421CLEHMANCMP9500NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITYASSIGNMENT.docx

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CLEHMANCMP9500
NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY
ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET
Chad,
Hello. Each score for each question receives a grade based upon
the scoring system shown below. Added together they yield the
total score for the question (80% and above is passing for each
question). You had 1 question -question 3. Your score is 74. See
my grading summary for question 3 below in the grading tables
below and review my many detailed comments inside your
exam. One major concern was that variables in your design
(number of variables and which one is the dependent variable)
change at different points. Understanding of some key aspects
of research design as it relates to your study, are not accurate.
There were other concerns that are also discussed in my detailed
feedback below, inside the exam. With some help from a
research design specialist and a little more research concerning
a specific related theory, I believe you can pass this question.
Please let me know of any questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Karl Lloyd 412-773-0527
Question 3 Grading Table

Comprehensive Examination Grading Rubric (for each
individual paper)
Grading Area
Outstanding
Acceptable
Needs Improvement
Score
Focus & Topic Development
(7.5 points)
7.5 points
The Student’s response includes a thorough discussion of the
topic.
The Student displays a deep understanding of the theory and
content for the topic.
Responses remain focused on the basic theme or topic.
6 points
The Student’s response addresses the topic and includes
theoretical and conceptual content.
Additional detail is needed to sufficiently address the topic.
Some tangential information may be included.
0-5 points
The response lacks focus and detail in terms of theoretical and
conceptual principles that are essential to this topic.
Responses may be largely tangential and lack focus on the
assigned topic.
4.0
Analysis & Critical Thinking
(5 points)
5 points
The response exhibits analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of the
literature covered.
The Student establishes and supports a position on the topic and
presents her/his own point of view in the response.
4 points

The response includes some analytic, integrative, and evaluative
writing but would be strengthened by more extensive critical
thinking and support for the Student’s position on the topic.
0-3 points
The response shows insufficient evidence of analysis, synthesis,
and evaluation of content that is presented in support of the
Student’s position for this topic.
4.0
Organization, Coherence, Logic, & Flow
(2.5 points)
2.5 points
The response is clear.
It articulates a cohesive discussion of theory and related
practice.
It is organized using a logical progression that is easily
followed from beginning to end by the reader.
2 points
The response is clearly structured, for the most part, and
presented following a logical progression of ideas but some
sections are unclear or difficult to follow.
0-1 points
The response lacks clarity and is difficult to follow.
2.0
Writing Style
(2.5 points)
2.5 points
The Student uses an appropriate professional tone and
vocabulary for the audience.
2 points
The Student uses a professional writing style but may be
somewhat informal in tone at times.
0-1 points
The Student uses unprofessional, casual, or inappropriate tone
or vocabulary.
2.0
APA Formatting and met page length requirements – also used

required sources and used enough quality sources
(2.5 points)
2.5 points
The response is properly formatted throughout in APA writing
style and length and source requirements met..
2 points
Any APA formatting errors are minimal and uncommon and
most of the requirements met.
0-1 points
The response includes numerous APA formatting errors and
many requirements not met.
2.5
Word Choice & Sentence Structure
(2.5 points)
2.5 points
The Student used supporting phrases and proper word choice
and sentence structure.
2 points
The response is well written but includes some errors in
wording and sentence structure.
0-1 points
The response lacks supporting phrases, is poorly worded, and
uses poor sentence structure.
2.0
Grammar, Usage, & Punctuation
(2.5 points)
2.5 points
There are minimal, if any grammatical, usage, or punctuation
errors.
2 points
There are some grammatical, usage, and punctuation errors.
0-1 points
There are numerous grammatical, usage, or punctuation errors.
2.0
Score (25 points possible—requires 20 points for a passing
score)

18.5
Student: Chad S. Lehman
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CMP9500
Dr. Karl Lloyd
Comprehensive Final Exam
Comprehensive Doctoral Review Examination
**I am completing a second attempt at the Comprehensive
Examination Course. The only question repeated is Question #3.
Questions 1,2 & 4 received a passing grade.
Faculty Use Only
6
LEHMANCCMP9500
<Faculty Name> <Grade Earned>
<Date Graded>
Comprehensive Doctoral Review Examination
Presented in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (or Philosophy)
By
Chad S. Lehman
Chad S. Lehman
Comprehensive Examination
School of Business and Technology Management
Northcentral University
June, 19, 2016

