Different Types of Research Design

Introduction:
Business research is an important for decision making for hundreds of organizations
across the world. Through there are many definitions of research design there is no
definition that covers all activities and aspects of research design. Research is a
systematic enquiry aimed at providing information that will solve managerial problems.
Business research is defined as systematic enquiry that provides information to guide
business in decision making. It is relatively new concept, compared to research on varied
areas such as social sciences research. Unlike the latter, which are supported financially
by the state, business research is largely supported by business establishments. Business
research results are deemed highly confidential, as any leakage of information may lead
to severe losses to companies that have conducted the research.

THE MEANING OF BUSINESS RESEARCH DESIGN:

Business research can be defined as the plan and structure of enquiry, formulated in order
to obtain answers to research questions on business aspects. The research design outlines
the actual research problem on hand and the process for solving it. A good research
design will clearly describe the techniques to be used for selecting samples, collecting
data, managing costs and other aspects that are essential for conducting business research

Types of Research Design:

It is an very important to select an appropriate and specific research design before any
research is begun. There are several research design approaches, which can be classified
as
1. Exploratory research
2. Descriptive research
3. Casual research
We will discuss each of these methods.

Exploratory Research:

It includes techniques like secondary data analysis, experience surveys, focus groups and
two stage designs.
It is an initial research which analysis the data and investigates the possibility of
obtaining as much relationship as possible between different variables without knowing
their end objective.
This means that a general study will be conducted without having any specific end
objective except to establish as many relationships as possible between the variables of a
study.

Example: Study of the problem to have an insight.

Exploratory research can be conducted using both qualitative and quantitative techniques.
Qualitative techniques are mostly used for conducting exploratory research. Some
examples are in-depth interviews, projective techniques, elite interviewing and document
analysis. A combination of these techniques gives rise to important exploratory
techniques that are secondary data analysis, experience surveys and focus groups.

Secondary Data Analysis:

The initial process of exploratory research is to look for availability of secondary data.
.secondary data is that which is already available as a research carried out by others. The
researcher can use that data as a strong basis for furthering research.

Experimental Research:
It is design to assess the effects of particular variables on a phenomena by keeping the
other variables constant. The factor which is influenced by other factor is called is called
a dependent variables and the other factors which influenced it are known as independent
variables.

Example: Agricultural productivity i.e. Crop yield per hectare is a dependent variable
and the factors such as soil fertility, irrigation, quality of seed, manuaring and agricultural
practice which influences the yield are independent variables.

Descriptive Research:
A descriptive research is carried out with specific objective. This research rise to describe
the characteristics of the responding in relation to a particular product.

Example: Consider T.V as a product the degree of use of T.V varies with respective to
age, sex, income level and a profession of responded as well as place, time, and use.

Casual Research:
The basic aim of casual research is to identify the cause and effect relationship between
variables. It is therefore essential for researchers to have a through knowledge of the
subject area of research.