Unit 5-The Research Design

UNIT-5
THE RESEARCH DESIGN
COURSE TITLE:
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS (MBA 541)
Ephrem Assefa (Ph.D)

School of Graduate Studies
St. Mary’s University
1
UNIT 5 THE RESEARCH DESIGN
Learning Objective
Content
1) Research design defined
2) The need for research design
3) Factors determining the choice of research design
4) Characteristics of a good research design
5) Types of research design
6) Research strategies
Business Research Methods

2
Learning Objective
Chapter objectives
After completing this chapter, students will be able to:
 Define a research design
 Discuss the factors to be considered while choosing a research
design
 Discuss they types of research designs
 Describe the characteristics of a good research design

3
Learning Objective
5.1. Research Design Defined

 A research design is a master plan that specifies the methods and
procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information
(Zikmund, etal, 2009)
 Are plans and procedures for research that span the decisions from
broad assumptions to detailed methods of data collection and
analysis (Creswell, 2009)
 It is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for

collecting and analyzing the needed information (Adams, etal, 2007).

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Learning Objective
… Research Design Defined
 It articulates what data is required, what methods are going to be

used to collect and analyse this data, and how all of this is going to
answer your research question.
 It provides a framework or plan of action for the research.
 Hence, the researcher must have a clear knowledge about the
sources of information, the design technique such as survey or
experiment, the sampling methodology and the schedule, as well as
the cost involved.
 It is HOW a piece of research will be carried out in practice which is
fundamentally associated with the nature of the research question(s)
asked.
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Learning Objective
 The nature of the research question (i.e., to describe, explain)

determines the type of research design.
 Research design is a model or an action plan upon which the entire

study is built; dictates the manner in which a study is conducted and
provides the road map of a study in terms of the sample, data
collection instruments and analysis procedure. Research approaches
on the other hand, are paradigms, research frameworks, which may
be either quantitative or qualitative or both (mixed approach)
(Creswell, 2003).

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Learning Objective
 A particular research design may adopt one approach or both. For

instance, in a cross-sectional survey design, one may decide to use
quantitative approach or both (mixed approaches)
 It contains clear objectives derived from your research
question(s), specify the sources of data collection, how you propose
to collect and analyse these, discuss ethical issues and the
constraints you will inevitably encounter (e.g., access to data, time,
location, money, etc)
 The type of research you undertake will have important implications
for how you gather and analyse information.

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Learning Objective
The
research
onion
(Sanders,
etal, 2011)

8
Learning Objective
5.2. The Need for Research Design

 It serves as a guide for data collection and analysis, i.e., the methods
to be used to collect and analyze data in a way to meet the research
objectives
 It helps the researcher to collect relevant data with minimum cost,
effort and time.
 It enables the researcher to better organize his/her ideas

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Learning Objective
5.3. Factors determining the choice of research design
 Objectives of the study

 The available data sources
 The urgency of the decision (time)
 The cost of obtaining the data

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Learning Objective
5.4. Characteristics of a good research design

 It should eliminate that bias the results, i.e., it should be free from bias
 It should eliminate or reduce the confounding effects of variables or kept
it to a minimum so the results can be interpreted separately.
(Confounding effect is an alternative causal explanation, beyond the
intended experimental variable, for any observed differences in the
dependent variable)
 It should be efficient, i.e., produce the best quality data by using the least
amount of time, effort and money.
 It should produce useful data that clearly address the research question
and account for alternative explanations

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Learning Objective
5.5. Classification of Research Designs

A) Research design based on purpose of research
1. Exploratory design
 Exploratory research is also called formulative research since it is
aimed to formulate a problem for more precise investigation or of
developing the working hypotheses from an operational point of view
 Exploratory study is a valuable means of finding out „what is happening;
to seek new insights; to ask questions and to assess phenomena in a
new light‟ (Robson, 2002:59).
 Its great advantage is that it is flexible and adaptable to change.

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Learning Objective
… Classification of Research Designs

… Exploratory design
 The focus of enquiry is initially broad and becomes progressively
narrower as the research progresses.
 Is appropriate where there is little or no prior knowledge about the issue
under investigation or when the problem is not well understood.
 The major emphasis is on the discovery of ideas and insights.
 E.g., What are the distinguishing features of a good leader?

