Build the management-research question hierarchy through the investigative questions stage.
The management-research question hierarchy is used to help researchers though the multistep process of business research. The steps are (1) management dilemma, (2) management question, (3) research question(s), (4) investigative questions, (5) measurement questions, and (6) management decision (Cooper, & Schindler, 2014). The management dilemma is what the management is concerned about, in the form of a statement (Foos, Schum, & Rothenberg, 2006). In the case of, NCRCC: Teeing Up a New Strategic Direction, the NCR Country Club is not drawing in new members.
The management question is how the management can eliminate the problem or capitalize on an opportunity (Johnson, 2006). Basically, it is the management dilemma in question form. In this case, “How can the NCR Country Club attract new members to the club?” The next step of the management-research question hierarchy is the research question(s). These question(s) are the plausible courses of action that are available to the company to help with the problem. The possible questions for this case study are:
- What kind of club are younger people looking for?
- Would advertising help?
- If advertising would help, where should the club advertise
- Are current members happy with the club?
- What would current members need to be happy?
- Are prices to high to attract new customers?
- Are prices to high to attract young customers?
- What improvements would help the club attract people?
- Who currently attends the club?
The fourth step in the management-research question hierarchy is the investigative questions (Johnson, 2006). These questions are what the executives need to know to make decisions concerning the given problem. For the NCR Country Club, possible investigative questions are:
- What loss is the company going to have if they do not attract new members?
- 1-year
- 5-years
- 10-years
- What new facilities or additions will help the club bring in more members?
- Swimming pool
- Tennis courts
- Health/fitness facility
- Paddle tennis courts
- Bowling alley
- Spa
- Social activities
- Family activities
- Children’s activities
- Year-round driving range
- Private lessons with a professional
- What improvements would help the club bring in more members?
- Enlarged Bar
- Enlarged banquet room
- Better pedestrian access
- Improved golf driving range
- Improved the golf short game practice area
- Modified North Course
- Modified South Course
- Are the fee/due prices to high?
- Are the current members happy?
If researcher were looking how to improve the happiness of the current members and attract new members the above questions are what they should ask or research. These questions would give the management team the information they need to make an informed decision.
Compare your list with the measurement questions asked.
The questions that are posed work with the measurement questions that were asked. They are on the same line of questioning. The measurement questions are asking what the club can do to attract new customers and make the current customers happier. The question that were posted in the above part are about how the club can bring in more members, how happy the current members are, what can be done to make the current members happier, how can the club bring in more money, and in the future if no new members are brought in, how are the finances of the club going to be like.
Given the research question, how appropriate were the measurement questions?
The research question, “How can the NCR Country Club attract new members to the club?” is mostly supported by the measurement questions in the survey; however, there was little mentioned about the cost of the club. It was in the results as an after thought. Members felt that,
Dining prices are seen as the same (65 percent lunch, 48 percent dinner) or higher (32 percent lunch, 47 percent dinner) than other clubs and restaurants frequented by members…. 59 percent, however, were unwilling to pay higher dues (including 43 percent of under age 46) to obtain the changes they found attractive. (Cooper, & Schindler, 2001, para. 13)
The questions asked about what facilities should be implement was an important question to ask the non-members of the club. It was important to receive peoples opinions about the club that were not members because that is the only way that your could get new members, to impress people that are not members; however, if you continue to impress the current members and improve the club, the current members may bring more of their friends to golf, then those people may join the club because they like the look of it.
References
Cooper, D. R., Schindler, P. S. (2014). Business research methods (Vol. 12). New York: McGraw-hill.
Cooper, D., & Schindler, P. (2001). NCRCC: Teeing Up a New Strategic Direction. In Business research methods (11th ed.). Boston: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/dl/free/0073373702/855241/NCRCC_TeeingUpANewStrategicDirection.pdf
Foos, T., Schum, G., & Rothenberg, S. (2006). Tacit knowledge transfer and the knowledge disconnect. Journal of knowledge management, 10(1), 6-18.
Johnson, M. (2006). Executive Skills and Traits: What Does the New Executive Need to Know? (p. 126). Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest.
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