UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS

FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

BUS 842 (MARKETING RESEARCH) ASSIGNMENT
QUESTION:
Define the Following:
1. Exploratory Design
2. Descriptive Design
3. Causal Design
4. Primary Data
5. Secondary Data
1. Exploratory Design
Exploratory design is defined as the initial research into a hypothetical or theoretical idea.
This is where a researcher has an idea or has observed something and seeks to understand more
about it. An exploratory research project is an attempt to lay the groundwork that will lead to
future studies, or to determine if what is being observed might be explained by a currently
existing theory. Most often, exploratory research lays the initial groundwork for future
research.
2. Descriptive Design
Descriptive research is defined as attempts to explore and explain while providing additional
information about a topic. This is where research is trying to describe what is happening in more
detail, filling in the missing parts and expanding our understanding. This is also where as much
information is collected as possible instead of making guesses or elaborate models to predict the
future - the 'what' and 'how,' rather than the 'why.'
variables or conditions in a situation.
3. Causal Design

Causality studies may be thought of as understanding a phenomenon in terms of conditional

statements in the form, If X, then Y. This type of research is used to measure what impact a
specific change will have on existing norms and assumptions. Most social scientists seek causal
explanations that reflect tests of hypotheses. Causal effect (nomothetic perspective) occurs when
variation in one phenomenon, an independent variable, leads to or results, on average, in variation
in another phenomenon, the dependent variable.
4. Primary Data
Primary data means original data that has been collected specially for the purpose in mind. It means
someone collected the data from the original source first hand. Researchers collect the data
themselves, using surveys, interviews and direct observations (such as observing safety practices
on a shop floor).
5. Secondary Data
Secondary data is data collected by someone other than the user. Secondary data is data that is
being reused, usually in a different context. Common sources of secondary data for social science
include censuses, organisational records and data collected through qualitative methodologies or
qualitative research