June 2025 Live Online Short Course
Polynomial Regression and Response Surface Methods
Dr. Jeff Edwards
Session I: June 2-5 | 10:00 AM EDT – 3:00 PM EDT
Course Description
For decades, difference scores have been used in studies of fit, similarity, and agreement in organizational research. Despite their widespread use, difference scores have numerous methodological problems. These problems can be overcome by using polynomial regression and response surface methodology to test hypotheses that motivate the use of difference scores. These methods avoid problems with difference scores, capture the effects difference scores are intended to represent, and can examine relationships that are more complex than those implied by difference scores.
This short course will review problems with difference scores, introduce polynomial regression and response surface methodology, and illustrate the application of these methods using empirical examples. Specific topics to be addressed include: (a) types of difference scores; (b) questions that difference scores are intended to address; (c) problems with difference scores; (d) polynomial regression as an alternative to difference scores; (e) testing constraints imposed by difference scores; (f) analyzing quadratic regression equations using response surface methodology; (g) difference scores as dependent variables; and (h) answers to frequently asked questions.
Required Software: SPSS, Stata, R (download here) with RStudio (download here)
Meet the Instructor
Jeff Edwards’ research and teaching focus on individual and organizational change, person-organization fit, and stress and coping in organizations. He also conducts methodological work concerning the design, measurement,and analysis of research in organizations, with particularly emphasis on the study of congruence, multidimensional constructs and methods that combine moderation and mediation.
Dr. Edwards is an award-winning teacher and researcher. At UNC Kenan-Flagler, he received the Distinguished Teaching Award for Post-Baccalaureate Instruction, the Weatherspoon Award for Excellence in PhD Teaching and the Weatherspoon Award for Excellence in Research.
In his field, he has been elected as a fellow of the Academy of Management, American Psychological Association, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Center for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis. He also received the Distinguished Career Award from the research methods division of the Academy of Management.
He has consulted, conducted applied research and taught executive development courses with numerous organizations, including Alcoa, Burlington Industries, General Electric, General Motors, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Kaiser Permanente, Misys Healthcare, Quintiles, SonyEriccson, Wachovia, W.C. Bradley, Westinghouse, Whirlpool and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Dr. Edwards served as the chair of the management, organizational behavior and strategy, and organizational behavior areas at UNC Kenan-Flagler from 2000-10. He has served on the School’s research committee since 1997 and the promotion and tenure committee since 2011. Previously he held positions with the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan.
He has held leadership positions at the Academy of Management, serving as chair of the research methods division and the organizational behavior divisions. He has served as editor of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes and associate editor of the Journal of Organizational Behavior, Organizational Research Methods and Management Science.
He received his PhD and MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and his BA from UNC-Chapel Hill.
