Research

design

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 Books

• Business Research
Methods
• Alan Bryman and
Emma Bell
• Fourth edition 2015
• Available online for
5 to 12 pounds

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 Identified problem

• . Research design
Existing Aim Approach Subjects
research
Sampling
Procedure
Methods

Research text

Discussion Results
Conclusions
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 Difference between
Exploratory, Descriptive and Causal Designs

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 Research design
• What is research design?
• Functions of research
design
• Types of design
• Design in quantitative
research?
• Design in qualitative research?
• How to write the research methods section?
• Easy to read Greener Business Research
Methods
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 Research Design-definition
• Research design is the basic plan or strategy of
the research and the logic behind it
• Research design is concerned with making our
problem researchable by setting up our study
in a way that will produce specific answers to
specific questions.

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 Why design your research?
• Makes it possible to draw valid inferences
from our data in terms of generalisation,
association and causality
• Guides and directs the research process
• Defines the methods of collecting data in
accordance with the aim of research
• Defines the way in which methods are
employed during the research.

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 Types of design-classification
• Criteria:The number of contacts
-The cross-sectional study
-The before and after study
-The longitudinal study design
• Criteria:The reference period
-The retrospective study design
-The prospective study design
• Criteria:The nature of investigation
-The experimental study design
-Trend studies
-Cohort studies
-Correlation studies
-Case studies.
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 Triangulation
• Research strategy aiming
at increasing reliability
and validity

• Data triangulation-variety of data sources

• Investigator triangulation-use of different researchers
• Theory triangulation-use of multiple perspectives to
interpret a single set of data
• Methodological triangulation-use multiple methods to
study a single problem.
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 Research Design in qualitative research 1
• Search of understanding of the whole
• Relationship within a system or culture
• Refers to the personal, face to face and immediate
• Focussed on understanding a given
social setting
• The researcher is very familiar
with the setting
• Time dedicated to analysis is
equal to the time spent in the
field
• The researcher develops a
model of what happens in the
setting.

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 Research Design in qualitative research

• The researcher is the research instrument

• The design incorporates informed consent
decisions and is responsive to ethical concerns
• The researcher has to describe his/her role
• The researcher has to evaluate critically his biases
and ideological preferences
• The process of data analysis is ongoing.

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 Qualitative research design
• Ethnography
• Content analysis (no participants)
• Case study
• Participant observation
• Descriptive study
• Interpretative research
• Action research
• Life history
• Narrative research.
• Week 8 covers qualitative data
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 Quantitative research design
• Surveys (average, mode,
median, standard deviation,
coefficient of variation)
• Correlation studies (using
Spearman or Pearson
correlation coefficient)
• Experiments (significance
of difference t test).

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 Experimental design
• An experiment is a research method in which the investigator
manipulates a variable(s) under very controlled conditions and
examines whether changes occur in a second variable(s).
• The manipulated variable is called the INDEPENDENT VARIABLE.
This is the presumed "cause."
• The variable that is expected to change as a result of the
manipulation of the independent variable is called the DEPENDENT
VARIABLE. This is the presumed "effect."
• The CONTROL GROUP serves as the baseline performance. The
group given the drug serves as the EXPERIMENTAL GROUP.
• Week 7/8 more details

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 Methodology
• Greener, S & Martelli, J (2018) Introduction to
Business Research Methods. Bookboon.com

• Easy to read and understand book

• Download it from this Week´s Blackboard
page.

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 References

• Bryman, A (2016) Social Research Methods 6th

Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press
• Greener, S & Martelli, J (2018) Introduction to
Business Research Methods. Bookboon.com
• Neuman, L. (2013) Social Research Methods:
Qualitative and Quanitative Approaches. 7th
Ed. Essex: Pearson
• Punch, K. (2006) Developing effective research
proposals. 2nd ed. London:Sage

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