Management 2700B: Research Methods
Sampling and Statistics Assignment – Spring 2005
Learning Objectives:
There are two major learning objectives for the assignment. One is to gain
experience in determining the appropriate sample design and size for a research
project, and two, is to gain experience in interpreting and presenting descriptive
statistics and inferential statistics. Another objective is to gain some basic experience
using SPSS.
Be sure to review Chapter 16 & 17, in the course textbook before starting this
assignment. Please note that this is an individual, not a group exercise so please work
individually.
Due: April 7, 2005
Part A – The scenario is that you want to estimate the attitudes of management
students at the U of L toward the value of their undergraduate education. In your
literature search, you find psychometrically-sound (reliable) and valid questionnaire,
comprising 15 items, that was developed in the USA. You contact the U of L Registrar’s
Office to get a list of 100 randomly-selected management students for your
questionnaire survey.
Question: Is this sample design and size adequate? Please present your rationale. If
you don’t think that this sample design and size is adequate, what sample design and
size would you recommend? Please present your detailed rationale.
1) Please include the following concepts in your discussion: error associated with
sample design, response rates, inferential statistics, sample size determining
factors (Zikmund, p. 424), and practical and ethical issues.
2) Your discussion should be 2 – 3 pages.
Part B – Determine the sample size for the each of the following problems. Please show
your work.
1. In a Canada-wide mail survey of senior managers in 1,000 small
organizations, a researcher expects that only 4 out of 10 managers will
agree with an attitude statement about the burnout levels of Canadian
employees. The research wants to be confident 19 times out of 20 about
the survey result and is willing to tolerate a 3% error. What sample size
is needed to meet these requirements?
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2. There is some concern about grade escalation in the University because the
“average” does not seem to be a “C” or mean GPA around 2.00 but the average
seems to be around B- or GPA of 2.80 with a standard deviation of 0.35. What
sample size is required to be 95% confident with a .15 GPA error tolerance that
the mean GPA in the Faculty of Management mirrors the University mean of 2.80
with a standard deviation of 0.35?
Part C – At the beginning of the semester, the class participated in a questionnaire
which included demographic questions and attitude questions. The data have been
input into an SPSS file along with data from previous classes. Some variables have
been removed from the data to maintain the confidentiality of the respondents (country,
marital status, and dependents). For this data to be of any value, it needs to be
summarized and presented as information.
You will have access to SPSS in the computer labs – Go to Start → Class Software →
SPSS for Windows → SPSS 12.0.1 for Windows. The data will be emailed to the class
list and available on the website. Please briefly review Ch. 20, Ch. 21 (especially pgs.
504 – 506), & Ch. 22. (pgs. 520-1). Note: you can cut and paste the tables and the
graphs from the SPSS output into your document.
This part of your assignment consists of the following:
1) Please create a frequency table for each of the following variables: gender,
age, year of program (progyear), major, grade expectation (gradex), employed.
For each variable include the statistics for mean, median, mode, and standard
deviation. On your print-out (Output) indicate the scale of the variable (nominal,
ordinal, or interval) and which statistics are appropriate for the scale.
Procedure – In SPSS, at the top of the screen, click Analyze → Descriptive
Statistics → Frequencies. Move the variables you want to analyze into the
“Variable(s)” box. Check the box “Display frequency tables”. Click the “Statistics”
button and select Mode, Median, Mean, and Std. Deviation. Close the screen.
Click the button “Charts” and select the chart you think would be most
appropriate.
Write a short interpretation of your findings from the six frequency tables and
charts.
2) Please create a cross-tab table for two variables (one demographic variable
and grade expectations or employed)
Procedure – In SPSS, at the top of the screen, click Analyze → Descriptive
Statistics → Crosstabs. Move the variable you select into the “Row(s)” box and
then “gradexp” or “employed” into the “Column(s)” box. Click ok.
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Redo this procedure but click the “Cells” button and then check the Percentages
boxes. This will create a cross-tab table with percentages.
Add another variable to your cross-tab by adding it to the “Layer 1 of 1” box. Click
ok. This will create a cross-tab table with sub-groups. (An example can be seen
on page 488 of your text.)
