2. Transparency 5.1
Research design
RESEARCH DESIGN
The framework or plan for a study that guides the
collection and analysis of the data.
The detailed blueprint used to guide a research study
toward its objectives.
3. Building a house without a detailed blueprint;
the final product – the planned (desired
product).
4. Conducting a marketing research
without a detailed blueprint resembles
building a house without a plan.
In this situation, research findings
may differ widely from what was
desired by user of research.
6. Thus the research design ensures that
the study;
will be relevant to the problem
and
will use economical procedures
7. In research design efforts,
the most significant decision is the
choice of research approach, because it
determines how the information will be
obtained. Typical questions:
Should we rely on secondary sources such as the
census
What is more appropriate, an exploratory approach
with group discussions or a survey?
Is a mail, telephone, or personal interview survey
better for this problem?
9. Descriptive Research
Research design in which the major
emphasis is on determining the
frequency with which something
occurs or the relationship between two
variables.
10. Transparency 5.3
Casual research
Causal Research
Research design in which the major
emphasis is on determining cause-and-
effect relationships.
Typically take the form of experiences,
since experiments are best suited to
determine cause and effect.
12. Example: Disposable Diaper market
Brand X’s share of disposable diaper market is
slipping. Why? (explatory study)
Brand X is an economy-priced diaper and it is
designed to compete with low-cost-store brand
diapers. Families with children have more money
than when the brand was first introduced and are
willing to pay that our market share would
decrease. (descriptive study)
Why parents are willing to pay more for higher-
quality diapers if so what features such as better
fit or greater absorbency were most important
them. (causal study)
13. In the early stages of research, companies
usually lack sufficient understanding of the
problem to formulate specific hypotheses. There
may be several tentative explanations for a
given marketing phenomenon.
Ex : sales are off because the company’s price is
too high, company’s dealers are not doing the job
as they should, or advertisements are weak, and
so on.
Exploratory research is used to establish priorities in
studying these competing explanations and their influence
on
15. Exploratory study is often an initial step. When
researchers begin an investigation, it stands to reason
that they lack a great deal of knowledge about the
problem. Consider ;
mavi’s share of unisex shirts market is slipping. Why?
This statement is too broad to serve as a guide for
research. To narrow and refine it would logically be
accomplished with exploratory research , in which the
emphasis would be on finding possible
explanations for the sales decrease.
The tentative explanations would then serve as specific
guides for descriptive or causal studies.
16. Exploratory research is useful for establishing
priorities among research questions and for
learning about the practical problems of carrying
out the research.
What kinds of questions will respondents be able to
answer?
What are the barriers to contacting the
appropriate respondents?
When should the study be conducted?
17. In sum, Exploratory Research is used any or all of
the following purposes:
Formulating a problem for more precise
investigation,
Developing hypothesis,
Establishing priorities for several competing
explanations.
Increasing the researcher's familiarity with the
problem,
Gathering information about practical problems of
carrying out research on particular issues
Clarifying concepts
18. Exploratory study may be used to clarify concepts.
For instance, if marketing management is planning
a change in service policy to increase dealer
satisfaction, an exploratory study may be used
1 ) to clarify what is meant by dealer satisfaction
2 ) to develop a method by which dealer
satisfaction could be measured.
19. Types of exploratory research
Literature search
Experience survey
Focus groups
Analysis of selected cases
21. Transparency 5.7
Seven Characteristics of Good Focus Group Moderators
SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD
FOCUS GROUP MODERATORS
Superior Listening Ability
Excellent Short-Term Auditory memory
Well Organized
A Quick Learner
High Energy Level
Personable
Well-Above-Average Intelligence
22. Transparency 5.9
Analysis of selected cases
ANALYSIS OF SELECTED CASES
Intensive study of selected examples of the
phenomenon of interest.