CHAPTER 1

Introduction to Business Research

What is business research?
 Business research is a type of scientific research that tries to address the concerns of the firm and/or industry.

 It offers (recommends) solution/s to the affected functional area (marketing, management, human resource, finance,
entrepreneurship, etc.) or analysis about the perception, preference, and behavior of the customers, employees, and other
stakeholders.

Quantitative Research
 Basic business quantitative research uses survey questionnaire for collecting primary data (perception and preference of
respondents).

 The findings of quantitative business research can be generalized across the population, if the sampling method was done
randomly.

Qualitative Research
Business qualitative research uses observation (behavior of respondents) or depth interview (opinion and ideas of respondents) for
collecting data.

 The findings of qualitative business research cannot be generalized across the population, as it is treated like a case study.
Can quantitative and qualitative business methods be combined?

 Yes. The result of qualitative business research can be used to validate the result of quantitative business research, this process is
called triangulation.

 An example of this is the use of survey to respondents and interview to another group of respondents with the same study.

Triangulation

Problem and
Sub-Problems

Quantitative
Qualitative Results
Results

Basic Business Research

 Basic (Academic) business research is strict on APA compliance.

 It is dependent on the problematic situation identified by the researcher and the findings are expected to be generalized across
the population of the study.

Applied Business Research

 Applied business research is lenient and would depend on the preference of the client (for their easy interpretation and decision).

 It is dependent on the problem that the client would want to be solved and the findings cannot be generalized as it is just a case
study.
 Kinds of Business Research
A. Conclusive
 For quantitative business research.

 It is designed to help managers make decisions based on the information provided by business research.

 Through it, the manager or decision maker makes informed decisions.

 Informed decisions rely on researched information as basis for making decisions.

a. Descriptive research – is a kind of quantitative research that describes the problem or phenomenon that the
researcher or client wants to address or know. It answers the questions who, what, when, where, why, and how in
the statement of the problem.
b. Correlational research – it measures the relationships of variables statistically to determine it dependence or
interdependence.
c. Casual research – it hypothesizes the cause and effect of variables. It is intended to address the complicated
relationships of variables.
B. Exploratory
 For qualitative business research.

 It is designed to find more information about the problem, issue, or phenomenon.

 It is also intended to reduce the research options to a manageable size.

a) Depth interview – is a kind of exploratory research where the researcher conducts a detailed personal interview (with
guide questions that the respondent is aware of earlier) with the respondent.

b) Focus group discussion (FGD) – it is where the researcher solicits ideas about a particular topic or problem from the
target respondents.
• - The researcher selects around 10-12 respondents (representing the population) in one area and serves as the facilitator. The
researcher asks questions to the respondents and allows them to process the questions, while recording it for documentation
purposes.
c. Ethnographic or observation research – is a kind of qualitative research where the researcher observes the respondent or
respondents directly. It is done through:
a. Direct observation (with the respondent informed beforehand of such observation)
b. Direct observation (with the respondent uninformed of such observation). There are issues and concerns here:
i. If the respondent is made aware of such observation, he or she may be conscious of his or her behavior, thus
defeating the purpose of observing the behavior normally.
ii. If the respondent is not made aware of such observation (assuming a spy eyeglasses with video-recording
capability is applied), there is an ethical issue involved – intrusion of privacy.
iii. If the observation is successful, could the researcher interpret the observed behavior? In this regard, we
need experts like a psychologist to interpret perception, motivation, etc.; we need a sociologist to interpret
social behavior; and we need an anthropologist to interpret culture and symbols.

C. Business case analysis

 Involves the study of a particular company, group, or person through personal interviews and published literature.
 The personality of those involved in the case (company officers or personnel) is reflected and discussed in the case to make
it interesting.
 The case is written for purposes of class discussion.
 The case is intended to elicit the student’s participation by applying whatever concepts they have learned from the business
courses they have taken. It cannot be generalized as it is about a particular company only.

