3-1

Research Design

03/30/20 1
 3-2

RESEARCH DESIGN: DEFINITION

 According to Churchill Jr. A research design is simply the
framework or plan for a used as a guide in collecting and
analysing data. It is the blue print that is followed in
completing study. It is, like the blue print for a house.
 What should be included in a research design. may vary
depending on the preferences of a person responsible.
 In a research design the details should be kept as minimum as
possible for later modifications. However, the following should
be included in any types of research.
 Define the information needed
 Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
 Specify the sampling process and sample size.
 Develop a plan of data analysis.

03/30/20 2
 3-3

Why Research Design is needed?

 Clarity: Without RD the researcher does not know what to do. It

is extremely desirable that the design be put in writing because
this will prevent a study to go astray.
 Relevance: When the researcher is deciding specially what
data are needed.
 Ease in Analysis and Interpretation: Keep the computations
and thinking on the path to solutions and recommendations.
 Economy: Just as the house built without a blue print is likely to
cost more because of midstream alterations in constructions, a
study is likely to cost more without formal design.
 In a nutshell a research design ensures that the study 1) will be
relevant to the problem, and 2) will use economic procedures.
 However, one should not conclude that a design should have a
very rigid framework. There should be some room for flexibility.

03/30/20 3
 3-4

Classification of Research Designs:

 One classification is exploratory, descriptive or causal. Katz suggested

two basic types, exploratory and hypothesis testing.
 RDs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive
 Exploratory research (ER) is used to define the problem more
precisely, identify relevant courses of action, or gain additional insights.
It is flexible and unstructured.
 The sample selected is small and non-representative. The primary data
are qualitative in nature. The findings are tentative. The insights gained
from exploratory research might be verified by conclusive research.
 Conclusive research is more formal and structured than ER. It is
based on large, representative samples, and the data obtained are
subjected to quantitative analysis.
 The findings are considered to be conclusive. Used as input into
managerial decision making. CR designs may be either descriptive or
causal, and descriptive research designs may be either cross-sectional
or longitudinal.

03/30/20 4
 3-5

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXPLORATORY AND CONCLUSIVE

RESEARCH
  Exploratory Conclusive
 

Objective: To provide insights and To test specific hypotheses

understanding. and examine relationships
 

Characteristic: Information needed is defined only Information needed is clearly

  loosely defined.
Research process is flexible and Research process is formal
unstructured and structured
Sample is small and non- Sample is large and
representative representative.
Analysis of primary data is Data analysis is quantitative.
qualitative. Tentative Conclusive
Findings/Resul
ts: Tentative Conclusive

Outcome: Generally followed by further Findings used as input into

exploratory or conclusive research decision making

Monday, March 30, 2020

03/30/20 55
 3-6

Research Designs: Three Caviets

 Certain types of research designs are better suited for some
purposes than others.

 The crucial tenet of research is that the design of the investigation

should stem from the problem. Each of these types is appropriate
to specific kinds of problems.

 The emphasis will be laid down on these designs basic

characteristics and generally fruitful approaches. Whether or not
the designs are useful in a given problem setting depends on how
imaginatively they are applied. The general principles of each
design can be taught. Whether they are productive in a given
situation depends on how skillfully they are applied.

 These basic designs can be looked as stages in a continuous

process. Exploratory studies are often considered as the initial
step. When researchers begin an investigation, it stands to reason
that they lack a great deal of knowledge about the problem.

 So exploratory research is needed. Later on, if the problem gets

crystallize a descriptive or causal study can be undertaken.

Monday, March 30, 2020

03/30/20 66
 3-7

A Classification of Research Designs

Research Design

Exploratory Conclusive
Research Design Research Design

Descriptive Causal
Research Research

Cross-Sectional Longitudinal
Design Design

Single Cross- Multiple Cross-

Sectional Design Sectional Design
03/30/20 7
 3-8

A Comparison of Basic Research Designs

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Objective: Discovery of ideas Describe market Determine cause
and insights characteristics or and effect
functions relationships

Characteristics: Flexible, versatile Marked by the prior Manipulation of

formulation of one or more
specific hypotheses independent
variables
Often the front Preplanned and
end of total structured design Control of other
research design mediating
variables
Expert surveys Secondary data
Methods: Pilot surveys Surveys Experiments
Secondary data Panels
Qualitative Observation and
research other data

03/30/20 8
 3-9

Uses of Exploratory Research

 Formulate a problem or define a problem more
precisely

 Identify alternative courses of action

 Develop hypotheses

 Isolate key variables and relationships for further

examination

 Gain insights for developing an approach to the

problem

 Establish priorities for further research

03/30/20 9
 3-10

Use of Descriptive Research

 To describe the characteristics of relevant groups,
such as consumers, salespeople, organizations, or
market areas.
 To estimate the percentage of units in a specified
population exhibiting a certain behavior.
 To determine the perceptions of product
characteristics.
 To determine the degree to which variables are
associated.
 To make specific predictions

03/30/20 10
 3-11

Methods of Descriptive Research

 Secondary data analyzed in a quantitative as
opposed to a qualitative manner

 Surveys

 Panels

 Observational and other data

03/30/20 11
 3-12

Cross-sectional Designs
 Involve the collection of information from any given sample of
population elements only once.
 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.
• The CSDs are carried through surveys and also called survey
research design.
• Survey attempts to be representative of some known universe,
both in terms of number of cases included and the manner of
their selection.

