Research for Marketing Decisions

Research Design - Basics

 Research Design: Definition

 A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the

marketing research project.

 It details the procedures necessary for obtaining the information

needed to structure or solve marketing research problems.

2 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 Components of a Research Design

 Define the information needed

 Design the exploratory, descriptive, and/or causal phases of the
research
 Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
 Construct and pretest a questionnaire (interviewing form) or an
appropriate form for data collection
 Specify the sampling process and sample size
 Develop a plan of data analysis

3 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

A Classification of Marketing Research Designs

Research Design

Exploratory Conclusive Research

Research Design Design

Descriptive Causal Research

Research

Cross-Sectional Longitudinal Design

Design

Single Cross- Multiple Cross-

Sectional Design Sectional Design
4 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3
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 characteristics
 To determine the degree to which marketing variables are associated
 To make specific predictions

5 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

Methods of Descriptive Research

 Surveys
 Panels

6 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

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.

7 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 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

8 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal

Cross- Sample
Sectional Surveyed
Design at T1

Same
Sample Sample also
Longitudinal
Surveyed at Surveyed at
Design
T1 T2

Time T1 T2
9 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3
Advantages and Disadvantages of Longitudinal and
Cross-Sectional Designs

Evaluation Cross-Sectional Longitudinal

Criteria Design Design

Detecting Change - +
Large amount of data collection - +
Accuracy - +
Representative Sampling + -
Response bias + -

Note: A “+” indicates a relative advantage over the other design,

whereas a “-” indicates a relative disadvantage.

15
 Uses of Causal 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

11 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

Alternative Research Designs

Exploratory Research
(a) • Secondary Data Conclusive Research
Analysis •Descriptive/Causal
• Focus Groups

(b) Conclusive Research

•Descriptive/Causal

Exploratory Research
(c) Conclusive Research • Secondary Data
•Descriptive/Causal Analysis
• Focus Groups

12 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 What is a survey?

 Structured questionnaire given to a sample of a population and

designed to elicit specific information from respondents

 Questions presented in pre-arranged order

 Most questions are fixed-alternative questions

13 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 Survey Methods

 Telephone methods
 Paper and pencil or manual recording
 Automated recording
 From central location

14 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

Survey Methods
 Personal methods
 In-home
 High cost
 Gated communities, access issues
 Rich data
 Mall intercepts
 Easier access
 Selection/interviewer biases

15 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 Survey Methods
 Online methods
 Surveys hosted online
 Respondents click on banner ads etc.
 Control over data entry
 Survey can be modified
 Immediate access to results

16 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

Criteria for Evaluating Survey Methods

TASK FACTORS
Diversity of Questions and Flexibility of Data Collection
 The flexibility of data collection is determined primarily by the extent to which the respondent
can interact with the interviewer and the survey questionnaire.
 The diversity of questions that can be asked in a survey depends upon the degree of interaction
the respondent has with the interviewer and the questionnaire, as well as the ability to actually
see the questions.

Use of Physical Stimuli

 The ability to use physical stimuli such as the product, a product prototype, commercials, or
promotional displays during the interview.

17 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

Criteria for Evaluating Survey Methods

Sample Control
 Sample control is the ability of the survey mode to reach the units specified in the sample
effectively and efficiently.

Quantity of Data
 The ability to collect large amounts of data.

Response Rate
 Survey response rate is broadly defined as the percentage of the total attempted
interviews that are completed.

18 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 Criteria for Evaluating Survey Methods
SITUATIONAL FACTORS
Control of the Data Collection Environment
 The degree of control a researcher has over the environment in
which the respondent answers the questionnaire.

19 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

Criteria for Evaluating Survey Methods

Potential for Interviewer Bias

 The extent of the interviewer's role determines the potential for bias.

Speed
 The total time taken for administering the survey to the entire sample.

Cost
 The total cost of administering the survey and collecting the data.

20 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

Criteria for Evaluating Survey Methods

RESPONDENT FACTORS
Perceived Anonymity
 Perceived anonymity refers to the respondents' perceptions that their
identities will not be discerned by the interviewer or the researcher.

Social Desirability/Sensitive Information

 Social desirability is the tendency of the respondents to give answers that
are socially acceptable, whether or not they are true. With some
exceptions, obtaining sensitive information is inversely related to social
desirability.

21 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 Criteria for Evaluating Survey Methods
Low Incidence Rate
 Incidence rate refers to rate of occurrence of persons eligible to participate in
the study.

Respondent Control
 Methods that allow respondents control over the interviewing process will
solicit greater cooperation and are therefore desirable.

22 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3

 Data collection method you will use?

 Understand attitudes towards the iPhone 12

 Consumer perceptions and usage details on contraceptives

 Physician opinions of a pharmaceutical product

 Concept testing for a toothpaste

 Product test for a new variant of Kellogg’s cornflakes

23 Research for Marketing Decisions Term 3