Marketing Research: An Applied

Orientation
Seventh Edition

Chapter 3
Research Design

Copyright © 2019, 2010, 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 3-2

Chapter Outline (1 of 3)

1) Overview
2) Research Design: Definition
3) Research Design: Classification
4) Exploratory Research
5) Descriptive Research
I. Cross-Sectional Design
II. Longitudinal Design
III. Advantages and Disadvantages of
Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Designs
 3-3

Chapter Outline (2 of 3)

6) Causal Research
7) Relationships Among Exploratory, Descriptive,
and Causal Research
8) Potential Sources of Error
I. Random Sampling Error
II. Non-sampling Error
a. Non-response Error
b. Response Error
9) Budgeting and Scheduling
 3-4

Chapter Outline (3 of 3)

10) Marketing Research Proposal

11) International Marketing Research
12) Marketing Research & Social Media
13) Mobile Marketing Research
14) Ethics in Marketing Research
15) Summary
 3-5

Research Design: Definition

 A research design is a framework
or blueprint for conducting the
marketing research project. It
details the procedures necessary
for obtaining the information
needed to structure or solve
marketing research problems.
Components of a Research 3-6

Design
 Define the information needed (Chapter 2)
 Design the exploratory, descriptive, and/or
causal phases of the research (Chapters 3 – 7)
 Specify the measurement and scaling
procedures (Chapters 8 and 9)
 Construct and pretest a questionnaire
(interviewing form) or an appropriate form for
data collection (Chapter 10)
 Specify the sampling process and sample size
(Chapters 11 and 12)
 Develop a plan of data analysis (Chapter 14)
A Classification of Marketing Research
3-7

Designs
Fig. 3.1

Research Design

Exploratory Conclusive
Research Design Research Design

Descriptive Causal
Research Research

Cross-Sectional Longitudinal
Design Design

Single Cross- Multiple Cross-

Sectional Design Sectional Design
 Exploratory & Conclusive Research
3-8

Differences
Table 3.1

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

Character- Information needed is defined Information needed is clearly

istics: only loosely. Research process defined. Research process is
is flexible and unstructured. formal and structured. Sample is
Sample is small and not large and representative. Data
necessarily representative. analysis is quantitative.
Analysis of primary data is
qualitative.

Findings Conclusive.
/Results: Tentative.

Outcome: Generally followed by further Findings used as input into

exploratory or conclusive decision making.
research.
 A Comparison of Basic Research 3-9

Designs
Table 3.2

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Objective: Discovery of ideas Describe market Determine cause
and insights characteristics or and effect
functions relationships

Characteristics: Flexible, versatile Marked by the prior Manipulation of

formulation of one or more
specific hypotheses independent
variables
Often the front Preplanned and
end of total structured design Control of other
research design mediating
variables
• Expert surveys • Secondary data

Methods: • Pilot surveys • Surveys Experiments

• Secondary data • Panels
• Qualitative research • Observation and

other data
 3-10

Uses of Exploratory Research

 Formulate a problem or define a
problem more precisely
 Identify alternative courses of action
 Develop hypotheses
 Isolate key variables and
relationships for further examination
 Gain insights for developing an
approach to the problem
 Establish priorities for further
research
 3-11

Methods of Exploratory Research

 Survey of experts, such as industry
experts (discussed in Chapter 2).
 Pilot surveys (discussed in Chapter
2).
 Secondary data analyzed in a
qualitative way (will be discussed
in Chapter 4).
 Qualitative research (will be
discussed in Chapter 5).
 3-12

Uses of Descriptive Research

 To describe the characteristics of
relevant groups, such as consumers,
salespeople, organizations, or market
areas.
 To estimate the percentage of
consumers in a specified population who
exhibit a certain behavior.
 To determine consumer perceptions of
product characteristics.
 To determine the degree to which
marketing variables are associated.
 To make specific predictions (i.e. what
will be the sales volume of a certain
product in a specific market area).
 Descriptive Research should clearly answer the 3-13

following six questions of research (specify the

six Ws):
 Who: who should be considered loyal for an
organization or its products? (determine loyalty)
 What: what information should be obtained from
respondents?
 When: when should the information be obtained?
 Where: where the respondents should be
contacted?
 Why: why are we obtaining information from
respondents?
 Way: In what way we are going to obtain data?
 3-14

Methods of Descriptive Research

 Secondary data analyzed in a
quantitative as opposed to a qualitative
manner (Chapter 4)
 Surveys (Chapter 6)
 Panels (Chapters 4 and 6)
 Observational and other data (Chapter
6)
 3-15

Cross-sectional Designs
 Involve the collection of information from any given sample
of population elements only once.
 In single cross-sectional designs, there is only one
sample of respondents and information is obtained from
this sample only once.
 In multiple cross-sectional designs, there are two or
more samples of respondents, and information from each
sample is obtained only once. Often, information from
different samples is obtained at different times. One type of
multiple cross-sectional design is called Cohort analysis
 Cohort analysis is a type of multiple cross-sectional
design, which is a study that involves a series of surveys,
conducted at appropriate time intervals, where the cohort
serves as the basic unit of analysis.
 In a Cohort analysis study, measures of variables are
taken at two or more points in time to examine changes
during a specific time period (exact sample is not the same
each time).
 A cohort is a group of respondents who experience the
same events within the same time interval.

