This document provides an overview of exploratory research design. It defines exploratory research as initial research conducted to clarify and define the nature of a problem. Some key points made in the document: - Exploratory research is used to formulate problems more precisely, discover new ideas, develop hypotheses, and establish priorities for further research. - Common methods used in exploratory research include literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, and pilot studies. These methods are used to gather qualitative data. - Exploratory research may involve a single study or series of informal studies to provide background information on a problem. - The purpose is different from descriptive and causal research which aim to determine quantities or test relationships between variables.

1. Research Design: Exploratory
Dr. Sasmita Mishra

2. Research Design defined
• Research design is a plan, structure, and strategy of
investigation conceived so as to obtain answers to
research question and control variance…N. Kerlinger
• Designed research is a planned sequence of the entire
process involved in conducting a research study….Miller
• Research design constitutes the blueprint for the
collection, measurement and analysis of data…B S
Philips

3. Research design
• A plan of action to be carried out in connection with a
proposed research work
• The design is a specific presentation of the various steps in the
process of research.
• It provides a guideline for the checking and counter checking
of the research work which enables the researcher to keep
track of work action and let them to know whether they are
moving in the right direction or not.
• Designing provides a clear cut picture of the work before
starting the work.
• It helps in identifying the difficulties that may emerge in the
process of research.

4. Why research design?
 Clarity: Without RD the researcher does not know what to do. It is extremely
desirable that the design be put in writing because this will prevent a study to go
astray.
 Relevance: When the researcher is deciding specially what data are needed.
 Ease in Analysis and Interpretation: Keep the computations and thinking on
the path to solutions and recommendations.
 Economy: Just as the house built without a blue print is likely to cost more
because of midstream alterations in constructions, a study is likely to cost more
without formal design.
 In a nutshell a research design ensures that the study 1) will be relevant to the
problem, and 2) will use economic procedures.
 However, one should not conclude that a design should have a very rigid
framework. There should be some room for flexibility.

5. From Questions to answers
Q A
A
A
A
EX.- Pygmalion
effect and
performance

6. Exploring a problem situation
Employee motivation and work performance
I want to find
out more
I want to figure
out what can
be done
I want to actually
change the
situation
 What makes
employees
motivated?
How motivation is
related to
performance?
How a motivated
employee behaves in
the organisation?
 I want to find out
level of employee
motivation among
different segments of
employees.
I want to look at
employee motivation
programmes. Which
one has been more
effective ?
 I want to work with
the organisation to
develop a
motivational
programme.

7. Define the
information
needed
Specify the
measurement
and scaling
procedure
Specify the
sampling process
and sample size
Develop a plan of
data analysis
Research
Design
According to Churchill Jr. A research design is simply the framework or
plan for a research and used as a guide in collecting and analysing
data. It is the blue print that is followed in completing study. It is, like
the blue print for a house.

8. Classification of Research Design
Longitudinal design
Cross sectional design
Research Designs
Multiple Cross
Sectional design
Single Cross
Sectional design
Descriptive research Causal research design
Conclusive research design
Exploratory research design
True Panel Omnibus panel

9. •Laboratory experiment
•Field experiment
Overview of Research Design
Exploratory
Research
Causal
Research
Descriptive
Research
•Formulate problems more precisely
•Develop Hypotheses
•Establish priorities for research
•Eliminate impractical ideas
•Clarify concepts
•Literature search
•Experience survey
•Analysis of select cases
•Interviews
•Ethnographies
•Focus groups
•Describe segment characteristics
•Estimate proportion of people
who behave in a certain way
•Make specific predictions
•Longitudinal study
•Panels
•Sample Survey
•Provide evidence regarding causal
relationships
•Rule out all other explanations
Uses Types

10. Research Design Vs. Research Methods
• Research Design: Specific framework that has been
created to seek answers to the research questions
• Research Method: the technique to collect the
information required to answer the research problem,
given the created framework

11. Exploratory research is used for…
Formulating a problems for more precise investigation
Discovering new ideas
Developing hypotheses
Establishing priorities for further research
Screening of alternatives
Increasing the analyst's familiarity with the problem area
Clarifying concepts

12. Methods used in exploratory research..
Case studies
Literature search
Experience interviews
In-Depth Interviews
Focus Groups
Pilot study
Secondary data

13. Pilot studies vs. exploratory research
• A collective term used to describe any small scale
exploratory study that uses sampling but does not apply
rigorous standards.
• Types of pilot study include:
– Focus Group Interviews
– Projective Techniques
– In-Depth Interviews

14. Exploratory Research: What It Is and What It Is
Not?
Exploratory Research is initial research conducted to clarify and
define the nature of a problem.
Much, but certainly not all, exploratory research provides qualitative
data.
Alternatively, the purpose of quantitative research is to determine the
quantity or extent of some phenomenon in the form of numbers.
Exploratory research may be a single research investigation or a
series of informal studies to provide background information.

15. Qualitative VS. Quantitative Research
• Purpose
– Exploratory versus descriptive and conclusive
• Small versus large samples
• Broad range of questioning versus structured
questions
• Subjective interpretation versus statistical
analysis

16. Descriptive research design
• Six Ws
• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
• Way

17. Cohort Analysis
• Ex. Soft drink consumption of age group 8-19 yrs examined every 10 years
over a period of 30 years. (%age consuming in a typical day)
Age 1950 1960 1969 1979
8-19 52.9 62.6 73.2 81.0 C8
20-29 45.2 60.7 76.0 75.8 C7
30-39 33.9 46.6 67.7 71.4 C6
40-49 23.2 40.8 58.6 67.8 C5
50+ 18.1 28.8 50.0 51.9 C4
C1 C2 C3
C1: Cohort born prior to 1900
C2: Cohort born prior to 1901-10
C3: Cohort born 1911-20
C4: Cohort born 1921-30
C5: Cohort born 1931-40
C6: Cohort born 1941-49
C7: Cohort born 1950-59
C8: Cohort born 1960-69

18. Cross Sectional vs. Longitudinal
Brand purchased Period 1 Period 2
Brand A 200 200
Brand B 300 300
Brand C 500 500
Period 2
Period-1 Brand A Brand B Brand C
Brand A 100 50 50 300
Brand B 25 100 175 300
Brand C 75 150 275 500
200 300 500

19. Longitudinal Vs. Cross-sectional
Evaluation criteria Cross-sectional Longitudinal
Detecting change __ +
Large amount of data
collection
__ +
Accuracy __ +
Representative sampling + __
Response Bias + __

20. Assignment-Section C
• Suppose a departmental store was interested in
examining changes in store shopping as people grow
from 30 to 40 to 50 to 60 years old. What type of
research design should be adopted and why?
• A bank is interested in determining consumer attitudes
toward online banking and hopes to repeat this project
annually. What type of research design would you
implement and why?
• Microsoft wants to understand the needs of its customers
for its next windows edition. What type of research
design you would implement and why?

22. Thank You