RESEARCH DESIGN

Prof M. R. Suresh

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Research Design is a detailed
blueprint to guide a
research study towards its
objectives
• Research Approach
• Types of Research
–Exploratory
–Descriptive
–Causal

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Exploratory: Seeking insights into a problem
no clear definition of hypothesis

Provides an accurate snapshot

Descriptive: of aspect of the market
Hypothesis exits: tentative,
speculative

Causal: One variable determines the

values of other variables

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 Exploratory Descriptive Causal

Market Cause Effect

Objective Insights
Characteristics Relations

Flexible Prior formulation Manipulate one/

of specific more independent
Characte- hypotheses variable
ristics Front end of
research Preplanned Control of other
design and Structured variables

Sec data
Expert Surveys
Surveys
Pilot Surveys
Methods Panels Experiments
Section data
Observational
Qual. Research
data 4
 Total Error

Sampling Non-sampling
Error Error

Design Administering Response

Non-response
Error Error Error

•Selection Error •Data Error

•Questioning •Failure to
•Population Intentional
•Recording contact all
Specification Unintentional
•Interference members
Error
•Sampling
•Incomplete
Frame Error
responses
•Surrogate
Info Error
•Measurement
Error 5
Research Tactics and
Implementation

Measurement
•Sampling Plan
Anticipating Analysis
Analysis of value vs. cost and time
Errors in Research Design

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Marketing Research Proposal
1.Executive Summary and Background
2.Problem Definition / Objectives of
Research
3.Approach to the problem
4.Research Design
5.Fieldwork / data collection
6.Data Analysis
7.Reporting
8.Cost and Time
9.Appendices
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International Marketing
Research
Information requirements
Unit of analysis
Equivalence in
Construct
Measurement
Sampling
Analysis

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Preparing data for analysis
•Data editing
Interviewer errors, ambiguity, inconsistencies,
lack of cooperation ineligible respondent
•Coding
Statistically adjusting data
Weighting
Variable respectification (data modified to create
new variables)
(dummy variables)
Scale transformation
Standardisation
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 Strategy for data analysis

Data cleaning

Tabulation of data
Empirical distribution

Summary statistics

Cross - tabulation
Relationship among & between nominal variables

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Factors influencing choice of data
analysis/ stat technique
Type of data (nominal /ordinal /
interval)
•Research design
Sample independence
Number of groups X1 O
X2 O 2
O3
Number of variables
Variable control 11
• Source: Mainly from, Marketing Research: Aaker, Kumar & Day, John Wiley & Sons, Latest
Asian Edn.
• Business Research Methods- A South Asian Perspective, Zikmund, Babin, Carr, Adhikari and
Griffin, Cengage Learning
• for academic discussion at SDMIMD only

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