Criteria for a good business research

 For quantitative basic business research, it must be grounded on theory and empirically verifiable, especially if the
research model is confirmatory in nature, where the findings should validate the variables of the theory; if it is
explanatory in nature and no existing theory is available, then some valid explanation would suffice, but subject to
hypothesis testing and more empirical testing (to avoid accidental generalization).
 It must contribute to the advancement of knowledge in business and management.
 It results in scientific knowledge that is ethically neutral (not offensive).
 For qualitative basic business research, the observation could be interpreted by the experts. Their interpretation serves as the
basis for the managers to understand the customers to pave the way for a correct strategy.

FORMAT OF A BUSINESS RESEARCH

Format A (traditional format)
 Title Page

• Abstract – about purpose, methodology, major findings, and/or conclusions (150-200 words)
• Acknowledgement
• Dedication
• List of Tables
• List of Figures

Chapter 1 – Introduction
• Background of the Study
• Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
• Statement of the Problem
• Hypothesis of the Study (if any)
• Assumption/s of the Study (if any)
 • Significance of the Study
• Scope and Limitation/s of the Study
• Definition of Terms – conceptual and operational definition of terms used in the study.

Chapter 2- Review of Related Literature

• Overview on what topics to be reviewed in this chapter

• Literature about specific variables used in conceptual framework

• Literature about the major measurement tool used in the study (if required by the panel of examiners)

Chapter 3 Research Methodology

 Research Design
 Research Locale- where the respondents will be surveyed or interviewed
 Research Respondents
 Sampling size- with the sampling formula, if the population is not large, total enumeration(census) can be applied
 Sampling procedure- detailing how the respondents will be randomly selected

 Research Instrument- survey questionnaire, FGD, or depth interview

 Statistical Treatment- how the data will be processed, analyzed, and interpreted

Chapter 4- Presentation, Interpretation, and Analysis of Data

• Demographic Profile of Respondents

• Findings- frequency tables, charts, statistical output- tests performed

• Implications to theory, research, and practice
Chapter 5- Conclusions and Recommendations Summary of problems and hypotheses Summary of findings

Conclusions- generalize the finding of each problem

Recommendations- intervention to address the gap found in the findings; includes recommendations for those establishments
and individuals included in the significance of the study and for further research.

Bibliography and References- arranged alphabetically

Appendices- survey instrument, statistical output, and other related documents

Curriculum Vitae of Researchers- with picture

Format B (APA format)

 Title Page

• Abstract – about purpose, methodology, major findings, (150-200 words)

• Acknowledgement/s
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables and Figures

Chapter 1 – The Problem and Review of Related Literature

• Review of Related Literature
• Synthesis of the Review
• Hypothesis of the Study
• Definition of Terms
• Scope and Limitations
 • Significance of the Study
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Background of the Study
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework
Statement of the Problem
Hypothesis of the Study (if any)
Assumption/s of the Study (if any)
Significance of the Study
Scope and Limitation/s of the Study

Definition of Terms – conceptual and operational definition of terms used in the study.
Chapter 2 – Research Methodology
Research Method/Design
Participants
Instrument
Procedure
Data Analysis
Chapter 3 – Results and Discussions

Significant of Research Results (Presentation of Data)

Discussions (Analysis of Data)
Chapter 4–Summary of Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Findings
Conclusions
 Recommendations
References
Appendices

CHAPTER 2
Research Structure and Content
Structure of business research
When a student wants to write a thesis; the first thing that comes to his/her mind is the kind of research problem to be
addressed:
Is it something that I like to do research on?
Isitsomethingthathasnotbeenresearchedon?
IsitsomethingthatIcanfinishinashortpossibletime?
IsitsomethingthatIcanmeasureandsolvewithinmycapabilityasastudent?
Isitsomethingthathasbeenrecommendedinthepreviousresearchforfurtherstudy?
What is your problem?
Problemisthedilemmafacedbymanagersintheorganizationwhichneedstheirimmediateattention.
Thisisthetimewhenthemanagersshouldalsocomeupwithaverycrucialdecisionforthesuccessofthewholeorganization.
Researchersandstudentsalikefacethesameproblemwhenwritingordoingbusinessresearch.
Theproblemisthestartingpoint.

