Research Methods

Chapter 4: Problematic & Hypotheses

Doctorate of Business Administration

2022
Sylvain SENECHAL, PhD

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 Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter you should:

1. Understand what is a problematic;

2. Know how to translate problematic into research questions
3. Understand what is an hypothesis and how to write it
4. Know how to implement hypotheses into a theoretical model;
 Contents

1. The problematic
2. The research questions
3. The hypotheses
4. The theoretical model

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 1. The PROBLEMATIC
Definition
• The problematic (PBM) is a complex question, holding
several sub-questions, or Research Questions.
• It is the logical starting point of every research work (What
is, are …, why…, How…, Can we, must we…, should we
…).
• Your PBM answers the research goal, the specific
question(s) you want to answer . Then, your PBM must be
translated into Research Questions, or axes
• Every problematic is expected to provide results, which is
to say:
• applicable conclusions
• useful advices to help managers in decision-taking,
• Recommendations, enabling managerial decisions.

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 1. The PROBLEMATIC
a few examples
Problematic: Marketing problems  Research Questions

Shall we introduce this new product ? Estimate potential market. Measure the
preferences and buying intentions.
Analyze the competition, test

Translation into
« Problematic »

The potential mix

What positioning strategies for our
Subject, or

Measure the customer perceptions of

brand ? existing brands. Mesaure the reactions
and preferences for intended poistioning

RQs
Identify the strenghts / weaknesses of the
How to attract many potential shop, understanding frequentation and
customers to our selling point? creating traffic
Test of the promotional tools

Evaluate the sales power (force)

Evaluate the needs of each sector
How to spread efficiently the sales Adapt the measures by specific
force ? parameters

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5
 1. The PROBLEMATIC
The tree-view aspect (1)

Research Questions are addressed simultaneously

PROBLEMATIC
Complex question

Research Research Research Research

question 1 question 2 question 3 question n
H H H H
H H H H
H H
H
NB: the number of hypotheses per axis, and the number of axes are purely indicative
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 1. The PROBLEMATIC
The tree-view aspect (2)

Research Questions are addressed successively

PROBLEMATIC
Complex question
Step 1

H Research H H Research H
question 1 question 2
Step 2
H H
Research
H H
question 3
Step 3

Research
H H
question n
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 2. The Research Questions

• A Problematic can hold one or several RQ

• RQs Are usually shaped with Research Objectives (See

Chapter 2)
• RQs can be enounced with the following:
– « WHAT »  Large exploring question
– « HOW MUCH », « TO WHAT EXTENT »  Descriptive question
– « WHY », « HOW »  Explanatory question
– “ WHAT WILL ”  Predictive question (modelisation)

• Strategic questions: “SHOULD WE”, or “HOW TO” 

Complex questions that must be parted in several sub-
questions
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 3. The HYPOTHESES
Definition

• A RQ can be tested with one or several hypotheses

• A hypothesis is a statement enounced in a positive

formulation; usually it is a possible explanation for a
phenomenon, or it is a simple prognosis concerning the
recorded level of a given indicator or metric.

• The intrinsic nature of a hypothesis is that no one can know

in advance if it is true or not: it is to confirm or to infirm.

• It must be enounced in a way enabling empirical testing.

• Hypotheses are generally present in an hypothetico-

deductive approach (see Chapter 1)
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 3. THE HYPOTHESES
Developing hypotheses

Hypotheses generally come from:

• The literature  Your synthesis of the literature provides general

rules, new questions, and therefore, hypotheses

• The realities of management  When metrics or parameters seem

to be related together

• The fruit of your reflection  Through your experience and your

intuitions

• Simple logics  The hypothesis can be supported by logical thinking

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 3. THE HYPOTHESES
Developing hypotheses

• Simple hypothesis example: H1: “The satisfaction of customers positively

impacts their loyalty”
Satisfaction Loyalty
H1

• In that example, when realizing that the relationship described in H1 is

not certain, the researcher can easily imagine more hypotheses:

Life goes fast… and Long-term customers Customers portfolios are

youngsters become adults need to trust the often being “attacked” by
… and then they are company & the COMPETITIVE
getting old. So NEEDS salespersons to engage OFFERS. So many
ARE CHANGING along life in the relationship. So satisfied clients may
cycles TRUST & COMMITMENT leave
are to be examined
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 3. THE HYPOTHESES
Developing hypotheses

• So the revised model could be the following :

Resistance to counter-
persuasion
H5

Satisfaction Loyalty
H1 H4
H2
Needs Commitment
H3

Trust

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 3. THE HYPOTHESES
Developing hypotheses

So, the writing of the hypotheses should be the following:

H1: The satisfaction of customers positively impacts their loyalty

H2: The evolution of customer needs negatively impacts their loyalty

H3: Customers’ trust positively impacts their loyalty

H4: Customers 'commitment positively impacts their loyalty

H5: Resistance to counter-persuasion has a moderating impact on the

link between satisfaction & loyalty

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 3. THE HYPOTHESES
The qualities of a good hypothesis

• It must be enounced in a way enabling empirical checking; It

must refer to measurable indicators

• It must be plausible. Or, it is related to renown theories

(sociological, economical or psychological), or it fits
measures you got from previous studies … or it seems
simply logical !

• It must significantly contribute to the problematic, the best: it

provides a relationship between two variables.

• It can be re-written. If you get better information or measure

on a subject, you have to update your hypotheses.

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 3. THE HYPOTHESES
The qualities of a good hypothesis

• Good hypotheses fit the following 2 conditions:

• 1/ Generally it is a link between 2 variables
• 2/ It must be easy to test

• For example : If we assume that « most lipstick clients are

aged between 20 and 25 », it is indeed a relationship
between 2 variables:
• The buying behavior
• The age

• Hypotheses are OFTEN necessary (typical hypothetico-

deductive approach)
• They are crucial, and they shape your research
• They can be a few « subjective »

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 4. THE THEORETICAL MODEL
Definition

• A theoretical model is a theory developed to explain a

situation or a phenomenon and further, to be able to
forecast it.
• Theoretical modeling is based on a number or a set of
theories. These theories are used to explain some
situations, phenomena, behavior types…
• The Theoretical (research) model is the visual
representation of the formulation of the hypotheses
(RQs) of the research
• Your starting point is your synthesis of relevant
literature, providing the sense and the legitimacy of
your rationale.
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4. THE THEORETICAL MODEL
Example

Source: Morgan R.M., Hunt S.D. (1994) - The commitme

Marketing, (Vol. 58,

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