Post on 05-Apr-2018
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Unit II: Research Design
Prof. Shailja Bhakar
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Concept of a Research Problem
A Research Problem in general,
refers to some difficulty which
researcher experiences in thecontext of either a theoretical or
practical situation and wants to
obtain a solution for the same.
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Selection of a Research Problem
1. Subject which is overdone should not normally be chosen2. Controversial subject should not be chosen by an average
researcher
3. Too narrow or too vague problems should be avoided
4. The subject selected for research should be familiar andfeasible so that the related research material or sources of
research are within ones reach
5. The importance of subject, the qualification and training of a
researcher, the costs involved, the time factor should also beconsidered
6. The selection of a problem must be preceded by a
preliminary study
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Necessity of defining the problem
Clear statement of problem
Signifies the need for research
Helps in unambiguous research Discriminate relevant data from irrelevant one
Strategy making or research design
formulation
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Formulating a Research Problem
Ascertain the decision makers objectives
Understand the background of the problem
Isolate and identify the problem not the
symptoms
Determine the unit of analysis
Determine the relevant variables
State the research questions and research
objectives
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MILESTONE
FE
WMI
LESAWAYFR
OMMU
MBAI
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Research Design
Research design constitutes the blueprint for the
collection, measurement and analysis of data Research design aids the researcher in the allocation of
limited resources by posing crucial choices in
methodology
Research design is a plan or structure of investigation
so conceived as to obtain answers to research
questions
Research design expresses the structure of the researchproblem- the framework, organization or configuration
of the relationships among variables of a study and the
plan of investigation used to obtain empirical evidence
of those relationship
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Essentials of a research design
An activity and time based plan
A plan always based on the research question
A guide for selecting sources and type ofinformation
A framework for specifying the relationship
among study variables A procedural outline for every research
activity
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Features of a good design
Flexible as well as fix both
Appropriate
Efficient
Economical The design which minimizes bias and maximizes
reliability
Which gives smallest experimental error
Maximum information Provides an opportunity for considering many
different aspect of problem
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Types of research design
Exploratory Study: Exploration is particularlyuseful when
1. Lack of clear idea of problem
2. Develop concepts more clearly3. Establish priorities
4. Develop operational definitions
5. Improves final research design6. Saves time and money
7. Idea is vague and unclear
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Types of research design
Exploration relies more onqualitative techniques-Approaches that are widely usedin exploratory research designare
1. Secondary data analysis
2. Experience survey
3. Focus group
4. Two stage design5. Projective techniques
6. Other techniques
Exploratory
Design
QualitativeQuantitative
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Types of research design
1. Secondary data analysis: The first step in anexploratory study is a search of secondary literature.
Sources of secondary data collection are:
a) Organization own data archives
b) Reports of prior research study
c) Published documents prepared by researcher/author outside the sponsor organization
d) Periodicals and books on all aspects of business
e) Catalogs, guides, indexes available in librariesSecondary sources can supply excellent sources of
background information
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Types of research design2. Experience survey: An interview is conducted in experience survey of
experiences people to seek their ideas about important issues or aspectsof the subject and discover what is important across the subjects range of
knowledge
Questions asked in experience survey:
a) What is being done
b) What has been tried in past with or without success
c) How have things changed
d) What are the change producing elements of the situation
e) Who is involved in the decision
f) What roles everyone is playingg) Barriers, problem areas, cost, priority areas etc
Probing such questions may show certain facilities are available, what
factors need to be controlled and how and who will cooperate in the
study
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Types of research design
3. Focus Group: Focus group became widely usedin 1980s and are used for increasingly diverseresearch application today
a) It is a group of people (6 to 10 participants)b) Led by trained motivator/ moderator
c) Upto 90 min to 2 hrs duration Group Discussion
d) Group exchanges ideas, feelings andexperiences
e) Facilitator or moderator uses group dynamicsprinciples to focus or guide the group
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Types of research design
Basic output of focus group
a) Ideas, observations and recommendations by moderator
b) These are often used for later quantitative testing
c) In exploratory research the qualitative data produced during
focus group may be used for enriching all levels of research
questions and hypothesis and comparing effectiveness of design
option
4. Two Stage Design: With this approach exploration becomes a
separate first stage with limited objectives:
a) Clearly defining the research questions
b) Developing a research design
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Types of research design
5. Projective techniques: Identifies perception of the responder Construction
Thermatic Apperception Test (TAT)
Item Substitution Test
Association
Word-Association
Ink Blot (Rorschach Test)
Cloud Pictures
Auditory Projective Techniques
Completion Sentence-completion
Picture Completion
Psychodrama
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Types of research design
Other techniques:
1. Individual depth interview
2. Observation
3. Pilot test4. Case study
5. Expert interviewing
6. Document testing
7. Role playing
8. Games
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Types of research design
Causal Research: Causal research evaluates the cause andeffect relationship between different variables:
There are three possible relationships that can occur betweentwo variables:
1. Symmetrical: is one in which two variables fluctuatetogether but it is assumed that neither variable changes dueto other variable
2. Reciprocal: Exists when two variables mutually influence orreinforce each other
3. Asymmetrical: Exists when one variable (independentvariable) is responsible for changes in other variable(dependent variable)
The degree to which each variable may be altered
The time order between the variables
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Types of research design
Testing causal hypothesis: No one can ever prove that onevariable is cause of other variable researcher has to gathersome evidence to increase the belief that A leads to B.These evidences are generated through experimentaldesigns. Prof R. A Fisher developed these experimental
designs Basic principles of experimental designs:
1. Principle of replication: Repetition of experiment
2. Principle of randomization: Random block wise
experiment3. Principle of Variability: Controlling variability. Variability
should be measured and should be eliminated from theexperiment
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Important concepts relating to
Research Design Dependent and Independent Variable
Extraneous Variable
Control
Confounded Relationship
Research Hypothesis
Experiments
Experimental and Non Experimental Hypothesis
Testing Research
Experimental and control group
Treatments Experimental Units
Errors: Constant and Random
Classificatory v/s Continuous variables
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Field vs. Laboratory Experiment
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Laboratory Experiment Field Experiment
Artificial-Low Realism
Few Extraneous
Variables
High control
Low Cost
Short Duration
Subjects Aware of
Participation
Natural-High Realism
Many Extraneous
Variables
Low control
High Cost
Long Duration
Subjects Unaware of
Participation
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Factors Influencing Internal Validity
History
Maturation
Testing Instrumentation
Selection
Mortality
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Type of Extraneous Variable
History - Specific events in the environment between the Before and
After measurement that are
beyond the experimenters control
Maturation - Subjects change during the course of the experiment
Testing - The Before measure alerts or sensitizes subject to nature
of experiment or second measure.
Instrument - Changes in instrument result in response bias
Selection - Sample selection error because of differential selectioncomparison groups
Mortality - Sample attrition; some subjects withdraw from
experiment
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What are the Different BasicExperimental Designs?
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Quasi-Experimental Designs
One Shot Design (After Only)
One Group Pretest-Posttest
Static Group Design
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One Shot Design (After Only)
X O1
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One Group Pretest-Posttest
O1 X O2
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Static Group Design
Experimental Group X O1
Control Group O2
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Three Good Experimental Designs
Pretest - Posttest Control Group Design
Posttest Only Control Group
Solomon Four Group Design
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Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design
Experimental Group R O1 X O2
Control Group R O3 X O4
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Posttest Only Control Group
Experimental Group R X O1
Control Group R O2
O Sh D i
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One-Shot Design
Internal Validity Problems
History
weak
Maturation weak
Testing
not relevant
Instrumentation
not relevant
Selection weak
Mortality
weak
O G P P
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One-Group Pretest-Posttest
Internal Validity Problems
History
weak
Maturation weak
Testing
weak
Instrumentation
weak
Selection controlled
Mortality
controlled
S i G D i
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Static-Group Design
Internal Validity Problems
History
controlled
Maturation possible source
of concern
Testing controlled
Instrumentation
controlled
Selection weak
Mortality
weak
l
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Pretest-Posttest Control
Internal Validity Problems
History
controlled
Maturation controlled
Testing
controlled
Instrumentation
controlled
Selection controlled
Mortality
controlled
S l F G D i
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Solomon Four-Group Design
Internal Validity Problems
History
controlled
Maturation controlled
Testing
controlled
Instrumentation
controlled
Selection controlled
Mortality
controlled
P tt t O l C t l
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Posttest-Only Control
Internal Validity Problems
History
controlled
Maturation controlled
Testing
controlled
Instrumentation
controlled
Selection controlled
Mortality
controlled
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Solomon Four Group Design
Experimental Group 1: R O1 X O2Control Group 1: R O3 O4Experimental Group 2: R X O5Control Group 2: R X O6
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Types of research design
III. Descriptive Studies: In contrast to exploratorystudies, more formalized studies are typicallystructured with clearly stated hypothesis orinvestigative questions. Various research
objectives are:1. Description of phenomena or characteristics
associated with a subject population (who,what, when, where and how of a topic)
2. Estimates of proportions of a population thathave these characteristics
3. Discovery of association among differentvariables labeled as correlated study
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Types of research design
Diagnostic studies also follow same pattern asdescriptive studies: conducted in followingsituations
1. Analysis of characteristics of certain group.
Example: Users of a product2. Identify proportion of people in specified
population who behave in certain way
3. To forecast future trends
4. To study whether certain variables areassociated. Example: Income and use of aproduct
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Types of research design
Nature1. Rigid design
2. Probability Sampling
3. Pre planned design for analysis
4. Structure and well thought out instruments forcollection of data
5. Advance decisions about operational procedure
Design
1. Survey : Questionnaire and Interview2. Observation
3. Secondary data
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Stages in research design
Nature of problem
Exploratory study
Objective and hypothesis framing
Selection of appropriate researchdesign
Application of research design