Question Three
The ability to read, understand, critique, and integrate research
studies and to design a study to address a gap in the research
literature is a vital tool for a doctoral student. As you write
your dissertation, you may be reading hundreds of studies, many
of which you will evaluate as part of a coherent literature
review. Select five empirical articles from peer-reviewed
journals that:
• you consider critical to your understanding of your area of
dissertation research
• all address a particular phenomenon and attempt to contribute
to theory about it
Part 1
1. Describe each study, including:
• the research problem, questions, or hypotheses
• the research purpose
• type of design and elements of the design (e.g., sample, data
analysis, operationalization of constructs)
• threats to validity and if and how they were addressed
• the findings and their implications
2. Critically evaluate each study: Does the author make a
compelling case for the meaning and significance of the
findings?
Part 2 Write a literature review that explains what is known and
not known about the phenomenon based on a critical evaluation
of the five studies.
Part 3 Develop a research question that addresses one of the

unknowns you identified in Part 2 and sketch a quantitative or
qualitative study that can answer the question about what is
unknown and contribute to theory (in some sense of theory you
discuss in Question 1). Address:
• the research purpose
• type of design and elements of the design (e.g., sample, the
type of data you need to collect and how you will collect it, data
analysis)
• the strengths and weaknesses of your envisioned design and
methods
• quantitative: threats to validity and how your design will
address them
• quantitative: the constructs you will measure and what you
will do in order to determine how to operationalize them (you
need not identify specific measures)
• qualitative: your means of ensuring the quality of your
findings
• justification for why your chosen design and methods are more
appropriate for your research question than alternatives you
have considered
• your methods of data analysis
• how the data you collect will enable you to answer your
research question and contribute to theory
Draw on the additional resources for this course for guidance in
understanding the concepts
(e.g., internal validity, threats to validity, and
operationalization) needed to address this question.
Introduction
This paper is an analysis of five different empirical articles
from peer-reviewed journals that study if adopting sustainable

business practices can give a company a competitive advantage
regarding financial performance. Each of these articles
attempts to make theoretical contributions concerning the
influence of corporate sustainability on creating a financial
competitive advantage for a company. A literature review of
the five articles shows what is known and unknown about the
phenomenon. Finally, the proposal of a research question
around an unknown element from the articles is generated that
contributes to the existing theory.
Analysis of Peer Reviewed Articles
The impact of the pursuit of sustainability on the financial
performance of the firm
Adams, Thornton, and Sepehri (2010) examined the effect
of the pursuit of sustainable business practices on the financial
performance of the firm using a quantitative methodology. The
purpose of the study was to determine if companies with
relatively higher levels of sustainability practices were able to
achieve better stock performance in the short as well as long-
term. To analyze the effect of sustainability on the stock price
of publicly traded companies in the short term, the study
examined the mean percentage change in stock prices between
the firms in Standard and Poor 500 and Dow Jones
Sustainability United States index. Dow Jones Sustainability
United States index includes 20% of the most sustainable
companies in the United States. On the other hand, the study
used the data from a survey conducted among 1946 Chief
Executive Officers (CEO) by McKinsey in 2007 to analyze the
long-term effects of sustainability on a company’s financial
performance.
The biggest hurdle faced by the researchers was whether or not
they can successfully evaluate the sustainability of a firm. The
study addressed this threat by using the Dow Jones
Sustainability United States index to identify the most
sustainable companies. The Dow Jones Sustainability United
States index is a notable list of the most sustainable companies
complied by different criteria including energy consumption,

climate change strategies, and corporate governance.
Comment by Karl: grammar
The study found that there is no significant difference in the
mean percentage change in stock prices between the companies
in Standard Poor or the businesses in Down Jones Sustainability
US index over a period of one year. This implies that
sustainability has no short-term benefits regarding the financial
performance of a firm. On the other hand, 67% of the CEOs
interviewed in the survey conducted by McKinsey reported that
sustainability engagements had a positive impact on the
shareholder value in the long-term. The authors do not
successfully make a compelling case for the results of the study.
The study warrants further research into the effects of
sustainability on the financial performance of a company over a
period of 5-10 years. Comment by Karl: How is it
determined if investors are aware if the company is employing a
sustainability approach or not? A company can be listed as a
sustainability-oriented company but that does not mean the
investors know this.
The effect of sustainability reporting on financial performance:
An empirical study using listed companies
Reddy and Gordon (2010) investigated the effects of
sustainability reporting on the financial performance of a
company in a study conducted among 68 publicly traded firms.
The purpose of the study was to understand what affects the free
release of sustainability reports by a corporation has on their
short-term financial performance. The study is an empirical
paper analyses and identifies overlaps, limitations, gaps, and
errors in current constructs of sustainable reporting.
The researchers used “event study” method to measure the
abnormal rate of returns for 51 companies listed on the
Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and 17 companies included
on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX). The study used the
date of announcement of the sustainability report as ‘Day 0’ and
the period beginning 10 trading days before ‘Day 0’ until the
20th day past ‘Day 0’ as the “event window.” The event

