Research Designs

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Research Designs

• Exploratory Research

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Research Design

• Blueprint or road map for conducting the research
  project
• Details all necessary information to implement
  and complete the research

3
Qualitative vs Quantitative Research Methods

• Differ based upon characteristics
• Research goals/objectives
• Type of research
• Type of questions
• Time of execution
• Representativeness
• Type of analyses
• Researcher skills
• Generalizabilty of results
• See Exhibit 6.1 page 172

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Exploratory Research

• Objective - Gain an understanding of the
  underlying reasons and motivations for attitudes,
  preferences, and/or behavior
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Experience (expert) surveys
• Projective techniques
• Role-play
• In-depth interviews
• Focus group interviews

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Advantages Disadvantages of Qualitative
Research Methods

• Advantages
• Economical
• Quick
• Richness of data
• Ability to obtain accurate insight on behaviors
• Ability to gain insights to develop theoretical
  models and/or scale development for further
  research

• Disadvantages
• Lack of generalizability
• Inability to distinguish small differences
• Lack of reliability validity
• Difficulties in identifying qualified researchers
  to conduct research

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Focus Groups

• Small group (8-12) of homogeneous individuals
  participating in a discussion led by a moderator
• Objectives
• Obtain data to define and redefine marketing
  problems
• Identify specific hidden information requirements
• Understand findings from quantitative studies
• Reveal consumers hidden needs, wants, attitudes,
  feelings behaviors
• Generate ideas about products, services, etc.
• Discover new constructs measurement methods
• Explain changing consumer preferences

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Characteristics of Focus Groups

• Size 8-12 participants
• Who should participate Homogeneous group --
  share similar characteristics
• Recruitment selection
• Setting or location
• Incentives
• Number of sessions

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Role of the Moderator

• Develop focus group discussion guide in
  consultation with clients
• See example page 191
• Establish rapport
• State rules for interaction
• Set objectives
• Probe respondents
• Analyze report findings

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Advantages of Focus Groups

• Generate Fresh Ideas
• Obtain insight to underlying reasons or
  motivations for behavior
• Clients can observe participate
• Versatile
• Study special respondents
• Synergism
• Snowballing
• Serendipity

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Disadvantages of Focus Groups

• May not represent population
• Reliability of data
• Subjective interpretation
• High cost per participant (average 500 to 800)
• Results are not conclusive

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Online Focus Groups

• Appropriate when
• Feedback is needed quickly
• Participants are from widely dispersed locations
• Insight to quantitative research is needed
  quickly
• Concept testing of images text which can be
  sent electronically to participants

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Pros Cons of Online Focus Groups

• Pros
• Less expensive
• Fast
• Convenience for researchers participants
• Diversity of participants

• Cons
• Screening participants
• Lack of non-verbal communication cues
• Difficulties in establishing rapport
• Maintaining attention
• Securing participation

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Example

• www.surveysite.com

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Projective Techniques

• Unstructured, indirect form of research wherein
  respondents project their underlying motivations,
  beliefs, attitudes, or feelings regarding the
  issues of concern
• People often divulge something about themselves
  they would not divulge if questioned directly.

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Projective Techniques

• Word Association
• Sentence Completion
• Picture Test Thematic Apperception Test
• Balloon or Cartoon Test
• Role Playing Activity

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Descriptive Research Designs

• Survey Methods Errors

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Advantages of Surveys

• Standardization
• All respondents receive identically worded
  questions
• Ease of Administration
• Ability to Tap the Unseen
• Ask questions about motivations, behavioral
  processes, etc.
• Ability to Tabulate and Analyze Data
• Analyze Data for Sub-Group Differences

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Disadvantages of Survey Methods

• Difficulties in developing accurate survey
  instrument
• Limitations to the in-depth detail obtained
• Lack of control over timeliness and potential low
  response rates
• Difficulties in determining if respondents are
  truthful
• Misinterpretations of results and inappropriate
  use of data analysis procedures

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Survey Data Collection Modes

• Person-Administered
• Telephone-Administered
• Computer-Assisted (online)
• Self-Administered

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Person-Administered

• Advantages
• Feedback during the interview
• Rapport with the respondent
• Quality control
• Adapability
• Disadvantages
• Slow
• Prone to errors
• Requires a separate data entry step
• Respondent apprehension of the interviewer

