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Unit II Assignment Instructions
Hoang Chau Nhi Tu
Columbia Southern University
RCH 5301 Research Methods
Dr. Robert Robertson
May 10th, 2023
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Part 1: Research Strategy Analysis and Sampling Assignment
Title: Predictors of organizational effectiveness in public sector organizations
Authors: Williams, D., & Anderson, C.
Journal: Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory
Year: 2018
Critique:
Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of
organizational effectiveness in public sector organizations in the United States. The study aimed
to determine which factors had the greatest impact on organizational effectiveness and provide
insights into how public sector organizations can improve their performance.
Target population: The target population for this study was public sector organizations
in the United States. The authors selected a sample of 500 public sector organizations from
different states to participate in the study.
Rationale for using a quantitative research strategy versus a qualitative research strategy:
The authors chose to use a quantitative research strategy because they wanted to test a specific
set of hypotheses and identify the factors that had the greatest impact on organizational
effectiveness. Quantitative research allowed the authors to collect and analyze numerical data,
which provided a more objective and precise measurement of the variables under study.
Additionally, using a survey instrument allowed the authors to collect data from a large number
of participants in a relatively short period of time.
Research design: The authors used a cross-sectional research design, which allowed
them to collect data at a single point in time. They also used a survey research design, which
involved collecting data through a self-administered questionnaire.
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Analytical approach: The authors used multiple regression analysis to identify the
predictors of organizational effectiveness. They also used descriptive statistics to summarize the
data and identify any patterns or trends.
Data analysis procedures used and rationale: The authors used multiple regression
analysis to test their hypotheses and identify the factors that had the greatest impact on
organizational effectiveness. This statistical method allowed the authors to examine the
relationship between multiple independent variables and a single dependent variable.
Data collection method: The authors used a self-administered questionnaire to collect
data from the participants. The questionnaire was designed based on previous research and
included questions about the organizational characteristics, leadership, human resource
management practices, and organizational culture.
Sampling design, and validity and reliability: The authors used a random sampling
method to select the participants for the study. They also used a pre-testing procedure to ensure
the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. The authors reported high levels of internal
consistency and reliability for the survey instrument.
Findings: The authors found that leadership, human resource management practices, and
organizational culture were the most significant predictors of organizational effectiveness in
public sector organizations. They also found that organizational characteristics such as size, age,
and mission had a moderate impact on organizational effectiveness.
Areas in the study that were well executed and areas that require improvement: The
authors did a good job in selecting a representative sample of public sector organizations and
designing a survey instrument that was reliable and valid. However, the study was limited to
only one point in time and did not examine the causal relationship between the independent
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variables and the dependent variable. The authors acknowledged this limitation and suggested
that future research should use longitudinal research designs to examine the changes in
organizational effectiveness over time.
Part 2 - Project Suggestion
Impact of Customer Service on Brand Loyalty
Another potential quantitative research project could be examining the impact of
customer service on brand loyalty. The problem to be solved is understanding how customer
service interactions impact a customer's likelihood to remain loyal to a brand. Research questions
could include asking customers to rate their satisfaction with customer service interactions on a
Likert scale, asking how likely they are to recommend the brand to others, and asking about their
previous purchase history with the brand. Demographic questions could include age, gender, and
income. The population of interest could be customers of a specific brand or a particular
industry. The sampling frame could be drawn from customer lists provided by the participating
organization, and the sample type could be stratified random sampling. The survey could be
distributed through email or an online survey platform.
Self-Completion Questionnaire
Problem Statement Questions:
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How does the level of customer service impact brand loyalty?
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What are the factors that influence customer loyalty towards a brand?
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To what extent does customer satisfaction with the customer service influence their brand
loyalty?
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What is the relationship between customer service and repeat purchases from the same
brand?
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To what extent does customer service quality affect brand loyalty?
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How important is customer service responsiveness in building brand loyalty?
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What role does customer service expertise play in brand loyalty?
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Does customer service personalization influence brand loyalty?
Variables to be Measured Questions
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To what extent do you agree with the statement: "The customer service representatives
were knowledgeable and able to answer my questions?"
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How satisfied were you with the timeliness of the service provided by the customer
service representatives?
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How likely are you to recommend our brand to others based on your recent customer
service experience?
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To what extent do you agree with the statement: "The customer service representatives
were friendly and courteous in their interactions with me?"
Likert Scale Questions: A 5-point Likert scale will be used, with responses ranging from
strongly disagree to strongly agree.
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On a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the customer service provided by our
company?
1 - Extremely Dissatisfied
2 - Somewhat Dissatisfied
3 - Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied
4 - Somewhat Satisfied
5 - Extremely Satisfied
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To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "The quality of
customer service I receive influences my decision to continue doing business with a
company."
1 - Strongly Disagree
2 - Disagree
3 - Neither Agree nor Disagree
4 - Agree
5 - Strongly Agree
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How likely are you to recommend our company to a friend or colleague based on your
experience with our customer service?
1 - Extremely Unlikely
2 - Somewhat Unlikely
3 - Neutral
4 - Somewhat Likely
5 - Extremely Likely
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How frequently do you interact with our customer service team?
