Topic 3

Research design
What Is Research Design?

Blueprint

Plan

Guide

Framework

6-2
 The nature of Research Design
• A research design is based on a framework
and provides a direction to the investigation
being conducted in the most efficient manner.
• Research Design is the frame work that has
been created to seek answers to research
questions. On the other hand, research
method is the technique to collect information
required.
Classification of Research Design
Research
Design

Exploratory Conclusive
Research Research

Descriptive Causal
Research Research

Cross-Sectional Longitudinal
Research Research

Single-Cross Sectional Multi- Cross Sectional

Design Design
 Exploratory Research Design
• Is flexible in approach and mostly involves a
qualitative investigation.
• Simplest and most loosely structured.
• Exploratory studies are used when the
research question is still fluid or
undetermined.
• The goal of exploration is to develop
hypotheses or questions for future research
• Exploratory data can be conducted using
variety of methods and techniques like
– Secondary data sources
– Unstructured or structured observations
– Expert interviews
– Focus group discussions
 Secondary data
• Contains the details of previously collected
findings
• Is not topical or research specific.
• Can be economically and quickly collected by
the decision maker in a short span of time.
 Research applications of Secondary
Data
• Problem identification and formulation stage
• Hypothesis designing
• Sampling considerations
• Primary base
• Validation and authentication board
Benefits and Drawbacks of Secondary
Data
Benefits
– Resource advantage
– Accessibility of data
– Accuracy and stability of data
– Assessment of data
Drawbacks
Applicability of data
Accuracy of data
 Evaluation of Secondary data-
Research authentication
Methodology check
– Sampling considerations
– Methodology of data
– Analytical tool used and subsequent reporting and
interpretation of results
Accuracy check
Determines the significance of the source of
information from where the data was collected for
a specific study
Topical check
Aims at investigating the information that is
being used or cited in the research study for
periodical upgradations.

Cost- benefit analysis

Financial check is very important.
 Classification Of secondary data
• Internal sources- Organization or environment
specific source
• External sources- based on the sources
available outside an institution.
• Internal sources:
– Company records
– Employee records
– Sales data
• Cash register receipt
• Salesperson’s call records
• Sales invoice
– Financial records and sales report
• External sources
– Published data
2 kinds of published data
 Government sources – census data, other govt
publications.
 Other data sources- books and periodicals,
guides, directories and indices, standard non-
govt statistical data
• External sources
– Computer stored data
 Storage and Recovery of information- Online
databases, CD-ROM databases
 Information type – source databases, reference
databases
• External sources
– Syndicated service agencies: organizations which
collect organization or product category specific data from
a regular consumer base.
• Can be classified on the basis of unit of analysis or
• On the basis of method of data collection.
Explorative research through critical review of literature
Conducting a Literature Search

Define management dilemma

Consult books for relevant terms

Use terms to search

Locate/review secondary sources

Evaluate value of each source and

content

5-17
 Exploratory research with
Qualitative data
• Qualitative Research goes beyond the obvious
of constructs and variables.
• The information collected is more in-depth
and intensive.
• Used to explore, describe or understand a
certain phenomena.
• It is loosely structured and open to
interpretations.
 Difference between Qualitative and
Quantitative data methods
• Research objective
• Research design
• Sampling plan
• Data collection
• Data analysis
• Research deliverables
 Methods of Qualitative Research
• 2 broad classifications:
DIRECT(NON-DISGUISED)
 Observation
 Focus group
 Depth interviews
 Content Analysis

