Chapter 2, Question #3

QUESTION: ONE HEARS THE WORD "RESEARCH" BEING MENTIONED BY SEVERAL GROUPS SUCH AS RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS, UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, JOURNALISTS ETC. WHICH OF THE AFOREMENTIONED GROUPS DO YOU THINK MAY BE DOING "SCIENTIFIC" INVESTIGATIONS IN THE AREAS OF BASIC OR APPLIED RESEARCH? WHY?


In this group discussion, we looked at the various professions listed in the chapter question and grouped them under applied and basic research, based on which research methodoloy applies to each profession.

There are some professions that fall under both categories and are thus on both sides of the map.

We also explained in the map the reason why we believe each profession fall under each category of either basic or applied research.

GROUP DISCUSSION #1: WHEN IS APPLIED RESEARCH, AS DISTINCT FROM BASIC RESEARCH, USEFUL?

Chapter 1, Question #3, Page #7

In this discussion, we looked at how when applied research is most useful to a manager, particularly in decision making.

In summary, applied research is most useful when there are current business problems that need to be solved immediately by a manager as against basic research which focused on how current business problems can be solved in the future.

A good example of applied research is when a sales manager does research to know why sales are rising in a particular portion of his sales territory and declining rapidly in another.