Research Model
Anyresearchwouldalwaysstartwithaproblem.Theresearcher,howevershouldsupporttheproblembyreadinganyliteratureaboutit.
Throughreadingmoreliteratureabouttheproblem,theresearcherwillalsodeepenhis/herunderstandingaboutthetopicandmayevencryst
alizesomeareasthatareunclearbefore.

Oncetheproblemstatementhasbeenfinalized,thenthenextstepistodevelopaconceptualframeworkthatrepresentstheproblemandsubprob
lems.Theframeworkshouldshowtheinterrelationshipsofthemajorvariablesgraphically.
Theconceptualframeworkshouldalsomentionhowitsvariablesareanchoredtothevariablesofthetheoreticalframework/s.Theconceptu
alframeworkvariablesmustbemeasuredbytheappropriatestatisticaltool.

Thefindingsofresearchshouldbevalidatedwiththetheoriesappliedtoseeiftheconceptualframeworkvariablesvalidateorcomplementthet
heoreticalframeworkvariables.
ThefindingsshouldalsobecomparedwithliteraturetopicsintheRRL.
Therefore,thereisadualvalidationprocesshere–onewiththetheoreticalframework,theotherwiththeRRL.
Theimplicationtotheory(itsvariables)andtoliterature(thevariablescovered)mustbestressedinthefindings.
Then,whenthefindingsarefullydiscussedrelativetotheproblemandsubproblems,eachproblemmusthaveaconclusion.
Eachconclusionshouldbeabletoexplainhowthefindingsforaparticularproblemcanbegeneralized.
Anysituationthatcannotbeaddressedbythefindingsrequiressomeintervention.
Thegapfoundissuggestedintherecommendationsectionforsomefutureaction.

Business research writing part 1

Howtostateanddiscussthemacro,micro,andproblematicsituationinthebackgroundofthestudy
•Inthispart,theresearcherwilldiscussthegeneralbackground(macro)oftheproblemorsituationrelatedwiththeproblem.

Thediscussionshouldcoverthefactorsortrendsthataffectormightaffecttheproblem.
Afterthemacroisdiscussedbriefly,itproceedswiththebriefdiscussionofthespecificbackground(micro)oftheproblem.
Oneofthewaystopresenttheproblematicsituationinthebackgroundofthestudyistostartfromtheglobalscale.
Theintroduction,whichstartswiththebackgroundofthestudy,shouldcontainsubstantialinformationtopresenttheproblemsorcertainga
psthattheresearcheristryingtoaddress.

Example

Samplebackgroundofthestudy(excerptfromTe(2007),pp.1-11)
Retailingaffectsourlives,especiallythewayweshop.Theshoppingexperiencethesedaysismuchmoredifferentasshoppersbecomemuchm
oreenthusiastic.Shoppersarepreferringthebiggerstoresorcombinationofstoresinoneroofcalledmalls.
Amallisabigstorewhichhasanchorstores(supermarketanddepartmentstoreownedbymallowners)andspecialtystores(ownedbythemallt
enants).Itcoversbothenclosedandopenareas.Somemallsarecomposedofbuildingslinkedthroughabridge.Othersmaynotuseonlythetotal
spaceforretailingbutasparkingspaceandrecreationalarea.
Othersalsohaveverticalbuildings(ashighasfivestories)toaugmentthelimitedspacesandhaveundergroundparking.
PooleandO’Cass(2000)statedthat:“Withtheproliferationofshoppingmalls,theconsumptionbehaviorofconsumersistakingupanewdime
nsion.Mallshopperslookupontheshoppingexperienceasfunandtheshoppingmallasamagicalplacewheretheycanescapefromtheeveryda
yworld.Theconsumersalsobenefitfromthemallshoppingtrendbecauseitdrivesthemallstobecomebetterandcheaper.
 MallinghasbecomeawayoflifeinthePhilippines,withmallsmushroominginthecountry(Garcia,2003).Filipinoshoppersareevengoingtot
hemallsnotjusttoshopandbeentertained,butalsotoavoidthetrafficduringrushhours.
InDavaoCity,themallingtrendhasalsodrivenalotofpeopletospendtheirtimeinsidemalls,especiallyduringweekendsandholidays.Withth
efivemajormallsdistributedstrategicallyinconcentratedareasofthecity,themallshopperscaneasilygototheirpreferredmall,orevenhopfro
mmalltomallcloseby.
However,in2007,despitethepresenceofthefivemajormalls,therewasnostudydoneonwhytheDavaoCityshoppersareattractedtoaparticul
armall.Theresearchercheckedtheavailablejournalsandliteratureifthereisany,butfoundnone,exceptfortheonedonebyGarcia(2003)inM
anila;Garcia,however,didnottouchtheareaofmallattractionfactorsorvariables.Thus,thismotivatedtheresearchertodoaresearchaboutthe
mallattractionfactors.
Howdoyoudevelopaconceptualframeworkthatmodelstheproblemandsub-problemsinyourstudy?
•Theconceptualframeworkisconsideredasthebackboneoftheresearchstudy.
•Theproblemandsub-problemsofthestudyarepresentedinthestatementoftheproblem.
•Thestatementoftheproblemmustberepresentedinaconceptualframeworkthroughagraphicalmodelthatwouldshowtherelationshipsofv
ariablesinthestudy.

