Research Design 2

Question 1

What are the types of research?

Answer 1

Exploratory, Conclusive (Descriptive and Causal), Modelling, Algorithmic.

Question 2

What is Exploratory Research?

Answer 2

Exploratory Research is the initial research that analyzes the data and explores the possibility of obtaining as many relationships as possible of different variables without knowing their end applications. It forms the basis of more conclusive research. It can be used to determine research design, sampling methodology and data collection method. It tends to tackle new problems that have little to no research done.

Question 3

Examples of Exploratory Research

Answer 3

Literature survey, experience survey, study of insight stimulating examples

Question 4

Explain Descriptive Research.

Answer 4

Descriptive research can be explained as a statement of affairs as they are at present with the researcher having no control over the variable. Descriptive research generates data on the composition and characteristics of a specific group such as customers, salespeople, and market areas. It merely suggests causation.

Question 5

Explain Conclusive Research.

Answer 5

Conclusive research tests the hypothesis(hypotheses) of a research problem formulated by exploratory research and draws a definite conclusion for implementation. After validating the hypothesis, a decision-making framework can be formulated. There are two types of conclusive research, descriptive research and causal research.

Question 6

What are the types of Descriptive Research?

Answer 6

Longitudinal (True Panel and Omnibus Panel) and Cross Sectional (Sample Survey)

Question 7

Define Primary Data.

Answer 7

Primary data are originated by a researcher for the specific purpose of addressing the problem at hand. They are individually tailored for the decision-makers of organizations that pay for well-focused and exclusive support.

Question 8

Define Secondary Data.

Answer 8

Secondary data are data that have already been collected for purposes other than the problem at hand.

Question 9

Purposes of Descriptive Research

Answer 9

Three main purposes of descriptive studies can be explained as describing, explaining, and validating research findings.

Question 10

What are the advantages of secondary data?

Answer 10

Secondary data are easily accessible, relatively inexpensive and quickly obtained.
- Diagnose the research problem
- Develop an approach to the problem
- Develop a sampling plan
- Formulate an appropriate research design
- Answer certain research questions and test some hypothesis
- Interpret primary data with more insight
- Validate qualitative research findings

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of secondary data?

Answer 11

• Because secondary data have been collected for purposes other than the problem at hand, their usefulness to the current problem may be limited in several important ways, including relevance and accuracy.
• The objectives, nature and methods used to collect the secondary data may not be appropriate to the present situation.
• Secondary data may be lacking in accuracy or may not be completely current or dependable.
• Before using secondary data, it is important to evaluate them according to a series of factors.

Question 12

What are the various criteria for evaluating secondary data?

Answer 12

-Specifications and Research Design
-Errors and accuracy
-Currency When the data were collected
-Objective The purpose for which the data were collected
-Nature The content of the data
-Dependability how dependable are the data?

Question 13

What is Longitudinal Study?

Answer 13

Longitudinal study is an observational study that employs continuous or repeated measures to follow particular individuals over a prolonged period of time often years or decades. Longitudinal study collects data that is either qualitative or quantitative.

Question 14

What is Cross Sectional Study?

Answer 14

In cross-sectional studies, data is collected at a single period in time from a cross-sectional sample of the unit of interest and is disbanded after the data collection. In business, a cross-sectional study can be conducted to understand how people of different socio-economic status from one geographical segment respond to one change in an offering. A cross-sectional study may be followed up with a longitudinal study.

Question 15

Advantages of Descriptive Research?

Answer 15

• Effective to analyze non-quantified topics and issues.
• The possibility to observe the phenomenon in a completely natural and unchanged natural environment.
• The opportunity to integrate the qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection.
• Less time-consuming than quantitative experiments.

Question 16

Disadvantages of Descriptive Research?

Answer 16

• Descriptive studies cannot test or verify the research problem statistically.
• Research results may reflect a certain level of bias due to the absence of statistical tests.
• The majority of descriptive studies are not ‘repeatable’ due to their observational nature.
• Descriptive studies do not help identify the cause behind the described phenomenon.

Question 17

What are the components of cause-and-effect relationships?

Answer 17

Temporal Sequence: The cause must occur before the effect.

Concomitant variation: The variation must be systematic between the two variables.

Nonspurious association: Any covariation between a cause and an effect must be true and not simply due to other variables. In other words, there should be no ‘third’ factor that relates to both, cause, as well as, effect.

Question 18

What are the advantages of Casual Research?

Answer 18

• Causal studies may play an instrumental role in terms of identifying reasons behind a wide range of processes, as well as, assessing the impacts of changes on existing norms, processes, etc.
• Causal studies usually offer the advantages of replication if necessity arises.
• This type of study is associated with greater levels of internal validity due to the systematic selection of subjects.

Question 19

What are the disadvantages of Casual Research?

Answer 19

• Coincidences in events may be perceived as cause-and-effect relationships.
• It can be difficult to reach appropriate conclusions based on causal research findings. This is due to the impact of a wide range of factors and variables in a social environment. In other words, while casualty can be inferred, it cannot be proved with a high level of certainty.
• In certain cases, while correlation between two variables can be effectively established; identifying which variable is a cause and which one is the impact can be a difficult task to accomplish.