Understanding Research Strategies – Types and Features
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- Last Updated on 30 June, 2025
Research strategies are systematic plans or approaches that guide researchers in collecting, analysing, and interpreting data to address specific research questions or objectives. They serve as a bridge between research philosophy and the methods used for data collection and analysis.
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Implementing a methodical program for determining strategies is the next step that must be taken after the researcher has determined the necessity of conducting research and outlined the procedure for conducting research. Through strategies, we determine how to conduct research. In other words, it is a procedure that decides the number of techniques to conduct and gather data and information. With regard to qualitative research, the researchers make use of methods such as case studies, grounded theory, action research, archival research, and ethnography. On the other hand, quantitative research makes use of methods such as surveys and experiments.
1. Research Strategies
Research strategies link the researcher to particular techniques and procedures for gathering and analysing data. There are numerous research strategies for conducting different kinds of research (Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis, and Adrian Thornhill, 2017). It is divided into two categories namely quantitative strategies and qualitative strategies. Figure 1 depicts these research strategies. Let us discuss them one by one in detail.
Figure 1 – Research Strategies
2. Quantitative Strategies
The objective of quantitative strategies is to gather empirical data, examine the relationships among that data, and evaluate the extent to which those relationships and facts correspond with established theories and previous research findings. Therefore, quantitative research is
“empirical research where the data is in the form of numbers”.
The two most commonly used quantitative strategies are surveys and experiments. Let’s discuss them.
2.1 Survey
A survey is considered to be one of the most useful and common strategies in business, commerce, and management research. To gain an understanding of the link between the various variables, the researcher employs this approach, which involves the collection of quantitative data and the utilisation of descriptive and inferential analysis. According to Newman, a survey is
“a quantitative research in which the researcher systematically asks a large number of people the same questions and then records their answers”.
In most cases, a questionnaire is employed in the process of conducting a survey in order to collect information from a representative sample of the population being surveyed regarding their origins, beliefs, behaviours, or attitudes. The purpose of the survey is to have a better understanding of the behavior of a population in a certain manner. For instance, the preference of individuals for a specific event, opinion polls, reader surveys, test results (whether students score nationally or locally), and other similar instances are all examples of surveys that are commonly used.
2.1.1 Features of a Survey
- Collects numerical data
- Data collection is economical and less time-consuming
- Gathers data at a point of time
- Gathers data from a large population
- Collects data in multiple ways like multiple choices, closed-ended, etc.
- Gathers uniform information
- Data can be processed statistically
- Provides inferential, descriptive information
- Enables one to make a perfect questionnaire based on a pilot study
- Observe and describe a pattern
- Testing hypothesis
2.1.2 Types of Commercial Surveys
There are varieties of commercial surveys that are used by business and marketing organisations. These are as follows:
(a) Periodic Survey – A periodic survey is a type of survey that is carried out at regular intervals, such as once a year, once every three months, once every thirty days, and once every week. The people who participate in the survey are different each time it is carried out. The main objective of a periodic survey is to analyse the trends in the competitive environment or consumer behaviour. Among the several methods that are included in the periodic survey are the mail, personal interviews, and telephone interviews.
(b) Panel Survey – A panel survey is carried out among the individuals who have been chosen and who have indicated that they are willing to respond. When compared to a random survey, a panel survey allows respondents to voluntarily provide information such as demographics and patterns of behaviour. It is common for responders to experience reluctance when it comes to providing their personal information while dealing with sensitive matters. It is now necessary for the researcher to obtain the participants’ informed agreement before surveying in order to guarantee the participants’ integrity regarding their identities.
(c) Shared Survey – Another name for a shared survey is an omnibus survey, and it is also sometimes called a multi-client survey. The assessment is carried out by means of a survey that includes a wide range of questions for the customers. The cost of a survey is shared by different clients as they will share the information. Market lifestyle data is typically collected through shared surveys to develop consumer profiles, conduct pricing perception analysis, determining product image, and other similar purposes.
2.2 Experiment Strategy
The purpose of the experiment strategy is to investigate the relationship between causes and effects. Through the use of experiments, one can better understand the linkages between causes and effects by analysing the changes that occur in one variable. This is accomplished by determining the relationship(s) or impact of another variable.
An answer to the question
“how much change has occurred in the dependent variable due to a change in the independent variable”
can be obtained with the assistance of the experimental strategy. For instance, how much of an increase in sales has occurred as a direct result of the sales campaign within a specific time period? It is generally performed in explanatory research to find answers to the questions of “why” and “how”. This also studies the relationship between “before” and “after” event impact due to a particular intervention. For example, the performance of an employee by manipulating his incentives or motivation is a typical example of experimentation.