Whencomingupwithaconceptualframework,becarefulinillustratingtherelationshipsofthevariableswiththeuseofshapes,lines,orarrows
.
•Concepts(representedbyvariables)shouldbedrawninboxes;processesshouldbedrawnbylinesandarrows.
•Alinewithanarrowatitsendmeansitisbasedonthedependencetechnique.
•Alinewitharrowsatbothendsmeansitisbasedontheinterdependencetechnique.

Independent Variables: Dependent Variable:

Product Customer Satisfaction
Price
Distribution
Promotion
Moreover,incomingupwithaconceptualframework,thefollowingpointsshouldbeconsidered:
1.Onlyincludetheconceptsthatwillbeoperationallydefinedandmeasured.
2.Presentthediagramfromlefttorightortoptobottom.
3.Usearrowstoimplycausality.
4.Labelconceptsclearly.
5.Donotincludeoperationaldefinitionsorvaluesofvariablesinthemodel.

Example
Mainproblem:WhatattractstheshopperstotheDavaoCityMalls?

Subproblems:

1.Whatarethefactorsinfluencingmallchoice?
2.Howshouldtheshoppersbesegmentedbasedontheattractionvariables?
3.Whatarethepreferencesofshoppersintermsofretailoutletanddayandtimeofshopping?

Conceptual framework
Shopper’s behavior
(Mall preferences)
*Mall Mall attraction factors Market segments
choice/retailer *atmospherics
choice *accessibility
*Time and day of *price
shopping *service
*product-mix
*promotion
*entertainment
  Theconceptualframeworkofthisstudyisanchoredonthetheoryofbuyerbehavior(Kotler,2000)wherethemarketingstimuli(produ
ct,price,place,promotion)areappliedtostimulatethebuyer’scharacteristicsandhis/herbuyingdecisionprocess(product/brandcho
ice,dealerchoice,purchasetimingandamount).Toinfluencethefactors,retailersmustfirstunderstandhowshoppersviewtheminter
msofattractiveness.Theirpositiveperceptionaboutaparticularmall/retailoutletwouldbethebasisforpreferringit.Becauseamallha
sallkindsofcustomers,theretailerscannoteffectivelytargettheshoppersiftheyarenotproperlysegmented.

 Oncethemarketsegmentsareknown,theretailerscanservetheshopper’sspecificneedsbetterbyfocusingonthedesiredsegment/s.M
arketsegmentationcanbedonethroughgeographic,demographic,psychographic,andbehavioralclassification(Kotleretal.,2005).
Here,themarketwassegmentedbasedontheirmallperceptionsandpreferences.Thefollowingmallattractionvariablesarebrieflydis
cussed:

 Mallatmosphericsincludestorearchitecture,layout,signsanddisplays,colors,sounds(music),smells(odororscent),retaildensity(c
rowding),temperature(cold),lighting,which,whencombinedtogether,willcreateanimageinthecustomer’smind(Levy&Weitz,1
995).

