Chapter 6

Research Design: An Overview

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Business Research Methods, 10e

Copyright 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Learning Objectives
Understand . . . The basic stages of research design. The major descriptors of research design. The major types of research designs. The relationships that exist between variables in research design and the steps for evaluating those relationships.

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PulsePoint: Research Revelation

95

The millions of Americans actively text messaging, according to Yankee Group.

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Fit the Design to the Information

Polls and focus groups do a good job on issues where people have made up their minds, but there are a number of gridlock issues laden with complex trade-offs that people havent thought out.

Daniel Yankelovich, author and founder, Yankelovich, Skelly and White

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What Is Research Design?

Blueprint Plan Guide Framework

What Tools Are Used in Designing Research?

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What Tools Are Used in Designing Research?

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MindWriter Project Plan in Gantt chart format

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Design in the Research Process

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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Degree of Question Crystallization

Exploratory Study Loose structure Expand understanding Provide insight Develop hypotheses Formal Study Precise procedures Begins with hypotheses Answers research questions

Approaches for Exploratory Investigations

Participant observation Film, photographs Projective techniques Psychological testing Case studies Ethnography Expert interviews Document analysis Proxemics and Kinesics

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Desired Outcomes of Exploratory Studies

Established range and scope of possible management decisions

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Established major dimensions of research task Defined a set of subsidiary questions that can guide research design

Desired Outcomes of Exploratory Studies (cont.)

Developed hypotheses about possible causes of management dilemma

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Learned which hypotheses can be safely ignored Concluded additional research is not needed or not feasible

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Commonly Used Exploratory Techniques

Secondary Data Analysis

Experience Surveys

Focus Groups

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Face-to-face interactionone of the best ways to learn from participants.

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Experience Surveys
What is being done? What has been tried in the past with or without success? How have things changed? Who is involved in the decisions? What problem areas can be seen? Whom can we count on to assist or participate in the research?

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Focus Groups
Group discussion 6-10 participants Moderator-led 90 minutes-2 hours

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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Data Collection Method

Monitoring

Communication

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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The Time Dimension

Cross-sectional

Longitudinal

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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The Topical Scope

Statistical Study Breadth Population inferences Quantitative Generalizable findings Case Study Depth Detail Qualitative Multiple sources of information

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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The Research Environment

Field conditions Lab conditions

Simulations

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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Purpose of the Study

Reporting

Descriptive

Casual Explanatory

Causal Predictive

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Descriptive Studies
Who?

How much?

What?

When?

Where?

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Descriptive Studies
Descriptions of population characteristics Estimates of frequency of characteristics Discovery of associations among variables

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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Experimental Effects
Ex Post Facto Study After-the-fact report on what happened to the measured variable Experiment Study involving the manipulation or control of one or more variables to determine the effect on another variable

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Ex Post Facto Design

Fishing Club Member Age

Under 30 years 30 to 45 45 and over

Non-Fishing-Club Member High Absentee

30 35 5

High Absentee
36 4 0

Low Absentee
6 4 0

Low Absentee
48 117 115

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Causation and Experimental Design

Control/ Matching

Random Assignment

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Mills Method of Agreement

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Mills Method of Difference

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Causal Studies

Symmetrical Reciprocal

Asymmetrical

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Understanding Casual Relationships

Property

Behavior

Response

Disposition

Stimulus

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Asymmetrical Casual Relationships

Stimulus-Response PropertyDisposition

PropertyBehavior

Disposition-Behavior

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Exhibit 6-6 Types of Asymmetrical Causal Relationships

Relationship Type Nature of Relationship
Stimulus-response An event or change results in a response from some object.

Examples
A change in work rules leads to a higher level of worker output. A change in government economic policy restricts corporate financial decisions. A price increase results in fewer unit sales. Age and attitudes about saving. Gender attitudes toward social issues. Social class and opinions about taxation. Opinions about a brand and its purchase. Job satisfaction and work output. Moral values and tax cheating. Stage of the family life cycle and purchases of furniture. Social class and family savings patterns. Age and sports participation.

Property-disposition

An existing property causes a disposition. A disposition causes a specific behavior. An existing property causes a specific behavior.

Disposition-behavior

Property-behavior

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Evidence of Causality
Covariation between A and B

Time order of events

No other possible causes of B

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Descriptors of Research Design

Question Crystallization Data Collection Method Experimental Effects

Perceptual Awareness

Purpose of Study

Descriptors

Research Environment Topical Scope

Time Dimension

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Participants Perceptional Awareness

No deviation perceived Deviations perceived as unrelated Deviations perceived as researcher-induced

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Descriptors of Research Design

Category
The degree to which the research question has been crystallized The method of data collection The power of the researcher to produce effects in the variables under study The purpose of the study

Options
Exploratory study Formal study Monitoring Communication Study Experimental Ex post facto Reporting Descriptive Causal-Explanatory Causal-Predictive Cross-sectional Longitudinal Case Statistical study Field setting Laboratory research Simulation Actual routine Modified routine

The time dimension The topical scopebreadth and depthof the study The research environment

The participants perceptional awareness of the research activity

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Key Terms
Asymmetrical relationship Case study Causal study Causation Childrens panels Communication study Control Control group Correlation Cross-sectional study Descriptive study Ethnographic research Ex post facto design Experience Experiment Exploratory study Field conditions Focus group Formal study Individual depth interview Intranet

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Key Terms (cont.)

Laboratory conditions Longitudinal study Matching Monitoring Primary data Qualitative techniques Random assignment Reciprocal relationship Research design Secondary data Simulation Statistical study Symmetrical relationship