According to Donald R. Cooper,
“Experiments are studies involving intervention by the researcher beyond that required for measurement. The usual intervention is to manipulate some variable in a setting and observe how it affects the subjects being studied (e.g., people or physical entities). The researcher manipulates the independent or explanatory variable and then observes whether the hypothesised dependent variable is affected by the intervention”.
In the words of Festinger,
“The essence of an experiment may be described as observing the effect on a dependent variable of the manipulation of an independent variable.”
According to John W. Best,
“Experimental research is the description and analysis of what will be or what will occur, under carefully controlled conditions.”
2.2.1 Features of Experiment Research
- Conducted on at least two variables
- Used in science like physics, chemistry, etc.
- The Independent variable is manipulated
- A systematic and scientific approach to manipulate the independent variable
- The effect is observed on the dependent variable
- Extraneous factors are controlled fully
- A field experiment is conducted on real-life situations
- Control of extraneous factors is not possible in a field experiment
3. Qualitative Strategies
The purpose of qualitative research methods is to gather insights and get an understanding of how individuals see the world around them. Therefore, qualitative research is
“empirical research where the data is not in the form of numbers”.
The most commonly used qualitative strategies are case study, grounded theory, archival research, ethnography, and action research. Let’s discuss them.
3.1 Case Study
An investigation into a phenomenon that takes place inside a real-life setting is the focus of the case study strategy. Additionally, it is capable of producing responses to the queries of “why,” “what,” and “how.” Interviews, observations, and documentary analysis are the methods that were utilised to get the material that is included in the case study.
The case study is an in-depth examination of an extensive amount of information about every few units or cases for one period or across multiple periods of time. The existing idea can be investigated and questioned through the use of this technique, which also has the potential to serve as a source of new research topics The information on the case is detailed, extensive, and varied.
3.1.1 Features of Case Study
According to Hitchcock and Hughes, the main features of the case study are:
- It focuses on individual actors or groups of actors and seeks to understand their perceptions of events.
- It is concerned with a rich and vivid description of events relevant to the case.
- It provides a chronological narrative of events relevant to the case.
- It highlights specific events that are relevant to the case.
- It blends a description of events with an analysis of them.
- The researcher is integrally involved in the case.
- An attempt is made to portray the richness of the case in writing the report.
3.1.2 Advantages of Case Study
- Generalises a particular instance or from an instance to a class.
- Recognises the complexity of social truth.
- Represents reality strongly in comparison to other methods.
- A case study is a step to action.
- Described as a product that keeps a record of descriptive information.
- Presentation of research or data in a more publicly accessible form than other kinds of the research report.
3.1.3 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Case Study
The strengths and weaknesses of the case study are explored and depicted in Table 3.1.
Table 1 – Strengths and Weaknesses of the Case Study
Strengths | Weaknesses |
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3.2 Grounded Theory
The process of analysing, interpreting, and explaining the meanings that social actors construct in order to make sense of their everyday experiences in specific settings was the basis for the development of grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss, 1967). Predicting and explaining behaviour is helpful when it comes to the construction of a theory. To construct the theory, a set of data series consisting of observations is utilised. These observations over the period of time help in confirming the predictions. With the assistance of research questions and analysis, this theory can assist in the process of turning an implicit belief system into an explicit one.
The researcher is given a direction by a grounded theory, which gives them the opportunity to either produce new theories or modify the ideas that are already in place. The purpose of this endeavour is to offer theoretical explanations of social interactions and processes in a wide variety of situations, such as business and management; the behaviours of individuals, such as customers or employees; and so on.
3.2.1 Steps in Grounded Theory
- Memos – The information is presented in the form of brief notes that the researchers or specialists have jotted down throughout the time. Field notes, theoretical notes, levelling, coding, and other types of notes are included in memos.
- Sorting Information – After collecting short notes or memos, the researcher sorts the collected information and links them to get insights.
- Writing – The next step is writing, which involves organising and placing the knowledge into the appropriate kind of words in order to give meaning to the relevant information.
3.2.2 Goals of Grounded Theory
- Provides a good theory
- Determines the quality of theory
- Enhances theoretical sensitivity
- Formulates a hypothesis based on a conceptual idea
- Discovers participants’ concerns and solves them
3.2.3 Usefulness of Grounded Theory
According to Loke, grounded theory is best suited in those situations, such as:
- Capturing complexity
- Linking with practice
- Putting life into established fields or providing alternative conceptualisation for the existing work
- Facilitating theoretical work in substantive areas that have not been well-researched by others
3.3 Archival Research Strategy
The archival research strategy refers to the practice of searching for information and data through the utilisation of administrative records and papers as a source of information. This approach helps gain an understanding of the past and the changes that have taken place over time. The process of selecting, obtaining, and analysing materials that are pertinent to archival research is more difficult and time-consuming than other types of research. It is a design that is interactive and operates under the assumption that the most effective way to comprehend complicated social phenomena is to introduce modifications, interventions, or “actions” into those phenomena and then observe the effects that these actions have on the phenomena that are of interest.
