Class_5 Research Designs

7/29/2019 Class_5 Research Designs

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Dr. Sasmita Mishra

KSOM, KIIT University


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RESEARCH DESIGN: DEFINITION

According to Churchill Jr. A research design is simply theframework or plan for a research and used as a guide incollecting and analysing data. It is the blue print that isfollowed in completing study.It is, like the blue print for ahouse.

What should be included in a research design. may vary

depending on the preferences of a person responsible. In a research design the details should be kept as

minimum as possible for later modifications. However, thefollowing should be included in any types of research.

Define the information needed

Specify the measurement and scaling procedures

Specify the sampling process and sample size.

Develop a plan of data analysis.


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Why Research Design is needed?

Clarity: Without RD the researcher does not know what to do. It isextremely desirable that the design be put in writing because this willprevent a study to go astray.

Relevance: When the researcher is deciding specially what data areneeded.

Ease in Analysis and Interpretation: Keep the computations andthinking on the path to solutions and recommendations.

Economy: Just as the house built without a blue print is likely to costmore because of midstream alterations in constructions, a study islikely to cost more without formal design.

In a nutshell a research design ensures that the study 1) will berelevant to the problem, and 2) will use economic procedures.

However, one should not conclude that a design should have a veryrigid framework. There should be some room for flexibility.


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Three Things: Research Designs

Tenet of research is that the design of the investigation

should stem from the problem. Each types is appropriateto specific kinds of problems.

Emphasis is on these designs basic characteristics andgenerally fruitful approaches. Whether designs are usefulin a given problem setting depends on how imaginatively

they are applied.

These basic designs can be looked as stages in acontinuous process. ER considered as the initial step.Researchers begin an investigation, they lack a great dealof knowledge about the problem.

So exploratory research is needed. Later on, if theproblem gets crystallize a descriptive or causal study canbe undertaken.


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Classification of Research Designs:

RDs are classified according to the research objectives.

One classification: exploratory, descriptive or causal. Katzsuggested two types, exploratory and hypothesis testing.

RDs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive

Exploratory research (ER) is used to define the problemprecisely, identify courses of action, or gain additional

insights. It is flexible and unstructured. Sample selected is small & non-representative. The

primary data are qualitative. Findings are tentative.

Conclusive research is more formal and structured thanER. It is based on large, representative samples, and the

data are subjected to quantitative analysis. Findings are conclusive. Used in managerial decisions.

These may be either descriptive or causal, and descriptiveRDs may be either cross-sectional or longitudinal.


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Longitudinal designCross sectional design

Research Designs

Multiple Cross

Sectional design

Single Cross

Sectional design

Descriptive research Causal research design

Conclusive research designExploratory research design

True Panel Omnibus panel


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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXPLORATORY AND CONCLUSIVE RESEARCH

Exploratory Conclusive

Objective: To provide insights and

understanding.

To test specific hypotheses

and examine relationships

Characteristi

cs:

Information needed is clearly

defined.

Research process is formal and

structured

Sample is large and

representative.

Data analysis is quantitative.

Conclusive

Findings/Results: Tentative Conclusive

Outcome: Generally followed by further

exploratory or conclusive

research

Findings used as input into

decision making

Information needed is defined only

looselyResearch process is flexible and

unstructured

Sample is small and non-representative

Analysis of primary data is qualitative.

Tentative


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Objective is to gain insights and ideas of a problem.Appropriate when the research objectives include:

Identifying problems or opportunities,

Precise formulation of a vaguely identified problem oropportunity,

Gaining perspective of variables in a situation

Gathering information on the problems associated withconclusive research.

To formulate hypotheses regarding potential

problems/opportunities in a decision situation. Example: An ad theme emphasizing the "nutritional

value" of a food product will increase brand awarenessmore than "good flavour" theme.


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Exploratory Research (Continued)

ER is appropriate to any little known problem.

ER is characterised by flexibility. Formal design is conspicuous by its absence. It

rarely involves structured questionnaires, largesamples, and probability sampling plans.

Thus, the creativity and ingenuity of the researcherplays a major role in ER.

ER can greatly benefit from use of the followingmethods (see Table 3.2):

(1) Literature Search

(2) Experience Survey

(3) Analysis of Selected Cases

(4) Qualitative research techniques


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Methods Used in ER

Literature Search: Quickest and cheapest way to discover hypotheses is

in the work of others, through a literature research.

The search would include published work in that

area, company records, earlier studies.

Emphasis on the discovery of ideas and tentativeexplanations of phenomenon.

Experience Survey: (key informant survey,) Taps the expertise of those familiar with the general

subject being investigated. This include topexecutives, key managers, consultants,academicians, etc.


