1] DESCRIPTIVE STUDY.

2] CORRELATIONAL STUDY.

3] EXPLORATORY STUDY.

DESCRIPTIVE STUDY:

• This approach is basically used to understand and describe the characteristics of variables .

• A descriptive study is one, in which information is collected without changing the environment .

• Descriptive studies, primarily concerned with finding out "what is", the problem which then might be applied to investigate the problem .

• For example: In Organization Descriptive Study are undertaken to learn about and describe the characteristics of a group of employees i.e, age, gender, educational level, job status, working hours e.t.c .

METHODS USED IN DESCRIPTIVE STUDY: OBSERVATIONS. CASE STUDY. SURVEYS.

ADVANTAGES:• Data is collected in natural environment.

• Less expensive and time consuming.

• Helps in making certain decisions.

• Offer ideas for further research.

DISADVANTAGES:• Requires more skills.

• Does not identify cause behind the problem.

• Results changes over the period of time.

EXPLORATORY STUDY:

• An exploratory study is undertaken when not much is known about the situation or problem or no information is available that how similar problems have been solved in the past.

• Preliminary work is needed.• Interviews, questionnaires.• Note: doing study for first time in organization does not make it

exploratory in nature but it is the amount of information and depth of knowledge required for solving the problem.

CORRELATIONAL STUDY:

• Correlational study refers to the systematic investigation or statistical study of relationships among two or more variables, without necessarily determining cause and effect.

• EDUCATION AND INCOME ARE POSITIVELY CORRELATED. WE DO NOT KNOW WHICH CAUSES THE OTHER.

• IT MIGHT BE THAT HAVING MORE EDUCATION CAUSE A PERSON TO EARN A HIGHER INCOME .OR

• IT MIGHT BE THAT HAVING A HIGHER INCOME CAUSE A PERSON TO GET MORE EDUCATION. OR THERE MIGHT BE SOME THIRD VARIABLE.

ADVANTAGES • 1) Can collect much

information from many subjects at one time.

• 2) Can study a wide range of variables and their interrelations.

• 3) Study variables that are not easily produced in the laboratory.

DISADVANTAGES

• A correlation tells us that the two variables are related, but we cannot say anything about whether one caused the other. This method does not allow us to come to any conclusions about cause and effect.