Marketing Research in Practice
Module 2: Research Designs
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, students should be able to
- Explain the difference between qualitative and quantitative research.
- Distinguish between the three marketing research design methods.
- Outline the purpose, use, data analysis approach, and typical sample size of different research designs.
- Describe how to choose the appropriate marketing research design method.
Once a researcher determines research objectives, it becomes clear what type of data sources are required to provide that insight. Once the data sources are specified, the researcher can determine the research design and develop a plan. The research plan outlines the research design used to conduct the research and the specific steps and activities required.
First, let’s explore the difference between research objectives, research methodology and research design by watching the following video.
Source: Pat Norman. (2020, September 17). Research design (in 3 minutes) [Video]. YouTube.
Qualitative research focuses on exploring the underlying reasons, motivations, and attitudes that drive consumer actions. It uses open-ended methods such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, and observational techniques to gather rich, descriptive qualitative data. While it doesn’t produce statistics, it offers deep insights into how people think and feel about a brand, product, or message.
Quantitative research involves collecting and analyzing numerical or quantitative data to identify patterns, measure behaviours, and test hypotheses. This approach uses structured tools like surveys, questionnaires, and experiments, allowing marketers to generalize findings to larger populations with statistical confidence.
Together, qualitative and quantitative research methods provide both the depth and breadth needed for effective marketing research.
Three Types of Research
Three research design methods are typically practiced in marketing research in Canada: descriptive research, exploratory research, and causal research.
Exploratory Research
- Purpose: To explore and better understand new ideas, concepts, or problems.
Descriptive Research
- Purpose: To describe or quantify market phenomena, such as market size, demographics, or consumer preferences.
Causal Research
- Purpose: To determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables.
Table 2.1 outlines key characteristics and differentiators between exploratory, descriptive, and causal research designs.
| Category | Exploratory | Descriptive | Causal |
| Designed Purpose |
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| Method Used |
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| Data Analysis |
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| Sample Size |
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How to Choose the Appropriate Research Design
When choosing a research design in marketing research, the key is to match the design with the problem or opportunity you’re trying to explore. Researchers typically start by defining the study’s objectives—whether they aim to explore, describe, or explain a particular issue. Let’s review the three primary types of research designs: exploratory, descriptive, and causal.
Exploratory research is often used when the problem is unclear or when you’re investigating new areas. It’s flexible and usually involves qualitative methods like focus groups or in-depth interviews (Malhotra et al., 2020). For example, if a company wants to understand why a product isn’t selling well, exploratory research can help uncover underlying issues.
Descriptive research is used when the research problem is well-defined. It involves gathering quantitative data to describe characteristics of a market or phenomenon (Aaker et al., 2016). If you want to know who your customers are, what they want, or how they behave, a descriptive study, often using surveys or observation, is appropriate.
Causal research investigates cause-and-effect relationships. If you’re testing whether a new packaging design leads to increased sales, you’d likely use experiments to establish causality (Burns & Bush, 2021).
In short, the choice of design depends on the research questions and objectives. A careful review of the goals and the kind of data needed helps guide researchers toward the best design for their specific project.
Self-Check
Critical Thinking
Choosing the Right Research Design
Scenario:
You’re working for a national coffee chain that has recently experienced a decline in afternoon sales across multiple locations. The marketing team is unsure why this is happening and needs insight before launching any new promotions.
They want to understand:
- The factors that may be contributing to the sales drop.
- How customers feel about their afternoon menu and promotions.
- Whether offering a new “Happy Hour” discount from 2 to 4 p.m. will improve sales.
You are asked to recommend the best research design to begin this process.
Question:
Which type of research design should be used first in this situation?
- Exploratory Research
- Descriptive Research
- Causal/Experimental Research
- Quantitative Tracking Study
Answer:
The best place to start is exploratory research, because the company does not yet know what is causing the sales drop. Exploratory research will help uncover possible reasons through qualitative methods such as customer interviews, staff feedback, or observational research. It allows the team to gather insights into customer perceptions, behaviour, and preferences—information they currently lack.
Once the team has a clearer understanding, they can move on to descriptive research to measure trends or causal research (like an A/B test of a Happy Hour promotion) to see what works. Starting with causal research or a tracking study too early could lead to misleading conclusions without understanding the underlying issue.
References
Aaker, D. A., Kumar, V., & Day, G. S. (2016). Marketing research. Wiley.
Burns, A. C., & Bush, R. F. (2021). Marketing research (9th ed.). Pearson.
Malhotra, N. K., Nunan, D., & Birks, D. F. (2020). Marketing research: An applied orientation (7th ed.). Pearson.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: a guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Non-numerical data collected through methods such as interviews, focus groups, and observations, often expressed in words, images, or audio.
Numerical data that can be counted or measured.
