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MR-4 Research Design

The document defines key concepts in research design including exploratory, descriptive, and causal research designs. It explains the components of a research design such as defining needed information, designing phases, specifying measurements, and developing a data analysis plan. Exploratory research aims to gain insights while descriptive research describes characteristics and causal research establishes relationships. The document also discusses methods, uses, and conditions for different types of research designs.

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83 views17 pages

MR-4 Research Design

The document defines key concepts in research design including exploratory, descriptive, and causal research designs. It explains the components of a research design such as defining needed information, designing phases, specifying measurements, and developing a data analysis plan. Exploratory research aims to gain insights while descriptive research describes characteristics and causal research establishes relationships. The document also discusses methods, uses, and conditions for different types of research designs.

Uploaded by

shalu golyan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Research Design

Research Design: Definition

A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the


marketing research project. It details the procedures necessary
for obtaining the information needed to structure or solve
marketing research problems.
Components of 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 and pretest a questionnaire
• Specify the sampling process and sample size
• Develop a plan of data analysis
Types of Research Designs
• Exploratory (Explore- Gain Insights, Improve Understanding)
• Descriptive (Describe)
• Causal (Establish Cause & Effect)
A Classification of Marketing 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
Exploratory & Conclusive Research Differences

Table 3.1 Exploratory Conclusive


Objective: To provide insights and To test specific hypotheses and examine
understanding relationships

Character- Information needed is defined only Information needed is clearly defined.


istics: loosely. Research process is flexible Research process is formal and
and unstructured. Sample is small structured. Sample is large and
and non-representative. Analysis of representative. Data analysis is
primary data is qualitative quantitative

Findings/ Tentative Conclusive


Results:

Outcome: Generally followed by further Findings used as input into decision


exploratory or conclusive research making
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
Methods of Exploratory Research

• Survey of experts (discussed)


• Pilot surveys
• Secondary data analyzed in a qualitative way
(discussed)
• Qualitative research
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 marketing variables are
associated
• To make specific predictions
• Eg SURVEYS
Uses of Causal Research
• To understand which variables are the cause
(independent variables) and which variables are the
effect (dependent variables) of a phenomenon
• To determine the nature of the relationship between the
causal variables and the effect to be predicted
• METHOD: Experiments
Conditions for Causality
• Concomitant variation is the extent to which a cause, X, and an
effect, Y, occur together or vary together in the way predicted by
the hypothesis under consideration.
• The time order of occurrence condition states that the causing
event must occur either before or simultaneously with the effect; it
cannot occur afterwards.
• The absence of other possible causal factors means that the factor
or variable being investigated should be the only possible causal
explanation.
Validity in Experimentation
• Internal validity refers to whether the manipulation of
the independent variables or treatments actually
caused the observed effects on the dependent
variables. Control of extraneous variables is a
necessary condition for establishing internal validity.

• External validity refers to whether the cause-and-


effect relationships found in the experiment can be
generalized. To what populations, settings, times,
independent variables, and dependent variables can
the results be projected?
Definitions and Concepts
• Independent variables are variables or alternatives that are manipulated
and whose effects are measured and compared, e.g., price levels.
• Test units are individuals, organizations, or other entities whose response
to the independent variables or treatments is being examined, e.g.,
consumers or stores.
• Dependent variables are the variables which measure the effect of the
independent variables on the test units, e.g., sales, profits, and market
shares.
• Extraneous variables are all variables other than the independent
variables that affect the response of the test units, e.g., store size, store
location, and competitive effort.
Experimental Design
An experimental design is a set of procedures specifying:

 the test units and how these units are to be divided into
homogeneous subsamples,
 what independent variables or treatments are to be
manipulated,
 what dependent variables are to be measured; and
 how the extraneous variables are to be controlled.
Extraneous Variables
• History refers to specific events that are external to the
experiment but occur at the same time as the experiment.
• Maturation (MA) refers to changes in the test units
themselves that occur with the passage of time.
• Testing effects are caused by the process of
experimentation. Typically, these are the effects on the
experiment of taking a measure on the dependent variable
before and after the presentation of the treatment.
• The main testing effect (MT) occurs when a prior
observation affects a latter observation.
Extraneous Variables
• In the interactive testing effect (IT), a prior measurement
affects the test unit's response to the independent variable.
• Selection bias (SB) refers to the improper assignment of test
units to treatment conditions.
• Mortality (MO) refers to the loss of test units while the
experiment is in progress.
Controlling Extraneous Variables
• Randomization refers to the random assignment of test units
to experimental groups by using random numbers. Treatment
conditions are also randomly assigned to experimental groups.
• Matching involves comparing test units on a set of key
background variables before assigning them to the treatment
conditions.
• Design control involves the use of experiments designed to
control specific extraneous variables.

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