THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

1
OBSERVATION
Broad area of
research interest
identified

4
THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK
3
PROBLEM 6
5 7
DEFINITI SCIENTI
GENERATION DATA
ON FIC
OF COLLECTION
Research RESEAR
HYPOTHESIS ANALYSIS, AND
Problem CH
INTERPRETATION
delineated DESIGN
Variables clearly
identified and
labeled

8
2
DEDUCTION
PRELIMINARY
Hypothesis
DATA GATHERING
Substained?
Interviewing
Research question
Literature survey
Answered?
 A conceptual model on how to theorize the
relationships among the several factors that
have been identified as important to the
problem.

 Based from the logical documentation of

previous research in the problem area.

 Discusses the interrelationships among the

variables that are deemed to be integral to the
dynamics of the situation being investigated.
 From the theoretical framework, testable hypotheses
can be developed to see whether the theory
formulated is valid or not.
 The hypothesized relationships can be tested through
appropriate statistical analysis.
 The TF is the basis on which the entire research
rests.
 Even if testable hypotheses are not necessarily
generated (in some applied research projects),
developing a good theoretical framework is central to
examining the problem under investigation.
VARIABLES
Anything that can take on differing or varying
values.

The values can differ at various times for the

same object or person, or the values can differ
at the same time for different objects or
persons.

 Examples: exam scores, absenteeism, and

motivation.
Example 1
Exam score
One’s score on exams 1, 2, and 3 for a
particular subject could be different (take
on varying values), or the scores of
different students for the same exam
could be different.

In both cases, the exam score has

taken on different values and hence is a
variable.
Example 2

Absenteeism
Today three class members may be
absent, tomorrow five students may not
show up in class; the day after, there
may be one absent. The value can
thus theoretically range from “zero” to
“all” being absent on the absenteeism
variable.
Example 3
 Motivation
The levels of motivation to learn among
members in the class or in a work team
might take on varying values ranging
from “very low” to “very high”.

 An individual’s motivation to learn from

different classes or in different work
teams might also take on differing
values.
Four main types of VARIABLES

1. Dependent variable (criterion variable)

2. Independent variable (predictor

variable)

3. Moderating variable

4. Intervening variable
Dependent Variable
 The variable of primary interest to the researcher.

 The researcher’s goal is to explain or predict the

variability in the dependent variable.

 The main variable that lends itself as a viable

issue for investigation.

 Through the analysis of the DV, it is possible to

find answers or solutions to the problem.

 The researcher is interested in quantifying and

measuring the DV, as well as all other variables
that influence the DV.
Example 4
A manager is concerned that the sales of
a new product introduced after market
testing is not as high as he had expected.
The DV here is sales.

The sales of a product can vary—can be

low, medium, high—it is a variable.

Since sales is the main factor of interest to

the manager, it is the DV.
Example 5
A basic researcher is interested in
investigating the extent to which organizational
romances are either discouraged or frowned
upon by corporate CEOs. The DV is attitude
toward organizational romances.

Attitudes can vary from discouragement to

frowning to indifference to active
encouragement.
Example 6
A personnel manager is concerned that the
employees are not loyal to the organization
and, has switched their loyalties to other
institutions. The DV in this case would be
organizational loyalty.

The variance on the levels of organizational

loyalty would alert managers/researchers to be
investigated to control employee turnover; and
to come up with plans/programs that would
attract employees to stick to the organization.
Example 7
Research studies indicate that successful new product
development has an influence on the stock market
price of the company. The development of a
successful new product influences the stock market
price and explains the variance in it. The more
successful the new product is believed to be, the
higher will be the stock market price of the firm.

Success of the new product – IV

Stock market price - DV
Diagram showing the relationship between
the IV and the DV

New product Stock market

success price

Independent variable Dependent

variable
Example 8
Cross-cultural research indicates that
managerial values govern the power distance
between superiors and subordinates.

Power distance is the subject of interest,

hence the DV.

Managerial values, which explain the variance

in power distance is the IV.
Diagram showing the relationship between
the IV and the DV

Managerial value Power distance

Independent variable Dependent

variable
Example 9

It has been found that there is a relationship

between the number of books that five- and
six-year-old children have access to at home
and their reading abilities. That is, these
children are provided with a lot of children’s
books, their reading skills and abilities will
improve because the children have greater
opportunities to read more books—an activity
in which they are assisted by their parents—
and hence read better.
Diagram showing the relationship between
the IV and the DV

Reading
Number of books
abilities

Independent variable Dependent

variable
Moderating Variable
 Has a strong contingent effect on
the IV-DV relationship. That is, the
presence of a third variable
(moderating variable) modifies the
originally expected relationship
between the IV and the DV.
Whenever the relationship between the
independent variable and the dependent
variable becomes contingent or
dependent on another variable, the third
variable has a moderating effect on the
independent variable-dependent variable
relationship.