Example: people who lived in Greater Amman from 2000
to 2010, or People who graduated from YU in 2022, … etc.
 3-16

Longitudinal Designs
 Longitudinal design: involves a fixed
sample (or samples) of population elements
that is measured repeatedly on the same
variables. This sample is referred to as a
Panel.
 Panel: a sample of respondents who agree to
participate in a survey at specified intervals
over an extended period of time.
 Sometimes, the terms Panel and
Longitudinal design are used
interchangeably.
 A longitudinal design differs from a cohort
analysis (one type of cross-sectional design)
in that the sample in a longitudinal design
(called panel), remains the same over time.
 of
3-17

Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Designs

Table
3.3
Evaluatio Cross-Sectional Longitudinal
n Criteria Design Design

Detecting Change - +
Large amount of data - +
collection - +
Accuracy + -
Representative Sampling + -
Response bias
Note: A “+” indicates a relative advantage over the
other design, whereas a “-” indicates a relative
disadvantage.
 3-18

Main disadvantages of panels

The main problems of panels, in Longitudinal
studies, include weak representation
because:
1. Refusal to cooperate: they loose interest
because of pressures and demands required
by the long time commitment in the survey
2. Mortality: dropping out of the survey
because they move away or loose interest
3. Payment: money may attract all types of
people, including non-representative ones
 3-19

Uses of Casual Research

 To understand which variables are the cause
(independent variables) and 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
 Causal research uses Experiments, in which
causal or independent variables are manipulated in
a relatively controlled environment.
 That is, to control other variables, that could
potentially affect or intervene in the relationship
between the independent and dependent variables.
 Experimentation is the main method of
measuring causality
 3-20
Relationships among Exploratory, Descriptive,
and Causal Research: Guidelines
 A given marketing research could include more than one type of
research, depending on the purpose of research and clarity of the
problem.

 When the research problem is not clearly defined, exploratory

research is necessary.

 In many cases, exploratory research is the initial step, followed by

a descriptive and/or causal research.

 It is not necessary to begin each research with an exploratory

research. For example, a clearly defined problem, with a high
degree of certainty about the approach to the problem, may
require a descriptive research or a causal research (without the
need for exploratory research).

 Exploratory research is often the initial step, followed by

descriptive or causal research. In some cases, however, a
descriptive or causal research findings are hard to understand or
interpret, thus require a follow up with an exploratory research to
better understand these findings.
 Potential Sources of Error in
3-21

Research Designs
Fig. 3.2
Total Error

Random Non-sampling
Sampling Error Error

Response Non-response
Error Error

Researcher Interviewer Respondent

Error Error Error

Surrogate Information Error Respondent Selection Error Inability Error

Measurement Error Questioning Error Unwillingness Error
Population Definition Error Recording Error (i.e. errors in
hearing, interpreting, … etc.)
Sampling Frame Error
Cheating Error (i.e. recording
Data Analysis Error desired answers)
 3-22

Errors in Marketing Research

 The total error is the variation between the true
mean value in the population of the variable of
interest and the observed mean value obtained in the
marketing research project. For example, when the
average annual income of the target population is
JD
10000, while research findings show JD7000.
 Total error comes from:

the sample itself, such as choosing the wrong sample (Random
sampling error), and/or

Non-sampling error (either response or non-response
error).

 Random sampling error is the variation between

the true mean value for the population and the true
mean value for the original sample (i.e. lack of
representation error due to choosing a wrong sample).
Errors in Marketing Research 3-23

(cont’d)
 Non-sampling errors can be attributed
to sources other than sampling (and they
may be random or nonrandom). They
include response and non-response
errors:
1. Response error arises when respondents give
inaccurate answers or their answers are misrecorded
or misanalyzed. For example, they include variety of
response errors in problem definition, approach,
scales, questionnaire design, interviewing
methods, data preparation and analysis, … etc.

2. Non-response error arises when some of the

respondents, included in the sample, do not respond.
 3-24

Research Proposal
 The research proposal (research
plan) is a written statement of the
research design. It should:
 explain the purpose of the study
 define the problem
 outline the research methodology
 detail the procedures to be followed
 and state all costs and deadlines.