window had 31 trading days. Then the study used regression
analysis to regress the returns of the selected 68 companies
against the daily market index. The study found a negative
trend in abnormal returns for the Australian companies during
the event window and a definite trend in abnormal returns for
the New Zealand companies. However, the results were not
statistically significant for the New Zealand companies.
The difficulty in identifying the influence of other factors on
the abnormal returns was a threat to the validity of the study.
To overcome the influence of other factors, the study took into
account contextual factors such as the type of industry and the
type of sustainability report used. The study concluded that
sustainability reporting is statistically significant in explaining
the short-term abnormal returns for publicly traded Australian
companies. The authors give a compelling case in describing an
original model and framework for studying sustainable
reporting and the impact of these reports.
Sustainability and firm performance: A case study of Japanese
electronics companies
Cortez and Cudia (2011) conducted a case study research
among Japanese electronics companies to explore the impact of
sustainability innovations on the financial performance of these
enterprises. The purpose of the study was to investigate
influence of sustainability on a firm’s profitability. The
following propositions were made by the study: Cost of
Sustainability actions positively impacts revenue generation,
profitability, assets & shareholder wealth and negatively affect
the accounting risk (liability).
To conduct this study, the researchers chose ten of the largest
electronics manufacturers from the Tokyo Stock Exchange
(TSE) based on their sustainability ratings from Business
Insight COMPUSTAT, and Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
JVC Kenwood, Canon Inc., Casio Computer, Sharp Corp., Oki
Electric, Hitachi Ltd., Fujitsu Ltd, Toshiba Corporation,
Panasonic Corp., and Sanyo Electric were chosen based on their
sustainability ratings. The annual financial reports of these

companies for a nine-year period from 2001 to 2009 looks for
revenue, profit, assets, liabilities and equity. The sustainability
cost of these businesses gathers from their sustainability
reports. The study then conducted a regression analysis to
determine the nature of the relationship between sustainability
costs and financial performance.
The study found a coefficient of determination () of 0.05
between sustainability costs and sales, showing a positive
impact of sustainability actions on revenue. The study did not
find a positive coefficient of determination () between
sustainability costs and profitability, which attributes to the
losses incurred by these companies during the 2008 financial
crisis. Similarly, the study did not find a positive coefficient of
determination () between sustainability costs and value of
assets, which could also be attributed to the losses incurred by
these companies during the 2008 financial crisis.
The findings also show that there is an inverse relation between
liabilities and sustainability cost. This is because higher
spending in sustainable actions reduces the risk contingent
liabilities such as litigation costs and fines. The researchers
failed to account for the losses incurred by these companies
during the 2008 financial crisis.
Therefore, the findings of the study are not entirely independent
of influence from variables other than the ones considered in
the study. The authors make a compelling case; unfortunately
the data analysis does not find a positive correlation because of
outside variables. Further research without any influence from
external factors is required to confirm the findings made by this
study.
How does the market value corporate sustainability
performance?
Lourenço, Branco, Curto, and Eugénio (2012) investigated how
the market value of equity of a company reflected its corporate
sustainability performance. The study is quantitative and
formulated three null hypotheses:
· There is a negative relation between the market value of

