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Approach to Problem: Hypothesis

• RQ:
– Can different types of customers be segmented based
on psychographic characteristics?
• Hypothesis:
– H1: There are distinct segments of bike buyers
Psychographics is the study of personality, values, opinions, attitudes,
interests, and lifestyles.

– H2: Each segment is motivated to own a Harley-Davidson

for a different reason.
– H3: Brand loyalty is high among Harley-Davidson
customers in all segment

Research Design

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Research Design: Definition

• Research design is framework or blueprint for conducting
research project.
– …details procedures necessary for obtaining information needed to
structure or solve research problem(s).
– …lays the foundation for conducting project.

• Involves:
– (Define the information needed)
– Design exploratory, descriptive, and/or causal phases of research
– Specify measurement & scaling procedures
– Construct & pretest a questionnaire or an appropriate form for data
collection
– Specify sampling process & sample size
– Develop a plan of data analysis

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Classification of Research Designs

Research Design

Exploratory Research Design Conclusive Research Design

Provision of insights into & Assist in determining, evaluating &
comprehension of the problem selecting the best course of action
situation confronting researchers to take in a given situation

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Exploratory vs Conclusive Research

Exploratory Conclusive
Objective: To provide insights & To test specific hypotheses and
understanding examine relationships

Character- Information needed is defined Information needed is clearly

istics: only loosely. defined.
Research process is flexible & Research process is formal and
unstructured. structured.
Sample is small & non- Sample is large & representative.
representative. Data analysis is quantitative
Analysis of primary data is
qualitative

Findings/ Tentative Conclusive

Results:

Generally followed by further Findings used as input into

Outcome: exploratory or conclusive decision making
research

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Classification of Research Designs

Research Design

Exploratory Research Design Conclusive Research Design

Provision of insights into & Assist in determining, evaluating &
comprehension of the problem selecting the best course of action
situation confronting researchers to take in a given situation

Descriptive Research Causal Research

Description of something To obtain evidence
usually characteristics & regarding cause-and-
functions effect relationship.

Cross-Sectional Longitudinal
Design Design

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A Comparison of Basic Research Designs

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Objective Discovery of ideas Describe Determine cause

and insights characteristics or and effect
functions relationships

Characteristics Flexible, versatile Marked by the prior Manipulation of

formulation of independent
specific hypotheses variables

Measure effect on
Preplanned and dependent
Often the front end structured design variables
of total research
design Control mediating
variables

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Exploratory Research
• Can be conducted by analyzing (qualitatively) Primary data
and Secondary data

Primary vs. Secondary Data

Primary Data Secondary Data

Collection purpose For the problem at hand For other problems

Collection process Very involved Rapid & easy

Collection cost High Relatively low

Collection time Long Short

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Secondary Data: Sources

Secondary Data

Internal External

Requires
Published Computerized Syndicated
Ready to Use Further
Materials Databases Services
Processing

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Secondary Data: Uses

• Identify the problem & Better define the problem
• Develop an approach to the problem
• Formulate an appropriate research design (for example, by
identifying key variables)
• Answer certain research questions & test some hypotheses
• Interpret primary data more insightfully

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Exploratory Research: Uses

• Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
• Gain insights for developing an approach to problem
• Identify alternative courses of action & Establish priorities
for further research
• Isolate key variables & relationships for further examination
– Develop hypotheses

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Exploratory Research: Methods

• Secondary data analyzed in a qualitative way
• Survey of experts or surveys with open-ended question
• Case Study
• Qualitative research (Interview, Focused Group Discussion, …)

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Descriptive Research: Use

• To describe characteristics of relevant groups
• To estimate percentage of units in a specified population
exhibiting a certain behavior
• To determine the perceptions about something
• To determine degree to which variables are associated
• To make specific predictions

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Descriptive Research: Methods

• Secondary data analysed in a quantitative
• Surveys
• Observational data (from physical context or virtual context)
• Panels
– A sample of respondents who have agreed to provide information at
specified intervals over an extended period.

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Longitudinal vs Cross-Sectional Design

Cross- Sample
Sectional Surveyed
Design at T1

Same
Sample Sample
Longitudinal also
Surveyed
Design Surveyed
at T1
at T2

Time T1 T2

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Longitudinal vs Cross-Sectional Design

Evaluation Cross-Sectional Longitudinal

Criteria Design Design

Detecting Change - +
Large amount of data collection - +
Accuracy - +
Representative Sampling + -
Response bias + -

Note: + indicates a relative advantage over the other procedure,

- indicates a relative disadvantage.

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Causal Research: Uses

• To understand which variables are the cause (independent
variables) & which variables are the effect (dependent
variables) of a phenomenon

• To determine the nature of the relationship between the

causal variables and the effect to be predicted

• METHOD: Experiments

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Alternative Research Designs

Exploratory Research
(a) •Secondary Data Conclusive Research
Analysis •Descriptive/Causal
•Focus Groups

Conclusive Research
(b) •Descriptive/Causal

Exploratory Research
Conclusive Research •Secondary Data
(c) •Descriptive/Causal Analysis
•Focus Groups

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Term Project Guideline

Background of Study
Definition of MDP & RP
Developing RQ
Conducting Qualitative Research & Literature Review
Developing Hypothesis
Developing /Adopting Questionnaire
Data Collection
Testing Hypothesis
Drawing Managerial Implication & Conclusion
Limitation of Study

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