24
 3-25

Steps of Research proposal

• Introduction
• Statement of the Problem
• Research Objectives
• Research Questions
• Importance of the Study
• Literature Review (At the end of this intensive review, you should evaluate the
literature “Critical analysis of the literature” showing the contribution of your
study into this vast body of research).
• Research Hypothesis
• Research Design:
– Study Population, highlighting research boundaries
– Kind of information to be obtained
– Sampling procedures
– Description of Research tool

methods of administering the questionnaire (mail, telephone, personal
interview, electronic interviews, …etc)

description of questionnaire (dimensions, length, measurement, etc)
• Measurement of main variables and scaling techniques
• Reliability and Validity of research tool
• Statistical procedures
• Fieldwork/Data Collection (i.e. how data is to be collected, who will be involved,
how, … etc.)
• Data Analysis plan
• Reporting plan (how the report will be written, when, whether results will be
presented formally)
• Cost and Time estimates
• References and Appendices
 3-26

Anticipating Outcomes
 By anticipating the outcomes of a research study,
possibly through the use of a dummy tables (filled
by the researcher with fictitious data), researchers
and managers can gain a better understanding of
what the actual outcomes will be.

 These tables help clarify what the findings of the

research will look like, and if these findings will
meet the needs of the researcher.

 Dummy tables: are representations of the

actual tables that will be in the findings section of
the final report. They are used to gain a better
understanding of what the actual outcomes of the
research will look like.

26
 3-27
A Proposed layout of a research report (also indicated
in ch.23)
ch.23

 Title page
 Table of contents (including tables, figures and graphs)
 Acknowledgement
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Statement of the Problem
 Research Objectives
 Research Questions
 Importance of the Study
 Literature Review (At the end of this intensive review, you should conclude by a
“Critical analysis of the literature”, showing the contribution of your study to
this vast body of research).
 Research Hypothesis
 Research Design (Study Population, Sampling design and procedures,
Description of Research tool, Measurement of main variables, Reliability and
Validity of research tool, Statistical procedures, Research boundaries [scope of
the study])
 Data analysis and discussion of results
 Conclusions and implications
 Recommendations
 References
 Appendices (if any)
 3-28

International Marketing Research (1 of

2)

 Given environmental
and cultural
differences, a research
design appropriate for
one country might not
be suitable for another.
 In developing
countries, consumer
panels often are not
available, which makes
it difficult to conduct
descriptive longitudinal
research.
 3-29

International Marketing Research (2 of

2)

 In many countries, the marketing

support infrastructure – retailing,
wholesaling, advertising, and promotion
development – is often lacking, which
makes it difficult to implement a causal
design involving a field experiment.
 In formulating a research design,
considerable effort is required to ensure
the equivalence and comparability of
secondary and primary data obtained
from different countries.
 3-30

Marketing Research & Social Media (1

of 3)

 One reason why social networks can be

suitable for conducting marketing
research is that they eliminate the
onerous cost of building and
maintaining traditional panels.
 The key is to analyze the characteristics
of each social network and choose the
network that most closely matches your
research objectives.
 3-31

Marketing Research & Social Media (2

of 3)

 These network communities can be used to

recruit marketing research panels and are
distinguished by some key characteristics.
Membership is voluntary and reputations are
earned by winning the trust of other members.
The community’s mission and governance is
defined by the community’s members
themselves.
 These communities are in contrast to
traditional marketing research panels in which
users’ roles are determined by the researcher
and governed by well-defined regulations.
 3-32

Marketing Research & Social Media (3

of 3)

 Online communities range from being open to the public

- Facebook, MySpace - to completely private, closed, by
invitation-only.
 Private communities are primarily built for discovery and
insight purposes and are called MROCs (Marketing
Research Online Communities).
 Unlike public communities with no limit on the number of
members, MROCs generally restrict membership.
 Disney set up the Walt Disney Moms Panel featuring
moms who answer questions about the company’s
theme parks and vacation resorts from prospective
visitors.
 3-33

Mobile Marketing Research

 Mobile marketing research (MMR) can be
conducted to implement any of the basic
research designs.
 The use of MMR to implement exploratory
research is discussed in Chapters 4 and 5.
 The use of MMR to implement surveys
and observation research, the major
methodologies of descriptive research, is
covered in Chapter 6.
 Finally, the use of MMR for conducting
causal research, is presented in Chapter
7.
Ethics in Marketing Research
3-34
(1 of
2)

 The choice of a research design has ethical

overtones for both the client and the research
firm.
 Researchers must ensure that the research
design will provide the information needed to
address the marketing research problem.
 The client should have the integrity not to
misrepresent the project, should describe the
constraints under which the researcher must
operate, and should not make unreasonable
demands.
Ethics in Marketing Research
3-35
(2 of
2)

 It would be unethical for a client to

extract details from a proposal
submitted by one research firm and
pass them to another who actually
would do the project for the client.
 The client should not take advantage of
the research firm by making false
promises of future research contracts in
order to solicit concessions for the
current project.