APPLYING SCIENTIFIC THINKING TO MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS

 

Sources of Knowledge

• Empiricists attempt to describe, explain, and make predictions through observation
  
• Rationalists believe all knowledge can be deduced from known laws or basic truths of nature
  
• Authorities serve as important sources of knowledge, but should be judged on integrity and willingness to present a balanced case
  

The Essential Tenets of Science

• Direct observation of phenomena
  
• Clearly defined variables, methods, and procedures
  
• Empirically testable hypotheses
  
• Ability to rule out rival hypotheses
  
• Statistical justification of conclusions
  
• Self-correcting process
  

Ways to Communicate

• Exposition :descriptive statements that merely state and do not give reason
  
• Argument :allows us to explain, interpret, defend, challenge, and explore meaning
  

Important Arguments in Research

• Deduction
  is a form of inference that purports to be conclusive.
  
• Induction
  draws conclusions from one or more particular facts.    
  

What is a Construct?

• A construct is an image or idea specifically invented for a given research and/or theory-building purpose.
  

Types of Variables

• Independent, Dependent Moderating, Extraneous, Intervening
  

Variables

• Dependent variable
  
  • The dependent variable is the variable of primary interest to the researcher.
    
  • The researcher's goal is to understand and describe the dependent variable, or to explain its variability, or predict it.
    
  • The researcher will be interested in quantifying and measuring the dependent variable, as well as the other variables that influence this variable.
    

Variables (cont.)

• Independent variable
  
  • An independent variable is one that influences the dependent variable in either a positive or negative way.
    
  • The variance in the dependent variable is accounted for by the independent variable.
    

Variables (cont.)

• Moderating variable
  
  • An moderating variable is one that has a strong contingent （偶發）effect on the independent variable-dependent variable relationship.
    

Variables (cont.)

• Intervening variable
  
  • An intervening variable is one that surfaces between the time the independent variables start operating to influence the dependent variable and the time their impact is felt on it.
    
  • There is thus a temporal quality or time dimension to the intervening variable.
    

Variables (cont.)

• Creative synergy will not result from the multifaceted problem-solving skills of the diverse workforce unless the manager is capable of harnessing that synergy by creatively coordinating the different skills.
  
• The independent variable helps to explain the variance in the dependent variable.
  
• The intervening variable helps us to conceptualize the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
  
• The moderating variable has a contingent effect on the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
  

The Role of the Hypothesis

• Guides the direction of the study
  
• Identifies facts that are relevant
  
• Suggests which form of research design is appropriate
  
• Provides a framework for organizing the conclusions that result
  

What is a Good Hypothesis?

• A good hypothesis should fulfill three conditions:
  
  • Must be adequate for its purpose
    
  • Must be testable
    
  • Must be better than its rivals
    

The Value of a Theory

• Narrows the range of facts we need to study
  
• Suggests which research approaches will yield the greatest meaning
  
• Suggests a data classification system
  
• Summarizes what is known about an object of study
  
• Predicts further facts that should be found