RESEARCH DESIGN

Dr. Vipul Patel

A research design is a framework or blueprint used to guide a research project towards its objective. The research design is the master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information.

A Classification of Research Designs

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Research Design

Exploratory Research Design

Conclusive Research Design

Descriptive Research

Causal Research

Cross-Sectional Design

Longitudinal Design

Single CrossSectional Design

Multiple CrossSectional Design

Types of Research Design

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Three traditional categories of research design:

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

The choice of the most appropriate design depends largely on the objectives of the research and how much is known about the problem and these objectives. The overall research design for a project may include one or more of these three designs as part(s) of it. Further, if more than one design is to be used, typically we progress from Exploratory toward Causal.

Exploratory Research
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Exploratory research design is used to clarify the problem at hand. Exploratory research is most commonly unstructured, informal research that is undertaken to gain background information about the general nature of the research problem. Exploratory research is usually conducted when the researcher does not know much about the problem and needs additional information or desires new or more recent information. Does not provide conclusive evidence Subsequent research expected

Exploratory research is used in a number of situations: To gain background information To define terms or key variables To clarify problems and hypotheses To establish research priorities Gain insights for developing an approach to the problem

Exploratory Research Techniques

Secondary Data Analysis Secondary data are data previously collected & assembled for some project other than the one at hand. Analysis of Selected Cases Intensive study of related cases or past activities May be internal or external Can help provide clues as to how other units or companies have dealt with similar issues

Pilot Studies

A collective term for any small-scale exploratory research technique that uses sampling but does not apply rigorous standards Includes

Focus Group Interviews

Unstructured, free-flowing interview with a small group of people Indirect means of questioning that enables a respondent to project beliefs and feelings onto a third party or an inanimate object Word association tests, sentence completion tests, role playing

Projective Techniques

Experience Surveys Individuals who are knowledge about a particular research problem are questioned. Knowledgeable people with varying points of view Unstructured and informal interviews Respondent free to choose issues to be discussed

Descriptive Research
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Descriptive

research is designed to provide further insight into the research problem by describing the variables of interest. Descriptive research is undertaken to provide answers to questions of who, what, where, when, and how but not why. Two basic classifications:
Cross-sectional

studies Longitudinal studies

Cross-sectional Designs
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Cross-sectional studies measure units from a sample of the population at only one point in time. Sample surveys are cross-sectional studies whose samples are drawn in such a way as to be representative of a specific population. In single cross-sectional designs, there is only one sample of respondents and information is obtained from this sample only once. In multiple cross-sectional designs, there are two or more samples of respondents, and information from each sample is obtained only once. Often, information from different samples is obtained at different times. Cohort analysis consists of a series of surveys conducted at appropriate time intervals, where the cohort serves as the basic unit of analysis. A cohort is a group of respondents who experience the same event within the same time interval.

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Consumption of Various Soft Drinks by Various Age Cohorts

Percentage consuming on a typical day Age 1950 1960 62.6 60.7 46.6 40.8 28.8 1969 1979

8-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+

52.9 45.2 33.9 23.2 18.1

73.2 76.0 67.7 58.6 50.0

81.0 75.8 71.4 67.8 51.9

Longitudinal Studies
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Longitudinal studies repeatedly draw sample units of a population over time. One method is to draw different units from the same sampling frame. A second method is to use a panel where the same people are asked to respond periodically.

Causal Research
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Causal Research is designed to provide information on potential cause-and-effect relationships. Most practical in marketing to talk about associations or impact of one variable on another. Causality may be thought of as understanding a phenomenon in terms of conditional statements of the form If x, then y. Causal relationships are typically determined by the use of experiments, but other methods are also used.

Experiments
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An experiment is defined as manipulating (changing values/situations) one or more independent variables to see how the dependent variable(s) is/are affected, while also controlling the affects of additional extraneous variables.

Experimental Design
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An experimental design is a procedure for devising an experimental setting such that a change in the dependent variable may be solely attributed to a change in an independent variable. An experiment is valid if:

the observed change in the dependent variable is, in fact, due to the independent variable (internal validity) if the results of the experiment apply to the real world outside the experimental setting (external validity)

Types of Experiments
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Laboratory experiments: those in which the independent variable is manipulated and measures of the dependent variable are taken in a contrived, artificial setting for the purpose of controlling the many possible extraneous variables that may affect the dependent variable Field experiments: those in which the independent variables are manipulated and measurements of the dependent variable are made on test units in their natural setting

Exploratory & Conclusive Research Differences

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Exploratory
Objective:
To provide insights and understanding. Information needed is defined only loosely. Research process is flexible and unstructured. Sample is small and nonrepresentative. Analysis of primary data is qualitative.

Conclusive
To test specific hypotheses and examine relationships. Information needed is clearly defined. Research process is formal and structured. Sample is large and representative. Data analysis is quantitative.

Characteristics:

Findings /Results: Outcome:

Tentative.

Conclusive.

Generally followed by further exploratory or conclusive research.

Findings used as input into decision making.

A Comparison of Basic Research Designs

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Exploratory
Objective:

Descriptive

Causal
Determine cause and effect relationships Manipulation of one or more independent variables Control of other mediating variables Experiments

Discovery of ideas Describe market and insights characteristics or functions Flexible prior formulation of specific hypotheses Preplanned and structured design

Characteristics:

Often the front end of total research design Expert surveys Pilot surveys Secondary data Qualitative research

Methods:

Secondary data Surveys Panels Observation and other data