2. Learning Objectives
ā¢ To understand what research design is and why it is signiļ¬cant
ā¢ To appreciate areas of ethical sensitivity in research design
ā¢ To learn how exploratory research design helps the researcher gain a feel for
the problem by providing background information, suggesting hypotheses,
and prioritizing research objectives
3. Learning Objectives
ā¢ To know the fundamental questions addressed by descriptive research and
the diļ¬erent types of descriptive research
ā¢ To explain what is meant by causal research and to describe types of
experimental research designs
ā¢ To know the diļ¬erent types of test marketing and how to select test-market
cities
4.
5. Research Design
ā¢ Research design is a set of advanced decisions that make up the master plan
specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the
needed information.
6. The Signiļ¬cance of āØ
Research Design
ā¢ There are basic marketing research designs that can be successfully matched
to given problems and research objectives, and they serve the researcher
much like the blueprint serves the builder.
ā¢ Good research design is the āļ¬rst rule of good research.ā
ā¢ Knowledge of the needed research design allows advance planning so
that the project may be conducted in less time and typically at a cost
savings due to eļ¬ciencies gained in preplanning.
7. Objectives of Research Design
ā¢ To gain background information and to develop hypotheses
ā¢ To measure the state of a variable of interest
ā¢ To test hypotheses that specify the relationships between two or more
variables
8. Research Design: A Caution
ā¢ In many cases, research is an iterative process.
ā¢ By conducting one research project, we learn that we may need additional
research, which may result in using multiple research designs.
9. Types of Research Design
Three traditional categories:
ā¢ Exploratory
ā¢ Descriptive
ā¢ Causal
ā¢ The choice of the most appropriate design depends largely on the
objectives of the research and how much is known about the problem
and research objectives.
11. Exploratory Research
ā¢ It is usually conducted when the researcher does not know much about the
problems.
ā¢ Exploratory research is usually conducted at the outset of research projects.
ā¢ Uses:
ā¢ Gain background information
ā¢ Deļ¬ne terms
ā¢ Clarify problems and hypothesis
ā¢ Establish research priorities
12. Exploratory Research
ā¢ A variety of methods are available to conduct exploratory research.
ā¢ Secondary Data Analysis: What has been written?
ā¢ Experience Surveys: Talk to those who have experience
ā¢ Key-informant technique: gathering information from those thought to be
knowledgeable on the issues relevant to the problem
ā¢ Lead-user survey: used to acquire information from lead users of a new
technology
13. Exploratory Research
ā¢ A variety of methods are available to conduct exploratory research.
ā¢ Case Analysis: a review of available information about a former situation(s) that has
some similarities to the current research problem
ā¢ Focus Groups: small groups brought together and guided by a moderator through an
unstructured, spontaneous discussion for the purpose of gaining information
relevant to the research problem
ā¢ Projective Techniques: For topics that are sensitive or diļ¬cult to articulate (personal
hygiene; status-seeking!)
15. Focus Groups
ā¢ Usually 6-8 people
ā¢ Discussions moderated
ā¢ Diļ¬erent samples can be held in
groups
ā¢ Very useful for generating
information about how consumers
think, their attitudes, terminology
they use, liking/disliking of
proposed new product
16. Descriptive Research
ā¢ Descriptive research is undertaken to describe answers to questions of who,
what, where, when, and how.
ā¢ Descriptive research is desirable when we wish to project a studyās ļ¬ndings to
a larger population, if the studyās sample is representative.
17. Research Design: Descriptive Research
Two basic classiļ¬cations:
1. Cross-sectional studies
ā¢ Cross-sectional studies measure units from a sample of the population
at only one point in time (or āsnapshotā).
ā¢ Sample surveys are cross-sectional studies whose samples are drawn in
such a way as to be representative of a speciļ¬c population.
ā¢ These studies are usually presented with a margin of error
18. Research Design: Descriptive Research
Two basic classiļ¬cations:
2. Cross-sectional studies
ā¢ Longitudinal studies repeatedly measure the same sample units of a
population over time.
ā¢ Since they involve multiple measurements over time, they are often
described as āmoviesā of the population.
19. Descriptive Research Studies
ā¢ Continuous panels ask panel members the same questions on each panel
measurement.
ā¢ Discontinuous panels vary questions from one panel measurement to the
next.
ā¢ These are sometimes referred to as omnibus panels (omnibus meaning
āincluding or covering many things or classesā).
ā¢ Discontinuous panels are demographically matched to some larger entity,
implying representativeness.
ā¢ Discontinuous panels represent sources of information that may be quickly
accessed for a wide variety of purposes.
