4Research Design

8/13/2019 4Research Design

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Research Design


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Definition & Nature

A Research Design is a logical and systematic plan prepared for

directing a research study.

It constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and

analysis of the data.

It is a series of guideposts to keep one going in the rightdirection.

This is the tentative plan and deviation from this design is

quite normal in research depending upon the availability of

data, methods of sampling etc. It expresses both the structure of the research problem and the

plan of investigation


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Components of a Research Design

The design should include:

A clear statement of the problem

Procedures & techniques to be used for collecting

information (specification of scaling procedures, makingquestionnaire, form of data collection etc.)

Population to be studied (sampling process and size)

Plan of the methods to be used in processing and

analysing data

Research designs vary with the types of research.


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Research Design components


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Planning by Gantt Chart


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Types of Research Exploratory Research: To define a problem more precisely,

identify alternative courses of action, develop hypothesis, gaininsights for developing an approach to the given problem,establish priorities for further research (e.g. interviews with experts, tounderstand the factors that affect store performance, take 5 best and 5 worstoutlets and compare)

Descriptive Research:characteristics of customers (profile of loyalcustomers, customer satisfaction survey), perceptions of productcharacteristics (how people perceive about the shopping malls) etc.

Explanatory Research:find out the nature of relationsshipbetween the dependent and the independent variables (e.g. what

factors determine the decision of a consumer to buy a particular product, whatfactors affect the performance of the employees in an organisation, whichfactors affect the credit taking behaviour of credit card users etc.)


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Research Design

Exploratory Conclusive

Descriptive Causal

Cross-Sectional Longitudinal

Single Multiple

Secondary Data

Pilot Survey

Expert InterviewsFocus group interview etc.

Surveys

Experiments

Secondary

data analysisObservation

Cohort Analysis

Panel


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ExperimentalEffects

PerceptualAwareness

ResearchEnvironment

Descriptors

QuestionCrystallization Data Collection

Method

TimeDimension

Topical Scope

Purpose ofStudy

Research Design Descriptors


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Descriptors

Category Opt ions

The degree to which the research question has been

crystallizedExploratory study

Formal study

The method of data collection Monitoring

Communication Study

The power of the researcher to produce effects in the

variables under studyExperimental

Ex post facto

The purpose of the study Descriptive

Causal

The time dimension Cross-sectional

Longitudinal

The topical scopebreadth and depthof the study Case

Statistical studyThe research environment Field setting

Laboratory research

Simulation

The participants perceptional awareness of the

research activityActual routine

Modified routine


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Classification

Exploratory, descriptive and causal designs

Exploratory : secondary data, pilot survey, focus

group interview

Descriptive & causal: Sample Surveys,

Experiments in field settings, secondary data

analysis with advanced methods, observation


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Exploratory StudiesThe researcher seeks to gain familiarity and/or achieve new

insights into the problem situation. The design is characterised bygreat flexibility and versatility.

Secondary Data Analysis (Qualitative analysis)

Experience Surveys (focus groups, depth interview etc.)

Pilot Surveys

Qualitative researchParticipant observation

Film, photographs

Projective techniquesPsychological testing

Case studies

Expert interviews

Document analysis

Proxemics and Kinesics


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Secondary Data

In the Bank research, company reports, trade association reportswere the secondary data used for exploration

Internal and External Data

Advantages and Disadvantages

Alerts: Methodology used, accuracy, updation, content,dependability

Published external data : Directories, Reports, Census data, Govtand Non-govt data, Policy Documents etc., ComputerisedDatabases (online and offline)

Syndicated sourceshousehold panels and institutional audits,

industry surveys Household surveys aim at psychographic and lifestyle studies,

general studies (purchase/consumption behaviour)


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Qualitative Research

It deals with primary data and is based on small samples that

provide insights and understanding of the problem setting

Techniques are of two types: direct and indirect

Focus Group:

An interview conducted by a trained moderator in an unstructured way with a

small group of respondents. Discussion may give rise to unexpected findings

Depth Interview:

Its an unstructured personal interview by a skilled interviewer to make note of

underlying attitudes on an issue (discussion on sensitive topics)

Projective Techniques

Unstructured, indirect form of questioning that encourages respondents to

project the underlying feelings about the issue


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Projective Techniques

Association Techniques (Word)

Completion Techniques (Sentence, story)

Construction Techniques (picture response, cartoons)

Expressive (role play)


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Objective of descriptive research is description of anissue, usually market characteristics or functions

Descriptions of population characteristics

Estimates of frequency of characteristics

Discovery of associations among variables

Direct Vs. Indirect Methods

Methods: (Cross-Sectional/ Longitudinal)

Survey

Observations

escriptive Research esign


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Design for Causal Studies


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Mills Method of Agreement


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Mills Method of Difference


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Causal relations

Symmetrical

Reciprocal

Asymmetrical


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Asymmetrical Casual Relationships

Stimulus-Response

Disposition-Behavior

Property-Behavior

Property-Disposition


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Types of Asymmetrical Causal

Relationships

Relat ionship

Type

Nature o f

Relat ionship

Examples

Stimulus-response An event or change

results in a response from

some object.

A change in work rules leads to a higher level

of worker output.

A change in government economic policyrestricts corporate financial decisions.

A price increase results in fewer unit sales.

Property-

disposition

An existing property

causes a disposition.

Age and attitudes about saving.

Gender attitudes toward social issues.

Social class and opinions about taxation.

Disposition-

behavior

A disposition causes a

specific behavior.

Opinions about a brand and its purchase.

Job satisfaction and work output.

Moral values and tax cheating.

Property-behavior An existing property

causes a specific

behavior.

Stage of the family life cycle and purchases

of furniture.

Social class and family savings patterns.Age and sports participation.


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Testing Causal Hypothesis

Covariation b/w A and B (no A implies no B?

more/less of A and more/less of B?)

Time order of events (A before B?)

No other possible causes of B (C,D,E do not

covary with B?)

Control/matching

Random assignment


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Ex Post Facto Design

Fishing Club Member Non-Fishing -Club Member

Age High

Absentee

Low Ab sentee High

Absentee

Low Abs entee

Under 30 years 36 6 30 48

30 to 45 4 4 35 117

45 and over 0 0 5 115


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Case Study

A private bank wants to study the investment

behaviour of customers on the basis of

quarterly data for last five years. Explain which

research design should be taken.

P60, Chawla & Sondhi