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Hemant Kombrabail
RESEARCH DESIGNS
The next step after stating the management problem, research purpose, and research
hypotheses and questions, is to formulate a research design. The starting point for the
research design is, in fact, the research questions and hypotheses that have been so
carefully developed. In essence, the research design answers the question: How are we
going to get answers to these research questions and test these hypotheses? The research
design is a plan of action indicating the specific steps that are necessary to provide
answers to those questions, test the hypotheses, and thereby achieve the research purpose
that helps choose among the decision alternatives to solve the management problem or
capitalize on the market opportunity
The second definition includes three important terms - plan, structure and strategy. The
plan is the outline of the research scheme on which the researcher is to work. The
structure of the research work is a more specific scheme and the strategy suggests how
the research will be carried out i.e. methods to be used for the collection and analysis of
data. In brief, research design is the blueprint of research. It is the specification of
methods and procedures for acquiring the information needed for solving the problem.
Questionnaires, forms and samples for investigation are decided while framing research
design. Finally, the research design enables the researcher to arrive at certain meaningful
conclusions at the end of proposed study.
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
This preliminary step indicates the nature and volume of work involved in the research
work. Various forms require for research work will be decided and finalised. The sample
to be selected for the survey work will also be decided. Staff requirement will also be
estimated. Details will be worked out about their training and supervision on field
investigators, etc.
In addition, the questionnaire will be prepared and tested. This is how the researcher will
prepare a blue-print of the research project. According to this blueprint the whole
research project will be implemented. The researcher gets clear idea of the work involved
in the project through such initial planning of the project. Such planning avoids
confusion, misdirection and wastage of time, money and efforts at later stages of research
work. The whole research project moves smoothly due to initial planning of the research
project.
The cost calculation is a complicated job as expenditure on different heads will have to be
estimated accurately. The cost of the project also needs to be viewed from the viewpoint
of its utility in solving the marketing problem. A comprehensive research study for
solving comparatively minor marketing problem will be uneconomical.
Preparing time schedule is not adequate in research design. In addition, all operations
involved in the research work should be carried out strictly as per time schedule already
prepared. If necessary remedial measures should be adopted in order to avoid any
deviation in the time schedule. This brings certainty as regards the completion of the
whole research project in time.
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
After deciding the details of the steps noted above, the background for research design
will be ready. Thereafter, the researcher has to prepare the research design of the whole
project. He has to present the project design to the sponsoring agency or higher
authorities for detailed consideration and approval. The researcher can start the research
project (as per design) after securing the necessary approval to the research design
prepared.
Choice of design type is not determined by the nature of the strategic decision faced by
the manager such that we would use research design A whenever we need to evaluate the
extent of a new product opportunity, or design B when deciding on which of two
advertising programs to run. Rather, choice of research design is influenced by a number
of variables such as the decision maker's attitude toward risk, the types of decisions being
faced, the size of the research budget, the decision-making time frame, the nature of the
research objectives, and other subtle and not-so-subtle factors. Much of the choice,
however, will depend upon the fundamental objective implied by the research question:
• To conduct a general exploration of the issue, gain some broad insights into the
phenomenon, and achieve a better "feel" for the subject under investigation (e.g.. What
do customers mean by "good value"?).
• To describe a population, event, or phenomenon in a precise manner where we can
attach numbers to represent the extent to which something occurs or determine the degree
two or more variables covary (e.g., determine the relationship between age and
consumption rate).
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
• To attribute cause and effect relationships among two or more variables so that we can
better understand and predict the outcome of one variable (e.g., sales) when varying
another (e.g., advertising).