03/30/20 12
 3-13

Dummy Table 1: Involvement of Husband-Wife in Refrigerator

Purchase

(N=105, n1 =63, n2 = 42)

    Level of Involvement %  

Stages In Type of Family W> H=W H>W 

Purchasing H
         
Single Earning
Idea Family (n1)          
Initiation
  Dual Earning        
Family (n2)
         
Single Earning
Family (n1)          

Information   Dual Earning        

Collection Family (n2)
         
Single Earning
Family (n1)
         

Final   Dual Earning        

Decision Family (n2)

Single Earning
Family (n1)

03/30/20 13
 3-14

Longitudinal Designs (LDs)

• In LDs a fixed sample (or samples) of population is measured
repeatedly, samples remain the same over time.
• LD provides a series of pictures that give view of the situation and
changes that take place over time.
• Often, the term panel is used interchangeably with the term LD.
• A panel consists of a sample of respondents, that have agreed to
provide information at specified intervals over an extended period.
Syndicated firms maintain panels.
• There are two types of panels. The older type of relies on repeated
measurement of the same variable i.e. each panel member is
measured with respect to the same characteristics at each time.
• A new type of panel called the omnibus panel, a sample of elements is
still selected and maintained, but the information collected from the
members varies. At one time the panel members might be asked to
evaluate alternative advertising copy. At another time it is attitude with
respect to a new product.
• The distinction between the traditional panel and the omnibus panel is
important.
03/30/20 14
 3-15

Causal Research Designs ( CRD)

 CR determines the cause and effect relationships.
 For example, a 5% increase in price of the product will have no
appreciable impact on the quantity demanded by customers.
 DR is not suitable for establishing, causality. Therefore, to
establish causal relationship the experiments are used.
 Causal research is appropriate for understanding which
variables are the cause/s (independent variables) and which
variables are the effect (dependent variables)
 Like DR, causal research requires a planned and structured
design. Causal design, in which the causal or independent
variables are manipulated in a relatively controlled environment.
The main method of causal research is experimentation.
 To understand CRD, one must understand the scientific notion
of causality.

03/30/20 15
 3-16

Scientific Notion of Causality (SNC)

 The SNC of causality is different from the common day notion.
 1) The common notion; there is a single cause of an event such
that the statement X is the cause of Y implies that X is indeed
the cause. The SNC holds that X would only be one of the
causes/conditions.
 2) The common notion; implies a completely deterministic
relationship. The SNC implies a probabilistic relationship.
The SNC suggests that X can be a cause of Y if the occurrence
of X makes the occurrence of Y more likely or more probable.
 3) Finally, the SNC implies that we never prove that X is a
cause of Y. Rather we infer, that a relationship exists, it is
never demonstrated conclusively.
 There are three kinds of evidences, concomitant variation,
time of occurrence of variables, and elimination of other
possible causal factors.

03/30/20 16
 3-17

Evidences for establishing causal Relationship

 1. Concomitant Variation:
 If a statement is "X is a cause of Y" then the concomitant
variation as to the validity of this statement refers to the
extent of which X and Y occur together or vary together in
the way predicted by the hypothesis.
 Suppose there is a positive relationship between the
quality of dealers and market share. The hypothesis, in
this connection is "The success of a company’s marketing
efforts is highly dealer dependent.
 Where the company has good dealers, it has market
penetration and where the co. has poor dealers, the co.
has unsatisfactory market penetration.
 If X is to be considered a cause of Y, one should expect to
find the following
03/30/20 17
 3-18

Example of Concomitant Variation:

 Suppose the research department has also investigated the firms'
market penetration in each sales territory
 Perfect evidence of concomitant variation would be provided, of
course, if all good dealers were located in territories with
satisfactory market share and all poor dealers are located in
territories with unsatisfactory market shares. The "pure" case will
rarely be found in practice, as the other causal factors will effect
some deviation from a one‑to‑one correspondence between X and
Y.

Dealer MARKET SHARE ‑ Y

Quality X
  Satisfactory Unsatisfact Total
ory
Good 40(67%) 20(33%) 60(100%)

Poor 10(25%) 30(75%) 40(100%)

03/30/20 18
 3-19

Time order of Occurrence of Variables

The time order of occurrence between the two variables is

conceptually simple
One event cannot be considered the cause of another if it occurs
after the other event.
By definition, an effect cannot be produced by an event that
occurs only after the effect has taken place.
However, it is possible for each term in the relationship to be
both a “cause” and an “event” of the other term
The Elimination of other possible causes
In order to infer causal relationship between two variables, the
researcher has to eliminate any other variable or variables, which
may affect the dependent variable under study. If it is not done
then the causal relationship between the independent and
dependent variable may not be proved.
 
These evidences can be provided through causal research, which
is carried out through controlled experiments.

03/30/20 19