Research Design part 2

Prakash Sharma
Asst. Business Development Officer
IndiaReport
Metrix Web Services (P) Ltd
Begin with EXPLORATORY when little is
known about the problem
Followed by descriptive or causal if need
be e.g. testing hypotheses statistically
Begin with DESCRIPTIVE or CAUSAL e.g.
consumer satisfaction survey
Followed by exploratory if need be

Relationships among Research

designs
Potential sources of error
 Total Error

Random sampling Non sampling

Response error Non response

error
Researcher Interviewer Respondent
errors errors errors
Sampling frame error e.g. telephone
directory not updated
Data analysis error
Respondent selection error
Questioning error
Recording error
Cheating error
Inability error
Unwillingness error

Some examples of errors

Ensurescompletion within cost and time
CPM & PERT

Budgeting & scheduling

 Executive summary – major points from each section
 Background
 Problem definition/Opportunity
 Approach to the problem
 Research design
 Fieldwork/Data collection (Including markets)
 Data analysis
 Reporting (Presentations; Reports – hard/soft copies)
 Cost and time (Including payment schedule from
client)
 Appendices

MR proposal
 Exploratory research
design: Secondary data
Data is the quantification of tangible and
intangible facts
Classification: Primary and Secondary

Data
PRIMARY DATA SECONDARY DATA
Purpose: For the For other problems
problem at hand
Process: Very Rapid and easy
involved
Cost: High Relatively low
Time: Long Short

Comparison of Primary &

Secondary data
Identifying the problem
Better defining the problem
Developing an approach to the problem
Formulating research design
Answering research questions and test
hypotheses – some of them of course
Interpreting primary data better

Secondary data helps in…

Secondary data examination is a
prerequisite to the collection of primary
data

General rule
Outdated or irrelevant data e.g. Indian
telecom industry in the 1990s
Inappropriate sample e.g. Indian Census
1991 and 2001

Disadvantages of Secondary
data
Specifications: Methodology used
Error: Accuracy of the data. Solution:
Multiple sources and comparison
Currency e.g. SEC
Objective: purpose for which data was
collected e.g. volume tracking data
Dependability: Source credibility

Criteria for evaluating

secondary data
 Secondary
Data

Internal External

Ready to use Requires Published Computer- Syndicated

further materials ized databases services
processing
Government sources: e.g. Census; Annual
Economic Survey; Reports on
Demographic and Socio-Economic Trends
(NCAER)
Non-governmental: Industry/Trade
Reports (Chambers of Commerce); NRS;
IRS; ET; FT; BS; Retail Audits (AC
Nielsen-ORG-MARG); TAM Peoplemeter;
Human Development Report (UNDP); RK
Swamy/BBDO Guide to Market Planning

Published Secondary data

Online – central data bank accessible
through a telecommunications network
Internet
Offline e.g. CD-ROM disks

Computerized Databases
Thanx