Types Of Research
 Exploratory
 Descriptive
 Causal
Uncertainty Influences
The Type Of Research
CAUSAL OR
DESCRIPTIVE
COMPLETELY
CERTAIN
ABSOLUTE
AMBIGUITY
EXPLORATORY
Information
 Reduces uncertainty
 Helps focus decision making
Degree of Problem Definition
Exploratory Research
(Unaware of Problem)
“Our sales are declining and
we don’t know why.”
“Would people be interested
in our new product idea?”
Descriptive Research
(Aware of Problem)
Causal Research
(Problem Clearly Defined)
“What kind of people are buying “Will buyers purchase more of
our product? Who buys our
our products in a new package?
competitor’s product?”
“Which of two advertising
“What features do buyers prefer campaigns is more effective?”
in our product?”
Exploratory Research
Secondary data
Experience survey
Pilot studies
Exploratory Research
 Initial research conducted to clarify and
define the nature of a problem
 Does not provide conclusive evidence
 Subsequent research expected
Descriptive Research
 Describes characteristics of a population
or phenomenon
 Some understanding of the nature of the
problem
I keep six honest serving men, (they
taught me all I knew), their names are
what, and why, and when, and how,
and where and who.”
--Rudyard Kipling
Descriptive Research Example
 Weight Watchers average customer
 Woman about 40 years old
 Household income of about $50,000
 At least some college education
 Trying to juggle children and a job
Descriptive Research Example
 Men’s fragrance market
 1/3 size of women’s fragrance market
 But growing at a faster pace
 Women buy 80 % of men’s fragrances
Causal Research
 Conducted to identify cause and effect
relationships
Identifying Causality
 A causal relationship is impossible to
prove.
 Evidence of causality:



1. The appropriate causal order of events
2. Concomitant variation--two
phenomena vary together
3. An absence of alternative plausible
explanations
Stages of the Research Process
Discovery and
Definition
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Research
Design
and so on
Conclusions and
Report
Sampling
Data Processing
and Analysis
Data
Gathering
Research Stages
 Cyclical process - conclusions generate
new ideas
 Stages can overlap chronologically
 Stages are functionally interrelated


Forward linkages
Backward linkages
Problem
discovery
Problem Discovery
and Definition
Sampling
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Secondary
(historical)
data
Experience
survey
Probability
Pilot
study
Case
study
Data
Gathering
Data
Processing
and
Analysis
Problem definition
(statement of
research objectives)
Experiment
Laboratory
Conclusions
and Report
Survey
Field
Interview
Nonprobability
Collection of
data
(fieldwork)
Editing and
coding
data
Data
processing
Selection of
basic research
method
Research Design
Selection of
exploratory research
technique
Questionnaire
Observation
Secondary
Data Study
Interpretation
of
findings
Report
Stages In The Research
Process
 Problem Discovery and Problem
Definition
 Research Design
 Sampling
 Data Gathering
 Data Processing and Analysis
 Conclusions And Report
Problem Discovery And
Definition
 First step
 Problem, opportunity, or monitor
operations
 Discovery before definition
 Problem means management problem
“The formulation of
the problem is often
more essential than
its solution”
Albert Einstein
State the research
questions and research
objectives
If you do not know where you are going,
any road will take you there.
Secondary
(historical)
Data
Experience
Survey
Pilot
Study
Exploratory
Research
Case
Study
Exploratory Research Techniques
Two Examples
 Secondary data (historical data)



Previously collected
Census of population
Literature survey
 Pilot study

A number of diverse techniques
Focus Group Interview
Research Design
 Master plan
 Framework for action
 Specifies methods and procedures
Basic Research Methods
 Surveys
 Experiments
 Secondary data
 Observation
Selecting a Sample
Sample: subset
of a larger population.
SAMPLE
POPULATION
Sampling
 Who is to be sampled?
 How large a sample?
 How will sample units be selected?
Data Gathering Stage
Data Processing and Analysis
Conclusions And Report
Writing
 Effective communication of the research
findings
Research Proposal
 A written statement of the research
design that includes a statement
explaining the purpose of the study.
 Detailed outline of procedures
associated with a particular methodology