equity and firm’s profitability for the group of larger firms with
a lower level of Corporate Sustainability Performance.
· The market undervalues profitable larger firms with a lower
level of CSP, when compared with firms with a higher level of
Corporate Sustainability Performance.
· The market does not undervalue profitable larger firms with a
lower level of CSP, when compared with firms with a higher
level of Corporate Sustainability Performance.
The hypotheses were tested using regression analysis. The
study considered the market value of equity to be a function of
the book value of fairness and earnings. The study found that
the size of a company and the profitability are the two issues
that matter when it comes to whether the level of Corporate
Sustainability Performance affects a firm’s market value. The
findings suggest that the market does not undervalue all the
larger firms with a lower level of CSP, but only those that are
profitable. The study suggests that only companies with an
incentive to adopt corporate sustainability strategies but are not
doing so will be penalized by the market.
The authors use a quantitative analysis to find out if the market
values corporate sustainability. While a quantitative analysis is
enough to know the correlation or lack thereof, between
corporate sustainability and market valuation, it does not tell a
complete picture. Many quantitative factors contribute to the
market’s perception of a firm regarding corporate sustainability.
The authors do not make a compelling case and the study fails
to take into account, those factors that influence how corporate
sustainability is valued. The study also does not suggest any
causation for the findings.
Sustainability practices and corporate financial performance: A
study based on the top global corporations
Ameer and Othman (2012) test the hypothesis that companies
that adhere to good sustainable practices have higher financial
performance compared to those that do not engage in such
sustainable business practices. The purpose of the study was to
find out if there is a positive correlation between sustainability

practices and financial performance that measure increased
sales and profit. The study is a mixed methods study using a
sample population of the top 100 sustainable global companies
in 2008.
The study tested the following hypotheses:
· Sales/revenue growth (SG) of the Global most sustainable
companies is higher than SG in the control companies over the
period of 2006–2010.
· Return on Assets (ROA) of the most sustainable global
companies is higher than the ROA in the control companies over
the period of 2006–2010.
· Profit before tax (PBT) of the Global most sustainable
companies list is higher than PBT in the control companies over
the period of 2006–2010.
· Cash flows from operating activities (CFO) of the Global most
sustainable companies are higher than CFO in the control
companies over the period of 2006–2010
This study used content and statistical analysis as part of the
research design. The list of the top 100 companies is from the
Global Sustainability Research Alliance. The sustainability
practices of these companies are analyzed according to their
country and industry.
The study found that highly sustainable businesses in the
industrial sector had significantly higher rate of sales growth
when compared to the control sample group of companies.
Sustainable businesses in the telecommunications industry were
found to have higher Return on Assets (ROA) than the
businesses in the control group. Sustainable businesses in the
Consumer Discretionary sector had higher rates of Return on
Assets (ROA), Profit Before Tax (PBT), and Cash flows from
operating activities (CFO). The study also used regression
models in order to establish the direction of causality between
sustainability and financial performance. However, the results
did not support the paradigm that sustainable practices have a
positive impact on profitability.
This study is one of the very few about sustainability and

competitive advantage that successfully incorporates both
quantitative as well as qualitative methods of analysis into the
research design. The authors and the study was also successful
in analyzing the impact of sustainability practices on companies
in different sectors and countries.
Literature Review
The study conducted by Adams, Thornton, and Sepehri (2010)
successfully finds that there is no correlation between the
sustainability of a firm and its short-term financial performance.
However, the study does not make sufficient conclusions
regarding whether or not sustainable business practices have a
long-term impact on a company’s competitive advantage.
The study conducted by Reddy and Gordon (2010) uses
abnormal returns during a given period as an indicator of either
a positive or negative impact of sustainability reports on a
company’s financial performance. The study successfully
demonstrates a positive correlation between sustainability
performances and either a surge or dip in revenue, hence
concluding that sustainability has short-term impacts on the
revenue of a firm. But the study does not give us any insight
into the relationship between adopting sustainable business
strategies and a company’s competitive advantage in parameters
other that growth in revenue.
Cortez and Cudia (2011), in their case research on the top
electronic companies in Japan, found that adopting
sustainability practices within a firm can help in the growth of
revenue. However, the study did not find any causality between
sustainability and profitability because the sample size is
influenced by outside variables such as the loss incurred during
the 2008 crisis. Therefore, this study does not tell us if there is
a possible positive correlation between sustainability and the
overall financial performance of a firm in the long term (over a
period of 10 years).
The study conducted by Lourenço, Branco, Curto, and Eugénio
(2012) provides empirical evidence on how much does corporate
sustainability performance influence the market value of a

