Exploratory, Descriptive, and Causal Research Designs Tracy Suter provides new, timely fast facts on Twitter at @TracySuter. Follow him and share interesting facts you’ve discovered. Chapter 3, Student Edition MR/Brown & Suter MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objective 1 Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Discover ideas and insights Descriptive Research Describing a population with respect to important variables Determining the frequency with which something occurs or the relationship between variables Causal Research Used to establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables MR/Brown & Suter MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objective 2 Exploratory studies are Typically small scale Very flexible Exploratory research is useful for Helping define the problem Developing hypotheses Gaining familiarity with a problem or opportunity The output of exploratory research is ideas and insights, not answers MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objective 3 Literature Search Depth Interviews Focus Groups Search of popular press, trade, and academic literature or published statistics from research firms or governmental agencies Depth Interviews Interviews with people knowledgeable about the general subject being investigated Focus Groups Small group interviews relying on group discussion Case Analyses Intensive study of selected examples of phenomenon MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objective 3 Special Note on Focus Groups Focus Groups have two major pitfalls It is easy for managers to see what they expect to see in focus group results Focus groups are one form of exploratory research – it (or any other type of exploratory research) should not be expected to deliver final results or answers to decision problems – yet many managers seem to use them for that purpose MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objective 4 Cross-section Study Longitudinal Analysis Single point in time measures of a sample selected from a population Longitudinal Analysis Repeated measures, over time, of a fixed sample (panels of people) MR/Brown & Suter MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objective 5 Continuous panel – Fixed sample of respondents who are measured repeatedly over time with respect to the same variables Discontinuous panel – Fixed sample of respondents who are measured repeated over time with respect to different variables MR/Brown & Suter MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objective 6 Laboratory Experiment Field Experiment Includes a situation with exact conditions Like a chemistry lab Control of variables other than X or Y is maximized Labs are sterile X variables are manipulated Field Experiment Includes a situation with fluid conditions Like a retail store Control of variables other than X or Y is challenging Store conditions vary X variables are manipulated MR/Brown & Suter
Learning Objectives Describe the major emphasis of each of the three basic types of research design Describe the key characteristics and basic uses of exploratory research Discuss the various types of exploratory research and describe each Discuss the difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal descriptive research designs Explain the difference between a continuous panel and a discontinuous panel Clarify the difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments Distinguish among a standard test market, a controlled test market, and a simulated test market MR/Brown & Suter
Controlled Test Market Learning Objective 7 Standard Test Market Controlled Test Market Simulated Test Market Definition A test market in which the company sells the product through its normal distribution channels An entire test program conducted by an outside service in a market in which it can guarantee distribution A study in which consumer ratings and other information are fed into a computer model that then makes projections about the likely level of sales for the product in the market Example Taco Bell test marketed its Grilled Stuft Burrito in Fresno, CA Behaviorscan from SymphonyIRI Group is a leading supplier of controlled test market services BASES from Nielsen is an industry leader in simulated test markets MR/Brown & Suter