R.design Chap 5
Transcript of R.design Chap 5
Research Design
Research Design: Definition
A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the research project. It details the procedures necessary for obtaining the information needed to structure or solve a research problems.
Components of a Research Design
Purpose of the study Type of investigation Extent of researchers interference Study setting Unit of analysis Time horizon
Sampling design Data collection methods Measurements & data analysis
Purpose of the study:A Classification of Research Designs
Single Cross-Sectional Design
Multiple Cross-Sectional Design
Research Design
Conclusive Research Design
Exploratory Research Design
Descriptive Research
Causal Research
Cross-Sectional Design
Longitudinal Design
Exploratory & Conclusive Research Differences
Objective:
Character-istics:
Findings /Results:
Outcome:
To provide insights and understanding.
Information needed is defined only loosely. Research process is flexible and unstructured. Sample is small and non-representative. Analysis of primary data is qualitative.
Tentative.
Generally followed by further exploratory or conclusive research.
To test specific hypotheses and examine relationships.
Information needed is clearly defined. Research process is formal and structured. Sample is large and representative. Data analysis is quantitative.
Conclusive.
Findings used as input into decision making.
Exploratory Conclusive
Objective:
Characteristics:
Methods:
A Comparison of Basic Research Designs
Discovery of ideas and insights
Flexible, versatile
Often the front end of total research design
Expert surveysPilot surveysSecondary dataQualitative research
Describe general characteristics or functions
Marked by the prior formulation of specific hypotheses
Preplanned and structured design
Secondary dataSurveysPanelsObservation and other data
Determine cause and effect relationships
Manipulation of one or more independent variables
Control of other mediating variables
Experiments
Exploratory Descriptive Causal
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
Methods of Exploratory Research
Survey of experts Pilot surveys . Secondary data analyzed in a qualitative way.
Qualitative research .
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 or samples’ characteristics.
To determine the degree to which variables are associated.
To make specific predictions
Methods of Descriptive Research Secondary data analyzed in a
quantitative as opposed to a qualitative manner
Surveys Panels Observational and other data
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
Type of Investigation
Causal The study in which the researcher
wants to delineate the cause of one or more problems is called a causal study.
Correlation The study in which the researcher is
interested in delineating the important variables associated with the problem, the study is called as correlation study.
Extent of researchers interference
Degree of interference by the researcher for manipulating & control of variables either in natural or lab settings Minimal Moderate excessive
Study settings Contrived
Study conducted in artificial settings.
Causal studies are normally in contrived settings
Non contrived Natural environment where work proceeds normally.
Correlation studies are normally conducted in non contrived settings.
Unit of analysis
Individual Dyads Groups
Teams Departments Organizations Cultures countries
Time horizon
Cross sectional Longitudinal
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 Drinksby Various Age Cohorts
8-1920-2930-3940-4950+
Age 1960 1969 19791950
52.945.233.923.218.1
62.660.746.640.828.8C1
73.276.067.758.650.0C2
81.075.871.467.851.9C3
C8C7C6C5C4
C1: cohort born prior to 1900C2: cohort born 1901-10C3: cohort born 1911-20C4: cohort born 1921-30
C5: cohort born 1931-40C6: cohort born 1940-49C7: cohort born 1950-59C8: cohort born 1960-69
Percentage consuming on a typical day
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
Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Designs
Evaluation Criteria
Cross-Sectional Design
Longitudinal Design
Detecting ChangeLarge amount of data collectionAccuracyRepresentative SamplingResponse bias
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Note: A “+” indicates a relative advantage over the other design, whereas a “-” indicates a relative disadvantage.
Exercise-1 Ms.Joyce the owner of a small
business ( a women’s dress boutique) has invited a consultant to tell her how her business is different from similar small business with in a sixty mile radius with respect to use of the most modern computer technology, sales volume, profit margin and staff training.
Develop the research design.
Exercise-2
Mr.Paul the owner of several restaurants in southern Tamilnadu is concerned about the wide difference in their profit margin. He would like to try some incentive plan for increasing the efficiency levels of those restaurants that lag behind. But before he actually does this, he would like to be assured that the idea would work. He asks a researcher to help him on this issue
Exercise-3
A manager is intrigued why some people seem to derive joy form work and get recognized by it while others find it troublesome and frustrating. Develop a research design for the above