Research Design

1. Research Design

2. Research design is a set of advance decisions that make up the master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information.

3. Three Types of Research Designs • Exploratory • Descriptive • Causal • Please note that research does not necessarily follow the order (1) exploratory, (2) descriptive, and (3) causal designs.

4. Exploratory Research • Exploratory research is unstructured, informal research undertaken to gain background information about the general nature of the research problem. • Uses of exploratory research include:1. Gain background information.2. Define terms.3. Clarify problems and hypotheses.4. Establish research priorities.

5. Methods of Conducting Exploratory Research • Secondary data analysis. Secondary data refers to the process of searching for and interpreting existing info relevant to the research problem (e.g., census data, articles in journals, newspapers, etc.). • Experience (Expert) surveys. Refers to gathering info from those thought to be knowledgeable on the issues relevant to the problem (i.e., ask experts). • Case Analysis. Uses past situations that are similar to the present research problem. • Focus groups. Involves small (8-12) groups of people brought together and guided by a moderator through unstructured, spontaneous discussion.

6. Specifying Constructs & Operational Definitions • Construct: A specific type of concept that exists at a higher level of abstraction. • Constitutive Definition: A statement of the meaning of the central idea or concept under study, establishing its boundaries; also known as a theoretical, or conceptual, definition (Note: Not in the book, but very important for essay exam and formal research report). • Operational Definition: A statement of precisely which observable characteristics will be measured and the process for assigning a value to the concept.

7. What are “Things” Marketing Managers Typically Measure? • Customer Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction • Loyalty • Attitudes Toward Product, Company • Knowledge of product, service, features • Importance of Attributes • Intentions to Purchase • Demographics

8. How are these Constructs Developed?

9. Satisfaction • What would a definition of Satisfaction be, if you were to look it up in the dictionary • Now, how might we “measure” Satisfaction, i.e. the extent to which a person is satisfied?

10. Satisfaction • The fulfillment or gratification of a desire, need, or appetite. • Pleasure or contentment derived from such gratification. • A source or means of gratification. • A qualitative measure of performance as defined by customers, which meet their basic requirements and standards. • The opportunity to avenge a wrong; vindication. • Compensation for injury or loss; reparation. • Assurance beyond doubt or question; complete conviction.

11. Satisfaction – Operational Def’n • How do we measure satisfaction for our study?

12. Next, the Researcher Needs to Identify the Relationships that connects various constructs • A relationship is a meaningful link believed to exist between two or more constructs.

13. Decide on a Model • A model connects constructs in ordered relationships. Construct B Construct D Construct A Construct C

14. Decide on a Model • A model connects constructs in ordered relationships. Satisfaction

15. Finally! Specifying Research Objectives/Hypotheses • Each research objective/Ho must be precise, detailed, clear, and operational (i.e., measurable). • Avoid the nice-to-know syndrome! • Research objectives are best stated as research hypotheses. A hypothesis is a conjectural statement about a relationship between two or more variables that can be tested with empirical data. • ISU Green Team example. How might we express the research question(s): (1) (2) (3) • Statement of Hypotheses based upon these research questions. (1) • Presumes we must now develop a constitutive definition and operational definition.

16. Descriptive Research • Descriptive research provides answers to the questions of who, what, when, where, and how. • Note that we cannot conclusively ascertain answers to WHY using descriptive studies. • Descriptive studies can be of two varieties (i.e., classifications): • Cross-sectional • Longitudinal

17. Example of Descriptive Research • Study Measuring Various Attributes of Salespeople, a Training Program, or a Retailing Situation • Measuring how salespeople or customers behaved, as well as what happened to sales volume • Learn about characteristics of people shopping at a particular store • Satisfaction Study taken at multiple times throughout the year

18. Causal Research • Causality may be thought of as understanding a phenomenon in terms of conditional statements of the form, “If X, then Y.” Conditions for Causality are: • Concomitant Variation: For variable X to cause a change in variable Y, the two must be highly related in that changes in Y are always associated with changes in X. • Temporal Precedence: Refers to the time sequence of occurrence. For variable X to cause Y, it must always occur before or precede Y. • Absence of Competing Explanations: For X to cause Y, other possible causes must be ruled out. • Types of Competing Explanation • Chance • Extraneous Variables

19. Terminology Associated With Causal Research • Variable: Any event which can take on more than one condition. Traditionally symbolized by a Roman or Greek Letter • Independent Variable: A variable whose behavior explains or influences the behavior of another variable. The letter X is conventionally used to symbolize an independent variable (subscripted if more than one independent variable is used). • Dependent Variable: A variable whose behavior is being influenced (i.e. its behavior is "dependent" upon the "independent" variable(s)). Conventionally symbolized by the letter Y (also subscripted if more than one independent variable is used).

20. Methods for Controlling Extraneous (or Confounding) Variables • Randomization: The random assignment of subjects to treatment conditions to ensure equal representation of subject characteristics. • Physical Control: Holding constant the value or level of extraneous variables throughout the course of an experiment. (e.g., matching participants on personal demographic characteristics). • Design Control: Using the experimental design itself to control extraneous causal factors. • Statistical Control: Adjusting for the effects of confounded variables by statistically adjusting the value of the DV for each treatment condition.

21. Notation For Describing Research Framework • X Represents the exposure of the objects being studied to a particular variable or event, the effects of which are to be observed or measured • O Represents the specific process of observation or measurement • R Represents the process of randomly selecting objects being studied and exposing them to a particular variable or event

22. Types of Descriptive Research Frameworks • One Shot Framework (After Only) • After Only With Random Assignment • Pretest-Posttest Framework

23. Causal Experimental Designs • Pretest-posttest with Control • Posttest only with Control • Solomon Four Group • Factorial Design