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Learning Objective

… Exploratory design
 Exploratory study can be conducted via:
 A search of the literature
 Interviewing experts in the subject
 Conducting focus group interviews

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Learning Objective

… based on purpose of research
2) Descriptive design:
 Descriptive research is aimed to portray an accurate profile of persons,
events or situations (Robson, 2002).
 It is aimed to provide an accurate and valid representation of the factors
or variables that pertain / are relevant to the research question.
 Descriptive research is concerned with describing the characteristics of
a particular individual, or of a group
 E.g., To describe the status of employee motivation in XYZ company

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Learning Objective
… Classification of research designs

… based on purpose of research
3) Explanatory design
 It is also called analytical study.
 It is aimed to identify any causal links between the factors or variables
that pertain to the research problem.
 Studying a situation or a problem in order to explain the relationships
between variables
 Explanatory research focuses on why questions.
 E.g., To explain the cause and effect relationship between employee
motivation and job performance

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Learning Objective

B) Based on controlling method (Experimental vs. Quasi-experimental)
1) Experimental Design
 A researcher plans to measure the response (dependent/ outcome/
predicted) variable depending on the explanatory (independent)
variable. It is aimed to know the effect of intervention
 There is randomization in this design: random assignment of individual
units to groups (E.g., clinical research)
 Use random numbers table to assign individuals into experimental and
control groups

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Learning Objective

… Experimental Design
 Divide groups into: control and experimental
a) Experimental group: A group of subjects to whom an experimental
treatment is administered.
b) Control group: A group of subjects to whom no experimental
treatment is administered.

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Learning Objective

 A true experimental design is characterized by manipulation, control and

randomization
a) Manipulation: It is the process by which the researcher manages the
independent variable in order to study the effect on the dependent
variable.
b) Control: with the help of the experiment, the extraneous factors are
prevented from affecting/confusing the outcome which is to be
appraised.

19
Learning Objective

c) Randomization: It is a control method that helps to eliminate alternative

rival hypothesis that might otherwise explain the results of the study. It
attempts to control for the effects of extraneous variables by ensuring
that they are equivalent across all of the experimental and control
groups in the study.

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Learning Objective

Random Assignment:
Is a control technique in which all participants have an equal likelihood
of being assigned to any of the experimental or control groups. Studies
that use random assignment are called experiments, while studies that
do not use random assignment are referred to as quasi experiments.

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Learning Objective

Types of Experiments
1) True experiments
 Control of treatment (randomization and control of groups)
 Are done in the lab, others are done in the field.

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Learning Objective

… Types of Experiments
Basic steps in true experiments:

1) Need at least two groups: an experimental group and a control
group. One groups gets the intervention, the other group does not.
2) Random assignment of individuals to the groups.
3) The groups are measured on one or more dependent variables.
This is called the pretest.
4) The intervention (independent variable) is introduced.
5) The dependent variables are measured again. This is the post-test.

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Learning Objective


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Learning Objective

2) Quasi-Experiments
 Are experiments where the ability to randomly assign individuals to the
experimental and control groups is limited or non existent.
 Partial control of treatment (no randomization but control of groups)
 Two types of quasi-experimental designs: nonequivalent comparison
group designs and interrupted time series designs (Cook and Campbell,
1979)
 Disadvantage: due to lack of randomization, statistical analysis may not
be meaningful

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Learning Objective

3) Natural experiments
 Natural experiments are happening around us all the time. They are not
conducted by researchers, but simply evaluated by researchers.
 Evaluated but not conducted by researchers (No control of group and
randomization); just happens.
 In other words, the researcher does not have control over the
application of the treatment.
 This also means that there is no control over what groups receive the
treatment and the composition of those groups.
 Ex post facto research
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Learning Objective

4) Naturalistic experiments
 A researcher make conditions but doesn‟t have direct control of the

treatment; Contrives to happen.
 In naturalistic experiments, one contrives or plans to collect
experimental data under natural conditions.
 You make the data happen out in the natural world (not in the lab), and
you evaluate the results.

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Learning Objective

 The difference between a natural experiment and a naturalistic
experiment is that the first just happens, the second must be
contrived to happen.
 Naturalistic experiments deviate from true experiments because

group membership is not randomly assigned, and exogenous factors
(confounding variables) are not controlled.

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Learning Objective

C) Research design based on time horizon
1) Cross-sectional: data are 2) Longitudinal: study people or

gathered just once, perhaps phenomena at more than one point in
over a period of days or weeks time in order to answer the research
or months, in order to answer question. It allows to study change.
a research question (one-  It involves repeated observations
shot). Cross-sectional studies (measurements) of the same
often employ the survey variable(s) over long periods of time
strategy. E.g., research (sometimes years or even decades).
projects for academic courses  3 types: time series, panel study &
(time constraint) cohort study

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Learning Objective

… Research design based on time horizon
 Time horizons to research design are independent of which

research strategy you are pursuing or your choice of method
 Example: studying the change in manufacturing processes in one
company over a period of a year (i.e., a longitudinal case study)

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Learning Objective

d) Research design based on research environment
1) Field Research
• Study in natural setting
2) Simulation
• Study in artificial (seemingly natural) setting.

