Worldview Associated with Quantitative Research
Briefly explain the worldview that is linked with quantitative research.
Various authors have defined quantitative research differently. In accounting field, it is a numerical depiction and strategy for explaining the trend via which this observation reflects. Cohen (1980) has defined quantitative research as method used through experience. Quantitative method is in general based of mathematically and can be analysed using statistics. Quantitative method can be used in study of science subjects like physics, biology, geology and so on. In the study of statistics, quantitative research plays a very vital role in which research can be elucidate through numerical data (Creswell). Quantitative research always been compared and place opposite side to qualitative research due to vary in its characteristics.
Briefly explain the worldview that is linked with qualitative research.
Worldview for Qualitative research is subjectivist. Qualitative method is very different from that of quantitative method, which is not based on numerical and are therefore cannot be examined by using statistics. Qualitative methods are also used to study and understand some trend. This method is used considering various methods like case studies, interviews, ethnographic research and so on. As per authors many variables might get materialize through qualitative method. Qualitative research has characteristics of producing more depth rather than breadth outcome compare to quantitative research method.
Draft your own business research question that could be addressed in a quantitative study.
What percentage of people from UK use Facebook or other social sites every month compare to other countries? The Quantitative method used to measure the percentage of people using Facebook through study of descriptive research variable. Like how many people use social sites like younger and older generation 2. How often they use and how much for the business purpose as well as personal. How much does it affect the life of young school going children? How does it help the people to expand their business by creating Facebook pages of their company? How often does UK people use face book every week? These all questions could be addressed in a quantitative study.
Draft your own business research question that could be addressed in a qualitative study.
What type of people make use of Facebook? What is the impact of Facebook on individuals? Does Facebook page has an effect on the followers of users?
Read the article by Bobek et al. (2017) and answer the following questions:
- Explain whether this study’s approach is quantitative or qualitative and provide two pieces of information from the article to justify your reasoning.
Qualitative as well as quantitative approach has been used in study. Bobek has compared certified public account to those of 4 big public accounting firms compare and investigate to those of nonpublic accounting firms. Comparisons has proved that public accounting firms achieve more strong environment compare to non-public firms.
- What is the research design?
Research design is defined as strategy used to incorporate the different materials of study in a consistent and rational form. Research design helps to find out problems during experiments and helps to measure, gather and analyse the data.
- Is the hypothesis written in the null or alternative format, explain your answer?
Yes, the hypotheses is null format for understand the role of ethics in CPAs.
- Is the hypothesis directional or non-directional, explain your answer?
Yes, the hypotheses is directional in the form to encourage CPAs to choose the accounting firm based on their ethical environments.
- What argument do the authors provide to explain their expected hypothesis?
Worldview Associated with Qualitative Research
Author Bobek provided the arguments among CPAs of both public and non-public accounting firms regarding comparing their ethical working environment.
- What is the population from which participants were drawn?
904 CPAs, certified public accountants were drawn as participants.
- What are the main variables in the study and how have they been operationalised?
Dependent and independent variables are mainly used in the study and they have been operationalized in the form of comparisons between CPAs of public accounting firms and non-public firms.
- Discuss two factors that contribute to the article being a well written piece of research.
Perception of CPAs for their working environment both in public and nonpublic firms is a main factor that contribute to the article being a well written piece of research.
Read the article by Bartlett et al. (2016) and answer the following questions:
- What type of research design has been used?
Bartlett et al have used quantitative research method.
- This study uses a 2 x 6 plan, who makes up the six groups?
In 2×6 Plan, 502 participants consists of business professionals and examining accountants makes six groups.
- Briefly explain the intervention that has been applied to one group and not the other group.
Intervention has been applied to one group of lower academically performing students, as they are more interested if amount paid to them more where as higher academically students are interested in high work profile during internal audit rather than getting more pay.
- A manipulation test has been done in this study, explain the purpose of a manipulation test.
Manipulation test has been done to influence applicants applied for job for internal audit. Experiments have been done taking participants from seven universities. Manipulation discovered that higher professionals compared to lower are willing to join internal audit work if they are assure of shifting to work to higher management rather than stick to only internal audit.
- Define the term control variable.
Control variable are the variable, which remains unchanged in order to avert its effects on the results. It is therefore authenticate actions between Independent and dependent variables. The validity results of scientific experiments are done through help of control variable. Control variable is also an alternative of independent variable.
- What control variables have been identified in the study?
Dependent, Independent variables have been identified in the study. Dependent variable is identified as high profile professional is interested in internal auditing if they are been offered higher interesting work of auditing and lower professionals are interested if they are offered more pay. So therefore, both the variables are essential in the study.
- Outline the advantages and disadvantages of using students in this study.
The study used students for the experiments from seven universities, which has an advantage to measure how future generation has thought process for working in internal auditing with tedious job with lower pay. Disadvantage is that the experience of higher professional guides the non-professional not to choose such internal auditing work in future.
- Distinguish between content and construct validity.
Content validity defines as how accurately measurement tools development like intelligence test, survey etc, and need accuracy of time. In short validity is utmost important. On contrary construct validity is define as degree to which an instrument measures the characteristics being investigated. 2. Construct validity is important part in social science psychology and language study whereas content validity is used in academic and vocational testing as well as history and accounting.3. Evaluation of construct validity requires correlation of the measure be examined regard to variables on other side evaluation of content validity requires the use of recognized subject matter expert for evaluation.
- What is the purpose of a variable in a quantitative study?
There are four types of variables in quantitative method
Dependent and independent variables, samples and extraneous variables.
Independent variables are those suspected of being the cause in a casual relationship. Where as dependent variables are generally influenced by independent variables. Extraneous variables also influence dependent variables like independent variables. Sample variables measures the participations characteristics in some studies and are different in nature from Independent and dependent variables.
- What is the difference between a mediating and moderating variable?
The relationship between two variables can be change by moderating variable. On opposite mediating variable is defined as mechanism between two variables.
Moderator variable is a qualitative or quantitative variable and has power to change the strength and direction of other variables. Mediating variable where as act as mediator between relation of predictor and criterion.
Correct the following references so that they comply with Harvard referencing.
- Book
Given, L. [2016], “100 questions (and answers) about qualitative research” Sage.
Given, L.M., 2015. 100 questions (and answers) about qualitative research. SAGE Publications.
- An article
Daff, L. (2012). Lessons from successes in medical communication training and their applications to accounting education. Accounting Education: An International Journal, 21(385-405).
Daff, L., 2012. Lessons from successes in medical communication training and their applications to accounting education. Accounting Education, 21(4), pp.385-405.
- A chapter in a book
Amernic, J., 2013. Perspectives On the Role of Metaphor, in: Jack, L., Davison, J., Craig, R. (Eds.), Routledge Companion to Accounting Communication. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, pp. 94-108.
Jack, L., Davison, J. and Craig, R. eds., 2013. The Routledge companion to accounting communication. Routledge.
- An article on a web site.
Daff, L (2017), “Accountants and their Intra-Organisational Communication in the Not-For-Profit (NFP) Sector”, available at: https://confidentcommunicators.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/executivesummary- of-doctorate.pdf, (accessed 10/02/2017).
Daff, L., 2014. Accountants and their intra-organisational communication in the not-for-profit sector (Doctoral dissertation, University of South Australia).