The research has a vast number of designs available for investigations of the research objectives. A lot of topologies can be adopted for their classification. The classification that is followed across the world and is the easiest to comprehend is the one that depends upon the objective or purpose of the research. There are largely two types of researches, Exploratory and Conclusive. The design options are separate for both of them.
Exploratory Research Design: The research design for exploratory research has the most lose structure. It has a very flexible approach and the investigation of the research has a more qualitative perspective.. Because of its not so concrete structure, the sample size does not represent much and may depend upon unstructured interviews.
The main reasons why an exploratory research is conducted are:
- Defining and conceptualising the problem to be investigated.
- Evaluation and exploring of the different opportunities available.
- Providing support in the conceptualisation and development of the hypotheses of the study.
- Putting in place the variables of the study and putting them into operation.
- Try to figure out the relationship that may exist between the dependant and independent variable that have been identified for the study.
- Explore all the external factors that may in some way have an impact on the research.
In a situation where the findings of the exploratory research are interesting and offer some vision, they may become the basis for a more concrete and structured research which would be able to establish the efficacy of different methods. Whatever may be the scientific orientation and objective of the study, in the case of exploratory research, the researcher is always able to establish methods and techniques that can be adopted for doing exploratory research. These methods and techniques could vary from secondary data sources, observations both structured and unstructured), Delphi techniques, focus group discussions with the chosen group of respondents. All these methods and techniques have their own relevance and significance that can be put to use at different times during the course of the exploratory research. Thus, it can be said that this type of research is the most simplest to administer with the most advantageous results.
