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Research Design and Method

A research faces a choice of a way to collect the data that will satisfy his information needs. In the formulation of an appropriate research design, the researcher must make three critical decisions. The decisions are in the area of data collecting method, research instrument and sampling plan.

The purpose of the research design and methods section is to decides how the research will be carried out. This section crucial to how favourably and application is reviewed. A projected sequence or timetable (work play) is required. A description of any new methodology used and why it represents an improvement over the existing ones. Also a discussion of the potential difficulties and limitations and how these will be overcome or mitigated.

Expected results, and alternative approaches that will be used it unexpected results are found.
Lastly, precautions to be exercise with respect to any procedures, situations or materials that may be hazardous to personnel or human subjects.

The Design and Development Plans

Research design and development plans of product status or service seeks to examine; the current status of the product or service, special difficulties and associated problems, the costs of product development and product improvement and development of new products.

Planning the research design is a framework, or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project. It details the procedures necessary for obtaining the required information and its purpose is to design a study that will test the hypothesis of interest, determine possible answers to the research questions, and provide the information needed for decision making. Decisions are also made regarding what data should be obtained from the respondents (e.g. by conducting a survey or an experiment). A questionnaire and sampling plan also be designed in order to select the most appropriate respondents for the study. The following steps are involved in formulating a research design:

  1.  Data analysis/collection (through survey, observation and experimentation. 
  2.  Definition of the information needed. 
  3.  Measurement and scaling procedures.
  4. Questionnaire design. 
  5.  Sampling process and sample size 
In becoming proficient at doing one thing very well, thereby building a distinctive competence and promoting a high degree of internal efficiency.

One has to acquire a solid reputation through its identification with a particular technology – customer-product application combination. In marketing research, Hall et al (1980) says, it is not necessarily implying that an enterprise is constrained to doing the same thing in the same ways but proffered how a concentration strategy can be kept and effective are given as follows:
  1.  Create and promote more uses for a product 
  2. Take a commodity item and make a broader differentiated product out of it. 
  3. Use advertising and promotional efforts to stimulate demand. 
  4.  Attract non users to buy the product.
  5. Turn an apparent disadvantage into advantage. 
  6.  Use price cuts to build volume, market share and profitability. 
  7. Seek market outlets for complementary by-products. 
  8. Develop a more compelling sales appeal.
  9. Capitalize on social concerns. 
  10. Make the product available through additional types of distribution channels