INDIRECT (DISGUISED)
 Projective Techniques
 Sociometry
 Observation method
• The method of observation involves viewing and
recording individuals, groups, organizations or
events in a scientific manner in order to collect
valuable data related to the topic under study.
• Most appropriate method to use in descriptive
research.
• Structured observation- the nature of content to
be recorded and the format and broad areas of
recording are predetermined. Eg: FISHER PRICE
• Unstructured observation – lack of clearly
defined objectives and the chances of an
observer’s biases remain high.
• Disguised observation – the respondent has no
knowledge regarding him/her being under
observation or study.
• Human observation technique – the investigator
is not supposed to contribute to the situation
being observed. He must not send any
verbal/non-verbal cues to the respondent and
should remain neutral
• Mechanical observation- the recording is done
through electronic medium and is later
subjected to an interpretation and analysis.
 Content analysis
• Involves studying a previously recorded or
reported communication and systematically
and objectively breaking it up into more
manageable units that are related to the topic
under study.
 Focus Group Method
• Highly versatile and dynamic method of
collecting information from a representative
group of respondents.
 Key elements of a focus group
• Size
• Nature
• Acquaintance
• Setting
• Time period
• The recording
• The moderator
 Types of Focus groups
• Two way focus groups
• Dual moderator group
• Fencing-moderator group
• Friendship groups
• Mini groups
• Creativity group
• Brand-obsessive group
• Online Focus group
 Evaluating focus group as a method
• Benefits
– Idea generation
– Group dynamics
– Process advantage
– Reliability and validity
• Drawbacks
– Group dynamics
– Scientific process
– Moderator/ investigator bias
 Personal Interview Method
• Varied applications in business research
– Problem definition
– Exploratory research
– Primary data collection
The interview process
• Interview objective
• Interview guidelines
Semi structured
Structured
Unstructured

• Analysis and interpretation

 Classification of interviews
• 2 broad categories
– Personal interview
– Telephone interview
• Telephone interview
– Traditional
– Computer assisted

• Personal interview
– At home
– Mall intercept
– Computer assisted
 Projective techniques
• Uncover the different levels of consciousness
of an individual’s mind and reveal that data
which is inhibited by socially-desirable and
correct responses.
• Eg. Word association, sentence completion,
thematic apperception test(cartoon test).
 Sociometric analysis
• Involves measuring the choice,
communication and interpersonal relations of
people in different groups.
• Group rather the individual as its unit of
analysis.
• This technique is more of use in studies
carried out in organizational behavior and
human resource areas.
 Descriptive Research
• Provide a comprehensive and detailed
explanation of the phenomena under study.
• However it lacks the precision and accuracy of
experimental designs.
• Descriptive research is further divided into 2
categories
– Cross-sectional studies
– Longitudinal studies
 Cross- sectional study
• Investigates a specific chunk of the population
under study. It is scientific in its approach
• 2 essential characteristics of cross-sectional
study
– It is carried out at a single moment in time and
thus the applicability is most relevant for a
specific period. Eg: attitidue of americans towards
asian- american pre and post 9/11.
– Are carried out on a section of respondents from
the population units under study.
• Multiple cross-sectional studies- situations in
which the population being studied is not of a
homogenous nature. Usually carried out at the
same moment in time.
• Cohort analysis –which is conducted on different
sample groups at different time intervals eg. In
the 9/11 case studying the attitudes of middle-
aged americans versus teenaged americans
towards Asian-americans, post the event
 Longitudinal studies
• A single sample of the identified population that is
studied over a stretched period of time
• Eg . A panel of consumers specifically chosen to study
their grocery purchase pattern
• The design involves tracking the change in the studied
variable over time.
• Features
– Involves the selection of a representative panel, or a group
of individuals that represent the population under study.
– Repeated measurement of the group over a fixed intervals
of time made for the variables.
– Constant sample.
 Experimental Research Design
• An experiment is generally used to infer
causality.
• In an experiment, a researcher actively
manipulates one or more causal variables and
measures their effects on the dependent
variables of interest, while all other variables
that may confound such a relationship are
eliminated or controlled.
• Experiments help in identifying a cause-effect
relationship.
• Experiments may be use to arrive at
conclusive answers
– Can a change in the package design of a product
enhance its sales?
– Will a reduction in the price of the menu items of
a restaurant increase its sales?
Concepts used in experimentation
• Independent variables/explanatory variables/
treatments
• Test units
• Dependent variables
• Experiment
• Extraneous variables
 Validity in experimentation
• For conducting an experiment, it is essential
to specify:
– Treatments (independent variables) to be
manipulated
– Test units to be used
– Dependent variables to be measured
– Procedure for dealing with extraneous variables.
• The researcher has 2 goals while conducting
an experiment
– To draw valid conclusions about the effect of
treatments(independent variables) on dependent
variables.
– To make generalizations about the results of a
wider population.
• Internal validity: tries to examine whether the
observed effect on a dependent variable is
actually caused by the treatment in question.

