Research Design Causal Research

PHASE II: Design the research

Marketing Research Stp 3: Select the research design

Research design Research method

Exploratory

Descriptive

Causal

Qualitative

Quantitative

Quantitative

Research technique

Focus groups Depth interviews Projective techniques

Surveys Observation

Experimental; field vs. lab

CAUSAL RESEARCH
Essentially used to determine if-then relationships and make inductions This is distinct from associations Because of the use of experimental design, causal research is the only design that can make inferences on causality

CAUSAL RESEARCH
Which of the following situations requires causal research and which is testing associations? To determine whether advertising increased awareness How are advertising and awareness related?

Conditions for Causality

X and Y must co-vary.

The time order of occurrence condition

The absence of other possible causal factors

Variables Used in Experimental Designs

Type of Variable Independent variable Comments Also called predictor or treatment variable (X). Manipulated by the researcher Assumed to be the causal factor.

Dependent variable

Also called criterion variable (Y). The measured outcome or effect change on specified test subjects that is derived from manipulating the independent variable(s).

Variables Used in Experimental Designs

Type of Variable

Comments

Extraneous variables

Uncontrollable variables can have a confounding impact on the dependent variable

A Classification of Experimental Designs

Experimental Designs

Pre-experimental One-Shot Case Study One Group Pretest-Posttest Static Group

True Experimental Pretest-Posttest Control Group Posttest: Only Control Group

Quasi Experimental Time Series Multiple Time Series

Statistical Randomized Blocks Latin Square Factorial Design

A Classification of Experimental Designs Pre-experimental designs

do not employ randomization procedures to control for extraneous factors:

One shot case study: X 01 One group pre-test post-test design: Static group: EG: X CG: 02 01 X 02

01

A Classification of Experimental Designs In true experimental designs

randomly assign test units to experimental groups and treatments to experimental groups:
Pretest-posttest control group design: X 02 EG: R 01 CG: R 03 04 Posttest-only control group design: EG : R X 01 CG : R 02

A Classification of Experimental Designs

Quasi-experimental designs
when the researcher is unable to achieve full manipulation of scheduling or allocation of treatments to test units but can still apply part of the apparatus of true experimentation:

Time series: 01 02 03 04 05

X 06 07 08 09 010

Multiple time series: EG : 01 02 03 04 05 CG : 01 02 03 04 05

X 06 07 08 09 010 06 07 08 09 010

A Classification of Experimental Designs

A statistical design is a series of basic experiments that allows for statistical control and analysis of external variables:
E.g., randomized block design, Latin square design, and factorial designs.

Limitations of Experimentation
Time consuming Expensive Difficult to administer Competitor interference.