Exploratory research design, also known as formative research, is used when the researcher is unfamiliar with the problem. It aims to discover new ideas and insights through flexible and unstructured methods like literature reviews, experience surveys, and case analyses. These methods help define the problem and form hypotheses for further investigation through more structured research.

1. exploratory research design
Prepared By
Rashida Hameed

2. EXPLORATORY RESEARCH DESIGN
 Exploratory Research Design is also known as
Formulative Research Design.
 It is applied when the researcher is not acquainted with
the problem.
 The main emphasis is the discovery of new ideas and
insights.
 Much of social researches are of exploratory nature.
 A specific problem is formulated for precise
investigation.

3.  Exploratory Research Design is Flexible.
 It is Highly Unstructured .
 In exploratory research design one makes use of the
following methods :
a. Survey of Literature
b. Experienced Survey
c. Analysis of Insight Stimulating Cases

4. FORMS OF EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
DESIGN
Experience Surveys
Secondary Data Analysis
Case Analysis
Pilot Studies

5. EXPERIENCE SURVEYS
 Experience survey means the survey of people who have had
practical experience with the problem.
 It rarely include formal questionnaire, instead the researcher
may simply have a list of topics to be discussed.
 In an experience survey, should enquire their ideas about
important issues, and try to find out what is important.
 Helps in the formulation of hypothesis.

6. SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS
 Secondary data is a type of data that has already been
collected in the past.
 Secondary data are in the form of finished products.
 Economic survey of the government of India, economic
reviews published by various state governments, census
data, data relating to agriculture, industry, forestry,
education, etc. by the government are the examples of
secondary data.

7.  Researcher has to modify such data for their
individual requirements.
 Secondary Data Analysis involves a researcher
using the information that someone else has
gathered for his or her own purposes.
 Secondary Data Analysis helps to define the
business research problem.

8.  Obtains information from one or a few situations that are
similar to the problem situation.
 This method is suitable for areas where there are few or no
experienced persons to provide necessary information for
development of insights and hypothesis for specific
research.
 This method consists of the intensive study of selected
instance of the phenomenon in which one is interested.
For this , existing records if any may be examined and the
unstructured interview may be conducted.
Case Analysis

9.  This method will be fruitful only if the attitude of
the researcher is seeking greater and greater
amount of knowledge rather than of testing specific
hypothesis.
 It is also referred as Case Histories.
 Case study is a powerful research methodology that
combines individual and group interviews with
record analysis and observation.

10. PILOT STUDIES
 It is the small scale preliminary study conducted before the
main research, in order to check the feasibility or to improve
the design of the research.
 Pilot studies are surveys using a limited number of
respondents and often employing less accurate sampling
techniques than are employed in large, quantitative research.
 Pilot Studies are used in different types of designs. - Within
the context of exploratory research it covers some part of the
research on a small scale. Major categories of pilot study
include focus group interviews, projective techniques, and
depth interviews.