Below is an adapted note from BusinessWeek published some time ago. After reading it, apply what you have learned in chapter 10, and design a study after sketching the theoretical framework.

The vital role of self-esteem

Why do some people earn more than others? Economists focused on the importance of education, basic skills, and work experience - what they called human capital - on increased productivity, and said these were reflected in greater earning power. Researchers also found that selfesteem was instrumental in acquiring human capital.

(2) Design a study to examine the following situation:

An organization would like to introduce one of two types of new manufacturing process to increase the productivity of workers, and both involve heavy investment in expensive technology. The company wants to test the efficacy of each process in one of its small plants.

(3) Provide an operational definition of the concept of "cloud accounting" and develop (10) questions that would measure cloud accounting by using Lickert scale.

(4) Identify the relevant population for the following research foci, and suggest the appropriate sampling design to investigate the issues, explaining why they are appropriate. Wherever necessary, identify the sampling frame as well.

a.A company wants to investigate the initial reactions of heavy soft drink users to a new "all natural" soft drink.

b.A hospital administrator wants to find out if the single parents working in the hospital have a higher rate of absenteeism than parents who are not single.

c.A researcher would like to assess the extent of pilferage in the materials storage warehouses of manufacturing firms.

d.The director of human resources wants to investigate the relationship between drug abuse and dysfunctional behavior of blue collar workers in a particular plant.

e.A marketer wants to generate some ideas on how women differ from men in acquiring product knowledge about cars.