business research methods_chapter06

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2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

6-1

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Research Design:Research Design:An OverviewAn Overview


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6-2

Learning Objectives

Understand the major descriptors of

research design

Understand the major types of researchdesigns

Understand the relationships that exist

between variables in causal designs and

the steps for evaluating those relationships


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6-3

Research Design

Blueprint

Plan

Guide

Framework


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6-4

Exhibit 6-1 Design in the

Research Process


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6-5

Exhibit 6-2 Descriptors of

Research Design

Category Options

The degree to which the research question has

been crystallized

Exploratory study

Formal study

The method of data collection Monitoring

Communication StudyThe power of the researcher to produce effects in

the variables under study

Experimental

Ex post facto

The purpose of the study Descriptive

Causal

The time dimension Cross-sectional

LongitudinalThe topical scopebreadth and depthof the

study

Case

Statistical study

The research environment Field setting

Laboratory research

Simulation

The participants perceptions of the researchactivity Actual routine Modified routine


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6-6

The Degree of Structure

Exploratory Study

Loose structure

Expand

understanding

Provide insight

Develop hypotheses

Formal Study

Precise procedures

Begins with

hypotheses

Answers research

questions


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6-7

The Topical Scope

Statistical Study

Breadth

Population inferences

Quantitative

Generalizable

findings

Case Study

Depth

Detail

Qualitative

Multiple sources of

information


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6-8

Descriptive Studies

When?

How much? What?

Who?

Where?


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6-9

Causal Studies

Experiment

Study involving the

manipulation or

control of one or more

variables to determine

the effect on another

variable

Ex Post Facto study

After-the-fact report

on what happened to

the measured

variable


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6-10

Exhibit 6-3

Mills Method of Agreement


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6-11

Exhibit 6-4

Mills Method of Difference


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6-12

Methods of

Data Collection

Monitoring Communication


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6-13

The Time Dimension

Cross-sectional

Longitudinal


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6-14

The Research

Environment

Field conditions

Lab conditions

Simulations


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6-15

Participants

Perceptions

No deviation perceived

Deviations perceived

as unrelated

Deviations perceived as

researcher-induced


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6-16

Approaches for

Exploratory Investigations

Interviewing

Participant

observation Film, photographs

Projective

techniques Psychological

testing

Case studies

Street ethnography

Elite or expertinterviewing

Document analysis

Proxemics andKinesics


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6-17

Desired outcomes of

Exploratory Studies_1

Established range and scope of possible

management decisions

Established major dimensions of

research task

Defined a set of subsidiary questions that

can guide research design


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6-18

Desired outcomes of

Exploratory Studies_2

Developed hypotheses about possible

causes of management dilemma

Learned which hypotheses can be

safely ignored

Concluded additional research is not

needed or not feasible


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6-19

Common Exploratory

Techniques for Research

Secondary

Data Analysis

FocusGroups

Experience

Surveys


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6-20

Delve emphasizes

that face-to-face

interaction is still one

of the best ways to

learn about

consumers


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6-21

Experience Surveys

What is being done?

What has been tried in the past with or

without success?

How have things changed?

Who is involved in the decisions?

What problem areas can be seen?

Whom can we count on to assist or

participate in the research?


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6-22

Focus Groups

Group discussion

6-10 participants

Moderator-led

90 minutes-2 hours


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6-23

Descriptive Studies

Descriptions of

population characteristics

Estimates of frequency of

characteristics

Discovery of associations

among variables


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6-24

Causal Studies

Asymmetrical

Reciprocal

Symmetrical


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6-25

Exhibit 8-3 Asymmetrical

Casual Relationships

Stimulus-Response

Disposition-Behavior

Property-

Behavior

Property-

Disposition


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6-26

Exhibit 6-6 Types of

Asymmetrical Causal

RelationshipsRelationship Type Nature of Relationship ExamplesStimulus-response An event or change results in

a response from some object.

A change in work rules leads to a higher level of

worker output.

A change in government economic policy restricts

corporate financial decisions.

A price increase results in fewer unit sales.

Property-disposition An existing property causes a

disposition.

Age and attitudes about saving.

Gender attitudes toward social issues.

Social class and opinions about taxation.

Disposition-behavior A disposition causes a

specific behavior.

Opinions about a brand and its purchase.

Job satisfaction and work output.

Moral values and tax cheating.

Property-behavior An existing property causes a

specific behavior.

Stage of the family life cycle and purchases of

furniture.

Social class and family savings patterns.

Age and sports participation.

Definitions:A stimulus is an event or force (e.g., drop in temperature, crash of stock market, product recall, or explosion infactory). A response is a decision or reaction. A propertyis an enduring characteristic of a subject that does not depend oncircumstances for its activation (e.g., age, gender, family status, religious affiliation, ethnic group, or physical condition). A

disposition is a tendency to respond in a certain way under certain circumstances (e.g., attitudes, opinions, habits, values, anddrives). A behavior is an action (e.g., consumption habits, work performance, interpersonal acts, and other kinds of performance).


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Covariation between

A and B

Evidence of Causality

Time order of events

No other possible

causes of B


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Causation and

Experimental Design

Random

Assignment

Control/

Matching


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6-29

Ex Post Facto Design

Substitute BRM

Exhibit 6-8

Club Member Nonclub Member

Age High Absentee Low Absentee High Absentee Low Absentee

Under 30 years 36 6 30 48

30 to 45 4 4 35 117

45 and over 0 0 5 115


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Key Terms

Asymmetricalrelationship

Case study

Causal study Causation

Childrens panels

Communication study

Control Control group

Correlation

Cross-sectional study

Descriptive study

Ethnographic research

Ex post facto design

Experience Experiment

Exploratory study

Field conditions

Focus group

Formal study

Individual depth interview

Intranet


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Key Terms (cont.)

Laboratory conditions

Longitudinal study

Matching

Monitoring

Primary data

Qualitative techniques

Random assignment

Reciprocal relationship

Research design

Secondary data

Simulation

Statistical study

Symmetrical relationship

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