Qnt 561 – Business Research Methods
Business Research Methods Part 1
QNT/561
November 26, 2012
Professor Joseph Hamel, PhD
Business Research Methods Part 1
Team E has chosen Wal-Mart and will identify questions while analyzing, and describe the characteristics, such as independent and dependent variables, operational definitions. Team E will then determine the appropriate design while describing the characteristics.
Organizational Dilemma
One of the dilemma’s facing Wal-Mart in today’s economy is trying to assess the decision of opening its doors nine hours earlier on the eve of Black Friday. Wal-Mart’s attempt to remain the biggest retail giant by opening its door at 8pm Thanksgiving day was perhaps a risky decision. Team E will use quantitative research to assist with the decision of earlier opening times, and the factors associated with this decision.
The initial question that looks at this dilemma is Did Wal-Mart’s decision of opening 9 hours earlier significantly optimize profits or did the retail giant make a costly mistake on what is considered the biggest shopping day of the year? To prove or disprove this hypothesis, Team E will be gathering information and determine the appropriate research design, describe characteristics, variables operational definitions appropriate to either prove or disprove the hypothesis.
Appropriate Business Design
Wal-Mart used previously collected sales data, including year to date to calculate the mean of sales per hour company-wide, to determine if opening nine hours earlier on Black Friday would be fiscally beneficial. Amidst Wal-Mart’s employee backlash, protests from consumers and employees, Wal-Mart fiscally will prevail because by using statistics of large sampling of data will determine if increased fiscal success is probable and cannot be derailed by a few outliers.
Wal-Mart will use formalized research design