Chapter 6Chapter 6

Research Design: Research Design:

An OverviewAn Overview

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 

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Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Understand . . .• The basic stages of research design.• The major descriptors of research design.• The major types of research designs.• The relationships that exist between variables in

research design and the steps for evaluating those relationships.

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Research Guides DecisionsResearch Guides Decisions

“Most human beings and most companiesdon’t like to make choices. And theyparticularly don’t like to make a few choices that they really have to live with.”

Alan Lafley former president and chairman of the board

P&G

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PulsePoint: PulsePoint: Research RevelationResearch Revelation

76 The percent of mobile phone subscribers worldwide who use SMS text messaging.

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What Is Research Design?What Is Research Design?

BlueprintBlueprint

PlanPlan

GuideGuide

FrameworkFramework

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What Tools Are Used in What Tools Are Used in Designing Research?Designing Research?

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MindWriter Project Plan in Gantt chart

format

What Tools Are Used in What Tools Are Used in Designing Research?Designing Research?

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Design in the Research ProcessDesign in the Research Process

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Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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Degree of Degree of Question CrystallizationQuestion Crystallization

Exploratory Study

Loose structure

Expand understanding

Provide insight

Develop hypotheses

Formal Study

Precise procedures

Begins with hypotheses

Answers research questions

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Approaches for Approaches for Exploratory InvestigationsExploratory Investigations

Participant observation

Film, photographs

Projective techniques

Psychological testing

Case studies

Ethnography

Expert interviews

Document analysis

Proxemics and Kinesics

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Desired Outcomes of Desired Outcomes of Exploratory StudiesExploratory Studies

Established range and scope of possible management decisions

Established range and scope of possible management decisions

Established major dimensions of research task

Established major dimensions of research task

Defined a set of subsidiary questions that can guide research design

Defined a set of subsidiary questions that can guide research design

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Desired Outcomes of Desired Outcomes of Exploratory Studies (cont.)Exploratory Studies (cont.)

Develop hypotheses about possible causes of management dilemma

Develop hypotheses about possible causes of management dilemma

Learn which hypotheses can be safely ignored

Learn which hypotheses can be safely ignored

Conclude additional research is not needed or not feasible

Conclude additional research is not needed or not feasible

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Commonly Used Commonly Used Exploratory TechniquesExploratory Techniques

Secondary Data AnalysisSecondary

Data Analysis

Focus GroupsFocus

Groups

Experience Surveys

Experience Surveys

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Face-to-face interaction—one of the best ways to learn from participants.

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Experience SurveysExperience 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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Focus GroupsFocus Groups

Group discussion

6-10 participants

Moderator-led

90 minutes-2 hours

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Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

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Data Collection MethodData Collection Method

Monitoring Communication

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Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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The Time DimensionThe Time Dimension

Cross-sectional

Longitudinal

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Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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The Topical ScopeThe Topical Scope

Statistical Study

Breadth

Population inferences

Quantitative

Generalizable findings

Case Study

Depth

Detail

Qualitative

Multiple sources of information

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Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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The Research EnvironmentThe Research Environment

Field conditions

Lab conditions

Simulations

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Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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Purpose of the StudyPurpose of the Study

Reporting Descriptive

Casual -Explanatory

Causal -Predictive

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Descriptive StudiesDescriptive Studies

When?When?

How much?How much? What?What?

Who?

Where?

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Descriptive StudiesDescriptive Studies

Descriptions of population characteristics

Descriptions of population characteristics

Estimates of frequency of characteristics

Estimates of frequency of characteristics

Discovery of associations among variables

Discovery of associations among variables

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Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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Experimental EffectsExperimental Effects

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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Ex Post Facto DesignEx Post Facto Design

Fishing Club Member Non-Fishing-Club 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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Causation and Experimental Causation and Experimental DesignDesign

Random Assignment

Control/ Matching

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Mills Method of AgreementMills Method of Agreement

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Mills Method of DifferenceMills Method of Difference

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Causal StudiesCausal Studies

ReciprocalReciprocal

AsymmetricalAsymmetrical

SymmetricalSymmetrical

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Understanding Understanding Casual RelationshipsCasual Relationships

Property

Response

Stimulus

Behavior

Disposition

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Asymmetrical Casual Asymmetrical Casual RelationshipsRelationships

Stimulus-Response

Disposition-Behavior

Property-Behavior

Property-Disposition

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Types of Asymmetrical Causal Types of Asymmetrical Causal RelationshipsRelationships

Relationship Type

Nature of Relationship

Examples

Stimulus-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.

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Covariation between A and B

Covariation between A and B

Evidence of Causality Evidence of Causality

Time order of eventsTime order of events

No other possible causes of B

No other possible causes of B

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Experimental Effects

Perceptual AwarenessPerceptual Awareness

Research EnvironmentResearch

Environment

DescriptorsDescriptors

Question Crystallization Data Collection

MethodData Collection

Method

Time Dimension

Time Dimension

Topical Scope

Purpose of Study

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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Participants’ Perceptional Participants’ Perceptional AwarenessAwareness

No deviation perceived

Deviations perceived as unrelated

Deviations perceived as researcher-induced

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Category OptionsThe degree to which the research question has been

crystallized• Exploratory study

• Formal study

The method of data collection • Monitoring• Communication Study

The power of the researcher to produce effects in the variables under study

• Experimental• Ex post facto

The purpose of the study • Reporting• Descriptive

• Causal-Explanatory• Causal-Predictive

The time dimension • Cross-sectional• Longitudinal

The topical scope—breadth and depth—of the study • Case• Statistical study

The research environment • Field setting• Laboratory research

• Simulation

The participants’ perceptional awareness of the research activity

• Actual routine• Modified routine

Research Design DescriptorsResearch Design Descriptors

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Key TermsKey Terms

• Asymmetrical relationship

• Case study• Causal study• Causation• Children’s 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

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Key Terms (cont.)Key Terms (cont.)

• Individual depth interview

• Intranet• Laboratory conditions• Longitudinal study• Matching• Monitoring• Primary data

• Qualitative techniques• Random assignment• Reciprocal relationship• Research design• Secondary data• Simulation• Statistical study• Symmetrical relationship