Exploratory research

Research design in which the major emphasis is on gaining ideas and insights; it is particularly helpful in breaking broad, vague problem statements into smaller, more precise sub problem statements. Exploratory research is characterized by flexibility and versatility with respect to method used because formal research protocols and procedures are not employed. The various methods used in exploratory research are: (1) Expert surveys, (2) Pilot surveys, (3) literature survey through secondary data, and (4) Qualitative research.