According to Anol Bhattacherjee,
“in archival research, the researcher is usually a consultant or an organizational member embedded into a social context (such as an organization), who initiates an action in response to a social problem, and examines how his/her actions influence the phenomenon while also learning and generating insights about the relationship between the action and the phenomenon”.
Instances of actions may encompass organisational change initiatives, such as the implementation of novel organisational processes, procedures, personnel, or technology, or the substitution of outdated ones, undertaken with the aim of enhancing an organisation’s performance or profitability within its corporate milieu.
According to Georgia State University library,
“archival research is a research involving primary sources held in archives, a special collection of library, or other repository. Archival sources can be manuscripts, documents, records (including electronic records), objects, sound and audio-visual materials, or other materials”.
3.3.1 Features of Archival Research
- Extracting evidence from archival records
- Library and museums are the sources of archival research
- Originally or accumulated evidence is available in libraries or museums
- Religious institutions also keep a record of past evidence
- Universities are modern sources of the archival manuscript
3.3.2 Steps in Archival Research
According to The City University of New York, Mina Rees library, the following are steps of Archival Research:
- Design research questions
- Understand research needs
- Perform background research
- Think of possible kinds of sources
- Search for collections and repositories
- Understand collection guides and archival findings
- Contact repositories
- Visit repositories and use collections
- Repeat steps as needed
3.3.3 National Archives of India
The guardian of the records pertaining to the enduring worth of the Government of India is the National Archives of India. The Imperial Record Department, which was founded on 11 March 1891 in Calcutta (Kolkata), holds the distinction of being the largest archival repository in South Asia. The institution possesses an extensive collection of records, including public documents, private papers, oriental records, cartographic records, and microfilms. This collection serves as a highly important resource for scholars, administrators, and users of archives. Abhilekh Patal is an online search portal that has already uploaded roughly 25.23 lakh reference media recordings. Its purpose is to provide researchers and users with access to a valuable archive treasure.
3.4 Ethnography
Ethnography means a written account of a people or ethnic group. It is the earliest qualitative research strategy, with its origins in colonial anthropology. From the 1700s to the early 1900s, ethnography was developed to study cultures in so-called ‘primitive’ societies that had been brought under the rule of colonial power, to facilitate imperialist control and administration.
The term “methodology of people” is another name for ethnography. Close observation and active engagement are the methods that the researcher employs in this research project to investigate culture. This approach contributes to the explanation of the social world. The researcher must thoroughly submerge themselves in the social milieu in order to get the most out of this method, which requires a significant amount of time. Following the completion of the observations, a new pattern will be produced. The researcher must earn the trust of the people who are participating in the research to implement this technique.
The primary goal of ethnography research is to obtain a comprehensive picture of the subject to gain an understanding of the everyday experiences of individuals. This is accomplished by conducting interviews and observations with the individuals, as well as collecting pertinent information through in-depth interviews and observations of a situation. The findings of this research are intended to capture the complete picture of how people describe and organize their world.
The main approach of ethnography is to understand a community. It is a close-field study to understand socio-cultural phenomena. It may be used for comparison of two societies and understanding the history of a society.
3.4.1 Steps in Ethnography Research
The steps of ethnography research are depicted in Figure 2:
Figure 2 – Steps in Ethnography Research
- Selection of Specific Field – A researcher chooses a culture, society, and community based on their interest or a project sponsored by any government or non-government organisation. The purpose of this selection is to gain a deeper understanding of the beliefs, values, and systems that are prevalent in a specific society or community.
- Review of Literature – The researcher can begin with and gain an understanding of the numerous dimensions that are going to be researched in the study with the assistance of the existing literature from previous studies, government papers, or archives.
- Entry and Acceptance – When it comes to understanding a community’s culture, beliefs, values, and traditions, the most challenging task for a researcher is to acquire access and acceptance in the research area. This is especially true in rural or tribal communities.
- Cultural Immersion – The researcher has to stay with the respondents for a long period of time to understand their work and over the period of time he/she starts behaving as if he/she is an integral member of the society and understands the society and culture better than anyone else.
- Data Collection – After becoming a part of the society, the researcher now starts understanding the culture and eventually collects information, key data, behavior, and rituals of the society to gain knowledge.
- Development of Theory – After data collection, the researcher tries to develop a theory with the help of existing literature and represents the culture of the society or community.