Thesecondfactortoconsiderisaccessibility.Itistheeasewithwhichacustomermaygetintoandoutofitandincludesstorelocation,parkings
pace,andavailabilityofpublictransportation.Retaillocationisimportanttocustomers,whotakethelocationofthestoreintoconsiderationwh
enmakingthedecisionofwheretobuy(Fernieetal.,2003).

Thethirdfactorisprice.Indevelopingpricingstrategies,malloperatorscanoptforastrategythatshouldstressthevalueformoney.Thatiswhyb
igretailersareavoidingorminimizingintermediariesandorderdirectlyfromproducertopassthecostsavingstotheconsumersthroughlowerp
rices.
•Thefourthfactortoconsideristhelevelofservice.Addingvaluethroughcustomerserviceisaviablestrategyasshoppersthesedaysaredeman
dingmoreandmoreforit.Tomeetandexceedcustomerexpectations,thequalityofservicebecomesimperativeasthereisapositivecorrelation
betweencustomersatisfactionandservicequality(Bakeretal.,2002).

Thefifthfactorisproduct-
mix(productvarietyandassortment).Thedegreeofmallcompetitionisnotbasedonlyonmerchandisesimilarlybutalsoonproductvarietyand
assortment,andtheservicesthemallprovides.
Thesixthfactor,promotion,includesadvertising,salespromotion,personalselling,andpublicity.Mostmallsthesedaysevenusein-
storeadvertisingbyputtingaTVsetandaDVDplayerneartheshelfwheretheproductisdisplayedandcontinuouslyplaytheadvertisingcopyto
attractshoppers.Theuseofproductdemonstrationisalsoafavoriteasitsolicitstheattentionofpasserby.

Thelastfactorisentertainment.Moviehousesarenotincludedinthiscategorybecausemoviehousesarenormallyexpectedtobepartofamall.
Entertainmentcouldalsobeusedasapromotionstrategy.Anareainthemallisassignedtoholdentertainingactivitiesinordertoattractshopper
stospecialeventsorpromotions.Thespacecanalsobeleasedtocompanieswhowouldsponsorevents.
Theabovefactors/variablesareintegraltomall-
attraction.Therefore,manipulatingeachfactororvariablecanalsoaffectmallattractiveness.Therelationshipoftheinterdependentvariables
(symbolizedbytwo-headedarrow)willbeanalyzedthroughfactoranalysisandclusteranalysis.

Howtolinktheconceptualframeworkwiththetheoreticalframework
•Theconceptualframeworkvariablesmustbeanchoredtotheoreticalframeworkvariables.
•Thetheoreticalframeworkisthestructurethatcansupportatheoryofaresearchstudyandthetheoreticalfoundationisessentialbecauseitwill
serveastheguideoftheresearchertoevaluatetheresearchproblemandtheresearchquestions.
•Theconceptualframeworkisthemodelusedinthestudytotestthevariablesempirically.

Whatisthereasonwhytheconceptualframeworkvariablesmustbeanchoredtoatheory?

•Atheoryiscomposedofvariablesthataresystematicallyrelatedtoprovideanexplanationorprediction.
•Aconceptualframeworkiscomposedofvariablesthataregoingtobetestedthroughhypothesistesting.
•Iftheconceptualtestingprovesthevariable/stobetrue,thenitvalidatesthevariableorvariablesinatheorywhereitisanchored;thus,itcomple
mentsthetheory.

Ifitisnottrue,thentheremustbesomeexplanationorneedtoconductanotherstudytofurtherexplainwhyitisnottrue.

