Business research is a process of acquiring detailed information about all areas of business to maximize sales and profits. It helps determine the most profitable or in-demand products and services. Research design provides a framework for efficiently conducting research projects through structured data collection, measurement, and analysis. There are two main types of research design: quantitative, which uses numerical data and statistical analysis, and qualitative, which relies on non-numerical data from sources like interviews and observations. The goal is to draw valid conclusions through high-quality, credible research methods.

2. BUSINESS RESEARCH
DEFINITION
Business research is a process of acquiring detailed information of all the areas
of business and using such information in maximizing the sales and profit of
the business. Such a study helps companies determine which product/service is
most profitable or in demand. In simple words, it can be stated as the acquisition of
information or knowledge for professional or commercial purpose to determine
opportunities and goals for a business.

3. WHAT IS BUSINESS RESEARCH DESIGN?
Research design can be defined as a
framework or blue print for
conducting business research project
in an efficient manner. It details the
procedures necessary for collection,
measurement and analysis of
information which helps the researcher
to structure/or solve business research
problems.

4. TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN
Business research plays an important role in the business intelligence process.
This is usually conducted to determine if a company can succeed in a new
region through competitive analyses and better marketing approach. Keeping
its dynamics into consideration, the research design is categorized into two
different perspectives, i.e.
Quantitative Research Design &
Qualitative Research Design

5. 1. Quantitative research
Quantitative research involves methodical analysis of phenomena by
means of collecting quantifiable data and then carrying out
mathematical, statistical, or computing techniques. To conduct
quantitative research, methods like online survey, questionnaires,
sampling methods etc. are used and the outcome from these methods
is represented in numerical form.

6. Quantitative Research options that exist for
Market Researchers
1 . Primary Quantitative Research Methods
This type of research is mostly used in conducting marketing
research. Primary quantitative research depends on the data collected
rather than on the data collected from the previous research
conducted.
Primary quantitative research method has for sub-types.

7. 2 . Secondary Quantitative Research Method
It also is known as desktop research and uses existing data to
conduct research. The data collected is summarized and organized
to enhance the effectiveness of research. The data is collected from
various sources like research reports, libraries, government
records, and internet. The secondary Quantitative research is also
to validate the outcomes of primary Quantitative research. Hence,
the outcomes from primary Quantitative research can be validated or
refuted on the basis of previously collected data.

8. 1. PRIMARY QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
METHODS

9. A) Survey Research
Cross-sectional survey
This is also called observational survey conducted
on a target population at a given point of time. It helps to evaluate different variables at
the same time. It’s mostly used in retail stores, health care industry or SMEs.
Longitudinal Survey
It’s also an observational survey, in which research is conducted at various time
durations. Here one variable is evaluated at different times where a sequence
of events matters. It’s mostly use in medicine and applied sciences fields.

10. B) Correlational Research
This research design investigates relationships between variables without the
researcher controlling or manipulating any of them. A correlation reflects the
strength and/or direction of the relationship between two (or more) variables.
Correlations can be strong or weak and positive or negative. Sometimes, there is no
correlation.

11. Positive correlations: Both variables increase or decrease at the same
time. A correlation coefficient close to +1.00 indicates a strong positive
correlation.
Negative correlations: As the amount of one variable increases, the
other decreases (and vice versa). A correlation coefficient close to -1.00
indicates a strong negative correlation.
No correlation: There is no relationship between the two variables. A
correlation coefficient of 0 indicates no correlation.

12. C) Causal-Comparative Research (Quasi-experimental research)
This research method works on the comparison. In this research experiment, the
researcher identifies the cause-effect relationship between two or more
variables. Out of two variables, one variable is dependent on the other. To conduct
this research, the researcher establishes one variable without modifying it and
observe its impacts on another variable. This research is not only restricted to the
statistical analysis of two variables, however, but impacts can also be observed on
different variables in a group.
For example: the impacts of sports on child’s Education or the impact of parents’
divorce on children.

13. D) Experimental Research :
This research is also referred to as true experimentation. It’s based on one or more
than one theory. This type of research is mostly used in natural sciences or in
social science because there are many theories to be proved right or wrong.
Multiple theories can be used to conduct this research. Researcher establishes
the statement and after establishing this researcher makes efforts to verify
whether the statement is valid or invalid.
For example: It’s a boon to have a dedicated teaching staff for high success rate of
students or conventional methods of cooking are better than the modern
methods.

