Business Research Methods

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AGU653—BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS—FINAL EXAMINATION JUDY ROGERS/10-202

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Question 61(a):

Preexperiments are designated as such because of their weak designs. Preexperiments do

not provide for the random assignment of participants. Some of the designs also do not allow for

the use of a pretest, which can be used to ensure equivalence between control and experimental

groups. Further, some preexperiments do not use control groups. True experiments are the

strongest at minimizing the threats to internal validity. This is accomplished primarily through

random assignment but control groups are also used in most true designs. Pretesting is also a

possible insurance of equivalence between groups. Quasi-experimental designs are weaker in

terms of internal validity but strongest for external validity. This is because quasi-designs use field

settings that maximize the generalizability of the results.

Question 61(b):

There are three types of questions to utilize when multiple responses to a single question

are desired from the respondent. The three possibilities are to use a checklist, a rating question, or

a ranking question. A checklist is a measurement question that poses numerous alternatives and

encourages multiple unordered responses. A rating question asks the participant to position each

property or object on a verbal, numeric, or graphic continuum. A ranking question is a

measurement question that asks the participant to compare and order two or more objects or

properties using a numeric scale.

Question 62:

The seven basic principles of the U.S. Safe Harbor Agreement are: 1) notice; 2) choice; 3) access;

4) security; 5) onward transfer; 6) data integrity; and 7) enforcement. Under the notice principle,

companies seeking to adhere to the agreement must notify consumers about what information is

being collected, how that information will be used, who that information will be shared with, and

AGU653—BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS—FINAL EXAMINATION JUDY ROGERS/10-202

how individuals can contact the organization with any complaints. Within the choice principle,

consumers must be provided with an opt-out mechanism for any secondary uses of data and for

disclosures to third parties. For sensitive information, participants must opt in before providing

data that will be shared. Regarding the access principle, individuals must have access to personal

information about themselves that an organization holds and be able to correct, amend, or delete

that information where it is inaccurate. The security principle requires organizations to take

reasonable precautions to protect personal information from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access,

disclosure, alteration, and destruction. The sixth principle, data integrity, mandates companies

disclosing personal data to a third party must, with certain exceptions, adhere to the notice and

choice principles. A third party must subscribe to the safe-harbor principles. Reasonable steps

must be taken to ensure that data collected are reliable, accurate, complete, and current. Lastly, the

enforcement principle mandates companies must ensure that they are readily available and