company’s equity. The study shows enough evidence to prove
that big business that has an incentive to adopt sustainability
practices are more likely to be penalized by the market if they
do not embrace sustainability. This study conclusively tells us
that a large company can lose its competitive advantage if they
do not incorporate sustainable business practices. However, the
study does not analyze the negative impacts of not adopting
sustainability practices on any financial indicators other than
the market value of equity.
The findings from the study conducted by Ameer and Othman
(2012) dismiss the hypothesis of causality between
sustainability and financial performance based on regression
analysis. The study did not perform any quantitative analysis to
find out of a causality exists between sustainability and
financial performance.
Develop a Research Question
Research Purpose
The literature review shows mixed opinions about how
incorporating sustainability affects the financial performance
within the company from an internal process. One issue the
literature review does not address is the external process of
creating a competitive advantage by the customer. The purpose
is to see if the company can also create a competitive advantage
by understanding which customers are more likely to buy a
product if they know the company uses sustainable practices.
This increase in market share could offset the mixed reviews of
financial performance from an internal perspective by
implementing sustainable business practices. The research is to
determine if there is a statistically significant difference on
product choice at different income levels, sex, and age.
Understanding this relationship could now benefit the company
through appropriate marketing; thus, creating an external
benefit that is financially viable and would support
implementing sustainable business practices. Comment by
Karl: In the answer thus far you have not discussed a specific
theory.

Theoretical Framework Comment by Karl: What existing
theories might be affected?
The theoretical framework and basis for sustainable business
practices are awareness and competitive business advantages.
The benefit of incorporating sustainable business practices are a
two-fold issue. The first is the protection of the earth and its
natural resources; the second is promoting a sustainable
business model. The hopeful effect of incorporating sustainable
business practices is to reduce the use of virgin natural
resources being used in day-to-day business practices while
promoting a healthy financial bottom line. The research is
looking outside of the financial benefits gained inside the
business and examining if a competitive advantage can be
gained by marketing sustainable products to the public. The
research hopes to provide a foundation to understand if there is
also an external benefit by capturing market share through the
promotion of sustainable business practices/products.
Constructs
The study is looking outside of the benefits gained internally to
an organization by implementing sustainable business practices.
The research is focused on analyzing if external benefits are a
reality by promoting sustainable business practices to the public
and which consumers favor this business model. The first
construct is sex. Sex is defined for this study as two possible
choices, being either male or female. The research is looking to
see if a male or female consumer will buy a product other than a
normally purchased product/service if they knew the
product/service was from a company with sustainable business
practices. The second construct is age of the participant. The
construct of age for this study and is defined as the length of
time a person has lived. The third construct for this research is
income. Income for this study is defined as the gross annual
income of an individual. Comment by Karl: ? Comment by
Karl: How will this be defined and how will the subjects know
this? Comment by Karl: You have 4 factors – age, income,
gender, and purchase habits based on certain knowledge of

business practices.
Research Design
The quantitative factorial ANOVA is the most appropriate
design for this research question because it is better than
running multiple one-way ANOVA’s. The research question is 2
X 3 factorial designs looking at income as the dependent
variable and sex and age as the independent variables. The
study allows for a comparison of each independent variable on
the dependent variable and if any interaction between
independent variables is present. This is the main point of the
study to show a main effect of an outcome difference between
levels of a factor, sex, and age. Comment by Karl: Why?
Explain about testing for interaction as part of the reason.
Comment by Karl: grammar Comment by Karl: ? This is
investigating how age and sex maybe related to income, instead
of buying habits. This is a different study than what you first
described above. Comment by Karl: Consumer choice would
be the dependent variable. Comment by Karl: The study
design, based upon your stated interests, should be based upon
an interest to investigate if there are any main effects and/or
any interaction effects when looking at age and/or gender and/or
income (independent variables) related to purchasing-habits.
(dependent variable)
The assumptions of the factorial ANOVA are that the dependent
variable measured is of metric measurement level, approximates
a multivariate normal distribution, assumes homoscedasticity of
error variances, and contains little or no multicollinearity. The
use of income as the dependent variable meets the first
assumption of being a metric measurement level, as ratio data.
Normality of the data assumes that data are distributed normally
and this is verified by graphing the results with a histogram,
normal distribution curve, or with a Q-Q-Plot. Homogeneity of
variances assumes both groups have equal error variances
throughout the sample. The Levene’s test addresses the
assumption of homogeneity of variances. Finally, there must be
little to no multicollinearity, meaning the independent variables

