Research_Method

Types of Sur Applied Business Research and Statistics QNT/561 University of Phoenix   Types of Surveys A.) A survey of the residents of a new subdivision on why they happened to select that area in which to live. You also wish to secure some information about what they like and do not like about life in the subdivision. In the aforementioned scenario I would choose the personal interview. In conducting the survey my goal is to obtain information that goes to the reasoning an individual would choose said locale as well as offer an in-depth understanding on how living in that particular subdivision has impacted the quality of life for those being surveyed. In order to for me to be able to ask questions that are relevant to those participating in the survey, it is important that I be familiar with the subdivision in which they reside. An example of how actually seeing the subdivision could impact the questions asked during the personal interview is as follows. Through personally viewing how residents tend to their yards, how many vehicles can be parked at one residence, are their children outside playing, etc. Understanding these factors will help me to focus the personal interview on the issues that impact the subdivision both positively and negatively. As an added source of information during the interviewing process I will be able to gauge the resident’s body language while being interviewed, which will help me to gauge the strength of each resident’s belief in a particular view on a subject within the subdivision. The interactions during a personal interview allow people to “put a face” with the voice that is surveying them. People tend to give a more in-depth analysis when they feel like a connection has been established with the surveyor. These factors would be my reason for choosing a personal interview over the other various types of surveys. B.) A poll of students at Metro University on their preferences among three candidates who are running for president of the student government. For this particular survey I would choose a self administered questionnaire. The reason being is that when dealing with an individual’s preferences on a political candidate, you will more than likely get a more honest answer from a person that is allowed to complete the survey in privacy. Self administered surveys offer people the convenience of completing the survey at their leisure as well doing so in an environment they find comfortable. I believe that when you choose to question a person on either political beliefs or religion, it is very important not to offend people based on the possibility of their beliefs differing from those of yours. Your personal bias can be displayed without saying a word strictly through your body language. All of these roadblocks can be avoided by administering a self survey. C.) A survey of 58 wholesale grocery companies scattered over the eastern United States, on their personnel management policies for warehouse personnel. I would utilize a telephone survey based on several factors beginning with the vast distance between the wholesale grocery companies. I think that a realistic concern when gathering information is this cost incurred during the completion process. It would not be financially feasible to travel all over the eastern a United States to gather information that can be collected by telephone. Furthermore, since the survey focuses on personal management policy I will more than likely need to speak with people in managerial roles or human resource roles with the various organizations. Business professionals tend to be very busy during the average work day and may not have a conducive amount of time to sit and meet with you based on their work schedule. But a phone conversation can be conducted while completing other task; this allows the business professional to multitask and does not require that all of their energy be focused on the survey. D.) A survey of financial officers of the Fortune 500 corporations to learn their predictions for the economic outlook in their industries in the next year. In dealing with financial professionals representing large corporations my preference for survey administered would be a personal interview. I believe that in order to grasp the complexity of the concept that surveyed financial professionals will be explaining you need to a have a face to face discussion. Also, reading body language will be helpful in gauging the honesty of those being surveyed. When it comes to a topic such as forecasting the economic outlook of the upcoming year, people may speak half truths or omit certain information in order to create their own personal desired outlook. Beyond that possibility is the realization that they are making predictions, which at best are educated guesses. Viewing the financial officer’s reactions to the statements of their peers can lead to more in-depth analysis from a surveyor standpoint. Questions may come to light that would never have come up over the phone. E.) A study of applicant requirements, job tasks, and performance expectations as part of a job analysis of student work-study jobs on a college campus of 2,000 students, where 1,500 are involved in the work-study program. Based on the number of individuals possibly participating in the survey and the many variables that need to be considered under the work study program, I would choose a self administered survey. Attempting to personally survey close to two thousand people would amount to an act of futility. Getting all of the students to wait for a personal interview to be conducted or attempting to locate all of these people by fun would be close to impossible. Yet it would be a simple enough task to walk around campus handing out surveys and all probability there is a chance of giving surveys out to 60 or 70% of the student body. Assuming the large majority of these people complete and turn the survey in, you would probably get your most accurate expectations of student work study jobs on a particular campus.