This variable is called moderating

variable.
Diagram showing the relationship between the IV and
the DV as moderated by the moderating variable.

Number of Reading
books abilities

Independent variable Dependent variable

Parent’s
literacy

Moderating variable
Example 10
An emerging theory shows that the
projected diverse workforce of the future
(comprising races and nationalities) will
contribute more to organizational
effectiveness because each group will
bring its own special expertise and skills
to the workplace. This synergy can be
captured, however, only if managers
know how to harness the special talents
of the diverse work group.
Workforce diversity Organizational
effectiveness

Independent variable Dependent variable

Managerial
expertise

Moderating variable
 Illustration of the influence of independent variables on
the dependent variable when no moderating variable
operates in the situation.

Willingness
to learn

Training programs
Growth needs
Illustration of the influence of an independent variable on the
dependent variable when a moderating variable is operating in
the situation.

Effects for those high

in growth needs

Willingness
to learn

Effects for those in low

in growth needs

Training programs
Diagram of the relationships among the
independent, intervening, and dependent
variables.

Time: t1
Workforce t2
Creative t3
Organizational
diversity synergy effectiveness

Independent Intervening Dependent

variable variable variable
Diagram of the relationships among
independent, intervening, moderating, and
dependent variables.

Workforce Creative Organizational

Time: t1 synergy
t2 t3
effectiveness
diversity

Independent variable Intervening variable Dependent variable

Managerial
expertise

Moderating variable
Theoretical Framework
The foundation on which the entire
research project is based.
A logically developed, described, and
elaborated network of associations
among variables that have been
identified through such processes as
interviews, observations, and literature
survey.
Components of a Theoretical Framework
1. The variables considered relevant to the study
should be clearly identified and labeled in the
discussion.

2. The discussion should state how two or more

variables are related to each other. This should be
done for the important relationships that are
theorized to exist among the variables.

3. If the nature and direction of the relationships can be

theorized on the basis of the findings from previous
research, then there should be an indication in the
discussions as to whether the relationships would be
positive or negative.
Components of a Theoretical Framework

4. There should be a clear explanation of why

we would expect these relationships to
exist. The arguments could be drawn from
previous research findings.

5. A schematic diagram of the theoretical

framework should be given so that the
reader can visualize the theorized
relationships.
Schematic diagram of the theoretical framework
Communication among
Cockpit members

Communication between
ground control and cockpit

Air-safety
violations
Decentralization

Training of cockpit
crew

Independent variables Dependent variable

 Schematic diagram of the theoretical framework including an intervening
variable.
Communication among
cockpit members

Communication between
Air-safety
ground control and
cockpit violations

Decentralization

Training of cockpit Nervousness

crew and diffidence

Independent variable Intervening variable Dependent variable

Schematic diagram of the theoretical framework including a moderating
variable

Communication among
cockpit members

Communication
Air-safety
between ground control
violations
and cockpit

Decentralization

Nervousness
and diffidence

Independent variable Moderating variable Dependent variable

 The research process

1
OBSERVATION
Broad area
of research interest
identified

4
THEORETICA
3 7
L
PROBLEM DATA
FRAMEWORK 5 6
DEFINITION COLLECTION
GENERATION SCIENTIFIC
Research ANALYSIS,
OF RESEARCH
problem DESIGN
AND
delineated HYPOTHESIS INTERPRETAT
Variables clearly
ION
identified and
labeled

2 8
PRELIMINARY DEDUCTION
DATA Hypotheses
GATHERING substained?
Interviewing Research question
Literature survey answered?
THE RESEARCH PROCESS
DETAILS OF STUDY MEASUREMENT DATA

Measurement
ANALYSIS Extent of researcher
and measures
interference
Purpose of the
Types of investigation Study setting
study
Operational
ANALYSIS Minimal: Studying definition
Establishing: events as they Items (measure)
Exploration -Causal relationship normally occur Contrived
Scaling
Description -- correlations Manipulation and/or Noncontrived
Categorizing
Hypothesis testing -- group differences, control and/or coding
ranks, etc. simulation
P 1. Feel for
R
data
O
B
L
E
2. Goodness
M
of data
S
T
A
T
E
M 3.Hypotheses
E testing
N Unit of analysis
Sampling design Time horizon Data collection
T (population to be
method
studied)
One-shot
Individuals (cross- Observation
Dyads Probability/ Interview
sectional)
Groups Nonprobability Questionnaire
Longitudinal
Organizations Sample Physical
Machines Size (n) measurement
Etc. unobtrusive
 A Theoretical/Conceptual
Framework is expressed through
a schematic diagram which
provides the picture of what the
research is all about.