Business and Analysis- design an experiment on starbucks - Research Paper Example

Company managers with this orientation strive to make their products the best and for continuous improvement. An experiment, specifically a blind two-group experimental taste test, will be conducted to find out whose latte has superior taste. The research questions are: 1. Does a Starbucks latte taste better than a McDonald latte? 2. Does a Starbucks latte taste better than a Dunkin Donuts latte? The taste test is an example of a sensory test, in which the instruments for investigation are the senses themselves (Liedtke, et al., 2005). Many such tests have been conducted.

Some examples are: 1. Gunnarsdottir and Thorsdittor’s (2010) study on the effect of food packaging on the perceived taste of healthy food by children; 2. Urdan and Urdan’s (2001) experimental analysis on the effect of brand name and taste on consumers’ buying intentions; 3. Studies that assess the taste and off-taste in drinking water by using quantitative taste and odor measurements compared with threshold numbers to evaluate compliance with government regulations (DWI, 2002); and 4. A comparison of taste test ratings after repeated consumption of different strengths of iced tea (Vickers and Holton, 1998).

The experiment will involve a blind two-group experimental design, like those used for clinical drug trials. . Ha: A Starbucks latte tastes better than a Dunkin Donuts latte. Method Participants Though Starbucks has long insisted that it does not market to children, the young population is often seen drinking their beverages (Linn, 2007). Stratified, quota sampling will be employed. There will be six sets of sixty participants each, totaling 360 participants, stratified by age (11-19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60 and up), where each set will have 30 males and 30 females, to control for age and sex, factors for which taste norms have not been determined (Moretz, 2006).

Participants will be randomly assigned to a control group or intervention group by computer-generated randomization schedule, where each group will equal thirty participants, with equal numbers of male and female participants and stratified by age. This process is blinded, so that participants will not know their group assignment. Participants will be recruited through advertisements in the newspapers. They will be informed of their full rights and compensation and will be asked to sign consent forms.

Research ethics shall be strictly followed. Interventions The control group will be given three cups (fifteen ounces each) of Starbucks latte. The intervention group will be given one cup (fifteen ounces) each of a Starbucks, McDonalds, and Dunkin Donuts latte. Administration of cups will be rotated. Both groups will be asked to rate each cup on a five-point scale (very good, good, neutral, bad, very bad). Both descriptive and inferential statistics will be employed upon analysis of results. Variables and Controls The dependent variable is the perception/measurement of taste of the lattes.

The independent variable is the brand of latte, i.e. Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Dunkin