MKT 220 Business Research
Dr. Cavazos
Chapter 07 – Measurement and Scaling
Homework #1
Zihui Chen
MKT220E
Homework #1
1.
What is measurement?
Measurement is the process of developing methods to systematically characterize or
quantify information about persons, events, ideas, or objects of interest.
2.
Among the four basic levels of scale measurements, which one provides the researcher with
the most information?
Ratio scale
3.
Explain the main differences between interval and ratio scale measurements.
The interval scale can only demonstrate absolute differences between each scale
point, however, in addition to identify the absolute differences between each scale
point, ratio scale can also make comparisons between the responses.
4.
What are the major differences between ordinal and interval scales? In your response
include an example of each type of scale
Both ordinal and interval scales can enable responses to be ranked-ordered in a
hierarchical pattern. However, ordinal scale cannot be used to determine the absolute
difference between ranking, but interval scale can. Interval scale can indicate how far
apart the measured objects are on a particular attribute.
For example, in terms of ordinal scale, responders can indicate they prefer Nike over
Adidas, but researchers cannot determine how much more the respondents prefer
Nike.
In terms of interval scale, for instance, the satisfaction level of customers with Nike
and Adidas was measure using a 7-point interval scale, with the end points 1=strongly
dissatisfied and 7= strongly satisfied. Thus it enables us to compare the relative level of
satisfaction of the customers with the two sports brands. And we can know how much
more the customers are more satisfied with Nike than Adidas, or more satisfied with
Adidas than Nike.
5.
Explain the major differences between “rating” and “ranking” scales. Which is a better scale
measurement technique for collecting attitudinal data on sales force performance of people
who sell commercial laser printers? Why?
Rating scale provides a rating question that ask respondents to compare different items
using a common scale, which a ranking scale offers a question asks respondents to compare
different items directly to one another and to rank items.
To collect attitudinal data, rating scale is better. Because it can rate the sales force
7-1
MKT 220 Business Research
Dr. Cavazos
Chapter 07 – Measurement and Scaling
Homework #1
performance, and researchers can know “how much more”, and also it is easy for researchers
to understand.
6.
What are the benefits and limitations of comparative scale measurements? Design a ranking
order scale that will enable you to determine brand preference between Bud Light, Miller
Lite, Coors Light, and Old Milwaukee Light beers.
Benefits: comparative scale allows people to compare an object with another directly.
Thus it can clearly show which one respondents likes better. It also can detect small
differences between objects.
Limitation: the comparative scale, ordinal nature of the data, it cannot generalize
beyond the stimulus object scaled. Also, it cannot tell researchers how much more the
respondents prefer a particular object. And sometimes, it forces respondents to choose
between two similar objects.
7. Develop a semantic differential scale that can identify the perceptual profile differences
between Outback Steakhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse restaurants.
(1) Outback Steakhouse: we would like to know your opinions about Outback
Steakhouse. Please select the space that best can express your opinions about
Outback Steakhouse.
Expensive - - - - - - - Cheap
Good service - - - - - - - Poor service
High quality - - - - - - - Poor quality
Good atmosphere - - - - - - - Bad atmosphere
(2) Longhorn Steakhouse: we would like to know your opinions about Longhorn
Steakhouse. Please select the space that best can express your opinions about
Longhorn Steakhouse.
Expensive - - - - - - - Cheap
Good service - - - - - - - Poor service
High quality - - - - - - - Poor quality
Good atmosphere - - - - - - - Bad atmosphere
7-2
MKT 220 Business Research
Dr. Cavazos
Chapter 07 – Measurement and Scaling
Homework #1
8. Design a behavior intention scale that can answer the following research question: To what
extent are college students likely to purchase a new automobile within six months after
graduating? Discuss the potential shortcomings of your scale.
As a college student, to what extent are you likely to purchase an automobile within six months
after graduating?
Definitely would
(90-100%)
Probably would
(50-89%)
Probably would not
(10-49%)
definitely would not
(less than 10%)
Potential shortcoming: the data from the scale cannot completely predict students’ behaviors.
The attitudes of students may change.
9. For each of the scales shown below (A, B, and C), answer the following questions:
a. What type of data is being collected?
Quantitative
b. What level of scale measurement is being used?
Nominal scale
c. What is the most appropriate measure of central tendency?
Mean, but when we using nominal scale, mode is the appropriate measure of
central tendency.
d. What is the most appropriate measure of dispersion?
Estimated Standard Deviation, but when we using nominal scale, frequency
distribution is the appropriate measure of dispersion.
e. What weakness, if any, exists with the scale?