1 - Never
2 - Rarely
3 - Occasionally
4 - Frequently
5 - Very Frequently
Demographic Questions:
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What is your age?
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What is your gender?
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What is your level of education?
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What is your occupation?
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What is your annual income?
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What is your marital status?
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How often do you interact with the company's customer service representatives?
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How often do you purchase products or services from the company?
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How long have you been a customer of the company?
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Which channels do you prefer to use when interacting with the company's customer
service representatives? (e.g., phone, email, chat, in-person, social media, etc.)
Level of Scale Measurement Questions:
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On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied were you with the customer service you received from
“Our Brand” during your last interaction?
1 - Very Dissatisfied
2 - Dissatisfied
3 - Neutral
4 - Satisfied
5 - Very Satisfied
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On a scale of 1-7, how likely are you to continue using “Our Brand” in the future?
1 - Extremely Unlikely
2 - Moderately Unlikely
3 - Slightly Unlikely
4 - Neutral
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5 - Slightly Likely
6 - Moderately Likely
7 - Extremely Likely
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On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to recommend “Our Brand” to a friend or
colleague?
1 - Not Likely at All
2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - Extremely Likely
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On a scale of 1-5, how important is customer service to your decision to continue using
“Our Brand”?
1 - Not Important at All
2 - Slightly Important
3 - Moderately Important
4 - Very Important
5 - Extremely Important
Population of Interest Questions: The population of interest is customers who have interacted
with the customer service department of the company in the past six months.
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What is your gender?
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What is your age?
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What is your highest level of education?
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What is your employment status?
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What is your household income?
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In which state or region do you currently reside?
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What is your current marital status?
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How often do you shop for the product(s) of the brand in question?
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How long have you been a customer of the brand in question?
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How did you first learn about the brand in question?
Sampling Frame Questions: The sampling frame will be customers who have interacted with
the customer service department of the company in the past six months and have provided their
contact information.
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What type of customers do you purchase from our brand?
A. First-time customers
B. Occasional customers
C. Regular customers
D. Loyal customers
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How often do you purchase from our brand in a month?
A. Never
B. 1-2 times
C. 3-4 times
D. 5 or more times
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Have you had any customer service interactions with our brand in the past six months?
A. Yes
B. No
o If yes, how did you interact with our customer service team?
A. In-person
B. Phone
C. Email
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D. Live chat
o If no, please skip to the next section.
o If yes, how would you rate your customer service experience?
A. Very satisfied
B. Satisfied
C. Neutral
D. Dissatisfied
E. Very dissatisfied
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What factors contributed to your rating? (Select all that apply)
A. Timeliness
B. Courtesy
C. Knowledgeability
D. Responsiveness
E. Empathy
F. Other (please specify): _________
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Do you think the customer service experience has influenced your loyalty to our brand?
A. Yes, positively
B. Yes, negatively
C. No, it did not have an impact
D. I am not sure
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What actions would you take if you had a negative customer service experience with our
brand?
A. Switch to a competitor
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B. Reduce my purchase frequency
C. Complain to the brand
D. Share my experience on social media
E. Other (please specify): __________
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What actions would you take if you had a positive customer service experience with our
brand?
A. Increase my purchase frequency
B. Recommend the brand to others
C. Leave a positive review
D. Share my experience on social media
E. Other (please specify): __________
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What are the top three factors that influence your brand loyalty? (Select up to three)
A. Quality of products/services
B. Price
C. Brand reputation
D. Customer service experience
E. Brand image/marketing
F. Other (please specify): __________
Sample Type Questions: The sample type will be a convenience sample, where participants will
be selected based on their availability and willingness to participate.
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What is your employment status?
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Employed full-time
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Employed part-time
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Self-employed
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Unemployed
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Student
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Retired
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Other (please specify) _____________________
Method of Survey Distribution Questions: The survey will be distributed via email to the
customers who meet the inclusion criteria. A follow-up email will be sent to non-respondents
after one week.
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How do you prefer to complete surveys?
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Online
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Paper and pencil
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In-person interview
How frequently do you check your email?
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Multiple times per day
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Once per day
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Several times per week
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Once per week
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Less than once per week
How often do you use social media?
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Multiple times per day
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Once per day
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Several times per week
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Once per week
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Less than once per week
Have you participated in a survey via social media before?
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Yes
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No
Would you be willing to complete a survey via text message?
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Yes
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No
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Maybe, it depends on the topic of the survey
How likely are you to complete a survey sent to you via mail?
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Very likely
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Somewhat likely
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Neutral
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Somewhat unlikely
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Very unlikely
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References
Bell, E., Bryman, A., & Harley, B. (2022). Business research methods (6th ed.).
Williams, D., & Anderson, C. (2018). Predictors of organizational effectiveness in public sector
organizations. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 28(1), 1-17.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mux035
Gustafsson, A., & Johnson, M. D. (2003). Competing in a service economy: how to create a
competitive advantage through service development and innovation. John Wiley & Sons.
Homburg, C., Kuester, S., & Krohmer, H. (2009). Marketing management: A contemporary
perspective. McGraw-Hill Education.