Difference Between Exploratory, Descriptive, and Causal Research Designs

 

Exploratory, Descriptive, and Causal Research Designs

 

Descriptive research design:

Descriptive research design is mainly used to describe a behavior or type of subject. It is not intended to look for specific relationships between variables nor does it correlate with variables. Its major setback is that it cannot identify the cause because its setting is completely natural.
When it comes to identifying the population and samples to participate in surveys, all subgroups have to be identified without any element of bias.

Exploratory research design:

Explanatory research is then conducted for a problem that was not well researched before Exploratory research design is normally used in research whose purpose involves an inquiry into new products that should be developed, how the product appeal will enhance its advertising, and how the existing services can be improved.

Causal research design:

Causal research also known as explanatory research is conducted to identify the extent and nature of cause and effect relationships, Experiments are the most popular primary data collection methods in studies with causal research design.
The purpose of this research design from a marketing research perspective is to ascertain whether an increase in the service staff can be profitable.

Difference between Descriptive, Exploratory, and Causal research design:

• The exploratory research design is to discover ideas and insights.
• A major feature of the exploratory design is its flexibility, its adaptability, and the front end of the total research design.
• An exploratory research approach entails the use of surveys, case studies, information from other studies, and qualitative analyses.
• Whereas descriptive research design involves describing market aspects and functions.
• Descriptive research design is marked by the past formulation of specific hypotheses from observations and studies. This design is pre-planned and structured.
• A descriptive research approach uses information from other studies, panels, analyses, and observations.
• And causal research design tries to determine the cause-effect relationships in the research one is conducting.
• A causal research approach can proceed through one or more independent variables. Other mediating variables that fall under this design can also be controlled.
• Causal research design strictly uses experiments.