Research Design

Stages
in the
Research
Process

Formulate Problem
Determine Research Design
Design Data Collection
Method and Forms
Design Sample and Collect Data
Analyze and Interpret the Data
Prepare the Research Report

Overview of Research Design

Exploratory

discovery

Descriptive

relationships

Causal

causeandeffect

Overview of Research Design

Uses
Exploratory
Research

Formulate problems more precisely

Develop Hypotheses
Establish priorities for research
Eliminate impractical ideas
Clarify concepts

Descriptive
Research

Describe segment characteristics

Estimate proportion of people
who behave in a certain way
Make specific predictions

Causal
Research

Provide evidence regarding causal

relationships
Rule out all other explanations

Types
Literature search
Experience survey
Analysis of select cases
Interviews
Ethnographies
Focus groups
Etc.
Longitudinal study
Panels
Sample Survey

Laboratory experiment
Field experiment

Relationship Among Research

Designs
Descriptive Research

Exploratory Research

Causal Research

Qualitative versus Quantitative Research

Data
Quantitative=numericdata
Qualitative=nonnumericdata
Caveatallqualitativedatacanbecoded
andallquantitativedataisbasedon
judgment

CommonAssumption:
QualitativeData=preliminary
QuantitativeData=confirmatory

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research Quantitative Research
Objective

To quantify the data and

To gain a qualitative
generalize the results
understanding of the
underlying reasons and from the sample to the
motivations
population of interest

Sample

Small number of nonrepresentative cases

Large number of
representative cases

Data
Collection

Unstructured

Structured

Non-statistical

Statistical

Develop an initial
understanding

Recommend a final course

of action

Data Analysis
Outcome

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

DetailversusGeneralizability
QuantitativeMethods
Generalizationstootherpopulationsand/or
situations

QualitativeMethods
RichUnderstanding

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

Focus Groups
Focusgroups:smallgroupdiscussionsled
byatrainedmoderator
Objectives:
Generateideas
Understandconsumervocabulary
Revealconsumerneeds,motives,
perceptions,andattitudesonproducts
andservices
Understandfindingsfromquantitative
studies
10

Focus Groups
Advantages:
Generationoffreshideas
Clientinteraction
Versatility
Abilitytotapspecialrespondents
Disadvantages:
Representativeofthepopulation?
Subjectiveinterpretation
Highcostperparticipant
11

In-Depth Interviews (IDIs)

InDepthinterview
Asetofprobingquestionsposedone
ononetoasubjectbyatrained
interviewersoastogainanideaofwhat
thesubjectthinksaboutsomethingor
whyheorshebehavesacertainway

12

Popular Qualitative Research Methods

Focus Groups

Group dynamics,
expect more creative
Some probing
Relatively inexpensive
Ready industry

Qualitative
Flexible
Probing
Richness of data
Gets at the Why
of customers
behaviors
Generates ideas
Clarifies other
project results

Interviews

Not influenced by others

Max probing, great depth
Expensive
Time consuming
Candid, sensitive topics

13

Still Other Qualitative Methods

Ethnographies
developingunderstandingsoftheeverydayactivities
ofpeopleinlocalsettings

Observation
Insightintoactual,notreported,behaviors

Protocolanalysis
involvesplacingapersoninadecisionmaking
situationandaskinghimorhertoverbalize
everythingheorsheconsiderswhenmakinga
decision

ProjectiveTechniques
participantsareplacedin(projectedinto)simulated
activitiesinthehopesthattheywilldivulgethings
aboutthemselvesthattheymightnotrevealunder
directquestioning

Alternative Techniques
ImplicitAssociationTest
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

Resistometer
EyeTracking

Mystery Shopping
Mysteryshoppersarepeoplewhopose
asconsumersandshopatacompanys
ownstoresorthoseofitscompetitors
PurposeofMysteryShopping

Evaluatecustomerservice
Measureemployeetraining
Recognizegoodemployees
Monitoringthecompetition
Prepareforcompetition

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

Descriptive Research
Forourpurposes,surveyresearch
Askingasampleofpeoplefromapopulationa
setofquestions
Usingtheanswerstodescribethatpopulation

CommonGoals
Describewhatisgoingonorexists
Estimatehowgroupsofconsumersmight
behave
Examinerelationshipsbetweentwoormore
variables
Predict

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Descriptive Research
Incontrasttoexploratory(qualitative)
techniques,thepurposeofsurveyresearch
istoproducestatistics
Incontrasttoexploratory(qualitative)
techniques,surveyresearchisconcerned
withgeneralizability
Samplingbecomesveryimportant

Descriptive Research
Threekeyaspects
Designingquestions
Sampling
Datacollection
Wewanttohaveastudythatisprecise,
credible,andaccurate
Akeyissueisreducingerrorthroughoutthe
process(Fowler)

