answer all of the questions on the following pages. Be sure to clearly identify the question (and sub-question) for each of your answers.

United Foundation, a large non-profit organization, has decided to implement a
conflict management training program for its employees. Before the training program
is implemented broadly, the management would like to determine whether it is
effective. To do so, United Foundation will focus on all employees who are in their
first or second year of working for the organization. First, all first and second year
employees will be randomly assigned into two groups. Both groups will then be given
a questionnaire that assesses their knowledge of effective conflict management
strategies and techniques. Next, one group will receive the conflict management
training program, while at the same time, the second group will receive a seminar on
financial planning. Finally, both groups will be asked to complete the same
questionnaire to assess their knowledge of effective conflict management strategies
and techniques.
a. Identify the study design, illustrate it using R’s, X’s and O’s, and indicate what R,
X and O are in the current study. Is this a pre-, quasi-, or true experiment (be sure
to identify the specific design name)? Explain your answer. (5 points)
b. Identify a threat to the external validity of this study based on the information
provided. Be sure to define this threat and explain how it might operate to
threaten the external validity of the study. (2 points)
c. Define the threat of selection to internal validity. Does it operate as a threat in this
study? Explain why or why not. (3 points)
2. Christina Jones, director of a federal government agency, would like to know whether
its employees are meeting the agency’s goal of providing “people-oriented” service.
Specifically, Christina would like to determine whether the agency’s employees treat
their external stakeholders with respect and politeness during interactions at this time.
She has decided to survey a representative sample of external stakeholders to assess
their perceptions of recent interactions they have had with the agency’s employees.
a. What type of survey design is Christina using here? Explain your answer (2
points).
b. Assuming that the population of external stakeholders for this agency is 10,000
and that each of these stakeholders can be listed in a numerical order, describe
how Christina would use the systematic sampling strategy to come up with a
sample of 500 respondents for her survey. Be sure to clearly state any assumption
you may be making in your description. (3 points)
c. Christina is trying to determine whether to conduct face-to-face interviews or mail
questionnaires with a sample of external stakeholders. Describe two advantages
and two disadvantages of using mail questionnaires in the current context. (2
points)
d. One of the questions Christina wants to ask the external stakeholders is, “How
polite and helpful do you believe the agency staff are?” where the respondents can
indicate 1 (not at all) to 7 (very). Identify the most obvious problem with asking
this question as it is currently phrased. Be sure to explain what the problem is and
how it may operate to influence responses. Identify a solution to address this
problem. (3 points.)

3. Tom Wood is a graduate student who is pursuing a Masters degree in negotiations
and conflict management at a public university. Now in his last academic term, he is
required to complete an independent research project for his capstone course. Tom is
interested in conducting a qualitative study for his capstone project. He has obtained a
set of detailed transcripts that documented a series of negotiations surrounding an
ongoing union-administration dispute at his university. He has also established
working relationships with the union and administration representatives who
participated in those negotiations. Tom would like to gain a deep understanding of
effective negotiation strategies used by both the union and administration
representatives in this context.
a) Identify and describe a qualitative research design that may be most appropriate
for Tom to use in this scenario. Explain why this design is suitable for Tom’s
study, and how he might be able to use it here. (2.5 points)
b) Assuming Tom would like to use the content analysis technique to code the
transcripts, describe three research issues that he would need to consider when
using this technique. (4.5 points)
c) Define the concepts of qualitative validity and qualitative reliability. Name and
describe two strategies that Tom may use to assess each of the two concepts for
his project (i.e., be sure to discuss one validity strategy and one reliability
strategy). (3 points)