Exploratory, Descriptive,

and Causal Research

Designs
Chapter 3

Research Designs

Source:
evolvedmarketingconcepts.com

Three types

Exploratory

Descriptive

Causal

Exploratory Research

Purposes

Diagnosing a situation
Screening alternatives
Discovering new ideas
Produce hypotheses

What it does NOT do:

Source: www.triblocal.com

Exploratory Research

Types

Literature search

In-depth interview

First step
With whom?
Advantages
Disadvantages

Focus groups

What is it?
Advantages
Disadvantages

Source:
www.money.cnn.com

Exploratory Research

Case Analyses
Ethnography
Projective Techniques
Word association tests
Sentence completion
method
Role-playing technique
Thematic apperception
test
Cartoon tests/ picture
frustration
Source: www.withfriendship.com

Descriptive Research

Purposes

Describe characteristics of group

Determine proportion of people who act
a certain way
Make predictions
Determine relationships between
variables

Descriptive Research

Types

Longitudinal

Continuous panels

Discontinuous panels

AKA true panels

Krogers card
AKA omnibus panels
Lands End

Cross-sectional

Causal Research

Purpose

Does a change in X cause a change in Y?

Experiments

Laboratory experiments
Field experiments

Market Testing

What is market
testing?

Key Issues

Source: resourceful27.wordpress.com

Controlled experiment
done in a limited but
carefully selected
sector of the
marketplace

Cost
Time
Control

Market Testing

Three types of market testing

Standard test market

Controlled test market

Pros/cons
Pros/cons

Simulated test market

Pros/cons