RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT
ON
FORMULATING HYPOTHESIS,
DEFINING CONSTRUCTS AND VARIABLES

SUBMITTED BY:MOUSUMI MAZUMDAR

ROLL NO: - 22/068
SECTION: - B

FORMULATING HYPOTHESIS
1. An automobile manufacturer observes the demand for its brand (DV) increasing as per capita
income (IV) increases. Sales increases also follow low interest rates (MV), which ease credit
conditions. Buyer purchase behavior is seen to be dependent on age (IVV) and gender (IVV).
Other factors influencing sales (EV) appear to fluctuate almost randomly (competitor,
advertising, competitor dealer discounts, introductions of new competitive models).
If sales and per capita income are positively related, classify all variables as dependent,
independent, moderating, extraneous, or intervening.
ANS:-

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE (IV): - PER CAPITA INCOME because its manipulation causes
an effect on the dependent variable that is having a positive relation with any change in
IV.
DEPENDENT VARIABLE (DV): - DEMAN FOR BRAND because it can be measured,
predicted, or otherwise monitored and is expected to be affected by manipulation of an
independent variable which is Per Capita Income in this case.
MODERATING VARIABLE (MV): - LOWER INTEREST RATES- EASES CREDIT as it is
altering the strength of casual relation between the IV and the DV and also it helps in
contributing towards studying the hypothesis more deeply and can measure the further
measures to be taken to understand the underlying causes and its effect of Easing Credit
Conditions on Sales.
EXTRANEOUS VARIABLE (EV): - FACTORS INFLUENCING SALES (Advertising, Discounts
etc) as it is influencing the outcome of the original experiment i.e.; relation of increase
in sales w.r.t per capita income, though they are not the variables that are actually of
interest, as the different factors are a separate conditions which is dependent on
various other variables and is not conclusive as mentioned it is fluctuating randomly.
INTERVENING VARIABLE (IVV): - AGE AND GENDER as it theoretically or indirectly
affects the original causal relation between IV and MV but cannot be seen or measured
wrt to the direct case variable factors as it is said in the hypothesis.

2. You observe the following conditions: Our female sales representatives have lower customer
defections than do our male sales representatives. Propose the concepts and constructs you
might use to study this phenomenon.
Ans: - CONSTRUCT: - Customer Defection
CONCEPTS: Male employee definition
Female Employee definition
Customer Loyalty
Customer Retention
Cash flow or profits
3. You are the office manager of a large firm. Your company prides itself on its high-quality
customer service. Lately complaints have surfaced that an increase number of incoming calls are
being misrouted or dropped. Yesterday, when passing by the main reception area, you noticed
the receptionist fiddling with his hearing aid. In the process, a call came in and would have gone
unanswered if not for your intervention. This particular receptionist has earned an
unsatisfactory review three months earlier for tardiness. Your inclination is to urge this 20-year
employee to retire or fire him, if retirement is rejected, but you know the individual is well liked
and seen as fixture in the company. Propose several hypotheses that might account for dropped
or misrouted incoming calls.
Ans: Constructs:Employee Experience
Employee
Hearing Aid
Phone routing problem
Defect in Phone
The proposed Hypothesis could be:1. The employee is too inexperienced to handle the load.
2. Employee cannot afford a proper hearing aid, the lack of which causes problems in directing
calls properly, or answering calls in a timely manner.
3. There is a problem with the phone routing system.
4. There is a problem with the main phone at the call desk.
5. There is a problem with the attitude of the receptionist towards work.