RESEARCH DESIGN

What is Research Design?

A research design is the strategy for a study and the plan by which the strategy is to be carried out. It specifies the methods and procedures for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data. It is a plan for selecting the sources and types of information used to answer research questions It is a framework for specifying the relationships among the study variables It is a blueprint that outlines each procedure from the hypothesis to the analysis

Components of Research Design The Basic Steps

A) The Research Question B) The Model C) The Data D) The Use of the Data

Purpose of The Study

The Nature of Studies: Exploratory Study Descriptive Study Hypothesis Testing (Analytical and Predictive) Case Study Analysis

Exploratory Study
Exploratory Study is undertaken when not much is known about the situation at hand, or no information is available on how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past.

Example 6.1
The manager of a multinational corporation is curious to know if the work ethic values of employees working in Pakistan would be different from those of Americans. That city is a small city, and no information about the ethic values of its workers. Also, the work ethic values mean be different to people in different cultures.

Why do Exploratory Studies?

Exploration is particularly useful when researchers lack a clear idea of the problems they will face during the study. Through exploration, researchers develop concepts more clearly, develop operational definitions, and improve the final research design.

Descriptive Study
Is undertaken in order to ascertain and be able to describe the characteristics of the variables of interest in a situation. In addition, descriptive studies are undertaken in organizations to learn about and describe the characteristics of a group of employees, as for example, the age, education level, job status, and length of service.

Example 6.2
A bank manager wants to have a profile of the individuals who have loan payments outstanding for 6 months and more. This profile would include details of their average age, earnings, nature of occupation, full-time/ part-time employment status, and the like. The above information might help the manager to decide right away on the types of individuals who should be made ineligible for loans in the future.

Hypotheses Testing
Hypotheses testing usually explain the nature of certain relationships, or establish the differences among groups or the independence of two or more factors in a situation. Hypotheses testing is undertaken to explain the variance in the dependent variable.

A theory includes Hypotheses

Hypothesis: A Statement of What we believe to be factual.
Independent Variable (X1)
Dependent Variable (Y)

Independent Variable (X2)

Y=f(X1,X2)

Example
A marketing manager wants to know if the sales of the company will increase if he doubles the advertising dollars. Here, the manager would like to know the nature of the relationship between advertising and sales by testing the hypothesis: If advertising is increased, then sales will also go up.

Good Hypothesis should:

Have explanatory power State Expected Relationship & Direction if Possible Be Testable Written as simply as possible Relate to general, not specific phenomenon Be plausible

Case Study Analysis

Case studies involve in-depth, contextual analyses of matters relating to similar situations in other organizations. Case studies, as a problem solving technique, are not frequently resorted to in organizations because findings the same type of problem in another comparable setting is difficult due to the reluctance of the companies to reveal their problems.

Case Study Analysis

Case studies that are qualitative in nature are, however, useful in applying solutions to current problems based on past problemsolving experiences. Also, case studies are useful in understanding certain phenomena, and generating further theories for empirical testing.

Type of Investigation: Causal versus Correlational

A causal study: Is an inquiry to know the cause of one or more problems. A correlational study: Is an inquiry to know the important variables associated with the problem.

Example
A causal study question: Does smoking cause cancer? A correlational study question: Are smoking and cancer related? Or Are smoking, drinking, and chewing tobacco associated with cancer?

Time in Research
Time is an important element of any research design:
Cross-sectional studies Longitudinal studies.

Longitudinal Study
One that takes place over time - we have at least two (and often more) waves of measurement in a longitudinal design. e.g. Before & After study

Cross-Sectional Study
One that takes place at a single point in time. In effect, we are taking a 'slice' or cross-section of whatever it is we're observing or measuring. e.g Incidences at that time

Data Collection Techniques

Qualitative techniques Secondary data Focus groups Two-stage design

Two-stage design
A useful way to design a research study is two-stage design. With this approach, exploration becomes a separate first stage with limited objectives:
Clearly defining the research question and Developing the research design