Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation

Seventh Edition, Global Edition

Chapter 3
Research Design

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter Objectives
• 1) Research design Overview: Definition and components
• 2) Classification of marketing research design
• 3) Exploratory research: objectives and methods
• 4) Descriptive research :objectives , methods and types
• 5) Causal Research: objectives and method
• 6) Relationships Among Exploratory, Descriptive, and
Causal Research.

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

1) Research Design overview
Definition
• A research design is a framework or blueprint for
conducting the marketing research project. It details the
procedures necessary for obtaining the information needed
to structure or solve marketing research problems.

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

1) Research design Overview
Components
• Define the information needed (Chapter 2)
• Design the exploratory, descriptive, and/or causal phases
of the research (Chapters 3 – 7)
• Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
(Chapters 8 and 9)
• Construct and pretest a questionnaire (interviewing form)
or an appropriate form for data collection (Chapter 10)
• Specify the sampling process and sample size (Chapters
11 and 12)
• Develop a plan of data analysis (Chapter 14)
Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
2) Classification of Marketing Research
Designs
Figure 3.1 A
Classification of
Marketing
Research
Designs

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Exploratory & Conclusive Research
Differences
Table 3.1 Differences Between Exploratory and Conclusive
Research
Blank Exploratory Conclusive

Objective: To provide insights and To test specific hypotheses and

understanding examine relationships
Characteristics: Information needed is defined only Information needed is clearly
loosely. Research process is defined. Research process is
flexible and unstructured. Sample formal and structured. Sample
is small and nonrepresentative. is large and representative.
Analysis of primary data is Data analysis is quantitative.
qualitative.
Findings/Results: Tentative Conclusive
Outcome: Generally followed by further Findings used as input into
exploratory or conclusive research decision making

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

A Comparison of Basic Research Designs
Table 3.2 A Comparison of Basic Research Designs
Blank Exploratory Descriptive Causal
Objective: Discovery of ideas and Describe market Determine cause-and-
insights characteristics or functions effect relationships
Characteristics: Flexible, versatile Marked by the prior Manipulation of one or
formulation of specific more independent
hypotheses variables
Often the front end of total Preplanned and structured Measure the effect on
research design design dependent variable(s)
Control of other
mediating variables
Methods: Expert surveys Secondary data: quantitative Experiments
Pilot surveys analysis
Case studies Surveys
Secondary data: qualitative Panels
analysis Observation and other data
Qualitative research

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

3) Exploratory Research
Objectives (uses)
• Formulate a problem or define a problem more precisely
• Identify alternative courses of action
• Develop hypotheses
• Isolate key variables and relationships for further
examination
• Gain insights for developing an approach to the problem
• Establish priorities for further research

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Exploratory Research
Methods
• Survey of experts (discussed in Chapter 2)
• Pilot surveys (discussed in Chapter 2)
• Secondary data analyzed in a qualitative way (discussed in
Chapter 4)
• Qualitative research (discussed in Chapter 5)

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

4) Descriptive Research
Objectives (Uses)
• To describe the characteristics of relevant groups, such as
consumers, salespeople, organizations, or market areas
• To estimate the percentage of units in a specified
population exhibiting a certain behavior
• To determine the perceptions of product characteristics
• To determine the degree to which marketing variables are
associated
• To make specific predictions

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

 Examples of Descriptive Research
• • Market studies, which describe the size of the market,
market shares, buying power of the consumers, availability of
distributors, and consumer profiles
• Sales analysis studies, which describe sales by geographic
region, product line, type and size of the account
• Image studies, which determine consumer perceptions of the
firm and its products
• Product usage studies, which describe consumption patterns
• Distribution studies, which determine traffic flow patterns and
the number and location of distributors
• Pricing studies, which describe the range and frequency of
price changes and probable consumer response to proposed
price changes
• Advertising studies, which describe media consumption
habits and audience profiles for specific television programs
and magazines Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Methods of Descriptive Research
• Secondary data analyzed in a quantitative, as opposed to
a qualitative, manner (discussed in Chapter 4)
• Surveys (Chapter 6)
• Panels (Chapters 4 and 6)
• Observational and other data (Chapter 6)

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Descriptive research types
A. Cross-Sectional Designs
• Involve the collection of information from any given sample of
population elements only once.

