5

Descriptive and
Causal
Research Designs

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2010 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Learning Objectives_1

 Explain the purpose and advantages of survey

research designs
 Describe the types of survey methods
 Discuss the factors influencing the choice of survey
methods

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 Learning Objectives_2

 Explain experiments and the types of variables used

in causal designs
 Define test marketing and evaluate its usefulness in
marketing research

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 Selecting a
Descriptive Research Design

Nature Research Research

of problem questions objectives

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 Goal of Survey Research Methods

 Provide facts and estimates that can be used to

 make accurate predictions about relationships
between market factors and behaviors
 gain insights to understanding the relationships
and differences
 verify or validate the existing relationships

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 Advantages/Disadvantages of Survey
Research Design
Advantages Disadvantages
 Accommodates large  Questions that
sample sizes accurately measure
 Generalizable to target variables can be
population difficult to develop
 Easy to administer and  In-depth data difficult
record answers to obtain
 Facilitates advanced  Low response rates
statistical analysis

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 Errors in Surveys

Sampling error

Nonsampling error

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 Sampling Error

 Sampling error is the difference between the

findings based on the sample and the true values for
a population.
 Caused by the method of sampling used and the size
of the sample
 Can be reduced by increasing sample size and using
the appropriate sampling method.

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 Nonsampling Error
 Errors that occur in survey research design not related to
sampling
 Comes from four major sources: respondent error,
measurement/questionnaire design errors, incorrect
problem definition, and project administration errors
 Tend to create “systematic variation” or bias in the data
 Controllable.
 Cannot be directly measured
 One non-sampling error can create other non-sampling
errors.
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 Forms of Nonsampling Error
Respondent errors

respondents either cannot be reached, are unwilling

to participate, or intentionally or unintentionally
respond to questions in ways that do not reflect
their true answers.
Nonresponse errors

the final sample differs from the planned sample

Response errors

socially desirable response, faulty recall

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 Types of
Survey Research Methods

Person- Telephone- Self-

administered administered administered

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 Person-Administered Surveys

Advantages Disadvantages
 Adaptability  Possible recording
 Rapport errors
 Feedback  Interaction errors
 Response quality  High expense

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 Person-Administered Surveys
In-Home Interviews

 Conducted in the respondent’s home

 Advantages:
 interviewer can explain confusing or
complex questions
 Increased likelihood of respondents’
willingness to answer because respondents
are in a comfortable, familiar environment
 Disadvantages:
 Not well supervised interviewers may skip
homes
 expensive and time-consuming 5-13
Person-Administered Surveys
Mall Intercepts

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 Telephone Surveys
Advantages Disadvantages
 Interviewers or CATI  Difficult for complex
technology tasks, long surveys, or
 Less expensive than those using visual aids
face to face methods  Perception of
 Geographic flexibility telemarketing
 Callbacks possible  Change in behavior
 Fast (voicemail, caller ID,
mobile vs land lines)
 Suitable for large
samples  Limited to domestic
research
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 Self-Administered
Types of Survey Research

Respondent
Respondent Mail
Mail Survey
Survey
Reads
Reads
Survey
Survey Mail
Mail Panel
Panel
Questions
Questions
and
andRecords
Records
Answers
Answers Drop-Off
Drop-Off
Without
Without
Assistance
Assistance Internet
Internet

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 Advantages/Disadvantages of
Self-Administered Surveys
Advantages Disadvantages
 Low cost per survey  Minimal flexibility
 Respondent control  High nonresponse rates
 No interviewer-  Potential response
response bias errors
 Anonymity in response  Slow data acquisition
 Lack of monitoring

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Greenfield Online: A Web Surveyor

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 Usage Rates for Survey Methods

 Internet 35.8%
 CATI 25.3%
 Hybrid 12.0%
 Face-to-face intercepts 11.5%
 Mail 3.3%
 Other 4.1%

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 Selecting a Survey Method

Situational characteristics

Task characteristics

Respondent characteristics

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 Situational Factors Affecting Choice

 Budget
 Completion time frame
 Quality requirements

 Data completeness
 Data generalizability
 Data precision

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 Task Factors
 More complex survey
Difficulty
environments require more
of the task
highly trained interviews
 Stimuli such as products or
Stimuli
needed promotional visuals needed
to elicit a response
 personal interaction is needed
Amount of
if a large amount of detailed
information
information is required
 Phone and face-to-face
Topic interaction increases socially
sensitivity
desirable attitudes 5-22
 Respondent Characteristics

Diversity

Incidence Rate

Respondent
Respondent Participation
Participation

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 Experiments

 Causal research designs that can identify cause-and-

effect relationships between variables
 A variable is an observable element or attribute of an
item or event that can be measured

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 Types of Variables
in Experimental Designs

Independent Values
Valuesmanipulated
manipulated
IndependentVariables
Variables
by
byresearcher
researcher
Dependent
DependentVariables
Variables Measures
Measuresof
ofeffect
effect

Control Conditions
Conditionsthat
thatmake
makethe
the
ControlVariables
Variables
design
designaatrue
trueexperiment
experiment
Extraneous Uncontrolled,
Uncontrolled,unmeasured
unmeasured
ExtraneousVariables
Variables
variables
variablesthat
thatmay
mayaffect
affectdv
dv

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 Validity and Reliability Concerns

Internal
Internal Validity
Validity External
External Validity
Validity

 the extent to which the  the extent to the

research design results of the
accurately identifies experiment can be
causal relationships generalized to the
target population
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 Laboratory Experiments

 an artificial setting
 May involves showing several different kinds of ads
and asks participants to view and evaluate the TV ads
 Enable the researcher to control the setting and
therefore achieve high internal validity.
 Lack external validity

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 Field Experiments: Considerations

 High level of realism

 Longer time frame
 Higher costs
 Competitive reactions

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 Test Marketing

 Test marketing is the use of a controlled field

experiments to gain information on market
performance indicators

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 Marketing Research in Action:
Riders Brand Launch
 What Lee’s goal for conducting an extensive test
market for Riders jeans?
 Identify and explain the strengths and weaknesses
associated with the test market process used
 Should the company test market Riders using an
Internet format?

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