BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

1. ATTITUDE MEASUREMENT
AND SCALING

2. MEASUREMENT AND SCALING
 Measurement: The term ‘measurement’ means assigning
numbers or some other symbols to the characteristics of
certain objects. When numbers are used, the researcher must
have a rule for assigning a number to an observation in a way
that provides an accurate description.
 Scaling: Scaling is an extension of measurement. Scaling
involves creating a continuum on which measurements on
objects are located.

3. 13–3
WHAT DO I MEASURE?
 Measurement
 The process of describing some property of a phenomenon, usually by
assigning numbers in a reliable and valid way.
 Concept
 A generalized idea about a class of objects, attributes, occurrences,
or processes
 Scales
 A device providing a range of values that correspond to
different characteristics or amounts of a characteristic
exhibited in observing a concept

4. Nominal scale: This is the lowest level of measurement. Here,
numbers are assigned for the purpose of identification of the
objects. Any object which is assigned a higher number is in no way
superior to the one which is assigned a lower number.
 Assigns a value to an object for identification or classification purposes.
 Most elementary level of measurement
Example:
• Do you have your own house?
(a) Yes (b) No
The assigned numbers cannot be added, subtracted, multiplied
or divided. The only arithmetic operations that can be carried out
are the count of each category. Therefore, a frequency
distribution table can be prepared for the nominal scale
variables and mode of the distribution can be worked out.
TYPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

5. 1. Nominal scale is also called a category scale. It uses
multiple items to elicit a single response.
In which department do you work with?
Marketing
Finance
Production
HR
NOMINAL SCALE - BIFURCATIONS

6. 2. Ordinal scale
 This is the next higher level of measurement than the nominal
scale measurement
 One of the limitations of the nominal scale is that it can not
be said whether the assigned number to an object is higher or
lower than the one assigned to another option
 An ordinal scale measurement tells whether an object has
more or less of characteristics than some other objects
TYPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

7. ORDINAL SCALE
Example:
 Rank the following attributes while choosing a restaurant for
dinner. The most important attribute may be ranked one, the
next important may be assigned a rank of 2 and so on.
 Ranking scales allowing things to be arranged based on how
much of some concept they possible.

8. 3. Interval scale:
 The interval scale measurement is the next higher level of
measurement.
 It takes care of the limitation of the ordinal scale
measurement where the difference between the score on the
ordinal scale does not have any meaningful interpretation.
 In the interval scale the difference of the score on the scale
has meaningful interpretation.
 It is assumed that the respondent is able to answer the
questions on a continuum scale.
TYPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

9. 4. Ratio scale
 This is the highest level of measurement and takes care of the
limitations of the interval scale measurement, where the ratio
of the measurements on the scale does not have a
meaningful interpretation.
 A scale of measurement of data having a fixed zero value,
which permits the quantitative comparison of differences of
values
How many students are there in MBA branch?
TYPES OF MEASUREMENT SCALES

10. ATTITUDE
MEASUREMENT

11. 14–11
WHAT IS AN ATTITUDE?
 Attitude
• An enduring disposition to consistently respond in a given manner to
various aspects of the world.
 Components of attitudes:
• Affective Component
 The feelings or emotions toward an object
• Cognitive Component
 Knowledge and beliefs about an object
• Behavioral Component
 Predisposition to action
 Intentions
 Behavioral expectations

12.  Single item scale : There is only one item to measure
 Multiple item scale : There are many items that play a role in
forming the underlying construct that the researcher is trying
to measure
ATTITUDE SCALES

13. Comparative scales
 Involve the direct comparison of stimulus objects
 Comparative scale data must be interpreted in relative terms
 In comparative scales it is assumed that respondents make
use of a standard frame of reference before answering the
question
COMPARATIVE SCALE

14. EXAMPLE

15.  This is especially challenging if choices are quite different
from one another
 Paired Comparison Analysis helps to work out the relative
importance of a number of different options
PAIRED COMPARISON

16. PAIRED COMPARISON- EXAMPLE

17.  Despondence are asked to rank the preference
RANKING ORDER SCALE
Soft Drinks Rank
Pepsi
Coke
Sprite
Limca
Mirinda

18.  The respondents are here asked to distribute a given
number of points across various items
CONSTANT SUM SCALE
Soft Drinks Points
Pepsi
Coke
Sprite
Limca
Mirinda

19.  Non comparative scales, each object is scaled independently
of the others in the stimulus set.
NON COMPARATIVE SCALE

20.  This is a continuous scale in which the respondent is asked to
tick the preference on a graph
GRAPHIC RATING SCALE
Alternative Presentation of Graphic Rating Scale –
Please indicate how much do you like fast food by pointing
to the face that best shows your attitude and taste. If you
do not prefer it at all, you would point to face one. In case
you prefer it the most, you would point to face seven.

21.  In this scale the respondents are provided with a scale that
has a number of brief description associated with each of the
response categories
 Number of categories used
 Balanced versus unbalanced scale
ITEMIZED RATING SCALE

22. 14–22
SELECTING A MEASUREMENT SCALE
 Balanced Rating Scale
• A fixed-alternative rating scale with an equal number of
positive and negative categories; a neutral point or point of
indifference is at the center of the scale.
 Example:
Very Neither Satisfied Very
Satisfied Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
How satisfiedare you with the bookstorein the Student Union?

23. 14–23
SELECTING A MEASUREMENT SCALE
(CONT’D)
 Unbalanced Rating Scale
• A fixed-alternative rating scale that has more response
categories at one end than the other resulting in an
unequal number of positive and negative categories.
 Example:
Neither Satisfied Very
Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
How satisfiedare you with the bookstorein the Student Union?

24. LIKERT SCALE
Is designed to examine how strongly subjects agree or disagree with statements
on a 5-point scale

25.  The respondent is required to rate each attitude object on a
number of five or seven point rating scales
 This scale is widely used to compare the images of competing
brands, companies or services.
 Here the respondent is required to rate each attitude or object
on a number of five-or seven-point rating scales.
 This scale is bounded at each end by bipolar adjectives or
phrases.
SEMANTIC SCALE

26. SEMANTIC SCALE

27. SEMANTIC SCALE

28.  It is used to measure the direction and intensity of an attitude
STAPLE SCALE

29. 13–29
THREE CRITERIA FOR GOOD MEASUREMENT:
ERROR POSSIBILITY
Sensitivity
Reliability Validity
Good
Measurement

30. This occurs when the observed measurement on a construct or
concept deviates from its true values.
Reasons
 Mood, fatigue and health of the respondent
 Variations in the environment in which measurements are
taken
 A respondent may not understand the question being asked
and the interviewer may have to rephrase the same. While
rephrasing the question the interviewer’s bias may get into
the responses.
MEASUREMENT ERROR

31. Reliability
Reliability is concerned with consistency, accuracy and
predictability of the scale.
Methods to measures Reliability
 Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability and consistency
 Cronbach alpha computes the average of all possible split half
reliability for a multiple item scale.
Less than 0.60 is not reliable
CRITERIA FOR GOOD MEASUREMENT

32. Validity
The validity of a scale refers to the question whether we are
measuring what we want to measure.
Different ways to measure Validity
 Content (face)validity- subjective judgment of experts
 Concurrent validity – new measurement technique compared
with old technique
 Predictive validity – ability of the measured phenomena at
one point of time to predict another phenomenon at a future
point of time
CRITERIA FOR GOOD MEASUREMENT

33.  Sensitivity refers to an instrument’s ability to accurately
measure the variability in a concept.
 Sensitivity of a scale is generally increased by adding more
response points
SENSITIVITY