Experiential Exercise: Testing a Hypothesis

Objective

The purpose of this exercise is to gain an understanding of organizational behavior research.

Description of exercise

Organizational behavior research seeks to help managers understand their employees and enhance critical thinking. In this exercise, youre going to test a hypothesis.

Select three volunteers from the class to be the organizational behavior researchers. These three should meet privately to discuss a simple hypothesis regarding the behaviors of students in the class. The volunteers will craft a hypothesis based upon something simple such as the majority of students read the textbook prior to coming to class, or half of all students eat breakfast in the morning, or 25% of students will go directly to graduate school after receiving their undergraduate degree, or something similar. Again, develop a hypothesis that can be easily tested among the students.

Once the hypothesis has been established, think about how you could determine if your hypothesis is correct. What questions would you need to ask the class to validate your hypothesis?

Discussion Questions

1. Why is hypothesis testing important in organizational behavior research?

2. How can researchers use hypothesis testing to improve working conditions for employees?

2. If you were not one of the three volunteers, how reliable do you think the questions that were asked would prove the stated hypothesis? What additional questions would you have asked?