A, B, C are all nominal scales, thus, researchers can only categorize respondents
to mutually exclusive subsets. It cannot rank the set of responses, and cannot
know the distances between subsets.
A. How do you pay for your travel expenses?
_____ Cash
_____ Check
_____ Credit card
_____ Company charge
_____ Personal charge
_____ Other __________
B. How often do you travel for business or pleasure purposes?
For Business
_____ 0-1 times per month
_____ 2-3 times per month
_____ 4-5 times per month
For Pleasure
_____ 0-1 times per year
_____ 2-3 times per year
_____ 4-5 times per year
7-3
MKT 220 Business Research
Dr. Cavazos
Chapter 07 – Measurement and Scaling
Homework #1
_____ 6 or more times per year
_____ 6 or more times per month
C. Check the one category that best approximates your total family annual income, before taxes.
(Check only one category.)
_____ Under $10,000 _____ $30,001-$40,000
_____ $60,001-$70,000
_____ $10,000-$20,000
_____ $40,001-$50,000
_____ $70,001-$100,000
_____ $20,001-$30,000
_____$50,001-$60,000
_____ Over $100,000
10. For each of the listed concepts or objects, design a scale measurement that would enable you
to collect data on that concept/object
a. An excellent long-distance runner
Who do you think is an excellent long-distance runner? Why?
b. A person’s favorite Mexican restaurant
Please choose which Mexican restaurant you like best.
 Casa Romero
 El Centro Mexican Restaurant
 Loita Cocina & Tequila Bar
 El Pelon Taqueria
 Tenoch Mexican
 Other: specify_______
c. Size of the listening audience for a popular country and western radio station
How often you listen to western radio station?
Never Listen
Listen very often
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
d. Consumer’ attitudes toward the Colorado Rockies professional baseball team
What do you think about Colorado Rockies professional baseball team?
Very weak
strength
weak
strength
moderate strength
strong strength
e. The satisfaction a person has toward his or her automobile
To what extent that you are satisfied with your automobile
 Very satisfied
 Somewhat satisfied
 Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
 Somewhat dissatisfied
 Very dissatisfied
7-4
very strong strenght
MKT 220 Business Research
Dr. Cavazos
Chapter 07 – Measurement and Scaling
Homework #1
f. Purchase intentions for a new tennis racket
When buying a racket, how likely are you to buy each of the following types of rackets?
Types of
rackets
Definitely
would buy
(90-100%
chance)
Probably
would buy
(50-89%
chance)
Probably
would not
buy
(10-49%
chance)
Definitely
would not
buy
Less than
10% chance)
High-quality
Good design
Cheapness
11. Identify and discuss the key issues a researcher should consider when choosing a scale for
capturing consumers’ expressions of satisfaction.
First the researcher should consider the objective of research, then he or she should
think about what resources are available to do the research. Also the research should
consider interest of respondents. And finally, the reliability of the scale should be
considered.
12. AT&T is interested in capturing the judgments people make of its new wireless cell phone
services. Determine and justify what service attributes should be used to capture the
performance of its wireless cell phone service. Design two scale measurements that would
allow AT&T to accurately collect the data.
(1) Please rate each of the aspects of AT&T’s new cell phone services listed below. (scale
=10 points, 0=extremely terrible, 10= extremely excellent)
Coverage:
Reception quality
Reliability
Signal
(2) How satisfied are you with AT&Ts new cell phone services?
a. Very satisfied
b. Somewhat satisfied
c. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
d. Somewhat dissatisfied
e. Very dissatisfied
7-5
MKT 220 Business Research
Dr. Cavazos
Chapter 07 – Measurement and Scaling
Homework #1
13. The local Ford dealership is interested in collecting data to answer the following information
research question: How likely are young adults to purchase a new automobile within a year
after graduating from college? Design a nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scale
measurement that will enable the dealership to collect the required data. In your opinion,
which one of your designs would be most useful to the dealership and why?
(1) Nominal scale:
How likely are young adults to purchase a new automobile within a year after graduating
from college?
 Intend to purchase
 No intend to purchase
(2) Ordinal scale:
Please choose the one response that express how likely are young adults to purchase a
new automobile within a year after graduating from college best.
 Definitely will
 Probably will
 Probably will not
 Definitely will not
(3) Interval scale:
How likely are young adults to purchase a new automobile within a year after graduating
from college?
Definitely will not
definitely will
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(4) Ratio scale
In the space provided below, please wrote down the percentage of how likely are young
adults to purchase a new automobile within a year after graduating from college?
_______
Among 4 types of scale, I think the ratio scale is the most useful. Because it can tell us
the exactly percentage value, and we can know the absolute difference and to make
comparison with responses.
7-6