include business class, and possibly economy class? (3) What price(s) should we charge? (4) On
what types of planes and lengths of trips should we offer the service?
Now management and marketing researchers are ready to set specific research objectives:
(1) What types of first-class passengers would respond most to using an in-flight Internet
service? (2) How many first-class passengers are likely to use the Internet service at different
price levels? (3) How many extra first-class passengers might choose American because of this
new service? (4) How much long-term goodwill will this service add to American Airlines’
image? (5) How important is Internet service to first-class passengers relative to other services,
such as a power plug or enhanced entertainment?
Not all research projects can be this specific. Some research is exploratory—its goal is to shed
light on the real nature of the problem and to suggest possible solutions or new ideas. Some research
is descriptive—it seeks to quantify demand, such as how many first-class passengers would
purchase in-flight Internet service at $25. Some research is causal—its purpose is to test a causeand-
effect relationship.