14. 2. SECONDARY QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHOD :

15. A ) Government and Non-government resources :
The data collected from government records are reliable and detailed, therefore, it
can be used to validate quantitative research’s outcome.
B) Data available on the Internet :
Comprehensive information about various research topics is available on the
internet through forums, blogs, and websites where people share about their study
and outcomes of research conducted by them. A researcher can use that
information to conduct his own research.

16. C) Educational Institutes :
D) Public Libraries :
E) Commercial information sources:
Newspaper, magazines, Radio, journals, and Television are a great source of
information and a lot of data can be obtained from these resources to conduct
secondary research. These commercial information sources have fresh information
about economic developments, market research, political agenda,
and demographic segmentation etc. however, not all commercial information
sources are reliable. One should choose information from them on the basis of
their credibility.

17. 2. Qualitative research
Qualitative research relies on data obtained by the researcher from first-
hand observation, interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, participant-
observation, recordings made in natural settings, documents, case studies, and
artifacts. The data are generally non-numerical.
Example: unstructured interviews which generate qualitative data through
the use of open questions. This allows the respondent to talk in some depth,
choosing their own words. This helps the researcher develop a real sense of a
person's understanding of a situation.

19. When to use qualitative research
 It’s used when researcher needs to capture accurate, in-depth insights and
“factual data”.
 Developing a new product or generating an idea.
 Studying your product/brand or service to strengthen your marketing
strategy.
 To understand ones strengths and weaknesses.
 Understanding purchase behavior.
 To study the reactions of your audience to marketing campaigns and other
communications.

21. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods
match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and
that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions,
utilizing credible sources. This allows you to draw valid, trustworthy
conclusions.

22. 1.
2. 3.

23. EXPLORATORY
RESEARCH
Exploratory research is a methodology approach
that investigates research questions that have
not previously been studied in depth.
Exploratory research is often qualitative in nature.
However, a study with a large sample conducted in
an exploratory manner can be quantitative as well.

24. PURPOSE OF EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
Used to investigate a problem which is not clearly defined.
It helps to provide better understanding of the existing problem, but
will not provide conclusive results.
A researcher has to start with a general idea and uses this research as
a medium to identify issues, that can be the focus for future
research.

25. The researcher should be willing to change his/her direction/subject
to the revelation of new data or insight.
It’s usually carried out when the problem is at a preliminary stage.
It is often referred to as grounded theory approach or interpretive
research as it used to answer questions like what, why and how.

28. METHOD 1

32. A customer experience survey allows you to capture a customer’s emotions
based on their experiences at various touch points. To identify the most
important touch points of your customers, you must map the journey of the
customers.
Example: you want to track the customer experience from the moment they think
of your brand to their return as a repeat customer in the future. In this process,
you should keep a close eye on what the customers say about your brand at every
METHOD 2 - Experience Survey

33. Why are customer experience surveys so
important?
1. Helps customer retention
2. Helps identify your promoters
3. Help gather data to make
informed decisions

34. Tips for designing customer experience (CX)
survey questions
DO’s DON’T’s
1. Set your goals
2. Choosing the right tool
3. Select a template and customize it if
needed
4. Use open-ended questions
5. Review your survey
1. Ask too many questions
2. No “mandatory” questions
3. Don’t go too deep in the
demographics
4. Avoid using jargon or technical terms
5. Remember, it’s the “Age of
Technology”

35. A focus group is a group interview involving a small number of demographically
similar people or participants who have other common traits/experiences. Their
reactions to specific researcher/evaluator-posed questions are studied. This group
is a small-group guided by a trained leader. It is used to learn about opinions on a
designated topic, and to guide future action.
Examples: A focus group of parents of preschoolers meets to discuss child care
needs.
METHOD 3 –
FOCUS GROUP

38. METHOD 4 – CASE STUDY/
COMPREHENSIVE CASE METHOD
A case study is a detailed study of a specific subject, such as a person, group,
place, event, organization, or phenomenon. Case studies are commonly used
in social, educational, clinical, and business research. A case study is an in-depth,
detailed examination of a particular case (or cases) within a real-world context. For
example, case studies in medicine may focus on an individual patient or ailment;
case studies in business might cover a particular firm strategy or a broader market;
similarly, case studies in politics can range from a narrow happening over time

40. 2. CONCLUSIVE RESEARCH DESIGN
The conclusive research design is used to obtain information that can be used to
reach conclusions or make decisions. Conclusive research design usually involves
the application of quantitative methods of data collection and data analysis.
Moreover, conclusive studies tend to be deductive in nature and research objectives in
these types of studies are achieved via testing hypotheses.
Conclusive research can be sub-divided into two major categories:
 Descriptive or statistical research, and.
 Causal research.

