Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Data Processing
Sampling
and Analysis
Data
Gathering
Exploratory Research
9
Experience Case
Second Pilot Study
ary Survey
Study
(historic
al)
Data
Exploratory
Research
If you do not know where you are
going,
any road will take you there.
• A statement based on some
presumptions about existence of a
relationship between two or more
variables
• that can be tested
• (proven/refuted)
• by empirical data
• Makes the research question
clearer to the researcher
• RQ e.g. “Why are the sales of
refrigerators going up in winter?”
• Hypothesis “The sales of
refrigerators is going up in winter
because of off-season discounts.”
• AN INTELLIGENT GUESS
• The costs incurred on obtaining
the needed information are
compared with the benefits
accruing to the organization.
• If costs < benefits than it is better
to halt the research.
• To ensure that the required
information does not already
exist.
• Master plan
• Based on the research objectives
• Framework for action
• Specifies methods and procedures
• Time line of the research
• Budget allocation
• Sampling process
• Appropriate measurement
techniques
• Surveys – employing questionnaire
• Experiments – to establish cause-
effect relationship. Manipulating
variables.
• Secondary data – already existing
data
• Observation – merely observation
without interrruption of observers
Sample: subset SAMPLE
of a larger population.
• Sample should truly
represent the population
for which the results will POPULATION
be applied.
• Who is to be sampled?
• How large a sample?
• How will sample units be selected?
• Avoid Sampling error. e.g. TV -
future sales potential
• Sampling types:
– Probability sampling
– Non-probability sampling
Data Processing and
Analysis
• Effective communication of the
research findings
• Major phase
• Oral or written
– Objectives
– Summary of research design
– Major findings
– Conclusions
– Limitations and recommendations
• Lucid and concise
• Historical document – future
reference