are independent from each other and not intercorrelated. If, the
study shows any between-factor effects, a factor analysis should
be conducted.
Research Questions Comment by Karl: The research study that
you are interested in is not the one you describe in terms of the
ANOVA analyses. A research design tutor will be of great
benefit.
The research question explored is a quantitative question about
sustainable business practices to create a competitive
advantage. The question looks to see if there is any difference
between sex and income affecting consumer choice. If, a
company knew they could capture more of a market share by
advertising to a certain demographic, then it may be feasible to
implement sustainable business practices.
Q1. Is there an effect of sex on income?
Q2. Is there an effect of age on income?
Q3. Is there an interaction between sex and age?
Hypotheses
There are two questions so there will be two hypotheses for
each question. The researcher believes there will be a difference
in opinions between the two independent variables, sex, and
age. One ideal is that people with more income will have a more
positive opinion on a company that uses sustainable business
practices and therefore, is more likely to purchase that product
or service creating a competitive advantage. The same opinion
is that females will value products or services from a company
that uses sustainable business practices. Comment by Karl:
Your design is changing from what you first specified. Now you
are wanting to investigate sex, age, and income upon the
dependent variable of consumer choice for sustainable-based
companies. This would not be a 2 x 3 ANOVA.
Q1H0. There is no statistical difference between male and
female on income.
Q1H1. There is a statistical difference between male and
female on income.
Q2H0. There is no statistical difference between ages on

income.
Q2H1. There is a statistical difference between ages on
income.
Q3H0. Interaction effect is not present between age and sex.
Q3H1. Interaction effect is present between age and sex.
Measurement
The design is a quantitative factorial ANOVA to answer the
research question. An advantage of using a factorial ANOVA to
examine the data is that the design enables the researcher to
examine the joint effect of the independent variables on the
dependent variable. The effect interaction or effect is not the
same for each independent variable on all levels, so running just
a one-way analysis would not provide the data. Increasing
factors decreases variability and increases the statistical
sensitivity of the study. The other advantage of using a
factorial ANOVA with more than a one-way analysis will
increase generalizability without decreasing precision.
A weakness of using a quantitative factorial ANOVA to
answer the research question is adding factors increase the size
of the study. Increasing the size of the study by adding factors
make statistics more difficult to assess. The higher-order
interactions become difficult to sometimes interpret when the
study adds many factors. The study being proposed in this
concept paper will have a 2 X 3 factorial design, decreasing the
known weakness of using a quantitative factorial ANOVA.
Comment by Karl: This is not clear. In some types of
studies when using ANOVA and a within-subjects design there
can be some concerns such as practice effects, but your study
would not have these concerns.
Comment by Karl: ? This does not follow from what you
stated.
Validity
Using the quantitative factorial ANOVA can present
threats to internal validity. A factor or extraneous variable that
causes doubt or questions about the data results is a threat to
internal validity. The researcher needs to make sure that an

alternate explanation to the causal effect is not present. The
study could show two possible threats to internal validity. The
first threat is associated with the sample participants. The
selection, maturation, attrition, and history of the participants
need to be controlled to reduce the threat to internal validity.
The second are of concern to internal validity is threats
associated with measurements. A clear definition on how the
data will be collected and analyzed will help reduce internal
validity. Comment by Karl: Is this caused by using an ANOVA
design or is this caused by not accounting for all of the
variables in a design? Comment by Karl: How will these be
controlled? Explain why maturation would be a concern here.
Comment by Karl: grammar Comment by Karl: you
would not want to reduce internal validity.
The research design for this study understands that
research participants bring unique factors such as ethnicity, age,
sex, and socio-economic status to name a few. The researcher
will assign participants to groups instead of allowing for self-
assignment or matching to determine groups. The reason for the
researcher to assign the groups is to eliminate an unequal
distribution of these characteristics to any certain group. The
study is proposing to use only one researcher to collect the data
so as to reduce errors associated with instrumentation. The
instrument used in this research is a survey presenting a
standard set of questions and response options. The internal
validity will be reduced by using one data collection and not
multiple data collection cycles; this will also reduce a change in
the participant’s behavior as a result of prior testing.
Comment by Karl: ? Comment by Karl: There is no testing
in your study.
Sampling
The research will use a stratified random sampling method
to collect the data. The choice of stratified random sampling
method will ensure that one ethnicity is not over-represented;
therefore, skewing the data results. The area for this data
collection is a predominantly Caucasian area, so making sure all

