BUS I NE S S RE S E ARCH

RESEARCH APPROACHES
& DESIGN
INTRODUCTION
Research approach & research design are
two terms that are frequently used
interchangeably; however research design
is a broader plan to conduct a study, &
research approach is an important element
of the research design, which governs it.
INTRODUCTION
A research design is the framework or guide
used for the planning, implementation, &
analysis of a study.
It is a systematic plan of what is to be done,
how it will be done, & how the data will be
analyzed.

RESEARCH DESIGN
An illustration: Organic Food Industry
Objective: To investigate consumer decision
making process for organic food products
and to segment the market according to
basket size.
On conducting extensive review of the literature, it
was found that the organic consumption is not
always a consumer driven choice; rather it might be
the seller who influence the product choice.


RESEARCH DESIGN
An illustration: Organic Food Industry
Thus, a research design was formulated to study the
organic consumers decision stages.
Once the design is selected and a proposed sampling
plan is developed, the next step requires is that the
constructs and variables to be studied must be
operationalized.
On defining the consumers, the researcher realized
the significance of the psychographics of the
individual the attitude, interest and opinion

RESEARCH DESIGN
An illustration: Organic Food Industry
Thus, the researcher needs to look at the
psychographic profile of the existing as well as
potential consumers with a similar mindset.
This led to the revision in the research question
To investigate the consumer decision making
process for organic food products and to
segment the market existing and potential
according to their psychographic profile

INTRODUCTION
Research design basically provides an
outline of how the research will be carried
out & the methods that will be used.
It includes the descriptions of the research
approaches, dependent & independent
variables, sampling design, & planning
format for data collection, analysis &
presentation.

INTRODUCTION
The research design is the master plan
specifying the methods & procedures for
collecting & analyzing the needed
information in a research study.
Research design is a plan of how, when &
where data are to be collected & analyzed.
Research design is the researchers overall
plan for answering the research questions or
testing the research hypothesis.
INTRODUCTION
Research design can be defined as a blue
print to conduct a research study, which
involves the description of research
approach, study setting, sampling size,
sampling technique, tools & method of data
collection & analysis to answer a is specific
research questions or for testing research
hypothesis.
ELEMENTS
OF
RESEARCH
DESIGN
The approach
Qualitative
Quantitative
Or both
With/without
a conceptual
framework
Population, sample
& sampling
technique
Time & place of
data collection
Tools & Methods of
data collection
Method of
data analysis
ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH DESIGN
It involves the description of the plan to
investigate the phenomenon under study in
a structured (quantitative), unstructured
(qualitative) or a combination of the two
methods (quantitative-qualitative
integrated approach).
Therefore, the approach helps to decide
about the presence or absence as well as
manipulation & control over variables.
ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH DESIGN
It also helps to identify the presence or
absence of & comparison between groups.
The approach of research study depends
on several factors, but primarily on the
nature of phenomenon under study.
At this stage of the research study,
conceptual framework may or may not be
incorporated.
POPULATION, SAMPLE, AND SAMPLING
TECHNIQUE
Research design also provides the
researcher with directions about population,
sample & sampling technique, which will be
used for the research study.
For example, in an ethnographic qualitative
research design, a researcher gets the
directive that the population will be a
specific cultural group & the study will
include a small sample selected through a
nonprobability sampling technique.
THE TIME, PLACE AND SOURCES OF
DATA COLLECTION
Time (specifying days, months, & years of
study), location (study setting) & the sources
of the requisite data are the other important
constituents essential to ensure effective
planning to conduct a research study.

TOOLS AND METHODS OF DATA
COLLECTION
This element of research design involves the
description of different tools & methods of
data collection, for example,
questionnaires, interview, direct observation
or any other methods that suit the particular
approach of the research as well as nature
of the phenomenon under study.

METHODS OF THE DATA ANALYSIS
A research design must also include the
description of the methods of data analysis -
either quantitative or qualitative data
analysis techniques that helps the
researcher to collect the relevant data,
which later can be analyzed as per the
research design plan.
Without a formal plan of data analysis a
researcher may collect irrelevant data,
which can later become difficult to analyze.