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Analysis of Selected Cases: (Analysis of "insightstimulating examples).

By either label, the approach involves the intensivestudy of selected cases of the phenomenon underinvestigation.

This involves the examination of existing records,observation of the occurrence of the phenomenon,unstructured interviewing, or some other approachmay be used.

The focus may be on entities (individual people, orinstitutions) or group of entities (sales representativesor distributors in various regions).


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Conclusive research DesignsThese are two types: (1) Descriptive research, (2) Causalresearch.

Descriptive Research Designs (DRD) Great deal of research and is appropriate: 1) Determining different variables are associated,

2) Predicting occurrence of a particular phenomenon.

Major difference between ER and DR is that DR is

characterized by the prior formulation of specifichypotheses.

DR is pre-planned and structured. It is based on largerepresentative samples.

A DRD requires a clear specification ofwho, what, when,where, why, and way (the six Ws) of the research. These,

and other similar questions, should be asked until theinformation to be obtained has been clearly defined.

In summary, DR, in contrast to ER, is marked by a clearstatement of the problem, specific hypotheses, anddetailed information needs.


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Example of Descriptive Research Designs

Influence of husband/wife (H/W) in the purchase of its product.

Some of the possible questions to be answered are: What

instrument be used for measuring the (H/W) influence? What aspects of decision making (H/W) have to be measured?

Data should be collected from husbands only or both?

Why to measure the (H/W) influence? Promotional strategy?

Whether to use structured questionnaire or unstructured.

The researcher is advised to delay to test the hypotheses untilclear judgements of who, what, when, where, why and how ofdescriptive research have been made.

Delay data collection until analysis has been clearly determined.

One has to set ofdummy tables before the collection process.

It is a table that is complete except the actual numbers.

We illustrate example of (H/W) influence below.


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Dummy Table 1: Involvement of Husband-Wife in Refrigerator Purchase

(N=105, n1 =63, n2 = 42)

Single Earning

Family (n1)Idea

Initiation

Single Earning

Family (n1)

Information

Collection

Single Earning

Family (n1)

Final

Decision

Level of Involvement %

Stages InPurchasing

Type of Family W>H

H = W H > W c2

Dual Earning

Family (n2)

Dual Earning

Family (n2)

Dual Earning

Family (n2)


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Cross Sectional Designs (CSD):

The best-known, most common and most important DR design.

This provides a snapshot of the variables at that point of time ascontrasted to longitudinal study that provide a series of pictures.

The CSDs carried through surveys (survey research design.) Survey attempts to be representative of some known universe, both in

terms ofnumber and the manner of their selection.

Therefore, a great deal of emphasis is placed on selecting sampling,members, usually with a probability sampling plan.

They may be single cross-sectional or multiple cross-sectional

In single CSDs only one sample is drawn from the population, andinformation is obtained from this sample only once. These designs arealso called sample survey research designs.

In multiple cross-sectional designs, Two/more samples andinformation from each sample is obtained only once. Often,information from different samples is obtained at different times.


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Longitudinal Designs (LDs)

In LDs a fixed sample (or samples) of population is measuredrepeatedly, samples remain the same over time.

In contrast CSD, a LD provides a series of pictures that give viewof the situation and changes that take place over time.

Often, the term panelis used interchangeably with the term LD.

Panel consists of a sample of respondents, that have agreed toprovide information at specified intervals.

Two types of panels. The older type of relies on repeated

measurement of the same variable i.e. each panel member ismeasured with respect to the same characteristics at each time.

A new type of panel called the omnibus panel, a sample ofelements selected and maintained, but the information collectedfrom the members varies. At one time they might be asked toevaluate alternative advertising copy. At another time it is

attitude with respect to a new product. True longitudinal analysis, also called time series analysis, can

only be performed on the traditional panel.


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A company maintains a panel of 1000 families

Several types of analysis: We could look at the proportionof those in the panel who bought A in period t0. We couldalso calculate the proportion of those who bought A inperiod t1 .

Brand Purchased At time t0 At time t1

A 200 275

B 300 270

C 350 330

D 150 150

Total 1000 1000


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RELATIVE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

LONGITUDINAL AND CROSS-SECTIONAL DESIGNS

Evaluation Criteria Cross-SectionalDesign

Longitudinal Design

Detecting change -- +

Large amount of

data collection

- +

Accuracy -- +

Representative

sampling

+ --

++Response bias + --

Note: + indicates a relative advantage over the other design; whereas -

indicates a relative disadvantage


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Thank You

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Class_5 Research Designs