The document discusses various types of research designs including exploratory, descriptive, causal, cross-sectional, and longitudinal designs. It defines key aspects of each design such as their objectives, characteristics, methods, uses, and differences. Research designs provide structure and guidance for a study. Well-designed research ensures studies are relevant, efficient, and produce clear and useful results.

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Research Design
Dr. Mohd Abdul Moid Siddiqui

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RESEARCH DESIGN: DEFINITION
 According to Churchill Jr. A research design is simply the
framework or plan for a used as a guide in collecting and
analysing data. It is the blue print that is followed in
completing study. It is, like the blue print for a house.
 What should be included in a research design. may vary
depending on the preferences of a person responsible.
 In a research design the details should be kept as minimum as
possible for later modifications. However, the following should
be included in any types of research.
 Define the information needed
 Specify the measurement and scaling procedures
 Specify the sampling process and sample size.
 Develop a plan of data analysis.

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Why Research Design is needed?
 Clarity: Without RD the researcher does not know what to do. It
is extremely desirable that the design be put in writing because
this will prevent a study to go astray.
 Relevance: When the researcher is deciding specially what
data are needed.
 Ease in Analysis and Interpretation: Keep the computations
and thinking on the path to solutions and recommendations.
 Economy: Just as the house built without a blue print is likely to
cost more because of midstream alterations in constructions, a
study is likely to cost more without formal design.
 In a nutshell a research design ensures that the study 1) will be
relevant to the problem, and 2) will use economic procedures.
 However, one should not conclude that a design should have a
very rigid framework. There should be some room for flexibility.

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Classification of Research Designs:
 One classification is exploratory, descriptive or causal. Scholar
suggested two basic types, exploratory and hypothesis testing.
 RDs may be broadly classified as exploratory or conclusive
 Exploratory research (ER) is used to define the problem more
precisely, identify relevant courses of action, or gain additional insights.
It is flexible and unstructured.
 The sample selected is small and non-representative. The primary data
are qualitative in nature. The findings are tentative. The insights gained
from exploratory research might be verified by conclusive research.
 Conclusive research is more formal and structured than ER. It is
based on large, representative samples, and the data obtained are
subjected to quantitative analysis.
 The findings are considered to be conclusive. Used as input into
managerial decision making. CR designs may be either descriptive or
causal, and descriptive research designs may be either cross-sectional
or longitudinal.

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DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXPLORATORY AND CONCLUSIVE
RESEARCH
Exploratory Conclusive
Objective: To provide insights and
understanding.
To test specific hypotheses
and examine relationships
Characteristic: Information needed is defined only
loosely
Research process is flexible and
unstructured
Sample is small and non-
representative
Analysis of primary data is
qualitative. Tentative
Information needed is clearly
defined.
Research process is formal
and structured
Sample is large and
representative.
Data analysis is quantitative.
Conclusive
Findings/Resul
ts: Tentative Conclusive
Outcome: Generally followed by further
exploratory or conclusive research
Findings used as input into
decision making

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Research Designs: Three Caviets
 Certain types of research designs are better suited for some
purposes than others.
 The crucial tenet of research is that the design of the investigation
should stem from the problem. Each of these types is appropriate
to specific kinds of problems.
 The emphasis will be laid down on these designs basic
characteristics and generally fruitful approaches. Whether or not
the designs are useful in a given problem setting depends on how
imaginatively they are applied. The general principles of each
design can be taught. Whether they are productive in a given
situation depends on how skillfully they are applied.
 These basic designs can be looked as stages in a continuous
process. Exploratory studies are often considered as the initial
step. When researchers begin an investigation, it stands to reason
that they lack a great deal of knowledge about the problem.
 So exploratory research is needed. Later on, if the problem gets
crystallize a descriptive or causal study can be undertaken.
6

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A Classification of Research Designs
Single Cross-
Sectional Design
Multiple Cross-
Sectional Design
Research Design
Conclusive
Research Design
Exploratory
Research Design
Descriptive
Research
Causal
Research
Cross-Sectional
Design
Longitudinal
Design

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Objective:
Characteristics:
Methods:
A Comparison of Basic Research Designs
Discovery of ideas
and insights
Flexible, versatile
Often the front end
of total research
design
Expert surveys
Pilot surveys
Secondary data
Qualitative research
Describe market
characteristics or
functions
Marked by the prior
formulation of specific
hypotheses
Preplanned and
structured design
Secondary data
Surveys
Panels
Observation and other
data
Determine cause and
effect relationships
Manipulation of one
or more independent
variables
Control of other
mediating variables
Experiments
Exploratory Descriptive Causal

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Uses of Exploratory Research
 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

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Use of Descriptive Research
 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 variables are
associated.
 To make specific predictions

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Methods of Descriptive Research
 Secondary data analyzed in a quantitative as
opposed to a qualitative manner
 Surveys
 Panels
 Observational and other data

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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.
• The CSDs are carried through surveys and also called survey
research design.
• Survey attempts to be representative of some known universe,
both in terms of number of cases included and the manner of their
selection.

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Dummy Table 1: Involvement of Husband-Wife in Refrigerator
Purchase
(N=105, n1 =63, n2 = 42)
Single Earning
Family (n1)
Idea
Initiation
Single Earning
Family (n1)
Information
Collection
Single Earning
Family (n1)
Final
Decision
Level of Involvement %
Stages In
Purchasing
Type of Family W>
H
H = W H > W c2
Dual Earning
Family (n2)
Dual Earning
Family (n2)
Dual Earning
Family (n2)
Single Earning
Family (n1)

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Longitudinal Designs (LDs)
• In LDs a fixed sample (or samples) of population is measured
repeatedly, samples remain the same over time.
• LD provides a series of pictures that give view of the situation and
changes that take place over time.
• Often, the term panel is used interchangeably with the term LD.
• A panel consists of a sample of respondents, that have agreed to
provide information at specified intervals over an extended period.
Syndicated firms maintain panels.
• There are two types of panels. The older type of relies on repeated
measurement of the same variable i.e. each panel member is
measured with respect to the same characteristics at each time.
• A new type of panel called the omnibus panel, a sample of elements is
still selected and maintained, but the information collected from the
members varies. At one time the panel members might be asked to
evaluate alternative advertising copy. At another time it is attitude with
respect to a new product.
• The distinction between the traditional panel and the omnibus panel is
important.

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 CR determines the cause and effect relationships.
 For example, a 5% increase in price of the product will have no
appreciable impact on the quantity demanded by customers.
 DR is not suitable for establishing, causality. Therefore, to
establish causal relationship the experiments are used.
 Causal research is appropriate for understanding which
variables are the cause/s (independent variables) and which
variables are the effect (dependent variables)
 Like DR, causal research requires a planned and structured
design. Causal design, in which the causal or independent
variables are manipulated in a relatively controlled environment.
The main method of causal research is experimentation.
 To understand CRD, one must understand the scientific notion
of causality.
Causal Research Designs ( CRD)