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Telephone Administered

• Advantages
• Supervision of interviewers
• Dispersed geographic region
• Use of callbacks
• Greater anonymity
• Less opportunity for interviewer bias
• Disadvantages
• Pictures non-audio stimuli cannot be used
• Difficult for respondents to perform complex
  tasks
• Length of interview (shorter)
• Types of response formats
• Dislike toward telemarketers

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Self-Administered

• Advantages
• Reduced Costs
• Respondent controls pace, time, etc.
• No respondent apprehension of the interviewer
• Anonymity in responses
• Disadvantages
• Non-response/self-selection bias
• Slow
• Quality control

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Computer-Assisted

• Advantages
• Speed
• Error-free interviews
• Use of pictures, videos, graphics
• Real-time capture of data
• Reduced respondent apprehension
• Disadvantages
• Significant set-up costs
• Technology is evolving

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Increasing Response Rates to Surveys

• Saliency
• Importance of research topic to respondent
• Sponsorship
• Follow-up
• Incentives

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Errors in Survey Methods

• Random Sampling Errors
• Statistically measured difference between the
  actual sampled results and the estimated true
  population results
• Inversely related to sample size
• As sample size increases, random sampling error
  decreases
• Nonsampling Errors or systematic errors
• All other errors that are unrelated to sampling
  method or sample size
• Respondent error
• Researcher measurement or design error
• Incorrect problem definition
• Researcher administration error
• See Exhibit 7.2 page 225

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Sources of Error
Total Error
Sampling Error
Non-Sampling Error
Measurement/ Design
Researchers Admin.
Problem Definition
Respondent
Response
Non-response
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Observation Methods

• Involves the recording of behavioral patterns of
  people, objects, and events in a systematic
  manner to obtain information about the phenomenon
  of interest
• Types of Observation
• Direct vs. Indirect (traces, audits or archives)
• Disguised vs. Undisguised
• Structured vs. Unstructured
• Human vs. Mechanical

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Advantages Disadvantages of Observation Methods

• Disadvantages
• Reasons or motivations for behavior are unknown
• Problems with selective perception of the
  interviewer may bias results
• Time consuming, difficult to conduct, expensive

• Advantages
• Measures actual behavior rather than reports of
  intended, past, or preferred behavior
• No reporting bias or interviewer bias
• Some data is only available through observation

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Experimental Research

• Only way to examine cause-effect relationships
• Allow researchers to manipulate and test whether
  specific independent variables (causes) affect
  (or cause) the dependent variable to happen.

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Types of Variables in Experimental Research

• Independent variables (predictor or treatment
  variables - X)
• Dependent variables (criterion variable-Y)
• Control variables
• Extraneous variables (uncontrollable variables)

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Example

• Study effects of music on length of time
  eating/shopping
• Independent variable?
• Dependent variable?
• Laboratory?
• Field?

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Conditions for Causality

• Covariation Both the dependent and independent
  variables must vary together (or correlate) in
  the hypothesized direction
• Time sequence The independent variable(s) must
  precede the dependent variable
• Systematic elimination All other possible
  causal factors or extraneous variables must be
  eliminated or ruled out as possible causes
  regarding the experiment

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Validity of Experimental Research

• In general, the experiment is valid if the
  observed change in the dependent variable is, in
  fact, due to the independent variable, and if the
  results of the experiment apply to the real
  world

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Internal Validity

• Researchers ability to assess whether the
  experimental treatment or independent variable
  was the sole cause of changes in the dependent
  variable
• Thus, other possible causal factors or extraneous
  variables are eliminated

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External Validity

• Researchers ability to generalize the
  experimental results to the external environment
  or the real world
• It might work in the lab or a controlled
  environment, but does the relationship hold or
  apply in a real-life setting?

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Threats to Internal Validity

• Changes in subjects
• Measurement error
• Subject guessing
• Equivalent groups
• Drop-out

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Threats to External Validity

• Representativeness of sample
• Realism
• Generalizability

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Validity Types of Experiments

• Which methods have higher levels of validity?
• Laboratory Research
• Maximizes internal validity
• Field Research
• Maximizes external validity