•Theconceptualframeworkisacandidateforatheoryifproventobetrueagainandagainbymanyresearchers.
Some theories, statistical laws, and concepts (based on disciplines) as guide in writing the theoretical
framework
Management:
•6BasesofPower(1965)byJohnFrenchandBertramRaven
•Action-CenteredLeadership(1960)byJohnAdair
•ClassicalOrganizationalTheoriesbyTaylor(1947),Weber(1947),andFayol(1949)
•ContingencyTheory(1958)byJoanWoodward

HRM:

•ContingencyTheory(1964)byFredEdwardFielder,fromthearticle“ContingencyModelofLeadershipEffectiveness”
•ExpectancyTheory(1964)byVictorVroom
•HardModel(1989)byLegge
•HarvardAnalyticalFrameworkorGenderRolesFramework(1984)byCatherineOverholt,MaryAnderson,andKathleenCloud

Finance:
•AgencyTheory(1970)byStephenRossandBarryMitnick
•ArbitragePricingTheorybyStephenRoss(1976)
•BasumolModelofCashManagementbyWilliamJ.Baumols
•ModernPortfolioTheorybyHarryMarkowitz(1950s)

Marketing
Diffusion of Innovation Model(1976) by Everett Rogers
Model of Buying Behavior (2000) by Philip Kotler, from the book Principles of Marketing
Product Life Cycle (1979) by Raymond Vernon, from the book The product Life Cycle Hypothesis in a new International
Environment

How do you measure (solve) the problem and subproblem/s as represented by the conceptual
framework?
•The problems and sub problems represented in your conceptual framework should be relevant to the issues or business dilemma
you are trying to address.
•In translating the relationship of variables into research questions, you have to consider appropriate words to be used, given that
you will use statistical treatment to compute for the data that will answer each of your research problems.

Words to be used in the research problems Equivalent statistical treatment

1.Level Central tendency
 2. Relationship Pearson R(for parametric data);
Kendall’s tau B and Spearman’s rho,
Chi-square (for nonparametric data)
3. Influence/Predict Regression

4.Moderate/Difference t-Test, ANOVA,

5. Perception Multidimensional scaling, multidimensional unfolding,

and correspondence analysis

What is a hypothesis?
Hypothesisisastatementaboutaneducatedguessontheeffectofaparticularvariabletoothervariable/s.Theeffectcouldbemeasuredinter
msofstatisticalsignificance(P-valueof0.05orless)orthroughothermeasureswherethedifferencecanbecomputedorobserved.
BurnsandBurns(2008)stressed:“Ifresearchwerelimitedtosimplygatheringfacts,knowledgecouldnotadvance.Withoutsomeguidingi
dea,everyinvestigationwouldbefruitless,sincewecouldnotdeterminewhatisrelevantandwhatisirrelevant.”

Hypothesiscanbestatedinnegativeform(nullhypothesis)orinpositiveform(alternativehypothesis).
Someschoolswouldprefertostatebothforms,whereasotherswouldgoonlyforthenullhypothesis.
Statisticianswouldarguethatitiseasiertomeasurethenullhypothesisasoneonlyneedstodisapproveit.Thealternativehypothesis,meanw
hile,mustbeproventhoroughlyforitssignificancetobeworthitsacceptance.
Which problem/s should be hypothesized?
Notallproblemsneedhypothesistesting.
Iftheproblemisgoingtobeaddresseddescriptively,thenitishypothesisfree.However,forproblemsthatwouldrequiresignificancetesting
(P-
valueof0.05orless)orstatisticalmeasurement(e.g.,significantfactorloading,significantbetacoefficient),thenthereisaneedforahypothesi
stesting.

How should a null hypothesis be stated?

Anullhypothesisisastatementexplaininghowitistestednegativelybyinsertingtheword“no.”Forexample,thereisnosignificantrelations
hipbetweenvariableAandvariableB.
Iftheword“no”isnotincludedinthestatement,thenitbecomesanalternativehypothesis–
thereisasignificantrelationshipbetweenvariableAandvariableB.
What should be assumed in the study?
Theassumptionofthestudyisasuppositionaboutasituationthatdoesnotrequiretobestudiedanymore.
Therefore,itisassumedtobepresentorobservedandthereisnoneedforitsjustificationthroughresearch.
Example
ThemallshopperinDavaoCityarecomingmostlyfromDavaoCityandveryfewfromneighboringcities.
(Thus,thereisnoneedtojustifywhethertherearemoreshoppersfromDavaoCitythantheothercitiesataparticularperiodasitisassumedtobem
orethantheothercityshoppers.)