SELECTION
OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
SELECTING RESEARCH DESIGN
The selection of a research design largely
depends on the nature of the research
problem, the resources available (cost, time,
expertise of the researcher), accessibility of
subjects, & research ethics.
However, the main factors which affect the
selection of research design in following
designs:
FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Nature of the research problem: This is the
most important factor, which helps the
researcher to decide about the selection of
a research design.
Based on the nature of research problem or
phenomenon, researchers decide whether
it should be investigated through an
experimental, or non-experimental
approach.

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Purpose of the study: Study may be
conducted for the purpose of prediction,
description, exploration, or correlation of the
research variable. Therefore, the purpose of
the research study helps the researcher to
choose a suitable research design.

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Researchers knowledge & experience:
Selection of research design is largely
influenced by the researchers knowledge &
experience, because they avoid using those
designs wherein they lack confidence,
relevant knowledge, or experience.
FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Researchers interest & motivation: Interest &
motivation levels help researchers decide
about the particular research design(s).
Motivated researchers always analyze most
aspects of research design before selecting
one or a combination, while casual &
callous researchers may choose research
design(s) that may lead to failure.
FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research ethics & principle: The
incorporation & application of ethical &
legal principles in the research design are
essential. This includes moral obligations
such as respect for participants & their rights,
informed consent, & protection from harm,
including any adverse effects to
educational progress, health & well-being.

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Selection of a research design is significantly
influenced by the ethics of the research
study.
For example, a researcher may be willing to
conduct a research study through a certain
experimental approach, but problems of
ethical approval may stop the researcher to
do so & he or she may have to settle for
another available possible research design.

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Subjects/participants: The number &
availability of study subjects may influence
the selection of research design. If only few
subjects are involved, an in-depth
qualitative researcher may opt for
qualitative research design.
FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Resources: None of the researcher can
conduct without resources such as money,
equipment, facilities, & support from
collegeagues. However, some of the studies
require more amounts of resources as
compared to others. Therefore, the selection
of a research design may be affected by
the availability of resources for the research
study.
FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Time: Time is also a major deciding factors
for the selection of research design. For
example, a researcher needs more time to
conduct longitudinal studies, while cross-
sectional studies may be conducted in
shorter time. Therefore, time is also a
significant contributing factor in selection of
a research design.

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Users of the study findings: A research design
also various methods of data collection &
data analysis. Therefore, while choosing a
research design, researcher must ensure
that research design is as appropriate for
the users of the study findings as possible, so
that maximum advantage of the results can
be obtained.

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
Possible control on extraneous variables:
An efficient design can:
maximize result,
decrease errors, &
control pre-existing or impaired conditions that
may affect the outcome of the study.
For example, a researcher wants to conduct
a study through experimental design but
because of inability to control selected
extraneous variables
TYPES
OF
RESEARCH DESIGN
TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN
Generally research designs are classified
into two broad categories, & several
subtypes
Quantitative research design
Qualitative research design
QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
DESIGN
TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE RD
Experimental research design
Non-Experimental research design
Other additional research design
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
Experiment is used to infer a causality.
Researcher actively manipulates one or more
casual variables and measure their effect on
the dependent variables of interest
E.g. The sales manager of a soft drink company send
some of his sales personnel for new sales training
program for three months. After the training, when the
personnel returned to their respective areas the sales
increased by 20 %.
Sales training is a causal variable and increase in sales
is an effect variable.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
Concepts used in Experiments:
Independent Variable: These are explanatory
variables or treatments
Test Units: These are those entities on which
treatment are applied. E.g. Individuals,
organizations, geographic areas
Dependent Variable: These measure the effects
of those treatments. E.g. Sales, profit, market
share etc.


EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
Concepts used in Experiments:
Experiment: Experiment is executed when the
researcher manipulates one or more
independent variable and measure the effect on
the dependent variable
Extraneous variable: These are the variables other
than the independent variables that influence the
response of the test units to the treatments. E.g.
store size, advertising effort of competitors,
government policies etc.


VALIDITY IN EXPERIMENTS
Internal Validity
Tries to examine whether the observed effect on
a dependent variable is actually caused by the
treatments.
External Validity
Generalization of the result of an experiment
beyond the experimental situations. If it is possible
to generalize the result then to what settings, time.

