Chapter 6

RESEARCH DESIGN: AN OVERVIEW

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
What Is Research Design?

Blueprint
Blueprint

Plan
Plan

Guide
Guide

Framework
Framework

6-2
Research Design Descriptors

Question
Perceptual
Perceptual Crystallization Data
Data Collection
Collection
Awareness
Awareness Method
Method

Purpose of Experimental
Study Descriptors
Descriptors Effects

Research
Research Time
Time
Environment
Environment Dimension
Dimension
Topical Scope

6-3
Degree of
Question Crystallization

 Exploratory Study  Formal Study

 Loose structure  Precise procedures
 Expand
 Begins with
understanding
 Provide insight
hypotheses
 Answers research
 Develop hypotheses
questions

6-4
Desired Outcomes of
Exploratory Studies

Established
Established range
range and
and scope
scope of
of possible
possible
management
management decisions
decisions

Established
Established major
major dimensions
dimensions of
of
research
research task
task

Defined
Defined aa set
set of
of subsidiary
subsidiary questions
questions
that
that can
can guide
guide research
research design
design

6-5
Desired Outcomes of
Exploratory Studies (cont.)

Develop
Develop hypotheses
hypotheses about
about possible
possible
causes
causes of
of management
management dilemma
dilemma

Learn
Learn which
which hypotheses
hypotheses
can
can be
be safely
safely ignored
ignored

Conclude
Conclude additional
additional research
research is
is
not
not needed
needed or
or not
not feasible
feasible

6-6
Commonly Used Exploratory Techniques

Secondary
Secondary
Data
Data Analysis
Analysis Experience
Experience
Surveys
Surveys

Focus
Focus
Groups
Groups

6-7
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?
6-8
Focus Groups

 Group discussion
 6-10 participants
6-9
 Moderator-led
 90 minutes-2
hours

6-9
The Time Dimension

Cross-sectional

Longitudinal

6-10
The Topical Scope

Statistical Study Case Study

 Breadth  Depth
 Population  Detail
inferences  Qualitative
 Quantitative
 Multiple sources
 Generalizable
findings of information

6-11
Purpose of the Study

Reporting Descriptive

Casual Causal
-Explanatory -Predictive

6-12
The Research Environment

Field conditions

Lab conditions 6-13

Simulations

6-13
Experimental Effects

Ex Post Facto Study Experiment

 After-the-fact  Study involving the
report on what manipulation or
happened to the control of one or
measured more variables to
variable determine the effect
on another variable

6-14
Participants’ Perceptional Awareness

No deviation perceived

Deviations perceived
as unrelated

Deviations perceived as
researcher-induced

6-15
Descriptive Studies

Who?

How
How much?
much? What?
What?

When?
When? Where?

6-16
Descriptive Studies

Descriptions
Descriptions of
of population
population
characteristics
characteristics

Estimates
Estimates of
of frequency
frequency of
of
characteristics
characteristics

Discovery
Discovery of
of associations
associations
among
among variables
variables

6-17
Research Design Descriptors

Category Options
The degree to which the research question has been • Exploratory study
crystallized • Formal study
The method of data collection • Monitoring
• Communication Study
The power of the researcher to produce effects in the • Experimental
variables under study • Ex post facto
The purpose of the study • Reporting
• Descriptive
• Causal-Explanatory
• Causal-Predictive

The time dimension • Cross-sectional

• Longitudinal
The topical scope—breadth and depth—of the study • Case
• Statistical study
The research environment • Field setting
• Laboratory research
• Simulation

The participants’ perceptional awareness of the research • Actual routine

activity • Modified routine

6-18
Snapshot: McDonald’s Listening Tour

Products
Nutritional Messaging
Sustainability initiatives

6-19