Overview of Research Overview of Research DesignsDesigns

The Marketing Research ProcessThe Marketing Research Process

Step 1: Defining the Problem (research objectives)

Step 2: Planning the Research Design

Step 3: Planning a Sample

Step 4: Doing Field Work

Step 5: Preparing and Analyzing Data

Step 6: Preparing and Presenting the Report

Research Design

•A master plan that specifies the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing needed information.

Define the Information Needed

Design the Exploratory, Descriptive, and/or Causal Phases of the Research

Specify the Measurement and Scaling Procedures

Construct a Questionnaire

Specify the Sampling Process and the Sample Size

Develop a Plan of Data Analysis

Tasks Involved In a Research Design

Today’s Topic

A Classification of Market Research Designs

Research Design

Exploratory Research

Conclusive Research

Secondary Data

Experience Surveys

Pilot Studies

Case Studies

See next slide

A Classification of Market Research Designs

Research Design

Exploratory Research

Conclusive Research

See previous slide

Descriptive Design

Causal Design

Cross-sectional Study

Longitudinal Study

Secondary Data Study

Observation

Experiment

Survey

Exploratory Research

•Usually conducted during the initial stage of the research process

•Purposes– To narrow the scope of the research topic, and– To transform ambiguous problems into well-defined

ones

Exploratory Research Techniques

• Secondary Data Analysis– Secondary data are data previously collected & assembled for

some project other than the one at hand

• 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

• Projective Techniques– 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

Exploratory Research Techniques

•Case Studies– Intensively investigate one or a few situations similar

to the problem situation

•Experience Surveys– Individuals who are knowledge about a particular

research problem are questioned

Conclusive Research• Provide specific information that aids the

decision maker in evaluating alternative courses of action

• Sound statistical methods & formal research methodologies are used to increase the reliability of the information

• Data sought tends to be specific & decisive

• Also more structured & formal than exploratory data

Types of Conclusive Research

•Descriptive Research– Describes attitudes, perceptions, characteristics, activities and

situations.– Examines who, what, when, where, why, & how questions

•Causal Research– Provides evidence that a cause-and-effect relationship exists

or does not exist.– Premise is that something (and independent variable) directly

influences the behavior of something else (the dependent variable).

Common Characteristics of Descriptive Studies

•Build on previous information•Show relationships between

variables•Representative samples required•Structured research plans•Require substantial resources•Conclusive findings

Major Types of Descriptive Studies

Descriptive Studies

Consumer PerceptionAnd Behavior Studies

• Image

• Product Usage

• Advertising

• Pricing

Sample Surveyed at T1

Sample Surveyed

at T1

SameSame Sample

also Surveyed

at T2

T1 T2

Cross Sectional Design

Longitudinal Design

Time

Cross Sectional vs. Longitudinal Designs

Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal Designs

Cross-Sectional

Longitudinal

Detecting change Worse Better

Amount of data collected

Worse Better

Accuracy Worse Better

Representativeness

Better Worse

Response bias Better Worse

Exploratory Research

•Secondary Data Analysis

•Focus Groups

Conclusive Research•Descriptive/Causal

Conclusive Research•Descriptive/Causal

Exploratory Research

•Secondary Data Analysis

•Focus Groups

Conclusive Research•Descriptive/Causal

Some Alternative Research Designs

(a)

(b)

(c)

Common Characteristics of Causal Studies

•Logical Time Sequence– For causality to exist, the cause must either precede or occur

simultaneously with the effect

•Concomitant Variation– Extent to which the cause and effect vary together as

hypothesized

•Control for Other Possible Causal Factors

How Descriptive & Causal Designs Differ

•Relationship between the variables– Descriptive designs determine degree of association– Causal designs infer whether one or more variables influence

another variable, i.e. a non-spurious association

•Degree of environmental control– Descriptive designs enjoy lesser degrees of control

•Order of the variables– In descriptive designs, variables are not logically ordered

Comparison of Research Designs

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Purpose ID problems, gain insights

Describe things Determine cause-and-effect relationships

Assumed background knowledge

Minimal Considerable Considerable

Degree of structure

Very little High High

Flexibility High Some Little

Sample Nonrepresentative Representative Representative

Research environment

Relaxed Formal Highly controlled

Cost Low Medium High

Findings Preliminary Conclusive Conclusive

Basic Research Methods

•Secondary Data Analysis– Historical analysis

•Surveys– Asking; self-reported

•Experiments– Testing in controlled environments

•Observation– Watching & recording

Which is the “Best” Research Design & Method?

• “You cannot put the same shoe on every foot.”– Publilius Syrus

• It depends on the– problem of interest,

– level of information needed,

– resources,

– researcher’s experience, etc.