Assignment 1-Research Methodology

Name: KAVYA S
1) What do you think is the purpose of Research? Explain with suitable examples.
 Research is simply a detailed and focused study, using scientific methods to get a
better understanding on existing things.
 Research helps us to determine the cause or reason for existence of such things.
 Research is mainly done for two purposes:
 To understand the things around us, leaving us questioning on origin of their
existence why things or process are the way they do& try manipulating
things to make it easier. For Example Basic research to study on the existence
of an experimental fact.
 To understand the application of these process with motive of implementing
advance resources to improve the efficiency or importance of their
occurrence. For example applied research to study on characteristics or
properties of such experimental fact knowing the benefits or hazards on
humans & if any such hazard found efforts are made to resolve.

2) Define the term research design? What is the relationship among exploratory, descriptive
and casual research explain with suitable examples?
 Research Design is a strategic plan for a project or research programme which
outlines the important features of the work to be performed, which includes
method data collection, analysis to be used showing the way the research deals
with specific aims & objectives of the study.
 Research design specifies the issue being theoretical or policy oriented.
 Exploratory Research is conducted to explore a group of questions while
examining a project. It also helps in given precise conclusive data or evidence
which serves as a foundation for any research. For example: study of chemical
elements in a periodic table.
 Descriptive Research focuses on describing, explaining & validating the data
collected during a research. For example: To understand the positioning of the
chemical elements based on electronic configuration, atomic number & chemical
properties.
 Casual Research is conducted to understand the changes due to implementation of
different tactics or methodology in a standard procedure. For example to study the
ease or difficulty in understanding the information the way it is presented. If
required manipulating it to give better understanding or being more efficient.
3) Assume the role of marketing manager of Sweet cookies, Inc. and have your partner
assume the role of a researcher hired by the firm. Discuss the issue and formulate the
appropriate.

i) Management Decision problem

The effectiveness of management completely reliable on the quality of decision
making. Decision making is an intellectual process which involves selection of one
course of action out of many alternatives. Being restricted to organizations norms say
resources, time, team & budget the manager has to make a decision for companies well
being. This most of the times leads to certain consequences which were not considered
during decision making. The researcher with all his previous groundwork can help
selecting more efficient alternative to promote the product. It is not necessary that every
decision made will always prove to be rational. During the entire process researcher tries
to build up effective communication to understand the impact on the organization.

ii) Marketing Research Problem

A situation where an organization intends to sell a product or service that fills a
specific gap which is troublesome and is to be eliminated through a specific investigation.
It involves determining what information is needed and how the information can be
obtained effectively and efficiently. The researcher, studies on the resources and
constraints of the firm. He tries to understand the objective of the manager, understanding
the current position of the product in the market to meet the demands of the customer.
Working on various variables like manager, sales people, professionals & considering
many course of action as possible anticipating the consequences of course of action and
provide with an alternative.

iii) Research Design

The researcher given with adequate knowledge tries to re structure the whole
process in the organization. Researcher tries to justify the objective of the research, to
which a effective relationship with the manger helps him to understand the nature of the
problem. With the available variables he tries to bifurcate particulars roles that can prove
to be effective & critical to the company. Anticipating the consequences of course of
action and communicating becomes his prior responsibility to choose an alternative.
4) You are a manager in charge of a marketing research project, your goal is to determine
what effects advertising having on consumption behavior. Based on the results of the
project, you will recommend the amount of money to be budgeted for advertising
different products next year. Your supervisor will require strong justification for your
recommendation so your research design has to be as sound as possible. However your
resources (time, money & labor) are limited. Develop a research project to address this
problem. Focus on the kind of research designs you would use, why you would use them,
& how you would conduct the research.
 Advertising is a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non
personal message to promote or sell a product.
 Advertising helps in increasing the revenue of business or organization.
Advertising persuades on making decision about what they buy, want, need or act
in regards to a product or service.
 Advertising often forms a long term relationship between the consumer & the
brand.
 On basis of the results the manager initially tries to figure out the snag points
which intended in the failure of the previous effort.
 To overcome the above issue he performs an exploratory research which enforces
him to implement alternate course of action to rectify the issue. For being precise
he determines the frequency of advertising shown to the consumer, the message
entitled to describe the attribute of the product or the service.
 To be competitive with company or organization that provides identical product
knowing their product being more efficient in the market. The key to grasp on
consumer requirement and providing with satisfactory outcome not compromising
the quality should be highlighted.
 Using exploratory research design that serves as a foundation, you can be more
prompt on decision making or selection of course of action which will benefit the
organization.

5) What is the difference between primary data and secondary data? What is the purpose of
questionnaire in connection with primary data, explain with suitable example (minimum
of 25 variables – questionnaire)
Data collection plays a very crucial role in the statistical analysis. In
research, there are different methods used to collect information which is categorized into
two i.e. primary data and secondary data. 

Following are few differences between primary data and secondary data
 Primary data is the data collected by the investigator for the first time which
is more reliable. Whereas Secondary data is the already existing data,
collected by the investigator agencies and organizations earlier.
 Primary data is collected for addressing the problem at hand while secondary
data is collected for purposes other than the problem at hand.
 Primary data collection is a very involved process and difficult to get. On the
other hand, secondary data collection is easy with available sources.
  Primary data collection sources include surveys, observations, experiments,
questionnaire, personal interview, etc. On the contrary, secondary data
collection sources are government publications, websites, books, journal
articles, internal records etc.
 Primary data collection consumes more time, cost and manpower making it
expensive. Comparatively, secondary data is economical and quickly
available.
 Primary data is always specific to the researcher’s needs making him
reliable. But, secondary data is not specific to the researcher’s need.

Questionnaire being the research instrumental consists of series of questions or

prompts which serves in gathering information from the available resources. This also
helps in reaching large no of people easily & economically. The researcher uses this
questionnaire to proceed with research and being more specific on information collected.
For Example: User Survey on how use of plastic and disposability is affecting the
environment.
i) How often do you visit Commercial Street?
ii) What are the different kinds of items you usually use plastic for?
iii) After you have finished using the plastic what do you with it?
iv) After you dispose it off where does it go?
v) Are you aware about the environmental effects plastic is causing in the
world?
vi) Are you taking any action towards it?
vii) Would you like to be involved in an initiative?
viii) In the current situation on plastic disposability what do want to?
ix) Should plastic be completely banned?
x) Any other suggestions or ideas you could add to resolve the issue?