Case Study: Measurement of Variables- Operational Definitions
The Standard Asian Merchant Bank
1. Measurement is the assignment of numbers to characteristics (or attributes) of objects accordingto apre-specified set ofrules. Describe the objectand characteristicsofSyafiq'sstudy.
2. The measurement ofmore abstract andsubjective characteristics (orattributes - such for instance the attributes in Syafiq's study) is more difficult than the measurement of other, moretangibleattributessuchasweight,length, gender, age, and marital status.Whyis that?
3. Onewayoftappingmoreabstractandsubjectiveattributesisoperationalizingthese attributes.
a. Whatisoperationalization?
b. Describetheprocessofoperationalizingvariables.
4. Based on a review of the literature Syafiq has developed a table that should help him to operation alize the variables of his conceptual model. Use this table to discuss the attribute‘ Information Quality' interms of dimensions and elements. In other words, which dimensions of ‘Information Quality' has Syafiq found in the literature and how have these dimensions further been broken into elements by researchers who have investigated this issue in the past?
5. Syafiq could decide to use the survey questions he has found in the literature as a basis for hisquestionnaire. Is it,in general, a good or a bad idea to use existing scales? Why?