3. Research Design

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Chapter Three

Research Design
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Research Design: Definition

 A research design is a framework or


blueprint of research methods and
techniques chosen by a researcher
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 3-3

Design

 Define the information needed


 Design the exploratory, descriptive, and/or causal
phases of the research
 Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
 Construct and pretest a questionnaire (interviewing
form) or an appropriate form for data collection
 Specify the sampling process and sample size
 Develop a plan of data analysis
A Classification of Marketing Research
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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
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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 non- large and representative. Data
representative. Analysis of analysis is quantitative.
primary data is qualitative.

Findings Tentative. Conclusive.


/Results:

Outcome: Generally followed by further Findings used as input into


exploratory or conclusive decision making.
research.
A Comparison of Basic Research 3-6

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 Observation and
research other data
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Uses of Exploratory Research

 Formulate a problem or define a problem


more precisely
 Gain insights for developing an approach
to the problem
 Identify alternative courses of action
 Develop hypotheses
 Isolate key variables and relationships for
further examination
 Establish priorities for further research
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Methods of Exploratory Research

 Survey of experts
 Pilot surveys
 Secondary data analyzed in a
qualitative way
 Qualitative research
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Use of Descriptive Research

 To describe the characteristics of relevant groups,


such as consumers, salespeople, organizations, or
market areas.
 To estimate the percentage of units in a specified
population exhibiting a certain behavior.
 To determine the perceptions of product
characteristics.
 To determine the degree to which marketing
variables are associated.
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The Six W’s

 Who
 What
 When
 Where
 Why
 Way
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Methods of Descriptive Research

 Secondary data analyzed in a quantitative


as opposed to a qualitative manner
 Surveys
 Panels
 Observational and other data
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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.
Cohort analysis consists of a series of surveys
conducted at appropriate time intervals, where the
cohort serves as the basic unit of analysis. A cohort
is a group of respondents who experience the same
event within the same time interval.
Consumption of Various Soft Drinks
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by Various Age Cohorts


Table 3.3
Percentage consuming on a typical
Age day
1950 1960 1969 1979
8-19 52.9 62.6 73.2 81.0
20-29 45.2 60.7 76.0 75.8 C8
30-39 33.9 46.6 67.7 71.4 C7
40-49 23.2 40.8 58.6 67.8 C6
50+ 18.1 28.8 50.0 51.9 C5
C1 C2 C3 C4

C1: cohort born prior to 1900 C5: cohort born 1931-40


C2: cohort born 1901-10 C6: cohort born 1940-49
C3: cohort born 1911-20 C7: cohort born 1950-59
C4: cohort born 1921-30 C8: cohort born 1960-69
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Longitudinal Designs
 A fixed sample (or samples) of
population elements is measured
repeatedly on the same variables
 A longitudinal design differs from a cross-
sectional design in that the sample or
samples remain the same over time, thus
providing a series of pictures, which when
viewed together, portray a vivid illustration
of the situation and the changes that are
taking place over time.
of
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Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Designs


Table
3.4
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.
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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
 METHOD: Experiments
Potential Sources of Error in
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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
Sampling Frame Error Cheating Error
Data Analysis Error
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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.
 Random sampling error is the variation between
the true mean value for the population and the true
mean value for the original sample.
 Non-sampling errors can be attributed to sources
other than sampling, and they may be random or
nonrandom: including errors in problem definition,
approach, scales, questionnaire design,
interviewing methods, and data preparation and
analysis. Non-sampling errors consist of non-
response errors and response errors.
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Errors in Marketing Research


 Non-response error arises when some of the
respondents included in the sample do not respond.

 Response error arises when respondents give


inaccurate answers or their answers are
misrecorded or misanalyzed.
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Marketing Research Proposal


 Executive Summary
 Background
 Problem Definition/Objectives of the
Research
 Approach to the Problem
 Research Design
 Fieldwork/Data Collection
 Data Analysis
 Reporting
 Cost and Time
 Appendices

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