research design

Research Designs

• Types: Exploratory, Descriptive, Causal

  • Important for gathering insights and data for business.

Research Design

• Framework for study used as a guide in collecting and analyzing data.

• A "Good" research design ensures:

  • Relevant and useful information for management.

  • Collection of necessary information consistently.

  • Effectiveness and efficiency of marketing research project.

Types of Research Design

• Step 1: Exploratory research—Discover ideas and insights.

• Step 2: Descriptive research—Describes a population regarding important variables, occurrence frequency, and variable covariation.

• Step 3: Causal research—Establishes cause-and-effect relationships between variables.

Research Design Examples

• Descriptive: Analyzing reasons for Arizona's appeal as a residence.

• Causal: Investigating the impact of 15% increase in license fees on registrations.

• Exploratory: Identifying educational opportunities for Arizonans.

Research Design Overview

• Conclusive Research encompasses:

  • Exploratory Research

  • Descriptive Research

  • Causal Research.

Exploratory Research

• Goals:

  • Better understanding of situations.

  • Define research problems.

  • Formulate hypotheses.

• Not intended for providing final answers.

• Useful when recognizing problems but lacking understanding of causes.

Exploratory Research Methods

• Methods include:

  • Literature searches

  • Depth interviews

  • Focus groups

  • Case studies

• Findings guide more formal and conclusive research but are tentative.

Exploratory Research Problem Example

• Decision Problem: "How can we improve students’ satisfaction?"

• Research Problem: "Examine important factors determining student satisfaction."

Exploratory Research Techniques

• Literature Search: Review of diverse sources.

• Case Analyses: Intensive examinations of selected phenomena.

• Focus Groups: Discussions within small groups.

• Depth Interviews: Direct interviews for deeper insights.

Focus Group Insights

• Defined as unstructured interviews among a small group led by a trained moderator.

• Key considerations:

  • Group size, composition, setting, and recording.

Focus Group Characteristics

• Group Composition: Homogeneous respondents for representativeness.

• Physical Setting: Informal atmosphere for comfort.

• Moderator Role:

  • Build rapport.

  • Maintain discussion flow.

  • Gain insights.

Depth Interviews

• Definition: Personal interviews directed at uncovering deep motivations.

• Advantage: Can reveal issues not shared in group settings.

Focus Group vs. Depth Interviews

• Focus Groups:

  • Strengths: Encourages group synergy and innovative idea generation.

• Depth Interviews:

  • Strengths: Deep diving into individual beliefs and sensitive topics.

• Consider bias in moderation and interpretation.

Descriptive Research

• Definition: Conclusive research aimed at summarizing market characteristics/functions.

• Objectives:

  • Describe group characteristics, determine variable relationships, and predict behaviors.

• Examples of what to describe:

  • Demographics, purchasing behavior, product preferences.

Data in Descriptive Research

• Structured data collection using large representative samples.

• Quantitative Analysis:

  • Strength: Clarity and specificity.

  • Limitation: Complexity in description cannot always be captured accurately.

Cross-sectional vs. Longitudinal Data

• Cross-sectional measures at a single point versus multiple measures over time.

Longitudinal Analysis

• Continuous Panel: Fixed respondents measured repeatedly.

• Discontinuous Panel: Varying variables for fixed respondents over time.

• Cross-sectional: One-time measurement sampling from population.

Descriptive Research Example - Brand-switching Matrix

• Example from Sun Devils Panel with 100 students tracking brand purchases across months.

• Analyzed loyalty, market shares, and competition.

Example of Descriptive Research

• Data on favorite sports stars since 1995 demonstrating popularity trends.

Recap of Learning Points

1. Emphasized differences among research types.

2. Key characteristics of Exploratory research and its techniques.

3. Differences between cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in Descriptive research.