RESEARCH DESIGN
CONCLUSIVE EXPLORATORY
RESEARCH DESIGN RESEARCH DESIGN
CROSS-SECTIONAL LONGITUDINAL
DESIGN DESIGN
This classification is frequently used and is quite popular. Before we discuss each of
these design types, a cautionary note is in order. Some might think that the research
design decision suggests a choice among the design types. Although there are research
situations in which all the research questions might be answered by doing only one of
these types (e.g., a causal research experiment to determine which of three prices results
in the greatest profits), it is more often the case that the research design might involve
more than one of these types performed in some sequence. The overall research design is
intended to indicate exactly how the different design types will be utilized to get answers
to the research questions or test the hypothesis.
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
A further cautionary note is needed to warn the reader that while it may appear that if
sequencing is done the sequence would be exploratory, descriptive, then causal, that is
not always the case. For example, some companies may do an annual survey of
consumers to determine the frequency with which certain behaviors are performed (e.g.,
washing dishes by hand) followed by exploratory research that probes to gain an in-depth
understanding of the circumstances surrounding that behavior (i.e., descriptive then
exploratory rather than exploratory then descriptive). It is not hard to imagine a research
design that might sequence as exploratory, then descriptive, then exploratory again; or
causal, then descriptive. It is important to remember that because a research design is a
plan of action to obtain answers to the research questions, it is those questions that
suggest which design types are necessary and the sequence of conducting those design
types, if a sequence is needed. An example later in this chapter will be used to illustrate
this point. With these cautions in mind we will now discuss the design types in greater
detail.
1. Exploratory Research:
A marketing research study may be either exploratory or full scale. Exploratory research
is conducted when the researcher does not know how and why certain phenomenon
occurs. Here, the hypothetical solutions or actions are explored and evaluated by the
decision-maker, e.g. evaluation of quality of service of a bank/hotel/airline. Here, the
quality cannot be assessed directly as tangible features are not available.
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
objective of descriptive research is to answer the "who, what, when, where and how" of
the subject under study/investigation.
Descriptive studies are normally factual and simple. However, such studies can be
complex, demanding scientific skill on the part of researcher.
Descriptive studies are well structured. It tends to be rigid and its approach cannot be
changed often and again. In descriptive studies, the researcher has to give adequate
thought to framing research questions and deciding the data to be collected and the
procedure to be used for this purpose. Data collected may prove to be inadequate if the
researcher is not careful in the initial stages of data collection.
Descriptive research designs are used for some definite purpose. Descriptive research
cannot identify cause and effect relationship.
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
Field studies are conducted is the life situations such as schools, factories, institutions,
etc. Here, the inter-relations among variables are studied under real setting. The cross-
sectional analysis involves counting the simultaneous occurrence of the variables of
interest. Field studies have certain merits and limitations. The important merit is that such
studies are close to real life and cannot be criticised on the ground that they are away
from real settings or are artificial. Field studies are also socially significant. However
such studies are scientifically inferior to laboratory and field experiments. There is also
lack of precision in the measurement of variables.
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
There are certain limitations of panel data. For example, panels used for data collection
may not be representative samples. Panel members may not be co-operative or may leave
the panel membership. As a result, the representative character of the original sample
may be adversely affected. Secondly, panel members may report wrong data. Their
interest may reduce gradually and they may supply information in a casual manner. Their
sense of participation/responsibility may reduce. This will affect the quality of data and
also of findings.
Casual research is useful to show the impact of one variable on the other. For example,
price and market demand relationship or relationship between market competition and
sales performance. Even the positive/negative effect of advertising on sales can be
studied through casual research. The relationship between the casual factors can be
studied through casual research. In addition, the variables which create effect on other
variables can be studied in depth through casual research.
Data for casual research can be collected through field survey with the help of a
questionnaire or by conducting laboratory experiments / controlled experiments.
Laboratory experiments are possible in the case of testing of new products or package
design.
The casual research design is based on reasoning. The designs for casual research can be
divided into three categories:
(a) Historical
(b) Survey
(c) Experimental.
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TYBMS Prof. Hemant Kombrabail
should not go ahead with his research project unless the research design is planned
properly.
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