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Learning Objective
Discussion Question:
Why is research design based on purpose is most widely used?
 Answer: It is because it is very comprehensive and helps to

explain the research plan more clearly.

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Learning Objective
5.6. Research Strategies

1) Experiment:
 An experiment is a scientific investigation in which observations are
made and data are collected according to a set of well defined criteria.
 It is an empirical research method which is aimed to examine whether
there is a link between variables (dependent and independent).
 Assign individuals into experimental and control groups.
 Mostly answer how and why questions. Suitable for explanatory type of
research

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Learning Objective
… Research Strategies
2) Survey:
 Commonly used in business research and is most frequently used to
answer who, what, where, how much and how many questions.
 It uses questionnaire.
 Allows you to collect quantitative data which you can analyse
quantitatively using descriptive and inferential statistics.
 It also explains the relationship between variables.
 Used in exploratory and descriptive research.
 Allows to collect more data and economical.
 A dominant strategy in business research

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Learning Objective
3) Archival research:
 Use of administrative records and documents as the principal source of
data.
 Allows to answer research questions which focus upon the past and
changes over time, be they exploratory, descriptive or explanatory.
 However, documents may not contain precise information to answer
your research question and may also contain missing information

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Learning Objective
4) Case study:
 It involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary
phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of
evidence (Robson, 2002).
 Unlike experimental strategy, the researcher does not have control over
the context.
 Answers generate to „why?‟ „what?‟ and „how?‟ questions. Is most often
used in explanatory and exploratory research.
 It uses different data collection instrument: interviews, observation,
documentary analysis and questionnaire. I.e., triangulation (use
multiple data sources within one study)

36
Learning Objective
5) Grounded theory:
 It refers to „theory building‟ through a combination of induction and
deduction.
 It is helpful for research to predict and explain behaviour.
 Theory is grounded or developed from data generated by a series of
observations.
 The approach is iterative or recursive: data collection and analysis
repeatedly refer back to each other

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Learning Objective
6) Action research:
 It is a process of diagnosing, planning, taking action and evaluating a
given issue under investigation.
 It answers the question “how?”
 It involves different researchers, both academicians, practitioners and
consultants.
 It differs from other research strategies because of its explicit focus on
action (E.g., initiation and implementation or facilitation of organizational
change)

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Learning Objective
7) Ethnographic
 Ethnography is a field of study in anthropology
 Inductive approach
 Aimed to describe and explain the social world the research subjects
inhabit in the way they would describe and explain it
 Researching the phenomenon within the context in which it occurs
 The researcher needs to immerse herself or himself in the social world
being studied
 The researcher needs to build a high degree of trust with his/her research
participants
 Time consuming and conducted for an extended period of time
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Learning Objective
8) Mixed methods
 Both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques and analysis
procedures are used in a research design in a single research
 Quantitative data are analyzed quantitatively and qualitative data are
analyzed qualitatively.
 It offers the following advantages:
a) Benefit from different qualitative and quantitative data collection
methods (interview, questionnaire, observation, document review,
etc)
b) Enables triangulation- to validate the data gathered from different
sources and hence greater confidence on conclusion

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Learning Objective
End

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UNIT-5

THE RESEARCH DESIGN

Ephrem Assefa (Ph.D)

Business Research Methods

Business Research Methods

5.1. Research Design Defined

 It is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for

Business Research Methods

… Research Design Defined

 It articulates what data is required, what methods are going to be

… Research Design Defined

 The nature of the research question (i.e., to describe, explain)

 Research design is a model or an action plan upon which the entire

Business Research Methods

… Research Design Defined

 A particular research design may adopt one approach or both. For

Business Research Methods

Business Research Methods

5.2. The Need for Research Design

Business Research Methods

5.3. Factors determining the choice of research design

 Objectives of the study

Business Research Methods

5.4. Characteristics of a good research design

Business Research Methods

5.5. Classification of Research Designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of Research Designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of Research Designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of Research Designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

 A true experimental design is characterized by manipulation, control and

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

c) Randomization: It is a control method that helps to eliminate alternative

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Basic steps in true experiments:

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

… Classification of research designs

 A researcher make conditions but doesn‟t have direct control of the

Business Research Methods

… Classification of research designs

 Naturalistic experiments deviate from true experiments because

Business Research Methods