Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Research Methods
William G. Zikmund
Chapter 12:
Experimental Research
Experiment
• Selection
– e.g... sales volume, awareness, recall,
• Measurement
Test Units
• Subjects or
entities whose
response to the
experimental
treatment are
measured or
observed.
Two Types of Experimental
Error
• Constant errors
• Random errors
Field versus
Laboratory Experiments
Controlling Extraneous Variables
• Elimination of extraneous variables
• Constancy of conditions
• Order of presentation
• Blinding
• Random assignment
How May an Experimenter control for
Extraneous Variation?
• Eliminate Extraneous Variables
• Hold Conditions Constant
• Randomization
• Matching Subjects
Establishing Control
Demand Characteristics
• Experimental procedures that intentionally
hint to subjects something about the
experimenter’s hypothesis
Demand Characteristics
• Hawthorne effect
Field Vs. Laboratory Experiment
Laboratory Experiment Field Experiment
• Random assignment
• Posttest only
What are the Different Basic
Experimental Designs?
Quasi-Experimental Designs
• One Shot Design (After Only)
• One Group Pretest-Posttest
• Static Group Design
One Shot Design (After Only)
X O1
One Group Pretest-Posttest
O1 X O2
Static Group Design
Experimental Group X O1
Control Group O2
Three Good Experimental Designs
Experimental Group R O1 X O2
Control Group R O3 X O4
Posttest Only Control Group
Experimental Group R X O1
Control Group R O2
One-Shot Design
Internal Validity Problems
• History • Instrumentation
– weak – not relevant
• Maturation • Selection
– weak – weak
• Testing • Mortality
– not relevant – weak
One-Group Pretest-Posttest
Internal Validity Problems
• History • Instrumentation
– weak – weak
• Maturation • Selection
– weak – controlled
• Testing • Mortality
– weak – controlled
Static-Group Design
Internal Validity Problems
• History • Instrumentation
– controlled – controlled
• Maturation • Selection
– possible source of – weak
concern • Mortality
• Testing – weak
– controlled
Pretest-Posttest Control
Internal Validity Problems
• History • Instrumentation
– controlled – controlled
• Maturation • Selection
– controlled – controlled
• Testing • Mortality
– controlled – controlled
Solomon Four-Group Design
Internal Validity Problems
• History • Instrumentation
– controlled – controlled
• Maturation • Selection
– controlled – controlled
• Testing • Mortality
– controlled – controlled
Posttest-Only Control
Internal Validity Problems
• History • Instrumentation
– controlled – controlled
• Maturation • Selection
– controlled – controlled
• Testing • Mortality
– controlled – controlled
Solomon Four Group Design
Experimental Group 1: R O1 X O2
Control Group 1: R O3 O4
Experimental Group 2: R X O5
Control Group 2: R X O6
Advanced Experimental Designs are
More Complex
• Completely randomized
• Randomized block design
• Latin square
• Factorial
Completely Randomized Design
• An experimental design that uses a random
process to assign subjects (test units) and
treatments to investigate the effects of only
one independent variable.
Completely Randomized Designs
Control: Experimental Experimental
no music treatment: treatment:
slow music fast music
Average minutes 16 18 12
shopper spends
in store
Independent Variable A
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
Group A R O3 X2 O4
Group A R O5 X3 O6
Completely Randomized Design
With a posttest
Group A R X1 O1
Group B R X2 O2
Group C R X3 O3
Randomized Block Design
Mornings and
afternoons
Evening hours
Factorial Design
No Music
cart signs
Grocery
cart signs
Factorial Design -- Roller Skates
Package Design
Price Red Gold
Men 65
Main Effects
> of Gender
Women 65
70 60
>
Main Effects of Ad
100
Interaction Between Gender and
Advertising Copy
90
Wo
80 me
n
70
Believability
60 Men
50
40
30
20
10
Ad A Ad B
Independent Variable 1
Level 1 Level 2
Level 2 Group D
Group C
2 x 2 Factorial with a Pretest
Posttest
Group A R O1 X11 O2
Group B R O3 X21 O4
Group C R O5 X12 O6
Group D R O7 X22 O8
2 x 2 Factorial Design with a
Posttest Measure
Group A R X11 O1
Group B R X21 O2
Group C R X12 O3
Group D R X22 O4
A Test Market Experiment
on Pricing
Sales in Units (thousands)
Regular Price Reduced Price Cents-Off Coupon
$.99 $.89 Regular Price
1 2 3
1 A B C
SUBJECT
2 B C A
3 C A B
TEST MARKETING
Controlled experimentation
Test Marketing
Controlled experimentation
Test Marketing
IDENTIFY AND
ESTIMATE CORRECT
OUTCOMES WEAKNESSES
IN PLANS
A Lengthy and Costly Procedure
When not
$$$$$
to Test?
• Population size
• Demographic composition
• Lifestyle considerations
• Competitive situation
• Media
• Self-contained trading area
• Overused markets - secrecy
Control Method of Test
Marketing
• Small city
• Low chance of being detected
• Distribution is forced (guaranteed)
The Advantages of Using the
Control Method of Test Marketing
• Reduced costs
• Shorter time period needed for reading test
market results
• Increased secrecy from competitors
• No distraction of company salespeople from
regular product lines
Some Problems Estimating Sales
Volume
• Over-attention
• Unrealistic store conditions
• Reading competitive environment
incorrectly
• Incorrect volume forecasts
– Adjusted data
– Penetration and repeat purchase rate
• Time lapse
High Tech Test Markets
Electric
Test
Markets
Simulated
Test
Markets Virtual-reality
Simulated
Test Markets