Theseniorcitizensabove70arenotpronetogoonmallshopping.(Thus,theyareexcludedfromthestudy.)

What should be included in the significance of the study?

Thesignificanceofthestudyisanimportantcomponentofresearch.
Ifthereisnothingthestudycancontributesignificantly,thenithaslittlevaluetothestudyorresearch.Ifsuchisthecase,thenitisnotworthemu
latingbyotherresearchersorstakeholders.
Itshouldbearrangedeitherfromgeneral(macro)tospecific(micro)significanceorfromspecifictogeneralsignificance.
Example
Thisstudycanenlightenthemalloperators/retailerstocomeupwithacorrectstrategybysegmentingthecustomersbasedonthefactorsthey
valued.
Thereisnoformalstudyprecedingthisstudyonmallshoppers’preferencesinDavaoCity.Thus,theresearchersandwould-
beinvestorscanbenefitfromthisstudy.
Theacademecanusethefindingsofthisstudytodeepentheirunderstandingaboutconsumershoppingbehavior.Theexistingtheoriesabout
consumerbehaviorcanbeaugmentedandcomplementedbythisstudy.

MallOperators/Retailers.Thisstudycanenlightenthemalloperators/retailerstocomeupwithacorrectstrategybysegmentingthec
ustomersbasedonthefactorstheyvalued.
Researchers/Investors.Thereisnoformalstudyprecedingthisstudyonmallshopper’spreferencesinDavaoCity.Thus,theresearch
ersandwould-beinvestorscanbenefitfromthisstudy.
Academe.Theacademecanusethefindingsofthisstudytodeepentheirunderstandingaboutconsumers’shoppingbehavior.Theexistin
gtheoriesaboutconsumerbehaviorcanbeaugmentedandcomplementedbythisstudy.
What should be included in the scope and limitation of the study?
Thescopeandlimitationofthestudydiscussesbrieflywhatisbeingcoveredinthestudy(whatandwhoareincludedinthestudy)aswellasthel
imitationthatisevidentormightbeencounteredduringthedata-gatheringphaseoranalysisphase.
Example
TheseniorstudentscurrentlyenrolledinDavaoCityHEIswereincludedinthestudy..Thestudycovered300studentscomingfromdifferent
HEIsinDavaoCity.Theotherstakeholders,likeparentsandalumni,wereexcludedbecauseseniorcollegestudentsarepresumedtobemature
enoughtodecidewhatisbestforthemwhenitcomestoeducationandfutureopportunities.Only10schoolswereincludedinthestudybecauseo
fthetechnicallimitationsofMDSinprocessingmorethan10objects(schools).

Theresearcheroptedtoincludeonlythemajorandtraditionalschoolswithcollegecampuseslocatedwithinthe10-
kilometerradiusfromtheheartofthecity.
Thestudydidnotapplyproportionatestratifiedrandomsampling;therespondentswereevenlydistributedtoalltheparticipatingschools,h
ence,theuseofdisproportionatestratifiedrandomsample.
What should be included in the definition of terms?
Thedefinitionoftermsincludestheconceptualandoperationaldefinitionoftermsusedextensivelyinthestudy.
Theconceptualdefinitionisintendedtoclarifythemeaningofaparticulartermandtoguidethereaderonhowitisintendedtobeusedinthestu
dy.
Theoperationaldefinitionisabouthowatermistechnicallyusedinthestudyandhowsuchtermisappliedtothevariable/sinthestudy.
Example
Cohort–isagroupofrespondentswhoexperiencethesameeventwithinthesametimeinterval(Malhotra,2007).
FactorLoadings–
correlationbetweentheoriginalvariablesandthefactors,andthekeytounderstandingthenatureofthefactor(Hairetal.,2007).
HigherEducationalInstitution–
collegesanduniversitiesinthePhilippinesaregenericallycalledHigherEducationalInstitutions(HEIs)bythePhilippineCommissiononHi
gherEducation.

•Note:Thetermfactorloadingisanoperationaldefinition,whilethetermsCohortandHigherEducationalInstitutionareconceptualdefinitio
ns.