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Exploratory Research

Topic SevenClass Seven

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Learning Objectives

Understand the . . .

purpose and process of exploratory research

two types and three levels of management decision-related secondary

sources

five types of external information and the factors for evaluating the value ofa source and its content

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Learning Objectives

Understand . . .

the process for conducting a literature search

data mining and how internal data mining techniques differ from literature

searches.

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Approaches for Exploratory

Investigations

Interviewing

Participant observation

Film, photographs Projective techniques

Psychological testing

Case studies

Street ethnography

Elite or expertinterviewing

Document analysis

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Exploratory Phase Search Strategy

Search

Strategy

Discovery/ Analysis

Secondary Sources

Individual

Depth Interviews

Expert

Interview

Group

Discussions

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Objectives of Secondary Searches

Expand understanding of management dilemma

Gather background information

Identify information that should be gathered

Identify sources for and actual questions that might be used

Identify sources for and actual sample frames that might beused

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Conducting a Literature Search

Define management dilemma

Consult books for relevant terms

Use terms to search

Locate/review secondary sources

Evaluate value of each source and

content

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Whiteboard technology makes the discussion of

symptoms relevant to the management-research

question hierarchy easier

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Levels of Information

Primary

Sources:

Memos

Letters

Interviews

Speeches

Laws

Internal records

Secondary

Sources:

Encyclopedias

Textbooks

Handbooks

Magazines

Newspapers

Newscasts

Tertiary

Sources:

Indexes

Bibliographies

Internet

search engines

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Information Sources

Encyclopedias

Directories

Handbooks

Types

Indexes/

Bibliographies

Dictionaries

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Evaluating Information Sources

Authority

Format

Audience

Evaluation

Factors

Purpose

Scope

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The Evolution of Data Mining

Evolutionary Step Investigative Question Enabling Technologies Characteristics

Data collection (1960s) What was my average

total revenue over the last

five years?

Computers, tapes, disks Retrospective, static data

delivery

Data access (1980s) What were unit sales in

California lastDecember?

Relational databases

(RDBMS), structuredquery language (SQL),

ODBC

Retrospective, dynamic

data delivery at recordlevel

Data navigation (1990s) What were unit sales in

California last December?

Drill down to

Sacramento.

Online analytic

processing (OLAP),

multidimensional

databases, data

warehouses

Retrospective, dynamic

data delivery at multiple

levels

Data mining (2000) Whats likely to happen

to Sacramento unit sales

next month? Why?

Advanced algorithms,

multiprocessor

computers, massive

databases

Prospective, proactive

information delivery

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Data Mining in Business

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Desired outcomes of Exploratory Studies

Established range and scope of possible

management decisions

Established major dimensions of research

task

Defined a set of subsidiary questions that can guide

research design

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Desired outcomes of Exploratory Studies

Developed hypotheses about possible causes of

management dilemma

Learned which hypotheses can be safely

ignored

Concluded additional research is not needed or not

feasible

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Common Exploratory Techniques for Research

Secondary Data

Analysis

Focus Groups

Experience

Surveys

Secondary data analysis is also called a literature search. Within secondary data exploration,

researchers should start first with an organizations own data archives. The second source ofsecondary data is published documents prepared by authors outside the sponsor organization.

Experience surveys are semi-structured or unstructured

interviews with experts on a topic or a dimension of a topic

Focus groups are discussions on a topic involving a

small group of participants led by a trained moderator

Exploratory

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Experience Surveys

What is being done?

What has been tried in the past with or without success?

How have things changed?

Who is involved in the decisions?

What problem areas can be seen?

Whom can we count on to assist or participate in the research?

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Focus Groups

Group discussion

6-10 participants

Moderator-led

90 minutes-2 hours