Project Research

Method/Type of Research

Description

Advantages

Disadvantages

Case Studies

A thorough exam of one organization’s position, situation, or issue. Often uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

-Depth, since both qualitative and quantitative research is conducted

-Time and labor intensive

-Breadth may be sacrificed in favor of in-depth research.

Content Analysis/ Documentation Review

Makes inferences by gathering, interpreting, and coding existing company documents for analysis. Useful for researching past communications, marketing, and negotiations.

-Analyzes massive amounts of textual data

-Does not interrupt normal business operations

-Limits bias

-Time consuming

-Information may be incomplete

-Data restricted to past/existing documentation

-Very clear research question is needed

Questionnaires/Surveys

Often used by companies to gather information like beliefs and opinions from a sample of people, who represent the broader population. Responses are typically coded, allowing for quantitative analysis.

-Can be anonymous

-Usually inexpensive

-Easy to compare and analyze

-Can administer to a number of participants

-Can result in large amounts of helpful data

-Can introduce bias

-May not get the complete picture

-Chance for survey development error(s)

-Impersonal

-May be difficult to get responses or complete responses

Interviews

Utilizes a small sample of participants when an entire population is too large. Provides an in-depth analysis of participants and their responses.

-Depth

-Allows the researcher to ask additional/clarifying questions when necessary

-Establishes a relationship between researcher and participant

-Can be time consuming

-Bias can be introduced in the analysis stage

-Can be difficult to compare responses

-Can be expensive

Focus Groups

Used in exploratory studies to gather responses from a group of participants at one time. Help to completely uncover qualitative data like participant’s thoughts, perceptions, experiences, and ideas.

-Allow the participants to communicate and build off each other’s responses

-Receive common/shared reliable perspectives and responses

-Large quantities of data in a short time

-A facilitator may be needed to control group dynamics to ensure all participants are “heard”

-Can be difficult to analyze responses

-May be difficult to schedule

Observation

This correlational (non-experimental) type of research be used most effectively if the researcher has a very clear research question and plan, and a precise method for recording observations. Can be used to discern customer actions, and company processes or operations occurring in their natural environment.

-Able to view what is happening in real-time, as it is occurring

-Can adapt to events as they occur

-If the research plan is not revealed, researchers can observe and record natural, unhampered responses

-Can be difficult to interpret behaviors or what is happening

-If the research question is not clear, observation practices may deviate from the original plan

-Can be complex to categorize

-If study is revealed to participants, it can impact participant behaviors

-May be expensive

Experiments

Involve the manipulation of independent variables and control of dependent variables to observe cause and effect relationships. Experiments can either take place in a laboratory or in natural settings.

-Enable the company/researcher to test ideas on a small (inexpensive) scale, before implementing on a larger, company-wide scale

-Considered easy to implement with quick, and clear results

-Can be costly

-Inherent risk with trying or testing something new

-Potential legal risk for companies

-Errors are possible

-Can be difficult to control variables