6-1

Chapter 6

Research Design:
An Overview

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

 6-2

Learning Objectives

• Understand the major descriptors of

research design
• Understand the major types of research
designs
• Understand the relationships that exist
between variables in causal designs and
the steps for evaluating those relationships
 6-3

Research Design

Blueprint
Blueprint

Plan
Plan

Guide
Guide

Framework
Framework
 6-4

Exhibit 6-1 Design in the

Research Process
 6-5

Exhibit 6-2 Descriptors of

Research Design
Category Options
The degree to which the research question has • Exploratory study
been crystallized • Formal study
The method of data collection • Monitoring
• Communication Study
The power of the researcher to produce effects in • Experimental
the variables under study • Ex post facto
The purpose of the study • Descriptive
• Causal
The time dimension • Cross-sectional
• Longitudinal
The topical scope—breadth and depth—of the • Case
study • Statistical study
The research environment • Field setting
• Laboratory research
• Simulation
The participants’ perceptions of the research • Actual routine
activity • Modified routine
 6-6

The Degree of Structure

Exploratory Study Formal Study

• Loose structure • Precise procedures
• Expand • Begins with
understanding hypotheses
• Provide insight • Answers research
• Develop hypotheses questions
 6-7

The Topical Scope

Statistical Study Case Study

• Breadth • Depth
• Population inferences • Detail
• Quantitative • Qualitative
• Generalizable • Multiple sources of
findings information
 6-8

Descriptive Studies

Who?

How
How much?
much? What?
What?

When?
When? Where?
 6-9

Causal Studies

Experiment Ex Post Facto study

• Study involving the • After-the-fact report
manipulation or on what happened to
control of one or more the measured
variables to determine variable
the effect on another
variable
 6-10

Exhibit 6-3
Mills Method of Agreement
 6-11

Exhibit 6-4
Mills Method of Difference
 6-12

Methods of
Data Collection

Monitoring Communication
 6-13

The Time Dimension

Cross-sectional

Longitudinal
 6-14

The Research
Environment

Field conditions

Lab conditions

Simulations
 6-15

Participants’
Perceptions

No deviation perceived

Deviations perceived
as unrelated

Deviations perceived as
researcher-induced
 6-16

Approaches for
Exploratory Investigations
• Interviewing • Case studies
• Participant • Street ethnography
observation • Elite or expert
• Film, photographs interviewing
• Projective • Document analysis
techniques • Proxemics and
• Psychological Kinesics
testing
 6-17

Desired outcomes of
Exploratory Studies_1

Established
Established range
range and
and scope
scope of
of possible
possible
management
management decisions
decisions

Established
Established major
major dimensions
dimensions of
of
research
research task
task

Defined
Defined aa set
set of
of subsidiary
subsidiary questions
questions that
that
can
can guide
guide research
research design
design
 6-18

Desired outcomes of
Exploratory Studies_2

Developed
Developed hypotheses
hypotheses about
about possible
possible
causes
causes of
of management
management dilemma
dilemma

Learned
Learned which
which hypotheses
hypotheses can
can be
be
safely
safely ignored
ignored

Concluded
Concluded additional
additional research
research is
is not
not
needed
needed or
or not
not feasible
feasible
 6-19

Common Exploratory
Techniques for Research

Secondary
Secondary
Data Experience
Experience
Data Analysis
Analysis
Surveys
Surveys

Focus
Focus
Groups
Groups
 6-20

Delve emphasizes
that face-to-face
interaction is still one
of the best ways to
learn about
consumers
 6-21

Experience Surveys
• What is being done?
• What has been tried in the past with or
without success?
• How have things changed?
• Who is involved in the decisions?
• What problem areas can be seen?
• Whom can we count on to assist or
participate in the research?
 6-22

Focus Groups

• Group discussion
• 6-10 participants
• Moderator-led
• 90 minutes-2 hours
 6-23

Descriptive Studies

Descriptions
Descriptions of
of
population
population characteristics
characteristics

Estimates
Estimates of
of frequency
frequency of
of
characteristics
characteristics

Discovery
Discovery of
of associations
associations
among
among variables
variables
 6-24

Causal Studies

Symmetrical
Symmetrical

Reciprocal
Reciprocal

Asymmetrical
Asymmetrical
 6-25

Exhibit 8-3 Asymmetrical

Casual Relationships

Stimulus-Response

Property- Property-
Behavior Disposition

Disposition-Behavior
 6-26
Exhibit 6-6 Types of
Asymmetrical Causal
Relationships
Relationship Type Nature of Relationship Examples
Stimulus-response An event or change results in • A change in work rules leads to a higher level of
a response from some worker output.
object. • A change in government economic policy restricts
corporate financial decisions.
• A price increase results in fewer unit sales.
Property-disposition An existing property causes a • Age and attitudes about saving.
disposition. • Gender attitudes toward social issues.
• Social class and opinions about taxation.
Disposition-behavior A disposition causes a • Opinions about a brand and its purchase.
specific behavior. • Job satisfaction and work output.
• Moral values and tax cheating.
Property-behavior An existing property causes a • Stage of the family life cycle and purchases of
specific behavior. furniture.
• Social class and family savings patterns.
• Age and sports participation.
Definitions: A stimulus is an event or force (e.g., drop in temperature, crash of stock market, product recall, or explosion in
factory). A response is a decision or reaction. A property is an enduring characteristic of a subject that does not depend on
circumstances for its activation (e.g., age, gender, family status, religious affiliation, ethnic group, or physical condition). A
disposition is a tendency to respond in a certain way under certain circumstances (e.g., attitudes, opinions, habits, values, and
drives). A behavior is an action (e.g., consumption habits, work performance, interpersonal acts, and other kinds of
 6-27

Evidence of Causality

Covariation
Covariation between
between
A
A and
and B
B

Time
Time order
order of
of events
events

No
No other
other possible
possible
causes
causes ofof B
B
 6-28

Causation and
Experimental Design

Control/ Random
Matching Assignment
 6-29

Ex Post Facto Design

Club Member Nonclub Member

Age High Absentee Low Absentee High Absentee Low Absentee

Under 30 years 36 6 30 48
Substitute BRM
30 to 45 4 4 35 117
Exhibit 6-8
45 and over 0 0 5 115
 6-30

Key Terms
• Asymmetrical • Descriptive study
relationship • Ethnographic research
• Case study • Ex post facto design
• Causal study • Experience
• Causation • Experiment
• Children’s panels • Exploratory study
• Communication study • Field conditions
• Control • Focus group
• Control group • Formal study
• Correlation • Individual depth interview
• Cross-sectional study • Intranet
 6-31

Key Terms (cont.)

• Laboratory conditions
• Longitudinal study
• Matching
• Monitoring
• Primary data
• Qualitative techniques
• Random assignment
• Reciprocal relationship
• Research design
• Secondary data
• Simulation
• Statistical study
• Symmetrical relationship