Exploratory, Descriptive, and Causal Research Designs

Exploratory,
Descriptive, and
Causal Research
Designs
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the elements that must be stated

in research design.
2. Compare and contrast exploratory,
descriptive and causal design;
3. Distinguish between cross sectional and
longitudinal study;
4. Differentiate market testing methods
based on the type of the market.
Research design is the framework of
research methods and techniques
chosen by a researcher.
 Three types
 Exploratory
 Descriptive
 Causal
Source:
evolvedmarketingconcepts.com
Exploratory Research
 Purposes
 Diagnosing a situation
 Screening alternatives
 Discovering new ideas
& insights
 Produce hypotheses
 An exploratory research
approach entails the use of
surveys, case studies,
Source: www.triblocal.com
information from other
studies, and qualitative
analyses.
The key characteristics and basic
uses of exploratory research
 Exploratory studies are
 Typically small scale
 Very flexible
 Exploratory research is useful for

 Helping define the problem
 Developing hypotheses
 Gaining familiarity with a problem or opportunity
 The output of exploratory research is ideas and

insights, not answers
The various types of
exploratory research
 Literature Search
 Search of popular press, trade, and academic literature
or published statistics from research firms or

governmental agencies
 Depth Interviews
 Interviews with people knowledgeable about the general
subject being investigated

 Focus Groups
 Small group interviews relying on group discussion
 Case Analyses
 Intensive study of selected examples of phenomenon
Special Note on Focus Groups
 Focus Groups have two major pitfalls

 It is easy for managers to see what they
expect to see in focus group results

 Focus groups are one form of exploratory
research – it (or any other type of

exploratory research) should not be expected
to deliver final results or answers to decision
problems – yet many managers seem to use
them for that purpose
 Types
 Literature search
 First step
 In-depth interview
 With whom?
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
 Focus groups
 What is it?
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
Source: www.money.cnn.com
 Case Analyses
 Ethnography
 Projective Techniques
 Word association tests
 Sentence completion
method
 Role-playing technique
 Thematic apperception test
 Cartoon tests/ picture
frustration
Source: www.withfriendship.com
Descriptive Research
 Purposes
 Describe characteristics of group
 Determine proportion of people or population
who act a certain way
 Make predictions
 Determining the frequency with which
something occurs or the relationship between
variables
Descriptive research approach uses information from
other studies, panels, analyses, and observation.
Descriptive Research
 Types
 Longitudinal
 Continuous panels
 AKA true panels
 Kroger’s card
 Discontinuous panels
 AKA omnibus panels
 Land’s End
 Cross-sectional
 Cross-section Study
 Single point in time measures of a
sample selected from a population

 Longitudinal Analysis
 Repeated measures, over time, of a
fixed sample (panels of people)

 Continuous panel – Fixed sample of
respondents who are measured repeatedly
over time with respect to the same
variables
 Discontinuous panel – Fixed sample of
respondents who are measured repeated
over time with respect to different
variables
Causal Research
 Purpose
 Does a change in X cause a change in Y?
 Used to establish cause-and-effect
relationships between variables
Causal research design strictly uses

experiments.
 Experiments
 Laboratory experiments
 Field experiments
 Laboratory Experiment  Field Experiment
 Includes a situation  Includes a situation
with exact conditions with fluid conditions

 Like a chemistry lab  Like a retail store
 Control of variables  Control of variables
other than X or Y is other than X or Y is

maximized challenging
 Labs are sterile  Store conditions
 X variables are vary

manipulated  X variables are
manipulated
Market Testing
 What is market testing?
 “Controlled experiment
done in a limited but
carefully selected sector of
the marketplace”
 Key Issues
 Cost
 Time
 Control
Source: resourceful27.wordpress.com
Market Testing
 Three types of market testing
 Standard test market
 Pros/cons
 Controlled test market
 Pros/cons
 Simulated test market
 Pros/cons
Standard Test Controlled Test Simulated Test
Market Market Market
Definition A test market in An entire test A study in which
which the company program conducted consumer ratings
sells the product by an outside service and other
through its normal in a market in which information are fed
distribution channels it can guarantee into a computer
distribution model that then
makes projections
about the likely level
of sales for the
product in the
market
Example Taco Bell test Behaviorscan from BASES from Nielsen
marketed its Grilled SymphonyIRI Group is an industry leader
Stuft Burrito in is a leading supplier in simulated test
Fresno, CA of controlled test markets
market services

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Exploratory,

1. Identify the elements that must be stated

 Exploratory research is useful for

 Gaining familiarity with a problem or opportunity

 The output of exploratory research is ideas and

or published statistics from research firms or

subject being investigated

 Focus Groups have two major pitfalls

expect to see in focus group results

research – it (or any other type of

 Thematic apperception test

 Cartoon tests/ picture

sample selected from a population

fixed sample (panels of people)

Causal research design strictly uses

with exact conditions with fluid conditions

 Control of variables  Control of variables

other than X or Y is other than X or Y is

 X variables are vary

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