1. Mod01: Introduction Taggert J. Brooks, PhD
Chair and Professor of Economics
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

2. Introduction Syllabus Website Intro Survey
Group Assignment (Wednesday)

3. BUS 230 Objectives

4. BUS 230 Objectives I. Develop the ability to define a research problem
Formulate research questions and hypotheses that are: measurable, well-defined, address the overall problem, are directly related, and that reflect the scope of the problem.

5. BUS 230 Objectives
“Far better an approximate answer to the right question, which is often vague, than an exact answer to the wrong question, which can always be made precise."
~J. W. Tukey (1962)

6. BUS 230 Objectives
II. Recognize and use the appropriate techniques to collect or use survey data to address a research problem
Recognize the ethical responsibilities of conducting human subjects research.
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different survey methods.

7. BUS 230 Objectives
II. Recognize and use the appropriate techniques to collect or use survey data to address a research problem
Identify sources of respondent and administrative error and develop the ability to construct and administer a survey instrument which minimizes these errors.
Recognize the implications of probability vs. non-probability sampling on the interpretation of primary data.

8. BUS 230 Objectives
“The combination of some data and an aching desire for an answer does not ensure that a reasonable answer can be extracted from a given body of data."
~J. W. Tukey (1986)

9. BUS 230 Objectives III. Interpret data using statistical analysis
Identify and compare the types of measurement scales used in conducting research.
Analyze the scale of measurement to determine the types of descriptive and inferential statistics that can be used to interpret data.
Formulate conclusions and recommendations based upon statistical results.

10. BUS 230 Objectives
IV. Develop the ability to effectively communicate research results both written and orally.

11. BUS 230 Objectives
V. Develop the ability to critically evaluate limitations, errors, and biases in existing research.

12. Tell me and I forget.
Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn.

13. Notes on Teaching and Learning

14. Notes on Teaching and Learning
The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.
~Mark Van Doren

15. Notes on Teaching and Learning
When one teaches, two learn.
~Robert Half

16.
And on blog

17. Notes on Power Point
Document
Teleprompter
Presentation

19. DATA is Ubiquitous Hal Varian, Chief Economist Google
Q: What jobs would you recommend to a young person with an interest, and maybe a bachelors degree, in economics?
A: If you are looking for a career where your services will be in high demand, you should find something where you provide a scarce, complementary service to something that is getting ubiquitous and cheap. So what’s getting ubiquitous and cheap? Data. And what is complementary to data? Analysis. So my recommendation is to take lots of courses about how to manipulate and analyze data: databases, machine learning, econometrics, statistics, visualization, and so on.
Hal Varian,
Chief Economist Google

20. http://googleblog. blogspot
At the highest level, we are looking for non-routine problem-solving skills. We expect applicants to be able to solve routine problems as a matter of course. After all, that's what most education is concerned with. But the non-routine problems offer the opportunity to create competitive advantage, and solving those problems requires creative thought and tenacity. Here's a real-life example, a challenge a team of our engineers once faced: designing a spell-checker for the Google search engine. The routine solution would be to run queries through a dictionary. The non-routine, creative solution is to use the query corrections and refinements that other users have made in the past to offer spelling suggestions for new queries. This approach enables us to correct all the words that aren't in the dictionary, helping many more users in the process. How do we find these non-routine savants? There are many factors, of course, but we primarily look for analytical reasoning. Google is a data-driven, analytic company. When an issue arises or a decision needs to be made, we start with data. That means we can talk about what we know, instead of what we think we know communication skills. Marshalling and understanding the available evidence isn't useful unless you can effectively communicate your conclusions a willingness to experiment. Non-routine problems call for non-routine solutions and there is no formula for success. A well-designed experiment calls for a range of treatments, explicit control groups, and careful post-treatment analysis. Sometimes an experiment kills off a pet theory, so you need a willingness to accept the evidence even if you don't like it team players. Virtually every project at Google is run by a small team. People need to work well together and perform up to the team's expectations passion and leadership. This could be professional or in other life experiences: learning languages or saving forests, for example. The main thing, to paraphrase Mr. Drucker, is to be motivated by a sense of importance about what you do. These characteristics are not just important in our business, but in every business, as well as in government, philanthropy, and academia. The challenge for the up-and-coming generation is how to acquire them. It's easy to educate for the routine, and hard to educate for the novel. Keep in mind that many required skills will change: developers today code in something called Python, but when I was in school C was all the rage. The need for reasoning, though, remains constant, so we believe in taking the most challenging courses in core disciplines: math, sciences, humanities. And then keep on challenging yourself, because learning doesn't end with graduation. In fact, in the real world, while the answers to the odd-numbered problems are not in the back of the textbook, the tests are all open book, and your success is inexorably determined by the lessons you glean from the free market. Learning, it turns out, is a lifelong major.

21. What do these retail establishments have in common?
They all extensively employ customer satisfaction surveys to improve their business practices.
Why Do Business research?

24. Some of the advanced business research employed by Netflix.
Netflix Prize
Lost CDs
Experiments in ratings
“Lost ratings”
Interface Analysis

25. The importance of the rating system. It keeps the customer dedicated
The importance of the rating system. It keeps the customer dedicated. The better your recommendation system the happier customers are and the more committed they will be to your service.

26. (Business) Research
seeks to predict and explain all phenomena that taken together comprise the ever-changing business environment.
finds answers that (a) improve business performance, and (b) improve the lives of customers, employees and owners.
is a truth-seeking function that gathers, analyzes, interprets and reports information so that business decision makers become more effective.
Business research is broad.
Business research can be formal.
Business research can be informal.
Good research is replicable.
Good research should provide more benefit than it costs.

27. Applied vs. Basic Business Research
How will the acquisition of new vineyard property affect profitability of Martinelli Winery?
Can prospective employee psychological profiles be used to reduce turnover at Sacred Heart Hospital?
Basic
What factors relate to consumer perceptions of a wine’s overall quality?
Does job stress affect the job performance and satisfaction of male and female service providers?

28. What we will do this semester:
Applied
How will the acquisition of new vineyard property affect profitability of Martinelli Winery?
Can prospective employee psychological profiles be used to reduce turnover at Sacred Heart Hospital?
Basic
What factors relate to consumer perceptions of a wine’s overall quality?
Does job stress affect the job performance and satisfaction of male and female service providers?

29. Examples:

32. What we will do this semester:
More Examples:
Bank Research
Customer Satisfaction Research
Library Research
Cartwright/Chartwells Research
Applied
How will the acquisition of new vineyard property affect profitability of Martinelli Winery?
Can prospective employee psychological profiles be used to reduce turnover at Sacred Heart Hospital?
Basic
What factors relate to consumer perceptions of a wine’s overall quality?
Does job stress affect the job performance and satisfaction of male and female service providers?

33. How the information age is affecting researchers and decision makers:
Matter matters less.
Distance matters less.
Time matters more.
Customization matters more.
People matter more.

34. Group Assignment

35. Group Assignment
What are the positive aspects about working in teams? In your opinion, what should be done to promote them?
What are the negative aspects about working in teams? In your opinion, what should be done to deal with them?

36. Group Assignment
In your opinion, what is the most important factor that influences a team’s success? Explain why.
What should your teammates know about you that will help them better understand the way you work and thus promote team success?

37. WDG

38. Contract
Discuss Group Contracts
Assign Groups