• In single cross-sectional designs, there is only one sample of

respondents and information is obtained from this sample only
once.

• In multiple cross-sectional designs, there are two or more

samples of respondents, and information from each sample is
obtained only once. Often, information from different samples is
obtained at different times.

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

B.Longitudinal Designs
• A fixed sample (or samples) of population elements is
measured repeatedly on the same variables
• A longitudinal design differs from a cross-sectional design
in that the sample or samples remain the same over time

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Cross-Sectional vs. Longitudinal

Cross- Sample
Sectional Surveyed
Design at T1

Sample Same Sample

Longitudinal
Surveyed at also Surveyed
Design
T1 at T2

Time → T1 T2

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of
Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Designs
Table 3.3 Relative Advantages and Disadvantages of
Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Designs
Evaluation Criteria Cross-Sectional Design Longitudinal Design
Detecting change − +
Large amount of data collection − +
Accuracy − +
Representative sampling + −
Response bias + −

Note: A + indicates a relative advantage over the other design, whereas a −

indicates a relative disadvantage.

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

5) Causal Research
Objectives
• To understand which variables are the cause (independent
variables) and which variables are the effect (dependent
variables) of a phenomenon
• To determine the nature of the relationship between the
causal variables and the effect to be predicted
• METHOD: Experiments

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

6) Relationships Among Exploratory,
Descriptive, and Causal Research

• When little is known about the problem situation, it is

desirable to begin with exploratory research.
• Exploratory research is the initial step in the overall
research design framework. In most instances, it should be
followed by descriptive or causal research. For example,
hypotheses developed via exploratory research should be
statistically tested using descriptive or causal research.

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Relationships Among Exploratory,
Descriptive, and Causal Research
• It is not necessary to begin every research design with
exploratory research. It depends on the precision with
which the problem has been defined and the researcher’s
degree of certainty about the approach to the problem. To
illustrate, a consumer satisfaction survey that is conducted
quarterly need not begin with or include an exploratory
phase each quarter.
• Although exploratory research is generally the initial step, it
need not be. Exploratory research may follow descriptive
or causal research. For example, descriptive or causal
research results in findings that are hard for managers to
interpret. Exploratory research may provide more insights
to help understand these findings.
Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Marketing Research Proposal
• Executive Summary
• Background
• Problem Definition/Objectives of the Research
• Approach to the Problem
• Research Design
• Fieldwork/Data Collection
• Data Analysis
• Reporting
• Cost and Time
• Appendices

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Marketing Research Proposal
1. Executive Summary. The proposal should begin with a
summary of the major points from each of the other
sections, presenting an overview of the entire proposal.
2. Background. The background to the problem, including
the environmental context, should be discussed.
3. Problem Definition/Objectives of the Research.
Normally, a statement of the problem, including the
specific components, should be presented.
4. Approach to the Problem. At a minimum, a review of
the relevant academic and trade literature should be
presented, along with some kind of an analytical model. If
research questions and hypotheses have been identified,
then these should be included in the proposal.
Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Marketing Research Proposal
5. Research Design. The research design adopted, whether
exploratory, descriptive, or causal, should be specified.
Information should be provided on the following components:
(a) kind of information to be obtained, (b) method of
administering the questionnaire (mail, telephone, personal,
mobile, or electronic interviews), (c) scaling techniques, (d)
nature of the questionnaire (type of questions asked, length,
average interviewing time), and (e) sampling plan and
sample size.
6. Fieldwork/Data Collection. The proposal should discuss
how the data will be collected
and who will collect it.

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Marketing Research Proposal
7. Data Analysis. The kind of data analysis that will be
conducted and how the results will be interpreted should be
described.
8. Reporting. The proposal should specify whether
intermediate reports will be presented and at what stages,
what will be the form of the final report, and whether a formal
presentation of the results will be made.
9. Cost and Time. The cost of the project and a time
schedule, broken down by phases, should be presented. A
CPM or PERT chart might be included. In large projects, a
payment schedule is also worked out in advance.
10. Appendices. Any statistical or other information that is of
interest only to a few people should be contained in
appendices.
Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
• End Of chapter three

Copyright © 2020 by Pearson Education Ltd. All Rights Reserved.