20. Continuous Panels
ā¢ Brand-switching studies: studies examining how many consumers switched
brands
ā¢ Market-tracking studies: those that measure some variable(s) of interestā
such as market share or unit salesāover time
22. Classiļ¬cation of Descriptive Research Studies
ā¢ Question:
ā¢ What type of research is a End of Year Teacherās Evaluation?
ā¢ Exploratory or Descriptive?
ā¢ Cross Sectional or Continuous?
23. Causal Research
ā¢ Causality may be thought of as understanding a
phenomenon in terms of conditional statements of the
form āIf x, then y.ā
ā¢ For example, if you lowered the price xx%, how will
that aļ¬ect demand?
ā¢ Causal studies are conducted through the use of
experiments.
24. Experiments
ā¢ An experiment is deļ¬ned as manipulating an independent variable to see how
it aļ¬ects a dependent variable, while also controlling the eļ¬ects of additional
extraneous variables.
25. Independent Variable
ā¢ Independent variables are those variables which the researcher has control
over and wishes to manipulateā¦ the 4 Pās
ā¢ For example: level of ad expenditure; type of ad appeal; price; product
features, etc.
26. Dependent Variables
ā¢ Dependent variables are those variables that we have little or no direct control
over, yet we have a strong interest.
ā¢ Examples would be return on investment, net proļ¬ts, market share, customer
satisfaction.
27. Extraneous Variables
ā¢ Extraneous variables are those variables that may have some eļ¬ect on a
dependent variable yet are not independent variables.
ā¢ Extraneous variables must be controlled through proper experimental design.
28. Experimental Design
ā¢ Experimental design is a
procedure for devising an
experimental setting such that
a change in a dependent
variable may be attributed
solely to the change in an
independent variable.
30. Symbols of Experimental Design
ā¢ O = measurement of a dependent variable
ā¢ X = manipulation, or change, of an independent variable
ā¢ R = random assignment of subjects to experimental and control groups
ā¢ E = experimental eļ¬ect
ā¢ Time is on the horizontal axis
31. Pretest and Posttest
ā¢ Pretest refers to the measurement of the dependent variable taken prior to
changing the independent variable.
ā¢ Posttest refers to measuring the dependent variable after changing the
independent variable.
32. A āTrueā Experimental Design
ā¢ A ātrueā experimental design is one that truly isolates the eļ¬ects of the
independent variable on the dependent variable while controlling for the
eļ¬ects of any extraneous variables.
ā¢ Quasi-experimental design: ones that do not properly control for the eļ¬ects of
extraneous variables on our dependent variable.
33. Experimental Design
ā¢ Control group: control of extraneous variables typically achieved by the use of
a second group of subjects
ā¢ Experimental group: the group that has been exposed to a change in the
independent variable
34. How Valid Are Experiments?
ā¢ An experiment is valid if the following are true:
ā¢ The observed change in the dependent variable is due to the independent
variable.
ā¢ The results of the experiment apply to the āreal worldā outside the
experimental setting.
35. How valid are experiments?
ā¢ Internal validity: measures the extent to which the
change in the dependent variable is actually due to the
change in the independent variable.
ā¢ External validity: refers to the extent that the relationship
observed between the independent and dependent
variables during the experiment is generalizable to the
āreal world.ā
36. Types of Experiments
ā¢ Laboratory experiments are those in which the
independent variable is manipulated and measures of
the dependent variable are taken in a contrived,
artiļ¬cial setting for the purpose of controlling the many
possible extraneous variables that may aļ¬ect the
dependent variable.
ā¢ Good at establishing internal validity
37. Types of Experiments
ā¢ Field experiments are those in which the independent variables are
manipulated and the measurements of the dependent variable are made on
test units in their natural setting.
ā¢ Good at establishing external validity
38. Test Marketing
ā¢ Test marketing is the phrase
commonly used to indicate an
experiment, study, or test that
is conducted in a ļ¬eld setting.
ā¢ Uses of test markets
ā¢ To test sales potential for a new
product or service
ā¢ To test variations in the
marketing mix for a product or
service
39. Types of Test Markets
ā¢ The standard test market is one in which the ļ¬rm tests the product or
marketing-mix variables through the companyās normal distribution channels.
ā¢ Controlled test markets are conducted by outside research ļ¬rms that
guarantee distribution of the product through pre speciļ¬ed types and
numbers of distributors.
ā¢ Electronic test markets are those in which a panel of consumers has agreed
to carry identiļ¬cation cards that each consumer presents when buying goods
and services.
ā¢ Simulated test markets (STMs) are those in which a limited amount of data
on consumer response to a new product is fed into a model containing
certain assumptions regarding planned marketing programs, which generates
likely product sales volume.
40. Selecting Test-Market Cities
ā¢ Three main criteria:
ā¢ Representativeness
ā¢ Degree of isolation
ā¢ Ability to control distribution and promotion