41. Descriptive research
Descriptive research design is a type of research design that aims to
obtain information to systematically describe a phenomenon,
situation, or population. More specifically, it helps answer the what,
when, where, and how questions regarding the research problem, rather
than the why.

44. CROSS SECTIONAL & LONGITUDINAL STUDY
2. Cross Sectional Study-
A cross-sectional study is a type of observational study that analyzes data from a
population, or a representative subset, at a specific point in time—that is, cross-sectional
data. Here the investigator measures the outcome and the exposures in the study
participants at the same time.
2. Longitudinal Study-
A longitudinal study is a research design that involves repeated observations of the
same variables over short or long periods of time. It is often a type of observational study,
although it can also be structured as longitudinal randomized experiment.

46. 3. Experimental Research Design – Meaning
Experimental design is the process of carrying out research in an objective
and controlled fashion so that precision is maximized and specific
conclusions can be drawn regarding a hypothesis statement. Generally, the
purpose is to establish the effect that a factor or independent variable has on a
dependent variable.

47. Types of Experimental Research Design?
1. Pre-experimental Research Design
In pre-experimental research design, either a group or various dependent groups
are observed for the effect of the application of an independent variable which is
presumed to cause change. It is the simplest form of experimental research design and
is treated with no control group.
Although very practical, experimental research is lacking in several areas of the true-
experimental criteria. The pre-experimental research design is further divided into
three types
 One-shot Case Study Research Design
 One-group Pretest-posttest Research Design:
 Static-group Comparison

48. 2. Quasi-experimental Research Design
The word "quasi" means partial, half, or pseudo. Therefore, the quasi-experimental
research bearing a resemblance to the true experimental research, but not the
same. In quasi-experiments, the participants are not randomly assigned, and as such,
they are used in settings where randomization is difficult or impossible.
 This is very common in educational research, where administrators are unwilling to
allow the random selection of students for experimental samples.
 Some examples of quasi-experimental research design include; the time series, no
equivalent control group design, and the counterbalanced design.

49. 3. True Experimental Research Design
The true experimental research design relies on statistical analysis to approve or
disprove a hypothesis. It is the most accurate type of experimental design and may be
carried out with or without a pretest on at least 2 randomly assigned dependent
subjects.
The true experimental research design must contain a control group, a variable that
can be manipulated by the researcher, and the distribution must be random. The
classification of true experimental design include:
The posttest-only Control Group Design
The pretest-posttest Control Group Design
Solomon four-group Design

50. 4. Statistical Experimental
design
The (statistical) design of
experiments (DOE) is an efficient
procedure for planning
experiments so that the data
obtained can be analyzed to
yield valid and objective
conclusions. DOE begins with
determining the objectives of an
experiment and selecting the
process factors for the study.

51. 4. Formal Experimental Design
Formal research is the process by which we learn new information to better
understand ourselves, each other, and the world with which we interact. It has the
following characteristics:
 Systematic: It is a predictable and consistent set of steps that are used to provide
reliable results.
 Organizational: It has a highly organized structure that allows the researcher to
integrate and make sense of all the information gathered.
 Questions: It seeks to ask questions to better understand people or their
environment. The questions drive each research study.
 Finding answers: This is the expected outcome of formal research - answering
important questions about our world.

52. Formal Research Methods
 Develop the Research Question. Often, this involves an issue you are naturally
passionate about or interested in understanding better. ...
 Consult Existing Literature. ...
 State a Hypothesis. ...
 Develop the Research Design. ...
 Conduct the Study. ...
 Analyze Data and Integrate Information. ...
 Communicate Results.

57. 5. Informal Experimental Design
Informal experimental designs are those designs that normally use
a less sophisticated form of analysis based on differences in
magnitudes, whereas formal experimental designs offer relatively
more control and use precise statistical procedures for analysis.