EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

 

Types of Research Design:

On the basis of information to be collected, research designs can be classified into the following three categories:

a) Exploratory research

b) Descriptive research

c) Causal research

 

Exploratory Research:

Exploratory research is conducted to clarify ambiguous situations or discover potential business opportunities.

As the name implies, exploratory research is not intended to provide conclusive evidence from which to determine a particular course of action. In this sense, exploratory research is not an end unto itself. Usually exploratory research is a first step, conducted with the expectation that additional research will be needed to provide more conclusive evidence.

i. Exploratory research is often used to guide and refine these subsequent research efforts.

ii. Exploratory research aims to develop initial hunches or insights and provide direction for any further research needed.

iii. The primary purpose of exploratory research is to shed light on the nature of a situation and identify any specific objectives or data needs to be addressed through additional research.

iv. Exploratory research is most useful when a decision maker wishes to better understand a situation and/or identify decision alternatives.

v. Exploratory research is conducted when decision makers sense a need for marketing research but are unsure of the specific direction the research should take.

 

Methods for Conducting Exploratory Research

a. Key-Informant Technique: Conducting exploratory research by interviewing knowledgeable individuals is sometimes called the key-informant technique. It is also known as an expert opinion survey or a lead-user survey. An effective way to do exploratory research is to seek out and talk to individuals with expertise in areas related to the situation being investigated. The technique is necessarily a very subjective and flexible procedure with no standard approach. In today’s fast-changing technological world, very few individuals possess all of the relevant information about the market. Careful attention must be given to the selection of knowledgeable people. This observation is not limited to business-to-business market settings; it is relevant in almost every context requiring exploratory research. When properly used, the key-informant technique can be very productive in situations where a decision maker senses the need for research but lacks well-defined research objectives.

b. Focus Group Interviews: In a focus group interview, an objective discussion leader introduces a topic to a group of respondents and directs their discussion of that topic in a non-structured and natural fashion. This is sometimes simply called a focus group. Respondents (typically about 8 to 12) discuss a given topic in a fairly informal fashion. A well-trained researcher, called a moderator, leads the discussion. The moderator’s primary tasks are to ensure that key aspects of the topic are discussed and to observe or record the participants’ reactions. Focus groups are used in a variety of situations.

c. Analysis of Secondary Data: Examining appropriate secondary data is a fast and inexpensive way of conducting exploratory research that can generate valuable insights. Such insights, in turn, will provide a proper focus for conclusive research. Sometimes the insights revealed by secondary data analysis may even eliminate the need for conclusive research.

d. Case Study Method: The case study method is an in-depth examination of a unit of interest. The unit can be a customer, store, salesperson, firm, market area, website, and so on. By virtue of its insight-generating potential, the case study method is a useful form of exploratory research. This method is suitable in a research setting in which the company has a general research objective but is unsure of exactly what it is looking for. It involves collecting in-depth data on a variety of important dimensions or factors for the unit of interest. Only the investigator’s time and imagination limit the number and types of factors to be examined. The analysis of case data is nonquantitative and primarily involves numerous comparisons and contrasts of the data. It requires an alert investigator capable of recognizing even subtle differences across cases as well as possible relationships among factors within a case.

e. Observational Method: The observational method involves human or mechanical observation of what people actually do or what events take place during a buying or consumption situation. In this method of data collection, researchers or mechanical / electronic devices witness and record information as events occur or compile evidence from past events. It is useful to assess behavior such as use of products, frequency of store visits, teens shopping with and without supervision, use of media, and time spent on specific websites. It is particularly useful in researching young children, a group that is typically not amenable to many research techniques.

Exploratory research is not limited to the five methods just described, although they are the most frequently used methods. Variations or combinations of these methods can also be employed in an exploratory research project. Insights gained through exploratory research pave the way for conclusive research. Many research projects involve an exploratory phase followed by a conclusive phase.

Ref: Dr. H. Lakdawala's AMR notes