ethnicities are represented provides for a better sample. The
same would be the case if the sample was drawn from a high-
income location such as Beverly Hills, an appropriate sample of
lower incomes would need to be included to ensure a proper
sample of the data. The primary benefit of using stratified
random sampling method is to include smaller strata of the
population with sufficient numbers to allow comparison. These
numbers are achieved off of the total sample size required for
the study. The use of stratified random sampling method may
improve the generalization of characteristics of the whole
population.
An appropriate sample size is determined by conducting a
priori power analysis using GPower and the following
information. The test family was the F-test and the statistical
test used for the calculation was ANOVA-fixed effects, special,
main effects and interactions. The input parameters were the α
(alpha probability) was set to 0.05, the Power (1-β err prob) was
set to 0.8, Numerator df is (n-1) so 5, Number of groups is 2,
and the effect size is determined by using Cohen’s justified
these levels of effect sizes for f-test ANOVA small 0.10,
medium 0.25, and large 0.40. The initial priori power analysis
uses an estimated effect size for the study and a post-hoc priori
test will determine if the correct sample size was used for the
study. Comment by Karl: Comment by Karl: grammar
Comment by Karl: Why use past tense? Comment by
Karl: sentence fragment
Data Collection
The types of data to be collected for this study will include
age, sex, and income. The collection gathering strategy is using
surveys with closed-ended questions. Using one data collector is
a primary concern so a combination of web-based
questionnaires and face-to-face interviews will be used. The
thought is that web-based questionnaires could be sent out in
mass quantities; whereas, face-to-face interviews is a much
more cumbersome process of data collection. Comment by
Karl: What about the variable concerning consumer choice?

Data Analysis
The data analysis will look at the opinion of renewables by
using a 1-5 scale, using 1 as unsatisfied and 5 as highly
satisfied. Five interactions below will be analyzed. Comment by
Karl: Grammar – the renewables do not have an opinion.
A1 : Female opinion on the use of sustainable business practices
A2 : Male opinion on the use of sustainable business practices
B1 : High income opinion on the use of sustainable business
practices
B2 : Medium income opinion on the use of sustainable business
practices
B3: Low income opinion on the use of sustainable business
practices
The data is analyzed to see if there are any statistically
significant interactions from the independent variables on the
dependent variable. The f-ratio test is used to determine any
significant interactions effect between the independent
variables. These data points are represented statistically with a
descriptive statistics, test between-subjects effect, and multiple
comparison tables. Graphically a plot of the means is used.
Contribution to Theory
The article and literature review shows mixed theories on
how implementing sustainable business practices impact the
bottom line. The contribution of this research looks to expand
that scope. The hope is that while a sustainable business
practice may or may not directly affect the bottom line
internally; there is a possible competitive advantage to
marketing this business model to specific consumers. The hope
is this research, by looking at an area outside strictly financial
performance and shifting the focus on competitive advantage
through consumer market share, improves on the existing theory
and makes a meaningful contribution. Comment by Karl:
What specific theories?

References
Adams, M., Thornton, B., & Sepehri, M. (2012). The impact of
the pursuit of sustainability on the financial performance of the
firm. Journal of Sustainability and Green Business, 1. Retrieved
from http://www.aabri.com/jsgb.html
Ameer, R., & Othman, R. (2012). Sustainability practices and
corporate financial performance: A study based on the top
global corporations. Journal of Business Ethics, 108, 61–79.
doi: 10.1007/s10551-011-1063-y
Cortez, M.A., & Cudia, C. (2011). Sustainability and firm
performance: A case study of Japanese electronics companies.
Ritsumeikan International Affairs, 10, 321-340. Retrieved from
http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/acd/re/k-
rsc/ras/04_publications/ria_en/10_15.pdf
Lourenço, I.C., Branco, M.C., Curto, J.D., & Eugénio, T.
(2012). How does the market value corporate sustainability
performance? Journal of Business Ethics, 108(4), 417-428. doi:
10.1007/s10551-011-1102-8
Reddy, K & Gordon, L.W. (2010). The effect of sustainability
reporting on financial performance: An empirical study using
listed companies. Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship and
Sustainability, 6(2), 19-42. Retrieved from
http://hdl.handle.net/10289/7658.
Siew, R., Balatbat, M.C.A., & Carmichael, D.G. (2013). The
relationship between sustainability practices and financial
performance of construction companies. Smart and Sustainable
Built Environment, 2(1), 6-27. doi:
10.1108/20466091311325827

