EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

• INITIAL RESEARCH CONDUCTED

TO CLARIFY AND DEFINE THE
NATURE OF A PROBLEM
• DOES NOT PROVIDE CONCLUSIVE
EVIDENCE
• SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH EXPECTED
 WHAT IS EXPLORATORY
RESEARCH?

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE
DATA DATA
WHY CONDUCT EXPLORATORY
RESEARCH?

Diagnose a situation

Screening of alternatives

Discover new ideas

 CATEGORIES OF
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH
• OBSERVATION
• EXPERIENCE SURVEYS
• CASE STUDIES
• PILOT STUDIES
• SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS
 Observation Techniques

• Observation methods: techniques in which the

researcher relies on his or her powers of
observation rather than communicating with a
person in order to obtain information
• Types of observation (will explain later):
• Direct versus indirect
• Disguised versus undisguised
• Structured versus unstructured
• Human versus mechanical
 Observation Techniques…cont.
Direct versus Indirect

• Direct observation: observing behavior as it

occurs
• Indirect observation: observing the effects or
results of the behavior rather than the behavior
itself
• Archives (written records)
• Physical traces (erosion or
accumulation/accretion)
 Observation Techniques…cont.
Disguised versus Undisguised

• Disguised observation: subject is unaware that

he or she is being observed
• Undisguised observation: respondent is aware of
observation
 Observation Techniques…cont.
Structured versus Unstructured

• Structured observation: researcher identifies

beforehand which behaviors are to observed and
recorded
• Unstructured observation: No restriction is
placed on what the observer would note: all
behavior in the episode under study is monitored
 Observation Techniques…cont.
Human versus Mechanical

• Human observation: person or persons observe

behavior (person hired by the researcher, clients,
or perhaps the observer is the researcher)
• Mechanical observation: human observer is
replaced with some form of static observing
device(audio and or visual recording)
 Observation Techniques…cont.
Advantages of Observational Data

• Insight into actual, not reported, behaviors

• Less cost
 Observation Techniques…cont.
Limitations of Observational Data

• Small number of subjects

• Can only observe short-duration, frequently
occurring events
• Subjective interpretations (by observer)
• Inability to to pry beneath the behavior observed
(why was the behavior carried out - motivations,
attitudes, and other internal conditions are
unobserved)
EXPERIENCE SURVEYS
(Expert Interviews)

• ASK KNOWLEDGEABLE
INDIVIDUALS
• ABOUT A PARTICULAR
RESEARCH PROBLEM
• MOST ARE QUITE WILLING
 CASE STUDY METHOD

• INTENSELY INVESTIGATES ONE OR A

FEW SITUATIONS SIMILAR TO THE
PROBLEM
• INVESTIGATE IN DEPTH
• CAREFUL STUDY
• MAY REQUIRE COOPERATION
 PILOT STUDY

• A COLLECTIVE TERM
• ANY SMALL SCALE EXPLORATORY
STUDY THAT USES SAMPLING
• BUT DOES NOT APPLY RIGOROUS
STANDARDS
 PILOT STUDIES

Projective Techniques

Focus Group Interviews

Depth Interviews
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Methods
• Projective techniques
– indirect form of questioning, respondents
“project” their underlying motivations, beliefs,
attitudes or feelings by interpreting behavior of
others rather than themselves
– Appropriate for...
• information that can’t be accurately obtained by
direct methods
• objective is exploratory - gaining insights and
understanding

– Needs experts for design and analysis

 PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES

• WORD ASSOCIATION TESTS

• SENTENCE COMPLETION METHOD
• THIRD-PERSON TECHNIQUE
• ROLE PLAYING
• T.A.T
 WORD ASSOCIATION

• SUBJECT IS PRESENTED WITH A LIST

OF WORDS
• ASKED TO RESPOND WITH FIRST
WORD THAT COMES TO MIND
 WORD ASSOCIATION
EXAMPLES
• GREEN • MONEY
• CHEESE • KRAFT
 SENTENCE COMPLETION

People who drink Non Caffeine Sodas are __________________

A man who drinks Diet Sodas is ___________________

Regional brands of sodas are most liked by _________________

Story Telling
THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST
DMM= Defense Mechanisms
Manual

SCOR= Social Cognition and

TAT Object Relations

THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Methods
• Projective Techniques
– Advantages
• can elicit responses subjects are unable or unwilling to
give
– information is personal, sensitive or subject to social norms
– information is subconscious, can’t be easily expressed
– Disadvantages
• requires highly trained interviewers and interpreters
• one-on-one - time consuming and expensive like depth
interviews
• analysis difficult and subjective - serious risk of
interpretation bias
FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS

• Unstructured
• Free Flowing
 GROUP COMPOSITION

• 6 TO 10 PEOPLE
• RELATIVELY
HOMOGENEOUS
• SIMILAR
LIFESTYLES AND
EXPERIENCES
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Designs
• Focus Groups
– nonstructured interview/discussion conducted by
a trained moderator with a small group of
respondents

– purpose is to gain insights by listening to people

from target group talk about issues of interest

– value lies in unexpected findings

 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Designs
• Focus Groups - Planning and Conducting
– define research problem
– specify objectives of qualitative research
– state objectives/questions to be answered by group
– write a screening questionnaire
– develop a moderator’s guide/outline
– recruit and screen participants
– conduct the focus group interview
– review tapes and analyze data
– summarize findings and plan follow-up research
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Designs
• Focus Groups
– How many focus groups? Depends on…
• nature of the issue
• number of distinct market segments
• number of new ideas generated by each group
• time and cost
– Resources permitting - conduct groups until the
moderator can predict what will be said (usually
three or four, but at least two)
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Designs
• Focus Groups - Advantages - “The 10 S’s”
– Synergism
– Snowballing
– Stimulation
– Security
– Spontaneity
– Serendipity
– Specialization
– Scientific Scrutiny
– Structure
– Speed
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Designs
• Focus Groups - Disadvantages -“The 5 M’s”
– Misuse
– Misjudge
– Moderation
– Messy
– Misrepresentation
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Methods
• Depth Interviews
– unstructured (but planned), direct, personal,
probing interview with a single respondent
– purpose is to uncover underlying motivations,
beliefs, attitudes, feelings, knowledge
– depth interviews often conducted with:
• decision-makers
• customers
• experts
• employees
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Methods
• Depth Interviews - Procedure
– one-on-one with single respondent
– normal duration: 30 minutes to more than one
hour
– open with general question, subsequent
direction determined by responses
– rough outline used, to assure topics are covered
– PROBE!
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Methods
• Depth Interviews - Appropriate for…
– detailed probing of
behavior/beliefs/attitudes/needs/etc
– information that is sensitive, confidential,
embarrassing
– situations where strong social norms exist
– interviews with professionals
– detailed understanding of complicated behavior
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Methods

• Depth Interviews - Advantages

– greater depth of insights than focus groups

– direct attribution of response to specific

respondent

– less social pressure to conform to group

response
 Exploratory Research
> Qualitative Research Methods
• Depth Interviews - Disadvantages
– many of the same as focus group and to greater
extent
– skilled interviewers are few and costly
– susceptible to interviewer influence due to lack of
structure
– data often difficult to analyze and interpret
– high cost - usually results in small numbers
 THE MODERATOR

• DEVELOPS
RAPPORT - MAKES
PEOPLE RELAX
• INTERACTS
• LISTENS TO WHAT
PEOPLE HAVE TO
SAY
• EVERYONE GETS A
CHANCE TO SPEAK