Chapter 4

The Research Process - Theoretical

Framework & Hypothesis
Development
 Theoretical Framework
◆A theoretical framework represents
your beliefs on how certain
phenomena (or variables or
concepts) are related to each other
(a model) and an explanation on why
you believe that these variables are
associated to each other (a theory).
 Theoretical Framework
◆ Basic steps:
– Identify and label the variables
correctly

– State the relationships among the

variables: formulate hypotheses

– Explain how or why you expect these

relationships
 The research process (2)

◆Variables

◆Hypotheses development
 Variables
◆A variable is anything that can take
on differing or varying values.

◆ The values can differ at various

times for the same object or person.

◆ The values can differ at the same

time for different objects or persons.
 Examples

◆ Production Units

◆ Absenteeism

◆ Motivation

◆ Satisfaction

◆ Performance
 Types of variables

◆ The dependent variable ( the

Criterion/ core variable)

◆ The independent variable ( the

predictor variable)
 The dependent variable (s)
◆ The variable of the primary interest
to the researcher.
◆ The researcher’s goal is to
understand and describe the
dependent variable or to explain its
variability or predict it.
◆ It is the core of the research.
 An Example
◆A manager is concerned that the
sales of a new product
introduced after test marketing,
do not meet with his
expectations.
◆ The dependent variable is:
Sales……
The sales can vary; can be low, medium or high….
So it is a variable, and it is the main focus of the
researcher, therefore it is DV
 Independent variable (s)
◆ An independent variable is one that
influence the dependent variable in
either positive or negative way.
◆ When the IV is present, the DV is
also present,
◆ And with each unit of increase in the
IV, there is an increase or decrease
in the DV also.
◆ The variance in the DV is accounted
for by the IV.
 An example
◆ Research studies indicate that
successful new product development
has an influence on the stock market
price of the company.
◆ The more successful the new product
turns out to be, the higher will be the
stock market price of that firm.
 The Answer
◆ IV: the success of the new product
◆ DV: the stock market price

New product Stock

success market
price
 Hypotheses
◆A hypothesis is a testable statement
of the relationship among variables.

◆ It can test whether there are

differences between two groups ( or
among several groups) with respect
to any variable (s).
 Hypotheses Formats
◆ If-then statements

◆ Directional and Nondirectional

hypotheses
 If-then statements

◆If employees are more

healthy, then they will
take sick leave less
frequently.
 Directional hypotheses

◆The greater the stress

experienced in the job, the
lower the job satisfaction
of the employees.
 Non directional hypotheses

◆There is a relationship
between age and job
satisfaction.
 Argumentation
◆ The expected relationships /
hypotheses are an integration
of:
– Exploratory research

– Common sense and logical

reasoning