Research Design
k e t i n g R e s e a r c h P r o c e s s
The Research Process
Step 1: Defining the Problem
Step 2: Developing an Approach to the Problem
Step 3: Formulating a Research Design Step 4: Doing Field Work or Collecting Data
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.
Types of Marketing Research
M arketing Research
Research Based on Purpose
Research Based on Source of Data
Research Based on Data Collection M ethod
Basic Research Applied Research
Prim Research ary Secondary Research
Qualitative Research Quantitative Research
Prelim inary
Conclusive
Perform ance
Tasks Involved In a Research Design
Figure 3.8 Tasks Involved in a Research Design
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
Todays Topic
A Classification of Market Research Designs
Research Design Exploratory Research Experience Surveys Pilot Studies Conclusive Research Case Studies
Secondary Data
A Classification of Market Research Designs
Research Design Exploratory Research Conclusive Research
Cross-sectional Study
Longitudinal Study
Descriptive Design
Causal Design Experiment
Secondary Data Study
Survey
Observation
Types of Research Designs
Exploratory research to gain ideas and insights Newspaper facing decreasing sales to generate possible explanation.
Descriptive research to obtain summary measures to address research questions (research objectives are clearly defined). Trends in lifestyle with respect to age, sex, etc. Causal research for cause-and-effect connection between managerial decisions and market outcome. How people react to a newspapers topic selection and space allocation.
Exploratory & Conclusive Research Differences
Exploratory 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.
Objective:
To provide insights and understanding. Information needed is defined only loosely. Research process is flexible and unstructured. Sample is small and non-representative. Analysis of primary data is qualitative.
Characteristics:
Findings /Results: Outcome:
Tentative.
Conclusive.
Generally followed by further Findings used as input into decision exploratory or conclusive research. making.
A Comparison of Basic Research Designs
Exploratory Objective: Discovery of ideas and insights Descriptive Describe market characteristics or functions Marked by the prior formulation of specific hypotheses Preplanned and structured design Causal Determine cause and effect relationships
Characteristics:
Flexible, versatile
Manipulation of one or more independent variables
Control of other mediating variables Experiments
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
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
F i g u r e 3 . 5 M a j o r T y p e s o f D e s c r i p t i v e S t u d i e s
Descriptive Studies
Sales Studies
Market
Consumer Perception And Behavior Studies
Market Characteristic Studies
Image Product Usage Advertising Pricing
Distribution Competitive Analysis
Potential
Market Share
Sales Analysis
Cross Sectional vs. Longitudinal Designs
F i g u r e 3 . 6 C r o s s S e c t i o n a l v s . L o n g i t u d i n a l D e s i g n s
Cross Sectional Design
Sample Surveyed at T1
Longitudinal Design
Sample Surveyed at T1
Same Sample also Surveyed at T2
Time
T1
T2
Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal Designs
Cross-Sectional
Longitudinal
Detecting change
Amount of data collected Representativeness Response bias
Worse
Worse Better Better
Better
Better Worse Worse
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 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
Purpose
Descriptive
Causal
ID problems, gain insights
Describe things
Determine causeand-effect relationships
Considerable
Assumed background knowledge Degree of structure Flexibility Sample
Minimal
Considerable
Very little High Non-representative
High Some Representative
High Little Representative
Research environment
Cost
Relaxed
Low
Formal
Medium
Highly controlled
High
Findings
Preliminary
Conclusive
Conclusive
Which is the Best Research Design & Method?
You cannot put the same shoe on every foot It depends on the problem of interest, level of information needed, resources, researchers experience, etc.
Descriptive Research 1. Surveys
May be used to reveal summary statistics by showing responses to all possible questionnaire items. Often provide leads in identifying needed changes May be used to explore relationships between 2 or more variables.
Descriptive Research Survey Forms
Written questionnaires
Personal interviews Telephone interviews
Factors to be considered Sampling Type of population Question Form Question Content Response rates Costs Available facilities Length of data collection Computer assisted techniques for data collection
Descriptive Research 2. Survey Form - Interviews More time efficient Allow the researcher to establish a rapport with the respondent Allow the acquisition of more in-depth information Allow for interviewer observation Allow the interviewer to obtain visual cues May be personal or telephone interviews
Descriptive Research Survey Form Personal Interviews
Disadvantages Require more staff time Require more travel time
Descriptive Research Survey Form Telephone Interview
Advantages Less expensive Less time-consuming
Disadvantages Limited telephone access Lack of interviewers ability to observe the respondent and obtain visual cues
Descriptive Research Survey Form Mailed Questionnaires
Advantages
Ability to reach large number of people across a wide geographic area Ease and low cost of distribution Minimal amount of staff required Allows respondents to respond in their time frame
Disadvantages Lower response rate Need to design a survey instrument with a simple format
Descriptive Research Survey Form Mailed Questionnaires
A letter of transmittal should accompany mailed questionnaires. Should state purpose and importance of research Should state importance of responding Should give a time frame to respond Should include a confidentiality statement Should include an offer to share results Should include a thank-you note to the respondent
Descriptive Research Characteristics of a Good Survey
Good questioning techniques Use complete sentences Offer a limited set of answers Interesting Worded so that questions mean the same to all Provide definitions for confusing terms Uses the I dont know answer very carefully
Descriptive Research 3. Observational Research Methods 1. Naturally occurring behaviors observed in natural contexts 2. Contexts that are contrived to be realistic
Descriptive Research Observational Research Methods Require direct observation of behavior Data gathered without intermediary instruments Can yield a wealth of invaluable information Can be a complicated process
Descriptive Research Observational Research Methods Can be employed productively to support many purposes in educational technology Can be used to determine how people interact with technology in various stages of design and implementation
Descriptive Research Observational Research Methods
2 Forms of Observational Research
Structured Unstructured
Descriptive Research Observational Research Methods
Structured Observations Rigid and controlled Predetermined methods Unstructured Observations
Used to determine unselective, detailed, continuous description of behavior. Detects unintended effects More time consuming because of time and labor required to collect and analyze sets of extensive observations
Descriptive Research Observational Research Methods
Develop observation form May be paper and pencil or electronic May use a rating scale to evaluate behavior A 3-point rating scale is sufficient
Descriptive Research Observational Research Methods
Newer Mediated Observation Techniques Audio Videotape Computers provide on-line monitoring (process of capturing characteristics of the human-computer interaction automatically)
Keystroke records Logging data
Impact and Future of Descriptive Research
Descriptive Research methods have gained acceptance Number of descriptive studies published in research journals has increased Descriptive research leads to prescriptions that instructional designers and educators can heed as they consider future direction
Questions Addressed by Causal Research
* Marketing director of local beer company, Will replacing TV commercial A with commercial B lead to increase in consumer preference on our brand? * Chairman of a charity organization. Will it be worthwhile to mail to previous donors an attractive and expensive brochure to solicit higher contributions this year?
* The sales manager of a local life insurance company. Will training in the use of computers for client management increase agents sales?
* Marketing VP of fashion chain, Can we improve profitability of our fashion clothing line by increasing its price by 10%?
Causality: Cause-and-Effect Change-in-X causes change-in-Y Evidence of Causality
Concomitant variation: If X changes, then Y also changes. If X does not change, then Y does not change. Time order: cause (X) occurs before effect (Y).
Types of Experiments
Laboratory experiment
Research investigation in which investigator creates a situation with exact conditions so as to control some, and manipulate other, variables
Scientific investigation in which an investigator manipulates and controls one or more independent variables and observes the dependent variable for variation concomitant to the manipulation of the independent variables
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
