Importance Of Exploratory Research

When the general nature of a problem, possible decision alternatives, and relevant variables are considered, exploratory research is used. Exploratory research is highly flexible and unstructured, and research hypotheses are vague or do not exist at all. Exploratory research is appropriate when examining new concepts in the field of marketing and may be used as a basis for future research. Causal research aims to show that one variable causes or determines the values of other variables. With causal research it is necessary to have reasonable proof that one variable preceded the other, and that no other factors were responsible for the relationship of the variables (Zikmund & Babin, 2010:53-54). Aaker et al. (2013:74-75) and Zikmund and Babin

This approach is relevant because the current study aims to determine the influence of relationship intention on satisfaction, loyalty and retention following service recovery through identifying relationships between variables and determining whether differences between groups (such as respondents with low, moderate and high relationship intentions) exist. Research can be carried out by means of either (or both) qualitative and quantitative research. It is common practice to use qualitative research to support quantitative research (Bahl & Milne, 2006:217; Zikmund & Babin, 2010:132). Qualitative research involves observing what people do and say, is a form of systematic empirical enquiry into meaning, and is used for gaining insight into a specific domain from a small group of individuals (Burns & Bush, 2006:202; Parasuraman, Grewal & Krishnan, 2007:178; Shank, 2006:4). Quantitative research, on the other hand, is defined as the use of structured questions in which the response options have been predetermined and the primary data is collected from a large number of individuals. This type of research is used to test hypotheses or to prove what is expected about a specific domain and to investigate the natural order by looking at variables (Parasuraman et al.,

The interviewer instructions explained how and where the research should be conducted and presented the quota (based on gender, age and population group, to obtain a demographically diverse sample) agreed upon during the meeting between the researcher and interviewer, along with examples of how to meet the quotas. With regard to the ‘how’, fieldworkers were to ask respondents each question as is on the questionnaire and capture their answers. In terms of the ‘where’, fieldworkers approached prospective respondents in the fieldworkers’ residential suburbs in and around Johannesburg based on convenience (see section 1.7.2.2) and the assigned quota. The first three questions on the questionnaire served as the screening questions (ensuring that all respondents qualified to take part in the study) to which prospective respondents had to answer in the affirmative for the fieldworker to continue with the interview. If the prospective respondents qualified and agreed to take part in the study, the interviewer conducted the personal in-home interview in the respondent’s home using the interviewer-administered questionnaire (see section