Buss 423: Research Methods Question Paper
Buss 423: Research Methods
Course:Business Administration
Institution: Kenya Methodist University question papers
Exam Year:2011
KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY
END OF 3''RD ''TRIMESTER 2011 EXAMINATIONS
FACULTY : SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT : BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
UNIT CODE : BUSS 423
UNIT TITLE : RESEARCH METHODS
TIME: 2 HOURS
Instructions: Answer Question ONE and any Other TWO Questions.
Question One
Umeme fashion clothing line is a company that specializes in designing attire for 15-25 year olds. Initially, management used to recruit fresh fashion graduates on long term contracts for the design department. However, to manage rising costs, the company’s management resorted to hiring design interns on short term contracts. Management has noticed that there has been a sharp decline in the sales and the firm’s profits and a worrying turnover of the support staff who eventually end up working with the company’s competitors.
The firm has placed an advertisement seeking a consultant to conduct a study investigating challenges of the company.
Required:
Formulate a relevant title for the study.
(2 Marks)
What is the research problem?
(4 Marks
Identify FOUR specific objectives of the study.
(8Marks)
What data collection techniques would be suitable?
(6 Marks)
Discuss a suitable research design for this study.
(6 Marks)
What recommendations would you offer?
(4 Marks)
Question Two
Distinguish between anonymity and confidentiality as ways of protecting research participants.
(10 Marks)
Distinguish between structured, semi-structured and unstructured interview guides.
(10 Marks)
Question Three
Discuss the characteristics of sound measurement.
(10 Marks)
Describe an efficient sampling procedure to generate a sample of 100 males and 100 females from KeMU first years in Nairobi Campus, Meru Campus and Nyeri Campus. Assume that you have accurate list of all first years enrolled in the University, the list contains 2,500 names.
(10 Marks)
Question Four
Identify and list sources of secondary data.
(10 Marks)
What problems is a researcher likely to encounter during data collection?
(10 Marks)
Question Five
Briefly discuss TWO types of research designs.
(4 Marks)
List FOUR types of measurement scales.
(4 Marks)
Distinguish between the Hawthorne effect and the placebo effect.
(4 Marks)
Identify any TWO limitations a researcher may encounter during data collection.
(4 Marks)
Given the function: Y= a + bx, identify the variables X and Y . What is the function of X?
(4 Marks)
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