Chapter 6

Research Design:
An Overview

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Copyright 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All

Rights Reserved.

6-2

Learning 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.

6-3

PulsePoint: Research Revelation

95

The millions of Americans actively

text messaging, according to Yankee
Group.

6-4

Fit the Design to the Information

Polls and focus groups do a good job on issues
where people have made up their minds,
but there are a number of gridlock issues laden
with complex trade-offs that people havent
thought out.

Daniel Yankelovich, author and founder,

Yankelovich, Skelly and White

6-5

What Is Research Design?

Blueprint
Blueprint
Plan
Plan
Guide
Guide
Framework
Framework

What Tools Are Used in

Designing Research?

6-6

What Tools Are Used in

Designing Research?

MindWriter
Project Plan
in Gantt chart
format

6-7

6-8

Design in the Research Process

6-9

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-10

Degree of Question Crystallization

Exploratory Study
Loose structure
Expand
understanding
Provide insight
Develop hypotheses

Formal Study
Precise procedures
Begins with
hypotheses
Answers research
questions

Approaches for Exploratory

Investigations

Participant observation
Film, photographs
Projective techniques
Psychological testing
Case studies
Ethnography
Expert interviews
Document analysis
Proxemics and Kinesics

6-11

Desired Outcomes
of Exploratory Studies
Established
Established range
range and
and scope
scope of
of possible
possible
management
management decisions
decisions
Established
Established major
major dimensions
dimensions of
of
research
research task
task
Defined
Defined aa set
set of
of subsidiary
subsidiary questions
questions that
that
can
can guide
guide research
research design
design

6-12

Desired Outcomes of
Exploratory Studies (cont.)
Developed
Developed hypotheses
hypotheses about
about possible
possible
causes
causes of
of management
management dilemma
dilemma
Learned
Learned which
which hypotheses
hypotheses can
can be
be
safely
safely ignored
ignored
Concluded
Concluded additional
additional research
research is
is not
not
needed
needed or
or not
not feasible
feasible

6-13

6-14

Commonly Used Exploratory Techniques

Secondary
Secondary
Data
Data Analysis
Analysis

Experience
Experience
Surveys
Surveys

Focus
Focus
Groups
Groups

6-15

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

6-16

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?

6-17

Focus Groups

Group discussion
6-10 participants
Moderator-led
90 minutes-2 hours

6-18

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-19

Data Collection Method

Monitoring

Communication

6-20

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-21

The Time Dimension

Cross-sectional

Longitudinal

6-22

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-23

The Topical Scope

Statistical Study
Breadth
Population inferences
Quantitative
Generalizable
findings

Case Study
Depth
Detail
Qualitative
Multiple sources of
information

6-24

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-25

The Research Environment

Field conditions
Lab conditions

Simulations

6-26

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-27

Purpose of the Study

Reporting

Casual
-Explanatory

Descriptive

Causal
-Predictive

6-28

Descriptive Studies
Who?

How
How much?
much?

What?
What?

When?
When?

Where?

6-29

Descriptive Studies
Descriptions
Descriptions of
of
population
population characteristics
characteristics
Estimates
Estimates of
of frequency
frequency of
of
characteristics
characteristics
Discovery
Discovery of
of associations
associations
among
among variables
variables

6-30

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-31

Experimental Effects
Ex Post Facto Study
After-the-fact report
on what happened to
the measured
variable

Experiment
Study involving the
manipulation or
control of one or
more variables to
determine the effect
on another variable

6-32

Ex Post Facto Design

Fishing Club Member

Non-Fishing-Club Member

Age

High Absentee

Low Absentee

High Absentee

Low Absentee

Under 30 years

36

30

48

30 to 45

35

117

45 and over

115

6-33

Causation and Experimental Design

Control/
Matching

Random
Assignment

6-34

Mills Method of Agreement

6-35

Mills Method of Difference

6-36

Causal Studies

Symmetrical
Symmetrical
Reciprocal
Reciprocal

Asymmetrical
Asymmetrical

6-37

Understanding Casual Relationships

Property

Behavior

Disposition

Response

Stimulus

6-38

Asymmetrical Casual Relationships

Stimulus-Response
PropertyDisposition

PropertyBehavior
Disposition-Behavior

Exhibit 6-6 Types of Asymmetrical Causal

Relationships

6-39

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.

6-40

Evidence of Causality
Covariation
Covariation between
between
A
A and
and B
B

Time
Time order
order of
of events
events
No
No other
other possible
possible
causes
causes of
of B
B

6-41

Descriptors of Research Design

Perceptual
Perceptual
Awareness
Awareness

Purpose of
Study

Research
Research
Environment
Environment

Question
Crystallization

Descriptors
Descriptors

Topical Scope

Data
Data Collection
Collection
Method
Method

Experimental
Effects

Time
Time
Dimension
Dimension

6-42

Participants Perceptional Awareness

No deviation perceived
Deviations perceived
as unrelated
Deviations perceived as
researcher-induced

6-43

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 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 scopebreadth and depthof 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

6-44

Key Terms
Asymmetrical
relationship
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

6-45

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