Business Research methods: 

1. An applied researcher wants to increase the performance of bank employees in a particular branch. What is the dependent variable in this case? 


2. A marketing manager believes that limiting the availability of a product increases product desirability. What is the variable here? 

(for 3 and 4 : list the variables in these two exercises individually, and label them as dependent or independent, explaining why they are so labelled and create diagrams to illustrate the relationships ) 
3. A manager believes that good supervision and training will increase the production level of workers. 


4. A marketing manager believes that selecting physically attractive spokespersons and models to endorse their products increases the persuasiveness of message. 

(For 5 and 6:list and label the variables in these two exercises and explain and illustrate by means of diagrams the relationships among variables) 
5. A manager finds that off-the-job class room training has a great impact on the productivity of the employees in her department. However, she also observes that employees over 60 years of age do not seem to derive much benefit and do not improve with such training. 


6. A manager finds that the intensity of e-business adoption is positively associated with sales performance. What’s more, when market uncertainty (the rate of change in the composition of customers and their preferences) is high, this positive effect is strengthened. 


7. Make up three different situations in which motivation to work would be an independent variable, a meditating variable and a moderating variable. 


8. Failure to follow accounting principles causes immense confusion, which in turn creates a number of problems for the organization. Those with vast experience in bookkeeping, however, are able to avert the problems by taking timely corrective action. List and label the variables in this situation, explain the relationships among variables, and illustrate those by means of diagrams. 


9. The manager of Haines company observes that the morale of employees in her company is low. She thinks that if their working conditions are improved, pay scales raised, and the vacation benefits made attractive, the morale will be boosted. She doubts, however, if an increase in pay scales would raise the morale of all employees. Her conjecture is that those that have supplemental incomes will just not be “turned on” by higher pay, and only those without side incomes will be happy with increased pay with a resultant boost in morale. List and label the variables in the situation. Explain the relationship among the variables and illustrate them by means of diagrams. What might be the problem statement or problem definition for the situation? 


10. The probability of cancer victims successfully recovering under treatment was studied by a medical researcher in a hospital. She found three variables to be important for recovery: 
- Early and correct diagnosis by the doctor 
- The nurse’s careful follow up of the doctor’s instructions 
- Peace and quite in the vicinity 
In a quite atmosphere, the patient rested well and recovered sooner. Patients who were admitted in advanced stages of cancer did not respond to treatment even through the doctor’s diagnosis was performed immediately on arrival, the nurses did their best and there was plenty of peace and quite in the area. Define the problem and develop the theoretical framework for the situation.