Exploratory Research: Overview, Application, Advantages and Disadvantages 

Research is usually described into three broad categories, i.e., exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory. Research that explores issues at an early stage of development is considered exploratory research. Exploratory research is conducted when the topic or issue is novel, and data collection is challenging. It is adaptable and may handle any research issue. In most cases, this method is used to formulate formal hypotheses.

Simply put, exploratory research is any study on questions without clear answers. It often happens before we have enough information to make meaningful distinctions or to establish a causal relationship. In addition, it facilitates the identification of the best research approach, data collection method, and subject selection. In many cases, the underlying nature of a reported problem turns out non-existent after exploratory analysis.

When is the appropriate time to use it?

When an exploratory study aims to formulate a more precise problem or generate hypotheses, it helps better understand a phenomenon. Developing a hypothesis is impossible if the theory is too large or too specific. 

Therefore, exploratory research is required to obtain experience that will aid in formulating suitable hypotheses for further exploration. While exploratory research is not sufficient for decision-making, it can provide valuable insight into specific situations. The results of qualitative research can give a glimpse into “why,” “how,” and “when” events occur. Still, it cannot tell us “how often” or “how many.”

Methods used for exploratory research

In exploratory research, many methodologies are employed. Researchers can choose between primary and secondary methods or a hybrid approach.

Primary research consists of firsthand data from a specially assembled group of individuals. Organizations acquire preliminary data through interviews, focus groups, consumer surveys, or any other method that allows for feedback collection. For example, social media and blogs are excellent channels for business owners to get client feedback. 

Secondary research is the examination and synthesis of primary research conducted in the past. Any relevant data source can be used, including marketing research, periodicals, outdated publications, etc.

Often, exploratory research involves secondary research methods, such as reviewing relevant literature. Qualitative techniques, such as informal conversations with customers, employees, management, or competitors, and quantitative approaches, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, projective methods, case studies, and pilot studies, can all be used in primary research.

Further, while conducting a case study, the case may include a single person or several people. A survey or exchange of insights can also help one gain experience. Researchers may also conduct an informal investigation of the problems. One may also conduct a pilot study or create a focus group design.

Primary research encompasses a wide variety of methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative, including but not limited to: 

• casual talks with consumers
• staff, management, or competitors
• in-depth interviews
• focus groups
• projective methods
• case studies
• pilot studies

Related: Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Definitions and Key Differences

Merits of using Exploratory research

Investigating new alternatives and possibilities is crucial in light of our constantly evolving environment. In order to accomplish this, exploratory research is a fantastic tool. This strategy has numerous benefits, including creativity and innovation.

• You can be receptive to new concepts and opportunities by conducting exploratory research. This may lead to more creative solutions to problems.

• It promotes problem-solving, i.e., when you investigate novel concepts, you are likely to come up with answers to issues using exploratory research. Therefore, you can tackle challenging challenges more effectively.

• The major benefits of doing exploratory research are that it is adaptable and enables the testing of several hypotheses, which increases the flexibility of your study. It implies that you may test out several strategies to find the most effective.

• Using exploratory research techniques will increase the likelihood that you will produce reliable, valid research findings. Using this data, you can make more reliable inferences.

• The more you conduct research using the exploratory research approach, the more proficient you become. For example, you can learn to distinguish between excellent and terrible questions or ask them effectively.

• Using exploratory research techniques can make it simpler to make judgments based on more information than what you already know about the issue. 

• When you employ exploratory research techniques, it will be simpler to present your facts accurately and truthfully. Adopting these techniques makes eliminating biases that might result from reporting on prior hypotheses and facts easier.

Demerits of using Exploratory research

Exploratory research has its challenges but has the potential to be a very effective technique for learning new things. Just a handful of them are as follows:

• Exploratory research frequently has unclear objectives since it is exploratory. There is a possibility that the researcher won’t have all the information needed to do the study. Ultimately, the researcher and participants may experience dissatisfaction and misunderstanding.

• Exploratory research can be challenging and time-consuming. Determining which questions to ask, how to gather data, and how to evaluate it might take a lot of work. Therefore, it can be challenging for researchers to finish their work within the allotted time or budget.

• Exploratory research has many uses but doesn’t always yield accurate or valid conclusions. Rather than using actual data, exploratory study frequently relies on theories. The research’s findings might be deceptive or invalid if the hypothesis is unreliable or unsubstantiated.
  
• A problem or issue may not always be discovered via exploratory investigations. The reason is that open-ended questions, frequently used in exploratory research, cannot elicit all the necessary data to resolve a problem.

Kultar Singh – Chief Executive Officer, Sambodhi