Write a short interpretation of your findings from your cross-tab tables. Include
the tables in your assignment.
3) Bi-variate statistics: T-test and ANOVA. T-tests help the researcher to
determine if there is any statistically significant difference in a variable (interval
scale) between two groups (nominal scale variable); ANOVAs help the
researcher to determine if there is any statistically significant difference in a
variable (interval scale) between three or more groups (nominal scale variable).
Please run a T-test using these variables: gender and overload (This variable
corresponding with the question “Do you feel overwhelmed by the required
workload?”)
Procedure – In SPSS, at the top of the screen, click Analyze → Compare Means
→ Independent Samples T Test. Move the “overload” variable into the “Test
Variable(s)” box and then “gender” into the “Grouping Variable” box. Click “Define
Groups”; in the “Group 1” box type 1 (meaning that you have labelled females 1
in your data), in the “Group 2” box type 2 (meaning that you have labelled males
2 in your data). Click continue, then click ok.
You should see two tables: one labelled Group Statistics and the other
Independent Samples Test. Include these T-Test tables in your assignment.
Can you tell if there is a significant difference (at 95% confidence) between the
genders with respect to being overwhelmed by their required workload?
Look at the significance figure “Sig.(2-tailed) = .287. Is it lower than 0.05? No.
Then we can assume that there is no significant difference between the attitudes
of male and females with respect to their workload.
I would also like you to create an Error Bar graph using these variables.
Procedure - In SPSS, at the top of the screen, click Graphs → Error Bar. Click
the “Simple” graph box, click “Summaries for groups of cases” and then click the
“Define” button. Move the variable ‘overload’ the “Variable” box and the variable
‘gender’ into the “Category Axis” box. Click ok.
What do you see? The confidence intervals for the two groups overlap
considerably. This indicates that there is no significant difference between the
groups with respect to feeling overwhelmed with respect to workload.
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Run another T-Test. Change the interval variable to another one. Is there any
significant difference between the genders using this variable? Include the TTest table in your assignment.
Can you find one that has a significant difference with respect to gender and any
of the other interval variables? If yes, create an Error Bar Graph of that variable.
ANOVA - Please run an ANOVA using these variables: employment (employed)
and “oblig” (This variable corresponds with the question “Do you meet your
obligations and responsibilities outside the program?”)
Procedure – In SPSS, at the top of the screen, click Analyze → Compare Means
→ One-Way ANOVA. Move the “oblig” variable into the “Dependent List” box and
then “employed” into the “Factor” box. Click ok.
Is there a significant difference between employment status and whether people
felt they meet their obligations? Look at the “Sig.” figure. Is it lower than .05?
Include this table in your assignment.
Try running the employment variable against “gradexp”, “goals”, or any of the
other interval variables. Do you see any significant findings? Include these tables
in your assignment.
Please write a short interpretation of your findings.
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Management 2700 Questionnaire
Please indicate one answer for each of the following questions:
Demographic Information:
Gender _____ Female _____ Male
Year of Program ______
Age ______
Major_________________
Prerequisite Course ______________________(mgt 2030, psych 2030 or stats 1770)
Country of Origin ________________________________
Marital Status____________________________________
Dependents ______yes____ no; if yes, how many_______
Grade expectation for this course (circle one)
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
less than C-
Are you or will you be employed while attending university?__________
The following questions refer to your experience with your Undergraduate program at
the U of L. Please read each question and circle only one number per question that
most accurately describes your attitude or situation.
Is your program interesting and
stimulating?
Do you feel overwhelmed by the
required workload?
Do you meet your obligations and
responsibilities outside the program?
Do you feel like you are receiving
adequate support from your Faculty?
Do you feel like you are meeting your
own expectations?
Do you feel like you have been
evaluated fairly?
Do you feel like you are moving closer
to your goals?
Of the stresses in your life, how much
would you attribute to the program?
Never
Seldom
Occasion
ally
Often
Always
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5
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5
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5
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5
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5
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5
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5
All
Most
Some
Little
None
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