Business Research Methods William G. Zikmund

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Business Research MethodsWilliam G. Zikmund

• Chapter 13
• Measurement

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Concept

• A generalized idea about a class of objects,
  attributes, occurrences, or processes

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Operational Definition

• Specifies what the researcher must do to measure
  the concept under investigation

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Media Skepticismconceptual definition

• Media skepticism - the degree to which
  individuals are skeptical toward the reality
  presented in the mass media. Media skepticism
  varies across individuals, from those who are
  mildly skeptical and accept most of what they see
  and hear in the media to those who completely
  discount and disbelieve the facts, values, and
  portrayal of reality in the media.

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Media SkepticismOperational Definition

• Please tell me how true each statement is
  about the media. Is it very true, not very true,
  or not at all true?
• 1. The program was not very accurate in its
  portrayal of the problem.
• 2. Most of the story was staged for entertainment
  purposes.
• 3. The presentation was slanted and unfair.

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Scale

• Series of items arranged according to value for
  the purpose of quantification
• A continuous spectrum

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Nominal Scale
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Ordinal Scale
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Interval Scale
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Ratio Scale
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Scale Properties

• Uniquely classifies
• Preserves order
• Equal intervals
• Natural zero

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Nominal Scale Properties

• Uniquely classifies
• Sammy Sosa 21
• Barry Bonds 25

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Ordinal Scale Properties

• Uniquely classifies
• Preserves order
• Win, place, show

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Interval Scale Properties

• Uniquely classifies
• Preserves order
• Equal intervals
• Consumer Price Index (Base 100)
• Fahrenheit temperature

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Ratio Scale Properties

• Uniquely classifies
• Preserves order
• Equal intervals
• Natural zero
• Weight and distance

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Index Measures

• ATTRIBUTES A single characteristic or fundamental
  feature that pertains to an object, person, or
  issue
• COMPOSITE MEASURE A composite measure of several
  variables to measure a single concept a
  multi-item instrument

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The Goal of Measurement Validity
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Validity

• The ability of a scale to measure what was
  intended to be measured

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Reliability

• The degree to which measures are free from random
  error and therefore yield consistent results

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Reliability and Validity on Target
Old Rifle New Rifle
New Rifle
Sun glare Low Reliability High
Reliability Reliable but Not Valid
(Target A) (Target B)
(Target C)
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Validity
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Reliability
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Sensitivity

• A measurement instruments ability to accurately
  measure variability in stimuli or responses.