3.5 Action Research
The action research strategy is distinct from other strategies in that it emphasises action, particularly when it comes to the process of bringing about change inside the business. It helps in providing answers to questions on “how”. It represents change with the involvement of both practitioners and researchers together. There are many different names for action research, including but not limited to a term, a process, an inquiry, an approach, an umbrella term, a sequence of events, a flexible spiral process, an activity, and a cyclic concept.
According to Neumann,
“the purpose of an Action Research strategy is to promote organisational learning to produce practical outcomes through identifying issues, planning action, taking action and evaluating action”.
According to Patrick Costell,
“action research is a flexible spiral process which allows action (change, improvement) and research (understanding, knowledge) to be achieved at the same time”.
It is the goal of action research to combine a robust and rigorous research activity with respect for the participants’ knowledge and comprehension of the content being researched. It, therefore, brings together theory and practical knowledge, to test each other and develop practice.
3.5.1 Features of Action Research
- It has a practice-oriented, problem-solving emphasis
- It brings together theory and practical knowledge
- It is carried out by individuals, professionals, practitioners, and educators
- Action is undertaken to understand, evaluate, and change
- It involves being respectful of participants’ knowledge and understanding
- It involves rigorous applied research, systematic, critical reflection, and action
- It aims to improve educational practice
- Research involves gathering and interpreting (or analysing) data, often on an aspect of teaching and learning
- Critical reflection involves reviewing actions undertaken and planning future actions
3.5.2 Example of Action Research
The University Grant Commission (UGC), which is a government agency responsible for designing, developing, monitoring, and promoting higher education in India, has decided to implement online teaching and learning in higher education by the year 2025. This decision was made to promote Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). The primary goal of providing online courses is to accomplish the goal of making higher education more affordable and accessible to all individuals. The UGC decided to organise a large number of training programs, workshops, short-term training, and courses for teachers across India. These programs were offered by a variety of universities, colleges, and other colleges and organisations. These short-term seminars and training programs provide educators with the opportunity to acquire new tools and methods, such as online software, the creation of e-content, videos, moodle, and other similar resources. Following the implementation of training programs and short-term courses for a period of one year, the UGC has decided to extend the opportunity to all university and college teachers to acquire and utilise online teaching tools and approaches. In addition, the government of India has made available to both students and teachers internet platforms such as SWAYAM by introducing them. Using the SWAYAM online platform, students can take any course at no cost and learn in accordance with their preferences. On the other hand, teachers can construct and develop any subject or course of their choosing, and then share it with their students in order to expand learning opportunities for everyone. As a supplement to teaching and learning, teachers can make use of the tools and strategies that are available online. Moreover, the UGC is in the process of developing a platform that will enable educators to evaluate the results of students’ learning with the use of various online assessment tools. Therefore, UGC is treated as action research because it is about comprehending, assessing, and altering the conventional method of offering online instruction and learning.
4. Summary
- The researcher is connected to specific methods and processes for data collection and analysis through the creation of research strategies.
- In the realm of research strategies, two distinct kinds can be distinguished – quantitative strategies and qualitative methods.
- The objective of quantitative techniques is to collect factual data, study the links between those facts, and evaluate the degree to which those facts and relationships correspond with theories and the results of any previous research. The two most commonly used quantitative strategies are surveys and experiments.
- In the course of a survey, a questionnaire is typically distributed to a representative sample of the population that is being surveyed in order to collect information regarding the populations’ histories, behaviours, views, or attitudes. The purpose of the survey is to have a better understanding of the behavior of a population in a certain manner.
- Using the experiment strategy, one can determine whether or not there is a cause-and-effect link. Through the use of experiments, one can better understand the linkages between causes and effects by analysing the changes that occur in one variable. This is accomplished by determining the relationship(s) or impact of another variable.
- The objective of qualitative research methods is to gather insights and comprehend how individuals perceive the world based on their own experiences. Case studies, grounded theories, archival research, ethnography, and action research are the qualitative research methods that are utilised during the majority of research projects.
- Utilising the case study method involves conducting research on a phenomenon while situating it within a real-world setting. Not only that, but it also responds to the questions of why, what, and how. The data that is used in a case study is gathered through a combination of interviews, observations, and the examination of documentary evidence.
- The grounded theory is a type of method that can be utilised to make predictions and provide explanations for behaviour in order to construct a theory. To construct the theory, a set of data series consisting of observations is utilised. These observations over the period of time help in confirming the predictions.
- To gather information and data, archival research is carried out by making use of administrative records and papers as a source of information. This approach helps gain an understanding of the past and the changes that have taken place over time. The process of selecting, obtaining, and analysing materials that are pertinent to archival research is more difficult and time-consuming than other types of research.
- Ethnography means a written account of a people or ethnic group. The term “methodology of people” is another name for ethnography. Close observation and active engagement are the methods that the researcher employs in this research project to investigate culture.
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