• External validity: refers to the generalization

of the results of an experiment. The concern is
whether the result of an experiment can be
generalized beyond the experimental
situations.
 Factors affecting Internal Validity
• History eg. General economic conditions
• Maturation (changes in test units with time)
• Testing
• Instrumentation eg. Change in price
• Statistical regression eg. Sales people with poor
performance
• Selection bias (random selection of test units)
• Test unit mortality eg. Sales people quit
 Factors affecting External Validity
• The environment
• Population
• Results obtained
• Treatment
 Methods to control Extraneous
Variables
• Randomization
• Matching
• Use of experimental designs
• Statistical control
 Environments of conducting
Experiments
• 2 TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT
– Laboratory environment: the researcher works in
an artificial environment to conduct a study
– Field experiment: actual market condition is used
to conduct study
 Classification of Experimental Design
• Pre experimental design
• Quasi-experimental
• True experimental
• Statistical
A Classification of Experimental
Designs
 Pre-experimental design
Pre-experimental designs do not make use of any randomization procedures
to control the extraneous variables. Therefore, the internal validity of such
designs is questionable.

 One-shot case study: eg. Extra credit period and credit card payment
X O
 One-group pre-test–post-test design:
O1 X O2
 Static group comparison: eg. Family support and work life balance of
women
Group 1 - X O1
Group 2 - O2
 Quasi-experimental designs
In quasi-experimental design, the researcher can control when measurements are
taken and on whom they are taken. However, this design lacks complete control of
scheduling of treatment and also lacks the ability to randomize test units’ exposure to
treatments.
As a result possibility of getting confounded results is very high.

 Time series design: involves a series of periodic measurements on the

dependent variable for a group of test unit. The treatment is then
administered and a series of periodic measurements are again taken to
measure the effect of treatment.
O1 O2 O3 O4 X O5 O6 O7 O8

Contd…..
• Multiple time series design: involves the addition
of the control group which is not subjected to any
treatment.

Experimental Group: O1 O2 O3 O4 X O5 O6 O7 O8

Control Group: O′1 O′2 O′3 O′4 O′5 O′6 O′7 O′8
 True experimental design
In true experimental designs, researchers can
randomly assign test units and treatments to an
experimental group. Here, the researcher is able
to eliminate the effect of extraneous variables
from both the experimental and control group.

 Pre-test–post-test control group:

Experimental Group: R O1 X O2
Control Group: R O 3 O4
 Post-test – only control group design:

Experimental Group: R X O1
Control Group: R O2

 Solomon four-group design:

Experimental Group 1 : R O1 X O2
Control Group 1: R O3 O4
Experimental Group 2: R X O5
Control Group 2: R O6
 Statistical designs
• Allow for statistical control and analysis of
external variables.
• Main advantages are
– The effect of more than one level of independent
variable on the dependent variable can be
manipulated
– The effect of more than one independent variable can
be examined.
– The effect of specific extraneous variable can be
controlled.
 categories
• Completely randomized design: allows a
researcher to investigate the effect of one
independent variable on the dependent variable. It
does not take into account the effect of extraneous
variables on the dependent variable.
• Randomized block design: here it is assumed that
block is correlated with dependent variable. Blocking
is done prior to the application of the treatment.
• Latin square design: this is employed when the
researcher is interested in separating out the
influence of two extraneous variables. It has a very
complex setup and is quite expensive to execute.
• Factorial design: it is employed to measure the effect
of two or more independent variables at various
levels.