This type of research does not only reveal the existence of a cause-and-effect relationship but also explores the link between the two. Many companies conduct causal research, for example, to find the connection between their customers and the changing prices of their goods. Thus, this method of research can be used by companies to help craft favourable outcomes for themselves. Such assessment can help businesses navigate their future with fewer interruptions and also help them plan better for various situations.
A researcher is trying to study the effects of alcohol consumption on health. They select a sample group consisting of people who consume different amounts of alcohol, and then also observe different metrics that are indicators of health.
One of the key differences between these three designs is their research approach. Causal research has a highly structured and rigid research design and is generally conducted in the later stages of decision making. In contrast, exploratory research is highly unstructured and provides a lot of flexibility as it is generally the first step in any research process and is therefore in the early stages of decision making.
Descriptive research is conducted after explorative research and its research design has more structure than the exploratory design but less structure than the causal design. In both, exploratory and descriptive research, the key research statement is the research question itself. However, in causal research, the key research statement is generally the research hypothesis.
Exploratory research is sometimes confused with descriptive research, as both are conducted in the early stages of a research process. However, there are a few key differences between the two. Exploratory research provides somewhat of a foundation or a hypothesis about the research problem and is therefore the first form of research that must be conducted when studying an unknown topic. Therefore, descriptive research takes place after exploratory research in the overall research process.
Additionally, the research design in exploratory research is not as rigid as the research design in descriptive research. A focus group where a researcher explores the different attributes of cars that matter most to a younger target audience.
By gaining an understanding of which attributes are most important to consumers, the researcher can conduct further research on the different price points this target audience would be willing to pay for a car.
Causal research is used to identify the cause-and-effect relationship between variables and provides conclusive results that can answer the research problem. The purpose of exploratory research is to give researchers a deeper understanding of a research problem so that it can be investigated effectively.
It can be used to formulate research problems, clarify concepts, and form hypotheses. Research design is a tool that is used in carrying out marketing researches. The design is supposed to give in detail the procedures that are supposed to be followed to solve problems that marketing researches present. The major approaches used in researches include exploratory, causal, and exploratory research designs. Information requirements, measures, and scales have to be spelt out clearly.
Sampling process, sample size, and data analysis plans also feature prominently as components of the three research designs Collins, Sutton and Onwuegbuzie Descriptive research design is mainly used to describe a behavior or type of subject.
It not intended to look for specific relationships between variables neither does it correlate variables. Its major set back is that it cannot identify cause because its setting is completely natural.
Moreover, it has all the variables present. Descriptive research design is an asset to a researcher because a lot of information can be acquired through description. For purposes of identification of variables and hypothetical constructs which can be subjected to further investigations using other means, descriptive research design come in handy. Some of its advantages include the ability of its descriptions to be used to indirectly test theory or model behaviors that cannot be studied using any other means Creswell Categories of descriptive design include surveys and observational studies.
Field surveys feature prominently under surveys. Under this, the participants are expected to fill in the questionnaires or be subjected to interviews in natural settings. Much attention should be devoted to construction and content validity of the questionnaires; the scores must be reliable; the questions should be clear and precise hence mutually exclusive answers; the interviewer must be consistent and controlled in his or her behavior; and the order of questions as they appear in the questionnaire have to be counterbalanced.
This helps in identifying and controlling one sided responses. Surveys are quite often mailed or facilitated through phone calls. Surveys conducted through mails involve questionnaires that are relatively long. It takes some time before these mails are returned. Descriptive research takes up the bulk of online surveying and is considered conclusive in nature due to its quantitative nature.
Unlike exploratory research, descriptive research is preplanned and structured in design so the information collected can be statistically inferred on a population. The main idea behind using this type of research is to better define an opinion, attitude, or behaviour held by a group of people on a given subject.
Consider your everyday multiple choice question. Since there are predefined categories a respondent must choose from, it is considered descriptive research. These questions will not give the unique insights on the issues like exploratory research would.
Instead, grouping the responses into predetermined choices will provide statistically inferable data. Send your survey to a large or small group of people with our online Audience panel. Like descriptive research, causal research is quantitative in nature as well as preplanned and structured in design. For this reason, it is also considered conclusive research. Causal research differs in its attempt to explain the cause and effect relationship between variables. This is opposed to the observational style of descriptive research, because it attempts to decipher whether a relationship is causal through experimentation.
In the end, causal research will have two objectives:. How does he want to measure? He should clearly define the population under study. It uses methods like quantitative analysis of secondary data, surveys, panels, observations, interviews, questionnaires, etc.
Descriptive Research concentrates on formulating the research objective, designing methods for the collection of data, selection of the sample, data collection, processing, and analysis, reporting the results.
The difference between exploratory and descriptive research can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:. Therefore exploratory research results in insights or hypothesis, regardless of the method adopted, the most important thing is that it should remain flexible so that all the facets of the problem can be studied, as and when they arise. Conversely, descriptive research is a comparative design which is prepared according to the study and resources available.
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