Types of Research Design and Exploratory Research

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Stages in the Research Process

Formulate Problem Determine Research Design

Determine Data Collection Method

Design Data Collection Forms

Design Sample and Collect Data

Analyze and Interpret the Data

Prepare the Research Report

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Research Design
The framework or plan for a study that guides the collection and analysis of the data. A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project. It specifies the details of the procedures necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure and/or solve marketing research problems
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Research Design
Once research problem(s) are formalized, the next question to ask is Exactly what information is needed to solve the research problem? The research design: (1) is driven by the research problem (2) depends upon how much is known about the problem
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Types of Research Design

Exploratory Research
Goal: Explore

Descriptive Research
Goal: Describe

Causal Research
Goal: Establish Cause and Effect

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Relationships Among the Research Designs

Descriptive Research

Exploratory Research

Causal Research CHARU BISARIA

Research Design
Hypothesis: A statement that specifies how two or more measurable variables are related. Examples:
(H1): Women are more likely than men to make impulse purchases of our brand. (H2): Decreasing price by 10% will increase unit sales by 30%. (H3): Adoption of our new product will be greater in Northern states than in Southern States.
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Why conduct exploratory research?

Exploratory Research- Research Design that has as its
primary objective the provision of insights into & comprehension of the problem situation confronting the researcher. Exploratory research could be used for any of the following purpose

Better formulate the managers decision problem Develop hypotheses Increase researchers familiarity with the problem Clarify concepts Identify alternative courses of actions Establish priorities for further research
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Exploratory Research
Small scale Flexible Anything (reasonable) goes!

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Literature Search
A search of statistics, trade journal articles, other articles, magazines, newspapers, and books for data or insight into the problem at hand.

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Depth Interviews
Interviews with people knowledgeable about the general subject being investigated. Some possibilities:
those who work with it (e.g., employees, consultants) those who study it (e.g., researchers, analysts) those who live it (e.g., consumers)
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Focus Group
An interview conducted among a small number of individuals simultaneously; the interview relies more on group discussion than on directed questions to generate data.

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Characteristics of Focus Groups

Typically 8 12 people Homogeneous within group 1.5 to 2 hours in length Sessions recorded and transcribed

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What Makes a Focus Group Work?

Moderator Moderators Guidebook
Funnel Approach: Start with broad questions or tasks, then begin to focus in on the topic at hand

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Characteristics of Good Moderators

Superior learning ability Excellent short-term auditory memory Well organized A quick learner High energy level Personable Well-above-average intelligence
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The Dark Side of Focus Groups

Its easy for managers see what they expect to see in focus group results. Focus groups are one from of exploratory researchthey should not be expected to deliver final results or answers to decision problemsyet many managers seem to use them for that purpose.
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Case Analyses
Intensive study of selected examples of the phenomenon of interest.

Especially effective with cases reflecting... ...recent change ...extremes of behavior ...the best and worst situations

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Case Analyses
Benchmarking Ethnography

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Projective Methods
Methods that encourage respondents to reveal their own feelings, thoughts, and behaviors by shifting the focus away from the individual through the use of indirect tasks.

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Types of Projective Methods

Word association Sentence completion Storytelling Role playing

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Descriptive and Causal Research Designs

The objective of descriptive research is to describe somethingusually market characterstics or functions
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Four Purposes of Descriptive Research

Describe the characteristics of certain relevant groups i.e consumers, salespeople or market areas Estimate the proportion of people who behave in a certain way Determine the perceptions of product characterstics Make specific predictions
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Exploratory research is very flexible; descriptive research is MUCH more rigid Descriptive research requires the clear specification of
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW

-- before data collection can begin.

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The Importance of Dummy Tables

Dummy Table: A table (or figure) with no entries used to show how the results of the analysis will be presented.
It is important to prepare a complete set of dummy tables prior to data collectionno descriptive data should be collected until dummy tables have been developed. Otherwise, it is likely that the wrong questions will be asked, questions will be asked in the wrong way, or unnecessary questions will be included.
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Dummy Table
Brand Purchased Most Recently by Age brand age Coke Pepsi Sprite 7-Up <18 18-21 22-28

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Classification of Descriptive Studies

Continuous Panel Longitudinal Discontinuous Panel

DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES

CrossSectional
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Sample Survey

Longitudinal Analysis
Longitudinal Design-A type of research design involving a fixed sample of population elements which are measured repeatedly Panel- A sample of respondents who have agreed to provide information at specified intervals Continuous Panels
Measurements taken on same items from same people over time.

Discontinuous Panels
Measurements taken on different items from same people over time.
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Cross-Sectional Analysis
Sample Survey
Study in which the sample is selected to be representative of the target population and in which the emphasis is on the generation of summary statistics such as averages and percentages.

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Causal Research
The purpose of causal research is to test cause and effect relationships:

condition X causes event Y

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Evidence of Causality
Consistent variationevidence of the extent to which X
and Y occur together or vary together in the way predicted by the hypothesis

Time orderevidence that shows X occurs before Y Elimination of other explanationsevidence that
allows the elimination of factors other than X as the cause of Y

Xthe cause (independent variable) Ythe effect (dependent variable)

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Evidence of Causality
Because we can never know for certain that we have eliminated all other possible causes of an effect, we can never state with certainty that X caused Y.

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Causal Research
EXPERIMENT independent variables (X variables) dependent variable (Y variable). The basic point of an experiment is to change the levels of one or more X variables and examine the resulting impact on Y while at the same time controlling (holding constant) other variables that might impact Y.
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Two Types of Experiments

Laboratory Experiment
Research investigation in which investigators create a situation with exact conditions in order to control some variables, and Manipulate others

Experiment
Scientific investigation in which an investigator manipulates and controls one or more independent variables and observes the degree to which the dependent variable or variables change

Field Experiment
Research study in a realistic situation in which one or more independent variables are manipulated by the experimenter under as carefully controlled conditions as the situation will permit

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Causal Research
Internal vs. External Validity
Internal validity: extent to which observed effect can be attributed to experimental variable and not to other factors. Lab experiments tend to have higher levels of internal validity. External validity: extent to which observed effect can be generalized to particular populations and situations. Field experiments tend to haveCHARU higher levels of external validity. BISARIA

Types of Test Markets

Simulated Test Market

Controlled Test Market

Standard Test Market

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Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Test Markets

simulated Speed Cost Security Validity * internal * external Prediction accuracy 1 = most favorable
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controlled 2 2 2

standard 3 3 3

1 1 1

1 3 3

2 2 2 3 = least favorable

3 1 1