VARIABLES
Scientific activity starts with a question about
something which may be about :
•an event
–production / productivity in an industry
–the efficiency of service in restaurants
–the number of individuals speaking German
•people or animals
–cooperation / competition of workers in a
workplace
–training of people working in a restaurant
–the intelligence of cats compared to dogs
•things
–the number of computers used in universities
–TV programs mostly watched
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VARIABLES
Whatever this something is, it is not constant, it
varies :
• Production ------increases-decreases
• Service-------good-bad
• Exams-------difficult-easy
A VARIABLE IS ANYTHING WHICH
TAKES ON DIFFERING VALUES
2
Characteristics of variables
The value of a CONTINUOUS variable is
defined by numbers.
Anything which we measure in numbers is
called continuous variable.
E.g.,
Age
Income
Intelligence
Weight
Length
Exam scores
Etc. ....
3
Characteristics of variables
• CATEGORICAL variable is defined by labels
or names rather than numbers.
• These labels represent categories.
• E.g.,
Gender
Class
Eye color
Hair color
Nationality
Education level
Position
Etc. ....
4
Characteristics of variables
• The categories of a categorical variable can
be labeled with numbers rather than names.
• But the numbers don’t have the properties of
the number system: that is, they cannot be
added, subtracted, divided, or multiplied.
5
Frequency Distribution
6
Type of variable
• DEPENDENT VARIABLE
• INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
• INTERVENING VARIABLE
• MODERATING VARIABLE
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Type of variable
• DEPENDENT variable is the variable which we
want to explain.
• INDEPENDENT variable is the variable which
explains the variances in dependent variable.
• INTERVENING variable is the variable which
explains why independent variable works on
dependent. variable
• MODERATING is the variable which interacts with
independent variable and this interaction explains
dependent variable.
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Type of variable
Work
performanc
e Dependent
variable
9
Type of variable
Working
conditions
performance
Leadership
Style
Dependent
variable
Justice
perception
Independent
variables
10
Type of variable
I.V.
Work stress
I.V.
D.V.
I.V.
11
Type of variable
Work
overload
I.V.
Role Work stress
ambiquity
I.V.
D.V.
Mobbing
I.V.
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Type of variable
INTERVENING VARIABLE
t1 t2 t3
Work Fatigue Work stress
overload
I.V. D.V.
Int.V.
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Type of variable
MODERATING VARIABLE
Work overload Work stress
I.V. D.V.
resillience
M.V.
14
Type of variable
Workforce Creative Organization
diversity synergy al
effectiveness
I.V Int.V D.V
M.V.
Managerial
expertise
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IDENTIFYING THE VARIABLES DEPENDS ON THE THEORY
job satisfaction productivity
productivity job satisfaction
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Working conditions
Productivity
Job satisfaction
10 10
productivit
productivit
y
y
0
0 0 Job Satisfaction 10
0 Working conditions 10
17
Working conditions Productivity
Job satisfaction
Workers with high job satisfaction
10
Productivit
w
lo
ith on
w i
r s act
r ke tisf
o
W b sa
y
jo
0
0 Working conditions 10
18