VALIDITY IN EXPERIMENTS
Factors affecting Internal Validity
History: Specific events that are external to the
experiment but occur at the same time as the
experiment. Like improved sales could be
because improves economic condition
Maturation: Changes over time can be caused
by a natural learning process. Like People
naturally grow older, tired, bored, over time. Sales
people might have gained experience over time.

VALIDITY IN EXPERIMENTS
Factors affecting Internal Validity
Testing: People realize they are being studied, and
respond the way they think is appropriate
Instrumentation: Effect caused by change in
measuring instrument used for taking an
observation. Like price difference in measuring
before and after sales.
Statistical regression: Using extreme scores
Selection bias: Improper assignment of test units to
treatments.
Test Unit Morality: Some test units may drop out of
the experiment while it is in progress
VALIDITY IN EXPERIMENTS
Factors Affecting External Validity
Environment at the time of the test may be
different than the environment of the real world
where these results are to be generated
Population used for the experiments may not be
similar to the population where the results of the
experiment are to be applied
Results generated in the 5-6 weeks of study may
not hold in an application of 12 months

METHODS TO CONTROL EXTRANEOUS
VARIABLES
Randomization
Random assignment of the test unit to the
experimental groups as a result of which the
extraneous variables will operate equally in the group.
This is effective in large samples.
Matching
Match various groups by confounding variables. E.g.
there are 120 people to be distributed in three groups.
There are 45 females among 120 members, then each
of the three groups is assigned 15 females. This way the
effect of the gender can be distributed across all the
three groups.

METHODS TO CONTROL EXTRANEOUS
VARIABLES
Statistical Control
ANCOVA (Analysis of the covariance) etc.

NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
DESIGN
Descriptive design
Univariante descriptive design: Studies undertaken
to describe the frequency of occurrence of a
phenomenon rather than to study relationship
Comparative descriptive design: Comparing
occurrences of a phenomenon in two or more
group.
Accurate description of characteristics of
individual, situation, or group, & the frequency with
which a certain phenomenon occurs in natural
setting without imposing any control or
manipulation

NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
DESIGN
Correlational/Ex post facto design
Examining the relationship between two or
more variables in a natural setting without
manipulation or control (cause & effect
relationship)
Prospective design: Examining relationship
from cause to effect.
Retrospective design: Examining
relationship from effect to cause.


NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
DESIGN
Developmental Research Design
Examining the phenomenon in respect to
the time
Cross-sectional design:
Examining the phenomenon only at one point in
time. E.g. Cross- Sectional study on the attitude of
the Americans towards the Asian-Americans pre
and post 9/11


NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
DESIGN
Developmental Research Design
Examining the phenomenon in respect to
the time
Longitudinal design: Examining the
phenomenon at more than one point in
time
Single sample of the identified population that is
studied over a stretched period of time.
These are often referred to as time series designs
due to repeated measurements taken over time.


NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
DESIGN
Survey Research design
Survey studies are investigation in which
self-reported data are collected from
sample with the purpose of describing
population on some variables of interest.


OTHER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
DESIGN
Meta-analysis
Quantitatively combing & integrating the findings of
the multiple research studies on a particular topic.
Secondary data analysis
A research design in which the data collected in
one research is re-analyzed by another researcher,
usually to test new hypotheses.
Evaluation studies
It is research design which involves the judgment
about success of a programmes, practices,
procedures, or policies.
OTHER ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
DESIGN
Operational research
Operational research involves the study of
complex human organizations & services to
develop new knowledge about institutions,
programmes, use of facilities, & personnel in order
to improve working efficiency of an organization
QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
DESIGN
QUALITATIVE DESIGNS
Ethnographic research
Ethnographic research involves the information
collected from certain cultural groups, by living
with people of those groups & from their key
informants, who are believed to be most
knowledgeable about the selected culture.

QUALITATIVE DESIGNS
Case studies
Research on a phenomenon by studying in depth
a single case example. The case can be an
individual person , an event , a group, or an
institution.
Historical research
Systematic collection & objective evaluation of data
related to past occurrences in order to test
hypotheses concerning causes, effects, or trends of
these events that may help to explain present events
& anticipate future events.