1MATH 221 Statistics for Decision Making Week 4
iLab
Name: _______________________
MATH221
Statistical Concepts:
· Probability
· Binomial Probability Distribution
Calculating Binomial Probabilities
· Open a new Excel worksheet.
1. Open spreadsheet
2. In cell A1 type “success” as the label
3. Under that in column A, type 0 through 10 (these will be in
rows 2 through 12)
4. In cell B1, type “one fourth”
5. In cell B2, type “=BINOM.DIST(A2,10,0.25,FALSE)”
[NOTE: if you have Excel 2007, then the formula is
BINOMDIST without the period]
6. Then copy and paste this formula in cells B3 through B12
7. In cell C1, type “one half”
8. In cell C2, type “=BINOM.DIST(A2,10,0.5,FALSE)”
9. Copy and paste this formula in cells C3 through C12
10. In cell D1 type “three fourths”
11. In cell D2, type “=BINOM.DIST(A2,10,0.75,FALSE)”
12. Copy and paste this formula in cells D3 through D12
Plotting the Binomial Probabilities

1. Create plots for the three binomial distributions above. You
can create the scatter plots in Excel by selecting the data you
want plotted, clicking on INSERT, CHARTS, SCATTER, then
selecting the first chart shown which is dots with no connecting
lines. Do this two more times and for graph 2 set Y equal to
‘one half’ and X to ‘success’, and for graph 3 set Y equal to
‘three fourths’ and X to ‘success’. Paste those three scatter
plots in the grey area below. (9 points)
Calculating Descriptive Statistics
· You will use the same class survey results that were entered
into the worksheet for the Week 2 iLab Assignment for question
2.
2. Calculate descriptive statistics for the variable (Coin) where
each of the thirty-five students flipped a coin 10 times. Round
your answers to three decimal places and type the mean and the
standard deviation in the grey area below. (5 points)
Mean:
Standard deviation:
Short Answer Writing Assignment – Both the calculated
binomial probabilities and the descriptive statistics from the

class database will be used to answer the following questions.
Round all numeric answers to three decimal places.
3. List the probability value for each possibility in the binomial
experiment calculated at the beginning of this lab, which was
calculated with the probability of a success being ½. (Complete
sentence not necessary; round your answers to three decimal
places) (8 points)
P(x=0)
P(x=6)
P(x=1)
P(x=7)
P(x=2)
P(x=8)
P(x=3)
P(x=9)
P(x=4)
P(x=10)
P(x=5)

4. Give the probability for the following based on the
calculations in question 3 above, with the probability of a
success being ½. (Complete sentence not necessary; round your
answers to three decimal places) (8 points)
P(x≥1)
P(x<0)
P(x>1)
P(x≤4)
P(4<x ≤7)
P(x<4 or x≥7)
5.
Calculate (by hand) the mean and standard deviation for the
binomial distribution with the probability of a success being ½
and n = 10. Either show work or explain how your answer was
calculated. Use these formulas to do the hand calculations:
Mean = np, Standard Deviation = (4 points)

Mean = np:
Standard Deviation = :
6.
binomial distribution with the probability of a success being ¼
and n = 10. Write a comparison of these statistics to those from
question 5 in a short paragraph of several complete sentences.
Use these formulas to do the hand calculations: Mean = np,
Standard Deviation = (4 points)
Mean = np:
Comparison:
7.
binomial distribution with the probability of a success being ¾
and n = 10. Write a comparison of these statistics to those from
question 6 in a short paragraph of several complete sentences.

Use these formulas to do the hand calculations: Mean = np,
Standard Deviation = (4 points)
Mean = np:
Comparison:
8. Using all four of the properties of a Binomial experiment (see
page 201 in the textbook) explain in a short paragraph of
several complete sentences why the Coin variable from the class
survey represents a binomial distribution from a binomial
experiment. (4 points)
9. Compare the mean and standard deviation for the Coin
variable (question 2) with those of the mean and standard
deviation for the binomial distribution that was calculated by
hand in question 5. Explain how they are related in a short
paragraph of several complete sentences. (4 points)

Mean from question #2:
Standard deviation from question #2:
Mean from question #5:
Standard deviation from question #5:
Comparison and explanation:
npq
npq

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