Operational definition of customer satisfaction

Running head: MEASUREMENT 1

MEASUREMENT 10

Thanks for the timely submission of the assignment.

As you will note in the margin comments, there is often confusion as to what construct is being defined and measured. For instance, attitude toward technology is not the same as attitude toward a specific form of technology. Similarly, self-concept is a different from self-concept clarity.

Also note that not all articles provide conceptual definitions on commonly used constructs but reference other prior research. A perfect example is customer satisfaction which is a function of perceived expectations vs. perceived performance. The same is true with operational definitions since scholars build on one another’s work. This requires that a researcher often has to examine more than one article.

The operational definitions, including for your intended research, has to be very specific. It is how you are measuring the variable. An example of what was to be done is provided in Exhibit 13.3.

In the next assignment you are to select a method of survey administration given a number of different objectives. Each method of administration has pros and cons but what is most important to consider is the unique situation posed by the objective(s) of the study. When deciding on a method of administration for a survey, it is first necessary to determine the unique characteristics that will need to be met. For instance, is the topic sensitive or personal? This might lead to a greater emphasis on the ability to build a rapport with respondents. Is the sample a group that has a high interest in the topic where nonresponse would be less of an issue making a mail survey feasible. Is there a sampling frame available that would provide what may be needed to access respondents such as e-mails? In other cases, the amount of data needed may be considerable so the ability to engage respondents for a long time may be critical thus ruling out a telephone interview. Alternatively, cost may be a dominant factor automatically eliminating the possibility of personal (door to door) interviews. These critical factors are not always identified in your responses. As stated in the assignment, “The researcher needs to carefully consider the objectives of the study, the questions that need to be asked and the target respondents in addition to the pros/cons of the alternatives.”

Let me know if you have any questions as you work on this.

Dr. P

Dr. Susan M. Petroshius 83 6/9/2020

Measurement: Conceptual and Operational Definitions of Constructs

BUS-7320

June 7, 2020

Dr. Susan Petroshius

Conceptual and Operational Definitions of Constructs

The primary goal of a quantitative study is to test hypotheses and theories (Claydon, 2015). To this end, researchers come up with abstract constructs whose measurement would provide data that is critical in the hypothesis testing process. The abstract constructs that a researcher selects in a study have a certain relationship that makes the hypothesis/theoretical propositions. Therefore, testing a hypothesis entails measuring the abstract constructs. A hypothesis testing process begets results that are more accurate if the constructs are measured not only in a scientific manner but also correctly and accurately (John & Benet-Martínez, 2014). Comment by Susan Petroshius: The research doesn’t just “come up” with the constructs, they are part of the hypothesis being tested.

Nevertheless, what does the process of measurement of construct entail? According to John and Benet-Martínez (2014), measurement of abstract constructs entails researchers observing the real world in a deliberate and careful manner. Essentially, these kinds of observations are what constitute empirical research. John and Benet-Martínez further wrote that measurement of constructs begins with specifying their conceptual and the operational definitions. Against this background, this paper provides a conceptual and operational definition of each of the given constructs. The definitions are based on the scholarly studies researched in various databases. In addition to the definitions, the paper provides a measurement for the variables as well as an explanation of the level of measurement.