Open Access Article

Title: Garbage in garbage out: Likert scale in management research

Authors: Borut Kodrič; Anita Trnavčevič; Tine Bertoncel; Nada Trunk Širca

Addresses: Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia ' Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia ' Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia ' Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia; International School for Social and Business Studies, Celje, Slovenia

Abstract: Master's and PhD programs worldwide vary in the quality of their programs, learning opportunities, and outcomes, including those in management. Master's and PhD theses can be published in various forms, such as traditional theses, articles, or monographic publications. These academic works often incorporate data gathered through surveys, especially in the case of social sciences research, whether in quantitative studies or mixed methods research designs. Psychometric measurements and Likert scales are often employed in surveys. However, the proper use of Likert and other measurement scales is sometimes questionable due to inappropriate application. Management research holds dual values: one for researchers and another for practitioners, policymakers, consultants, and companies. Therefore, master's and PhD theses must contribute high-quality results, which are achieved through high-quality data collection instruments. To gain initial insight into the quality of questionnaires used in Master's and PhD theses in the field of management, this research was conducted.

Keywords: research; business education; learning; PhD thesis; quality of data; web-scraping; questionnaire; measurement scales; Likert scale; content validity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2025.145684

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2025 Vol.37 No.6, pp.1 - 21

Received: 22 Oct 2024
Accepted: 16 Dec 2024

Published online: 14 Apr 2025 *