Dr Mahrokh Roknifard

IB9HU0
Market Research
Week 3: Research Design
Term 2, Week 3
Overview of Research Methods
Conclusive

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Secondary Primary

Qualitative Quantitative

In-depth Ethnography/
Focus Groups Surveys Experiments
Interviews Observations
Overview of Research Methods
Conclusive

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Secondary Primary

• Exploratory: provide insights to understand the problem, to help define the

Qualitative Quantitative
problem more precisely, gain additional insights, or to develop hypotheses
• Descriptive: describe characteristics of the market, consumers, etc.
• Causal: testIn-depth
hypothesesFocus
or examine
Groups
causal (cause-and-effect)
Ethnography/
Surveys
relationships
Experiments
Interviews Observations
Overview of Research Methods
Exploratory Descriptive Causal
• Provide insights to • Describe characteristics of • Test hypotheses or examine
understand the problem the market, consumers, etc. causal relationships
• Information needed is • Information needed is • Hypothesis is clearly defined
loosely defined clearly defined • Variables are clearly defined
• Flexible and adaptable • Research process is formal (IV, DV, mediator,
• Research process is flexible and structured moderator)
and unstructured • Representative sample • Research process is formal
• Nonrepresentative sample and structured
• Representative sample

• Findings are tentative  • Findings are conclusive  • Findings are conclusive 

inform further research inform marketing decisions inform marketing decisions
Determine the Research Design

Sarstedt and Mooi (2019, p14)

Overview of Research Methods
Conclusive

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Secondary Primary

• Secondary data: existing data that has been collected prior to the project at
Qualitative Quantitative
hand (e.g., for other research projects, by other researchers)
• Primary data: new data that has been collected by the researcher(s) specific to
the projectIn-depth
at hand Ethnography/
Focus Groups Surveys Experiments
Interviews Observations
Overview of Research Methods
Secondary Primary
Purpose • Data collected for purposes • Data collected for the
other than the specific specific problem at hand
problem at hand
Process • Rapid and easy, accessible • High involvement
Cost • Relatively inexpensive • Relatively expensive
Time • Short • Long
Function • May not provide answers • Provides answers specific to
specific to the problem at the problem at hand
hand
Malhotra (2020)
Evaluation of Secondary Data
• Key Considerations
• Specifications/Methodology: Is the data reliable, valid, and generalisable to
the problem at hand?
• Error/Accuracy: Is the data accurate? (compare data from different sources)
• Currency: Is the data current?
• Objective: Why were the data collected? Is it relevant to the problem at hand?
• Nature: Are the definitions of key variables, units of measurements, categories
used, consistent with the problem at hand? Are there ambiguous terms?
• Dependability: Who published the data? What is the expertise, credibility,
reputation, and trustworthiness of the source?
 1 2 3 4 5 6
The 6W’s Approach Problem
Definition
Develop an
Approach
Research
Design
Data
Collection
Data
Preparation
and Analysis
Report
Preparation

WHY WHO WHAT

collect the data? to collect the data from? data to collect?
• What is the research • Who is the right audience? • What information should
objective? (refer to week 2 • What should the sample size you obtain?
lecture) be?

WHERE WHEN WAY (HOW)

to collect the data? to collect the data? to collect the data?
• Where should you collect • When should the data be • How should you collect the
the data? collected? data?
 1 2 3 4 5 6
The 6W’s Approach Problem
Definition
Develop an
Approach
Research
Design
Data
Collection
Data
Preparation
and Analysis
Report
Preparation

WHY WHO WHAT

collect the data? to collect the data from? data to collect?
• Improve market share • Current customers • Customer perception
• Improve sale • Potential customers • Factors influencing
• Expand product range • Competitors’ app developers customer’s choice
and customers

WHERE WHEN WAY (HOW)

to collect the data? to collect the data? to collect the data?
• At universities • Before development • Interview
• At exhibitions • During making prototypes • Focus group
• After production and launch • Observation
 Ethics in Research
• Moral principles guiding research (Economic and
Social Research Council (ESRC), 2004)
• Science of morality (Homan, 1991, p1)
• Conducting research in a way that goes
beyond merely adopting the most
appropriate research methodology but
conducting research in a responsible and
morally defensible way.
• A set of moral principles or norms that are used
to guild moral choices of behaviour and
relationships with others (Blumberg et al., 2005)
The Focus of Ethics
Any research that involves data gathering or contact using human (or animal)
population involves ethical consideration.
• ESRC (2004) guideline on conducting research which involves ethical risks
• Research involving vulnerable groups (e.g., children and young people with
disabilities or special needs)
• Research involving sensible topics (e.g., sexual or illegal activities, or people’s
experience of abuse or violence)
• Research where subjects can only be accessed via a gatekeeper (e.g., some
ethnic or cultural groups)
• Research involving access to confidential records or information
• Research that would lead to stress, anxiety or humiliating among target groups
• Research that involves observation without a participant’s full or informed
consent
• The term ‘harm’ can embrace a
wide range of issues including:
• Physical
• Mental
• Emotional harm
• Researcher must stay professional
and show no reaction to
participants answers
• Identity of participants must stay
anonymous
Research participants must be provided
with sufficient and accessible
information about the research aim and
objective to make decision if they want
to be involved or not (Crow et al., 2006)
• The aim of the research
• Who will be undertaking it
• Who is being asked to participate
• What kind of information is being
sought
• How much time of the participant is
required
• That participation is voluntary
• Answering questions is voluntary
• Who get access to the data when it is
collected
Deception means researchers
representing their research as
something which is not.
Data Protection Act 1998:
• The act relates to both facts and
opinion.
• Personal data must be obtained
fairly and lawfully.
• Personal data relates to data that
are held in both electronic form
and manual form.
• Personal data must be accurate
and kept up-to-date and shall not
be kept more than necessary.
• Personal data shall not be
transferred to outside of the
European Economic Area.