PoorattentiontoANYoftheseaspectscan
resultinpoorresults(Fowler,Ch.13)

Descriptive Research

Descriptive Research
TwoBasicTypes
1. Longitudinal
2. CrossSectional

Limitations
CorrelationisNOTcausation
Surveyresearchislimitedbywhat
peoplearewillingandabletotellusin
thecontextofasurvey
Thislimitationcanbeaddressedusing
othermethods(triangulation)

CAUSAL RESEARCH

Causal Research
HelpsusdetermineifoneormoreIVs
(treatment,predictors)causesoraffects
oneormoreDVs(outcomevariables)
Mostdemandingdesignstrongest
conclusion
Requiresthehighestdegreeof
understandingoftheproblem

Evidence that supports a causal

inference
Correlation
Observetherelationship(variability)betweenad
spendandsales

Independentvariable(treatment)occursbefore
thedependent(outcome)variable
Changeadspendandlookforaneffectonsales.

EliminateAlternativeExplanations
Ifweobserveanincreaseinsaleswhenweincrease
adspend.

Weretherechangesinanyotherpartsofourmarketingmix?
Whatisgoingonwiththeeconomy?
Anychangesincompetitionsadspend?
Etc,etc,etc

Types of Experiments
Laboratory Experiment

Experiment

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

Research investigation in which

investigator creates a situation
with exact conditions, so as to
control some, and manipulate other,
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
28

Definitions and Concepts

Independentvariables(IV)arevariablesoralternatives
thataremanipulatedandwhoseeffectsaremeasuredand
compared,e.g.,pricelevels.
Testunitsareindividuals,organizations,orotherentities
whoseresponsetotheindependentvariablesortreatments
isbeingexamined,e.g.,consumersorstores.
Dependentvariables(DV)arethevariableswhich
measuretheeffectoftheindependentvariablesonthetest
units,e.g.,sales,profits,andmarketshares.
Extraneousvariablesareallvariablesotherthanthe
independentvariablesthataffecttheresponseofthetest
units,e.g.,storesize,storelocation,andcompetitive
effort.
Covariates

Validity
Internalvalidityreferstowhetherthe
manipulationoftheindependentvariablesor
treatmentsactuallycausedtheobservedeffects
onthedependentvariables.Controlof
extraneousvariablesisanecessaryconditionfor
establishinginternalvalidity.
Externalvalidityreferstowhetherthecause
andeffectrelationshipsfoundintheexperiment
canbegeneralized.Towhatpopulations,
settings,times,independentvariablesand
dependentvariablescantheresultsbeprojected?

Causal Research (Experimental

Design)
InternalValidity

Causal Research (Experimental

Design)
ExternalValidity

Controlling Extraneous
Variables
Randomization
randomassignmentoftreatmentconditionsto
experimentalgroups
Assumedtoproducebalancingacrossgroups
thisisthekeytointernalvalidity(extraneous
variablesareequalacrossgroupsduetorandom
assignment)

Characteristics of Good
Experiments
Randomassignment

Comparisongroup/controlgroup
Asasourceofcomparison
Asacontrolforrivalhypotheses

Generalizability/externalvalidity
Randomselection

Limitations of Experimentation
Experimentscanbetimeconsuming,particularlyif
theresearcherisinterestedinmeasuringthelong
termeffects.
Experimentsareoftenexpensive.Therequirements
ofexperimentalgroup,controlgroup,andmultiple
measurementssignificantlyaddtothecostof
research.
Experimentscanbedifficulttoadminister.Itmay
beimpossibletocontrolfortheeffectsofthe
extraneousvariables,particularlyinafield
environment.
Competitorsmaydeliberatelycontaminatethe
resultsofafieldexperiment.

To conclude
Experimentsaretheonlywaytoshow
causation
Butoftentakeabackseattodescriptive
studiesduetotime,cost,andcontrolissues

Exploratoryanddescriptivestudiesare
useful,butbecarefulnottoinfertoo
much
Correlationisnotcausation

Again,letyourresearchquestions
dictateyourdesign!

PharmaFirm
Objective
Testthefairbalanceofdifferent
versionsofwebsites
Printmaterialwasthecontrol

Design
4(control,ws1,ws2,ws3)x2(GP,
Surgeons)

Team Assignment #2
Refineyourresearchquestions
Needtobeclear,concise,andtestable

Basedonyourresearchquestions
1. Design2potentialstudiesthatcould
addressyourresearchquestions
1.
2.

Explainthebenefitsandweaknessesofeach
approach
Pickthebestdesignandexplainyour
decision

(Note:Dontworryaboutmeasurementorsampling
toomuchyoullhaveyourchancetodothatlater)