Research Design

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 right direction. 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

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, making questionnaire, 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.

Research Design components

Planning by Gantt Chart

Types of Research
Exploratory Research: To define a problem more precisely, identify alternative courses of action, develop hypothesis, gain insights for developing an approach to the given problem, establish priorities for further research (e.g. interviews with experts, to
understand the factors that affect store performance, take 5 best and 5 worst outlets and compare)

Descriptive Research: characteristics of customers (profile of loyal customers, customer satisfaction survey), perceptions of product characteristics (how people perceive about the shopping malls) etc. Explanatory Research: find out the nature of relationsship between the dependent and the independent variables (e.g. what
factors determine the decision of a consumer to buy a particular product, what factors affect the performance of the employees in an organisation, which factors affect the credit taking behaviour of credit card users etc.)

Research Design
Exploratory
Secondary Data Pilot Survey Expert Interviews Focus group interview etc.

Conclusive

Surveys Experiments Secondary data analysis Observation

Descriptive

Causal

Cross-Sectional

Longitudinal
Panel

Single

Multiple
Cohort Analysis

Research Design Descriptors

Question Crystallization

Perceptual Awareness

Data Collection Method

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Experimental Effects

Research Environment

Topical Scope

Time Dimension

Descriptors
Category
The degree to which the research question has been crystallized The method of data collection The power of the researcher to produce effects in the variables under study The purpose of the study The time dimension The topical scopebreadth and depthof the study

Options
Exploratory study Formal study Monitoring Communication Study Experimental Ex post facto Descriptive Causal Cross-sectional Longitudinal Case Statistical study

The research environment

Field setting Laboratory research Simulation

Actual routine Modified routine

The participants perceptional awareness of the research activity

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

Exploratory Studies
The researcher seeks to gain familiarity and/or achieve new insights into the problem situation. The design is characterised by great flexibility and versatility. Secondary Data Analysis (Qualitative analysis) Experience Surveys (focus groups, depth interview etc.) Pilot Surveys Qualitative research
Participant observation Film, photographs Projective techniques Psychological testing Case studies Expert interviews Document analysis Proxemics and Kinesics

Secondary Data
In the Bank research, company reports, trade association reports were 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, Govt and Non-govt data, Policy Documents etc., Computerised Databases (online and offline) Syndicated sources household panels and institutional audits, industry surveys Household surveys aim at psychographic and lifestyle studies, general studies (purchase/consumption behaviour)

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

Projective Techniques Association Techniques (Word)

Completion Techniques (Sentence, story)

Construction Techniques (picture response, cartoons) Expressive (role play)

Descriptive Research Design

Objective of descriptive research is description of an issue, 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

Design for Causal Studies

Mills Method of Agreement

6-17

Mills Method of Difference

6-18

Causal relations
Symmetrical Reciprocal Asymmetrical

Understanding Casual Relationships

Property

Behavior

Response

Disposition
6-20

Stimulus

Asymmetrical Casual Relationships

Stimulus-Response PropertyBehavior

PropertyDisposition

Disposition-Behavior
6-21

Types of Asymmetrical Causal Relationships

Relationship Type
Stimulus-response

Nature of Relationship
An event or change results in a response from some object.

Examples
A change in work rules leads to a higher level of worker output. A change in government economic policy restricts corporate financial decisions. A price increase results in fewer unit sales.
Age and attitudes about saving. Gender attitudes toward social issues. Social class and opinions about taxation. Opinions about a brand and its purchase. Job satisfaction and work output. Moral values and tax cheating. Stage of the family life cycle and purchases of furniture. Social class and family savings patterns. 6-22 Age and sports participation.

Propertydisposition Dispositionbehavior Property-behavior

An existing property causes a disposition. A disposition causes a specific behavior. An existing property causes a specific behavior.

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

Ex Post Facto Design

Fishing Club Member Age

Under 30 years 30 to 45 45 and over

Non-Fishing-Club Member High Absentee

30 35 5

High Absentee
36 4 0

Low Absentee
6 4 0

Low Absentee
48 117 115

6-24

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