Chapter 5 Chapter 5
Clarifying the Research
Clarifying the Research
Question through Secondary
Question through Secondary
Data and Exploration
Learning Objectives Learning Objectives
Understand...
The purpose and process of exploratory research. The two types and three levels of management
decision-related secondary sources.
The five types of external information and the
Learning Objectives Learning Objectives
Understand . . .
The process of using exploratory research to
understand the management dilemma and work through the stages of analysis necessary to
formulate the research question (and, ultimately, investigative questions and measurement questions).
Clarifying the Research Question Clarifying the Research Question
Reduces Information Overload Reduces Information Overload
“Companies are certainly aware of data
mining, but most companies are not making effective use of the data collected. They
are not so good at analyzing it or applying these insights to the business.”
Gregory Piatetsky-Shapiro
PulsePoint: PulsePoint:
Research Revelation Research Revelation
33
The percent of financial executivesExploratory Phase Exploratory Phase
Search Strategy Search Strategy
Search Strategy
Discovery/ Analysis Secondary Sources
Individual Expert
Interview
Group
Integration of Secondary Data Integration of Secondary Data
Objectives of Secondary Objectives of Secondary
Searches Searches
• Expand understanding of management dilemma
• Gather background information
• Identify information to gather
• Identify sources for and actual questions
Conducting a Conducting a
Literature Search Literature Search
Define management dilemma Define management dilemma
Consult books for relevant terms Consult books for relevant terms
Use terms to search Use terms to search
Locate/review secondary sources Locate/review secondary sources
Evaluate value of each source and content
Levels of Information Levels of Information
Primary Sources:
Internal records
Secondary Sources:
Newscasts
Tertiary Sources:
Indexes Bibliographies
Internet
The
U.S. Government is the
Information Sources Information Sources
Evaluating Information Sources Evaluating Information Sources
The Evolution of Data Mining The Evolution of Data Mining
Evolutionary Step Investigative Question Enabling Technologies Characteristics Data collection
(1960s) average total revenue “What was my over the last five
years?”
Computers, tapes,
disks Retrospective, static data delivery
Data access (1980s) “What were unit sales in California last
December?”
Relational databases (RDBMS), structured
query language (SQL), ODBC
Retrospective, dynamic data delivery
at record level
Data navigation
(1990s) “What were unit sales in California last December? Drill down
to Sacramento.”
Online analytic processing (OLAP),
multidimensional databases, data
warehouses
Retrospective, dynamic data delivery
at multiple levels
Data mining (2000) “What’s likely to happen to
Sacramento unit sales
Advanced algorithms, multiprocessor computers, massive
Stage 1: Clarifying the Research Stage 1: Clarifying the Research
Question Question
Management-Research Question Management-Research Question
Formulating the Formulating the
Types of Types of
The Research Question The Research Question
Determine necessary
evidence Determine necessary
evidence Examine
variables Examine
variables
Break questions
down Break questions
down
Performance Considerations Performance Considerations
Investigative Questions Investigative Questions
Attitudinal Issues Attitudinal Issues
Harris Interactive answers “Why?”
Gantt Chart Gantt Chart
Key Terms Key Terms
Bibliography
Bibliographic Database Data Mart
Data Mining Data Visualization
Data Warehouse Dictionary
Directory Encyclopedia Expert interview Exploratory research
Handbook Index
Investigative questions Literature search Management question Measurement question
– Custom-designed – Predesigned
Primary sources Research questions
Secondary sources Source evaluation
Appendix Appendix
5a 5a
Bibliographic
BibliographicDatabase Searches Database Searches
Appendices Appendices
5b 5b
Searching Databases vs. the Searching Databases vs. the
Review of Advanced Search Review of Advanced Search